《Hogwarts’ John Wick》
01: The Wizarding World and John Wick
01: The Wizarding World and John Wick
?Here goes the first chapter?
Year 1991
Mafia zone, Restricted area, Manor Number 6, Privet Drive.
In the early morning, sunlight filtered through the second-floor window, casting a glow on the wooden floor.
A rhythmic tapping interrupted the boy''s focused effort of sharpening his pencil.
He looked up to see a round shadow projected on the floor.
When he identified the source of the shadow, he couldn''t help but mutter.
"I know I''m not an ordinary person."
"But this is a bit much."
The eleven-year-old boy was a head taller than most children his age.
His tall and slender frame wasplemented by a grey-blue vest suit, with a golden pocket watch chain adding an air of elegance to the simple pencil sharpener in his hand, which seemed as refined as a wine ss.
He stood up and moved from the shadow into the sunlight.
The sunlight glistened on his smooth, ck hair, his feather-like eyshes fluttering in the sun streaming into the room.
His red-brown eyes squinted slightly against the bright light, and his thin, light-red lips pressed into a slight line beneath his sharp and handsome nose.
With a half-vic heritage, the boy did not have the characteristic freckles of European children; his fair and delicate face looked like that of a prince from a fairy tale.
He neatly arranged the pencils on the desk, his movements elegant as if he were handling a piece of art.
John Wick stared outside, where an owl persistently tapped on his window, holding a letter in its beak.
This made him ponder deeply.
An owl in itself wasn''t strangethis era wasn''t the one with the futuristic Emails, the world wasn''t that judgemental such as domestication of an owl was normal, and writing letters wasn''t unusual either.
But an owl delivering a letter was quite odd.
He didn''t open the ss window and squinted his eyes, carefully observing the letter, he saw that the envelope was made of heavy parchment, with writing in emerald green ink.
Up to this point, things were still fine, but the issuey in the wax seal in the middle.
It was a crest featuring arge ''H'', surrounded by a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake.
"Don''t tell me.. Could it be that?"
From John''s name, it was clear he had a penchant for peace, yet he harbored an undisclosed secret.
Yes, he was a transmigrator.
Well, after transmigration to this world, he has forgotten many things about his previous life and developed partial amnesia. He still remembered many things but many other things are a bit blurry.
However, sinceing to this world, he knew he was not an ordinary person, especially since he was John Wick.
Sharing a name with the infamous assassin who ughtered a gang over a dog in the "John Wick" series, such a name destined him for an extraordinary life.
For this reason, he had specially trained to kill three people with a single pencil, honing his skills on his peers, and earning the title of "Pencil Killer."
He was confident that even in dangerous situations, he could calmly draw a pencil and threaten his opponent toy down their weapon.
But he never expected that he indeed lived in an extraordinary world, not an ordinary one.
Judging from the owl and letter''s symbol, this is a world that had wizards who could wave a wand and make someone forget everything or delve into your mind to retrieve desired information.
He mildly remembers about the Harry Potter movies and novels. Well, everything is blurry, only some things like the plot of Dumbledore painting Harry as the savior and a viin without a nose named Voldemort as well as a cool Johny d*ehm*Grindelwald...*Sigh*
Must have been the shock his mind had gone through after ''that'' ident before being transmigrated here.
A group of people with supernatural powers, including twisted lunatics like Grindelwald and Voldemort.
"So, my pencil-killing skills are wasted?"
John regretted looking at the neatly arranged pencils. His ten years of persistent ''weapon'' training turned out to be in a magical world.
No matter how skilled an assassin is, could he kill a wizard?
For wizards, even the most challenging ailments could be easily cured, not to mention their elusive magic.
"Forget it, as Confucius said, since we havee, we might as well settle down. Since we''re here, let''s bury them here."
After some hesitation, he opened the window.
The owl, waiting outside for a long time, finally flew in, angrily dropping the letter on John''s face.
The owl turned and flew away, not even bothering to peck on food as it usually did.
''This hateful child was to be Hogwarts'' new student, how unlucky.'' The owl must have thought.
"Tsk, so rude. Are these owls raised by Hagrid? How can he tolerate them?"
John took down the envelope,ining about the Hogwarts owls'' manners, and opened the letter.
"Dear Mr. Wick,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been epted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed is a list of necessary books and equipment.
The term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by noter than July 31st.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress."
"September 1st? there''s still some time."
At the same time, a voice echoed in his mind.
[Ding, discovering a hidden corner of the world, initiating a series of tasks: Hogwarts.]
Indeed, he has a cheat.
A so-called transmigrator''s golden finger.
At five years old, John discovered a panel appearing in his mind.
This was why he could master the skill of killing three people with one pencil at eleven years old.
The panel was very simple, aside from issuing tasks, it had only two functions.
Blessings and skill points.
Blessing, as the name suggests, is simr to stacking buffs in a game.
Skill points could enhance skill levels.
Both Blessings and Skill Points could be obtained bypleting randomly issued tasks.
For instance, John''s proficiency in short weapons had reached level 7, allowing him to easily defeat three adults with just a pencil.
ording to his original n, he intended to use skill points to be an all-around athlete or get into the top universities.
These ns were disrupted by this eptance letter.
The panel added a new elementmagic power.
This undoubtedly confirmed the authenticity of the letter.
Now it was July.
John needed to figure out how to make his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wick, ept the fact that their son was a wizard.
"John, this joke is not funny."
Mr. Watson Wick looked at his son with a serious expression. "You may have sessfully made your fathere running from the office to your school to apologize to four kids you ''used'' your pencil on, but you can''t torment your father with such unfunny jokes."
Watson Wick, John''s father in this life, had golden brown hair and red-brown eyes. With a high nose bridge and a well-fitting suit, he epitomized the British elite.
In fact, John resembled his mother more. Mrs. Wick, a brte beauty from the US, California, had the same ck hair, and even her dress exuded mature charm.
As modern elites, the Wick family didn''t believe John''s words.
Mrs. Wick, aligned with Watson, held a gold-rimmed bone cup of coffee, her eyes showing helplessness at the child''s lie.
"It was three, and I''m not joking," John retorted.
It was indeed three people, the other one had run over and tripped by himself, which had nothing to do with him.
"Is that so? That chubby boy, Dudley, didn''t say so. He even ate the entire apology cake all by himself, I don''t know how he managed to do it."
Watson looked at his son with a half-smile.
Now realizing he was in a magical world, John grew more puzzled. Could that chubby Dudley be Harry Potter''s cousin?
Ultimately, after John''s persistent argument, the Wick couple reluctantly agreed to give John a chance.
And so, the days passed.
John earned a new nickname from the Wick couple, "Little Wizard."
But this news somehow spread, and a group of kids who didn''t get along with John teamed up to mock him, only to be scared off by him drawing a pencil, running home to cry to their mothers.
...
This is an interesting story! Believe me! (>??)
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02: Diagon Alley and the Giant
02: Diagon Alley and the Giant
July 30th,
The doorbell at the Wick residence rang.
Upon opening the door, they were greeted by a tall woman.
She wore a deep green robe, and her stern face was framed by square sses.
Without needing much thought, it was clear that this was the Quidditch-loving Deputy Headmistress.
Minerva McGonagall, a professor at Hogwarts and the head of Gryffindor House.
McGonagall first nodded politely, then asked the stunned John, "This is Minerva McGonagall. Mr. Wick, may Ie in?"
Seeing a character from the book for the first time, John snapped back to reality and shed a bright smile, inviting Professor McGonagall inside.
John''s parents, still in disbelief, exchanged nces, wondering if their child had hired someone to y a prank.
With suspicion, the couple sat on the sofa while Professor McGonagall took a seat on the other side.
John, the main character of this visit, ended up acting as a tea-serving servant.
Once seated, Watson Wick was the first to speak. "Are you really a worker from Hugwarts?"
His expression and words were full of doubt.
McGonagall had seen countless such parents, so she wasn''t offended. She calmly corrected his terminology, saying, "It''s Hogwarts, and to be precise, I''m a professor."
The couple looked at John simultaneously, murmuring internally if their son wasn''t lying after all.
John put on an innocent face, thinking, "I told you it''s true."
Watson wasn''t so easily convinced. Changing his posture, he leaned forward slightly, gesturing with his hands and speaking with a skeptical tone, "So, my son is a wizard? Are you going to take the hairs from freshly dead corpses and nail ck cats to other people''s doors?"
Such arrogant and doubtful words were indeed not very friendly. Even McGonagall frowned and sternly said, "Mr. Wick, only muggles trying stupid ck magic would do such things. Hogwarts is a true school of magic."
"Sorry."
Watson realized his words had gone too far, but he still found it hard to believe so easily.
McGonagall knew that it wasn''t easy for Muggle families to ept a wizard in the family, so she drew her wand and waved it.
The teacup Watson was holding turned into a rat, which ran up his sleeve, causing him to scream.
John, seeing magic for the first time, especially such advanced Transfiguration, couldn''t help but feel excited.
After this incident, Watson fully believed what John had been saying.
No matter how skilled a magician was, it was impossible to turn a cup into a rat across a tea table.
That day, after seeing McGonagall off, Watson became a curious baby;
"John, can you turn the cup into a rat?"
"John, make the broom sweep the floor by itself."
"John, can you ride a broom and fly?"
"John..."
John was overwhelmed by his father''s incessant questions. Eventually, he had to resort to his trump card, asking Mrs. Wick to chase Watson out of the room.
...
July 31st.
John had to prepare for school.
"It should be here."
Kings Cross Road.
A dingy, narrow pub stood incongruously between a big bookstore and a record shop.
However, this conspicuous ce wentpletely unnoticed by passersby.
Muggle-Repelling Charms.
Anyone who has read Harry Potter would be familiar with this ce. It''s where Harry''s dream began and the gateway to Diagon Alley.
This dingy, narrow pub also had a loud name, the Leaky Cauldron.
Before entering the pub, the beautiful Mrs. Wick expressed her concern, "John, you''re still a child; you can''t enter a pub and have drinks."
John reassured her, saying he definitely wouldn''t.
After all, it was hard to like such an environment.
Upon entering the Leaky Cauldron, the mixture of sweat and sour beer created a peculiar smell that made the family of three wrinkle their noses.
They had thought the outside was messy enough, but the inside was even more shocking.
John was curious how these wizards could tolerate such a smell, especially the guy with the turban on his head.
If the pub''s smell was rated 100, that person contributed at least 60.
The bald-headed owner came out from behind the bar, seeing the attire of the family of three, he knew what was going on.
"Come along, you''re costing me a few Knuts just standing here."
The money-grubbing owner grudgingly made way, his words showing his displeasure, which made Mrs. Wick think wizards were indeed rude.
Under the owner''s guidance, the family of three arrived at the entrance to Diagon Alley.
The Leaky Cauldron''s owner demonstrated the entrance method, "Count three bricks up from the trash bin, then two bricks horizontally."
As he tapped the wall, the once solid brick wall separated, revealing the path to the magical world.
"This is magic..."
John was awestruck, as if scenes from two different worlds had appeared before him.
Even if he recalled this moment in the future, it would always remain vividly memorable.
"Sorry, could you let me through?" a gruff voice sounded from behind.
A huge figure, standing at least three meters tall, came into view.
Wearing an oversized mole-skin coat, exuding a smell that was hard to determine whether it was from beasts or too long without a bath.
Next to the giant was a small boy who looked severely malnourished.
His oversized clothes made him appear even more frail, and beneath his round sses, his beautiful green eyes peeked out.
Noticing the lightning-shaped scar under the boy''s hair, John immediately recognized his identity.
In his previous life, he had read Harry Potter, and though it had been over a decade, such a distinctivebination was hard to miss.
The Boy Who Lived.
"Hagrid and Harry."
John mumbled their names, while his parents were too shocked to speak.
Turning a cup into a rat was already astonishing, but Hagrid''s obviously inhuman height frightened them even more.
Watching the giant and the boy disappear into the distance, John pulled himself back.
Although he wanted to get closer to them, it was clearly not the right time.
He still had a lot of shopping to do, but before that, he needed to visit Gringotts for some currency exchange.
Skipping over the confusing exchange rates at Gringotts.
The Wick family had a decent ie.
Watson Wick was a manager at one of the Continental Hotel''s chains, and Mrs. Wick ran a beauty salon.
They spent 2000 pounds to exchange for 400 Galleons.
John recalled the greedy, cunning expressions of the goblins at the counter, feeling like his family had been ripped off.
Nevertheless, they now had the funds for shopping.
Ignoring Watson''s constant muttering about showing off the Galleons to his friends, the family started shopping in Diagon Alley.
Seeing dragon liver, the foodie inside John felt tempted to buy it for a taste.
However, for Mr. and Mrs. Wick, it was just a pile of bloody liver they wanted to avoid.
...
At Flourish and Blotts.
Watson almost lost a finger to the biting "The Monster Book of Monsters."
John bought all the books on his list, and a few extra on the magical world. The thick "Hogwarts: A History" was particrly hard to put down.
...
Madam Malkin''s Robes for All asions.
Madam Malkin was a short, plump witch, but her smile was very infectious.
She was very pleased with John, saying he was born to be a clothes horse. Every outfit fit him perfectly.
After he left, Harry arrived here and met the spoiled child, Draco Malfoy.
...
The Cauldron Shop.
John worked hard to convince Watson not to buy a self-stirring cauldron for collection, as it would make a mess in the house.
But Watson thought it might make a great stew pot. When he mentioned putting it in the kitchen, Mrs. Wick decisively shut down the idea.
...
The Apothecary.
The family was grossed out by the strange items floating in jars. Mrs. Wick covered her son''s eyes in fear.
Watson looked like he was about to vomit, feeling the bacon from breakfast trying to crawl out of his stomach.
Finally, they fled the Apothecary as if escaping.
...
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03: Wands and Gifts
03: Wands and Gifts
"Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C."
Atst, John arrived at the most exciting part of his journey. If there''s one thing that represents the magical world in Harry Potter, it has to be the wand. Without a wand, even Voldemort would be powerless.
Ollivanders Wand Shop.
This was thergest armory supply in the wizarding world. John couldn''t help but praise, "No wonder they''ve been making wands since 382 B.C., truly extraordinary."
Immediately, he acted like a little adult, reminding Mrs. Wick to keep an eye on her overly curious husband.
John, filled with excitement, stepped inside.
Upon entering, the first thing he saw wasn''t a person, but thousands of narrow boxes containing wands piled up high. The already small shop appeared even more cramped with these boxes. The thickyer of dust everywhere made John wonder how Ollivander lived there without ever cleaning.
As John was looking around, Ollivander was also sizing him up.
"Good afternoon," Ollivander said with a kindly smile as he emerged from the mountain of boxes.
"Hello, I''d like to get a..." John began.
"A wand, of course, everyone wants a wand," Ollivander finished his sentence with a smile, stepping out from behind the counter.
"A new student at Hogwarts. What''s your name?" he asked.
"John Wick."
"Very well, Mr. Wick, may I see your dominant hand?"
"Right hand... though I can use my left hand too," John responded, being ambidextrous thanks to his two and a half years of practice in handling pencils, allowing him to deal quickly with enemies on both sides.
"Let''s go with the left hand then," John decided after some thought.
Ollivander took out a tape measure and started measuring John. The tape measure had been enchanted. Watching the serious Ollivander, John felt a strange sensation. This old man seemed more like a tailor than a wand seller.
"Wands are unique. It''s not the wizard that chooses the wand, but the wand that chooses the wizard," Ollivander said with a mysterious smile after taking the measurements.
Returning to the shelves, he pulled out a box. Opening it, he revealed a ck wand inside.
"Willow wood with unicorn hair, seven and three-quarter inches. Give it a try," Ollivander introduced.
John, with excitement, took the wandhis first ever. He tried swinging it to the side, and the cab in the shop exploded, wood chips flying everywhere.
The immense power left John stunned.
"Apparently not that one. Let''s try this one," Ollivander said calmly, taking back the wand and handing John another, made of mahogany.
The moment John took it, the box beside them exploded.
"You are quite picky. Try this one, yew and dragon heartstring," Ollivander said.
Time passed, and it seemed none of the wands were suitable. After numerous changes, John felt numb. The shop, initially neat, had turned into a mess, making John''s parents outside wonder if they were selling explosives rather than wands.
"Mr. Wick, I must say, I''ve never met a student with such a destructive touch," Ollivander remarked, increasingly excited. Even the most docile oak and unicorn hair wand acted like a bomb in John''s hands.
"The more picky the customer, the more aplishment I feel," he added.
"I just remembered a wand as picky as yours," Ollivander suddenly said, smacking his forehead.
He swiftly climbed the shelves with surprising agility for his age, making John worry he might fall. After some rummaging, Ollivander pulled out a dusty box.
Blowing off the dust, he revealed, "Red oak with thunderbird tail feather, nine and three-quarter inches, flexible."
With a hopeful smile, he handed it to John.
A thought popped into John''s mind as he took it: "This is the one."
Feeling a connection, he elegantly waved the wand. Instead of an explosion, soft light emitted from the tip, like a gentle breeze, softlynding on his face like bubbles.
"This is the one!" Ollivander pped, satisfied.
Every wand is a temperamental child, and finding the right match for each customer brought him great joy.
"The red oak wand loves a good fight, it''s a warrior among wands," Ollivander exined.
"Sounds like it suits me better than a pencil," John joked, relieved he wouldn''t need to carry pencils anymore. Hopefully, the red oak would be more durable.
A wand cost 7 Galleons. After paying, John rejoined his parents. On the way, his father showed great interest in the wand, even wanting to make flowers bloom on his wife''s head with it. John quickly snatched it back to prevent any further mischief.
"Oh, and we need to buy an owl," John suddenly remembered. Without an owl,munication at Hogwarts would be nearly impossible.
...
At Eeylops Owl Emporium, the noise and smell of owl droppings made Mrs. Wick leave quickly.
"This one," John chose a snowy owl at first nce, naming it Basil.
Basil, the snowy owl, tilted its head and stared at John, as if trying to remember its new owner.
Back home, John''s father had a great time taking photos with John''s wand, and would have worn John''s wizard robe for more pictures if it fit him. Mrs. Wick watched with a smile, as if looking at a child who hadn''t grown up.
Meanwhile, Harry also received his gift: a snowy owl he named Hedwig, making it the happiest day of his life.
...
John received a gift as well. When Mrs. Wick brought it out, the moving box startled John, who instinctively drew his wand.
Opening the box, out popped a puppy. Withrge ears, a brown head, and a ck back, it was a Beagle, a beagle hound. The puppy immediately licked John''s face enthusiastically.
Mrs. Wick smiled at the heartwarming scene and said, "Your father and I thought you shouldn''t take a spider or a rat to school. This little one is your school gift."
John''s father silently mouthed, "That was your mother''s idea," clearly thinking rats were cool pets.
John thought if his father were a wizard, he''d definitely be a Gryffindor with his adventurous spirit.
''Well, I wanted a cat and I also thought a name for it but why can''t I name a dog with that, right?''
"Thank you, Mom. I agree, rats aren''t the best choice," John said, appreciating the gift.
"Ow, he is too cute!"
Naming the puppy Tom, after the cartoon character, not Voldemort, John embraced his first dog.
...
TL: I thought only Cats, Owls, and Toads could be kept as pets in Hogwarts?
04: The future Minister of Magic and the Sword Master
04: The future Minister of Magic and the Sword Master
September 1st.
The Wick family took their son to King''s Cross Station.
Watson, dressed in a suit and tie, held the address in his hand and checked it repeatedly, wanting to make sure he had read it correctly.
"tform 9??"
Watson had lived in the UK for so long, but he had never heard of such a tform at King''s Cross Station.
The family wandered around for a long time but couldn''t find it.
John nced at Watson, who was still interested, and didn''t even bother to expose his initiative to see the legendary wizard trains.
As a Muggle, it''s hard to avoid being curious about magical things.
John, who had read the plot, naturally knew where it was, and found the third pir between the ninth and tenth tforms.
John turned around and waved to his father, and in his father''s stunned eyes, he ran into the pir.
...
With a lot of luggage in his hands, John identally bumped into a little girl when crossing the tform.
"Oops."
The two pieces of luggage collided.
The body that had been trained for many years yed an important role at this moment.
He stood firmly in a horse stance, as steady as an old dog.
The weak wizard who bumped into him was not so lucky, and was knocked unconscious.
The luggage fell to the ground and books scattered all over the floor.
Strength vs. Magic, first round.
Strength wins!
"Are you okay?"
Seeing that he had bumped into someone, John hurried over to help the little wizard who had fallen upside down.
At the same time, he helped pick up the books scattered on the ground.
While picking up the books, he looked up at the little wizard''s face.
The other party had put on a wizard robe, with thick and messy brown hair and bright brown eyes, but the most eye-catching thing was the two big rabbit-like front teeth. Ok, so the wizard he thought he bumped into was a little witch.
John had nothing to say to start a conversation, but he was honest and eximed.
"Your front teeth are really big."
Hermione, who originally wanted to say that it was okay, had a dark face when she heard it.
As the daughter of a dentist, her front teeth were bigger than those of other children, which was the thing she least wanted to be mentioned.
This person bumped into her andughed at her front teeth. Hermione didn''t have a good impression of John.
John didn''t know that the person he bumped into was Hermione from the Golden Trio. After all, Hermione was beautified in the Harry Potter movie. Besides, after so many years, he could only remember some plots of the novel.
It was really difficult for him to remember some details.
John, who had offended the little witch unintentionally, picked up the scattered books and stacked them back. "Here you go," John smiled, thinking that he was really very graceful.
But Hermione opposite didn''t have any good feelings.
"Thank you."
After hurriedly thanking him, she didn''t want to talk to this person anymore. She pushed the luggage hard and walked away quickly.
John thought that the girl was shy, so he ran a hand through his silky hair and said sadly and narcissistically: "My damn charm was too high it seems."
...
On the train.
John arrived early, and there were still many empty carriages on the train.
He entered a carriage and sat down, looking out the window, bored.
In his memory, Weasley should meet the savior for the first time today.
But unfortunately, he didn''t wait for the famous scene.
"Excuse me, can I sit here?"
A boy''s voice sounded a little unconfident.
There were freckles on his round face, and his expression was timid and uneasy, as if he was afraid that John would not want to.
It can be seen that this is a child who is not confident.
Compared with the big fat boy Dudley, this little fat boy is still much slimmer.
John smiled and said, "Please sit down."
Neville felt relieved when he heard this. After entering thpartment, he found that the boy in front of him did not look easy to mess with. He had
a charming appearance and wore a brown woolen sweater. And with each flick, his wand turned flexibly between his fingers, like an obedient little snake.
This feeling was like a cowboy sitting opposite him, holding a revolver in his hand and ying with it arrogantly.
The timid Neville was frightened and huddled up tightly against thpartment window, trying to reduce his presence as much as possible.
"Coo."
"Ah! Trevor"
Neville''s pet toad jumped out, and he hurriedly grabbed Trevor.
Afraid that he would annoy the other party, he secretly nced at John in fear.
And John was also looking at him, which made him lower his head quickly, thinking that he had made the other party angry.
Little did Naville know that he was staring at the toad, as the toad brought back his memories.
''Toad? I remember that there seemed to be a person with such a pet in Harry Potter.''
Among the few plots that John remembered, there were not many impressive ones except the Golden Trio.
Among the few people who he remembered, the name of the Hogwarts Sword Master was definitely one.
So he stretched out his hand and introduced himself with a smile: "Hello, they call me Wick,John Wick."
"M-My name is Neville Longbottom." Neville also stammered in response.
When John heard this name, he secretly said in his heart, "Sure enough. "
The future Hogwarts'' Sword Master, a true Gryffindor.
Some people say that Neville is the son of prophecy. God knows how many people have been brainwashed by this sentence on the Inte tform in John''s previous life.
John is more inclined toNeville being a big supporting character, a second savior maybe?Because without Neville killing the Horcrux, Harry Potter cannot win.
One cannot exist without the other; Neville''s inherent kindness ensured that even if he knew the truth, he wouldn''t be able to kill Harry, the seventh Horcrux. Thus, calling him a second savior was more reliable.
Neville felt uneasy when he noticed that John fell silent upon hearing his name.
He wondered if he should find anotherpartment. The Longbottom family didn''t have a good reputation among the pure-blood families, being on the same level as the Weasleys.
As the atmosphere grew quiet, another authoritative voice came from outside.
"May I sit here? The otherpartments seem full"
With curly hair and oversized front teeth, the all-knowing Hermione Granger entered thepartment.
Neville, hoping that another person might relieve some of the pressure, quickly said, "Yes, there is a lot of space here."
He stole a nce at John as he spoke. Hermione slightly tilted her head up, a habit of hers. As the top student in school, she was always a favorite among the teachers.
But as she sat down, she recognized the ck-haired boy opposite her. They had briefly met that morning. Remembering how hemented on herrge front teeth, her face darkened.
Neville, initially happy to have someone share the pressure, saw Hermione''s expression change and thought he must have done something wrong again. The silence grew heavy once more.
Finally, Hermione broke the silence. She extended her hand to Neville, lifting her head slightly, her sharp tone softened, "Hermione Jean Granger."
"N-Neville Longbottom," Neville breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he might not survive the trip to school in such a tense atmosphere.
John, realizing what was happening, introduced himself, "John Wick." He then recognized that the girl he teased about her teeth was actually Hermione, one of the main trio.
Hermione didn''t hold a grudge for long; she was inherently kind-hearted. Upon learning that both of Neville''s parents were from the magical world, she became interested.
"So, can you do magic?" she asked eagerly. "Kids from magical families must be familiar with magic, right? Can you show me something?"
Neville stammered, unable to speak, while Hermione''s questions came non-stop like a sewing machine. Seeing this, John smiled knowingly; the all-knowing Hermione was indeed curious to the core.
Putting down his wand, John came to Neville''s rescue, "Talent varies from person to person. For example, my family are all Muggles, yet I''m a wizard."
Hearing that John came from a Muggle family, Hermione felt a sense of kinship, easing her earlier irritation.
The two began chatting about the fascinating world of magic, asionally asking Neville for insights as a local resident. The atmosphere in thepartment improved. However, during their conversation, Neville realized his toad was missing.
Hermione, always eager to help, volunteered to help Neville search for his toad. Before leaving, she asked John if he wanted to join them.
John, toozy to move, fiddled with his newly bought Chocte Frog, debating where to take a bite. He waved them off, "I''ll stay here to hold thepartment. Otherwise, some kids might think it''s empty and take it."
Seeing the sense in his words, Hermione agreed and set off with Neville to search the train for his toad.
____
05: Reaching Hogwarts
05: Reaching Hogwarts
After the two of them left, it was some time after the train started that they returned.
"John, you absolutely won''t believe who I saw," eximed Neville, still a bit incoherent upon his return, leaving John puzzled.
It was Hermione, raising her voice and speaking clearly, who told John, "Harry Potter, the savior from the story, he''s on the train too."
Recalling the in-looking savior he had seen, Hermione proudly raised her little head and said, "The savior isn''t that impressive."
Neville retorted, "But my grandmother said Harry Potter defeated the Dark Lord and saved the wizarding world."
The two began to argue.
Only then did John realize what he had missed.
The epic meeting of the trio happened right in the carriage.
John felt a bit regretful for having forgotten about this.
The train traveled for several hours and arrived at the station after nightfall.
Prompted by Hermione, John put on his school uniform robe, and with his good looks, the robe gave him an even more mysterious aura.
Before getting off the train, John saw Hagrid''s massive figure through the ss window.
Hagrid was holding antern, which was quite conspicuous in the dark.
The young wizards got off the train, marveling at Hagrid''s size. The older students, led by prefects, left in an orderly manner.
John noticed a red-haired boy next to Harry; it was hard not to recognize a Weasley with that distinctive hair.
The group of new students followed Hagrid to Hogwarts.
On the boat across the ck Lake, John reminded Neville, "Neville, have you found your toad?"
Neville''s round face froze; he had forgotten all about his toad after seeing Harry.
But now that they were on the boat, with no sign of Trevor, Neville was almost in tears.
As the one who had caused all this, John wasn''t worried at all. He remembered that Neville''s toad would eventually appear at the gates of Hogwarts.
When watching the movie, he had always been curious about where Neville''s toad had gone.
It disappeared on the train but showed up at Hogwarts. Could it have the blood of magical creatures?
Magical creatures are beings in the wizarding world, and they are one of the factors that make this world so vibrant.
...
"Watch your heads!" Hagrid''s booming voice rang out, scaring Hermione and Neville into ducking quickly, while John did not duck.
Only after the boat passed did they realize there was no need to duck, or rather, only someone of Hagrid''s size would need to.
Crossing the ck Lake, the young wizards officially stepped into Hogwarts.
This thousand-year-old magical school, looking like a castle, was filled with mystery in the night.
The young wizards walked up the historic steps.
At the entrance, a stern-faced Professor McGonagall was already waiting.
Unlike thest time John had seen her at the Wick''s Residence, Professor McGonagall was wearing a ck pointed witch''s hat this time, adding to her already imposing presence.
Nodding slightly to Hagrid, the unsmiling Professor McGonagall said, "Wee to Hogwarts."
[Ding! The first stage mission at Hogwarts has been activated: survive your first year as a magic apprentice. Mission rewards: +1 to magic point, +2 to attribute points]
(Note: Completing rted tasks will grant mission rewards.)
[A/N: Magic Point will be added to his Magic stat in the panel below and the Attribute/Skill points are to increase the level of a skill.]
As Professor McGonagall spoke, John received a system notification.
John let his mind go nk, his gaze unfocused as if daydreaming.
In front of him, a transparent panel appeared, as if written on ss.
The panel was very simple, with only four sections.
...
[Magic: Level 1 (0/100)]
[Spells: Alohomora (Level 3)]
[Skills: Short Weapon Mastery (Level 7), Polearm Mastery (Level 6), Heavy Weapon Mastery (Level 3), Firearm Mastery (Level 1)]
[Blessings: Physical Fitness, Quick Attack, Precision]
...
John blinked his dry eyes.
After returning home from Diagon Alley, he spent a month studying magic, during which he advanced the Unlocking Charm (Alohomora) to Level 3 and gained a new spell attribute.
At Level 1, Alohomora could only unlock simple doortches. At Level 2, it could unlock doors, and at Level 3, it had already opened the safe his father had secretly hidden from his mother.
Thanks to this, he also handled the handgun in the safe, adding a Level 1 skill in firearms.
Professor McGonagall was still introducing the four houses.
John already knew all of this and didn''t pay much attention.
Neville saw Trevor on the steps and, delighted, rushed over, causing many young wizards to snicker, making Neville return to the group embarrassed and timid.
After McGonagall turned around to prepare for the Sorting Ceremony.
The young Draco Malfoy with his slicked-bacbed tinum blonde hair, began to fall in love with the savior Harry Potter at first sightno, I mean, their mutual antagonism.
"It seems what they said on the train was true, Harry Potter hase to Hogwarts."
With his two steadfast followers, Crabbe and Goyle, Malfoy stood proudly on the steps and introduced himself to Harry Potter, "Draco Malfoy."
That was his characterarrogant and conceited, as befitting a pure-blood aristocrat.
These traits were exactly what the Weasleys disliked, so Ronughed scornfully at Malfoy''s peacock disy.
The sound was quiet, but just enough for Malfoy to hear.
Malfoy turned to scrutinize Ron. Your worst enemy often knows you best.
Recognizing that Ron was from the Weasley family, Malfoy sneered disdainfully, "Red hair, hand-me-down robes, there''s no doubt, you must be a Weasley."
Ron felt very aggrieved at being hit where it hurt.
The Weasley family was toorge, with seven children. To save money, Ron had to use the things his brothers left behind.
After mocking the Weasleys, Malfoy extended an olive branch to Harry.
"You''ll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others. Potter, no one wants to be friends with the wrong sort. I can help you."
It was a sign of Malfoy''s genuine desire to be friends with Harry that he, despite his pride, extended a hand.
John frowned at this speech. While he had previously thought Malfoy was merely arrogant, hearing it firsthand made him quite annoyed.
Malfoy''s words demeaned all non-pure-blood wizards, making John want to punch that proud face.
Malfoy had clearly forgotten one thing: Harry was friends with the Weasleys, and no one likes their friends being insulted.
"I think I can tell who''s right and wrong for myself, thanks," Harry firmly rejected Malfoy''s offer, leaving Malfoy embarrassed.
When the two looked at each other affectionately (?), John couldn''t help shaking his head.
''Little Malfoy, that''s not how you make friends,'' John thought as he discreetly moved forward to stand beside Neville, with Hermione following him.
Hermione thought John was angry at Malfoy''s words and feared he might start a fight on the first day, which would be bad, wizarding school or not.
However, her worries were unnecessary. Not long after Malfoy finished speaking, Professor McGonagall came back and led them in a line into the great hall for the Sorting Ceremony.
The ceiling of the Hogwarts Great Hall was enchanted to look like the night sky, with hundreds of candles floating above to light the hall.
Four long tables filled with students, each with robes trimmed in different colors representing their houses.
Red and gold for Gryffindor.
Blue and silver for Ravenw.
Green and silver for Slytherin.
Yellow and ck for Hufflepuff.
In the Great Hall, fourrge hoursses represented the house points.
Upper-year students watched the new arrivals, while walking beside John, Hermione chattered on about "Hogwarts: A History," giving John a headache.
No wonder the other two-thirds of the trio initially didn''t like Hermione; at this age, everyone''s pride was strong, and having a friend constantly unting superior knowledge could indeed be annoying.
Fortunately, John was not a child and didn''t dislike Hermione.
His attention was more focused on the kindly old man with the white beard. This was not just the headmaster of Hogwarts.
He was also the topbatant in the magical world, feared by two sessive Dark Lords, the anchor of the magical world, and the only one capable of summoning a phoenix.
The White Wizard of the magical world,Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.
John''s curious eyes caught Dumbledore''s attention. The old man nevercked patience with students, and he even winked at John yfully.
...
Don''t forget to add this to your Reading list!
06: Sorting and Fighting
06: Sorting and Fighting
Afterward, Dumbledore issued a plot-rted task and specifically emphasized the dangers of the corridor on the third floor, right side.
John couldn''t help but think, "Aren''t you just tempting curious Gryffindors to check it out?"
Then came the Sorting Ceremony. Hannah Abbott, as always, was first up.
The Sorting Hat ced her in Hufflepuff.
When it was John''s turn, Hermione had already been sorted into Gryffindor and was looking at him expectantly.
No one wants to be separated from their friends.
"John Wick," Professor McGonagall called out, and John stepped forward.
His sleek, ck hair,bined with his exquisite features and perfectly fitting wizard robes, made him stand out.
Girls in this age group, especially feeling the excitement of Hogwarts, whispered about the handsome boy to their newly made friends with blushing faces.
Under the Sorting Hat, John saw a spider working on the hat''s brim and almost recoiled in disgust.
He had already formed an impression that wizards were quite untidypared to Muggles, but this was too much.
How could Professor McGonagall hold this without feeling disgusted?
The Sorting Hat was ced on his head, and an indignant voice came from it.
"What an impolite little wizard, just as arrogant as the previous tinum-head kid!"
John was embarrassed, not expecting the Sorting Hat to read his thoughts.
Curious, he asked, "Is this Legilimency?"
"Legilimency? A little wizard knowing such advanced magic, but no, it is not," the hat responded.
As the hat of the founding persona of Gryffindor, it used something even more advanced.
"Such a difficult choice... You have courage and a spirit of exploration, diligence andpassion, cleverness and ambition, a strong desire for honor... in that respect, you align well with Slytherin."
The Sorting Hat muttered to itself, leaving John stunned.
Wait, you didn''t mention wisdom at alldoes that imply I''m stupid? That''s going too far.
And why am I aligned with Slytherin?
I''m not a pureblood, and Slytherins are all pureblood supremacists, naturally opposing me.
As for ambition, John was innocent; he only wanted to be a wizard on the level of Dumbledore. What''s wrong with that?
Can you say you''ve never dreamed of being Superman?
At most, he wanted to lead a house, like being ss president. How is that overly ambitious?
nder, pure nder!
Unfortunately, no matter how much he tried to reason, the Sorting Hat, after much hesitation, finally shouted,
"Slytherin!"
"What?"
John was dumbfounded. A Muggle-born in Slytherin?
Everyone knows Slytherin is pureblood-centric, and I''m not even a half-bloodjust a Muggle-born.
Sending me there is just setting me up to be bullied.
The Sorting Hat coolly replied, "Don''t worry, little wizard, your honor will make Slytherin admire you."
"I suspect you''re getting back at me for bad-mouthing you," John muttered.
The Sorting Hat''s decision was final, something even Dumbledore couldn''t change.
Resigned, John walked heavily towards the Slytherin table.
From the Gryffindor table, Hermione and Neville looked at him with concern.
"Sigh... life is tough."
Unluckily, the only seat left at the Slytherin table was next to Malfoy.
John sat down, and Malfoy, seeing how good-looking and polite he was, assumed he must be a pureblood.
To Malfoy, only purebloods could be so elegant, never thinking a Muggle-born could be like this.
For Malfoy, who disliked being ordinary, having an ally was a good thing.
Proudly, he extended his hand in friendship, "Draco Malfoy, of the Sacred Twenty-Eight pureblood families."
He lifted his head arrogantly, looking down his nose at John.
Like a peacock eager to show off for a mate.
John nced at him, shook his hand politely, and said calmly, "John Wick."
Malfoy appreciated his sensible behavior, unlike that Harry Potter.
Even though John wasn''t from one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight pureblood families, Malfoy thought John was from other wizarding families. Well, even if he were a half-blood, it was still good enough as his sensible attitude earned Malfoy''s favor.
So, proudly, he asked, "Are you pureblood or half-blood?"
John nced at his proud demeanor and replied indifferently, "Neither."
Malfoy''s expression stiffened. Neither?
That would mean entirely Muggle-born?
"You''re a Mudblood"
The term popped into his head, and Malfoy blurted it out.
The next second.
His jaw took a hit, and he saw the scene in front of him change dramatically.
Crabbe''s scream and Goyle''s yelp rang in his ears.
Then came themotion of the entire house, followed by Professor McGonagall''s scolding.
Malfoy spent his first night at school in the hospital wing.
...
The first Thursday of the school year.
"Sigh, life is always so unpredictable."
"Oh, life, so short and fleeting."
In the trophy room, John elegantly wiped a que bearing James Potter''s name as if he were a waiter holding a pristine handkerchief.
Filch, supervising, turned his head away in exasperation.
Having punched a fellow student in the great hall on the first day, John was lucky to be merely polishing trophies.
Not to mention, he had also stuck a fork into Goyle''s hand and mmed Crabbe''s head against the table.
Though Malfoy had started it with his insult, John''s retaliation was too harsh.
Slytherin lost most of their points right after the term began, leaving Snape''s face dark enough to drip water.
If Dumbledore hadn''t intervened, John might have been expelled.
As punishment, John had to clean the trophies in the trophy room for two months.
Because of this, John''s notoriety spread throughout Hogwarts right from the start.
He became the most talked-about student of the term.
Mrs. Norris, Filch''s cat, licked her paw. This Maine Coon, thoughrge, was rmingly thin.
Finishing his day''s work, John waved at Mrs. Norris.
"Goodbye, Mrs. Norris. I''ll bring you some cat food tomorrow. Look how skinny you are."
He left the trophy room before Filch could get angry.
Returning to the Slytherinmon room, John''s entrance silenced the students inside.
They feared him for his ferocity on the first day, with some even dubbing him ''Boogeyman.''
The nickname arose from his appearance and formidable skills that day, conveying their fear of him.
John didn''t mind. That fight had a purpose.
As a wizard from a Muggle family, if he didn''t want to be the Slytherin punching bag, he had to establish his authority.
Clearly, he seeded.
The downside was having no friends in Slytherin, but it wasn''t without benefits.
He unlocked a quest series called ''Boogeyman.''
[Completing 100 hours of nighttime wandering would grant a ''Boogeyman'' blessing.]
...
Back in his room.
To avoid further conflicts, he was given a single room.
He was pleased, as it allowed him to keep a dog and train without issues.
Three-month-old Tom was in a lively phase, jumping around the room and sometimes provoking his snowy owl, Basil.
This usually ended with Basil swatting him, calming him down only briefly before he resumed his antics.
John''s first task upon returning was to start his workout.
It was his daily routine and a method to umte magic.
[Strengthening the Body: Enhance magicpatibility through exercise, absorbing magic during workouts.]
"Where''s the magical apprenticeship in this? I feel like I''m bing a berserker."
John touched his noticeably growing muscles after finishing his workout. Was it normal for a first-year to have an eight-pack?
umting magic by training his body seemed unusual, but he had grown used to it over the years.
"Who can umte magic power by exercising? But I have been doing this for many years and it has be a habit."
After a shower, he ended his day.
___
A/N: Sorry guys, I forgot the password to my ount but now I''m back!?
07: Snape’s Questions
07: Snapes Questions
The next day, John headed to the Potions ssroom.
As soon as he sat down, the area around him cleared out.
When the Gryffindor students arrived, they saw John standing out in the empty space as no one wanted to sit with him.
Hermione and Neville looked over worriedly, and John shrugged, giving them a reassuring look that said it was all fine.
ss began.
Snape, resembling a greasy, walking bat, strode in with a flourish, his robes billowing as if he had a built-in fan.
"This ss doesn''t require you to foolishly wave your wands around or mindlessly recite spells."
Standing firmly beside the podium, Snape crossed his arms, his sharp gaze sweeping over the students.
He then began his opening speech.
"I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses."
"I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory."
"And even put a stopper in death..."
John rolled his eyes at these words. If Snape could truly teach something about stopping death, the mad Voldemort who is always afraid of death wouldn''t have needed Horcruxes.
He then let his mind wander, summoning his status panel.
After his workout, his magic had grown a bit.
...
[Magic: Level 1 (20/100)]
[Spells: Alohomora (Level 3)]
[Skills: Short Weapon Mastery (Level 7), Long Weapon Mastery (Level 6), Heavy Weapon Mastery (Level 3), Firearm Mastery (Level 1)]
[Blessings: Fitness, Quick Attack, Precision]
...
By his calctions, he could gain five magic points from a day''s training.
He considered whether he should get some dumbbells to keep in his room.
As he daydreamed, Snape''s gaze turned to John, undisguised loathing in his eyes.
In a mocking tone, Snape said, "Hmm, maybe some of you have already had some reputation when you first arrived at Hogwarts, and have shown some ''strength'' at the great hall, but don''t think you can be arrogant and not listen to my ss seriously!"
John snapped out of his thoughts and noticed Malfoy''s mocking expression. He picked up the quill on his desk with a nk expression and Snape also directed his attention towards someone else.
This simple action made Malfoy''s smile vanish instantly.
Although Snape hated John, there was someone more annoying here.
Without hesitation, he directed his scorn towards the savior, Harry Potter.
"Mr. Potter."
"Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Harry, who had recentlye from a Muggle household, naturally didn''t know and shook his head innocently.
Ignoring Hermione''s eagerly raised hand, Snape continued to press Harry.
"Mr. Potter, where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"
"I don''t know, sir."
"Ah, so Mr. Potter doesn''t know? Let''s try one more time. What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
"I.. I don''t know."
The exchange made it clear to everyone that Snape had a particr disdain for the savior.
John watched the scene and couldn''t help butugh.
It was, after all, an iconic moment.
Thisugh redirected Snape''s ire.
"Mr. Wick, maybe you can tell Mr. Potter the answer to the question just now." Snape turned his head and looked at John.
John was confused, why did he have a role to y?
[Ding! Triggered Plot Mission: Answer Professor Snape''s Questions and Gain Blessing: Schr]
[Schr: Enhances learning efficiency for 2 hours daily]
''Stuff like this can also trigger a mission?''
John''s eyes zed over briefly before he quickly gathered his thoughts and recalled the answers.
Coincidentally, though John had forgotten many things, he still remembered Snape''s three famous questions.
So he stood up and, without any arrogance, replied, "Adding powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood creates the Draught of Living Death."
"You can find a bezoar in the stomach of a goat."
"There''s no difference between monkshood and wolfsbane; they are the same nt also known as aconite."
Confidently answering all three questions, John shed a modest smile.
For a moment, the entire ssroom fell silent.
Malfoy, who had been hoping to see John embarrassed, had his smile frozen on his face. Snape was a bit surprised but mostly filled with annoyance at his thwarted attempt.
Coldly, he said, "Sit down. Five points to Slytherin and five points from Gryffindor."
Annoyed as he was, Snape still followed through with awarding points to Slytherin and deducting from Gryffindor.
John shrugged and sat down, while a notification in his mind informed him he had gained the Schr''s blessing.
Snape''s unvented anger quickly turned on the rest of the students. Malfoy, who had just been gloating, was now as obedient as a frightened colt.
Harry, Ron, and the other Gryffindors looked at John with admiration, as if he were a hero.
After Potions ss, the Slytherins filed out in groups, but John remained solitary in the crowd.
...
At the dining hall.
John sighed as he looked at the little wizards stuffing their mouths with blend and oily chicken drumsticks and boiled potatoes. Despite being in this world for many years, he asionally couldn''t help but miss the chicken wings from KFC or the burgers from Burger King.
Hermione came over and, seeing John struggle with his fork against the skin of a potato, asked worriedly, "John, are you alright?"
Hermione was concerned about John''s situation in Slytherin, but she clearly underestimated him.
When John was struggling with why someone would eat potato skins together, he heard this and said casually, "Of course I''m fine. Didn''t you see how they''re all scared of me?"
But in order tofort Hermione, John decided to let go of his grudge with Malfoy.
ncing at Malfoy who was passing by, John reached out and called him.
"Malfoy."
Malfoy stopped and warily watched John approach, instinctively taking a step back.
Feeling embarrassed by his own reaction, Malfoy retorted angrily, "What do you want, Wick, you filthy Mu"
"If you say it, I''ll send you back to the infirmary," John said with a gentle smile that made Malfoy''s hair stand on end.
John patted Malfoy''s shoulder reassuringly, "Don''t worry, after all, I''m not a devil. We''re all ssmates, we''ll be seeing each other a lot. I won''t be too harsh."
He then smiled at Crabbe and Goyle, who shivered and quickly nodded in agreement.
"See? Crabbe and Goyle agree. So let''s make peace."
Malfoy looked at the two followers and said angrily, "You two idiots."
Looking at John''s outstretched hand, he said stubbornly, "I refuse to be friends with you, and don''t think you can be arrogant just because you defeated me by sneak attack. Wizards should use magic to decide the oue, not fists!"
John nonchntly withdrew his hand, "Alright then, let''s duel properly. Isn''t that what nobles prefer? I''ll indulge you."
Malfoy, still nursing a sore neck, panicked and quickly walked away, pretending not to have heard anything.
John returned to his seat, telling Hermione, who was staring in amazement, "See? No problem at all."
Hermione, still puzzled, nodded. This was ''no problem''?
But, with the logic of a top student, she quickly initiated the topic of studies and started discussing Potions with John.
Feeling overwhelmed, John quickly finished his meal, leaving the potato behind, and escaped.
After all, aside from those three questions, he knew little else.
A flock of owls flew into the Great Hall, delivering many gifts to the little wizards. Neville got a Remembrall from his grandmother.
...
One great thing about Hogwarts was the short ss hours and long breaks, including weekends off.
Using the weekend to exercise, John ran around the ck Lake with a head-sized rock on his back.
"The sensation of seeing my magic power increase is awesome."
Watching his stats grow, John felt like he was ying a game.
He hadn''t forgotten the dangers of the Harry Potter world; school life wouldn''t stay peaceful for long.
During ss that week, he had already seen Professor Quirrell and recalled the choking stench, which left asting impression.
John had seen the movies in his previous life and had a limited understanding of the original books.
He had almost forgotten the rest of the plot, and the few things he remembered were that Voldemort was on Quirrell''s head.
He hadn''t recognized him previously in the Leaky Cauldron, but now he did.
He wondered how the fearsome Dark Lord could tolerate such a stench.
While he couldn''t recall all the details, he remembered that Quirrell ended up being possessed by Voldemort and was defeated by Harry.
John thought, "I can''t ignore this danger. I need to enhance my strength quickly."
In reality, any bit of danger could be fatal.
He threw the rock aside and, looking at his dirty clothes, considered where to find some weights.
...
Second week of school.
The second impressive course in the wizarding world is here:
Flying ss!
_____
"Remember to add this book to your reading list!"
08: Flying and Duel?
08: Flying and Duel?
Old broomsticks were ced at the feet of each young witch and wizard.
Madam Hooch dressed sharply and instructed each young witch and wizard.
With countless reminders to be careful, yet there was still an ident.
Neville lost control of his broomstick and flew directly towards the clouds, and the Remembrall fell.
Although the free fall went through a buffer, his arm was still broken after falling.
Madam Hooch also couldn''t bother teaching anymore, and hurriedly brought Neville to the hospital wing for treatment.
Leaving behind the young witches and wizards of the two houses looking at each other in dismay.
Malfoy picked up Neville''s Remembrall, and started taunting Harry with the intention to tease him with the Remembrall, but was unexpectedly discovered by Professor McGonagall of Harry''s talent for Seeking.
John did not get involved, partly because Harry was there, and partly because he was still struggling with the broomstick.
After several attempts, John finally flew up.
Hermione wanted to tell him not to follow those two in breaking rules, but missed her chance, and could only stomp her feet angrily on the spot.
Although a bit unsteady at first, after getting used to it for a while, John finally stabilized.
[Ding, gain blessing: Flying]
[Flying: Increase broomstick flying speed, increase control over broomstick]
"It can do this?"
After stabilizing, John could begin freely flying.
Professor Snape, passing by, saw his performance and sneered coldly before turning away.
Since ancient times, flying has been a power humanity has longed for.
After mastering the ability of flight, John flew around until the end of ss, reluctantlynding.
During dinner time, John met Malfoy.
Malfoy, apanied by his two cronies and no longer acting timid, spoke loftily: "Wick, didn''t you want to duel with me? I now challenge you, meet me at the trophy room at 11:30 tonight."
Having said that, Malfoy left like a victorious rooster, apanied by his two cronies.
John looked at his departure like looking at a fool, muttering: "Has this kid been listening to too many Imagine Dragon songs and be so brave?"
"Didn''t he know I had to clean the trophy room?"
Carrying a bag of cat food sent by Mrs. Wick, John routinely went to the trophy room as usual.
Mrs. Norris sat at the door, meowing when she saw John with her ss-like red eyes.
"Hello again Mrs. Norris! Here you go,"
During this period, John was basically acquainted with Mrs. Norris. He opened the cat food and poured it out for Mrs. Norris.
After John finished polishing the trophies, Mrs. Norris had also finished eating.
He reached out and picked Mrs. Norris up. He took out ab from his pocket andbed Mrs. Norris''s tangled hair.
Mrs. Norris enjoyed it very much and purredfortably.
Filch was probably catching students, and knowing John wouldn''t sneak around, had also gotten used to letting John clean the trophy room alone.
"I''ll just see what you''re up to."
Knowing Malfoy wouldn''t rashly challenge him to a duel, John prepared to see what trick the other party wanted to pull.
Anyway, he had also been assigned to clean here as punishment so he didn''t mind going back a littleter.
He waited until half past eleven.
Malfoy didn''t arrive, but whispers came instead.
Four people walked into the trophy room - The Golden Trio consisting Harry, Ron, and Hermione, plus a wild Neville.
Neville had forgotten the dormitory password after visiting the hospital wing for his arm treatment and had been stuck outside for a few hours, finally running into the trio when they came out.
The four, seeing John after entering, were all taken aback.
"What are you all doing here?" John looked puzzled.
Harry was also befuddled, saying: "Malfoy invited us, are you his duel assistant?"
John looked at the savior who was looking at him with alertness, and ryed in a t tone: "Do you think Malfoy would forget that beating on the first day of school?"
This made sense, leaving Harry speechless.
Four Gryffindors plus one Slytherin.
The five stared at each other in silence, before Harry angrily shouted: "We were fooled by Malfoy!"
Ron was also angry and said, "Despicable Slytherin... John, I''m not talking about you."
With the incident at the beginning of school, John''s heroic figure of fighting three annoying guys sessfully became the only Slytherin that Gryffindor liked.
Whenever the four houses mentioned John Wick, their first reaction was that the Sorting Hat must be faulty, as he was clearly a Gryffindor.
Even the little lions of Gryffindor thought so. The Weasley twins thought that the hat must have been blinded by too much dust, so they prepared to wash the sorting hat with a lot of detergents.
While the little guys chatted, they heard Filch''s voiceing from outside.
John instantly understood Malfoy''s intentions, he must have also challenged Harry to a duel wanting to catch them in the act of wandering at night.
Harry also realized, eximing in rm: "No good, it''s Filch, let''s run!"
The four had no time to worry about the details, hurrying to run out.
Along the four, Neville grabbed one of John''s hands, and Hermione grabbed the other, forcibly dragging him out.
"Hey, I don''t have to hide"
Neville: "H-He''ll hear us!"
Hermione: "Shut up and juste with us!"
One could say it''s not without reason for these two to enter Gryffindor, the infamous reckless house.
Without giving John any chance to exin, they turned the originally innocent John into a fugitive.
John helplessly followed the run, also subconsciously reaching out to pull Neville, who nearly fell, preventing a facent.
The few fled with Filch in hot pursuit behind them.
From time to time, there was a cat''s cry to guide Filch.
John knew it was Mrs. Norris who reminded Filch, and he couldn''t help butin in his heart: "The cat food was fed in vain."
After feeding so much cat food, at the crucial moment Mrs. Norris betrayed him without hesitation.
The few ran from the trophy room all the way to the ssroom near Charms.
After running so far, the four little Gryffindorscking exercise leaned on the cold wall, panting heavily.
Only John''s face was not red and he wasn''t out of breath.
Strength vs magic, round two.
Strength wins.
...
Hermione panted inint: "Itoldyou."
"Malfoy deceived you, do you understand now? He never intended to duel you, and must have tipped off Filch."
Harry also realized this point and wanted to apologize but a boy''s pride prevented him from saying it out loud.
They could only return to the Gryffindormon room first before discussing further, or they would be expelled if caught.
"Despicable Malfoy!" Harry cursed inwardly.
They wanted to leave the room, but things were often not that simple.
Suddenly, the ssroom door in front creaked open with a bang, and Peeves popped out dressed as a clown.
"Oh! On a night walk are we!?"Catching sight of the few students, he let out a piercing shriek.
Seeing Peeves, Harry felt a chill - he pleaded: "Peeves, please, you''ll get us expelled."
"Hehehe! I''ll tell Filch to have you all arrested, it''s for your own good."
Ron tried threatening but to no avail, angrily swatting at Peeves.
Now the ho''s nest was stirred, Peeves immediately started wailing loudly, attracting Filch over.
John nced at Peeves, unable to suppress his anger.
No wonder Peeves was so disliked, he truly deserved a beating.
Peeves saw John, remembering how violently he fought on his first day, also feeling a fear akin to facing Bloody Baron.
"Once this is over, let''s see if I can finish off Peeves."
When passing Peeves during their escape, John fiercely made a shing motion across his throat with his right thumb.
He seemed to recall a magic that was very effective against Peeves - he must learn it for revenge.
Peeves didn''t understand the gesture''s meaning.
The few arrived at a locked door at the end of the corridor.
Despairing at the unopenable door, Ron whimpered: "We''re done for."
"Alohomora!" John directly took out his hidden wand from his sleeve, casting at the door.
With a click, the lock opened.
The few hastily entered and shut the door, carefully pressing their ears to it.
Outside, Filch ran into Peeves, who teased and toyed with him, leaving Filch raging and cursing wrathfully.
John idly surveyed this room, but turning back, he saw three enormous heads.
The massive bodies nearly filled the whole room, their six eyes spinning menacingly - right now they seemed more startled.
Swallowing, John''s voice slightly trembled: "Hermione, Harry, Ron, Neville, you should see this."
"What is it!!!!!!"
Hearing him, the others turned back, also freezing in shock.
Compared to death by this giant dog, punishment from Filch was more weing and pleasant.
Therefore John wasted no time, reaching for the doorknob and flinging the door open.
"Run!" Calling out to alert the four still motionless from shock, John dragged the already weak-legged Neville out, and the rest hurriedly fled.
Bang!
The door closed shut.
____
09: Lessons and Magic Upgrades
09: Lessons and Magic Upgrades
The group sprinted away, not caring if Filch was patrolling the corridor.
Luckily, they had good fortuneFilch had gone elsewhere. They ran all the way back to the entrance of the Gryffindormon room.
The Fat Lady in the portrait looked at them in surprise, "Where have you all been?"
"Don''t ask, just open up," they replied, panting heavily and nervously ncing back, fearing the monstrous creature might follow them.
Harry quickly said the password, "Pig snout," and the portrait swung open, allowing them to enter.
"Wait, John, aren''t you in Slytherin?" Harry remembered just as they were about to go in.
John then realized he wasn''t a Gryffindor and had to watch them go into the Gryffindormon room.
As the door closed, he ignored the Fat Lady''s astonished expression at a Slytherin mingling with Gryffindors and walked back alone.
On his way back, he encountered Malfoy.
Perhaps checking to see if his n had worked, Malfoy was equally surprised to see John.
As Malfoy turned to leave, John sprinted forward and cornered him, using his height advantage to trap him against the wall.
"Little Malfoy," John said menacingly, "you wouldn''t want the head of the house to know about your nighttime wanderings, would you?"
Malfoy instinctively looked around; the corridor was empty except for them. His henchmen, Crabbe and Goyle, were likely asleep in their warm beds.
"What do you want? Where is the proof? You were the one out at night!" Malfoy stammered, intimidated by John''s presence.
John sneered, "I''m not one to hold grudges. I usually deal with them on the spot. What do you think I want to do?"
Before Malfoy could react, John covered his mouth with his right hand to muffle any outcry. His left hand flicked out, revealing his wand.
"You know, a wand isn''t just for casting spells. Its material is quite sturdy."
John waved the wand near Malfoy''s eyes, its thin end threateningly close as if it was going to pierce in the next second, causing Malfoy to tremble with fear.
"Shhkeep your voice down, don''t let Filch hear it, you know, there are many instruments of punishment in Filch''s office."
The voice that echoed in his ears like a devil made Malfoy regret why he provoked such a madman.
After a few tense moments, John saw Malfoy grabbing his wand, John clenched his fist and punched Malfoy in the stomach.
This punch made Malfoy almost vomit, and he curled up in the corridor holding his stomach.
"Remember, don''t think about plotting against me in the future," John said, looking down at Malfoy curled up on the corridor floor.
He walked away but then reconsidered, not wanting Slytherin to lose points if Filch found Malfoy. John didn''t want Slytherin to be thest in the house cupthis isn''t it, the real reason is that John is still very soft-hearted.
Returning, he helped Malfoy up and spoke sincerely, "We''re in the same house. There''s no need for conflict."
Malfoy''s face was pale and his lips were trembling. How could a weakling like him withstand John''s punch?
"We are all Slytherins, why can''t we get along well? As long as you don''t mess with me, I won''t mess with you. We might even be friends," John continued.
John''s impression of Malfoy was that he was a spoiled child.
Malfoy was taught from a young age that pure blood was supreme, and John would not me him for this.
Heck, if the other party had not been blind enough to provoke him, he would not have done anything to Malfoy.
...
At a damp stone wall, John said the password, "Pureblood."
The Slytherinmon room door opened, and he ced Malfoy on a sofa.
'' I don''t know who designed themon room.''
Themon room''s design puzzled him. It was narrow and low, decorated with bones and bronze, giving it a dark, cold atmosphere with no warmth.
The ck Lake shimmered outside, a giant squid swimming by.
John leaned close to Malfoy, "Remember what I said. We may not be friends, but trust me that you would not like me being your enemy."
Malfoy clutched his stomach, eyes wide as he stared at John, not sure how much he absorbed the wisdom behind John''s words.
John waved his hand and didn''t say anything else. He turned back to his room.
After a day''s training, his magic power had reached 65, close to leveling up.
After washing and going to bed, hey on the bed and recalled what the big dog with three heads was called. He saw a trap door under the big dog.
He remembered there was a weakness, possibly something to do with music.
Thinking about it, he fell asleep.
...
The next day, Malfoy strutted past John as if nothing had happened. However, he didn''t provoke John anymore, likely due to their earlier confrontation.
Malfoy was stunned to see Harry and Ron still at Hogwarts. The two were discussing what might be hidden beneath the trapdoor guarded by the giant dog.
Harry recalled a report about a robbery at Gringotts and recounted his visit there with Hagrid when they retrieved a small package. The two boys brainstormed various conspiracy theories.
Meanwhile, Hermione, who had argued with Harry and Ron the night before, was now ignoring them. She sat down next to John, pouting andining, "Those two arrogant idiots! We almost got eaten by that giant dog, and they think it''s funny."
"Oh my, how can anyone be so stupid, especially my ssmates?" Hermione muttered incessantly, which John had grown ustomed to. All he needed to do was listen.
Neville also joined them, feeling safe around John. If it weren''t for John, Neville might have ended up as the dog''s breakfast.
It was unusual to see two Gryffindors mingling with a Slytherin.
After breakfast, John didn''t forget his workout routine. Mornings were too precious to waste.
John''s daily schedule:
- Morning: Run ap around the ck Lake after breakfast.
- Noon: Push-ups and frog jumps.
- Evening: Visit the Trophy Room after dinner to clean the trophies, then return to his room for push-ups and sit-ups while studying.
His days were packed, with asional rxation by walking near the Forbidden Forest with Tom and Basil.
One unlucky day, Hagrid caught John near the Forbidden Forest. Although he didn''t enter the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid still gave a verbal warning.
John didn''t take it to heart; instead, he befriended Fang, who became fond of Tom''s dog food.
...
[Ding! Magic level-up sessful! Current magic power: level 2]
Jogging by the ck Lake, John wiped the sweat from his face with a towel, smiling brightly. "Finally leveled up. Now I can start practicing other spells."
With his magic at level 2, John only knew one spell. Practicing the unlocking charm seemed pointless; he needed to learn new spells.
With his excellent learning abilities provided by the [Schr] blessing, John mastered the Levitation Charm before Charms ss began.
Holding his wand, he cast a spell on a leaf that had fallen in front of him. "Wingardium Leviosa."
He felt his magic deplete slightly as the leaf floated up.
[Magic: Level 2 (10/500)]
[Spells: Alohomora (Level 3), Wingardium Leviosa (Level 1)]
[Skills: Short Weapons Mastery (Level 7), Long Weapons Mastery (Level 6), Heavy Weapons Mastery (Level 3), Firearms Mastery (Level 1)]
[Blessings: Physical Fitness, Quick Attack, Precision, Academic Schr, Pilot, Long-Distance Running]
Though still at level 1, he could only levitate light objects like leaves. Yet, John smiled, his thoughts turning to the Restricted Section.
He preferred offensive spells, like violent attacks, over the Levitation Charm.
He can go to the restricted book zone whilepleting his ''boogieman'' mission.
Afterpleting the night tour mission, he will also get the mission rewards.
With the punishment of cleaning the Trophy room on him, it is reasonable to go to the Restricted Books Area to clean it himself, right? He is a good student after all, hehehe.
____
10: Transfiguration and the Tabby Cat
10: Transfiguration and the Tabby Cat
There was a Transfiguration ss on Monday.
*Lick!* *Lick!*
"Hmm..?"
When John woke up, he first saw Tom''s affectionate tongue.
Still sleepy, he walked to the table and poured a big spoonful of dog food for Tom before going to brush his teeth and wash his face.
"Yawn~ Ah, what day it is?"
Looking at himself in the mirror, John felt that he seemed to have forgotten something.
"Oh no, today is Transfiguration ss!"
Last night''s adventure went a bitte, and after returning and doing some exercise, John fell straight to sleep.
He walked out in a hurry and saw the rm clock that fell on the ground, covered with Tom''s saliva.
No wonder he didn''t hear the rm, it turned out Tom had yed with it like a chew toy.
Putting on his wizard robes, when John walked out of the dormitory, the Slytherinmon room was already empty.
In the corridor, he started envying the Weasley twins.
Because they always found convenient shortcuts, it was good that John was quite fit.
When he arrived at the Great Hall, there was still time for breakfast.
Hermione had been looking around, and seeing John approach, she waved to greet him.
John sat next to Hermione and nced at Hermione who was still in a cold war with Harry and Ron, but he didn''t say anything about that.
"Where''s Neville, did he oversleep or get lost again?"
From John''s understanding, Neville often lost things or got lost himself.
"His toad is missing. He''s looking for it in the Gryffindormon room." Hermione was eating buttered bread, with some crumbs on the corners of her mouth.
She deliberately slowed her pace to wait for John.
Otherwise, at her normal speed, she''d already be on her way to ss.
John cut his fried egg and put it in his mouth. He helplessly said: "Well, I think I know what to give Neville for Christmas - he needs a cage to properly keep Trevor in."
Noticing the bread crumbs on Hermione''s mouth, John pointed at his own mouth corners to indicate to her.
When Hermione reacted, her little face seemed to be painted with blush.
When John had almost finished eating, Neville finally came back from being lost.
This was the fourth time Neville got lost, John felt he should give him a map or something.
After sitting down, Neville took out his Remembrall, cluelessly looking at the red ball.
It would turn red when one forgets something.
But Neville never knew what he had forgotten.
John looked him over and said: "Neville, you may not get to eat breakfast this time."
"Why?" Neville was dispirited, having just made it to the Great Hall.
Looking rather sympathetically at Neville, John held up two fingers: "Two reasons. One is that ss is about to start, and the other is that you need to go back to the dormitory."
"Because you forgot your robes." Hermione chimed.
Neville finally remembered what he had forgotten, and he didn''t care about eating. He was anxious on the dazzling moving stairs.
...
John came to the Transfiguration ssroom. He was put in detention for fighting in thest Transfiguration ss and didn''t participate in it. This made him feel quite regretful.
He was quite interested in Transfiguration, but couldn''t remember the specifics clearly.
Entering the ssroom, the Slytherin green and Gryffindor red were distinct - he and Hermione sat separately.
Whether in the magic world or outside, students forever shunned the front rows.
The remaining few spots were all in front - John walked over to sit.
Suddenly a Tabby Cat appeared in his vision.
The cat just sat there on the podium, its facial markings very unique, like a pair of square sses.
As a plush lover, John admitted that he was tempted.
Although he vaguely remembered that there seemed to be a cat in some plot, his body was one step faster than thinking.
Taking out the cat treat meant for Mrs. Norris from his pocket, John approached the tiger-striped cat with a smile, directly reaching out.
Just this one action stunned not just the young witches and wizards of the two houses, but even the tabby cat.
"Here''s a treat, want to try it?"
John couldn''t believe himself - why did his tone sound like a shady uncle seducing a child?
It was only after his actions that he gained an eye of awe and admiration from various girls present.
Realizing things were getting out of hand, the tiger-striped cat broke free of his restraint, leaping down from the podium and transforming into an elderly female catdy*ehm*Professor.
"Ehm, Mr. Wick, I think you should find a seat now instead of standing here like a log."
Professor McGonagall maintained her image, and John finally understood where the cat''s square markings came from.
John awkwardly withdrew his hand, now recalling the plot about this cat.
Professor McGonagall''s animagus form - a tabby cat with unique markings.
Sullenly returning to his seat, John felt he might develop a psychological shadow in his subconscious from this incident.
Silently swearing that in the future, he must check if it''s an animagus before petting cats he sat down.
If the other party transformed into an oily uncle right after.... he''d be done for.
Hearing muffledughter, John looked back - upon making eye contact, the Slytherins immediately went silent.
The young Gryffindor witches and wizards gazed at him with awe, the savior Harry''s mouth slightly agape, seeming to see for the first time someone even more reckless than himself.
Hermione lowered her head, giggling, but her trembling brown curls betrayed her, shaking like a little lion.
After this episode, the young witches and wizards revised their impression of John.
So this boy had a lovable side too.
Transfiguration ss taught altering objects.
Looking at the button box, John attempted changing it into a mouse.
Sadly, the transformation was hard to control.
After multiple tries, John finally conjured the spell.
Though only a first year, he seeded before ss ended.
Seeing the lifeless mouse before him, so different than Professor McGonagall''s water goblet demonstration from before, John felt that he had underperformed
"Five points to Slytherin!!"
As the first to finish, Professor McGonagall awarded John points.
What John thought was poor work was quite satisfactory to Professor McGonagall.
For a beginner who missed one ss, this was already very good.
Due to transfiguration''s difficulty, even the know-it-all Miss Hermione didn''t aplish it.
After ss ended, John had just left when Hermione hurriedly caught up.
"How did you do it?"
Exerting her schrly instincts persistently asking, Hermione was still sore about not finishing the transformation.
John couldn''t admit to having outside help, only saying he saw Professor McGonagall''s demonstration when she had visited his residence.
Luckily the know-it-all didn''t question for long.
In the corridor, John stared at the armor statue.
"What are you looking at, John?" Hermione stopped to ask.
Behind John, an enchanted painting character also leaned over, equally curious.
John scratched his smooth chin, muttering to himself: "This thing seems a good weight material."
Hearing his muttering, the oil painting lord opened his mouth wide - what kind of young wizard would think of weights?
John has always been a man who dares to take action. He set his eyes on the medieval armor, or more precisely, the sword in the armor''s hand.
While the armor also made a good weight choice, its size was too big and unwieldy for movement.
Instead, the sword could be carried on his back and also used as exercise equipment when not running.
"I''ll take the sword tonight."
A gleam of plotting appeared in his eyes, worrying the lifeless Mr. Armor.
Besides the Gryffindormon room, Hermione''s most frequent destination was the library.
The bookworm had curiosity for all things, except Divination.
John was also dragged along, mainly to familiarize himself with the Restricted Section''s location.
Picking up a copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, he started pretending to read.
The library had strict rules.
If any noise disturbed the library, caretaker Irma Pince would let you know how powerful she is.
Just now, John saw Neville, who had eaten too many beans at noon, being chased and beaten by a broom.
John felt sympathy for the books which were now dirty by food particles.
The time came to the evening.
After cleaning the trophy disy room, John quietly came to the armor in the corridor.
Poor lifeless armor sir, he awoke the next day to find his sword missing.
For a time this became a mystery around Hogwarts.
Only Filch insisted stubbornly that it was the Weasley twins'' doing.
_____
So if you like the chapters then please add the book to your reading lists ?
11: Night Walk and Restricted Books Area
11: Night Walk and Restricted Books Area
"This sword is quite handy."
"Hoo? Hoo~" Basil turned her round head as if thinking about where John got the sword.
"Hoo~" She raised her wings to p Tom''s drooling mouth and flew to a ce where Tom couldn''t reach.
"Woof woof!"
The dog wooded and tried to reach for the quirky owl but couldn''t reach Basil.
John gripped therge sword with both hands.
It was a weapon suited for a knight in medieval armor, reaching up to his shoulder in height. Perhaps when he grew older, the sword would fit him perfectly.
Grasping the hilt firmly, John exerted his strength to lift the heavy de.
It was amon knight''s sword, its de a hand''s width, made of steel. The weight was considerable, but for John, it was an excellent tool for strength training.
Using the sword as a weight, he began his workout. He found a rope, tied the de securely to his back, and started doing push-ups.
"Tom stop licking my face! I''m trying to exercise!"
His efforts paid off, and the next morning, his magic power had increased by 10 points.
[Magic: Level 2 (20/500)]
[Spells: Alohomora (Level 3), Wingardium Leviosa (Level 1), Transfiguration Spell (Level 1)]
[Skills: Short Weapons Mastery (Level 7), Great Sword Mastery (Level 3), Firearms Mastery (Level 1)....]
[Blessings: Physical Fitness, Quick Attack, Precision, Academic Schr, Pilot, Long-Distance Running...]
His skills had changed. Heavy Weapon Mastery and Long Weapon Mastery had disappeared, reced by Great Sword Mastery.
"This weapon fits the requirements for both long and heavy weapons," John realized after carefully examining the great sword.
Thebined mastery of two weapon skills into Great Sword Mastery gave him a sense of familiarity right away.
He performed basic shes, thrusts, and parries with the great sword as if he had trained for years. His proficiency was at a level that would astonish even seasoned knights.
The skill levels were simr to those for spells:
- Level 1: Beginner, capable of basic maneuvers.
- Level 2: Basic proficiency, able to apply learned skills.
- Level 3: Intermediate, skilled enough to handle multiple opponents.
- Level 4: Professional, simr to a trained assassin, turning weapons into lethal tools.
- Level 5: Instructor, able to teach and have unique insights.
- Level 6: Master, developing a unique style and reaching peak proficiency.
- Level 7: Grandmaster, transcending form, capable of deadly precision even with small objects like pencils.
John, who has reached level 7 in short weapon proficiency, can be called a master. He can use a pencil to stab three flies in one second.
Despite losing two weapon skills, he felt no loss of technique; instead, his understanding of weapons deepened. Great Sword Mastery seemed to be a synthesis of the two weapon branches, making it feel natural.
However, he couldn''t help butin, "What use is this for a wizard like me?"
For John, [Blessings] were the most important, followed by [magic power], [spells], and finally [weapon mastery].
After practicing Transfiguration Spells for a while, John went to ss. Activating his [Academic Schr] Blessing, he absorbed knowledge quickly.
In the evening, after studying the library''syout with Hermione, he began his n.
...
The third-floor corridor of Hogwarts at night was quiet.
The portrait oil paintings on the wall were drowsy, and the medieval armor without weapons took a stick from somewhere as a weapon.
"Lumos," John whispered.
"Hey," came a voice.
"Turn off that damned light," another grumbled.
"Sorry," John muttered, moving through the corridor towards the library.
The library closed at 8 o''clock in the evening, and now no one except night owls would appear.
Thousands of books filled hundreds of shelves, creating abyrinth of narrow aisles. Deep withiny the Restricted Section, John''s destination.
Turning off the light on his wand, John reached the door to the Restricted Section. The simpletch was more decorative than functional, designed to prevent gentlemen but not viins.
Unfortunately, Mr. John Wick was going to be a viin tonight.
Click.
With a soft click, the door opened easily.
John needed to be very careful. He didn''t have Harry''s invisibility cloak, so he could only be cautious.
Fortunately, his physical training yed a big role. He stepped into the restricted area without making any sound and saw many sealed books.
These banned books are not impossible to learn, but they are sealed in the restricted area because they are too dangerous.
There are also some dark magic books that are not suitable for students to learn.
But it is not impossible to get books in the restricted area through formal methods.
If you can get a note from the head of the house, you can enter the restricted area to borrow. However, John thought about his stern-faced head of the house, who seemed to dislike him. Relying on himself seemed more reliable.
After confirming no one was around, John lit his wand.
He began searching the Restricted Section for the book he needed, specifically one that contained the Disillusionment Charm. However, finding it in this sea of books would take some time.
"Powerful Potions?" John said, pulling out a book out of curiosity.
It was a book about potion-making, listing numerous concoctions, including Veritaserum and Polyjuice Potion.
After taking a look, John put the book back.
Although it was amazing that the Polyjuice Potion could transform into another person''s appearance, it was a bit disgusting to put someone else''s hair into it.
Continuing his search, he noticed a ck and silver book.
He hesitated to open it, suspecting it might contain dark magic curses. He decided to stick to his original goal.
After a round of searching, he finally found the record about the Disillusionment Charm.
After reading "The Secret of Advanced ck Magic", he found "Advanced Charms", which not only contains the Disillusionment Charm but also advanced spells such as Apparition.
Satisfied, John prepared to leave.
When he was about to leave the restricted area, he stopped.
Turning his head to look at the strange book, curiosity still got the better of him.
So he tentatively took out the book and opened it with curiosity...
"Ah--!"
John covered his ears and hurriedly closed the book, but it was toote.
The noise had alerted Filch.
Outside, patrolling the corridors for misbehaving little wizards, Filch sprinted towards the library. Despite being a Squib, he was fit from years of cleaning.
"I''ve got you now! Come out from wherever you are!"
Filch snarled, holding antern, his hooked nose twitching like a bloodhound''s.
A distant cat''s meow echoed from the shelves, bringing a grin to Filch''s face. His bond with Mrs. Norris was almost telepathic, and he ran towards the sound.
He and Mrs. Norris were in sync and ran towards the distant bookshelves.
As soon as Filch got away from the library entrance, John emerged from the shadows of a nearby shelf and nonchntly walked out.
On his way out, he gave a thumbs-up to Mrs. Norris who was licking her fur elegantly on the bookshelf.
Sure enough, Mrs Norris had never betrayed John, the previous time there were the Gryffindor students whom she was chasing, dly no cat food was fed in vain.
Thisbination of making a feint to the east and attacking in the west was perfect.
...
After returning to the dormitory, John couldn''t wait to start practicing. So much so that when he got up the next day, his eyes were like panda''s.
Three days of practice finally paid off when he saw the Level 1 Disillusionment Charm appear in his skill set.
Hard work always pays off.
The next day, John saw six long-eared owls carrying a lengthy package to Harry Potter in the Great Hall. In their excitement, they knocked and made Harry''s uneaten bacon have an intimate contact with the floor.
''Congrattions! Minerva McGonagall is throwing a Nimbus 2000 at you,'' John thought, amused.
Mr. Savior is going to start his Quidditch career.
With the Nimbus 2000 came a letter from McGonagall, summoning Harry to Quidditch practice. Although Harry was new to the sport, he had a natural talent for flying.
Unable to contain his joy, Harry shared the letter with Ron. Ron, envious, remembered the best broom he had ever touched was his brother Charlie''s, used during his Quidditch days. Compared to the Nimbus 2000, that broom was junk.
Harry and Ron hurriedly left the Great Hall, eager to unwrap the package before their first ss.
Love was around the cornerehmTurning a corner, they ran into trouble.
The savior met his nemesis from Slytherin. Malfoy, as usual, teased.. no, taunted Harry, his lifelong enemy.
John was eating bacon patties and just nced at it casually.
Compared with the feud between Slytherin and Gryffindor, he was more concerned about the hard taste of the bacon patties. He suspected that there were uncooked stones inside.
"Well, how long are you going to keep the cold war with them?"
John put down the bacon patties with regret. Opposite him was Hermione, who had peeked at Harry and Ron three times.
"Until they apologize to me," Hermione huffed, "otherwise, never."
"That might take a while," John said, suspecting Harry and Ron had already forgotten about Hermione.
Neville was struggling with his red Remembrall again, so John had to remind him that he''d better change his pants for the spells ss, after all, this wasn''t a pajama party.
...
12: Twins and Quidditch
12: Twins and Quidditch
In ss, John earned points from Professor Flitwick, slightly boosting Slytherin''s standings from their bottom position.
After a day of sses, John wandered around the castle. Each time he passed arge tapestry, he walked back and forth three times, mentally repeating his need for a training room.
This behavior might seem strange to some, but those familiar with the Harry Potter series would recognize it. He was searching for the Room of Requirement.
John''s memory of the details was hazy. He recalled the entrance being opposite arge tapestry, though the exact appearance and location were unclear.
Fortunately, Hogwarts didn''t have too manyrge tapestries. After his third pass by the tapestry on the seventh floor depicting Barnabas the Barmy being clubbed by trolls, a wooden door appeared across from it.
John pushed the door open and entered a room designed for spell practice. Several humanoid targets, looking quite old, filled the room. He frowned at the thickyer of dust covering everything, making it look as if it hadn''t been cleaned in decades.
"Scourgify," John incanted, using a newly learned spell to clear the dust. He finally rxed, examining the sturdy targets and a dark wooden training sword in the corner. Judging by the size of the sword, its original owner must have been quite strong.
John hefted the sword, finding it heavier than the medieval swords he was used to. With his current strength, he couldn''t wield it effectively.
Despite that, the room was perfect for his spell training. All the equipment could also be used for physical exercise, making it doubly useful.
With no offensive spells yet, John could only practice basic ones. His relentless effort paid off when his Disillusionment Charm leveled up to 2.
"Disillusionment," he cast, his wand waving as a liquid-like substance coated him, gradually blending him with his surroundings.
He lifted his hand, noticing it looked like a mass of water. From a distance, he''d be nearly invisible, though up close, the distortion could still be noticed.
"It''s like optical camouge," John mused, satisfied with his exnation.
With the help of the Disillusionment Charm, his uing nocturnal explorations would be much easier.
After his training, John left the Room of Requirement. It was bedtime, so he headed to the trophy room to clean.
He took out some cat treats from his pocket as a reward for Mrs. Norris''s previous assistance, carefully grooming her matted fur.
"Have you gained weight?" John asked, lifting Mrs. Norris and noticing she felt heavier.
Previously, it seemed Filch hadn''t been feeding her well enough, leading to malnutrition. John even brought a bottle of hairball remedy, considering Mrs. Norris''s habit of licking her fur.
Leaving the trophy room, he saw Filch looking more displeased than usual, with a lingering smell resembling rotten durian.
This was likely the work of the Weasley twins.
Not long after leaving the trophy room, John encountered two sneaky figures with red hair. Their identical faces and mischievous grins made it clear they were the infamous Weasley twins.
John''s eyes twinkled as he cast the Disillusionment Charm on himself, stealthily following the Weasley twins and listening to their conversation.
"George, we could toss the dungbomb in there."
"Wait, Fred, John Wick is still in the trophy room. I don''t want to get John Wick involved."
"Alright, we can throw it into Filch''s office instead. What do you think?"
"Brilliant, George. It''s about time that annoying git got a taste of his own medicine."
George and Fred Weasley, the infamous Weasley twins, were notorious troublemakers at Hogwarts. Their ongoing feud with Filch, the caretaker, was well-known, as their love for pranks naturally put them at odds with him.
The twins nned to give Filch a hard time, believing that a couple of dungbombs in his office would be the perfect revenge.
John, following closely behind them, shivered at their conversation and felt grateful for his decent rapport with people. If he had been hit by a dungbomb, it would have taken at least ten showers to get rid of the stench.
Unaware of John''s presence, the twins reached Filch''s office and tossed in the dungbombs. The resulting stench was so vile that John couldn''t help but pity Filch, wondering where the poor man would sleep that night.
The smell was unbearable even for the Weasley twins, who quickly ran out after throwing the bombs.
John peeked into the office from the doorway. Filch''s office was cluttered with various items, and one drawerbeled "Confiscated, Highly Dangerous" caught his attention. It seemed to contain numerous forbidden objects.
Before he could examine further, John heard Filch''s furious shouts. The twins increased their speed, and as they dashed past John, a piece of parchment fell from their pockets.
Picking it up, John recognized the clean parchment and immediately thought of a specific item.
"The Marauder''s Map?"
This wasn''t the time to check it out, as Mrs. Norris''s meowing could be heard nearby. Under the Disillusionment Charm, John ran in the opposite direction of the twins.
Filch, in a rage, chased after the twins. Back in his dormitory, John felt the lingering smell of dungbombs on him.
He took out the parchment and his wand.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!"
The nk parchment began to transform, ink lines spreading across it like watercolors, forming words.
"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs."
John remembered that one of these names belonged to Harry''s father.
With the map now activated, John studied it, seeing the detailedyout of Hogwarts and the locations of everyone within. This invaluable tool would undoubtedly aid him in his nocturnal activities and avoid any unwanted encounters with Filch or other staff.
John opened the parchment, revealing a map that disyed the movements of people within Hogwarts,plete with their footprints.
"Filch is still wandering around there. If he turns the corner, he''ll spot the Weasley twins."
The map was incredibly detailed, recording all the secret passages of Hogwarts and even showing the names of the individuals present. Possessing this map essentially meant having control over all the hidden routes in Hogwarts.
Filch, however, didn''t turn the corner. Instead, he changed direction and headed in the opposite direction.
The Weasley twins started moving towards the Gryffindormon room, taking a shortcut on the fourth floor.
John studied the map and noticed a particr name: Quirinus Quirrell. Seeing Professor Quirrell active outside at night, John wanted to see if he could spot the one who must not be named.
Unfortunately, he failed.
"It seems the Marauder''s Map doesn''t show everything."
John felt a bit disappointed, but such instances were rare. He watched with amusement as his head of house, Professor Snape, approached a pair of unfortunate students out on a night stroll. John guessed that the couple would lose quite a few points.
"Mischief managed."
John tapped the parchment with his wand to close the Marauder''s Map, then stashed it under his pillow. Now, he wouldn''t have to worry about getting caught on his nocturnal adventuresaforting thought.
...
There was good news and bad news.
The good news was that, besides attending sses and training, John found a new pastime: watching the savior Harry perform fancy flying at the Quidditch pitch.
It was remarkable how Harry seemed to have inherited his father''s talent for Quidditch, though John couldn''t fathom how a nearsighted kid with sses had such impressive dynamic vision. The Golden Snitch was tiny, about the size of a walnut, and moved incredibly fast in a vast, three-dimensional space.
John was almost dizzy watching it, but Harry always managed to spot and lock onto it.
This didn''t stop John from enjoying the show, as it was amusing to witness Harry''s awkward training sessions. After Harry crashed into the stands for the third time, Hermione''s voice sounded next to John.
"In 1269, Chief of the Wizard''s Council, Barberus Bragge, introduced the Golden Snidget into Quidditch and offered 150 Galleons as a reward for catching it. Later, releasing the Golden Snidget became amon practice in Quidditch matches, and catching it earned the team 150 points.
As the hunting of the Golden Snidget became popr, the number of Golden Snidgets decreased sharply, and the Golden Snidgets waster reced by only one Golden Snitch."
Hermione was showing off her knowledge, which John found exasperating.
It seemed Hermione was gradually viewing John as a rival.
As a genuine academic achiever, Hermione disyed a strong determination not to be outdone by John, who had been earning more points in ss than she did.
This was bad news.
At least before John was really an academic master, this news was too bad.
It was like someone was holding a whip behind you, and you would be whipped as long as you slowed down.
______
13: Hospital and Training
13: Hospital and Training
**[Ding, challenge task triggered: Continuously earn more points than Hermione Granger for one academic year to gain the "Schr 2.0" enhancement.]**
**[Acadamic Schr 2.0: Provides 4 hours of increased learning efficiency daily.]**
"I triggered a task?"
John was lost in thought when a streak of gold caught his eye, and a broomstick whizzed past him. He didn''t have time to react as a Bludger hurtled toward him. Instinctively, he raised his hand and caught the Bludger, but his arm made a painful cracking sound, likely dislocating.
"Oh my god, John, are you okay?" Hermione''s dyed scream reached his ears.
The Gryffindor Quidditch yers, who were still in training, realized something was wrong, and the Weasley twins were the first to fly over.
The Bludger struggled fiercely in John''s hand, but despite his seemingly not-so-strong arm, he held it firmly. Even Oliver Wood couldn''t help but exim, "You caught a Bludger with your bare hand! You''d make a great Beater."
George added, "John Wick, if only you were in Gryffindor"
Fred chimed in, "Then we could retire!"
The twins bantered back and forth.
Angelina Johnson, with her long ck hair in braids, interrupted their jokes, "Shut up, both of you. His arm looks broken."
Harry quickly got off his broomstick; the Bludger had been chasing him. He had been so focused on the Golden Snitch that he didn''t notice the others, and by the time he did, John was already hurt. Feeling guilty, Harry said, "It''s all my fault."
John''s face was pale, as the dislocation was painful. "Could you guys stop chatting and take this thing away?"
The Bludger had been heading straight for Hermione, and if John had let go, her face would have been in serious trouble.
Wood, fumbling a bit, managed to tie up the Bludger. This thing was known for breaking Beater bats with its speed.
Once the Bludger was restrained, John sighed in relief. His lips were pale as he shifted to a half-kneeling position. With Hermione''s worried, pale face watching him, he braced his dislocated arm against the ground and pushed it back into ce with a crunch.
"Ouch"
"Oh my god, that must hurt."
"John, you should go to the hospital wing."
The Gryffindors were all startled, even the Weasley twins looked impressed. How was it that a Slytherin could handle pain so well, while Draco Malfoy would wail for hours over a scratched finger? Madam Pomfrey had tried to kick Malfoy out of the hospital wing more than once.
The Gryffindors surrounded John, making it look like they were ganging up on a Slytherin. Hermione, mixed in with the crowd, couldn''t stop worrying and asked, "John, are you really okay?"
"Just not strong enough yet."
John took a moment to catch his breath, then gave Hermione a reassuring smile. Looking at the equally worried Harry, he grinned and said, "Harry, this isn''t your fault."
"I think you should still see Madam Pomfrey," Harry insisted, determined to take John to the hospital wing.
Unable to resist, John was carried over, looking for all the world like something terrible had happened to him. After lying in the hospital wing for a short time, Madam Pomfrey promptly shooed him out.
"See, I told you I was fine," John shrugged, looking rxed.
Harry finally seemed relieved and said to Hermione, "Sorry, Hermione, it was my fault for flying too low."
"It''s not your fault, Harry. No one can predict the path of a Golden Snitch."
With this incident, the cold war between Harry and Hermione finally thawed. Now, among the trio, only Ron remained in the cold war. Harry thought Hermione was a good person and not as they had previously thought. He believed he should help them reconcile.
...
By day, John studied; by night, he trained. After being hit once, John deeply understood the importance of physical fitness for a wizard.
Following his previous night-time excursion, the Restricted Section of the library gained a regr visitor. With the Disillusionment Charm cast, John took out "Advanced Spellwork" and headed through the fifth-floor shortcut to the Room of Requirement.
"I need a ce to train."
Walking back and forth three times in front of the tapestry, a wooden door appeared on the nk wall. Inside was the same training room as before, and this time John brought a medieval armored greatsword.
"I''m getting used to the weight of this sword."
Gripping the greatsword, John changed his training method. In the flickering candlelight of the training room, the sword moved like a shower of stars. The greatsword created a flurry of silver light, tearing through the human-shaped targets. As each target shattered, John moved on to the next. When thest target was destroyed, all the fragments reassembled. These targets had a restoration charm that saved John a lot of time.
**[Ding, gained enhancement: Sword Dance]**
**[Sword Dance: Increases the elegance and destructive power of wielding sword-type weapons]**
With his hands feeling sore, John put down the greatsword. Despite his current physique, after a series of high-intensity exercises, he could clearly feel his magic power increase. In just one night, he gained 15 points of magic power. With continuous effort, he could upgrade again in no time.
Not cking off after his physical training, John started a second round of spell training. With almost self-exhausting efforts, his spellwork improved significantly. The most notable was the Disillusionment Charm, which he used every night for his nocturnal activities. By October, the Disillusionment Charm had upgraded to level 3.
**[Magic Power: Level 2 (450/500)]**
**[Spells: Alohomora (Level 3), Levitation Charm (Level 4), Transfiguration (Level 2), Disillusionment Charm (Level 3), Lumos (Level 2), Incendio (Level 1), Reducto (Level 1)]**
**[Skills: Short Weapon Mastery (Level 7), Greatsword Mastery (Level 4), Firearm Mastery (Level 1)]**
**[Blessings: Physical Fitness, Quick Attack, Precision, Schr, Pilot, Long Distance Running, Sword Dance]**
Thanks to the Restricted Section, John learned a lot of magic. He even came across the Fiendfyre Curse there, but decided against learning it in his first year, as it was an extremely difficult and dangerous dark magic to control. He recalled that an idiot once used Fiendfyre in the Room of Requirement, which ended up destroying the entire room. John had no desire to repeat that mistake.
With the Schr enhancement active, he could learn even more.
...
Monday, Transfiguration ss.
"Well done, Mr. Wick. Five points to Slytherin!"
Today''s lesson was transforming animals into goblets. John''s task was with a cute friend, the big-eyed, endearing cat who stuck out his tongue in a friendly manner.
John took out his wand and pointed it at the cat.
"Veraverto."
Under his gaze, The cat transformed into a goblet. Professor McGonagall, impressed, added points to the Slytherin hourss, which was no longer so sparsely filled.
Hermione felt a bit dejected; it seemed the gap between her and John was widening. Only John knew his secret: he was a relentless grinder. To have enough time for his nocturnal escapades and training, he had pushed himself to a new achievement.
**[Sleepless One: You only need 2 hours of sleep each day to maintain full energy for the entire day.]**
With this enhancement, he finally avoided dozing off under Snape''s gloomy gaze. However, he heard Snape had made several trips to the hospital wing. Hopefully, Madam Pomfrey wouldn''t continue using cheering charms as stimnts on certain students.
Well, this student certainly wasn''t insinuating anything about John.
...
Room of Requirement.
John wielded the greatsword, the candlelight reflecting off the de as it shattered the target in front of him. His left hand, holding his wand, aimed at a target positioned at seven o''clock.
"Reducto!"
The wand, resembling a thin stick, emitted a white light that hit the target, reducing it to a pile of fragments. Compared to the slight explosion he managed at first, this was a substantial improvement.
After finishing his training, John rested for a while before preparing to leave. Tomorrow was the Halloween feast, and he wanted to be in good condition. The day after, his two-month punishment in the trophy room would end.
The Slytherinmon room was underground, so he had to walk from the seventh floor back to themon room. Fortunately, Hogwarts was full of shortcuts.
As he reached the underground corridor, he saw the Bloody Baron.
The usually silent Slytherin ghost seemed to be waiting for him specifically.
_____
A/N: I think I''m a little sick today so if there are any mistakes in the chapter I''ll edit them after I wake up! Bye!
14: Great Sword and Ghost
14: Great Sword and Ghost
"Sir, Bloody Baron"
Approaching the Slytherinmon room, John lifted the Disillusionment Charm. Despite not being caught sneaking around, he was curious about what the Bloody Baron was doing there. Gazing into the night, the Bloody Baron''s eyes were filled with thoughts.
"It''s you, the Slytherin who sneaks out."
The Bloody Baron was a terrifying ghost, with hollow eyes, a gaunt face, and silver bloodstains on his robes. Peeves, who feared nothing, trembled at the mere mention of the Baron''s name. John could tell the bloodstains symbolized a past event, but he had no intention of reopening old wounds.
It seemed the Bloody Baron knew someone was sneaking out but didn''t know who. John nodded, and the Baron looked him up and down, his expression peculiar. After all, it was odd to see a wizard carrying a greatsword on his back.
"What do you do outside?" the Baron asked.
"Training. I think I need to work harder to be worthy of Slytherin."
ttering words never hurt. John''s answer made the Bloody Baron shake his head. "You''re diligent, but you seem more like a..."
Gryffindor.
He didn''t finish the sentence, but the implication was clear. The Bloody Baron had lived during the time of the four founders. In his quest for Rowena Ravenw''s daughter, Helena Ravenw, he had killed her and then, ovee with grief, ended his own life.
He had met Godric Gryffindor, who was passionate about swordsmanship and battle,missioning the goblins to forge a silver sword. The goblins'' greed for the perfect sword led to a conflict with Gryffindor, but none dared to reim the sword from Hogwarts.
John, with his greatsword, resembled a young Godric Gryffindor more than Szar Slytherin.
By Merlin''s beard, perhaps the Sorting Hat had made a mistake, cing Gryffindor''s replica in Slytherin.
"I''m here to warn you that the night holds dangers. Be cautious."
Drawing back from his thoughts, the Bloody Baron, who rarely spoke much, had warned John. John thought of Quirrell. ording to the Marauder''s Map, Quirrell often left Hogwarts. The Bloody Baron, being the most unique of the house ghosts with his ability to turn invisible, might have discovered something.
"I understand, Sir Baron. I''ll be careful."
Appreciating the ghost''s warning, John hurried back to his room, eager to pull out the Marauder''s Map.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!"
The map revealed Hogwarts, showing the professors like Snape who were patrolling, and Quirrell''s name.
Quirrell''s name bypassed patrolling professors and Filch, heading out of the Hogwarts castle.
"Where is he going?"
John couldn''t fathom why Quirrell would leave the castle in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, the map only disyed the Hogwarts grounds, so it didn''t show locations like the Forbidden Forest.
"Could he be going to the Forbidden Forest?"
After some thought, John concluded that if Quirrell hadn''t left Hogwarts altogether, he must be heading to the Forbidden Forest. The forest was home to many magical creatures, including werewolves and centaurs, and even housed pure unicorns.
"The Bloody Baron mentioned it was dangerous. Was he referring to Voldemort?"
The thought of Voldemort heightened John''s sense of danger. Although the second Dark Lord didn''t have the same influence as the first, Voldemort had no limits. He would perform the Killing Curse on a baby without feeling an ounce of shame. If Voldemort had the same nobility as the first Dark Lord, John wouldn''t feel so threatened at Hogwarts.
"No, I must strengthen myself further!"
John covered Tom''s eyes with the Fat Lady''s portrait, unwilling to ce his hopes on uncertain prophecies. Who knew if the prophecies were even true? Besides, it wasn''t unheard of for people to die at Hogwarts.
...
October 31, Charms ss.
The sweet smell of roasted pumpkins filled the hallways. In ss, students paired up to listen to Professor Flitwick''s instructions on the Levitation Charm. John could clearly see Goyle and Crabbe swallowing hard, while he was paired with Malfoy, his nemesis. This made Malfoy constantly tense, as if he feared John might suddenly stab his wand into his eye.
Professor Flitwick stood on a makeshift height-boosting chair made of stacked books, his high-pitched voice giving pointers to the students.
"Now, don''t forget the nice wrist movement we''ve been practicing!"
"A swish and flick, remember, a swish and flick, and enunciate the spell correctly. Don''t forget about the wizard Baruffio..."
As the head of Ravenw and the Charms professor, Flitwick was undoubtedly excellent. He would break down a spell into tiny pieces and feed it to the students bit by bit, a truly good teacher. It was rumored that in his younger days, Professor Flitwick had even won the dueling championship, proving his skills.
After Professor Flitwick finished his instructions, the students began practicing.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
Malfoy''s wand was practically poking John''s face, yet the feather on the table remained unmoved. John was exasperated.
He patiently and quietly reassured Malfoy, "Malfoy, if you poke my hand again, I''ll stick my wand in your ear."
The threat made Malfoy freeze, but his pureblood pride wouldn''t let him back down to a Muggle-born. Defiantly, he said, "If you think you''re so great, then you do it."
"Sorry, I really can."
John shrugged, elegantly pulled out his wand, and aimed it at the feather on the table. With a swish and a flick, he cast, "Wingardium Leviosa."
Under everyone''s watchful eyes, the feather floated into the air. Guided by John''s wand, it drifted toward Professor Flitwick,nding gently and precisely in his hand.
"Wonderful!"
Flitwick pped his hands in excitement, his voice growing even higher. "Look at Mr. Wick''s elegant and perfect execution! Ten points to Slytherin!"
From Gryffindor''s side, Hermione, who had already practiced and perfected the Levitation Charm, was confident she could perform it sessfully. However, paired with Ron, she was frustrated by his wild waving. Just as she was about to cast the spell correctly, John beat her to it.
Seeing John''s precise control over the feather made Hermione feel downcast. Her emotions had a perfect outlet: Ron. Under her increasingly frustrated teaching, Ron''s mood soured.
After ss, the crowded hallway was bustling. Ronined to Harry, "No wonder nobody can stand her, she''s a nightmare."
Hermione heard this, feeling even more hurt. She was only trying to help Ron but ended up being unappreciated. Heartbroken, she didn''t wait for John and wanted to find a ce to cry.
As she weaved through the crowd, she bumped into Harry. Noticing her tears, and having recently changed his opinion about her, Harry felt Ron''s words were harsh.
"I think she heard you," Harry said.
Ron saw Hermione''s hurt expression and, though his pride made him stubborn, he mumbled, "So what if she did? She must''ve noticed no one likes her."
"Ron, you shouldn''t have said that," Harry said earnestly.
With his best friend calling him out, Ron reluctantly muttered, "Alright, she does have a friend. John is her friend."
15: Halloween and the Troll
15: Halloween and the Troll
Harry wanted to take Ron to apologize to Hermione, but she didn''t show up for the next ss. The entire afternoon passed without any sign of her, so Harry had to put the matter aside for the time being.
On their way to the Halloween feast, Harry and Ron overheard Parvati Patil and her friend talking about Hermione crying in the girls'' bathroom. This made Ron feel uneasy, especially with Harry urging him to apologize, making him realize he might have been wrong.
"We should go apologize to herter," Ron said, showing that he wasn''t a bad kid and couldn''t get past his inherent kindness.
Harry nodded in agreement, and the two decided to apologize after the feast.
When they entered the Great Hall, the dazzling Halloween decorations immediately caught their eyes. A thousand bats fluttered against the walls and ceiling, while another thousand swooped over the tables like low-lying clouds. Hollowed-out pumpkins with flickering candles inside added to the festive atmosphere, and golden tes appeared with a variety of delicious dishes.
John looked around and picked up a potato with skin and threw it on the back of Neville''s head.
"Neville, where''s Hermione?"
Neville, rubbing his head, turned to see John and, after a moment''s recollection, said, "I heard Parvati Patil say Hermione is in the girls'' bathroom, crying and refusing to beforted."
"Is that so? I better go find her. She wouldn''t want to miss such a splendid feast."
John felt a growing unease, remembering what the Bloody Baron had said. He also had a feeling that something significant was going to happen, as if there was a plot unfolding here.
[Ding! Find Hermione and deal with the troll to receive +1 skill point and the perk: Troll yer]
[Troll yer: Increases damage againstrge creatures]
John paused, then his expression changed. He remembered now: during the Halloween feast, a troll was supposed to appear. He doubted that Hermione, a young witch, could handle a twelve-foot-tall troll with brute strength.
Without further thought, John left his seat. Dumbledore, who was enjoying a slice of sweet pumpkin cake, noticed this and his wise eyes behind half-moon sses seemed to be contemting something.
Shortly after John left, Professor Quirrell, wearing hisrge turban, burst into the Great Hall. His face was filled with terror, and everyone stopped to look at him.
Quirrell hurried to the chair beside Dumbledore, leaning heavily against it, his face pale and breathless as he stammered out:
"Troll... in the dungeons... thought you ought to know."
His words were fragmented but conveyed a clear message: there was a troll. As soon as he finished speaking, Quirrell copsed to the floor.
Chaos erupted in the Great Hall. Dumbledore quickly took control of the situation, calming everyone down and instructing the prefects to lead the students back to their dormitories.
Harry and Ron were among the students being herded away, with Ron specting that the troll might have been released by Peeves as a prank. However, Harry suddenly remembered Hermione.
"She''s still in the bathroom! She doesn''t know about the troll!"
Ron bit his lip, nced at his prefect brother Percy, and decisively said, "Alright, let''s make sure Percy doesn''t see us."
The two boys crouched down, blending into the crowd, and slipped away from the group.
As they headed toward the girls'' bathroom, Harry noticed Professor Snape heading toward the third floor, nting a seed of suspicion in his mind.
...
In the girls'' bathroom on the first floor, Hermione was crying in one of the stalls. She was excellent in many areas but was still just a young girl, and being ostracized by her ssmates had left her deeply hurt.
After crying for a while, she felt somewhat better. She came out to the sink, washed her face, but her eyes remained red and puffy.
"It''s okay, John doesn''t hate me," she reassured herself. At least she still had John as a friend.
As she gazed at her reflection in the mirror, lost in thought, a knock on the door startled her. Her voice trembled as she called out:
"Who''s there?"
"Hermione, are you alright?" It was John.
He had found the girls'' bathroom and, hearing Hermione inside, felt a sense of relief.
Just as John was about to instruct Hermione to open the door, he was hit by an overpowering stench. The smell rivaled that of the dung bombs thrown by the Weasley twins, a mix of dirty socks and an uncleaned public restroom.
The smell wasparable to the big dung balls thrown by the Weasley twins, like the smell of stinky socks and a public toilet that no one cleaned.
John was almost fainted by the suffocation. Looking back, a huge figure in the shadows made a grumble and the sound of heavy feet hitting the ground approaching here.
John grabbed the door that was about to open and said sternly to the inside: "Hermione, find a corner to hide, don''t open the door."
His eyes were locked on the troll. Despite its reputation for low intelligence, the twelve-foot-tall creature with skin like granite exuded a menacing presence.
Its underdeveloped head looked like a cocoa bean perched on a stone, and it wielded a huge wooden club.
John knew that getting hit by that thing would be far worse than getting hit by a Bludger.
"This is going to be a tough fight," he muttered, steeling himself. It was his first encounter with such a massive creature, evenrger than Hagrid.
The troll scratched its head, trying toprehend John. Its seemingly harmless demeanor belied the extreme danger it posed.
John watched the approaching troll, his steps cautious. "Come on, big guy. Maybe we need a real, bloody fight," he taunted, his eyes gleaming with determination.
With a flick of his left hand, his wand appeared, and he aimed it at the troll. "Reducto!"
The spell hit the troll, causing it to stagger back with a fist-sized mark on its skin. This enraged the troll, which roared and swung its club at John. He dodged, and the club smashed the bathroom door to pieces.
"Ahhh!" Hermione''s scream echoed. As the troll turned towards the sound, John hit it with another spell.
"Over here!" he shouted, running back to draw the troll away from the bathroom.
The troll, not suspecting a trick, lumbered after John. Fighting and retreating, John sessfully lured the troll away from the girls'' bathroom.
...
Harry and Ron arrived at the girls'' bathroom, their hearts sinking at the sight of the shattered door.
"Hermione!"
They rushed into the bathroom and saw Hermione huddled in the corner.
"It looks like the troll didn''t get in," Ron said, relieved.
But their relief was short-lived as Hermione, her voice trembling with urgency, said, "John led the troll away. We have to help him!"
Even Ron, who often bickered with Hermione, didn''t hesitate. Gryffindors were known for their courage and readiness to help friends. They sprinted in the direction the troll had gone.
...
John was calcting the distance. He had led the troll far enough from the bathroom to ensure Hermione''s safety. He rolled forward, narrowly avoiding the troll''s club, and then turned to cast a spell.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
The debris from the broken wall floated up and, under John''s guidance, smashed into the troll''s face. The troll recoiled in pain. Seizing the opportunity, John grabbed a sword from a nearby suit of armor, swinging it in a gleaming arc toward the troll''s club-wielding arm.
Blood sprayed in the moonlight, the silver sh of the sword looking almost like an elegant waltz. Though the blow didn''t sever the troll''s arm, it caused enough pain to make the troll lose its grip on the club. The pain only made the troll more frenzied, but its simple attack patterns became even easier to predict.
"Reducto!"
Using the same tactic, John dodged the club''s sweep and hit the troll''s forehead with a sting Curse, knocking it down. He then swung the sword again, severing the troll''s fingers to ensure it couldn''t grab the club.
Before the club hit the ground, John used a Levitation Charm to suspend it mid-air. He then directed it with all his might, mming it into the troll and sending it flying.
"It''s over," he said, watching as the troll crashed into an unfortunate suit of armor andy still.
He approached cautiously to ensure the troll was truly defeated. Just then, Harry, Ron, and Hermione arrived.
Seeing the chaotic scene, the trio''s mouths hung open wide enough to swallow a whole potato.
"John, are you alright?" Harry shouted.
John turned to look at them, but at that moment, the troll, which he thought was dead, opened its eyes. Its rtively unharmed left hand swung toward John, causing the trio to scream in fright.
Acting on instinct, John swung his sword to intercept the blow.
ng.
The sword flew from his hand and embedded itself in the ceiling. John''s right hand was numb, leaving him weaponless. But they shouldn''t forget, he was a wizard.
With his left hand, his wand moved like a venomous snake, stabbing into the troll''s eye.
Holding the wand, John''s face was cold and determined as he pronounced the troll''s death sentence.
"Reducto!"
Even if it was a troll, it would not be able to bear a reducto explosion inside its head.
That ridiculous head was like a cooked bean, exploding in an instant.
The extremely ''delicious'' scene made the three children feel a little disgusted.
In fact, they had already vomited.
...
16: The Forbidden Forest
16: The Forbidden Forest
A momentter, Professor McGonagall arrived.
"What''s with that noise!"
"What on earth are you all doing here?!"
Harry swore that he had never seen Professor McGonagall so angry.
Her lips were pale, and even the usually serious Professor McGonagall''s face shed with surprise and relief, but more of it was anger.
Turning her gaze to the trio who dared not lift their heads, her voice wasced with icy anger. "Why didn''t you stay in your dormitory as you were supposed to?"
The trio felt wronged, especially Ron, who still thought of himself as a hero, believing he had brought at least 50 points to Gryffindor. However, Professor McGonagall''s expression told him that they would be lucky if they didn''t lose any points today.
Standing up for her friends, Hermione boldly stepped forward. "Please don''t be like this, Professor McGonagall. They were looking for me."
Meeting Professor McGonagall''s eyes, Hermione lied to a teacher for the first time. "I came looking for the troll because I thought I could handle it alone. You know, I''ve read a lot about them in books and felt I knew them well."
"If they hadn''t found me, I would have been dead by now. They didn''t have time to get help. When they arrived, the troll was about to eat me. John lured the troll away, and Harry and Ron saved me."
Hermione''s actions surprised Harry and Ron, warming their hearts. No one dislikes a friend who is willing to take the me. Even Ron, who had issues with Hermione, let go of his grievances.
Professor McGonagall was moved by Hermione''s willingness to take the me for her friends. Friendship is one of Gryffindor''s most noble qualities. However, the ever-knowledgeable Hermione seemed to forget one crucial thing. Despite her efforts to concoct a story and bear all the responsibility, Professor McGonagall was no fool.
"Are you saying... John Wick killed the troll?"
Looking around at the chaotic scene, including the troll''s severed fingers, the blood sttered on the walls, and the sword embedded in the ceiling, even Professor McGonagall was stunned.
She didn''t believe for a second that the young wizards were capable of such a feat, especially not this trio from Gryffindor.
Turning her attention to John, who was pretending to be a dead fish, Professor McGonagall pressed her lips together in a severe line. "Mr. Wick, do you have anything to say?"
"Um, well, Professor McGonagall, there are reasons for all this... Alright, it was me," John admitted, bracing himself to exin. However, under Professor McGonagall''s death re, he decided it was best to be straightforward.
"My goodness, I can''t believe a wizard as young as you killed a troll," Professor McGonagall said, her disbelief evident. Even an adult wizard would find it difficult to defeat a troll without special methods. Yet here was John, a first-year, who had in one. It was simply beyond belief.
"Alright, because of this incident, Gryffindor will lose 5 points, Miss Granger. I am disappointed in you. If you''re not injured, you should return to Gryffindor Tower immediately. The students are enjoying the Halloween feast in theirmon rooms."
Hermione left with her head hanging in dejection.
Harry and Ron remained, tense and nervous. However, Professor McGonagall did not me them. Instead, she awarded them each 5 points for their bravery in fighting the troll to help their friend.
Both of them felt undeserving of the points, knowing it was John who had truly dealt with the troll while they had only helped get Hermione to safety.
They were sent back to Gryffindor Tower, leaving John alone.
As the head of Gryffindor House, Professor McGonagall decided to wait for Snape to handle the situation.
Soon after, Professors Snape and Quirrell arrived, both stunned by the news. Quirrell, in particr, was shaken; he had been the one to release and capture the troll, fully aware of its strength. To think that a first-year student had managed to defeat such a powerful creature was unfathomable.
The troll was now dead, and in a particrly gruesome manner.
This led Quirrell to focus more intently on John. This student had performed admirably in ss, but to deal with a troll was another level entirely.
The Voldemort residing in Quirrell''s head also took interest. Such an exceptional young wizard might make a suitable Death Eater.
"Mr. Wick, it seems you have always considered yourself quite capable," Professor Snape said in his usual snide tone, reassessing his view of John.
When it came to awarding points to Slytherin, Snape never hesitated. John was given 20 points, a far more generous award than Professor McGonagall''s.
"Because of your recklessness, Mr. Wick, you will spend some time in the Forbidden Forest this school year," Snape continued.
Just as John was beginning to think Snape was being unusually humane, hearing this made his face fall.
Before learning that Quirrell often went into the Forbidden Forest, John would have weed the punishment. Night strolls were enjoyable regardless of location. But with a Dark Lord potentially lurking around, he wasn''t thrilled about it.
Unfortunately, his reluctance didn''t matter. Professor McGonagall still needed to inform Dumbledore, and John was sent back.
"First, punishment in the Trophy Room, and now the Forbidden Forest. What a mess," John muttered to himself. Despite hisints, he didn''t regret his actions. The increase in his attribute points alone made it worthwhile.
He decided not to use the skill/attribute points he got from the system immediately but to save them for when he reached a bottleneck.
"Should I learn Fiendfyre or start with lumency?" he wondered.
Given the importance of Legilimency, John decided to prioritize learning lumency first.
He definitely didn''t want to be read like an open book by an old bat or a noseless guy.
...
November 1st.
The story of a first-year student killing a troll spread quickly.
John became even more prominent within Slytherin. Even Malfoy couldn''t resisting over to inquire, "Did you really kill a troll?"
Elegantly eating his bread with nothing but water, John had no desire to see milk or tomato juice for a while, and he believed Harry and the others felt the same. After all, that ''delicious'' scene of bloody brain matter was still vivid.
ncing at the unusually talkative Malfoy, John replied coolly, "Do you really want to know? I can give you a detailed description."
Malfoy, recalling Filch grumbling and cleaning the walls in the first-floor corridor, suddenly found the milk before him resembling something else entirely.
"No, thanksugh."
Clearly, Malfoy''s young mind couldn''t handle the graphic details.
After this incident, John''s reputation in Slytherin grew even more formidable.
Even the older Slytherins didn''t dare to act arrogantly in front of John.
John, feeling annoyed, changed his seat. As soon as he sat down, the trio approached him.
"John, there''s a Quidditch match tomorrow. Will youe to watch?"
The trio had reconciled, and John had gained the friendship of Harry and Ron. Especially Harry, who recalled hearing John''s name beforeDudley, who always bullied him, was most afraid of John Wick.
"Quidditch? I think I''ll go, but I need to make my position clear first: I''ll be cheering for Slytherin."
Naturally, John had no reason not to attend. Harry and Ron gave awkward smiles, almost forgetting that John was in Slytherin. It seemed there was no hope of getting him to cheer for Gryffindor.
Hermione, on the other hand, was more concerned about John''s punishment. She worriedly said, "The Forbidden Forest has werewolves in it. I can''t believe the school would send a first-year student to patrol there."
She was quite angry about this; John had saved her and yet was being punished.
Harry also felt even more dislike for Snape, especially after he went to retrieve "Quidditch Through the Ages" and found out that Snape had been bitten while visiting the third floor.
Today, Slytherin and Gryffindor didn''t share a ssroom.
After ss, when John was about to leave, Malfoy couldn''t resist asking, "Wick, will youe and cheer for Slytherin at the Quidditch match tomorrow?"
To Malfoy, John seemed almost like a Gryffindor, and he worried that John might cheer for Gryffindor instead.
John smiled at Malfoy''s words and said, "Of course, for eternal glory."
Malfoy was taken aback and mumbled to himself, "For eternal glory..."
This statement made Malfoy change his view of John. Perhaps this person could indeed be considered a Slytherin. Slytherins always pursued glory.
...
That evening, John followed Hagrid with antern in hand.
Hagrid''s massive frame provided aforting sense of safety, especially with the gleaming crossbow he carried.
John was certain that a hit from that would be quite unpleasant.
Shortly after they entered the Forbidden Forest, they heard a mournful cry.
Hagrid''s expression changed, "That''s a unicorn''s cry."
_____
17: Quidditch Matches and Conspiracies
17: Quidditch Matches and Conspiracies
Unicorn?
In John''s mind, he envisioned a white horse with a spiraled horn on its head. Unicorns were symbols of purity and also a protected species.
Upon hearing the cry, Hagrid rushed in that direction.
Despite hisrge size, Hagrid moved very fast. The big guy was so emotional that even John''s trained physique struggled to keep up with Hagrid''s natural advantage.
When they reached a clearing near a water source in the forest, they found the unicorn.
The beautiful creature was lying there, emitting mournful cries. A horrifying wound marred its body, and silvery, mercury-like blood flowed continuously from the gash.
"Approach cautiously," Hagrid warned. He gripped his crossbow tightly, ready to shoot at any sign of danger.
They carefully moved closer to the unicorn, and upon seeing its dire condition, Hagrid''s heart sank.
"Oh no," he murmured, kneeling to try to help the unicorn. But the injury was too severe.
"No one would harm a unicorn, except for those reckless enough to risk their lives," Hagrid said, his voice heavy with sorrow. The wound was beyond saving.
John''s heart sank as well. Unicorns were creatures of purity, and even the beings in the Forbidden Forest would not harm them. One name shed in his mind: Quirrell.
Quirrell''s nightly departures from Hogwarts were peculiar, and now a unicorn had been attacked. It was hard to believe Quirrell wasn''t involved.
"John, let''s bury her," Hagrid said solemnly.
Together, they stayed with the unicorn during its final moments. The creature gradually lost its life force, and its eyes became dull as it copsed.
They buried the unicorn in the Forbidden Forest, and Hagrid was in a somber mood the entire way back.
John understood Hagrid''s feelings. Hagrid loved magical creatures, and seeing a unicorn die before his eyes must have been heartbreaking.
"Hagrid, cheer up. We need to stay strong," John said, trying to lift Hagrid''s spirits.
Back in Hagrid''s hut, John tasted rock cakes for the first time. The cakes were nearly inedible, but Hagrid''s mood began to improve after John''sforting words.
"That definitely wasn''t an ordinary incident. We need to prevent it from happening again," John said, knowing that there would be a second attack, and he wanted to warn Hagrid in advance.
Hagrid straightened up, "You''re right, John. We have to protect those little darlings."
Little darlings?
John thought only Hagrid would refer to the creatures in the Forbidden Forest that way.
After their patrol, John fed Fang some dog food. Instead of heading back to themon room, he made his way to the library on the forth floor.
Navigating expertly to the Restricted Section, John found a book on lumency. The sense of impending danger was growing, making lumency an urgent priority.
He headed to the Room of Requirement to study. After a night of effort, he finally managed to reach Level 1 in lumency by activating his study mode blessing [Acadamic Schr].
...
On the day of the Quidditch match, John was in the Great Hall, eating toast. Hermione was nearby, fussing over Harry like an older sister.
"I don''t want to eat anything," Harry said, shaking his head and refusing Hermione''s offer. He was very nervous, his legs trembling.
This feeling was terrible. More than falling off his broomstick, he feared losing the game in front of everyone.
"Don''t be nervous, Harry. Just do your best."
John took a sip of water and smiled at Harry, "If you catch up to the Golden Snitch but don''t have the strength to grab it, that would be bad. Getting hit by a Bludger would be worseyou''d have to spend time in the hospital wing."
Harry saw the logic in that and reluctantly took a few bites of toast. He definitely didn''t want Madam Pomfrey nagging him.
Hogwarts'' resident explosion expert, Seamus Finnigan, asked John curiously, "John, are you going to watch the match too? See us thrash Slytherin?"
"Uh... I am in Slytherin."
"Sorry, I didn''t mean it like that."
Seamus hurriedly exined, and John waved it off, indicating he understood. For some reason, the Gryffindors often treated John as one of their own.
Draco Malfoy approached, nked by his usual cronies. He scowled upon seeing the Gryffindors and Harry.
"Wick, I''ll take you to the Quidditch pitch. You probably don''t know where it is," he said with a condescending tone.
John, realizing he needed to cheer for Slytherin anyway, decided to go along.
After they left, Ron gaped in disbelief, finally eximing, "Did I just see that? Malfoy invited John!"
Harry was equally astonished. "I''d like to say you were mistaken, but I saw it too."
Seamus leaned into a conspiracy theory, confidently saying, "John must have used a Confundus Charm on Malfoy."
Hermione, thinking the Gryffindors were overreacting, wrinkled her nose and said, "John has always done well. He''s earned almost two hundred points for Slytherin."
Done well?
The Gryffindor lions looked at each other in confusion. Beating up Malfoy on the first daywas that considered good behavior?
They were bewildered.
...
Quidditch, undoubtedly the most popr sport in the wizarding world, almost made it impossible for John to find a spot in the vast stadium.
"See? Only I can find such a great spot," Malfoy boasted, as if it wasn''t John who had just saved him from nearly falling down the stairs.
Goyle and Crabbe were clearing the way in front, securing them an excellent vantage point.
The stands were distinctly divided into two camps: one side decked out in Gryffindor red, the other in Slytherin green.
The match hadn''t even started yet, but the spectators were already close to shing.
With Madam Hooch''s silver whistle, the Quidditch match officially began.
Thementator was Gryffindor''s Lee Jordan, with Professor McGonagall, a die-hard Quidditch fan, beside him.
When Gryffindor scored, he nearly jumped with joy, but when Slytherin scored, hismentary was brief and unenthusiastic.
John couldn''t help but scoff at the tant bias, amazed that no one else seemed to find it odd.
After the first goal, John spotted Hagrid pushing his way through the crowd on the opposite side, a red wave around him. Next to him, Ron and Hermione looked like two small dolls.
Apparently, every person in the wizarding world found it hard to resist the allure of Quidditch.
The match was intense, primarily because of the frequent fouls.
John had heard at least five or six angry shouts from the audience calling out fouls.
Unfortunately, Quidditch wasn''t like ser; there were no red cards.
Suddenly, John noticed Harry''s broomstick behaving erratically, jerking up and down wildly as if it had been enchanted with a rogue spell.
He instinctively nced at Malfoy, who was gleefully watching his nemesis, Potter, suffer.
"Of course, Malfoy doesn''t have that kind of power," John muttered, though Malfoy didn''t catch his words.
After a while, Harry''s broom finally stabilized.
John noticed that his own head of house''s robe was on fire. Snape, in an effort to extinguish it, had inadvertently elbowed Quirrell in the face.
"That must hurt."
Unexpectedly, his head of house had some skills; the elbow strike nearly knocked Quirrell out cold. John saw Quirrell''s head m into the seat behind him, rendering him dazed for at least a few minutes.
With his broom under control, Harry spotted the Golden Snitch and swiftly chased it, diving toward the ground before crashing.
People saw him clutch his mouth and then spit out the Golden Snitch.
Lee Jordan immediately announced that Harry had caught the Golden Snitch, ending the game.
With a score of 170 to 60, Gryffindor won the match.
John felt a pang of regret and remarked, "We''re missing a really good Seeker."
With Harry''s superb flying skills and the aid of his Nimbus 2000, the Slytherin Seeker looked like a block of wood inparison.
Malfoy nodded in agreement, but then realized when he had be so friendly with John Wick and quickly left.
At the same time, Malfoy nted a seed of determination in his heart: he must be the Slytherin Seeker and thoroughly beat Potter.
John found the situation with Harry''s out-of-control broomstick suspicious.
As for whether his own head of house was involved, John could only say that Snape was fiercely loyal.
After all, the lovesick Snape would never harm Lily''s child. John even suspected that if Harry had been a girl, Snape might have taken up a nurturing role instead.
This was a man who dared to betray Voldemort for the woman he secretly loved.
...
"Forget about that big dog, forget what it''s guarding. That''s between Professor Dumbledore and Nics mel..."
"Ah-ha, so it involves someone named Nics mel, does it?"
Hagrid''s frustrated and angry voice was followed by Harry''s inquisitive tone, sensing he had discovered something.
After watching the match, John stood at the door, pondering whether he should go in now.
ncing at the dog food he had brought, he figured he could wait, but the greedy Fang likely couldn''t.
He already heard Fang drooling.
How this big dog became loyal to him over Tom''s dog food was a mystery.
Knocking on the door and entering, John saw an angry and frustrated Hagrid sulking.
The trio was also there.
Oh, and there were rock cakes on the table.
''I hope Hermione''s dentist father could fix their teeth.''
_____
18: Speculation and Quirrell
18: Spection and Quirrell
"I swear, Hagrid definitely knows something," Harry said with conviction as they left Hagrid''s hut.
After leaving the dog food behind, John and the trio departed. Hermione and Ron also felt that Hagrid was hiding something.
Their only clue now was Nics mel.
Determined to uncover the truth about Snape, Harry said, "I feel like I''ve heard that name before, but I can''t remember where."
He had a nagging feeling that he had seen the name somewhere, but he couldn''t quite ce it.
The small package Hagrid had taken from Gringotts was clearly Snape''s target, and it was connected to Nics mel.
"John, have you ever heard of this name?" Harry ced his hopes on John, who was even smarter than Hermione.
John thought for a moment, then shook his head apologetically. "Sorry, I don''t remember either. You could try the library. If it''s not there, then this person might not exist."
This was a good idea, and Harry''s eyes lit up.
Hermione, who had also been thinking about suggesting the library, quickly agreed, "Let''s go there right away. It would be great if we could find something before Christmas."
Both she and Ron were going home for Christmas, and there were just over twenty days left. She hoped they could find an answer by then.
Hearing the mention of Christmas, Harry''s expression darkened a bit.
Harry didn''t want to return to the Dursleys'' house, where he''d be confined to the small cupboard under the stairs and constantly bullied by Dudley.
Seeing Hermione and Ron already making ns for Christmas, Harry said enviously, "I don''t want to go back; it''s terrible there."
Ron and Hermione expressed their sympathy, finding it hard to imagine having such dreadful rtives.
"John, are you going home for Christmas too?" Hermione asked, knowing that John also came from a Muggle family.
John shook his head. "No, I''m nning to stay and reinforce my knowledge during the holiday. I can''t use magic at home."
This studious attitude made Harry and Ron shiver, while Hermione felt she couldn''t fall behind either. However, if she didn''t go home, her father might worry about what was happening to his good daughter at school.
The four parted ways on the fourth floor, with John deciding not to go to the library. Although Nics mel''s name sounded familiar, his priority was to improve his lumency skills.
Reaching the eighth floor, he found the Room of Requirement. After a day of training inside, he emerged to find it was already dark.
He decided to head to the kitchen to see if he could get some dinner. On his way, he encountered someone he didn''t want to meet.
"John Wick, g-good evening," stammered Professor Quirrell, seemingly ''coincidentally'' running into John.
John''s left hand silently reached for his wand as he initiated lumency, smiling politely in response, "Good evening, Professor Quirrell."
After witnessing John''s power in defeating the troll, Voldemort began contemting recruiting John as a Death Eater.
Pureblood?
Voldemort didn''t care.
During his reign, he acted like a fanatical pureblood supremacist, but he himself was a half-blood.
Though he disliked acknowledging it, Voldemort didn''t value pureblood status as much as he valued the potential usefulness of power.
Pureblood ideology was merely a tool for his control.
First-year students were particrly easy to manipte.
Voldemort nned to groom John into a young Death Eater, making him a spy within Hogwarts, much like Snape.
He instructed Quirrell to make contact with John.
Professor Quirrell, aware of John''s studious nature, said with feigned sincerity, "You''re studying, aren''t you? So diligent."
John didn''t miss the opportunity provided by Quirrell''s pretense and nodded, "I''ve been quite absorbed in it. If there''s nothing else, I''m heading to dinner."
He didn''t want to linger with Quirrell; who knew when Voldemort might show up?
John tried to leave quickly, but Quirrell wasn''t ready to let him go.
Quirrell smiled, "So studious. Perhaps you''d be interested in the knowledge found in the Restricted Section."
The Restricted Section?
John suddenly didn''t feel the need to leave in a hurry, showing an eager expression at the mention of the Restricted Section.
Quirrell noticed this, a sneer forming in his eyes.
As expected, wizards who pursued knowledge were always drawn to the forbidden.
To turn a good child into a Death Eater quickly, the best method was to show him the importance of power.
Quirrell himself had been ensnared by Voldemort this way.
Voldemort knew these wizards all too well. In his youth, he had been a frequent visitor to the Restricted Section, where many dark spells were recorded.
Dark magic was powerful and could easily seduce those who studied it. Once John began learning, it would be easy to steer him towards bing a young Death Eater with just a little guidance.
These thoughts shed through Quirrell''s mind in an instant. He smiled, stammering, "You''re a good child. I... I can give you a pass to the Restricted Section."
"Really? I''ve wanted to explore it for so long!" John acted like an eager young schr, exactly what Quirrell hoped to see.
Quirrell told John toe to his office next Monday to get the pass, saving John the trouble of sneaking into the Restricted Section at night.
John could guess Quirrell''s ulterior motives, but it didn''t matter. He wasn''t a naive child. Once he had the signed pass, he could just ignore Quirrell.
After all, Quirrell''s tenure was limited to John''s first year. Everyone knew the Defense Against the Dark Arts professors were annual consumables.
...
Monday
John obtained the signed note from Professor Quirrell. When handing over the note, Quirrell subtly suggested several books to John, such as Sixteenth Century Dark Magic, Curses of Magic, and Notable Curses of the Neenth Century.
Quirrell imed that the foundation of learning Defense Against the Dark Arts was understanding the structure of dark magic itself. John responded with a silent chuckle.
''If I believed you, I''d be crazy,'' he thought.
Outwardly disying keen interest, John changed his demeanor upon reaching the library.
He encountered the trioHarry, Ron, and Hermionewho were researching Nics mel but chose not to disturb them.
After showing Madam Pince the signed note, John proceeded unobstructed to the Restricted Section.
The majority of books in the Restricted Section were highly advanced, posing a challenge even in his academic schr mode.
"I stillck sufficient knowledge; my foundation is too weak," he mused.
As he nced around, a book titled *Goblin Forging* caught his eye.
An idea struck him: Gryffindor''s sword. The legendary weapon was crafted by goblins at the behest of Godric Gryffindor himself.
John realized that hisbat style was simr to Gryffindor''s, but his weaponry fell short inparison.
Using a medieval armor weapon against the troll had been somewhatborious; magical creatures had remarkable natural defenses.
For example, dragons.
Dragon scales possessed incredibly high magical resistance.
_____
19: Night Stalker and Giant Spider
19: Night Stalker and Giant Spider
If he had to deal with a dragon, ordinary weapons would be insufficient.
"Maybe I can forge one myself," John thought, his eyes burning with excitement. Having his own weapon would be ideal.
He borrowed Goblin Forging and began studying the book tirelessly. It was a tranted work, originally owned by an Egyptian wizard.
John found it a bit difficult to read, but it doesn''t matter, he still has time to polish it.
In the next few days, he borrowed another book "Basic Magic Rune Guide" from the library.
While enriching his knowledge, John was gradually able to master the contents of "Goblin Forging".
At night, he put the book away and prepared to go to the Forbidden Forest.
His punishment wasn''t over yet, and he had to patrol the forest with Hagrid every night.
After arriving at Hagrid''s hut, Fang ran over enthusiastically and sniffed John with his nose.
Hagridughed and said, "Fang likes you very much."
Likes me?
John looked at Fang sniffing his pocket of sandwiches.
"Are you sure Fang''s not just hungry?" John rolled his eyes.
....
A few days had passed since the unicorn''s death.
During this period, Hagrid had spoken with the magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest and learned from the centaurs that an evil presence was lurking on the forest''s outskirts.
So tonight, the two of them were patrolling the outskirts.
John had gradually be able to keep up with Hagrid''s pace, while Fang ran ahead.
Despite itsrge size, Fang was a very timid dog.
It was even less brave than Tom.
During their patrol, a spider with a head the size of a human appeared in front of John.
Startled, he gripped his wand tightly, ready to use the sting Curse.
"What a big spider."
"Wait, that''s Aragog''s offspring," Hagrid shouted, stopping John.
Under John''s slightly terrified gaze, Hagrid seemed to bemunicating with the spider.
"Aragog wants to see me."
Aragog was a friend of Hagrid''s, adopted by him when he was young. After Hagrid got into trouble, Aragog escaped into the Forbidden Forest and became an old spider.
John nodded numbly. Hagrid''s boldness was astonishing; if Ron encountered this spider, he might have died on the spot.
Following the spider, they headed toward a cave.
Before entering the cave, John had already seen many spiders. Once inside, he couldn''t stop the goosebumps from forming all over his body.
Spiders were everywhere as far as the eye could see, making the human-head-sized spiders seem small inparison.
There were dozens of spiders the height of a person.
"Gulp, Hagrid, are you sure they''re friendly?" John swallowed nervously, moving closer to Hagrid.
Hagrid''srge frame usually provided a sense of security, but that was outside, not in the nest of spiders.
"Don''t worry, these spiders are Aragog''s children; they won''t harm you."
Hagrid''s confidence was not reassuring to John.
Those spiders were practically drooling, and you''re telling me they won''t harm me?
John''s left hand gripped his wand tightly. If any spider dared to get too close, he swore he would cast the sting Curse.
At the end of the cave was a gray spider the size of a car. This was an Acromant, and its eyes, clouded with cataracts, rendered it nearly blind.
"Hagrid, you came."
Aragog was pleased with the visit from his friend and suppressed his restless offspring as he began to talk to Hagrid about the Forbidden Forest.
"Something has entered, something very evil, and it''s hunting unicorns."
Hagrid had asked Aragog to investigate the unicorn incidents, and Aragog had sent his offspring throughout the forest.
"He is powerful. Many of my children have been killed. He moves like a wraith, appearing and disappearing at will."
The Acromant n feeds on humans. Although Aragog restrained his offspring for Hagrid''s sake, Acromants are not easy to deal with.
The intruder who entered the Forbidden Forest managed to kill several Acromants alone, demonstrating strength on par with Aurors.
Despite encountering this person, Aragog was unable to keep him at bay.
Hagrid''s mood grew heavy after hearing this. Just as John had said, the evil figure had not given up on the unicorns.
Unicorn blood contains a curse but can also prevent someone on the brink of death from dying.
"I understand, Aragog."
Hagrid said goodbye to Aragog and prepared to leave, but at that moment, the surrounding Acromants began to close in.
"Aragog?" Hagrid looked at his friend in confusion.
Aragog apologized, "I''m sorry, Hagrid. I''ve told my offspring not to harm you, but they have no such restraint towards others."
"Damn!"
With Aragog''s reminder, Hagrid realized he had made a mistake bringing John along.
"John, we need to go."
Picking John up, Hagrid''s massive frame moved like a human-sized truck. "They are good children John just a bit hungry"
"Really Hagrid! At this time?"
"Oops, sorry!"
"Apology epted, now run faster!"
Any spiders blocking their path were knocked aside by Hagrid.
The spiders, unwilling to miss out on a rare meal, pursued relentlessly.
Naturally, John would not hold back. He drew his wand and cast a spell at an approaching Acromant.
"Reducto!"
The white light struck the spider, causing it to bleed and retreat but not killing it.
"Nice spell," Hagridplimented not being a hypocrite. Although he is a goofball when ites to magical animals he isn''t stupid and clearly knows that the acromants were going for John''s life.
Despite hisrge size, Hagrid was surprisingly agile.
With Hagrid carrying him, John didn''t need to worry about dodging, allowing him to focus solely on casting spells.
"Incendio!" His wand emitted mes that set a spider aze.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" A fallen log was levitated and smashed into the pursuing spiders.
As John continued to bombard the spiders, his magic power began to wane.
He quickly grabbed a stone and hurled it at the nearest spider.
[Ding! Magic Level Up. Current Magic Level: 3]
John felt a warm surge within him as his magic power was restored.
A spider the size of a small car appeared ahead. John aimed his wand at it and cast another spell.
"Reducto!"
This time, the white light wasrger, previously the size of an orange, now it was even bigger.
Upon contact with the Acromant, its body was covered in cracks before shatteringpletely.
The spell''s power had more than doubled. John turned and fired spells at the spiders chasing them.
With the cooperation of Hagrid, John sessfully escaped from the spider''s nest.
Aftering out, Hagrid said self-reproachfully: "I''m sorry, John, I thought Aragog could control them."
Aragog used to control them, but now he was too old and might not live much longer.
The younger spiders no longer obeyed him as they once did.
"It''s alright, Hagrid, but it''s best not to let anyone else go there next time," John said.
John had been lucky this time; without Hagrid''s help, anyone else might have ended up as dinner.
Hagrid was also shaken.
The two continued their patrol in the Forbidden Forest for a while longer before ending for the night.
Back at Hagrid''s hut, John poured a big bowl of dog food for Fang.
The big dog had run the fastest in the spider cave and was probably exhausted.
After saying goodbye to Hagrid, John returned to Hogwarts.
He opened the Marauder''s Map and saw that Professor Quirrell was not in his office.
[Ding, gaining blessing: Night Stalker]
[Night Stalker: live in darkness, increase concealment and visibility, and enhanced stealth kill damage]
Having achieved one hundred hours of night patrols, John extinguished his wand light, blinking a couple of times to adjust to the dark.
The originally dark corridor gradually became clear in John''s eyes. Although it wasn''t as clear as during the day, he could now read inplete darkness.
"This makes things much more convenient."
With the Nightshade perk, John could walk down the corridors without using a Disillusionment Charm and still be hard to spot. Using the charm, he could achieve the effect of an Invisibility Cloak.
...
In the days that followed, John frequently had ''coincidental'' encounters with Quirrell. Normally indifferent to teaching, Quirrell became incredibly attentive to John in private.
He constantly hinted that John coulde to him with any questions and subtly suggested his extensive knowledge of Dark Arts.
John always pretended to be oblivious, acting like a bookworm, although he did have some interest in Dark Magic.
After all, spells like Fiendfyre were incredibly powerful, something ordinary magic couldn''t match.
Eventually, John expressed a desire to learn Fiendfyre. Quirrell happily obliged. Although Quirrell wasn''t particrly skilled in the spell, he had the backing of the Dark Lord.
With Quirrell''s surface-level teaching and Voldemort''s guidance, John finally mastered Fiendfyre. However, he knew better than to use it lightly. Fiendfyre was one of the most uncontroble spells; once ignited, it couldn''t be extinguished.
Quirrell also dropped all pretense. No longer just hinting, he openly discussed matters rted to the Dark Lord.
John understood Quirrell''s intentions and managed to dodge the topic, asionally showing some agreement with the Dark Lord''s ideology.
As the nuisance of Quirrell''s advances continued, December quietly arrived.
During a Potions ss, enduring Snape''s gloomy gaze for the duration, everyone eagerly discussed their Christmas ns afterward. Ron decided not to go home, as the Weasleys had made ast-minute decision to visit Charlie Weasley in Romania, where he worked with dragons.
______
20: Christmas
20: Christmas
John watched the Weasley twins cast a spell on a snowball and let it chase Quirrell and hit his head, which made him feel secretly happy.
Although Quirrell had dropped his pretense in front of John, he had to maintain his facade in front of the other students, forcing him to continue his act of appearing weak and bullied, despite secretly plotting revenge against the twins.
The bitter cold wind battered the windows of the Hogwarts ssrooms, while a roaring fire zed in the Great Hall, signaling the onset of winter.
John rubbed his hands together, exhaling a puff of white breath that fogged up the ss.
Seeing Malfoy''s love-and-hate rtionship with Harry for a while before the holiday, Johnined: "It is said that elementary school students will bully the people they like. Malfoy is definitely in love with him."
Hagrid was dragging a fir tree through the corridor, preparing it for Christmas. Ron, infuriated by Malfoy''sments about his family, was the first to react. However, Snape seemed to be waiting for this exact moment, appearing just in time to dock five points from Gryffindor, despite Hagrid''s pleas for leniency. Malfoy strutted away triumphantly, deliberately knocking needles off the fir tree and scattering them everywhere.
"I''m going to teach him a lesson, just like John did!" Ron fumed, longing to give Malfoy a taste of his own medicine with a punch to the face, much like John had done before.
Harry nodded in agreement, sharing Ron''s disdain for both Malfoy and Snape, who were the two people he despised most at Hogwarts.
Hagrid, trying to temper their anger, said, "That might be difficult. John is the best fighter in your age group I''ve ever seen. Why don''t youe to the Great Hall and take a look? John, you shoulde too."
Ron''s mood soured instantly, but the invitation to see the nearly decorated Great Hall intrigued him. John was also eager to see how the magical world celebrated Christmas.
Under the expert direction of Professors McGonagall and Flitwick, the Great Hall had been transformed into a breathtaking spectacle.
The walls were adorned with gands of holly and mistletoe, and twelve towering Christmas trees stood tall throughout the hall. Some of the trees were decorated with glittering icicles, while others shimmered with hundreds of candles. Hagrid had just brought in the final tree, and once it was decorated, the preparations would beplete.
Excited for the holidays, Hagrid asked, "How many days until the break?"
"Just one day. That reminds me, we have half an hour left before we can go to the library," Hermione said, still focused on uncovering the mystery of Nics mel. She invited John to join them, "John, would you like toe with us?"
"Sure, why not?" John agreed, feeling intrigued as well.
Hagrid, curious, asked, "Reading books just before the break? Aren''t you all working a bit too hard?"
He was in a good mood because of the approaching Christmas, but Harry''s response quickly dampened his spirits. "We''re not revising our homework; we''re trying to find out who Nics mel is," Harry said cheerfully.
"I''ve told you to stop that. Whatever that dog is guarding, it''s none of your business," Hagrid eximed, his surprise turning into rm as he tried to dissuade the trio from their dangerous endeavor.
However, he underestimated the Gryffindor spirit of recklessness. The more they were warned, the more determined the trio became. The name Nics mel proved elusive, despite their efforts to search through numerous books in the library.
To aid their search, Hermione had evenpiled a list of potential sources and references.
As dinner time approached, the four of them left the library. Hermione, not one to give up easily, insisted that they continue their search during the break and send any findings to her via owl.
...
The holidays had begun.
John was eating turkey, noticing that while it was impressivelyrge, itcked substance. Using a knife and fork, he sliced off a piece of meat and had the urge to wrap it in a tbread like a sandwich. Meanwhile, his owl, Basil, had already flown off, presumably to retrieve gifts from his parents.
"The postal system here is really advanced. Starting an owl delivery service would definitely be profitable," John thought. He hoped that whatever his parents sent, Mr. Wick wouldn''t include something like a mouse or a ck widow spider.
During the break, John tried his hand at wizard chess. The rules were simr to regr chess, but the pieces were much more entertaining.
Watching his queen get shattered by Ron''s knight, John could only chuckle. Initially doubting his own chess skills, he felt better after seeing Harry lose eighteen games in a row.
Snow began to fall outside, but John didn''t neglect his training. With the recent upgrade in his magical power, the potency of his spells had also increased.
It made sensemagic was like a faucet, and the water inside determined the strength of the flow.
Previously, his limited magical power meant his spells were weak.
Now, with his magic at level 3, the strength of his spells had significantly improved, and John could learn more powerful attack spells.
However, the first spell he decided to learn was a defensive one.
"Protego."
This was a shielding charm used to block attacks, capable of deflecting most offensive spells. It was a very practical incantation. After practicing in the Room of Requirement, John returned to his dormitory.
The next morning, he awoke to find that Basil had returned with some gifts. He unwrapped the first present, which was from Mrs. Wick. It was a pair of warm gloves, lovingly knitted by her own hands.
The second gift was from his father, John Wick Sr. The package was a perfect cube. He shook it and concluded it couldn''t contain a mouse. Upon opening it, he found some small bottles of different sauce. Initially puzzled, he then noticed his father''s note.
"3 Packs of spicy sauces from Indian and Chinese cuisine?!"
John read that his father knew of his son''s fondness for the mysterious foods from the East and had gone through considerable effort to procure these bottles.
John eagerly opened the Chinese sauce, scooping a bit with a fork and putting it in his mouth.
"Oh good! Spices! Finally!"
Suddenly, even the gifts from Hagrid and Hermione seemed less significant.
In the Great Hall, Harry curiously asked, "What''s that? It smells... interesting."
"It''s chili sauce. You should try it," John said, dipping a spoonful of the small bottle.
Ron, wearing a dark maroon hand-knitted sweater, curiously tried it. The strange vor, a blend of spice and unique taste from the ancient Eastern country surprised him.
"It''s weird, kind of spicy and odd," he said, but he still dipped a chicken leg into the sauce like John did.
The moment he tasted it, it was like a door to a new world had opened. Seeing Ron''s reaction, Harry was curious enough to try it as well. He soon found himself experiencing the same peculiar yet addictive taste.
Ron had also given John some buttery fudge, which was delightfully sweet. John then opened Hermione''s gift, a chocte frog, which nearly jumped away as soon as he unwrapped it.
The twins were wearing hand-knitted sweaters like Ron''s, but theirs were blue with different letters on them.
At the Christmas feast, John''s sauces attracted more attention. Even Dumbledore, wearing a flowery bo, tried a spoonful. Judging by his expression, he was disappointed it wasn''t sweet.
After the feast, everyone, both professors and students, seemed to be in high spirits.
...
In the Room of Requirement, John decided to take a rare break. He opened the Chocte Frog Hermione had given him, grabbed the frog, and took a bite. A wizard card fell out of the box.
It featured Dumbledore.
John wasn''t initially interested, but a casual nce made him stop and focus on the card.
**Albus Dumbledore, current Headmaster of Hogwarts.**
**Widely regarded as the greatest wizard of our time,**
**Dumbledore''s known contributions include:**
**Defeating the Dark Wizard Grindelwald in 1945,**
**Discovering the twelve uses of dragon''s blood,**
**Making significant achievements in alchemy with his partner, Nics mel,**
**Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and ten-pin bowling.**
Staring at the card, John''s eyes fixed on the name Nics mel.
"Alchemy?"
Scratching his chin, John remembered reading about an extraordinary item in the records of alchemy.
The item was called... the Philosopher''s Stone?
______
21: Invisibility Cloak and The Mirror
21: Invisibility Cloak and The Mirror
Eternal life is a pursuit sought after in every corner of existence.
The Philosopher''s Stone, though not granting immortality in the strictest sense,es close enough.
"If I had the Philosopher''s Stone, it would greatly aid in my alchemical creations."
Of course, John was merely musing. The Philosopher''s Stone seemed to be a legendary artifact, with no one having seen it in reality.
This thought, however, did remind John that delving into alchemy might help him master **Goblin Forging** more quickly.
"The Restricted Section might have something useful. I should check it out."
Acting on this idea, John cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself.
Leaving the Room of Requirement, he made his way towards the library on the fifth floor.
To ensure he wouldn''t be caught, John took out the Marauder''s Map.
"Harry''s out?"
John noticed Harry leaving the Gryffindor Tower, guessing he was out for a night stroll.
Seeing his direction, it seemed like Harry might have a simr goal.
However, upon reaching the Restricted Section, John didn''t see Harry.
Puzzled, he then saw thetch of the Restricted Section door open on its own.
"Invisibility Cloak."
With the answer in his mind, John remembered that Harry had an Invisibility Cloak, which he must have received by now.
Before the door closed, John slipped in behind him.
Feeling a mischievous urge, John didn''t reveal himself immediately but watched as Harry took off the cloak.
Harry''sntern swayed back and forth as he searched the shelves for any trace of Nics mel. He was so nervous that he even heard faint whispers from the books, unsure if they were real or just his imagination.
Searching through the vast collection of books, Harry needed a ce to start.
He carefully ced thentern on the ground, peering at the bottom shelves for something intriguing.
Suddenly, he spotted arge ck and silver book and, without thinking, pulled it out forcefully.
"Stop!"
John saw the book and tried to stop Harry, but it was toote. Startled by the sudden shout, Harry instinctively opened the book.
"Ah!"
A piercing, blood-curdling scream shattered the silence.
The entire book screamed, making Harry''s ears hurt. He quickly snapped the book shut.
But it was toote; the screaming didn''t stop. Panicked, Harry knocked over thentern as he retreated.
In his panic, he forgot about the voice that had spoken earlier.
Putting the book back on the shelf, he threw the Invisibility Cloak over himself and bolted for the exit.
Filch, drawn by the noise, arrived with a furious look in his eyes. Harry barely managed to slip under Filch''s outstretched arms.
Running blindly, Harry lost his way without thentern to guide him.
Harry finally skidded to a stop in front of a tall suit of armor, still hearing Filch''s tattling voice echoing in his ears.
Around the corner came Snape and Filch. Harry could only step back cautiously, making no sound as he squeezed into an open door on his left.
Pressing against the wall, Harry listened to their footsteps recede, taking deep breaths to calm himself. He removed the Invisibility Cloak.
Just when he thought he was safe and began to look around the room, the slightly ajar wooden door opened.
Harry didn''t see anyone enter, feeling as if the room were haunted.
His hairs stood on end, and he stepped back in fear.
Suddenly, a hand touched his shoulder. He opened his mouth to scream, but another hand covered it.
"Shh, you''ll get us in trouble."
"John?"
Recognizing the familiar voice, Harry turned to see John Wick seemingly appear out of nowhere.
John sighed, regretting his earlier prank. Now Snape knew someone had been in the library and was still wandering around.
"Was that voice earlier yours? How did you do it? Do you have an Invisibility Cloak too?"
Harry''s rapid-fire questions showed his astonishment. John, feeling overwhelmed, decided to change the subject. "How about we check out this ce first? I''ve never been in here."
Hearing this, Harry began to take in his surroundings.
It looked like an unused, abandoned ssroom. Many desks and chairs were piled up against the walls, castingrge, dark shadows.
There was also an overturned wastebasket, but what caught their attention was something on the wall directly opposite them, standing out from its surroundings.
John also noticed the mirror. It was a very grand mirror, almost as tall as the ceiling.
It had an ornate gold frame, supported by w-like feet at the base.
At the top, there was an inscription. John read it out loud, "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi."
It was a very strange mirror.
Being a Gryffindor, Harry fearlessly walked towards it.
The next second, Harry stood in front of the mirror, utterly terrified.
"What''s wrong?"
John approached, not understanding. Harry''s breathing became rapid, and the color drained from his face.
"There are lots of people in the mirror, at least a dozen. They''re all standing behind me."
Harry''s words made John pause. He leaned in to take a look.
At first, he saw nothing... but then!
John saw tables full of Spicy delicacies beside him in the mirror. His eyes widened.
Rubbing his eyes, John looked again and saw himself enjoying the food.
Not only that, the reflection of John was wearing luxurious wizard robes, appeared to be in his twenties, holding the Elder Wand, and had a First ss Order of Merlin pinned to his chest.
Recalling the plot from his memory, John muttered to himself, "The Mirror of Erised?"
He remembered that this mirror wasn''t supposed to appear until muchter. Why was it here now?
"John, I think they''re my family."
Harry saw a gentle, beautiful woman behind his reflection in the mirror. She was smiling, her eyes filled with love.
Next to her was a man with ck hair and sses, his hair as messy as Harry''s.
Harry felt they were his parents. Not just his parents, but other rtives too, sharing his green eyes.
These were the people Harry longed for most. He gazed hungrily at the mirror, unwilling to look away even for a second.
He ced his hands on the mirror, as if doing so would let him join his family inside.
Seeing Harry bing entranced, John pulled him away from the mirror.
"We should leave. Filch and the others mighte back."
Though reluctant, Harry agreed.
He put on the invisibility cloak and invited John to leave with him. John smiled mysteriously and said, "I don''t need it."
Taking out his wand, John gave it a gentle wave and vanished before Harry''s eyes.
In disbelief, Harry tentatively called out, "John, are you still here?"
"Of course I am."
Hearing the response, Harry reached out and felt John''s face.
"Careful, you almost poked my eye."
Hearing this, Harry sheepishly withdrew his hand.
Before leaving the room, John paused and looked toward the side of the mirror, where a silver-haired old man seemed to appear but then vanished in a blink.
"Dumbledore?"
Certain that he hadn''t imagined it, John realized that Dumbledore had ced the mirror there.
With that realization, he felt reassured that Harry wouldn''t be in danger.
At the stairwell, John parted ways with Harry and made a trip to the Restricted Section of the library. There, he found a book on ancient alchemy, "The Supreme Alchemy," and brought it back to his dormitory.
After reading for a while, he began to feel dizzy.
The content was too profound, much like "Goblin Forging," requiring a solid foundation of knowledge.
"Trying to do too much at once won''t work. I need to start from the basics."
cing the book under his pillow, John opened the Marauder''s Map and saw Quirrell heading out of Hogwarts.
John hesitated, wondering if he should follow.
But after some thought, he decided against it.
Even without considering Voldemort, Professor Quirrell alone was not someone he could handle.
Unless he had the element of surprise, the difference in their magical power was too great.
And without a powerful attack spell like the Killing Curse, if he were discovered, it would likely be a fight to the death.
The Christmas holidays were still not over.
During this time, John made several trips to the library, bringing back many books on basic alchemy.
He intensely supplemented his alchemical knowledge, but it still wasn''t enough.
However, in one of the books about ancient alchemy, he found a mention of Nics mel.
"Nics mel, known as the sole creator of the Philosopher''s Stone."
Reading this, John''s thoughts raced.
He remembered that in Harry Potter''s first year, what was being guarded was the Philosopher''s Stone.
And this item could save John a lot of time, allowing him to directly utilize the highest level of alchemy.
"The Philosopher''s Stone..."
As he touched the entry about the Philosopher''s Stone, the thought of immortality crossed his mind but quickly faded.
He recalled that immortality had significant drawbacks: not only did it erode emotions, but more importantly, it made the body extremely fragile.
Such an existence would be worse than death for John.
"Maybe I should tell Harry and the others."
These days, Harry and his friends were close to giving up.
22: Dumbledore and the Promise
22: Dumbledore and the Promise
The Great Hall.
"You should have woken me up. I wanted to see your mom and dad,"
Ronined angrily. He was upset that Harry had discovered the Mirror of Erised by himself the previous night and hadn''t told him.
Harry replied, "You can see them tonight. I''m going back. I also want you to see that mirror."
The two were eagerly discussing the Mirror of Erised, nearly forgetting about Nics mel altogether.
John, meanwhile, was making a sandwich with turkey meat between slices of toast.
Just as he was about to take a bite, Harry mentioned, "John was there too, but I didn''t see his family."
John set down his sandwich, his expression turned a little serious. "Harry, that mirror doesn''t show your family. It reflects what your heart desires most. You shouldn''t get too obsessed with it."
Ron, curious, asked, "John, what did you see?"
"Me?"
Recalling the scene from the previous night, John smacked his lips and said, "I saw a table full of food."
"Uh..."
Ron and Harry were speechless. They had expected John to see something else, perhaps books, given how much he lovedpeting with the Miss Know-it-all for house points.
However, Harry didn''t take John''s words to heart. Instead, his desire to visit the mirror only grew stronger.
He was starved for love.
The most powerful magic built on maternal love couldn''t fill the void in his heart. More than being the savior, he longed for his parents'' presence.
John didn''t worry whether Harry had listened to him or not; he had already given his advice. With Dumbledore around, even Voldemort wouldn''t be able to harm Harry and his friends.
Unconcerned, John finished his meal and then remembered Nics mel. He took out a Chocte Frog wizard card from his pocket and handed it to Harry.
"What''s this?"
Harry was puzzled by John''s gesture.
John smiled mysteriously. "Perhaps the answer isn''t as profound as you think. You need to learn to observe the things around you."
John''s cryptic words left both Harry and Ron confused, but Harry still epted the card. Preupied with the Mirror of Erised, Harry quickly stuffed the card into his pocket, likely to forget about it for a while.
None of this concerned John, who headed to the library. Under the watchful eye of Madam Pince, he piled books on alchemy onto a table.
His diligence was so impressive that even Professor McGonagall, passing by, felt gratified. The only downside was that he wasn''t a Gryffindor student.
After two hours of intense study with the Schr Blessing, John managed to piece together the theoretical foundation of alchemy.
After his studious session, John put down the towering stack of books and rubbed his tired eyes.
"Relying solely on these theories is still too difficult," he muttered.
Before himy "Easy Introduction to Ancient Runes" and "Simple Alchemy," the most basic texts that were already overwhelming.
Nevertheless, these studies enabled John to start practicing alchemy. ording to "Goblin Forging Techniques," runesbined with alchemy equate to goblin forging.
Though the form was simple, sess required countless trials.
John headed to the Room of Requirement on the seventh floor, seeking a new location this time.
"I need a ce to forge items," he muttered three times.
Walking past therge tapestry three times, a wooden door appeared on the nk wall.
Pushing the door open, he found a room filled with numerous cauldrons. Shelves along the walls held many empty bottles, and some contained materials from magical creatures.
John flexed his fingers, realizing that he needed to replenish his materials.
Like crafting a wand, magical creatures were highly valuable to wizards. With John''s financial situation, buying these materials was out of the question, but he had a resourceful ally nearby who could help.
...
The next day.
"Here you go, John. But why do you need st-Ended Skrewt tails?" Hagrid asked.
In Hagrid''s hut, as the gamekeeper, he dealt with magical creatures daily and had amassed a fortune in materials over the years.
However, Hagrid seemed unaware of their true value, sitting on a treasure trove without realizing it.
John was one of the few students who had a good rtionship with Hagrid, sharing the bond due to his daily detention in the forbidden forest and the adventure of venturing into Aragog''sir together.
When John asked for materials, Hagrid immediately gathered a huge pile for him.
John nearly stumbled under the weight as he took the materials.
Despite Hagrid handling them effortlessly, the pile was actually quite heavy.
st-Ended Skrewts, a magical creature bred at Hogwarts, were possibly a hybrid of Manticores and Fire Crabs.
Only Hagrid could produce a basket full of st-Ended Skrewt tails at once. John intended to use these for his first attempt at alchemy.
"I''m studying alchemy, Hagrid and that''s why I needed these kinds of stuff. After all, who knows these things better than you?" John said.
Hagrid was delighted to hear this, though John politely declined his offer of rock cakes.
Carrying the basket of Skrewt tails, John returned to the Room of Requirement with great difficulty to begin his crafting.
He worked tirelessly, even missing dinner.
When he finally emerged from the Room of Requirement, there was some soot on his nose.
As he was heading back, he passed by the fourth floor.
He paused, noticing that the door to the room with the mirror was ajar.
He knew Harry was inside.
"He is still obsessed." Sighing, John changed his mind about returning to the dormitory and went to the room instead.
As he approached the door, he heard voices inside.
Could it be Ron?
Harry had shown Ron the mirror yesterday.
Casting a Disillusionment Charm on himself, John vanished into the darkness.
Inside, a voice, old yet gentle, spoke.
"Like hundreds before you, you have discovered the delight of the Mirror of Erised."
"I didn''t know it was called that, sir."
"But I assume you have now realized its magic? So, what is it that you saw?"
"It... it showed me my family."
...
Harry conversed with Dumbledore, who appeared in the room. Harry learned, just as John had told him, that the mirror revealed the deepest desires of one''s heart.
Dumbledore used this opportunity to teach Harry a lesson, also informing him that the mirror would soon be moved to a new location.
Though reluctant, Harry obediently donned his Invisibility Cloak and turned to go out of the room and return to his dormitory to sleep.
But before he left, "Professor Dumbledore, what do you see when you look in the mirror?" Harry asked, curious about what Dumbledore saw in the Mirror of Erised.
Dumbledore smiled mysteriously, with a hint of yfulness, and replied, "I see myself holding a pair of thick woolen socks."
"Haha, don''t look at me like that. After all, one can never have enough socks."
Harry felt that this answer was a bit perfunctory but not unreasonable.
After all, John had seen a table full of food, and Harry thought that perhaps John, like Dumbledore, was also a person full of wisdom.
Dumbledore, who watched Harry leave, did not leave the room, but smiled kindly and said to the air: "Maybe I should talk to you face to face, Mr. Wick."
Well, John knew that he was too naive to want to hide from the greatest wizard of this century.
Walking out of the darkness, he terminated the Disillusionment Spell.
His figure gradually emerged, as if he appeared out of thin air in the room.
"An excellent Disillusionment Charm, it seems you have learned a lot in the Restricted Books Section." Dumbledore praised.
John felt a bit awkward. Being caught breaking school rules made him feel guilty, especially since it was the headmaster of Hogwarts who had caught him.
Dumbledoreughed heartily. "Don''t worry. I believe Professor Quirrell signed your note, didn''t he?"
He winked, yfully unlike an old man.
John knew Dumbledore wouldn''t call him out without a reason. He had been about to leave when Dumbledore had stopped him.
Sure enough, Dumbledore looked at John, his kind eyes gleaming with an insight that seemed to see through people, and asked, "Mr. Wick, what did you see in the mirror?"
John''s body tensed, and he instinctively employed lumency before answering honestly, "Food, a lot of food... and myself bing stronger."
After hesitating for a moment, John chose not to hide the truth.
Dumbledore was very pleased with his answer and pped his hands in delight. "Apuse for your honesty. John, do you know, these past few days Minerva has been murmuring in my ear that the Sorting Hat might be malfunctioning."
Beneath the half-moon sses, Dumbledore''s eyes were filled with deep meaning, his voice rich and seemingly magical. "She was wrong. The Sorting Hat did not malfunction. You indeed belong in Slytherin, not what the others think of it but for the ambitions you have, without a doubt."
"Promise me, John, do not engage in magic that cannot be undone."
"I promise, Professor."
John didn''t fully understand why Dumbledore brought this up.
Perhaps it was because he knew John had been reading quite a bit of dark magic in the Restricted Section.
John nodded without hesitation. Even though he knew this old man wouldn''t harm a student, John was still a bit afraid of being caught.
"You possess the self-control to ovee your desires. I believe in you, John. As a reward for finding the answer, you might have the chance to encounter the real Philosopher''s Stone."
Shifting from his earlier seriousness, Dumbledore winked, as if hinting at something.
John was stunned. The answer?
He thought of the Chocte Frog Wizard Card. This old man seemed to know everything.
Whether it was the Restricted Section or the Chocte Frog Wizard Card.
_________
23: January and Instruction
23: January and Instruction
January 1st.
The new semester began.
John didn''t feel much about it.
Hermione had returned to school yesterday, feeling disappointed that Harry and Ron hadn''t found anything about Nics mel. Yeah, it seemed like Harry was being Harry and hadn''t seen the card.
"John, are you studying alchemy?"
In the library.
John was engrossed in reading "Introduction to Alchemy." Seeing this, Hermione temporarily set aside her search for Nics mel.
She examined John''s reading list. In addition to alchemy, there were books on runes.
Hogwarts offered Ancient Runes as a course, but it was an elective for third-year students.
Viewing John as her academic rival, Hermione couldn''t stand to be outdone. She immediately checked out a stack of books on runes.
However, it didn''t go well for her.
When they met the next day, Hermione had tworge dark circles under her eyes, looking like a hybrid between a panda and a lion (due to her hair).
...
Ancient Runes were too difficult for first-year students, a fact Hermione had to reluctantly admit.
"I swear I''ve seen that name before, but I just can''t remember where."
Since Dumbledore had advised Harry to stop visiting the Mirror of Erised, Harry had often dreamt of his parents being killed by Voldemort.
This spurred him to refocus on finding information about Nics mel.
Despite Harry''s constant insistence that he had seen the name somewhere before, Hermione and the others had nearly given up on finding Nics mel in the library.
They no longer continued their previous exhaustive search, instead using their break times to browse through books.
"I swear I''ve seen it before," Harry began to doubt whether he had ever actually seen the name.
They gathered to discuss their findings, while John, not far away, alternated between reading "Introduction to Ancient Runes" and alchemy books. This method helped him avoid getting too tired.
"Wick, why are you reading that? Are you nning to be a Knockturn Alley wizard selling trinkets?"
Since watching the Quidditch match with John, Malfoy no longer ignored John just because he couldn''t beat him.
Seeing John''s interest in alchemy, Malfoy instinctively thought John intended to make money by selling items like the Weasley twins.
"Just making some small things. Alchemy is a vast field. Have you heard of the Sword of Gryffindor?"
John closed his book, his eyes unfocused.
Malfoy looked puzzled. "What''s that?"
"A legendary silver swordmissioned by Gryffindor from goblins, said to be found only by a true Gryffindor. But that''s not important. Even the Sorting Hat is a product of alchemy."
Through arduous study, neglecting even his physical training, John finally managed to grasp the basics of runes.
This meant he had mastered the foundation of runes. Now, he only needed to master alchemy to proceed with goblin forging.
However, the process was challenging.
He had nearly exhausted the supply of st-Ended Skrewt tails from Hagrid, yet still hadn''t made significant progress.
Malfoy nodded, half-understanding. As a member of the Malfoy family, he wasn''t short on magical artifacts.
It seemed to Malfoy that John,ing from a Muggle family, had a hard time and needed to make things on his own.
...
In the evening, there was an astronomy ss.
Everyone gathered in the Astronomy Tower, where Professor Aurora Sinistra taught them about the position of Sagittarius.
After finishing the day''s courses, John encountered Quirrell, who handed him a note.
Upon opening the note, it only indicated a location.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts ssroom."
John didn''t really want to go, but he feared arousing Quirrell''s suspicion, so he set aside his ns to study alchemy.
...
Defense Against the Dark Arts ssroom.
Feeling that he had led this good student gradually into darkness, Quirrell began to shed his disguise.
Quirrell was originally a fairly skilled wizard. If not for epting Voldemort, he wouldn''t have had to pretend to be an ipetent professor.
"Very good, John Wick. It seems you have chosen the right path."
Seeing John sneaking out at night, Quirrell was quite pleased.
Indeed, knowledge is the greatest temptation.
After tasting the power brought by dark magic, even a good student like John Wick had fallen.
"Professor Quirrell."
Upon arriving at the Defense Against the Dark Arts ssroom, John felt as if someone was poking needles into his head, attempting to read his thoughts.
He promptly used lumency. Since the start of the new semester, John had improved his lumency to level 2, but it still felt insufficient.
He allocated his points to lumency, upgrading it to level 3.
Level 3 was already quite proficient in lumency, enough to deal with a fragment of Voldemort''s soul.
On the surface, John appeared excited, like a fanboy conquered by knowledge.
''Oh! He has great talent! This muggle born learned to use lumency in his 1st year!''
Voldemort was very satisfied after using Legilimency to enter John''s brain. Now John only needed one word from him to be the most loyal Death Eater.
To cultivate a spy nted at Hogwarts, Voldemort spared no knowledge.
Through Quirrell''s transmission, he taught John a lot.
Voldemort himself was a powerful wizard with vast and varied knowledge.
Under his tutge, many areas John didn''t understand suddenly became clear.
In the days that followed, John attended sses during the day and went to the ssroom for studies at night.
This rapid improvement in his abilities allowed him to sessfully be the master of Fiendfyre.
========
[Magic: Level 3 (30/1500)]
[Spells: Alohomora (Level 3), Levitation Charm (Level 4), Transfiguration Spell (Level 2), Disillusionment Charm (Level 3), Lumos (Level 2), Incendio (Level 3), Reducto (Level 3), Fiendfyre (Level 2), Protego (Level 2) ...]
[Skills: Short Weapons Mastery (Level 7), Greatsword Mastery (Level 4), Firearms Mastery (Level 1), Runes (Level 1), Alchemy (Level 1)]
[Blessings: Physical Fitness, Quick Attack, Precision, Academic Schr, Pilot, Long-Distance Running, Sword Dance, Troll yer, Night Stalker]
=========
His magic power hadn''t increased much, but his understanding of spells had improved significantly.
(A/N: Salute to his teacher, Lord Voldemort! ??)
The best news was that he had unlocked a new skill: [Alchemy (lv1)].
Although it was still at Level 1, John could sessfully create a simple magical item.
Creating items with their own will, like the Sorting Hat and the Sword of Gryffindor, would likely require Level 7.
...
"Pss.. it''s cold.."
Harry was dragged by Wood into devilish training, not even sparing snowy or rainy days.
"Once we start warming up, the cold will not bother us! This needs to be done if you want to defeat the Slytherin''s seeker."
Wood was determined to defeat Slytherin and win the House Cup, which would allow their house points to catch up with Slytherin''s.
"Y.. Yeah."
Harry, being Wood''s great hope, felt tremendous pressure.
.....
"And that''s how it went!" Harry sighed.
Even Hermione and Ron couldn''t stand it anymore and, while in themon room, they suggested Harry should skip the match.
Ron proposed iming he was sick, but Hermione suggested something more extremesaying he had broken his leg.
This made Harry feel even worse.
At this moment, Neville stumbled into themon room, hopping awkwardly.
Both of Neville''s legs were stuck together; he had been hit by the Leg-Locker Curse.
It was obvious that Malfoy had done it, and Ron was furious, ready to confront Malfoy immediately.
But Neville stopped him, not wanting to cause trouble for Harry and the others.
Hermione lifted the curse on Neville''s legs, and Harry, wanting tofort Neville with a Chocte Frog, reached into his pocket and found a wizard card.
"What''s this?"
Harry handed another box containing a Chocte Frog to Neville, while he paused, staring at the wizard card in his hand.
"That''s the card John gave you. He mentioned something about it at the time," Ron recalled the origin of the card.
It was a Dumbledore wizard card. Harry flipped the card over.
Just as he thought this was something John didn''t need, his eyes fixed on the small text on the card.
"Ron, Hermione, look at this!"
Harry gasped, his voice trembling slightly.
Ron and Hermione leaned in to see, and they were hit by a wave of excitement.
"Achieved significant results in alchemy with his partner, Nics mel!"
"I knew it! I knew I had seen that name before!"
Harry was ecstatic, feeling that their stalled progress had finally made a breakthrough.
The three of them were extremely excited, and Hermione even jumped up in joy.
Suddenly, Hermione thought of something.
Looking at the mention of alchemy, she said, "No wonder, no wonder John was reading books on alchemy. He knew all along!"
With that, Hermione dashed upstairs and came back from the girls'' dormitory with a huge old book.
Flipping through the old book, they finally found information about Nics mel.
And they learned about the Philosopher''s Stone.
________
24: Peeves and Wacky Wick
24: Peeves and Wacky Wick
"John!"
Hermione stormed over, apanied by Harry and Ron. John was somewhat puzzled.
A very upset Hermione raised her voice significantly, "Did you know about Nics mel?"
"Yeah." John''s straightforward response caught the trio off guard.
Harry asked in confusion, "If you knew, why didn''t you tell us? We''ve been searching for so long."
John replied in surprise, "I told you. You mean you just now found the wizard card?"
Harry scratched his head awkwardly. Their initial intent to confront John was quickly subdued.
Ron, still wanting to make a point, muttered, "You could have just told us directly instead of being so cryptic."
Hearing this, John''s expression turned serious, making Ron feel he might have said something wrong and he lowered his head guiltily.
John said earnestly, "Ron, being given the answer will never be as meaningful as finding it yourself. During the search for answers, you not only find the answer but also gain a lot of other knowledge."
The trio realized the truth in John''s words, especially Harry, who had struggled with the History of Magic but could now answer questions well.
They felt they had wronged John. Hermione apologized, "Sorry, John. We shouldn''t have doubted you."
"No worries, but now that you know about Nics mel, what''s next?"
John nced at Harry, who seemed hesitant to speak, and said, "You''re not suspecting Professor Snape of trying to steal the Philosopher''s Stone, are you?"
Harry gave a sheepish smile, feeling ufortable about using the head of Slytherin in front of a Slytherin student.
John sighed, exasperated. "The Philosopher''s Stone isn''t as great as you think. Sure, it''s the pinnacle of alchemy and can produce the Elixir of Life, but that immortality is only theoretical."
"The physical degradation, the loss of emotions, every bit of you deteriorates over time."
"Professor Snape is a potions master. He knows these drawbacks and certainly isn''t short on money."
"What reason would he have to steal the Philosopher''s Stone?"
His reasoning was sound, leaving Harry at a loss for words.
Ron thought for a moment and said, "Maybe he''s trying to give it to You-Know-Who."
Oh boy.
''Did you read the script, kid?''
John''s body trembled, and he looked at Ron in disbelief.
''You know Voldemort isn''t dead? Are you also a transmigrator?''
Ron felt a bit embarrassed under John''s gaze and muttered, "I heard many of You-Know-Who''s followers were from Slytherin."
After Voldemort''s downfall, many Death Eaters imed they were under the Imperius Curse. Snape being a Death Eater was no secret to some wizards, as he had been bailed out by Dumbledore.
John was speechless; Ron''s random guess hit closer to the truth than expected. If Voldemort hadn''t attacked Harry''s family, Snape might still be a Death Eater, but now it was impossible.
"That''s not possible, Ron. You should be careful with your words, especially since Snape is the head of Slytherin."
John managed to steer the conversation away, ensuring the trio wouldn''t continue with their assumptions.
Time seemed to pass peacefully.
John spent more time learning from Quirrell and didn''t forget about his patrol duties in the Forbidden Forest.
Since the Acromant attack, Hagrid had be less trusting of Aragog''s offspring. He reminded John to be cautious of the spiders, a warning John heeded seriously.
He found a spell in the library to fend off spiders, which would be very useful for self-defense.
Making the most of his time, John attended sses and read during the day, trained and patrolled the Forbidden Forest at night, and studied with Quirrell. His schedule became extremely tight. If it weren''t for his sleepless nature, John would have already copsed from exhaustion.
Despite his abilities, he still found his time insufficient.
One day, he nned to head to the Quidditch pitch.
Gryffindor was ying Hufflepuff, and if Hermione hadn''t reminded him, John wouldn''t have known about the match.
This match was a rare moment to rx.
John was walking down the corridor when he heard amotion.
A group of first-year Slytherin and Hufflepuff students were being pelted with stones by Peeves the Poltergeist.
"Peeves, stop it!"
"Peeves! Peeves!"
Peeves feared no one except the Hogwarts professors and the Bloody Baron. He had no intention of stopping. John saw his ssmate, Daphne Greengrass, get hit by one of Peeves'' stones.
"Peeves, you''re overstepping!"
Hearing the voice, Peeves thought it was a professor but instead saw a Slytherin first-year.
"It''s you, I remember you, John Wick."
Peevesughed heartily, making faces,pletely disregarding John.
John furrowed his brows and helped Daphne Greengrass up. The blonde girl was surprised to see John standing up for her, given his not-so-great reputation in Slytherin.
"Ah, Thanks.." the youngdy from a pure-blood family blushed at the sight of his perfect features.
John blocked Peeves, his eyes shing with a dangerous glint. "Peeves, you should be punished for this," he said with a harsh tone.
"Punished?" Peeves sneered and threw a stone at John.
Earlier, Daphne Greengrass had flinched when she was hit, closing her eyes involuntarily.
John, however, calmly drew his wand, handling it with the grace of a symphony conductor.
"Waddiwasi!"
The stone seemed to hit an invisible and flew back toward Peeves, striking his ghostly figure and going through his head.
John didn''t stop, continuing to cast spells.
"Wingardium Leviosa."
"Waddiwasi!"
With thebination of the two spells, the scattered stones on the ground chased after Peeves, pelting him continuously. Even though everyone passed his translucent silvery figure, the fact of beingughed at and outdone by 1st year was a hit for his pride as a troublemaker.
Peeves yelped as he was targeted with stones, not to mention the trajectory of stones always passed his crotch, bum, and head regions making the little wizardsugh at him.
"Hell, yeah!"
"That was cool!"
The Hufflepuff students who had been pursued by Peeves cheered loudly.
John nced at Daphne, who was still hiding behind him, and smiled, "It''s alright now. Do you need to go to the hospital wing?"
John''s confrontation with Peeves made him look like a hero.
The Slytherin students also began to change their views of him, seeing him as someone who would stand up for his ssmates.
Daphne, a typically proud girl, now saw John in a new light. "Once again, thank you," she said softly, her voice almost shy as she sneaked nces at him.
John looked outside. Well, it seemed he would miss the Quidditch match.
Taking the injured students to the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey had her hands full.
The students had long suffered from Peeves'' antics, and news of someone finally standing up to him spread quickly throughout the school.
...
The Quidditch match ended.
Ron was holding his nose, and Neville was being carried to the hospital wing. Malfoy and his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, each sported ck eyes, ring angrily at the Gryffindor table from across the Hufflepuff table.
"Damn it, that damn Weasley, he ambushed me," Malfoy seethed.
Malfoy was furious. During the match, he and Ron had gotten into a scuffle, and soon Neville and Crabbe joined in.
As for Harry, he disappeared after the celebration.
However, this didn''t stop Malfoy from harboring hatred towards Gryffindor.
John shook his head, feeling a bit exasperated, and said, "Malfoy, you three couldn''t even win against two."
This made Malfoy''s face turn red. He retorted vehemently, "If I used my wand, I could take on twelve Weasleys and Longbottoms!"
John would be a fool to believe that.
Closing his book, he saw that it waspletely dark outside.
John had to head to the Room of Requirement for training and then patrol the Forbidden Forestter.
The Gryffindors had moved their celebration elsewhere, probably knowing that the Slytherins here were itching for another fight, so they chose to return to Gryffindor Tower.
Fred and George were sneaking off to the kitchen to steal some cake. John didn''t expose them.
However, he thought that if they just spoke nicely to the house-elves, they would probably be more than happy to bring cakes to great wizards.
At the door of the Room of Requirement, John encountered Harry on his way back.
Harry said firmly, "John, it''s Snape. I saw him with my own eyes. He was threatening Professor Quirrell in the Forbidden Forest."
_______
25: Hagrid and the Dragon Egg
25: Hagrid and the Dragon Egg
Snape?
Threatening Quirrell?
You must have gotten something wrong.
"Harry, you need to be responsible for what you''re saying."
John''s expression turned serious, making Harry realize that John was not joking.
"You''re using a Hogwarts professor, the head of Slytherin House. If you don''t have any evidence, you could be expelled."
Of course, the threat of expulsion was something John said offhandedly.
Considering the number of school rules Harry had already broken, which could fill up the entiremon room, Dumbledore had never really punished him.
Harry didn''t know this, though.
He felt a bit apprehensive, but he had seen it with his own eyes. Nodding firmly, he said, "I swear, John, I wouldn''t lie to you."
He didn''t know why, but Harry felt he should tell John.
Even though John respected Snape yet was always disliked by him, Harry felt he couldn''t let John remain in the dark.
Seeing Harry''s determined look, John sighed and said, "Alright, I believe you, but I need to investigate. The exams are not far off; you should start reviewing."
Harry was delighted that John believed him.
He felt like he had done a good deed, dispelling his previous gloom, and headed to the Gryffindormon room.
However, he didn''t think about why John was on the seventh floor, given that the Slytherinmon room was nowhere near there.
....
Room of Requirement.
John cautiously dipped the quill into the ink, preparing to write a runic character on the st-Ended Skrewt''s carapace.
Just one final stroke was needed toplete it. John''s entire concentration was focused, his brows furrowed in intense focus as he gently inscribed the final mark onto the Skrewt''s surface.
An ''f'' shape, resembling a bent arm, appeared on the Skrewt''s carapace.
"Just one more step," John muttered, a hint of joy appearing on his face. He tapped the table with his wand, clearing his throat softly.
He pointed the wand at the runic inscription on the Skrewt, channeling his magical power into it.
The ''f'' glowed briefly, and just as John thought he was about to seed, the light turned into a puff of ck smoke. The Skrewt''s carapace exploded, scattering fragments that hit the cauldron.
John, who had cast a Shield Charm on himself in anticipation, dispelled the charm and looked frustrated.
"It''s still not working. It seems achieving an enchantment with just Level 1 proficiency is too difficult."
He had tried to enchant the Skrewt''s carapace, but it had clearly failed.
John spected that the ink used for writing the runes might be the problem. Holding the bottle of ink, he muttered in frustration, "Do I need to use magical creature blood?"
Alchemy has always been closely tied to potion-making. John realized he needed better materials, and there were only two ces he could get them.
One was the Forbidden Forest, and the other was his head of house''s office.
Considering the difficulty, John decided it was better to trouble Hagrid for assistance.
If John happened to run into Snape in his office while he was brewing Veritaserum, he might end up as a taste tester. That wouldn''t be pleasant.
Before heading out, John returned the books he had finished reading to the library.
...
Library.
Hermione Granger, our resident know-it-all, had gone into Spartan mode. She had outlined aprehensive study n, determined to outdo her ssmates.
Harry and Ron didn''t dare to cross her during this period. Hermione was set on ending John''s undefeated record in the uing exams.
She was buried in her books, dragging Harry and Ron along as studypanions. Even Neville wasn''t spared.
When John arrived, Harry and Ron looked at him as if he were a savior.
"John, over here!"
Neville excitedly called out, only to be chased by a floating feather duster.
"You guys are studying here?"
John was a bit surprised. It wasn''t unusual for Hermione to be here, but seeing the other three as if they were study pages for an emperor was unexpected.
"I haven''t thanked you properly, John. The gift you sent was really useful." Neville had finally learned to keep his mouth shut, avoiding further attacks.
He was referring to the pet cage John had given him for Christmas. Since putting Trevor in it, the toad had never gone missing again.
"As long as you like it," John replied, putting the books back and sitting down in front of them. "Didn''t you already find out about Nics mel?"
"It''s Hermione. She made a long study n. My god, I''d rather fight a troll," Ronined loudly, which prompted another round with the feather duster.
Harry nodded vigorously in agreement. "We have decades before the exams."
Hermione furrowed her brow and huffed, "Decades? We have less than ten weeks left!"
"Look, even John has started revising."
John, who had been singled out, felt a bit embarrassed. He hadn''t actually started revising; the books he was reading were all about alchemy andpletely unrted to the exams. However, this reminded him of the Academic Schr 2.0 task; he still had to outperform Hermione in the remaining time.
Seeing her buried in her pile of books, John felt the pressure mounting.
"Alright, I need to go see Hagrid. You all continue studying."
With a sense of facing a formidable challenge, John left, ignoring the pleading looks from the other three.
Arriving at Hagrid''s hut, John felt the heat.
Summer was already in the air. Even if one was afraid of the cold, there was no need to light a fire inside the house.
"Hagrid, are you cooking?"
"By Merlin''s beard!"
As John pushed open the door and walked in, Hagrid was startled.
Therge figure of Hagrid was blocking the firece, his bushy beard spreading over his face, forming a smile.
"Oh, it''s you, John."
"Who else would it be?"
John asked with a strange expression as he walked over to a chair and nced towards the firece.
Hagrid subtly shifted his position to block John''s view.
John shrugged and said, "Alright, Hagrid, it seems you''ve got another unusual creature."
"That''s not unusual. It''s a rare Norwegian Ridgeback egg," Hagrid reflexively countered, noticing John''s expression that clearly said ''I knew it.''
Hagrid, who couldn''t keep a secret, resigned himself to the fact that he was caught and stepped aside from the firece.
John saw a kettle suspended over the fire, beneath which was an egg about the size of an ostrich egg.
"Is that a dragon egg? Are you sure you''re not going to cook it?"
The dragon egg was already ckened from the heat, and John suspected it might already be partially cooked.
"No, you have to keep the egg in the fire because their mothers breathe on them," Hagrid exined. He had done extensive research; when it came to knowledge about magical creatures, Hagrid was undoubtedly at a professor level.
John''s mind began to race. He was still troubled about the ink for his runes, and strong dragon blood could be an excellent solution.
Seeing John''s smile, Hagrid grew uneasy. His bushy beard twitched, and in a low voice, he said, "John, you have to promise me you won''t tell anyone else."
"Oh?~"
John elongated his tone, a mischievous smile ying on his lips, making Hagrid uneasy. ncing at the dragon egg, John said, "Hagrid, you wouldn''t want others to know about this, would you?"
"We''re friends, John," Hagrid muttered.
John replied, "True friends correct mistakes, not join in them. But..."
Hagrid looked at John hopefully, and John broke into a bright smile, "Who are we if not close friends? I wouldn''t betray you. After all, who wouldn''t want a dragon?"
"That''s fantastic, John. I knew you wouldn''t sell me out," Hagrid rejoiced, looking like a half-ton child in his excitement.
Feigning concern, John sighed, "Actually, I would love to have a dragon too. The twelve uses of dragon''s blood in the exams are giving me a headache, and you know, I don''t have much money."
"Don''t worry, John. Once the baby grows up, you can have free dragon''s blood," Hagrid assured.
Hagrid was always generous with his friends.
John grinned, and after securing a basket of st-Ended Skrewt tails from Hagrid, he left satisfied.
Not long after John departed, Hagrid headed to the library to find more books about dragons. There, he ran into the trioHarry, Ron, and Hermionewho were deep in their studies.
Unsurprisingly after the ''tight'' mouthed Hagrid started talking to them, the trio discovered the dragon egg too, but like John, they kept the secret for the sake of their friend.
_______
Heya Friends!
I finally managed to create a Patreon-
Chapter 32 has already been uploaded!
By the end of this week, the Patreon will be 12 chapters ahead of the SH and WN, so don''t miss out and consider joining! ?
26: Persecution
26: Persecution
Thanks a lot to Brian Matthew for bing the first member of my Patreon!?
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Love you all x3000
______
Herbology ss
Professor Pomona Sprout was exining the characteristics of the Devil''s Snare, a nt that appeared terrifying but was actually afraid of light. As John listened, he jotted down key points about alchemy.
After several tests, he had discovered that using pigeon feathers for inscribing runes on the st-Ended Skrewt''s tail was ineffective.
He had experimented with different materials and eventually crafted an etching pen from a blend of silver and basil feather.
Gathering some magical creature blood from the Forbidden Forest, he sessfullypleted his alchemy process. His first magical item was a bracelet with ceramic-like pieces made from the Skrewt''s tail. Though it had limited functionality, it acted as a one-time protective charm, casting a Shield Charm when danger approached.
This was a significant first step. With stronger dragon blood, he hoped to perform more advanced alchemy.
John zoned out asionally, nodding from time to time to appear attentive. Nearby, the trio was in a dilemma.
"Should we tell John? It''s a dragon after all," Ron said, finding dragons incredibly cool.
Hermione was more rational. "Ron, remember what we promised Hagrid."
The fewer people who knew about the dragon, the better. Hermione didn''t think it would benefit John to know.
During breakfast, Hedwig delivered a note to Harry. It was from Hagrid, informing them that the dragon egg was about to hatch.
This rare event was something the trio didn''t want to miss, even causing the studious Hermione to daydream during ss.
Harry was surprised by her stance, "I thought you''d definitely tell John. I mean, you and John are really close."
Among the trio, Hermione undoubtedly had the best rtionship with John, so Harry found her decision unexpected. If it were him, he wouldn''t resist sharing the news with Ron.
"It''s illegal! The 1709 Wizard''s Council officially banned the keeping of dragons. John''s situation in Slytherin is already tough. If he got points deducted because of this, it would be even worse," Hermione exined logically, convincing Harry to drop the idea of telling John.
However, they didn''t realize that John had also received a note.
Already eager to get dragon blood for his experiments, John wouldn''t miss this opportunity.
ncing at Malfoy, who had a mischievous grin, John wondered if the kid had been drinking too much cheering potion.
"Malfoy, why are you grinning like that?"
"Wick, you wouldn''t believe the stupid thing Potter has done. This time, I''ll make sure he gets expelled," Malfoy said, his pale face twisted with a strange smile, ncing repeatedly at the trio.
It seemed Malfoy thought he had caught the trio red-handed.
John shrugged. Malfoy had made such ims before.
During the morning break, John didn''t go to Hagrid''s hut openly.
John knew that keeping a dragon was illegal, so he cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself before heading towards Hagrid''s hut.
By the time he arrived, the trio was already gathered around the table. John quietly approached, unnoticed by anyone present. Only Fang lifted his head and sniffed the air.
Crack.
A deep crack appeared on the dragon egg lying on the table, something inside was moving.
The clicking sound was quite amusing.
Hagrid was as excited as a child. The four of them moved their chairs closer to the table and held their breath.
Finally, under everyone''s watchful eyes, the dragon, Norbert, sessfully hatched.
It didn''t look particrly attractive, certainly not as John had imagined. But that wasn''t a problem since he was only interested in its blood.
The dragon had spiky wings, a thin, ck body, and a long snout with white nostrils. There were horn-like bumps on its head, and its orange-red eyes bulged out.
Norbert sneezed, sending a burst of me from its nose.
Hagrid immediately transformed into a doting parent, picking up Norbert and showering it with praise.
"It''s beautiful, isn''t it?" he gushed.
Although Hagrid praised it, Norbert had a very bad temper and directly bit Hagrid''s finger.
With those sharp teeth, John thought that if it had been someone else, at least a bit of flesh would have been bitten off.
"Really good, it''s a pity John didn''t see it."
Harry and Ron were itching with excitement, thinking that raising a dragon would be so cool.
Hermione was more curious about the growth rate of the Norwegian Ridgeback.
John thought it was time to lift his invisibility. Just as he was about to do so, he noticed someone outside peeking in.
Calmly stopping his action, John approached the window and saw that it was Malfoy sneaking a peek.
Hagrid was just about to answer Hermione''s question when he noticed the window too, his face turning pale.
As soon as Malfoy realized the big guy had spotted him, he quickly turned and fled.
No matter how much Hagrid wanted to chase him, it was toote.
This left Hagrid dumbfounded. Harry leaned over to the window and recognized the slicked-back hair.
"This is bad, it''s Malfoy, he must be going to tell," Harry swore, Malfoy definitely saw the little dragon.
...
Malfoy, who was running away, couldn''t suppress the excited smile on his face, muttering to himself, "Haha, Potter, you''re done for, I''m going to get you expelled!"
As he walked through the corridor, passing a door, he was suddenly pulled in by a mysterious force.
Malfoy was terrified and opened his mouth to scream.
John lifted the Disillusionment Charm, covered Malfoy''s mouth with one hand, and made a shushing gesture with the other.
"John Wick? What are you doing here?"
Setting aside his status as a Mudblood, the Slytherins still had a good impression of John for adding almost 200 points to their house.
Although Malfoy was afraid that John might beat him up again, he pretended to be calm.
John cornered Malfoy against the wall once more and said in a gentle voice, "Malfoy, I hope you can promise me one thing. Don''t tell the professors about what happened today."
"Today''s incident? You know about that big guy''s dragon too?"
Malfoy''s eyes rolled as he figured out the truth.
John didn''t deny it and nodded, saying, "I hope you don''t tell the professors, at least not for a while."
"Why should I? Why should I agree to your request?" Malfoy regained his arrogance.
John thought to himself, if you tell, my dragon''s blood will be wasted.
He immediately said, "Right now, there''s not much difference in points between us and Gryffindor. If you tell the professors, they will ask Hagrid, I also knew, so if Hagrid snitches on me, they will deduct points from Slytherin as well."
This made some sense, and Malfoy hadn''t thought about it that way.
If he told the professors and Hagrid the oaf gave John away, Slytherin''s hard-earned advantage would disappear.
More unbearable than losing the House Cup was losing to Gryffindor.
After a brief consideration, Malfoy reluctantly nodded and said, "Alright, I''ll wait a while before saying anything. I''m not doing this for you, but for the House Cup."
This sensible attitude made John see Malfoy in a slightly better light. He smiled and extended his hand to Malfoy for a handshake.
"For evesting glory, I believe you won''t regret today''s decision."
Malfoy shook hands with John for the second time, thinking that since John didn''t use force to threaten him, he might be a good person.
Perhaps he could be friends with John. Even a noble pureblood having an ordinary wizard as a friend wouldn''t be a bad thing.
The two reached an agreement, but this made the trio (Harry, Ron, and Hermione) somewhat uneasy.
Because although Malfoy didn''t report them, he watched them every day with a malicious smirk.
This made the trio live in constant fear, always feeling that at any moment, Aurors from the Ministry of Magic woulde to the castle and arrest them for raising a dragon.
Hermione had told Harry and Ron that the Ministry wouldn''t arrest them just for seeing a dragon, but they couldn''t stop worrying.
A weekter, they discussed with Hagrid and decided to send Norbert away.
It was fortunate that Ron''s brother, Charlie Weasley, was in Romania working with dragons. They wrote to Charlie and received a reply.
...
Another meeting with Quirrell, this time John was a bit nervous.
On Quirrell''s desk, there was an additional caged insect. He smiled and announced today''s lesson.
To fully step into the realm of Dark Magic: the Unforgivable Curses.
If John passed this test, he would be fully epted as one of their own.
Otherwise, he would be a thorn in Voldemort''s side.
This meant it was a path with no choice.
Either use the Unforgivable Curses or be Voldemort''s priority target, and the Imperius Curse would be cast on John.
This was coercion, forcing a choice.
Willingly or unwillingly?
____
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27: The Amulet and the Imperius Curse
27: The Amulet and the Imperius Curse
"Look at this beautiful girl."
Quirrell held a long-jointed insect in his hand, disying an expression of extreme enjoyment.
John felt a wave of disgust.
Stroking the insect, Quirrell had an evil smile on his face. "John, good boy, now, please tell me the names of the three Unforgivable Curses."
ncing at Quirrell''s wand, John paused for a moment and said, "The Killing Curse, the Imperius Curse, and the Cruciatus Curse."
"Good boy," Quirrell praised.
Then, pointing his wand at the insect in his hand, he said, "Now, I''ll teach you these supreme spells."
"Imperio."
A sh of light, and the insect became incredibly obedient in his hand.
Quirrell''s eyes shone with a strange light as he said, "The Imperius Curse, a spell that makes wizards obedient, even willing to die."
Under his control, the insect jumped into a nearby water basin, showing no sign of struggle even as it was about to drown.
Then it jumped out again and moved to the candle, allowing the me to scorch its joints without any resistance.
John watched this scene, feeling a chill.
The Imperius Curse was far more direct and brutal than brainwashing, capable of controlling someone in an instant.
"Come back," Quirrell said.
Quirrell summoned the insect back into his palm and pointed his wand at it, casting the second curse.
"Crucio."
"Crriiiii!!"
The insect let out a scream. Even though its expression couldn''t be seen, it was clear that the insect was in immense pain.
"Criiikkk!!"
The shrill cries echoed through the ssroom, and John''s face turned grim as he felt difort.
In contrast, Quirrell looked utterly delighted.
"Listen, what a wonderful sound."
The feeling of control was so wonderful that he had willingly be Voldemort''s follower to gain this power.
Dark magic corrodes the mind. After acquiring this power, Quirrell''s mind had be twisted.
In the moonlight, Quirrell couldn''t see John''s expression clearly, but he believed that the young wizard must be in awe of this immense power.
Stopping the spell, Quirrell''s eyes gleamed with wicked light. He ced the insect on the table and cast the final Unforgivable Curse.
"Avada Kedavra."
Snap!
A green light shot from the wand''s tip, taking the insect''s life instantly.
"Controlling the mind, torturing the body, and mastering life and deaththese three spells hold immense power."
Quirrell grabbed John''s hand, his expression bing excited. "Hahah! Now you have seen such wonderful power! The Dark Lord has great expectations for you; you must not disappoint him."
"I will not disappoint your teachings," John lowered his head, which made Quirrell very satisfied.
At the same time, Quirrell''s trust in John had reached a level where he believed John wouldn''t betray him.
Learning the Unforgivable Curses meant that John had one foot in the ranks of the Death Eaters.
In the following days, John needed to practice.
The danger of the Unforgivable Curses lies in the fact that they can be learned simply by harboring malice.
John used the Cruciatus Curse on another insect, he was badmouthing Quirrell in his mind to produce his malice for this curse.
The insect was crying in pain which made Quirrell very pleased.
...
Even though it was great to be tutored on the 3 unforgivables by the Dark Lord himself...
"Ugh! Damn, this cursed thing."
John submerged himself in water in the bathroom, the chill on his face not dissipating at all.
He felt as if dark magic was corroding his mind, whether it was a hallucination or not.
This made him increasingly agitated. He pped the water''s surface and poured water over his head to calm himself.
"Huff.. Haah.."
"Quirrell won''tst much longer... I need to be away from him as soon as possible..."
With the school year nearing its end, John didn''t remember the exact date of the first book''s events, but he knew it was before the House Cup.
Once this term was over, Quirrell would be out of the picture.
As for dark magic, John steadied his mind and decided he didn''t need to panic.
"Dark magic isn''t necessarily a bad thing. At least it''s another means to protect myself."
In the wizarding world, using the Unforgivable Curses is a serious crime that warrants being sent to Azkaban, but John didn''t believe that the professors at the school didn''t know these curses.
Nor did he see any evidence of the professors being mentally twisted.
As long as he had strong self-control, he wasn''t afraid of bing the next Voldemort.
Comforting himself with this thought, John finally rxed.
Coming out of the bathroom, he changed his clothes and left themon room.
After casting a Disillusionment Charm on himself, he decided to go out for a walk to calm down.
He went to the Room of Requirement and started his alchemy experiments inside.
Quirrell''s use of the three Unforgivable Curses made John realize that his amulet needed to be strengthened.
After a night''s effort, he added a new function to the amulet.
Protection against the Imperius Curse.
This was the best he could do for now.
As for the Cruciatus Curse, he figured he could endure it if necessary.
At most, it would be painful.
However, the Imperius Curse was nearly impossible to defend against, so he added an alert function to the amulet.
If he identally got hit by the curse, a hidden mechanism would trigger.
Although it couldn''t provide full protection, it would allow John to regain consciousness immediately.
This was to prevent Quirrell from using the Imperius Curse on him, as John suspected that Quirrell would continue to push boundaries.
If it came to that, John would need to seize that brief moment to resist.
Sure enough...
Not long after, Quirrell extended an invitation to John.
To go to the Forbidden Forest.
This made John think of something, and his expression couldn''t help but change.
...
"Professor, what are we going to do in the Forbidden Forest? I mean, I''ve been patrolling there for a long time and haven''t found anything."
John tried to bluff his way out, but Quirrell wasn''t going to let him off easily.
"In the pursuit of knowledge, you''ll find that only practice can reveal the truth."
Quirrell''s face was much paler today; Voldemort was weakening again and needed to drink unicorn blood to sustain himself.
A Voldemort clinging to life was weaker than a rat; such a frail existence, he didn''t want to expose himself to John.
When John''s face showed reluctance, Voldemort''s voice emerged.
"Don''t bother with him."
The voice came from Quirrell''s head, and John realized things were going wrong.
Quirrell''s face showed a respectful expression as he raised his wand and a beam of light shot out, hitting John with the Imperius Curse.
The amulet on John''s wrist glowed for a moment before dimming.
John felt his mind go nk before reassembling. He stared at Quirrell with vacant eyes.
Seeing this, Quirrell believed he had seeded. He respectfully addressed Voldemort, "Master, we shall now go find the unicorn."
After killing the unicornst time, all the unicorns in the Forbidden Forest had gone into hiding.
A significant amount of time had passed, and some unicorns, unable to hold back any longer, began to emerge. Quirrell had found some traces.
He led the way, with John following behind.
Quirrell intended to drag John into an irretrievable abyss, and John knew it wasn''t the right time to turn against him, so he continued to pretend to be under the curse.
Fortunately, today, after finding the unicorn, Quirrell didn''t make John do the killing. John hadn''t learned the Killing Curse yet, which spared him from some things.
However, John could only watch helplessly as Quirrell killed the unicorn.
His eyes showed intense emotion, but in the end, he didn''t draw his wand.
In the Forbidden Forest, any movement from him would likely make him the next target of the Killing Curse.
After this hunt, Voldemort''s life was extended.
Quirrell took John away and sawed off the unicorn''s horn, cing it in John''s hand and telling him that he had killed it.
John acted like a bewildered child, showing the conflict and gradually twisted feelings after experiencing the killing, portraying it vividly.
Voldemort believed that it wouldn''t be long before John became a good Death Eater.
Now, it was just a matter of waiting for the feelings to ferment.
Killing a unicorn was a serious crime, and young wizards wouldn''t dare tell the professors.
Voldemort was confident.
John, on the other hand, got some respite and didn''t have to go to Quirrell for lessons.
One day, Ron was bitten by the dragon.
Harry and the others knew they had to send it away before it was toote, and they nned to send Norbert away on Saturday night.
_____
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12 Advance Chapters-
28: Fire Dragon and Alchemy
28: Fire Dragon and Alchemy
After returning, the first thing John did was to make himself a new set of amulets.
Fortunately, he was prepared this time; otherwise, Quirrell''s cunning would have gotten the best of him.
...
Saturday.
John obtained more materials from Hagrid, and he had a new idea this time.
"The unicorn horn is already starting to change."
Staring at the foul-smelling horn, John frowned.
This unicorn was killed and its horn was sawed off, so the curse on the horn is not small.
He originally wanted to make the unicorn horn into an amulet, but now it seems that it won''t work.
Grinding the horn into powder, John discovered that the curse within it was extremely potent. Perhaps it could be used as a dark magic tool.
On his way back, John also visited Hagrid''s hut.
Hagrid was almost in tears; tonight, his Norbert was going to be sent away.
After John arrived, looking at Norbert who had grown several times, he also felt that this approach was very sensible.
If they waited any longer, Norbert would probably grow to the size of this house.
"John, this is the dragon blood I promised you. I hope you will treat it well."
Seeing the dragon blood reminded him of someone, Hagrid handed John a bottle of dragon blood.
"I promise," John said as he took it. The dragon blood was still warm.
''I think it should be the characteristics of dragons. Even with such a palm-sized bottle, Hagrid really had the heart to do it.''
Seeing Norbert so lively, it appeared that this bottle of blood wasn''t difficult for him to obtain.
After parting with Hagrid, John went to the Room of Requirement for some testing.
Combining the dragon blood with the st-ended skrewt, he sessfully inscribed the first rune.
Touching the amulet that was sessfully enchanted, John was a little excited.
After so many days of anxiety, he finally got some reward.
As for the n to send Norbert away that night, John chose not to participate. After all, he had an agreement with Malfoy and didn''t want to make things difficult for himself.
...
Gryffindor students woke up early in the morning just to find that their points hourss had lost 150 points, leaving thempletely stunned, as they had been hopeful of defeating Slytherin.
Upon investigation, they discovered that their savior, Harry Potter, along with Hermione and Neville, had been caught wandering the school at night.
This instantly turned the three from heroes to the most disliked individuals.
On the other hand, Mr. Malfoy, who had also caused his house to lose 20 points, received entirely different treatment. His feat of trading a small loss for a big gain sessfully thwarted Gryffindor''s chance for aeback.
"Harry Potter, our hero, Slytherin will be grateful for your help," Malfoy led the team to taunt, making Harry clench his pen, wishing he could punch that smug face.
John felt that it was best to avoid such tant provocations. While Hermione and the others were also penalized, Harry bore the brunt of the bacsh due to his fame.
John could only say that fame is a double-edged sword; it brings convenience but also high expectations.
The sight of the savior being bested by Slytherin students....
Clearly, Harry had not met other Gryffindor''s expectations.
They could only bury themselves in their studies, hoping to forget the pain through learning.
...
"Damn Snape, he always meddles!" Quirrell''s face was dark as he had been threatened by Snape once again.
This former Death Eater had now be an annoying thorn. With the Dark Lord weakening again, they needed another trip to the Forbidden Forest.
John was found once more.
Keeping a calm facade, he hid the amulet under his sleeve, his expression conflicted as if considering whether to continue learning from Quirrell.
Seeing John''s hesitation, Quirrell grew impatient.
"Perhaps he needs to kill a pure life to truly be a Death Eater."
Using the Imperius Curse to control John, Quirrell intended to make him kill a unicorn this time.
He led John towards the Forbidden Forest.
Quirrell did not notice the gleam in John''s eyes. John subtly made a hand signal as they passed through a corridor.
A hidden bird and a dog in the corridor each headed off in different directions.
''Want to control me? Let''s see how many lives you have!'' John was not one to be easily manipted. While he couldn''t end Voldemort''s life, he could certainly cause him trouble.
The death of a unicorn would surely catch the professors'' attention. Whether Quirrell would meet his end early was another question.
With a cold glint in his eyes, a brief smile flickered across John''s face before disappearing.
...
In the Forbidden Forest, poor Harry, Hermione, and Neville were being punished by patrolling the forest.
Even Draco, who had initially been full of bravado, was now pale.
He didn''t want to end up dead in the Forbidden Forest, and he was certain Hagrid held a grudge against him for reporting the fire-breathing dragon.
Draco even suspected Hagrid might take the opportunity to feed him to the werewolves.
In reality, he wasn''t entirely wrong. Hagrid had little patience for the boy who had reported him.
"Going in there is for servants, not students!" Draco protested loudly.
Hagrid retorted irritably, "That''s how it is at Hogwarts. You have to do something useful, or you''ll get kicked out!"
Afterward, Hagrid looked at the other three nervous kids and whispered, "The Forbidden Forest is very dangerous. You need to be careful. John isn''t feeling well today; otherwise, you might feel less anxious with a friend here."
"John is sick?" Hermione asked, concerned about her friend.
Hagrid pondered for a moment before replying, "I don''t know for sure. Maybe he got hurt while experimenting with alchemy."
Hagrid''s words were reassuring, but his eyes nced over at Fang. Fang was chewing on some dog food, which someone must have just given him.
Hagrid led the four students to patrol the Forbidden Forest. At the edge of the forest, they discovered unicorn blood.
"This is the third one," Hagrid said heavily, reflecting on the discovery of a new dead unicornst week.
To cover more ground, they split into two teams. Draco, still convinced that Hagrid was out to get him, refused to stay with Hagrid, so he and Neville were paired with Fang.
As they continued with heavy hearts, Hagrid''s team hadn''t gone far before they saw red sparks, a distress signal.
Upon arriving, they found it was Draco ying a prank on Neville, causing him to send up the sparks.
Fed up, Hagrid had Harry switch ces with Neville. Although it was a bit unfair to Harry, this arrangement would prevent further bullying.
Harry was nervous. The Forbidden Forest at night was full of dangers.
...
John arrived at the Forbidden Forest, with Quirrell cloaking himself to stay hidden.
They were chasing a unicorn, its ethereal form continuously dodging their attacks.
"John, finish it!" Quirrell ordered.
John raised his wand and cast a spell. A burst of white light flew out but missed, hitting the ground in front of the unicorn and kicking up a cloud of dust, allowing it to escape quickly.
"Damn it, you fool!" Quirrell couldn''t help but curse.
This was the fourth time. Apart from the initial weak Stupefy spell that barely affected the unicorn, all subsequent attacks had failed.
If Quirrell didn''t know that John was under his Imperius Curse, he would have thought John was sabotaging him on purpose.
In truth, John was indeed trying to sabotage. He nced at the now exhausted unicorn, feeling increasingly anxious.
"Did Basil fail to deliver the message, or did the professors not believe me?" John''s heart sank, realizing the dire situation.
He had sent Basil and Tom to deliver messages to several professors, hoping they would help stop Quirrell.
But it seemed as if the messages had vanished without a trace. Seeing the unicorn getting closer, John''s internal struggle intensified.
''Would I really have to kill the unicorn?''
"I''ll help you!" As Quirrell struck the unicorn again, its blood began to flow.
"Now!" Quirrell''s breathing became morebored. "Seize the opportunity!" He shouted.
John stepped forward at Quirrell''smand, pointing his wand at the unicorn.
He saw the human-like sorrow in the unicorn''s eyes and pressed his lips together.
Quirrell continued to urge him, "Hurry up, use your most familiar spell to kill it!"
Quirrell''s body was incredibly weak. Without drinking the unicorn''s blood, he would die, as Voldemort was continuously draining his life force.
If it weren''t for wanting to recruit this young Death Eater, he would have already killed the unicorn.
John seemed to make up his mind, and mes erupted from his wand.
"Fiendfyre!"
The fire burst forth uncontrobly, igniting the surrounding grass and trees and spreading rapidly.
"Idiot!"
Quirrell hadn''t expected John to be foolish enough to use Fiendfyre. In his fury, he sted John away and rushed toward the unicorn.
The Fiendfyre ignited everything except the unicorn.
Quirrell, needing the unicorn to sustain his life, ignored everything else and moved in to drink its blood.
At that moment, a red light shot towards him, and he quickly dodged.
The professors had arrived!
_______
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29: The Battle of the Forbidden Forest and the Curse
29: The Battle of the Forbidden Forest and the Curse
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"Poor child, he''s under the Imperius Curse!"
John, who had been nning to backstab Quirrell, immediately pretended to be controlled upon hearing the approaching voices.
Professor Sprout hurried to John''s side, heartbroken at the sight of his condition.
Professor McGonagall, on the other hand, resembled an enraged lioness. Her lips were pressed into a thin, white line due to her angerharming a Hogwarts student was a boundary she could not tolerate.
With her wand emitting a series of sparks, McGonagall advanced step by step. She waved her hand, transforming nearby trees into a lion that lunged at Quirrell.
"You will pay for this!"
Never underestimate an angry professor, especially one who is an Animagus.
Quirrell attempted to counterattack, but McGonagall, transformed into a tabby cat, nimbly evaded his spells, leaping forward and shing at his cloak with her sharp ws.
Reverting to her human form, Professor McGonagall raised her wand again and aimed at Quirrell.
"Stupefy!"
Quirrell was hit and sent flying. McGonagall was about to pursue him when themotion attracted patrolling students.
"Professor McGonagall?!"
Harry eximed, causing McGonagall to curse inwardly.
"Hide, Potter!" she shouted urgently.
Quirrell, who should have been unconscious, slithered like a snake, floating through the air. As he neared Harry, McGonagallunched another attack.
Quirrell changed direction and disappeared into the Forbidden Forest.
"What happened here?"
Hagrid arrived, seeing the Fiendfyre burning uncontrobly. With the help of McGonagall and the newly arrived Professor Flitwick, they managed to extinguish the mes. Despite their efforts, the situation remained perilous.
Hermione looked anxiously at Harry and sighed in relief upon seeing he was unharmed. However, her gaze then fell upon the fallen student, and she screamed.
"Oh My... That''s, John!"
Hermione, disregarding the danger, ran down to Professor Sprout, her voice trembling. "He''ll be okay, right?"
Professor Sprout, the head of Hufflepuff House and a kind, plump witch, gently patted John''s head. "He was hit with the Imperius Curse. We need to get him to the hospital wing."
"One of the Unforgivable Curse?!" Hermione''s heart sank at the name.
Harry and Neville came running over, and even Malfoy, usually so self-assured, stood there in disbelief.
Professor McGonagall looked grave. Someone had entered Hogwarts and used the Imperius Curse on a student.
Professor Flitwick''s high-pitched voice rang out in anger. "Damned scoundrel!"
The disturbance had attracted the centaurs. One of them, a young centaur with tinum hair and a silver-maned horse body, approached.
"Hagrid, Professors."
Firenze, the centaur, looked at the scene with surprise in his eyes. Centaurs could read the stars to make predictions, but the current events were beyond his expectations.
"Hagrid, take them back and get Wick to the hospital wing. We need to thoroughly search this area."
Professor McGonagall assigned tasks before running towards the direction of the hooded figure with the two professors, and Hagrid picked up John while the frightened little wizards followed.
Firenze walked alongside them, engaging Harry in a conversation about the mysterious stars.
As the group made their way out of the Forbidden Forest, John began to feel relieved.
''I think three professors should be enough to deal with Quirrell, assuming they find him,'' John thought, feeling a sense of satisfaction. Now he wouldn''t have to see Quirrell for a while.
The unicorn had survived, and Professor Silvanus Kettleburn, who taught the Care of Magical Creatures, had already rushed over to tend to it.
Feeling more at ease, John noticed his eyelids growing heavy. He had been tense the whole time to avoid arousing Quirrell''s suspicion, but now that he felt safe, drowsiness was taking over.
Just as John was about to drift off to sleep, he heard a rustling sound. His heart raced as he opened his eyes to see a pair of venomous eyes staring back at him.
"Avada Kedavra!"
"Fuck!"
John didn''t expect that Quirrell, this madman, would dare to show up, and he didn''t expect that he would save people.
In Hagrid''s arms, John kicked Harry and Malfoy in front of him.
The excessive force of the kick caused John to fall to the ground.
The green light struck John, activating his protective amulet.
The Shield Charm he had in ce collided with the Killing Curse, weakening it.
Quirrell was already weakened by Voldemort, had been further battered by Professor McGonagall, leaving him almost incapacitated. Now, his weakened Killing Curse,bined with the Shield Charm''s intervention, hit John.
As John was struck, he was thrown backward, but he knew it wasn''t enough to kill him.
Before losing consciousness, John heard many hoofbeats approachingit was the centaurs.
Quirrell, too afraid to linger, fled immediately after casting the curse, not even checking the oue.
He paid the price for his stupidity and was chased by the centaurs all night.
...
Since acquiring the Sleepless Blessing, John hadn''t slept this deeply in a long time.
When he opened his eyes, it was still dark.
He had slept for three whole days, during which Hogwarts had been in an uproar.
An evil intruder had entered the Forbidden Forest and used the Imperius Curse to control a Slytherin student.
Harry and his friends, who had been involved in the incident, could have been at the center of the school''s gossip with firsthand information, but they chose not to be.
Even Malfoy, who usually loved to cause trouble, had no heart for it now.
His mind was filled with the image of that green light flying towards him and John''s sudden kick.
"John Wick... He saved me, but why?"
Malfoy was confused. Despite their animosity and the insults he had hurled at John, calling him a Mudblood, John had still saved him. This left him at a loss.
Hermione and Harry had told everything to Ron that happened that night.
Neville and the trio of Harry, Hermione, and Ron were equally disturbed, unable to sleep due to their worries.
Harry, in particr, was haunted by the simrity of the green light to the one in his dreams. He knew exactly what it signified.
His friend John might have died saving him, and the thought left Harry trembling uncontrobly.
Three days passed like an eternity.
Dumbledore visited the hospital wing several times, and even Snape, who usually disliked John, had a gloomy face all day long, his eyes filled with murderous intent towards Quirrell. It seemed as if he might go to find him and use the Killing Curse on Quirrell at any moment.
John woke up in the middle of the night, and word quickly spread to the professors.
The first to arrive was Professor Snape. His expression was darker than ever, and with his characteristic greasy tone, he demanded, "What on earth were you thinking, John Wick?"
"Calm down, Severus," Dumbledore interjected, appearing just in time. His eyes, behind half-moon spectacles, were full of warmth and relief. Dumbledore said with a smile, "This is good news, isn''t it? We should be thankful that the caster was too weak, too weak to kill John Wick."
Snape''s expression lightened slightly, though his face remained stormy.
"John Wick, do you recognize the person who cast the curse on you?" Dumbledore asked.
John thought for a moment and then shook his head. "I couldn''t see clearly, but he seemed very familiar with Hogwarts."
Among the professors, all four Heads of Houses except for Snape were in the Forbidden Forest at the time. Snape, being a double agent, was unlikely to betray them. It was obvious who it was.
John almost said it was Quirrell indirectly, and Dumbledore smiled and said nothing.
The next day, when Harry and his friends came to visit, they talked about the unicorn.
The unicorn had survived, and Professor Quirrell had taken a few days off. He might not even be around for the exams.
In the days that followed, John no longer had to deal with Quirrell''s harassment. He just needed to wait for the exam week to arrive.
John also hadn''t forgotten what Dumbledore had mentioned about the Philosopher''s Stone. The thought of it made his heart race with excitement.
Finally, the exam week arrived.
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30: Exam Week and Trap Doors
30: Exam Week and Trap Doors
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June.
Exam week ising.
In Charms ss, Professor Flitwick showed his concern for John.
"Mr. Wick, have you recovered?" Flitwick asked.
John smiled. "Thank you for your concern, Professor. I''m much better now."
Flitwick''s high-pitched voice still held a note of unease. "You were lucky, very, very lucky. The power of that Killing Curse aimed at you was very low."
Flitwick wished he had been there. He would have shown that despicable person what it meant to face a dueling champion.
...
In the Charms exam, Pineapple danced tap dance.
John perfectly and elegantlypleted the assessment, making Professor Flitwick very satisfied.
...
The second exam was Transfiguration ss, John again attracted Professor McGonagall''s concern.
This child has suffered too much. First, he was insulted by Malfoy at the beginning of the school year, and then he was cast with the Imperius Curse and the killing curse.
However, Merlin blessed this child and let him survive.
"Vera verto!"
John took out his wand and pointed it at the mouse in front of him. The mouse turned into an exquisite snuff bottle after a while of changes.
"Perfect, an extremely outstanding transfiguration spell."
Professor McGonagall did not stint in apuse and praise.
...
Then it was potions ss, brewing Forgetfulness Potion.
Professor Quirrell was on sick leave and could note to the Defense Against the Dark Arts exam, so Dumbledore was invigting in person.
This made John a little ufortable, because Dumbledore always liked to greet him with his inquiring eyes and yful winks....(Sus..)
...
History of Magic is thest subject, and also the simplest for John.
Although Professor Binns'' dull and boring lessons could put people to sleep, fortunately this subject is the only one that both Muggles and wizards can grasp quickly.
As long as you have a good memory, the history of goblin rebellions can be easily memorized.
When John finally answered thest question, writing down the name of the old wizard who invented the self-stirring cauldron, he could finally rx.
"W..Wick, is your body okay now?"
After finishing the exam, Malfoy came over.
John still remembered that in the pile of get-well gifts on his sickbed, Draco Malfoy''s name appeared very frequently.
This little rich master''s attitude towards John has changed a lot now.
"Yeah! Much better, I haven''t thanked you yet for sending me so many gifts."
"It was a small amount of money." Malfoy turned his head quite haughtily.
John thought to himself: you are not a little girl, why are you pretending to be so haughty?
Taking out some of the uneaten candy gifts from his pocket that remained, John asked the other party if he wanted to eat something.
Malfoy reluctantly took one, while Goyle and Crabbe were almost fighting like they had never eaten a candy before.
This made Malfoy angrily scold the two people.
John saw a beautiful girl with blond hair.
Daphne Greengrass.
She came over coquettishly and asked with concern: "I heard you were hit by the Imperius Curse, who would have thought someone would do that."
John rubbed his left hand which was a little sore from writing, thought deeply, and said: "It was probably a fugitive, otherwise he wouldn''t have entered the forbidden forest."
This beautiful girl was the flower of Slytherin, and she was apanied by Pansy Parkinson.
There were more and more Slytherins around John, under Malfoy''s unrelenting propaganda, this problem child who fought on the first day of school had changed a lot.
When almost everyone had left, John looked at Malfoy sincerely and said: "Draco, I think we should be friends."
Hearing this appetion, Malfoy paused slightly, he looked left and right at the twopanions around him, and calmly said:"Oh? Since you asked, then I will do it with reluctance... John."
Calling each other by name acknowledged the rtionship between the two parties.
John smiled slightly.
It seemed he had taken one more step along the path of being a Slytherin leader.
...
John had also received a letter from Hagrid, who told him that the unicorn had sent a thank-you gift.
"Unicorns are wise magical creatures, it''s not that hard to ept that they know gratitude."
John came to Hagrid''s hut.
Hagrid was sitting in a big chair outside, and hurriedly put down the pea pods in his hands when he saw Johning over.
"Great to see you, John, that you''re alright."
Hagrid had heard from Harry about John''s recovery, but he was still very concerned about John.
He gave John a bear hug, then put John down and said: "BaiBai sent over her shed horn to thank you."
John was puzzled: "BaiBai?"
"The unicorn''s name, unicorns all have their own names, but they won''t easily tell others."
Hagrid took out the horn from the house, the spiral horn emitted a faint glow, different from what Quirrell sawed off after killing it, this horn gave off a sacred aura.
It was as beautiful as if made with pearl iys.
John took over the horn, which was far more precious than Billywig stings.
Tom walked out of the small house, with Fang the boarhound following beside him.
The big dog Fang showed a little brother attitude towards Tom, while Tom walked with his head held high, without realizing the big dog next to him could bite his head off with one bite.
"Well done Tom, thanks to you for bringing Professor Kettleburn, of course Fang did a good job too, leading the way."
John patted both dogs, that night in the forbidden forest Tom came and found Fang, letting Fang lead him to find Professor Kettleburn and pass John''s letter over.
Professor Kettleburn has always dedicated himself to the research of magical creatures, so his home was near the forbidden forest.
In the manner of speaking about his patrols in the forbidden forest, John told Professor Kettleburn that many magical creatures in the forest had been injured recently. Professor Kettleburn would consciously go to the forbidden forest.
Letters were also sent to several other professors, but without specifying details, just saying outsiders had been discovered intruding in the forbidden forest.
It''s unknown why Professor Snape did note to the forbidden forest, if he was there too, Quirrell would absolutely not have escaped.
Having obtained the horn, John was also inspired to do alchemy, and after asking Hagrid if there were any other materials, he sessfully harvested arge basket of various collected magical creature materials.
Even the rarest Acromant venom was included here, you should know that just a small vial of Acromant venom was worth 100 Galleons.
Hagrid really was a hidden rich man, finding this money was like picking it up.
Hagrid also wanted to invite John for tea, when the three little ones ran over at this time.
"Hagrid, I have something I want to ask you."
The three little ones ran so fast that their little faces were red.
Harry urgently asked: "Do you still remember the night you won Nobert from ying cards? What did the stranger you yed cards with that night look like?"
Hagrid didn''t understand, somewhat absent-mindedly said: "I don''t know, he wouldn''t take off his cloak."
Seeing the three little ones'' shocked expressions, he exined: "There are always some strange customers frequenting the Hog''s Head Inn, that guy was probably a dragon dealer, I never saw his face clearly, he was wearing a hood."
Harry''s heart pounded, his intuition told him he was getting close to the truth.
"What did you talk about with him at the time, did you mention Hogwarts?"
Hagrid frowned and tried hard to remember, "I might have mentioned it, oh right, he asked me what I did, oh that''s right, I said I was the gamekeeper here, he kept buying me drinks...he also wanted to find out if I had any ability to deal with a dragon, I told him I even had Fluffy under control, a dragon meant nothing to me."
Remembering the drinks, Hagrid still felt a little unsatisfied.
Harry hearing the words of Hagrid, was even more certain the person was the one trying to steal the Sorcerer''s Stone.
Hagrid also loudly said that Fluffy liked music, which undoubtedly confirmed the person''s identity.
When he finally realized it was toote, the three little ones turned and ran.
Hagrid felt regret and panic. John walked out of the small house, helplessly saying: "Hagrid, you might try controlling your mouth a bit."
"John! It''s great that you''re here to help."
Looking to John for help, John with difficulty held up a basket of materials and said: "Okay, but I need to put these things away in the dormitory first."
If John''s guess was correct, the three little ones were now scheming how to enter the secret passageway.
If entering the secret passageway, they would likely face Voldemort, and John did not want to fight an unprepared battle.
He did not go to the dormitory, but came to the Room of Requirement, and took out a basket of materials to engrave protective charms for himself.
After all, he had the Marauder''s Map to monitor the trio''s movements at any time.
At nightfall, the three little ones began to move.
John nced at the half-finished protective charm, and also quickened his pace.
Finally, after some time when the three little ones entered the third floor, Johnpleted the protective charm.
Wearing the protective charm, John stuffed a pocket full of potions.
He was determined, that even if he couldn''t beat Voldemort, he would use potions to poison him to death.
He also brought hisrge sword, ready to set out. Reaching the right side corridor of the fifth floor, it had already been opened.
Fluffy with three heads was staring at him, and John threw out a music box.
Fluffy fell asleep, and John just walked into the trap door.
_____
hEhEhE!
Read 12Chapters ahead at
31: Violence and Levels
31: Violence and Levels
"I''ve used the music box that Neville gave me."
The music box rotated and emitted beautiful music, this was the gift Neville gave to John at Christmas.
After knowing that Fluffy liked music, John especially went to the dormitory to get the item.
"Music box,e here."
After entering the trap door, John used the summoning charm to bring the music box back with him.
This was a gift from Neville, John didn''t want Fluffy to break it when he woke up.
[Ding, triggering a challenge task!]
[Clear the secret room where the Philosopher''s Stone is located, and gain +2 attribute points.
[Also gain the blessing: Knight]
When entering this door, John triggered a challenge task.
Free falling through the trap door, John saw something like a tentacle moving below.
"Reducto!"
The white light pierced through the tentacles, and before John hit the ground, he cast a Levitation Charm on himself.
Gentlynding, John looked up.
The broken tentacles of the Devil''s Snare were wriggling to seal the hole. He carefully examined it and recognized it as the Devil''s Snare.
"Is this to prevent people from falling to their deaths?"
Stroking his chin, John figured that the one who set up this challenge must be the kind-hearted Professor Sprout.
Sprout probably didn''t expect someone would use such a violent method to get through, as the Devil''s Snare is a nt that loves damp and dark ces.
Underneath the Devil''s Snare was a stone corridor, the only path forward.
After walking for a while along the corridor, John heard some rustling and tinkling sounds.
It sounded like a swarm of insects pping their wings.
At the end of the corridor was a brightly lit room, with a high arched ceiling, and countless tiny birds that shone like jewels fluttering their wings around the room.
They were winged keys.
And on the other side of the room was a thick wooden door, with a keyhole.
John looked thoughtfully at the nearby broomstick and said, "This challenge is probably to find the matching key."
Gazing at the myriad of keys, John felt that by the time he found it, Harry would have alreadye out.
If that''s the case, then he should try a different method.
John took therge sword off his back, walked up to the wooden door, and tried an unlocking spell, but it obviously didn''t work.
"In that case, I''ll just break it open directly."
John gripped the sword with both hands and brought it down onto the wooden door.
This great sword was already quite heavy, and with John''s expertise in swordy, the first strike sent wood chips flying.
By the tenth strike, the wooden door finally copsed.
Shouldering the great sword, John stepped through the doorway.
The second room was pitch ck, and John blinked his eyes, a bit disoriented from the transition from brightness to darkness.
As he stepped in, the room lit up.
The lighting illuminated the entire room, revealing a massive chessboard.
John was standing at the edge, looking around. There were ck and white chess pieces on the board.
Judging by their design, they seemed to be the same as wizard''s chess pieces. Behind the white pieces was a wooden door.
"Ron?"
That''s when he noticed a red-haired figure lying outside the chessboard.
John''s heart sank, could something have happened?
After calling out a few times without a response, John wanted to go over there.
But the white chess pieces in front drew their weapons, blocking his path. John''s expression darkened as he coldly said, "Either get out of the way, or I''ll shatter you all to get through."
It was clear the white pieces had no intention of letting him pass, so John didn''t hold back, raising his wand to attack.
"Reducto"
The front-most soldier was shattered by the white light. This had stirred up a ho''s nest.
The white chess pieces started moving, so John cast the disillusionment charm on himself, disappearing from their sight.
The wary white pieces were a bit unsure of the situation, andSwoosh! the great sword scraped against them, shattering another piece.
With his left hand holding the wand and his right hand wielding the great sword, John merged into the darkness, continuously ughtering the white pieces.
The shattered white pieces tried to recover, but John''s expression hardened - this advanced Transfiguration was likely a challenge set by Professor McGonagall.
"Trying to recover, huh? I''ll mix you all together and see how you can do that."
With a wave of his wand, the scattered white pieces all floated up and converged together.
John looked at the White King, ''this seems to be the core.''
"This is check mate!" Leaping up, he twisted his waist and brought down a powerful strike, splitting the White King from top to bottom.
The white pieces ceased movement, and John frowned as he looked at the somewhat deformed sword.
"This sword still isn''t good enough."
Having dealt with the chess pieces, he went over to where Ron was lying.
He shook Ron and finally woke him up.
"Ron, are you okay?"
Ron was also a little confused. He only remembered that he chose to sacrifice himself to let Harry take down the White King. After that, he was knocked unconscious and couldn''t remember anything.
Hearing the voice, he opened his eyes, seeing nothing in front of him, and let out a scream in fright.
"AHH! Stay away form me!"
"It''s me, Ron, are you okay?"
John removed the Disillusionment Spell and showed concern to Ron.
"AhhOh, it''s you! I''m fine, sorry for shouting like that, I''m a bit dizzy. But John, h-how are you here?"
Realizing something was off, Ron opened his mouth wide, looking at John.
John shrugged casually, "Hagrid was worried something might have happened to you, so he asked me to check on you."
Well, this excuse was barely passable.
Ron felt his head was spinning, and when he stood up, he swayed a bit and almost fell over again.
Just as John was considering whether he should send Ron back first, Hermione came out through another door.
"Ron!"
Hermione called out anxiously and saw John standing next to Ron. She paused for a moment.
"Hermione, where''s Harry?"
"Harry has gone on to the final challenge, John, how are you here?"
So John repeated the reason, then looked towards the other door.
Seeing his gesture, Hermione said, "Harry has already gone through, the potion for the fifth challenge has been used up."
Without the potion, no matter how worried Hermione was for Harry''s safety, it wouldn''t help. She could only try to find a way to get Dumbledore back first.
"Fire, huh." John instinctively felt the pocket that held a few potion vials.
As luck would have it.
He just happened to have a bottle of Fire-Protection Potion in his pocket, and how convenient, he had found this in the "Powerful Potions" book, requiring dragon blood to brew.
He only had this one bottle, but it would be enough to get through.
"Then you two go ording to the n, I''ll go help Harry."
With that, John didn''t bother with Hermione''s surprise and went through the door behind the white pieces.
As soon as he entered, John caught the stench of a foul odor.
He was all too familiar with this smell, after all, he had dealt with a big creature that had a simr smell before.
But this time the stench was even more choking, making his eyes water.
Through his blurry vision, he saw the prone form of a troll.
This troll was even bigger than the previous one, and the huge lump on its head showed it had been knocked out for a while.
Just as John thought he wouldn''t have to fight another troll again, the fallen giant unexpectedly opened its eyes.
[Ding, defeat the second troll, +1 attribute point, Blessing: Troll Nemesis]
[Troll nemesis: greatly increases the damage to giant creatures, the giant creatures will feel fear after seeing you.]
A quest was triggered, and John narrowed his eyes.
Seeing that the huge troll was waking up, John cast ayer of disillusionment spell on himself.
Before the troll fully regained consciousness, he moved behind it.
John aimed for the head and unleashed a powerful Exploding Charm.
The poor troll had just gotten up when it was sent flying again, this time even more badly, with a huge hole sted in its head, blood gushing out continuously.
It soon formed a small stream on the ground.
The system simultaneously prompted thepletion of the quest. His simple and brutal clearing method was probably even beyond what Dumbledore had expected.
Reaching the final door, John pushed it open.
Purple mes blocked the path, and John took out the Fire-Protection Potion, ready to drink it.
Suddenly he stopped, his gaze bing unfocused as he summoned the interface.
....
[Magic Power: Level 3 (105/1500)]
[Spells: Alohomora (Level 3), Levitation Charm (Level 4), Transfiguration Charm (Level 2), Disillusionment Charm(Level 3), Lumos (Level 2), Incendio (Level 3), Reducto (Level 3), Fiendfyre (Level 2)...]
[Skills: Short Weapon Mastery (Level 7), Great Sword Mastery (Level 4), Ranged Weapon Mastery (Level 1), Runes Mastery (Level 1), Alchemy Mastery (Level 1)]
[Blessings:Physical Fitness, Quick Attack, Precision, Academic Schr, Pilot, Long-distance Runner, Sword Dance, Night Stalker, Troll Nemesis]
....
"Last time my Disillusionment Charm failed in front of Dumbledore, this time I can''t afford to be careless."
Having made up his mind, John set his sights on the Disillusionment Charm and added the random attribute points he had just obtained.
The Disillusionment Charm number jumped and became Level 4.
__________
12 Advance Chapters-
32: Voldemort and the Backstab
32: Voldemort and the Backstab
John was satisfied after finishing everything. He cast another Disillusionment Charm on himself.
The Disillusionment Charm Level 4 was no less powerful than the Aurors of the Ministry of Magic.
He took out the fireproof potion and drank it, then walked into the fire.
It was like drinking ice water, the fireproof potion prated his whole body at once.
The mes licked his body, but there was no burning sensation.
John continued to move forward along the mes, passing the purple mes and reaching the ck mes.
He could feel that the fireproof potion on his body was disappearing quickly, so he quickened his pace and left the ck mes before the effect disappeared.
In front of him was thest room.
At the same time, there were already two people in it.
When John saw the tall man, his body tensed up.
It was Quirrell.
And the person besides Quirrell was Harry.
"What''s wrong with this mirror? What is its function? Help me, Master!"
"Use that boy... Use that boy..."
"Potter,e here!"
Quirrell seemed to be talking to himself and asking, John walked towards the room, his steps slow.
He knew that now was not a good time. Voldemort had not appeared yet, so he could not make a move.
What made John even more curious was how Quirrell survived.
It had to be said that this man''s life was like a cockroach.
His breath was even weaker, and he exuded a strong stench of decay.
It was as if the person in front of him was not a living person, but a corpse.
Harry was held hostage by Quirrell and brought to the mirror. At this moment, Harry thought a lot.
He did not expect that Snape, who he thought was a bad guy, was actually protecting himself, and that Quirrell, the victim, was the real bad guy.
He wanted to protect the Philosopher''s Stone, but now he didn''t know what to do.
Quirrell was aggressive, and Harry stood in front of the mirror.
Harry in the mirror blinked at him and put the Philosopher''s Stone into his pocket.
Only Harry knew all this, and no one else knew it even if Quirrell was next to him.
Harry began to lie with a straight face: "I saw myself shaking hands with Dumbledore, everyone is praising me and Grefindore has won the House Cup."
Quirrell was so furious that he did not get what he wanted.
"Get out of here!" Quirrell pushed Harry away and lingered in front of the mirror, cursing.
Harry stepped back to the side. The Philosopher''s Stone was in his pocket. He wanted to take this opportunity to escape.
But he had only taken five steps when he heard the voice that Quirrell had used when he was asking and answering himself.
"He''s lying!"
Quirrell realized that he had been fooled, and he was even more angry.
He was already weak because he had not sucked the blood of the unicorn. If Voldemort had not had other ways to prolong his life, he would have died by now.
And now this kid was making a fool of him! For this reason, he hated Harry to the core.
Taking out his wand, Quirrell shot a spell at Harry.
Harry flew out and fell to the ground. Quirrell''s face was full of madness, and he said sternly: "Hand over the Philosopher''s Stone!"
Harry clenched his teeth and did not speak.
"Let me talk to him, you are useless, Quirinus!"
The sharp voice spoke again.
"No! Master, I can do it, I can definitely get the Philosopher''s Stone for you!"
Quirrell waspletely panicked now, and he stuttered to ask the master to give him another chance.
But Voldemort no longer trusted this subordinate and forcibly took his body.
Quirrell was so weak now that he could notpete with Voldemort.
Under Harry''s horrified gaze, Quirrell''s body turned in a strange posture.
He grabbed his head with both hands and twisted it hard, like arge rubber ball.
The disgusting smell became stronger. The head wrapped in a scarf turned in front of him, and Quirrell untied it bit by bit.
Behind that head, there was a human-like face.
Harry had never seen such a hideous and terrifying face, like chalk, with red eyes emitting light, and below were two long and thin nostrils like snakes.
Quirrell said weakly in fear: "Master, give me a chance."
Voldemort showed a disgusted expression on his face, and Quirrell was out of breath.
This body is nowpletely controlled by Voldemort.
Looking at the culprit who made his state like this, he whispered to him: "Harry Potter..."
Harry wanted to step back, but his legs were frozen and his body didn''t listen to his mind. The wound on his forehead was stinging.
"Look at what I have be."
Voldemort''s tone contained resentment. He hated it too much.
The Dark Lord who should have ruled the whole wizarding world has now be only a shadow and steam. He is a wandering soul. He has nobody and can only live on someone else''s body, recharging his vitality by those weak animals.
However, there are some people who are willing to let him enter their bodies, and Quirrell is one of them.
"When I get the elixir of life, I can recreate my own body."
Voldemort can already see how much panic the world will fall into after he regains his body. He feels that everything will be under his control.
He held the wand and narrowed his eyes dangerously.
"Now, Harry, why don''t you give me the Philosopher''s Stone in your pocket?"
He was not that fool Quirrell. In his heyday, he was a wizard who could be on par with Dumbledore.
This little trick naturally could not be hidden from his eyes.
He raised his wand and shed it, and the invisible knife cut open Harry''s pocket.
A bright red stone fell from his pocket. Harry wanted to pick it up, but was tied up by the deformed turban controlled by Voldemort.
When Voldemort finally picked up the thing he had been wanting all this time, heughed ...strangely.
He looked at Harry, his eyes filled with delight.
This kid was hailed as the savior. He defeated the great Dark Lord Voldemort when he was a baby! Haha! What a hypocritical liar.
He wanted to torture this child, the one who was called the savior by the world.
"Look at you, child. Your parents were very brave back then. I always admire courage."
"I killed your father first, but he would rather die than surrender. He bravely fought me. Your mother didn''t have to die, but she risked her life to protect you. What a stupid thing to do. And look at you now. She really died for nothing"
Harry felt that the scar on his forehead was more painful than ever, and his mind seemed to sh back to the memories of his childhood.
That green light and the suffocatingughter.
"No, Voldemort, she didn''t die for nothing!" He shouted.
Voldemort smiled coldly and poked Harry''s scar with his wand.
"Look at this scar, the lie of the savior, do you really think of yourself as a savior?"
The wand moved on the scar, causing Harry to wail in pain.
Voldemort''s smile gradually twisted, and he also felt that his body was dying quickly.
Without the soul of its original owner, Quirrell''s body was turning into a corpse.
Voldemort raised the Philosopher''s Stone above his head, and the bright red stone emitted a light. He raised his wand to put an end to Harry.
Harry''s breathing became rapid, and he stared at Voldemort. Was he really going to die like this?
"Child, is the magic your mother left you still there?"
Before taking action, Voldemort remembered a scene twelve years ago and hesitated.
He reached out and touched Harry''s body, and bubbles quickly rose on this weak body.
With the existence of that magic, Voldemort could not hurt Harry.
This made him very unwilling.
Voldemort regretted letting Quirrell die too early.
With the Philosopher''s Stone in hand, he knew he should leave and take the Philosopher''s Stone away before Dumbledore came.
"Don''t leave!"
Harry shouted angrily but to no avail. Voldemort was walking towards the door step by step in front of him.
Harry growled, feeling powerless in his heart.
Just as Voldemort was about to leave, John, who had been hiding, took action.
Voldemort was only an arm''s length away from John.
At this distance, John attacked decisively.
The sword swung with a brilliant silver light.
He stabbed him in the assehmback!
______
Thanks to Aragorn Andersonand Chance Edwards for bing New Patreons??
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Read 12 Chapters ahead of everyone-
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33: The House Cup
33: The House Cup
"Ack! Who is it!"
It was toote when Voldemort found out.
John swung his sword towards his hand holding the Philosopher''s Stone without hesitation.
The flying arm did not have much blood but shrank quickly.
"Come out!"
The staggering Voldemort waved his wand with his remaining hand, and the green light shot toward the direction of the invisible John.
John rolled sideways to avoid the spell.
The sword in his hand swung like a windmill, cutting off Voldemort''s other hand.
Drawing out the wand, Johnunched the final blow.
Aiming at Voldemort''s chest, the wand shot out a dazzling white light.
"Reducto!"
"Ugh!"
Voldemort''s weak body was shattered in an instant, and John sat down.
"Fortunately, his current state was not as good as the Forbidden Forest."
John''s action was very cool, but in fact it consumed a lot of his mind.
Especially when he had dodged the green light.
"Huff.. that was too risky."
If Voldemort''s body was a little better, and if Voldemort wasn''t startled by his sudden movement, the previous blow would have been enough to kill him.
Fortunately, John''s training over the past few days gave him the instinct to dodge.
After sitting for a while, John looked at Harry who was struggling.
Although Voldemort was dead, the pain in the scar was still there.
He walked over and picked up the Philosopher''s Stone.
From Harry''s perspective, Voldemort looked like he was fighting with a ghost. In just a moment, his two arms were cut off, and then his body exploded.
He was still in doubt when he saw the Philosopher''s Stone floating up.
"Is it you, Professor Dumbledore?"
Harry looked at the Philosopher''s Stone hopefully. Just as John was about to speak, he saw the dead Voldemort condensed into a puff of ck smoke and transformed into a hideous face flying towards Harry.
"Stop!"
Without thinking, John threw a weapon at the ck smoke to stop it.
But this ck smoke was not real. The flying sword passed through the ck smoke, and the ck smoke passed through Harry.
Harry''s ears screamed again, his mind went nk, and then he lost consciousness.
When John came to him, the ck smoke had dissipated. He called Harry''s name several times, but there was no response.
''Is he dead?''
Looking at Harry in doubt, John pped the savior''s face several times. Seeing that he still didn''t react, he took out a lot of potions and prepared to try them one by one.
"I think Harry Potter is just too frightened."
A mellow and old voice sounded, John looked up and saw Dumbledore appearing.
He looked like he had just rushed back from outside.
"Mr. Wick, I think you can now remove the Disillusionment Charm."
After being reminded, John remembered that he was still invisible.
After removing it, he showed his figure, scratched his head awkwardly, and said, "Professor Dumbledore."
Dumbledore said with relief in his eyes, "It seems that you have chosen the right path and have not been blinded by power."
John''s eyes shed with understanding. Sure enough, this old man knew what he and Quirrell were studying in secret.
It seems that everything is under the control of the other party. Maybe he didn''t leave the school at all. It was a bit unnecessary for him to do so.
He said respectfully, "It''s all because of the good teaching of the school."
In fact, John didn''t know that Dumbledore also rushed back.
It was not long ago that he learned that someone had entered the location of the Philosopher''s Stone. If John had not arrived in time, Voldemort would have seeded.
Dumbledore picked up Harry and waved his hand, and the sea of ??fire dissipated.
"Let''s first send Harry to the hospital wig. Poor child, I don''t know if he can catch up with the Quidditch match with Ravenw."
John nodded, and when he left, he blinked, and he seemed to still have the Philosopher''s Stone in his hand.
Looking at Dumbledore who didn''t notice it, John hesitated for a while and said, "Professor, what about the Philosopher''s Stone?"
Dumbledore stopped and said with a smile on his face, "I''m d you are an honest child. Remember our agreement? I think my old friend Nics mel doesn''t mind his Philosopher''s Stone being used by a little wizard for a while."
W-What..!?
John stopped in surprise, looking like a homeless man who had won a lottery.
...
June 9th.
Three days have passed since the incident, and John''s mood has not calmed down.
"Mix the dragon''s blood with the wend soil, and use a silver rubbing knife to scrape off some powder from the corner..."
The bright red stone was ced on the table, and John was refining the amulet with the dragon''s blood and some materials.
Under his careful carving, a badge with a star surrounding the wand gradually appeared.
John took out a pen tube made of snowy owl feathers and a silver head.
He carved on it and the runes were engraved.
"Thest step."
Wiping the sweat off his face, John put the badges into the crucible to soak.
Throwing the magic stone in and stirring for a while, the water in the pot turned red and then turned ck.
Finally, the water in the crucible became clear, and John took out the badges and the magic stone.
There was a gxy on the badge, and he wore it on his chest. There were three inchantments on it that could resist three times of damage, and there were six empty positions to fill in further inchantments in the future.
The badges could sense each other.
He made a total of nine pieces, and John put the other eight away.
Looking at the crucible that wasrger than the others, John opened a crack in the crucible, and the melted silver water inside was almost gone.
Then he threw in the dragon blood and the remaining unicorn horn.
John closed the crucible and waited for it to meltpletely.
He poured the silver liquid into the prepared mold, and the sizzling sound continued.
After it cooledpletely, John knocked open the mold and a silver sword appeared inside.
He threw the cooled sword back into the crucible and threw the Philosopher''s Stone in at the same time.
John nervously watched the changes in the crucible from time to time.
"I sold everything I could to get this little bit of mithril. I must not fail."
Under his extremely nervous gaze, the changes in the crucible stopped.
He opened the crucible with great expectation, but the situation inside made his face stiffen.
"..."
"Failed."
The sword in the crucible turned golden, which was the effect of the Philosopher''s Stone turning stone into gold.
But John didn''t want to turn stone into gold, he wanted to improve the quality of this sword.
Disappointment floated on his face, John sighed and said: "Even if there is a Philosopher''s Stone, it is still too difficult to refine a sword on par with the level of Gryffindor''s sword."
Taking out the golden sword, John thought he could still sell it for some money.
Looking at the time, it was already the end-of-year banquet.
John had to put his things away, put the Philosopher''s Stone in his pocket, and walked out of the Room of Requirement.
Today is very lively.
In the hall, Harry came out of the school hospital, but he was a little depressed after learning that Greffindore lost the quidditch game with Ravenw because of his absence.
Slytherin''s green and silver were adorned in the hall, and they had won the House Cup for seven consecutive years.
John sat in Slytherin''s seat, nced at Malfoy''s arrogant look, and then looked at Gryffindor, who was 160 points lower than Slytherin.
If it weren''t for Malfoy, it would be hard to say who would win.
Dumbledore was giving a speech, and when Slytherin''s house points were mentioned, Slytherin burst into thunderous cheers and stomping, and John also contributed.
"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin."
Dumbledore nodded in agreement, and just when everyone thought he was going to dere victory, he changed the subject: "However, several recent events must also be taken into ount."
The hall fell silent, Slytherin felt something was wrong, and Malfoy''s smile faded.
Dumbledore cleared his throat, "I still have a few final points to distribute, let me see, by the way..."
"First, Mr. Ron Weasley, he won the most exciting game of chess in Hogwarts in many years, for which I will reward Gryffindor House with 50 points."
"Second, Miss Hermione Granger, she calmly carried out logical reasoning in the face of the raging fire, I will reward Gryffindor House with 50 points."
"Third, Mr. Harry Potter, he showed great vignce and extraordinary courage, for which I will also reward Gryffindor House with 60 points!"
Reversal...
A shocking reversal!
Gryffindor, who was originally behind, caught up with Slytherin in an instant, and the contributions of the three little ones made the other houses cheer loudly.
Dumbledore raised a hand to signal everyone to be quiet, and he smiled and said, "There are many kinds of courage."
"We need enormous courage to deal with enemies, and it also takes a great amount of courage to stick to our position in front of friends."
"Therefore, I will reward Mr. Neville Longbottom with 10 points!"
Explosion, aplete explosion!
Slytherin was shouting about the conspiracy, while other houses were celebrating as if they were going to overturn Hogwarts.
Malfoy had already knocked on the table with his goblet to show his dissatisfaction, and every Slytherin had a gloomy face.
Gryffindor''s score came on top, and everyone except Slytherin seemed to be satisfied with the result.
John couldn''t help butin: "Gryffindor, as expected, has more points."
Just forced addition, right?
Things seemed to be settled, John saw the stiff smile of his head of the house and couldn''t help but shake his head pitifully.
"Quiet, everyone please be quiet."
Dumbledore spoke again, but he did not announce the result but looked at John.
"And finally, Mr. John Wick..."
______
12 Advance chapters-
34: Twist and Homecoming
34: Twist and Homing
Mr. John Wick....?
The Slytherins were already bracing themselves for the humiliation of not winning the cup, but they hadn''t expected a twist like this.
The blonde beauty Daphne had been on the verge of making a snide remark to Pansy about Dumbledore, but she swallowed her words upon hearing this.
Malfoy nearly threw his cup at Crabbe''s head, staring at John in disbelief.
Dumbledore continued, "Mr. John Wick, with his keen intuition and meticulous observation, uncovered the identity of that person. In the Forbidden Forest, he saved a unicorn and then bravely rescued Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy from being hit by the killing curse."
"He risked his life to save Harry Potter, defeated that individual, and protected Hogwarts."
"His selflessness and courage in the face of danger are trulymendable."
"For this, I award Slytherin an additional... 80 points!"
What a twist!
At this moment, John Wick was the hero of Slytherin. Unlike the earlier deafening noise, the students of the other three houses stared at John in stunned silence, as if seeing this troublemaker in a new light for the first time.
Many focused on the fact that he had defeated that personthe one whose name must not be mentioned.
This was the second time since the birth of Harry Potter that such a defeat had urred.
"That''s fantastic!"
"""WOW!!!!"""
Daphne was the first to cheer, and soon the entire Slytherin house erupted into celebration.
John was pulled into a hug by Malfoy, his goblet shaking in his hand and spilling pumpkin juice everywhere. Goyle and Crabbe, taking initiative, hoisted John onto their shoulders, parading him around the Slytherin table like a hero.
"""" jOHN wICK!""""
No one dared mention that John was a Muggle-born; he had earned his ce in Slytherin.
John took the goblet of pumpkin juice from Daphne and, under the watchful eyes of the Slytherins, raised it high.
"To eternal glory."
"""To eternal glory!!!"""
Slytherin had defended their seven-year winning streak, now an eight-year streak, on track to break Hogwarts records.
Dumbledore, seated again, pped his hands in apuse.
''This kid.. heh,'' Snape''s usually stiff smile visibly softened into a genuine one.
Under the green and silver banners, the other houses joined in the year-end feast celebrations.
Among the trio, Ron scratched his head and said, "For some reason, losing to John doesn''t feel so bad."
Hermione, despite Slytherin having the annoying Malfoy, couldn''t bring herself to resist much eitherJohn was her friend after all. Despite her efforts throughout the year, she still couldn''t surpass John.
Harry, knowing it was John who saved him, felt no resistance either, although he was somewhat annoyed by the smug expression Malfoy was showing the greffindore''s after every 5 seconds.
''Humph! Slytherin was just lucky to have John; otherwise, Gryffindor would have definitely won.''
"Ok.. ok.. that''s enough"
For the first time, John drank so much pumpkin juice that he felt bloated. The young wizards seemed to treat the pumpkin juice as if it were alcohol.
He noticed the Weasley twins sneaking into the Slytherin table, so he decisively declined Malfoy''s invitation to have another drink.
Sure enough, after the feast, the Slytherin bathrooms were overcrowded.
The Weasley twins had spiked the pumpkin juice with potions, causing some Slytherins to still have wobbly legs when they left Hogwarts.
Malfoy swore to find and punish whoever had spiked their drinks, but John did''t reveal that it was the Weasley twins.
...
On the train ride home, John patted his pocket.
''Dumbledore didn''t say anything, so that means I can take it with me, right?''
John felt a bit guilty; it was the Philosopher''s Stone, a treasure many desired but couldn''t obtain.
Now he was not only holding it but also nning to bring it home.
Seeing that Dumbledore hadn''te to find him, John felt that the headmaster had tacitly allowed him to take it.
He bid farewell to his ssmates. Ron invited John to visit his house next time.
Hermione, on the other hand, seemed a bit down; the exam results hade out, and she was second.
First ce went to John, which he already knew, thanks to a notification from his system.
[Academic Schr 2.0 secured.]
Harry was feeling a bit down, knowing he had to return to the Dursleys.
Seeing him like this, John thought for a moment and said, "My house is not far away. You''re wee toe over anytime."
Harry brightened at the thought. He lived at number 4, and John''s family mansion was at number 6. Realizing this lifted his spirits significantly.
Neville, carrying the cage John had given him, found it quite useful despite asionally miscing it.
[Ding! Hogwarts Phase 1 taskpleted. Reward: +1 Magical Blood, +2 Free Points.]
As the train started moving, John heard the system notification in his ear.
Curious about what "Magical Blood" was, he opened the system to check.
[Magical Blood: Increases magical power when consumed (Note: Mixing with other blood might have unexpected effects).]
"Mixing with other blood?"
John pondered. This likely referred to the blood of magical creatures.
John did have some dragon''s blood left that he hadn''t used yet.
However, he was concerned that using it might have unintended consequences. Thest thing he wanted was for the Ministry of Magic to invite him for a "chat" because he drank something peculiar at home.
''Never mind, I''ll figure it outter. Time to head home.''
Having been away from home for almost a year, John was starting to feel homesick.
The train chugged into King''s Cross Station, and John stepped off the train.
On tform Nine and Three-Quarters, a shriveled old guard stood by the barrier, allowing only two or three people to pass at a time. This was to prevent arge crowd from emerging from the seemingly solid wall all at once, which would draw too much attention.
Many people greeted John, most of them from Slytherin and Gryffindor. The Slytherins acknowledged him for the glory he had brought to their house, while the Gryffindors were convinced that the Sorting Hat must have been malfunctioning.
Harry received simr attention, with people constantly approaching and greeting him.
"I''ll be off then," John said, bidding farewell to the trio and heading towards the barrier. He walked through the wall and returned to the Muggle world.
John spotted his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wick, waiting for him. Not far from them were the red-haired young girl Ginny and Mrs. Weasley.
How did John know their identities?
Because when Harry came out, the young girl started screaming non-stop, giving John a clear understanding of what it meant to have a fangirl.
"You must be John Wick, right?"
Mrs. Weasley, introduced by Ron, also approached John. The two families had a friendly meeting.
Likewise, the Granger family came over as well, except for the Dursleys, who wanted nothing to do with wizards.
Behind the Dursleys, Dudley looked at John with a terrified expression, as if he''d seen a ghost.
John gave him a ''friendly'' smile and pointed at Harry, signaling that he was under his protection. If Harry had a hard time, John wouldn''t mind giving Dudley a reminder of their past encounters.
...
Summer vacations were always full of joy.
But Watson Wick felt that his son seemed out of ce during the summer, spending all his time in the basement.
"John, you''ve been at a wizarding school for so long, haven''t you learned any magic?"
Watson Wick asked for the eleventh time, not giving up. John, a bit exasperated, looked at his father and said, "I''ve told you, young wizards aren''t allowed to use magic in the Muggle world."
Seeing that his dad still wasn''t giving up, John said sternly, "Do you really want to see your son sent to Azkaban - a prison in the magical world?"
Watson smiled embarrassedly and muttered, "It''s not that serious, isn''t there aw to protect minors in the wizarding world?"
John just gave him a look. If he came to the basement to disturb him again, don''t me him for secretly giving his father some sleeping potion.
He was holding a tube of blood-red reagent in his hand, and from time to time there were dots of patterns like fire dragons flowing on it.
Magical blood.
He was studying how to use it.
But while he was studying, he also stretched his ws to the wand.
_______
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35: Trace and Harry the Scapegoat
35: Trace and Harry the Scapegoat
The Trace, a system used by the Ministry of Magic to monitor underage wizards, functions like a binding surveince system.
Before leaving Hogwarts, students receive a letter warning them not to use magic outside of school.
This system is as mysterious as the Hogwarts admission list, but John wanted to try and see if he could dismantle the Trace.
If he seeded, he wouldn''t have to fear being warned for using magic.
Other people might not be able to do this, but John had alchemy skills.
Even though his alchemy level wasn''t high, the Trace used on young wizards wasn''t tooplex, making it a perfect practice target.
With determination flickering in his eyes, John began researching his wand.
The Trace is a monitoring method, or magic, extended by the notification letter students receive when leaving Hogwarts each year.
It''s like an annual renewal, indicating that the magic content within the Trace isn''t high.
Moreover, the Trace''s effectiveness isn''t foolproof, primarily monitoring the location of magic usage. If there are adult wizards nearby, the magic won''t be attributed to the student.
In pure-blood families, young wizards using magic isn''t unusual, and the Ministry of Magic doesn''t intervene.
In John''s view, the Trace seemed more like a tool to restrict Muggle-born wizards.
"This clearly prevents Muggle-born wizards from doing anything," John grumbled.
He acknowledged that privileges existed everywhere, and it was normal for pure-blood families to have advantages over Muggle-borns.
''However, being targeted like this is irritating.''
After thorough research, John sessfully extracted a thin, transparent silver thread from his wand.
Using silver tweezers, he carefully ced it into a test tube and retrieved another wand.
This wand, made from materials he had gathered in the Forbidden Forest, looked simr but wasn''t as finely crafted as those made by Ollivander.
It was cherry wood with a unicorn hair core, eleven inches long.
He intended to use it as a spare wand.
"Now I''m all set," he said.
John then took out the vial containing the Magic Blood. After shaking it, he prepared to drink it.
Originally silver, the mixture had turned red after adding dragon blood.
"Hmm.. interesting.."
He opened the vial, noting it had no particr smell. Frowning, he muttered to himself, "This probably doesn''t taste like orange juice."
Realizing he had to drink it eventually, John took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and downed the potion.
"Oh, I thought it would huRTTTTT!!!!!!!!! ACK!!!"
The Magic Blood coursed down John''s throat, feeling like a powerful potion.
"Hugh! He..lp... ugh!"
His body began to heat up, and he clutched his throat as his face turned red with pain.
Shatter!
The vial slipped from his hand, shattering on the floor.
Hearing themotion, Watson Wick rushed in, having been about to check on John for the twelfth time.
"Heugk! Ugg..!"
"Oh my god, John, what''s happening to you?"
Watson ran over, but as soon as he touched John, he recoiled from the heat.
Seeing John''s pained expression, Watson tried to think of a way to cool him down.
A wave of magical energy emanated from John, causing everything in the basement to float.
"Ugh! G..Get out, g..get out NOW!!"
With thest of his rationality, John knew he couldn''t let Watson stay or he would get hurt. He waved his hand.
Without using a wand, he sent Watson floating out of the basement.
"John!"
"L..Lock the door! Don''te in!"
John''s entire skin was red, and the magical energy waves made the basement a chaotic mess.
The Wicks could only fret outside the basement.
"M..Magic power is i..increasing.." John felt his body''s changes acutely as his pain gradually subsided.
Some young wizards experience magic outbursts in their childhood, which John had never encountered before.
However, he now felt as though he was in such a state, where he felt like a god walking among mortals.
Without a wand, he could manipte everything with just a thought.
"T..this.."
Under his control, objects around him transformed continuously, sometimes turning into a cat, and sometimes into a dog.
"Is getting.. "
An owl flew across the ceiling, which had originally been a chair.
"Out of hand.."
He exerted all his will to control himself, yet the magic waves still extended outward, causing the grass outside to grow and the apple tree to bearrge fruits.
"Stop!" John hammered the floor with his fists, roaring like a trapped beast.
The basement gradually returned to calm.
"Huff.. Haah.. huff.."
Everything floating in the basement fell heavily, and Johny there, panting heavily.
[Ding, Magic Blood processplete]
[Gained Dragon Characteristics: Fire Swallow, Intimidation, Hardening, Dragon Tongue]
[Fire Swallow: Increased affinity and resistance to fire-based magic]
[Intimidation: Increased deterrence against lower beings]
[Hardening: Increased resistance to physical attacks]
[Dragon Tongue: Learned thenguage of dragons]
John''s body regained control, and he felt as though he had just recovered from a severe fever.
His clothes were drenched.
Propping himself up, John cast a cleaning spell on himself, cursing under his breath, "The system didn''t mention this process would be so ...excruciating."
Had he known, he wouldn''t have used it at home. Now, the basement was destroyed.
But oh well.
Despite the grueling process, the gains were enormous.
Aside from acquiring the four dragon traits, his magic power had significantly increased.
....
[Magic Power: Level 3 (635/1500)]
[Spells: Alohomora (Level 3), Levitation Charm (Level 4), Transfiguration (Level 2, Dragon Form avable), Disillusionment Charm (Level 4), Lumos (Level 2), Incendio (Level 4), Confringo (Level 3), Fiendfyre (Level 3), lumency (Level 3)...]
[Skills: Short Weapon Mastery (Level 7), Great Sword Mastery (Level 4), Firearm Mastery (Level 1), Runes Mastery (Level 1), Alchemy Mastery (Level 1)]
[Blessings: Robust physique(Result of the hardening trait), Quick Attack, Precision, Acadamic Schr 2.0, Pilot, Long-Distance Running, Sword Dance, Night Stalker, Troll Nemesis, Knight, Fire Swallow, Intimidation, Hardening, Dragon Tongue]
....
In addition to the blessings, his magic power surged by 500 experience points, and two fire-based spells had also leveled up.
John spected this was due to the Fire Swallow attribute. Furthermore, his Transfiguration spell had changed.
Although it hadn''t leveled up, it now had a [Dragon Form] option.
However, upon selecting it, it was grayed out, likely requiring a higher level of Transfiguration.
The advanced form of Transfiguration was Animagus, a spell that allowed one to transform into an animal.
Currently, there are seven known legal Animagi, including Professor McGonagall, the head of Gryffindor.
John estimated that when his Transfiguration spell reached level 4, he might be able to perform the Animagus transformation.
Leveling up the Transfiguration spell was challenging. After reaching level 2, John hadn''t seen any progress for a long time.
With four remaining points from his first year, John nced at his skills and added one point each to Runes and Alchemy.
After the upgrade, both skills turned gray, indicating they required more umtion before the next upgrade.
He also added a point to lumency, leaving one point in reserve for emergencies.
"The system isn''t omnipotent," he mused.
Cleaning the basement was easy with a few swishes of his wand.
Under the worried gaze of his parents, John emerged, only to be subjected to a thorough check-up like a ragdoll.
He stopped his dad from checking his private parts and assured them he was fine.
After promising multiple times that it wouldn''t happen again, his parents finally dropped the idea of going to the hospital.
"Luckily, I removed the Trace; otherwise, the Ministry of Magic would have been here by now."
As John felt relieved, he noticed an owl flying past the window towards another house.
If he remembered correctly, that was 4 Privet Drive.
.....
Harry, who had only been back for a few days, used the method Hagrid taught him to ensure the Dursleys no longer dared to boss him around.
He followed the school''s rules and didn''t use magic, only taking out his wand to scare them a bit.
But even this resulted in him receiving a warning letter from the Ministry of Magic.
Harry was confused. Could he not even use his wand to scare people?
As the instigator of all this, John remembered that Harry''s wand was also tracked by the Trace.
John was fine, but Harry had to take the fall. John silently apologized. It was a case of "sitting at home, yet trouble came from the sky."
______
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36: Visits and Travels
36: Visits and Travels
Many thanks to Ryanand Idoronoco for bing new Patreon members!??
_____
After drinking the Magic Blood, John felt the whole world bing clearer.
It was as if magic elements asionally shed before his eyes. Though he couldn''t see them physically, he could feel their presence.
"The effects of the Magic Blood are greater than I thought."
John took out his wand and cast a small spell. mes erupted and filled the basement. John was startled and barely managed to control them.
"A simple me Charm producing the effect of Fiendfyre..."
The level 4 me Charm was terrifying. If the Fiendfyre curse reached level 4, it would be utterly devastating.
He had the urge to upgrade Fiendfyre, but decided against it. Controlling level 4 Fire-Making Spell was already difficult with his level 3 magic control.
Trying to handle a stronger Fiendfyre might end up burning down the house.
The basement now had fewer items. The chair that had turned into an owl had been taken by Watson and ced outside as a decoration.
Basil saw such a lifelike owl and thought that John raised other owls in the basement.
John had tried to reverse the transformations caused by his magic surge, but all his attempts failed.
"The magic surge must have triggered all my potential."
The animals, though immobile, were incredibly lifelike. John felt that if he could maintain this state, he could even stand a chance against Voldemort.
However, such a state was rare and uncontroble. In the magical world, there was a creature known as an Obscurus, formed by the uncontrolled magic of a young wizard.
These creatures were extremely dangerous, and wizards who developed an Obscurus, known as Obscurials, typically had short lives.
It was said that there had been an Obscurial incident in New York that almost exposed the entire magical world. Fortunately, it was eventually resolved.
John knew he needed to control his use of Magic Blood carefully. Otherwise, he might end up in an Obscurial state, which would be disastrous.
.....
After upgrading Alchemy to level 2, John became even more adept at it, especially with the help of the Philosopher''s Stone.
Taking out one of the nine badges he had crafted, John carefully inscribed a rune on it.
**Thurisaz**.
This rune had reflective properties and also provided a small boost of luck.
Once the inscription wasplete, a glow briefly shed across the badge before it returned to its ordinary appearance.
"Using the Philosopher''s Stone and dragon blood as the ink has an excellent effect," John mused, satisfied as he pinned the badge to his chest.
The badge, shimmering like a gxy, added a touch of mystery to his demeanor. He nned to use the remaining eight badges to inscribe other runes.
"John, someone is here to see you."
Mrs. Wick''s gentle voice rang out, surprising John.
''Someone hase to see me?''
''Could it be Harry?''
With a flick of his wand, the items on his desk neatly returned to his trunk.
After tidying up, John left the basement.
He had expected Harry or perhaps some old ssmates.
To his astonishment, he was greeted by the sight of an elderly man dressed in a light purple wizard''s robe, with a crooked nose and half-moon sses perched on it.
Dumbledore!?
Dumbledore looked very down-to-earth as he toured the grand mansion, asionally making some appreciativements.
Especially when he saw the decorative owl, a gleam of wisdom shed in Dumbledore''s eyes.
"Professor Dumbledore."
John''s heart tightened and he hurried over.
Dumbledore noticed John''s nervousness and smiled. "Minerva wasn''t wrong; you have quite a talent for Transfiguration, John."
John felt a bit embarrassed, as if he had been caught doing something he shouldn''t have. Dumbledore, having once taught Transfiguration himself, recognized the exceptional skill involved in the owl''s creation.
In Dumbledore''s eyes, the owl was a testament to a skill level that would put many Aurors to shame. He was quite curious about how John had achieved it.
"A few days ago, Harry received a warning letter from the Ministry''s Improper Use of Magic Office. He was quite upset about it," Dumbledore mentioned, recalling the scene with a twinkle in his eye.
John tried to act like he didn''t know anything about it, but he couldn''t help feeling nervous and subtly moved his wand behind him.
Dumbledore spoke softly, "No need to be nervous. Some clever wizards have their special ways. Harry will be fine; it was just a small warning."
He even made a small gesture with his fingers to indicate how minor the warning was.
This reassurance made John breathe a sigh of relief. It seemed the title of the "Boy Who Lived" could indeed afford Harry some privileges.
It seemed that Dumbledore hade because of themotion John had caused a few days ago.
John invited Dumbledore to sit down. Mrs. Wick brought in a cup of tea and some freshly baked cookies.
"These are excellent," Dumbledore said after taking a bite of the cookie, full of praise.
Seeing the old man enjoy the cookies so much, Mrs. Wick looked pleased.
After some small talk, Dumbledore got to the point.
"John, the Philosopher''s Stone has been with you for a while now," he said.
John understood immediately; Dumbledore was here to retrieve the Stone.
Despite feeling a bit reluctant, John nodded and said, "Alright, Professor Dumbledore, I''ll get it right away."
"No, no, John," Dumbledore said, waving his hand when he saw John''s misunderstanding.
"My old friend is not in a hurry. The Philosopher''s Stone has already been announced as destroyed to the public. You can keep it for the rest of the holiday."
"Then what is it?" John was puzzled.
If Dumbledore wasn''t here for the Stone, then what?
Dumbledore gave a mysterious smile.
"My old friend heard that a young wizard is very interested in alchemy and would like to meet him."
Old friend?
Does he mean Nics mel?!!
mel wants to meet me!
John stood up with some excitement, and Dumbledore was not surprised to see him so excited.
That was a living legend in alchemy, the only person in the world to have created the Philosopher''s Stone.
Thinking of his old friend, who was already prepared to face death, Dumbledore figured he wanted to leave a bit of his legacy in the magical world.
Yes, a sessor might be a good way to perpetuate his story.
"John, if you don''t have other ns for the holiday, perhaps we could go on a trip abroad, provided your parents agree. So, what do you say?"
Fuck all the other ns for the holiday!
There is no way John would turn down this invitation!
John agreed almost without hesitation.
If you asked who was the true master of alchemy in this world, it would undoubtedly be Nics mel.
John''s magical sword wasn''t finished yet, so how could he pass up this opportunity?
After discussing with his parents for a while, Watson easily agreed, but Mrs. Wick was not so simple.
As soon as she heard about going abroad, Mrs. Wick became worried.
"Help me out here," John pleaded with Watson through their eye conversation.
"She''s my wife," Watson replied.
"And?" John pressed.
"You''ll have to sweeten the deal!" Watson bargained.
Eventually, after John promised to buy Watson Super Bubble Gum and Chocte Frogs, and agreed to several other demands like having Basil deliver messages to Watson''s friends and getting Tom to perform at Mrs. Wick''s kitty parties, Mrs. Wick reluctantly gave her consent.
Mrs. Wick eventually relented, but on the condition that John must write a letter home every week.
"If you dare not write, I''ll tell your uncles," she threatened.
John found this threat quite harsh, considering his uncles were the type of guys who wrestled bears bare-chested in the winter.
Mrs. Wick was a v, and her brothers were tough men. When John was five, he saw one of his uncles tame a brown bear. They even wanted to take John hunting in the mountains, but Mrs. Wick scolded them thoroughly, preventing that from happening. Otherwise, John might have be a seasoned hunter by now.
After arranging the time with Dumbledore, John went back to the basement to pack his things.
There wasn''t much to pack, but he had to carefully store the Philosopher''s Stone and other materials.
After ying a game of fetch with Tom, John saw Dumbledore, who had changed into a different outfit.
Dumbledore, on a whim, decided to try out a Muggle cruise. So, instead of using a Portkey, John found himself on a cruise ship bound for France.
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37: Beauxbatons and the Exchange Students
37: Beauxbatons and the Exchange Students
Many thanks to Ryanand Idoronoco for bing new Patreon members!??
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Crossing the English Channel, the cruise ship traveled from Britain to France.
The Pyrenees.
This natural border between France and Spain was home to the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, nestled in a mountainousndscape and magically constructed to create an idyllic haven.
If you asked British wizards which was the best magic school in the world, they would undoubtedly tell you it was Hogwarts.
If you were to ask a French wizard, they would tell you that the British are talking nonsense; Beauxbatons is the best magic school.
The magnificent and romantic castle is a French favorite, resembling a French pce, surrounded by magical gardens and fountains.
A gentl breeze might carry the songs of woond fairies through the garden.
"Professor, why are we here?"
But despite all the eye-pleasing scenes, John asked, feeling somewhat depressed.
Dumbledore had said he would take him to meet Nics mel. Instead, upon arrival, they first went to the Paris Opera House to watch a touching opera, and then to adies'' hat shop where Dumbledore bought himself a favored hat.
This was their third stop in France: Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, the French magic school.
Dumbledore smiled at John and said, "John, indeed, the pursuit of knowledge must never cease, but we are on vacation."
As they entered Beauxbatons'' gates and walked through the garden, they encountered a tall woman who seemed like a female version of Hagrid.
"Dumbledore."
Olympe Maxime.
The current headmistress of Beauxbatons.
She had an oliveplexion,rge dark eyes that seemed to glisten, and her hair was tied back. She wore a ck satin dress and adorned herself with luxurious opals.
She was like an oversized noblewoman.
She extended her hand, and Dumbledore naturally went forward to kiss the back of it.
Despite herrge size, her demeanor was elegant.
"Madame Maxime, thank you very much for allowing my student toe here."
Dumbledore was already quite tall, but he looked very short next to Madame Maxime.
Hearing his words, Madame Maxime nced down at John, who was standing nearby.
She spoke in English but with a slight French ent, "Dumbledore, Nics mel is a patron of Beauxbatons. I could not refuse his request."
Dumbledore smiled, and it seemed they were speaking in code.
John was utterly confused by their exchange.
Madame Maxime then approached John. She looked at John''s well-fitted suit and showed a hint of approval in her eyes.
"Now, you may need a little transformation."
She took out her wand and lightly tapped it on John.
John felt a change and looked down to see that his clothes had transformed.
The suit transformed into a light blue robe, with a design on the chest featuring two crossed golden wands, each with three stars emanating from it.
John was a bit bewildered by the instant wardrobe change.
Dumbledore cleared his throat, bringing John out of his daze.
"John Wick, from now on, you will spend this holiday at Beauxbatons as a temporary exchange student from Hogwarts."
Wut da fuk....?
The elderly man, who had a penchant for overly sweet Cockroach Clusters, had a smile of conspiracy on his face.
John then realized he had been tricked by this old bumblebee.
So much for finding Nics mel; instead, he had be an exchange student.
"Damn, I''ve be a stand-in."
John thought in dismay, wondering if Dumbledore had found out about his dabbling in dark magic and was nning to expel him from Hogwarts.
Was it really going to be that harsh?
He subconsciously forgot that Dumbledore had mentioned the word "temporary," and now he was very nervous.
"Professor, if there is anything I''ve done that displeased you, please just tell me," John wanted to cry but had no tears.
Dumbledore blinked and patted John''s shoulder, saying mysteriously, "John, every magical school is filled with mysteries that you can discover with your keen eyes. You can also enjoy Beauxbatons'' gardens and fountains; my old friend is very fond of them."
The underlying message seemed to hint at something for John. Dumbledore then softly added, "Don''t worry, Hogwarts won''t expel a young wizard for his curiosity about magic."
Alright, that at least reassured John that he wouldn''t be expelled.
Madame Maxime led John into Beauxbatons, where he was to spend a two-month exchange student period.
Madame Maxime couldn''t personally oversee a student, even if this student was sent by the century''s greatest wizard, Dumbledore.
It just so happened that there was a student in the school who needed to stay in the school for something.
John got help from a girl.
Her name was Fleur Dcour, a beautiful girl, three years older than John.
Fleur was so beautiful that she didn''t look like a mortal.
She was slender and elegant, and she walked as if she was floating on the ground, and her body seemed to emit a faint silver light.
Her silver hair flowed down to her waist, and she hadrge, azure eyes and perfectly white teeth.
It wasn''t until she stood before John that he snapped back to his senses.
"Hi, I''m Fleur Dcour"
His brain short-circted after seeing her up close and his mind subconsciously formed words to describe this girl in front of him..
"Oh, after seeing you a linees to mind - If she were to murder me in cold blood, I''d die with a smile,"
He said this very sincerely, but Fleur was utterly puzzled.
What did he mean by that? Why would I murder you?
If she knew the famous line from the furniture store ad, she might understand he wasplimenting her beauty as if enhanced with special effects.
In reality, John was also curious because he really saw a silver light shimmering around Fleur.
This girl seemed to possess some sort of other lineage, simr to how John had dragon blood.
"Ah! the name is John Wick. Just call me John," John said, extending his hand. Fleur, who also found the boy''s appearance pleasing, felt a bit of an instant connection.
She gently shook his hand, a brief touch before pulling away.
John didn''t have much time for further thoughts as his attention was drawn to the twelve enormous, winged horses.
"These are Abraxan horses, kept by Madame Maxime," Fleur exined to John.
John stared at the twelve horses, but his mind was preupied with a single thought.
''I need to find a way to get some materials from these horses.''
Upon entering the school, John was already eyeing the horses for resources.
If Madame Maxime knew she had let a wolf into her fold, even Nics mel''s personal intervention wouldn''t keep John in the school.
Dumbledore''s words weighed heavily on John''s mind, sparking an idea.
Hogwarts had the Room of Requirement.
As the counterpart to Hogwarts, it was highly likely that Beauxbatons had a simr ce.
Given that Nics mel was a Beauxbatons board member and former student, John recalled Dumbledore mentioning he would take him to meet mel.
He didn''t think Dumbledore would go back on his word. Either Nics mel was somewhere in Beauxbatons, or there was something rted to him here.
Whichever it was, as an alchemy enthusiast, obtaining or seeing something rted to mel would undoubtedly be highly beneficial.
With this thought in mind, John became more determined.
Switching to a new location for nighttime exploration wasn''t a big dealit wasn''t as if he hadn''t done it before.
So, he shyly approached Fleur, putting on a harmless smile, and asked, "Do you know if there''s a restricted section or something simr here?"
Fleur couldn''t understand the thought process of this little wizard from Britain. Why is he asking me about the restricted section?
This was Beauxbatons, not Hogwarts. They wouldn''t have a restricted section just sitting around openly for little children from other schools.
As expected, John''s answer was, "Yes, but you better not even think about it."
Alright! John thought, feeling like a foreigner in a strangend.
That night, he cast a Level 4 Disillusionment Charm and began his nocturnal explorations in Beauxbatons.
During that time, rumors of Beauxbatons being haunted spread.
In the middle of the night, there was always the sound of footsteps wandering, yet no one could see anything. Even the professors who investigated found nothing there.
Someone once saw a ghost lying on the ground looking for something near the mel Fountain. He looked as pale as a vampire who had been hung upside down for three days.
The sight frightened a Beauxbatons student so much that they hid in their dormitory for several days, filling their window with garlic.
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/Dragonel
38: Learning and Crafting
38: Learning and Crafting
Many thanks to Trey Murray, Marat Sabit, Bryan Morales, andAlucardoBlood for joining my Patreon?
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"John, do you know why the Abraxans have been shedding feathers excessivelytely?"
Madame Maxime had been quite worried recently because something was wrong with her horses.
It was unclear whether it was due to fighting over mates or depression, but the Abraxans were shedding feathers like crazy.
Initially, it wasn''t noticeable, but now their wings and manes had visibly bald patches.
Not even single malt whisky could cheer them up anymore.
Fleur cast a suspicious nce at John, who had been behaving well since his arrival.
Though there was no evidence, a woman''s intuition told her that John Wick was somehow involved.
"Abraxans? You mean those giant horses?" John asked with a look of surprise and astonishment. "I have no idea. I''ve been busy studying alchemy bookstely."
To prove his point, John produced his reading list.
It was filled with alchemical literature.
As a magical school with a history of seven hundred years, Beauxbatons had no shortage of valuable texts,parable to Hogwarts.
In fact, thanks to Nics mel, a renowned alchemist, Beauxbatons had an even richer collection of alchemical writings, perhaps more than Hogwarts.
Among them were books written by mel himself, which John found incredibly beneficial.
"Is that so?" Fleur hesitated.
The reading list made her think John was innocent, yet something still felt off.
Fleur left, still somewhat doubtful.
After she departed, John waited nearly an hour before leaving the library himself.
He carefully returned the books to their ces and rubbed his tired temples.
He hadn''t used the "Academic Schr 2.0" yet, as he wanted to save it for a more critical moment.
Like when he entered Nics mel''s alchemy room.
Yes, Nics mel''s alchemy room.
Following the clues provided by Dumbledore, John had spent several nights using the most basic methods to search around the mel fountain, tapping and knocking.
Finally, he found the entrance to a secret room at the fountain''s base.
It was an alchemy room!
Filled with numerous notes and materials rted to alchemy.
One diary-like item revealed that the owner of this room was none other than the famous Nics mel himself.
This room was one mel had used when he was a student at Beauxbatons, and all the notes were written by him.
John delved into this treasure trove voraciously. Though the young Nics mel had some naive ideas, they were perfect for a beginner in alchemy like John.
Besides the notes, the greatest surprise was the diary.
John took out a quill, dipped it in ink, and began writing in the diary.
"Dear Nics, I''m John Wick, I have some questions about alchemy that I hope you can help me with."
After writing that line, John continued to describe the difficulties he had encountered.
When he finished writing, it seemed as if an invisible pen was moving beneath his writing.
Beautiful handwriting appeared on the diary:
"Of course, dear John. You might find the answer to your question in the seventh notebook from the left on the third shelf. I hope it helps."
Upon seeing the writing, John quickly stood up and went to the mentioned bookshelf.
In the seventh notebook from the left on the third shelf, he found notes on how to sublimate and refine a substance.
This discovery delighted John, and he quickly wrote a response in the diary to express his gratitude.
"Thank you, Nics, you''ve been a great help."
"You''re wee."
This was an incredibly magical diary, which he could also call "Nics''s Encyclopedia."
Nics mel had created this book, recording his alchemical insights, and ced it on the shelf, making it an intelligent index.
There were other items with simr abilities to retain the emotions and personality of their original owner. For example, the portraits on the walls of Hogwarts could retain some of the personality and wisdom of their subjects, although they might not have many functions.
And "Nics''s Encyclopedia" was far beyond the existence of a mere portrait; John even felt like Nics mel resided within it.
However, reason told him that this was impossible.
With this book and the room full of volumes, John''s alchemical skills improved rapidly at Beauxbatons.
He even used the feathers from the Abraxans to create a pair of shoes that allowed him to fly. These shoes were somewhat slower than a broomstick but offered significantly greater agility.
He also sessfully added a permanent directional charm to the badges, ensuring that wherever they were, the nine badges would always point to each other.
Like stars guarding the moon, they pointed out each other''s direction.
John nned to keep one badge for himself and give the remaining eight to others.
To be the next Dumbledore, he couldn''t fight alone.
Even Dumbledore didn''t fight alone; he had the Order of the Phoenix and the vastwork of connections through Hogwarts and itsmunity.
John needed connections to solidify his position, and maintaining those rtionships required the help of the badges.
He aimed to form a society or have a team that would follow his lead.
He already had someone in mind for the first badge.
Connections.
This was what Johncked the most. Coming from a Muggle family, he didn''t have the innate connections of a pureblood family, nor thework of a half-blood wizard family with their parents and ssmates.
What he could do was surround himself with powerful allies.
This strong ally could be a genius wizard, someone with a strong family background, or someone with a character that would never betray a friend.
John spent all night in the alchemy room, returning to his dormitory to sleep for two hours before dawn.
It was during the holiday, so no one would care if he was cking off.
In fact, some people felt that the area seemed quieter without the presence of the ck-haired boy.
...
"John, perhaps we could go see the Quidditch World Cup group matches."
After a month of getting to know each other, Fleur had be quite friendly with John.
Despite being three years older than John, Fleur didn''t see the ck-haired boy as a child.
John''s every action mirrored those of peers her own age, and he often seemed even more mature than the boys in her year.
"The Quidditch World Cup group matches? That could be interesting."
John waved his wand lightly, and the books on the table flew back to the shelves automatically.
He hadn''t expected Fleur to be a Quidditch fan, but it wasn''t surprising. After all, who didn''t like Quidditch?
The Quidditch World Cup was held every four years. Any country could form a team and register within 12 months after the end of the previous finals.
Thest World Cup was in 1990, a time when John had not yet started school.
There were still two years until the next World Cup, and the group matches were already in full swing.
"You said the group matches are in Bulgaria. How are we going to get there?" John asked, watching as Fleur shed a bright smile.
"I know a ce where we can get a Portkey. It only costs three Galleons, and it will take us straight to Bulgaria," Fleur replied.
It''s true that wizards have a much easier time travelingpared to Muggles. With a Portkey, a whole family can travel to different parts of the world in a short time.
John, curious about Portkeys, agreed immediately after hearing this.
Fleur cheered, her silver hair brushing against John''s cheek. She looked like a happy little girl, eximing, "I''ve always wanted to travel without adults."
Seeing Fleur''s lively demeanor, John thought she might get along well with the students in Gryffindor.
They didn''t need to bring much, and they used Floo Powder to travel to the hidden wizarding area in Paris.
This hidden ce was like Diagon Alley, a wizard shopping district.
Led by Fleur, they turned and twisted through the streets until they finally found the Portkey in a small alley at the corner of a za.
The Portkey''s owner was a man wearing a fisherman''s hat and a shabby brown trench coat.
He was unkempt, with a scruffy beard, and he asionally let out a drunken burp. The strong smell of alcohol made it seem like he had spent the night sleeping in a barrel of wine.
John leaned in close to Fleur and whispered, "Are you sure this guy is trustworthy? He won''t drop us in the middle of nowhere, will he?"
Fleur, feeling a bit uncertain herself, responded with a somewhat shaky tone, "Probably, maybe, should be fine, right?"
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12 Advance Chapters-
39: Portkeys and the Hungarian Horntail
39: Portkeys and the Hungarian Horntail
The drunkard burped at the two kids, stretched out his hand with dead fish eyes and said, "Three Galleons, I guarantee you a safe trip."
With the thought that they were already here, John and Fleur paid the man and grabbed hold of what looked like an old, worn-out shoe that seemed to have just been taken off.
The two held hands to avoid getting separated.
As John touched the Portkey, he felt a hook somewhere behind his navel pulling him forward with irresistible force.
His feet left the ground, and he soared into the air.
When his eyes could see clearly, he and Fleur were already in free fall.
Theynded heavily.
John rubbed his sore back, stood up, and nced around, saying, "This doesn''t look like a ce where they would hold a Quidditch match, or is it just me?"
"I am going to kill that damn con artist!" Fleur''s beautiful face had turned dark with anger. It was an unstable Portkey.
It had dumped them in some unknown forest.
John felt a headacheing his way.
The Portkey had vanished, leaving them stranded in what could very well be an uninhabited wilderness.
"Let''s hope we can find someone to ask for directions," he sighed.
(A/N: Alone in the wilderness with a beautiful girl..? Sign me up!)
....
At least they weren''t hurt due to that broken portkey, but now there seemed no way for them to return.
"Haah, Haah, I can''t go on; I need a break," Fleur said, sitting on the ground without any trace of her usual grace.
John stopped, sweat beading on his forehead.
They had been walking through this forest for at least three hours, and in all that time, they hadn''t seen a single person or even many animals.
John deeply regretted not bringing his flying boots. If he had known they would end up in this deste ce, he would have brought them for sure.
"Four-Point!" (or Point me/Pointeme)
His wand pointed to the north. John looked at the direction. At present, they were still in a good situation.
"It''s a shame I haven''t learned Apparition yet; walking is exhausting."
John sat down to rest as well. He picked some seemingly harmless fruits from a tree and handed them to Fleur but Fleur didn''t eat them.
She buried her head in her knees and mumbled, "Sorry, John. I shouldn''t have dragged you into this."
Fleur was a little bit nervous when she thought that she might not be able to get out.
As the older one, she needed to be more responsible but ended up being irresponsible and dragged John into this terrible ce with her.
Hearing her words, John wiped the fruit and put it in his mouth and took a bite.
The sour taste almost made him spit it out, but after thinking that this might be the only food they could find here, he swallowed it again.
"It''s okay, Fleur," he said, trying to sound reassuring. "We''ll find a way out of this. We just need to keep moving and stay positive."
John reassured Fleur, trying to lift her spirits.
Fleur looked at his handsome face and inexplicably felt a sense of security that made her want to believe him.
Fleur had a quarter of Ve blood, which granted her some of the Ve''s enchanting abilities.
Her exceptional beauty was one of these, giving her a captivating allure over men.
Because of this ability, she wasn''t well-liked among other girls, and she was too proud to argue with them. On the other hand, she didn''t care for the attention she received from boys, who were often too smitten to behave normally around her.
This left her with very few friends at school.
When she first saw John at school, she had no intention of befriending him.
She just thought he was interesting. Hemented about her beauty but didn''t fawn over her or try to tter her like the other boys.
In their interactions, she found herself bing more drawn to him, but not in a romantic way.
It was a kind of trust, the kind of maism a leader has that makes people naturally gravitate towards them.
His mere presence restored people''s confidence.
Looking at John, Fleur nodded. "I believe you, John."
John smiled and handed her another fruit. "Now, don''t look so gloomy, and take a bite"
Fleur took it without any defense and took a bite. The price of this was that her whole face was squeezed by the sourness.
"John!"
"I didn''t do anything. Look, I ate it too."
"But should have warned. I took such arge bite! "
"Oops?"
John looked innocent, and Fleur was so angry that she wanted to smash the fruit on his head.
Holding up the fruit, she thought about it. If she didn''t eat enough and starved to death here, wouldn''t it be even worse? She bit the fruit fiercely as if she thought of it as John.
...
It was getting dark, and John decided to find a ce to rest first.
He lit a bonfire and the two sat around it.
"This forest is huge, but there''s no sign of any animals. Even a magical creature would be better than nothing," John grumbled.
Fleur rolled her eyes. "Magical creatures in the wild are very dangerous. Considering their territorial instincts, it''s possible there''s a powerful creature nearby that''s keeping others away."
"Oh?" John thought she made a good point.
Magical creatures indeed had strong territorial instincts. If an outsider invaded their territory, it usually resulted in a fierce battle.
But considering how long they had been walking without encountering any creatures, he wondered if it was a nocturnal one.
As he pondered this, a noise came from the surrounding forest.
Rustle Rustle...
"What''s there?" Fleur was a little sensitive.
Both of them drew their wands simultaneously. John nced at his empty pockets, realizing they were without any useful items.
"I must get a traceless extension spell when I go back."
The Undetectable Extension Charm is a very practical spell, simr to the spatial ringsmonly seen in novels.
It can erge the interior space of an object without changing its exterior appearance, making the inside a significantlyrger space.
John hadn''t learned this spell yet; otherwise, he wouldn''t have gone out with just his wand.
The two of them watched the direction of the noise tensely, with John ready to cast a sting Curse at any moment.
The sounds were getting closer. John''s body, enhanced by the fusion of dragon blood, had heightened senses.
He could hear breathing and heavy footsteps.
"Is it a person?"
John thought. Judging from the voice, it should be a person.
And this person was injured, so he should be on the run.
He held his wand up without rxing at all. Encountering a person in the wild could be more dangerous than encountering a magical creature.
Finally, under their watchful eyes, a person emerged from the bushes in front of them.
"Stop!" Fleur shouted nervously.
It was a boy who looked about the same age as John, wearing blood-colored robes that appeared to be a type of school uniform.
His face was extremely pale, so much so that Fleur initially thought he was a vampire.
With ck hair and a high-bridged nose, he would have seemed ordinary if not for the golden eyes faintly visible through the messy hair covering his left eye. Fleur''s attack might have beenunched if not for this detail.
The neer clearly hadn''t expected to encounter two student-like wizards. He thought anyone daring enough to light a campfire in this ce would either be Aurors or ouws.
"Run!"
The boy shouted, and a ball of fire fell from the sky, igniting the bushes around him.
Fleur looked up in horror to see a ck Hungarian Horntail spewing dragon fire from its open mouth.
||Ambush... offense... death...||
John looked at the Hungarian Horntail in disbelief; it seemed to be speaking.
Suddenly recalling that he had a dragonnguage blessing, John waved his wand and cast a Levitation Charm to pull the wizard out of the sea of mes.
Though this action saved a life, it also drew the Hungarian Horntail''s attention to John.
"We need to run!" Fleur finally understood why there were no other creatures around.
The Hungarian Horntail was the fiercest of dragons, and its presence meant no other creatures dared to appear nearby.
John immediately turned and started running, with the angry words of the Hungarian Horntail still echoing behind him.
||Wizards... sleeping... ambush... dishonorable... butt hurts... sore butt...||
''Don''t tell me.. this kid..'' Hearing the Hungarian Horntail''s words, John looked at the fleeing wizard with a strange expression.
This kid was quite bold, daring to ambush the Hungarian Horntail while it was sleeping. And of all ces, he attacked its rear end.
No wonder the Hungarian Horntail was so furious.
If someone ambushed him while he was sleeping, he''d at least make sure they didn''t escape without some pain.
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12 Advance Chapters on my Patreon
40: The Dragon Language Speaker
40: The Dragon Language Speaker
It chased, they ran, and he had no way to escape.
John sped up.
Someone once said that when you encounter a grizzly bear, you don''t need to run faster than the bear; you just need to run faster than yourpanions.
Clearly, among the three wizards, John was the youngest but also the fittest.
He easily overtook the wizard in blood-red robes.
The wizard in the blood-red robe, now at the back, gritted his teeth as the Hungarian Horntail closed in, ws iling.
With its mouth open, a massive fireball shot out from the Hungarian Horntail''s jaws.
"io!"
The wizard in the blood-red robe waved his wand, summoning a tree stump to block the fireball before it could hit him.
The fireball struck the stump, instantly turning it to charcoal, but the narrow escape allowed him to get away.
He turned around and stopped, a fierce expression on his face.
"Oppugno!"
Stones from the ground flew up and hurled towards the Hungarian Horntail. The dragon became even more enraged; the attacks didn''t hurt it but greatly annoyed it.
Seeing his attack had no effect, the wizard in the blood-red robe stubbornly attacked again.
But this time, before he could cast his spell, a giant rock hit by the Hungarian Horntail''s tail was hurled towards him.
John turned his head to see the wizard in the blood-red robe still standing his ground.
"Ugh!" While running, Fleur tripped and fell. She felt the ground shake and turned to see a rolling bouldering towards her.
"Expulso!"
A white light hit the boulder, shattering it. The flying debris grazed Fleur''s cheek.
After casting the spell, John''s expression changed. The Hungarian Horntail had already swooped down.
The wizard in the blood-red robe continued attacking, but the dragon''s scales were too tough to break.
Seeing the Hungarian Horntail dive down, the wizard could only avoid its direct attack.
"Protego!"
John stood in front of Fleur, a shield emitting white light appearing before him.
The Hungarian Horntail swept its spiked tail, easily cutting down the trees in its path.
Splinters and stones shot towards the shield, causing John''s feet to sink into the ground.
It wasn''t over yet; the Hungarian Horntail howled at the moonlight.
Its ck scales gleamed with an iron-like luster under the moon, giving it a lizard-like appearance.
With yellow eyes and bronze-colored horns, its tail also had spikes of a simr bronze hue.
This fifty-foot behemoth was rampaging, spewing dragon fire that engulfed the three of them.
||Die... die... die!||
John continuously cast the Shield Charm to defend against the attack. Fleur, having gotten up, quickly adjusted and waved her wand.
"cius!"
Coldness shot toward the zing fire and the mes covering them became less intense,
The three of them were struggling to hold out within the fire.
||Enough!||
A fierce light shed in John''s eyes, and he didn''t even realize that his pupils had momentarily contracted into vertical slits.
As he spoke, the Hungarian Horntail froze.
Then the constant stream of dragon fire stopped, and the Hungarian Horntail extended its neck, looking around in confusion.
Fleur, still shaken, gasped and asked, "What did you say just now?"
John had used the dragonnguage, which to others sounded like a mimicry of a dragon''s roar.
The wizard in the blood-red robe also stopped his attack and turned to look at John.
John walked forward step by step, and the Hungarian Horntail didn''t associate the small figure before it with the voice it had heard earlier.
||We mean no harm,|| John said again in dragonnguage.
This time, the Hungarian Horntail finally noticed him, itsrge yellow eyes filled with curiosity.
||You... how... do you speak the dragonnguage?||
The Hungarian Horntail looked down at John from its great height. John took a deep breath, his eyes transforming into the vertical slits of a dragon''s, and an aura of dread radiated from him.
||My name is John Wick. We identally entered this ce and meant no offense to you.||
Johnmunicated with the Hungarian Horntail, lowering his wand to show his sincerity.
||You are... a Dragonmouth.|| The hostility in the Hungarian Horntail''s demeanor gradually dissipated.
This scene was too amazing! The two others present were so stunned they barely dared to breathe.
||Yes|| John nodded and said, ||I don''t know where this is. The Portkey I took broke down and fell here.||
||Dragontongue speaker, this is Scandinavia, the Valley of No Breath,monly known as the Valley of Death.||
The Valley of Death?
John hadn''t heard of this ce before, but seeing the blood-robed wizard, it was clear that there was human activity nearby.
This brought John a sense of relief.
He was worried about not knowing where he had been sent. He bowed to the Hungarian Horntail, ||Respected Fire dragon, I offer my apologies and hope you can forgive our recklessness.||
It was more urate to say it was the blood-robed wizard''s recklessness.
However, given that the three of them were now in the same predicament, John chose not to dwell on it for the moment.
The Hungarian Horntail withdrew its hostility and lowered its proud head to John, ||Respected dragontongue speaker, Amerhan epts your apology.||
The exchange between John and the dragon left Fleur in disbelief, her beautiful face reflecting her shock.
This was dragonnguage.
Legend had it that the great wizard Merlin could speak dragonnguage andmunicate with dragons, and no one had been known to possess this ability since him.
Fleur had initially thought John was just an ordinary Hogwarts student, but now she wondered if he might be a descendant of Merlin.
After all, Merlin had attended Hogwarts, so it was a possibility.
The blood-robed wizard also had a peculiar look in his eyes. He watched John closely, his hand unconsciously gripping his wand tightly.
Dragon speakers seemed to hold a special status among dragons, and upon learning that John could speak dragonnguage, Amerhan ceased its attacks.
With much effort, John managed to get Amerhan to forgive the attack on its rear.
At the same time, John also learned the full story.
Originally, Amerhan had been resting peacefully in the Valley of Death when the blood-robed wizard, who looked like a vampire, suddenly appeared and attacked without warning.
Even dragons have basic physiological needs, and in this vulnerable state, whether human or dragon, they are rtively defenseless.
This sudden attack fully roused Amerhan, who had been chasing the wizard for several hours.
...
Amerhan left, and the three were no longer in danger.
The blood-robed little wizard hesitated for a moment before approaching the two of them. In a low voice, he said, "Thank you for your help."
"Hmph, if it weren''t for you, we wouldn''t have been involved," Fleur snorted coldly.
The little wizard nced at her and sneered, "I didn''t ask you to get involved."
"You!" Fleur was infuriated by his attitude.
"Alright, meeting another human is a good thing, regardless," John intervened, calming Fleur. He then approached the blood-robed wizard and extended his hand. "John Wick, student of Hogwarts."
"Hogwarts? Here?" The blood-robed wizard was somewhat surprised but reached out and shook John''s hand.
"Heinrich Edgar, student of Durmstrang."
Durmstrang?
John was taken aback; he hadn''t expected to end up here.
He had heard that Durmstrang had a bad reputation for being unfriendly to Muggle-borns and was one of the few schools that epted the teaching of dark magic.
Moreover, the first generation of the notorious Dark Lord, Gellert Grindelwald, had attended this school.
John recalled Malfoy once bragging that he was supposed to go to Durmstrang, but Mrs. Malfoy didn''t want her son to be so far away.
''I can''t believe I''ve almost crossed out of Europe,'' John thought, feeling exasperated. The person who sold them the Portkey might as well have sent them to Asia, might as well taste what the dumplings are like for all the trouble it caused.
Fleur, upon hearing the name Edgar, was shocked and eximed, "Edgar, the dark magic family."
Not many families would openly use dark magic as abel, but the Edgar family did so.
Each member of the Edgar family was extremely fanatical and loved to challenge the strong.
Once, an Edgar had sent a challenge letter to Grindelwald. After being defeated, he became a loyal follower of Grindelwald.
Thus, the Edgars were known as the aides of the strong. Only those powerful enough could conquer the Edgars and use them to their advantage.
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12 Advance Chapters-
41: The Duel and Durmstrang
41: The Duel and Durmstrang
''So this kid is a sucker for challenges?''
John suddenly realized that it was no wonder that he was so desperate to touch the dragon''s butt.
This kid really had some balls.
From the dragon and this new kid, Jihn was now sure about his current location.
Scandinavia.
And Durmstrang School was also here.
"Edgar, can you help us get out of here?" John asked, his voice carrying a hint of desperation.
Heinrich looked at John, his features delicate and pale, reminding John of that boy Malfoy. Heinrich''s next words were unexpected: "You are strong."
"Uh... thanks for thepliment," John replied modestly.
Heinrich, however, meant something entirely different. Fixing his gaze on John, he removed his right glove and tossed it at John''s feet. "I challenge you to a duel."
A duel?!
John was stunned. Fleur, infuriated, eximed, "We saved you!"
"I know. You, like Merlin, are a Dragonnguage Speaker," Heinrich said, his eyes never leaving John. "Defeat me, and I''ll tell you how to get back."
Fleur leaned in close to John and whispered, "Looks like he''s got his eyes on you."
John couldn''t help but feel there was a hint of schadenfreude in Fleur''s voice.
With a smile, Fleur seemed to savor the moment, seeing her payback for the sour fruit incident.
Of course, she was not afraid that John would lose. The situation when she dealt with the fire dragon just now was enough to show John wasn''t simple.
But being targeted by Edgar was no small matter; they were known to be extreme lunatics.
If John didn''t agree to the duel, Heinrich would likely leave them to wander the forest indefinitely. Reluctantly, John agreed, hoping to return as soon as possible.
A duel.
He thought of Professor Flitwick, a small man but a champion of dueling tournaments.
John and Heinrich stood back-to-back, wands in hand, pacing away from each other while counting aloud. At the count of ten, both turned and attacked simultaneously.
John was quicker. With a rapid spell, heunched a sting Curse.
Heinrich reacted just as swiftly, casting a Shield Charm to block the attack before countering.
The exchange between them was intense, more akin to seasoned duelists than mere students. Their wands were their rapiers, emitting dazzling rays of magic.
John evaded a minor curse and then cast his most powerful spell. Heinrich responded in kind with his own strongest attack.
"Incendio!" x2
Twin jets of me collided, creating a zing inferno.
John''s Level 4 Incendio met its match, but he had the upper hand.
The orange mes overwhelmed Heinrich''s, and just before they consumed him, John cast a low-power sting Curse hitting Heinrich
"You''ve lost."
John didn''t press the attack. He lowered his left hand, resting his right on his hip.
Heinrich stood up silently, retrieved his wand, and said, "You''re indeed powerful. I concede."
He epted defeat straightforwardly. John smiled slightly, knowing they could now leave.
"I can tell you how to leave here. Head to Durmstrang; there''s a Floo Network you can use."
John considered this. He remembered that Durmstrang wasn''t friendly to Muggle-borns. Would he be attacked?
''Probably not. If I don''t tell anyone, who would know.''
John and Fleur set off for Durmstrang, with Heinrich leading the way. They finally had a way out.
They exited the Valley of No Return and walked along the mountain path.
Unlike John, who had taken the wrong turn, Heinrich had a carriage waiting for him outside the valley.
"Young Master Heinrich, who are these two?"
The white-haired, sharp-eyed butler eyed John and Fleur suspiciously.
"You don''t need to ask too many questions, Rick."
Heinrich, disdaining to exin further, left the old butler Rick with no choice but to keep quiet.
''Not a house-elf,'' John remarked, surprised to see an old butler.
Pure-blood families typically employed house-elves. These unpaidborers saved a significant amount of moneypared to hiring others.
The Malfoys, for instance, had house-elves.
After boarding the carriage, they began their journey to Durmstrang.
Throughout the ride, although Heinrich didn''t make it obvious, John always felt that Heinrich''s eyes were always on him.
He moved to the left quietly, and Heinrich''s sight moved at the same time. He moved to the right, and Heinrich''s eyes tracked him again. ''Ok, it''s obvious now..''
"Ehm! Fleur, what were you saying at that time?"
Fleur was trying hard not tough. "That theEdgar family is poprly known as the strong man''s sidekick."
John felt a headacheing on. Was this Edgar going totch onto him now? What kind of strong man was he anyway?
''Sigh, this is exhausting.''
Despite it being a vacation, John felt like his entire first-year break had been ruined.
It was obviously a holiday, first Dumbledore fucked his rxing ns with mel''s bait but then took him to school. Then when he wanted to watch the Quidditch game to rx, but he was thrown into the Valley of Death and chased by a fire dragon.
''What a wonderful vacation'' He wanted to cry.
The carriage arrived in front of a castleDurmstrang Castle.
Itcked the splendor of Beauxbatons and the deep heritage of Hogwarts.
It was a simple four-story castle with vastnds and stunning scenery.
Behind Durmstrang Castle, there was a mountainke where some students who stayed behind would strip off their clothes and jump in for a bath.
This ce was unplottable, concealed by magic.
Fleur originally did not have much affection for Heinrich, this rude guy, even though he had a good-looking face, but it was really hard to like him.
After entering the school, the students who stayed in Durmstrang seemed to have the same feeling as Fleur.
They all had a dislike and avoidance attitude towards Heinrich, and they didn''t even want to pay attention to the two outsiders with him.
This situation was very simr to Fleur''s, which made Fleur hate Heinrich less.
Upon reaching a firece, Heinrich spoke up, "John, you can use this to get to Knockturn Alley."
"Thank you, Heinrich. When you have time,e to Hogwarts, and I''ll show you around properly," John responded.
Finally, they could return, and John was in a great mood.
Heinrich nodded vigorously at his words, his deep and slightly hoarse voice responding, "I will definitelye!"
Seeing his somewhat overly excited reaction, John had a feeling that they might indeed meet again.
After shaking hands and saying their goodbyes, John and Fleur entered the firece one after the other, disappearing into the green mes.
...
From Durmstrang to Knockturn Alley, they found a Portkey and, John and Fleur went back and forth several times and finally returned to Beauxbatons.
After all this tossing, both of them were exhausted physically and mentally.
However, because of this, the rtionship between the two became much deeper.
In the following days, John spent his time in the alchemy room, and asionally, Fleur would bring him some homemade cookies.
John felt happy after eating them. He wondered if there was any magic from the Ve in them.
One day, as John emerged from the alchemy room, he stretched, and his stiff body cracked audibly.
"At this rate, my body will give out before the sword is even forged."
John decided to go for a morning run before taking a nap.
John returned to his dorm room after his run and found an extra letter inside. He opened it and discovered it was from Dumbledore.
"Dear John, I hope you are enjoying your holiday .... I apologize for disturbing your vacation, but I have a small request that I hope you can fulfill ....."
"Go to Montmorency Street?"
John put down the letter, realizing this was his fourth destination. After a good sleep, he used Floo Powder to travel to Paris.
Montmorency Street was one of the oldest streets in Paris.
As John walked down the street, he felt something was off.
It seemed like someone was watching him.
This feeling wasn''t baseless. Discreetly using a nearby ss surface, he saw a man following him.
Perhaps thinking that a young wizard posed no significant threat, the man appeared quite casual.
John smirked; did this guy really think he was that easy to handle? He quietly quickened his pace, heading towards a corner.
The man followed.
"Where did he go?" The man, upon turning the corner, was shocked to find John had vanished.
"Stupefy!"
Before he could react, a spell hit him squarely in the chest.
John lifted the Disillusionment Spell and appeared. He stared at the fainted man and used the Levitation Charm to drag him away.
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12 Advance chapters at Patreon
42: Death Eaters and Teachers
42: Death Eaters and Teachers
Dragging the man into a corner, John securely tied him up.
He took the man''s wand and tossed it aside before heading to Montmorency Street.
As he looked around, an old, historically significant house caught his eye.
It was surrounded by a beautiful flower garden, and people passing by seemed to ignore it entirely.
John thought for a moment and decided to take a closer look.
He knocked on the door, but there was no response. Just as he was contemting whether to sneak in, the door suddenly opened.
A frail, elderly man with silver hair appeared. Upon seeing John, his face lit up with joy. "You finally came. Please,e in for a cup of tea. I believe the tea leaves are in the cupboard," the old man said, his voice trembling slightly as he opened the door to let John in. He mumbled to himself, seeming like an elderly man with a fading memory.
"Please wait a moment; I still need to find a book," he said.
John stepped inside and noticed the abundance of items around him.
The room was filled with various silver items, some resembling tweezers, others like silver chopsticks.
John took a seat, observing as a nearby teapot sprang to life. The lid of a tea canister opened, and tea leaves floated into the teapot.
The teapot''s round body wobbled as clear water materialized inside it.
With a gentle shake, the teapot brewed a pot of fresh red tea.
John watched in amazement, noting the clear alchemical influence on the teapot.
Meanwhile, the elderly man was rummaging through various books, piling them on the floor or the table before stuffing them into a small handbag.
Despite the volume of books, the bag showed no signs of bulgingan evident use of the Undetectable Extension Charm.
Afterpleting his task, the old man, looking satisfied, stood for a moment before approaching John.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. These things have been here so long that sometimes I forget where I''ve put them," he said.
He extended his hand to John. Seeing the man''s frail appearance, John carefully touched his hand.
Despite his caution, the elderly man''s hand, as delicate as an old cookie, caused him to yelp in pain.
John was startled, thinking he might have been too rough.
"It''s alright," the old man said, noticing John''s worried expression. "Hello, John Wick, I''m Nics mel."
John was taken aback; the Nics mel he had been eager to meet was right in front of him. mel appeared frail, as though his body was on the brink of breaking.
"I should have taught you in person, but the events of this past year have dyed me. However, my journal tells me you have great talent," Nics mel said, handing John the bag filled with books. He smiled warmly.
The journal was an artifact created by mel himself. It contained a projection of his younger self and allowed for long-distancemunication with the real mel.
The books inside the bag were a gift, filled with notes and insights from mel''s extended life.
John pondered for a moment and asked, "Is it because of the Philosopher''s Stone?"
He wasn''t naive. It seemed like mel was preparing to say his final goodbyes. Considering Dumbledore''s public statement about the stone being destroyed, it made sense that mel was nearing the end of his prolonged life.
mel shook his head, still smiling. "Child, everyone must face death eventually. If it weren''t for your arrival, the Philosopher''s Stone would have been destroyed in June."
Indeed, mel''s time was almost up. The remaining Elixir of Life was only enough to sustain him for this year.
This legendary alchemist, who had lived for six hundred and sixty-five years, was about to end his long life. If it weren''t for John''s appearance, he might never have thought of taking on a student.
Through Dumbledore''s introduction and the feedback from the journal, Nics mel felt that John was the perfect candidate to inherit his knowledge.
John felt a bit disheartened. He had thought he had finally found a teacher to guide him in alchemy, only to discover that this meeting would also be a farewell.
This was Nics mel''s old residence. He had originally nned to retire in Devon until his death.
epting the bag of books, John''s mood grew heavier.
"Teacher, who was that person outside?" John asked, recalling the man he had encountered earlier.
Nics mel smiled at the title. Even though they had just met, it felt as if they had known each other for a long time.
"That was a Death Eater. Even though Voldemort was defeated, his followers still seek the means for his return," mel replied, his expression turning serious at the mention of the name.
The old man had lived through two Dark Lord eras and knew well Voldemort''s obsession with immortality, a desire that could only be described as pathological.
Despite Voldemort''s downfall twelve years ago, his followers continued to seek out Nics mel, hoping to resurrect their master.
To teach John, mel had temporarily separated from his wife and returned to his old home.
During the remaining holiday time, John stayed with his teacher, Nics mel.
He greedily absorbed alchemical knowledge, as the old man''s erudition extended beyond a single field. He possessed master-level understanding of Runes, Charms, and Magical Creatures.
Day by day, John soaked up all the knowledge like a sponge. mel was very satisfied with his student, noting that alchemy required both talent and a persistent, never-fading quest for knowledge and exploration.
John had both qualities. In his student, mel saw a reflection of his younger selfthe same dedication to alchemy and hunger for knowledge.
John''s Philosopher''s Stone was destroyed. Having the world''s only person who had ever made a Philosopher''s Stone by his side, John didn''t feel it was a loss.
As time dwindled, John knew it was time for their farewell.
"John, you are the most talented student I have ever seen," said Nics mel.
He was leaving to spend his final days with his wife.
Teaching John had been gratifying and fulfilling for him.
"The exploration of the alchemical path will never cease. The Philosopher''s Stone is not your end, but your beginning."
He had already taught John the method for creating the Philosopher''s Stone. Standing on the shoulders of giants, John naturally saw further, and Nics mel''s expectations for him grew even higher.
By the time John will be a new titan of alchemy, Nics mel will be long gone.
John embraced his teacher gently, filled with reluctance. However, mel was at peace, unafraid of death.
To him, death was like finally finding a ce to lie down and rest after working for so long.
With mel''s departure, John''s journey in France came to an end.
John returned to Beauxbatons and retrieved his diary.
Fleur was reluctant to part with John, as he was one of her few friends.
"Fleur, we will meet again. Perhaps next time it won''t be at Beauxbatons, but at Hogwarts," John said with a smile. He recalled that there was a storyline involving several schoolspeting in a tournament.
Beauxbatons was one of them.
It wasn''t impossible for Fleur, as a Beauxbatons student, to make an appearance.
He handed a badge to Fleur.
Fleur said reluctantly: "Remember to write to me. Your owl is a little fat. Let it exercise more."
The despised Basil was innocently caught in the crossfire.
John naturally agreed straightforwardly. After the two said goodbye, John came to the hiding ce and wandered around the square. He finally found the drunk who sold the portal.
After John left, the drunk was hung on the statue, and his wand was thrown into the stinky ditch.
"Heh, don''t think I forgot about you!"
John was vindictive. After being cheated of three Galleons, John hung the drunk for three days.
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12 Advance Chapters-
43: The Dursleys
43: The Dursleys
"John, you''re back. Your mother hasn''t been in a good mood these past few days," Watson said as he saw John return home after a month.
At first, he was happy to see his son, but then he nced nervously towards the kitchen.
"You didn''t keep your promise to your mother, but I know you must have had other important things to attend to," he continued.
Despite Watson often behaving like an overgrown child, he was never muddleheaded when it came to important matters.
For him, Mrs. Wick''s mood was a significant concern.
Hearing this, John felt a heavy weight in his heart.
Thest week had been spent learning at Nics mel''s home. That ce was under the Fidelius Charm, making it impossible for owls to find him, and thus he couldn''t keep up with his weekly letter-writing routine.
This had thoroughly angered Mrs. Wick. She rarely got mad, but when she did, she was hard to cate.
Thest time Mrs. Wick was upset, she and Watson had the silent treatment for a week, and John had to survive on various bread spreads due to Watson''s poor cooking skills. The thought of that made John shudder.
Fortunately, he hade prepared. Entering the kitchen, he found Mrs. Wick with a stern expression, not saying a word.
Despite her beauty and grace, when she was angry, Mrs. Wick could be as stubborn as a young girl. Braving her icy re, John put on a fawning smile and pulled out a bottle of perfume he had bought in Paris from his suitcase.
"This is a special perfume I bought for you in France," John said, shamelessly trying to act cute as he looked pitifully at his mother.
She frowned.
''Take the bait'' John looked at her with star-filled eyes.
''Ugh! No!'' Her frown slightly faltered, but she still relented.
''Ok, what about that!'' John lumped his shoulders, pressed his lips, and looked at her with big eyes.
And then, blinked three times!
Critical hit!
"Ugh!" His gaze pierced his mom''s heart.
Mrs. Wick, who had been angry with John for not writing letters, couldn''t hold onto her anger for more than three seconds after seeing his act.
However, as a mother, Mrs. Wick still sternly reprimanded John. "Little John, you''re still young. It''s dangerous for you to go to a foreign country alone. How could you forget to write to your mother?"
John epted the scolding, nodding and bowing just like Watson did when he was in trouble.
Watson watched from outside, looking pleased as if his son had finally learned something valuable.
After sessfully cating his mother, John was about to go to his room when Watson brought him a stack of letters.
"These are all from your friends. One of the owls is so old it crashed into the mailbox several times," Watson said, dropping off the letters before hurriedly leaving upon hearing Mrs. Wick''s dangerous warning about wearing shoes upstairs.
John opened the top letter, which was from Hermione.
It listed a bunch of books she had read over the holiday.
John read through all of Hermione''s letters, noting that in thest one, she mentioned Harry. Hermione had written to Harry multiple times over the holiday but had received no response.
After reading through the letters, John picked up the others, which included ones from Ron, Hagrid, and surprisingly, three from Malfoy.
He opened and read all of them, noting that aside from Malfoy''s letters, the others mentioned Harry. None of them had received a reply from Harry and were asking if John knew anything.
"Could Harry have been taken by the Ministry of Magic?" John worried, recalling the incident when his magic had gone out of control and wondering if Harry had been taken by the Ministry instead.
Feeling concerned about Harry, who had taken the me for his actions, John decided to find out what was happening.
Hiding the unicorn hair wand at home, John took his regr wand and went downstairs. Using a bit of cuteness, he managed to get a freshly baked apple pie from Mrs. Wick.
He put it in a box and headed to Number 4, Privet Drive, where he knocked on the door.
"Who is it?"
Coincidentally, a chubby boy answered the door.
Dudley, attracted by the smell of the apple pie, had rushed to the door ahead of his mother.
He was expecting a pleasant surprise to make up for the ruined feast from a few days ago. However, what he found was indeed a surprise, but one far more shocking than pleasant.
"HA! It''s you! John Wick!"
Dudley screamed and disyed an impressive lung capacity for such a fat boy.
Petunia Dursley, initially puzzled by themotion, rushed out to see what was happening. Upon seeing John, she immediately remembered him from King''s Cross Station, where he had been with Harry and his wizard friends.
Vernon Dursley, Harry''s uncle, also came out.
In his forties, he was so overweight that he had no neck and sported a thick beard.
Upon seeing John, Vernon''s face fell, and he began to shout, "You lot dare toe to my house!"
Since seeing the warning letter from the Ministry of Magic a few days ago, Vernon knew that young wizards couldn''t use magic outside of school.
Feeling emboldened, he yelled at John to leave.
"Mr. Dursley, I think you misunderstand," John replied with a polite smile. "My current address is Number 6, Privet Drive, making me your neighbor''s child,ing to knock on your door."
Vernon was momentarily taken aback, and John continued, "Surely, Mr. Dursley, you wouldn''t be so impolite as to turn away a neighbor''s child bringing a gift?"
Vernon took a closer look and saw that John indeed brought a gift.
The rich, sweet smell of apple pie made his beloved son salivate uncontrobly.
Vernon''s expression changed several times before he finally said with a scowl, "Since you''re not one of those annoying wizards,e in."
John smiled slightly and handed the apple pie to Petunia, who was still wearing a stern expression, before stepping inside.
...
"Sit down quickly, then you can leave after a minute," Vernon said, not giving John a warm wee.
John nced at Dudley, who was eagerly unwrapping and devouring the apple pie, and thought how much the father and son resembled each other.
"Where''s Harry?"
"Harry? Don''t mention that boy to me," Vernon snapped.
He knew John had an ulterior motive.
Harry was locked up, with bars on his window, and only a small opening left for delivering his meals three times a day.
Vernon was determined to prevent Harry from returning to school, no matter who tried to change his mind.
Vernon stood up and checked his watch, then issued a curt dismissal, "Now you can leave my house. You lot are never wee here."
His attitude made John frown, and the politeness he had maintained began to fade.
John showed no intention of leaving, prompting Vernon to try and physically remove him. John grabbed Vernon''s thick, short finger and.... twisted it forcefully.
"Ouuuuuuch!"
"Ou ou ou ou ou..."
Vernon let out a blood-curdling scream, causing Petunia to rush over in shock. She found her husband kneeling before John, whimpering in pain as his finger was bent back.
"Mr. Dursley, I think you might have misunderstood something," John said calmly.
"What! Misunderstood? There''s no misunderstanding! If you don''t leave, I''ll call the police!" Vernon shouted, still trying to throw John out.
John, losing patience, said coldly, "I''m not just Harry''s ssmate. My father has connections with Mr. Finn Wace. You know, sometimes dealing with people requires... different methods."
The name Finn Wace made Vernon''s blood run cold.
He knew that Wace was the head of a London gang, a figure well beyond the reach of the police.
Initially confident that he had nothing to fear from wizards who couldn''t use magic outside school, Vernon was now thoroughly terrified.
If what John said was true, dealing with him would be effortless for someone with such dangerous connections.
"A-Apologies, please forgive my rudeness," Vernon said through gritted teeth, forcing an ugly smile. "Harry is upstairs."
"Very well, Mr. Dursley, please allow me to see my friend," John replied, releasing Vernon''s finger. Vernon, relieved, nodded and moved aside, quickly checking his finger for any serious injury.
John then turned his attention to Dudley, who was still devouring the apple pie. "Dudley, perhaps you should show me the way, don''t you think?" he suggested calmly.
Dudley didn''t respond immediately, so Vernon grabbed his ear and forced him to guide John upstairs. Dudley yelped in pain but reluctantly led John up the stairs.
Arriving at Harry''s door, John paused to consider the door that was sealed shut, except for a small p used to pass food through.
"I thought the UK had child protectionws," John muttered.
"He... he destroyed my father''s business a few days ago," Dudley quickly exined, fearing he might be med. Despite not seeing John for a year, Dudley''s fear of him hadn''t diminished.
John rolled his eyes, thinking about how he didn''t have a pencil with him this time.
He stepped forward and instructed Dudley to open the door.
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12 Advance Chapters-
44: House-Elves and Flying Cars
44: House-Elves and Flying Cars
Harry had never had such a terrible birthday.
His birthday had been ruined by Dobby, the house-elf, and now he was locked up.
He even felt that he would never be able to return to Hogwarts in his lifetime.
Feeling desperate, Harry looked out through the small gaps in the boarded-up window.
Hedwig, due to several days of poor food, had lost some weight and looked sickly. She turned her head away in frustration.
At that moment, the door, which only opened twice a day, creaked open.
Harry looked up and saw John walking in.
"John!" Harry eximed in delight.
John frowned as he stepped inside. The room was indeed too cramped.
The boarded-up window let in very little sunlight. John greeted Harry with a wave.
"Harry, Hermione, and the others said you weren''t replying to their letters, so I came to check on you," John said, walking over to Harry''s bed and sitting down. He added with a strange expression, "Why are you locked up?"
Talking about this made Harry angry. He said with a lot of resentment, "A house-elf broke in. He told me not to go to Hogwarts and then caused trouble. Uncle Vernon found out that I can''t use magic outside of school."
"Oh, you have no idea what I''ve been through during this time," Harry vented to John, finally finding someone to talk to.
John listened and immediately found it strange.
"A house-elf came to bother you?" he asked, puzzled. House elves generally don''t attack wizards, let alone cause trouble in someone else''s home.
"Could someone have ordered it?" John wondered if someone was deliberately trying to frame Harry.
"Could it be Malfoy?" Harry immediately suspected Malfoy.
John was speechless. The two really did have a love-hate rtionship. But it was unlikely to be Malfoy. If it were Malfoy, he would probably be writing to John to brag by now.
He dismissed that possibility.
If it wasn''t under someone''s orders, then the house-elf must have acted on its own. John didn''t understand how a house-elf could be connected to Harry. Only ancient, wealthy wizarding families had house-elves.
If it were the Potter family''s house-elf, it would make sense given the Potter family''s wealth, which is beyond question.
John had read about the Potters while researching, discovering that the family had developed potions, one of whicha shampoowas extremely popr and often sold out.
The problem was, Dobby didn''t listen to Harry. House-elves can''t disobey their master''s orders. If Dobby were the Potters'' house-elf, he would have to follow Harry''smands.
Both found this situation puzzling and frowned.
"Let''s not talk about this for now," Harry said, eyes filled with hope. "John, did youe to rescue me?"
Harry had heard Uncle Vernon scream like a pig being ughtered, which he suspected was rted to John. Thinking about John''s strength in beheading the troll, he felt a surge of hope.
John nced at him and recalled Ron''s letter. Shaking his head, he said, "Unfortunately, I''m here to help you, but not alone."
"Who else?" Harry asked, confused.
John gave a mysterious smile.
He had received Ron''s letter. Ron''s father had informed Ron about the Ministry''s warning letter to Harry, andbined with Harry''sck of response to their letters, they were worried.
So Ron was nning a rescue mission for Harry, likely to take ce at night, which was why John said it wasn''t him doing the rescuing.
After all, John couldn''t actually call in gang members to kidnap the Dursleys... well, he can but then he''ll have to include his father in his n and if his father is included then his angry mother will surely know all of it. ''Too much trouble''
Although John couldn''t rescue Harry himself, just chatting with him lifted Harry''s spirits.
They talked about their summer vacations. John mentioned traveling abroad, making Harry envious.
"Harry, you need to be careful. I feel like Voldemort might return soon," John said, mentioning the name that made Harry''s face tense.
"I encountered a Death Eater in France. Although it was just one, it means his forces aren''tpletely destroyed. Be careful; maybe that house-elf had a point."
John wasn''t entirely clear on the second-year storyline, only recalling that a significant clue was in a girl''s bathroom. He warned Harry, hoping he would remain vignt.
"I understand, John. I''m d you came to see me. If only I had my things, I could study a bit," Harrymented, regretting that his belongings were downstairs.
John reassured him not to worry. As he bid Harry farewell and descended the stairs, he saw a nervous Vernon. "Even if you want to ground Harry, you should at least give him time to sort out his things," John said calmly.
Vernon quickly nodded upon hearing John''s words. "I''ll move his things up right away."
He was genuinely terrified of this young wizard, even though John couldn''t use magic outside school. The threat of calling in gang members was enough to make Vernon uneasy.
He just wanted to get rid of John as soon as possible, agreeing to anything.
Harry''s belongings were moved upstairs, and Harry couldn''t understand how John had made Uncle Vernon sopliant.
If John could make Uncle Vernon obedient, why didn''t he just have him release Harry? These questions puzzled Harry as John left the Dursley house.
John looked back at the Dursleys as they watched him leave and nodded slightly. Honestly, he didn''t find the Dursleys as terrible as he once thought. Considering they were a Muggle family, raising Harry, a wizard, was already quitemendable.
That night, John heard the roar of a car engine.
Living in the attic, he opened the window and saw a turquoise car flying through the air. It hovered next to the Dursleys'' window, and John spotted three red-haired heads inside.
It was obvious that the Weasleys had arrived.
John rubbed his chin and said, "This car has been modified with both Muggle technology and magic. A fantastic piece of alchemy."
The flying car was probably not the work of the Weasley twins; they didn''t yet have the level of alchemy required for such a feat.
John remembered Ron mentioning that his dad worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, and it seemed likely that he was the one who created this car.
"Interesting. Ron had invited me to his house before. Maybe I should visit sometime; we could discuss alchemy."
John watched as the Weasleys pulled Harry into the car. Thanks to John, Harry''s belongings were already packed in his room, and they all drove off into the night.
The next morning, when Vernon Dursley woke up and saw the open window, he roared in anger.
He even suspected that John had called in gang members to dismantle his window overnight.
This suspicion kept him up for days, and Dudley was grounded, as Petunia feared her precious son might be a bargaining chip.
Dudley suffered a lot, losing his chance to bully other kids, but none of this affected John.
At that moment, John was writing a letter to a man named Ben Abbott. Since realizing that creating a magical sword akin to Gryffindor''s sword was beyond his reach for now, he had shifted his focus to enchanting. Ben Abbott was a desmith, and John wasmissioning him to make a greatsword.
A few dayster, Ben''s reply arrived, agreeing to forge the sword for John. John would pay for the work and had already sent the required mithril and some special wood to him.
He only needed to wait two weeks to receive a brand-new sword.
The book list for his second year at school had arrived, and John was stunned as he nced at it. The Defense Against the Dark Arts book list, aside from the required "Standard Book of Spells," included several titles that looked more like novels than textbooks.
Books like "Travels with Trolls," "Voyages with Vampires," "Holidays with Hags," and "Wanderings with Werewolves" all seemed more suited to a library''s fiction section.
John recalled that Hermione had mentioned these titles in her letter, noting their exciting content and rmending them to him.
"Could Hermione have predicted this?" he wondered briefly before deciding to set the thought aside.
He had set up another alchemy room in the basement, where he had been busy crafting various items.
Perhaps it was time to sell some of them.
While his family wasfortably upper-ss, the significant expenses of alchemy were still a constant burden.
John decided he needed to be self-sufficient, ideally finding a business partner who could handle the sales while he focused on production.
This person needed to be a professional, as John''s creations were not mere prank items like those of the Weasley twins but genuine magical artifacts with real power.
He thought for a moment, realizing that there were no such professionals in his immediate vicinity.
Perhaps a trip to Diagon Alley would be fruitful in finding the right person.
_______
12 Advance Chapters-
45: Knockturn Alley and the Thief
45: Knockturn Alley and the Thief
"Good morning, Titi."
John reached down to pick up the cat rubbing against his legs, feeling content with the furry creature in his arms.
Titi meowed, and three more cats emerged, surrounding John''s feet. John took out some cat food he had brought along.
Tom, his dog, circled around impatiently, wagging his tail in disappointment. They were supposed to go for a walk, but here John was, feeding cats instead.
An elderly woman, leaning on a cane, slowly approached. John saw her and greeted her warmly, "Good morning, Mrs. Figg."
Arabe Figg smiled at John. No one would guess that this seemingly ordinary olddy was actually a member of the Order of the Phoenix.
She was a Squib whom Dumbledore had asked to look after Harry.
Six months ago, her list of charges had grown to include one more person: John Wick.
Dumbledore had personally visited her, wanting to learn more about this student. Mrs. Figg had taken a liking to John because he always came by to help care for her cats.
John''s love for furry animals was akin to Dumbledore''s love for sweets. It was for this reason that Dumbledore had decided to make John the temporary keeper of the Philosopher''s Stone.
John, unaware that he might have Mrs. Figg to thank, gave each of the four cats a pat.
"Cats outside are better. They won''t suddenly turn into older cat girls," he mused, satisfying his craving for fluffiness.
As he was about to leave, he sensed that someone might be watching him.
"Watching me?"
His first thought was Death Eaters, but he quickly dismissed that idea.
Thest encounter with a Death Eater had been because they were searching for Nics mel, and he doubted they''de all this way to keep an eye on him.
He wasn''t the savior, Harry Potter, and had no value to the Death Eaters for surveince.
After rising, his expression remained unchanged. Tom stopped circling. John bid Mrs. Figg farewell and jogged away with Tom.
"Gone?"
After leaving Privet Drive, John noticed that the sensation of being watched had disappeared.
He felt puzzled. The next day, when he went for his morning run again, he sensed the same watchful presence.
This time, John saw clearly: the figure was someone wrapped up like they had a skin disease.
When he jogged past Privet Drive, the person didn''t follow.
"Are they watching Harry?" he wondered, but Harry had already left, so it seemed unlikely.
The mystery deepened, and on the third day of his run, John deliberately dropped something from his pocket.
The cloaked figure saw the item glint in the sunlight and hurried over with eyes gleaming.
It was a gold Galleon, and the person grinned broadly.
"Good luck never runs out," they muttered, pocketing the coin and abandoning the chase.
That evening, John stepped out of his house under the Disillusionment Charm.
He held a piece of parchment, not the Marauder''s Map, but a simpler one with a single arrow that moved as he did.
The arrow guided him to a house.
The house was miserably bare, with nothing inside but a firece and a makeshift tent.
John approached the firece, which was connected to the Floo Network.
"Let me guess, Diagon Alley."
He grabbed a handful of Floo powder and called out the name of his destination.
A burst of green mes engulfed him, and the next second he appeared in another firece.
With a bit of soot on his nose, John brushed off the ash and stepped out to find himself in a shop in Diagon Alley.
"If I can''t find that guy, I might as well have a look around."
Thinking this, John reapplied a Disillusionment Charm and ventured out.
As night fell in Diagon Alley, the streets became less crowded. Holding his self-made tracking map, John followed the arrow''s direction.
The further he went, the fewer people there were.
The remaining people wore cloaks to conceal themselves, and some were engaging in shady transactions.
Their secretive behavior suggested illegal dealings.
"Knockturn Alley?"
Before he knew it, John had entered Knockturn Alley.
This ce was right next to Diagon Alley but was apletely different world.
It was a hub of illegal transactions, and the person who had been watching John was engaged in a deal with someone.
"You''re too greedy. Do you know how much effort I put into getting this?"
The person had donned a cloak and was angrily berating a shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper nced at him with a mocking tone, "Effort? This thing is just a small sneakoscope. Mundungus Fletcher, the quality of the stuff you''re stealing is getting worse and worse."
The person called Mundungus Fletcher, who had been watching John, was furious as he mmed the door and left.
Despite his anger, he didn''t dare to rob Borgin and Burkes directly.
He had no choice but to leave.
Mundungus headed towards the Leaky Cauldron to drown his sorrows and look for an easy mark to swindle.
"What a rotten day. Dumbledore tells me to keep an eye on that kid, leaving me no time to steal anything. Harry Potter is one thing, but why this kid?" Mundungus muttered under his breath.
He hadn''t had time to carry out his n when, while passing through a narrow alley in Knockturn Alley, he felt a wand pressed against his back.
"Don''t move. If you want a hole in your gut, just ignore what I said."
Mundungus trembled, his voice shaking as he said, "Calm down. I have a few Galleons on me. You can take them."
He cursed his bad luck, thinking he had been robbed by another thief.
He tried to seize the opportunity to use his wand to escape, but before he could even touch it, the wand was snatched from his waist.
A physical disarmament.
Now he waspletely doomed and didn''t dare to move.
John dragged him into a corner of the alley, his voice low and threatening, "It seems you''re not very honest."
Mundungus gave a nervousugh, "No, absolutely not. I''m just really scared."
"Heh." John didn''t believe a word he said. He deliberately lowered his voice, making it impossible for Mundungus to recognize him.
At this point, John realized who had sent Mundungus to watch him. It was Dumbledore.
He thought it over and concluded it was likely for his protection.
John had encountered Death Eaters in France, and perhaps because of that, Dumbledore had decided to extend the surveince and protection given to Harry to include him as well.
John''s guess was pretty close to the truth. John had inherited the knowledge legacy of Nics mel.
Not to mention what the future might hold, just the experimental manuscripts of Nics mel were enough to drive some ill-intentioned people mad.
Since John knew it wasn''t a Death Eater, he had no intention of dealing with the person harshly.
However, a sudden idea struck himhe might be able to use this person to set up a business in Knockturn Alley.
Just when Mundungus thought he might end up dead in the street, John said, "Want to make some money, Mundungus Fletcher?"
"Make money?" Mundungus never imagined that someone robbing him would actually talk about paying.
He didn''t understand what John meant, but he knew that if he didn''t agree, things could get very bad for him.
"I have some items I need you to handle and sell. We''ll split the proceeds 80-20."
While not all of John''s items were dangerous, some were created during his research into dark magic.
Such items couldn''t be sold in Diagon Alley and could only be offloaded in Knockturn Alley.
"You just need to answer whether you want to or not. I won''t force you," John said, although the wand pressing into Mundungus''s waist suggested otherwise.
Mundungus nodded vigorously as if his head would fall off.
John smiled and took out a few dangerous items from his small bag.
"In three days, I expect to see gleaming Galleons."
Leaving these words, John moved his wand away from Mundungus''s waist.
Mundungus sighed in relief and hurriedly picked up his disarmed wand.
He nced at the items, his eyes lighting up with greed,pletely forgetting his previous fear.
"Such exquisite things, old Borgin will definitely be interested."
He looked around and quickly pocketed the items.
John observed everything, not leaving but watching as Mundungus headed back to Borgin and Burkes.
When Mundungus emerged, his hands were filled with Galleons.
He hesitated, contemting hiding some of the money for himself.
However, as soon as this thought crossed his mind, he felt a familiar sharp pain in his waist.
Terrified, he quickly ced all the money down.
Taking two-tenths of the money, John said, "I told you, eighty-twenty split. If you want to continue, use this to contact me."
John tossed a piece of parchment to Mundungus, who hesitated for a moment before picking it up.
He stood there for a long time, too afraid to move, only rxing once he was sure John had left.
Looking at the Galleons, which exceeded his earnings from thievery, he fell into deep thought.
______
Read 12 Advance Chapters at
46: Who is Johnny Silverhand?
46: Who is Johnny Silverhand?
Two weekster.
John received a package from America, a long box securely wrapped in wooden nks.
Eagerly, he took out a crowbar to open the box. As he pried off the six nails, the wooden crate was finally opened.
Inside, cushioned with hay, was a knight''s sword adorned with mithril.
The de, polished to a mirror-like finish, featured a semi-circr guard made with a blend of mithril and steel powder through casting. The hilt was crafted from oak, and the pommel was a rounded piece of mithril with a circr notch.
This sword, forged with triple-method craftsmanship, had a straight, rigid de that was difficult to break.
The more John looked at it, the more he loved it. He immediately began to swing it around.
The sword''s bnce point was at two fingers'' width, making it smooth and fluid to wield.
It could be used with one or two hands, and John had specifically requested an extended pommel to maximize its greatsword characteristics.
After a satisfying workout, John stopped, feeling exhrated.
It was a pity he wasn''t at Hogwarts, where he could have tested it out in the training grounds.
"The mithril sections left unfilled are perfect for enchanting," he noted.
John immediately prepared to enchant the sword. He fixed the de in ce and used a chisel to inscribe a series of runes onto the mithril guard.
With precise and careful hammering, he sessfully enchanted the sword with a fire spell based on runic symbols.
Fehu (?) represented cattle, symbolizing wealth and also wild fire.
Taking out his wand, he performed the enchantment.
The moment the enchantment seeded, John could feel a distinct change in the sword.
He activated the runes to use the fire spell, causing the symbols to glow red and the de to ignite, transforming into a ming sword.
"A sword of iron and fire. I feel more like a witcher now," he mused.
If he were to wear a set of Viking armor, John felt he could pass as a witcher.
He extinguished the mes, ced the sword in his small handbag, and despite it resembling a women''s bag, John didn''t mind since it served its purpose.
"I should give it a name. Let''s call it Ironwick Sword."
And so, the Ironwick Sword was born.
John headed to the living room to write a response and, upon returning, resumedmunication with his friends.
Hermione had invited him to join her at Diagon Alley tomorrow to purchase the books for the uing term. Her handwriting showed signs of excitement, with ink blots from pressing too hard.
"What''s the big event tomorrow?" John pondered. He couldn''t recall any significant event that would make Hermione so excited.
Coincidentally, Harry and Ron were also nning to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow. The trio seemed to have an uncanny synchronization in their ns.
After replying to everyone, John wrote a letter to Hagrid, requesting his assistance in finding some magical creature materials.
Once done, he switched the pen from his left hand to his right and, with apletely different handwriting, wrote a letter to Mundungus Fletcher, including a few magical items he had crafted.
"Mundungus may be greedy, but he does his job well," John noted.
He had been selling his crafted magical items through Mundungus. Apart from the constantints and demands for highermissions, Mundungus had been marketing the items as being crafted by a renowned alchemist, which had doubled their sales. Consequently, John''s wealth had also doubled.
His little treasury, umted from selling these magical items, had now exceeded three thousand Galleons. While it couldn''tpare to Harry''s inherited fortune, it made John a rtively wealthy individual.
However, despite umting a decent amount of money, John spent it just as quickly.
Soon, Hagrid responded, providing an estimated price for the materials John had requested. When John saw the price, he couldn''t help but gasp.
"1200 Galleons, alchemy sure is expensive," he muttered.
With a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, John realized that a significant portion of his hard-earned savings would soon be gone.
He felt a pang of envy towards Hagrid, who had the Forbidden Forest as his personal treasure trove. Hagrid''s prices were the lowest possible; some materials he had in stock, so he didn''t charge John for them. If John had to buy everything, most of his funds would be depleted.
"Tomorrow, I''ll go to Gringotts to withdraw money and buy the books," he sighed.
Alchemy was a money burner.
With his mind filled with thoughts of Galleons, John considered the cost of alchemy versus the profit he could make.
After informing his parents about his trip to London, Watson eagerly opened the safe, nning to buy some odd and curious items. When John saw his father about to exchange money with the goblins at Gringotts, he immediately stopped him.
"No, Dad, I''ll handle the money exchange," John insisted, wanting to avoid unnecessary expenditures.
Under Watson''s stunned gaze, John took out a pile of Galleons and dropped them on the table with a clinking sound.
"Other kids cost money to go to school, but you make money going to school," Watson said, eyes gleaming with pride.
John smiled slightly, "Exchange with me, I''ll give you a better rate."
The implication was that he still had to spend money, though.
Watson''s smile froze. It was one thing for close family members to keep financial matters clear, but his own son doing this to him?
John knew that if he didn''t set some boundaries, his father might return from Diagon Alley with a load of random junk. To prevent Mrs. Wick''s blood pressure from skyrocketing, John squeezed his father''s personal funds.
Initially, John''s school expenses came from the family budget, but now it was turning into Watson''s personal expense, forcing him to reluctantly dip into his own savings.
The next day, the three of them drove to the Leaky Cauldron. Compared to theirst visit, this time the ce didn''t smell as bad. It was probably because Quirrell wasn''t there. John, familiar with the route, led them to the back entrance of the Leaky Cauldron.
After entering Diagon Alley, John nned to visit Gringotts first to deposit his money. He kept enough for buying materials and textbooks, and deposited the rest in Gringotts. This brought a smile to the goblin''s typically dour face. Despite their greed and selfishness, John had to admit that Gringotts'' security system was top-notch.
After passing through an anti-theft waterfall, John discreetly collected some of the water. This water could wash away magical effects, and he intended to take it back to study and possibly replicate it.
Upon leaving Gringotts, John encountered Malfoy. Malfoy was walking beside a man with the same pale, pointed face, who looked like an older version of Malfoy. John guessed this must be Malfoy''s father.
The two were heading towards Knockturn Alley.
John''s father had already taken his Galleons to spend, dragging Mrs. Wick along with him. John, who also needed to visit Knockturn Alley, cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself and followed the Malfoys.
Along the way, John overheard Malfoy constantly muttering about Harry. This even made his father, Lucius Malfoy, impatient. "You''ve told me at least ten times already," he said irritably.
Mr. Malfoy nced at his son, stopping him from continuing his tirade.
"Young Malfoy seems to have quite the deep feelings for Harry," John thought wryly as he followed the two into Borgin and Burkes antique shop, where he had once seen Mundungus.
Instead of going inside, John veered off to a nearby building.
Mundungus was living quitefortably these days. Apart from asionally watching over the boy, he no longer needed to steal. He simply waited for his daily mail. As a result, he had ditched his ragged suit for a more fitting attire.
"Good heavens, I look just like a businessman," Mundungus preened in front of the mirror, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his door opening.
Startled, he drew his wand and shouted, "Who''s there? Come out quickly!"
"Mundungus, you''re brave enough to point your wand at me now?"
The deep, raspy voice made Mundungus feel as though he had plunged into an ice-cold pool. He hurriedly dropped his wand, sping his hands together in a submissive gesture. "Sir Johnny, I meant no offense. I just thought there was a burr."
"Hmph."
Johnny Silverhand was the alias John used in front of Mundungus.
John had never revealed his true face to Mundungus. He found a spot to sit down, ncing around before saying, "So this is the shop you''ve taken over. Looks like it cost quite a bit."
"No, no, Sir Johnny, you don''t understand. Five hundred Galleons can only get you the best location here," Mundungus replied, sounding a bit aggrieved. For once, he wasn''t lying. He had exerted tremendous effort to secure this spot. Though it was small, the location was excellent.
"Alright, you''d better get this ce fixed up quickly, Mundungus. Running a business is far more rewarding than stealing," John said, only lightly admonishing Mundungus. He knew that relying solely on small sales wouldn''t bring in big money. Hence, he instructed Mundungus to set up a shop dedicated to selling Johnny Silverhand''s exclusive products.
Mundungus had grown ustomed to a life without constantly hiding and naturally didn''t want to give up such a good lifestyle. He immediately promised to get the ce ready.
After that, he waited for John''s next instructions, but there was only silence. This Johnny Silverhand had a habit of leaving without notice.
______
Read 12 chaps ahead of everyone at
47: Adults and Children
47: Adults and Children
Mundungus started renovating the shop, hoping that working under this Johnny Silverhand could make him someone like Borgin of Borgin and Burkes.
John observed Mundungus''spliance before finally leaving. Walking out of the shop, he headed towards Diagon Alley. He noticed the Malfoy father and son emerging from Borgin and Burkes, indicating they had likely sold whatever they had.
Just as John was about to leave, he spotted a familiar figureing out of Borgin and Burkes.
"Harry?"
John was stunned. How could Harry be in Knockturn Alley?
Harry, new to Knockturn Alley, was thoroughly frightened. He saw shrunken heads for sale in a shop opposite Borgin and Burkes and arge cage filled with giant spiders. Two ragged-looking wizards were whispering to each other, giving Harry a chill.
Harry ran along the road, constantly adjusting his sses as they slipped down. The wizards there seemed quite interested in this young intruder. John, following behind, noticed a wizard discreetly approaching Harry.
An old witch grabbed Harry''s hand, revealing moss-covered teeth in a creepy smile.
"Lost, are we, dear?"
Harry backed away slowly, feeling the cold touch of the old witch. Her other hand held a dish filled with what looked like a dead man''s fingernails.
Terrified, his heart pounded as the old witch approached him.
"I''m fine, thank you. I just want to leave," Harry resisted her advance.
Seeing this, John stepped forward. As the old witch got more aggressive and even tried to offer Harry the dead man''s fingernails, John intervened.
"Harry, what are you doing here?"
The sudden voice startled the old witch. She turned to see the handsome John and immediately gave a sinister smile.
John, however, narrowed his eyes dangerously. As the old witch turned, his left hand moved like a snake, striking out and shattering the dish.
The old witch screamed, about to retaliate, but saw John''s wand pointed at her eye.
"Get lost, or I''ll make you blind," John''s icy voice cut through the tension, sending a chill down the witch''s spine.
At that moment, a tall figure in the crowd moved towards them.
"Harry! John! What are you doing here?"
Hagrid approached and spotted the old witch, immediately shouting, "Get lost, you filthy hag!" He forcefully pulled Harry away, guiding them out of Knockturn Alley.
The old witch didn''t dare stop them, still shaken by John''s threat.
As they exited Knockturn Alley, Harry saw the familiar white marble of Gringotts.
Hagrid led the two into Diagon Alley, dusting off the soot from Harry''s clothes.
Upon learning that Harry had gotten lost, Hagrid chided him for being so careless.
"John, what were you doing there?" Hagrid asked, puzzled by John''s presence in Knockturn Alley.
John smiled and replied, "I was just looking for some interesting alchemy materials."
"That''s too risky, you just need to tell me." Hagridined.
He came here to get materials for John, but he also bought some medicine to repel carnivorous slugs.
Because of this, he was dyed for a while. If John hadn''t appeared, he couldn''t imagine what would happen to Harry after being taken away by the old witch.
"Thank you, John, you saved me again." Harry thanked John sincerely.
John shrugged, he just happened to pass by.
"John, you don''t know, I''m living in the Weasley family now, it''s great." When mentioning this, Harry remembered that he and the Weasleys had been separated, so he was anxious to find the Weasley family.
"Harry, why didn''t you reply to my letter?"
"Sorry Hagrid, something happened to me."
Hagrid started talking about Harry not replying to his letter again. Harry told him about the detention by the Dursleys.
Hagrid was so angry that he roared and wanted to teach the Dursleys a lesson.
"Harry! Harry! Over here!" they heard someone shout as they passed Gringotts.
When they passed Gringotts, Hermione happened to be standing on the steps of Gringotts.
She ran down to greet them, her fluffy brown hair flying behind her.
"What happened to your sses? John, you''re here too. Great, and Hagrid, it''s great to see you again."
Hermione smiled with two big teeth. She had juste out of Gringotts.
"Are you here for Gringotts?" she asked.
"I''ll go after I find the Weasleys," Harry replied, having not had the chance to go in since he had been sent to Knockturn Alley.
Hagrid, being tall, spotted the Weasley family pushing through the crowded street.
"Harry, we hoped you only missed one firece," Mr. Weasley said, out of breath.
Like all the Weasleys, he had red hair, though he was balding, wore sses, and was tall and thin.
"Molly was frantic. She''ll be here soon. And this is... oh, I remember, John Wick," Mr. Weasley added.
Ron, seeing John, was curious about where Harry had been.
"Knockturn Alley," Hagrid said sternly.
"That''s awesome!" the Weasley twins shouted.
Ron looked envious since his family never allowed the children to go to Knockturn Alley.
"It''s not awesome at all. If it weren''t for John, Harry might have been taken away," Hagrid grumbled, still upset about the old witch.
This only fueled the Weasley twins'' curiosity further, and they pestered Harry to recount his heroic adventure.
"Harryoh, dear, it''s so good to see you safe!" Mrs. Weasley gasped as she hurried over, out of breath. She pulled arge coat brush from her bag and began to clean Harry from head to toe.
Mr. Weasley took Harry''s sses and, with a gentle tap of his wand, restored them to their original state.
The youngest Weasley, Ginny, hovered around Harry, helping her mother dust him off.
"I need to leave now. See you at Hogwarts," Hagrid said, feeling a bit overwhelmed by Molly''s effusive gratitude. He quickly made his exit.
"Oh, John, thank you so much. You''re such a good friend," Mrs. Weasley said warmly, having learned it was John who had helped Harry. She looked at him with even more affection, charmed by his good looks and timely assistance.
Even Ginny came over to thank him, and John, a bit embarrassed, rubbed his nose and insisted he had just been passing by.
Soon, Mrs. Weasley seemed to treat John like one of her own children, her enthusiastic kindness making John feel a bit awkward.
"Ahem, I''ve already been to Gringotts. I''ll just wait for you all outside."
John watched as the Weasleys prepared to head into Gringotts, seizing the opportunity to make his exit with a quick excuse.
After waiting at the entrance for a while, John spotted Mr. Weasley and Hermione''s father emerging, arm in arm.
They nned to meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour, while Molly took Ginny to buy clothes.
The four of them strolled along the winding cobblestone street.
"John, you went abroad? That''s so enviable," Ron said, hearing that John had been to France and wishing he could go too.
"Where in France did you go? Paris?" Hermione inquired, remembering John mentioning it in a letter but without specific details.
John thought for a moment and replied, "I did go to Paris. There was a drunkard in a hidden spot who sold portkeys. One of them was faulty and got me chased by a dragon."
"Ha ha, John, you''re so funny," Ronughed heartily, thinking John was joking.
Even Harry and Hermione chuckled, believing John had a great sense of humor, unaware that he was telling the truth.
John felt exasperated; it seemed no one believed his true stories.
They explored many ces in Diagon Alley, finally arriving at Flourish and Blotts an hourter.
The ce was already packed with people, and a huge banner was unfurled from the upstairs window.
"Gilderoy Lockhart? I think I''ve seen that name before," Harry remarked, feeling the name sounded familiar.
Hermione, however, cheered and said excitedly, "We can meet him in person! I mean, almost all the books on our reading list are written by him."
John felt a bit overwhelmed by the long, crowded line and spotted Draco Malfoy.
The trio got separated in the crowd, and John, with his superior physical prowess, managed to reach the second floor.
Seeing Malfoy''s gritted teeth expression, he noticed Harry was taking pictures with Lockhart.
"Seriously, are you actually envious of that?" John said, approaching with a look of disbelief.
Malfoy, startled, nearly fell off the ledge, but John grabbed him just in time to prevent it.
"Look at that Harry Potter, his tail is practically sticking up to the sky," Malfoy grumbled, clearly displeased with Harry''s moment in the spotlight, while Harry just wished the ground would swallow him up.
_______
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48: The Hospital and Neville
48: The Hospital and Neville
John saw Draco''s jealous look, shrugged, and prepared to buy books.
However, after finding all the books he needed, he saw Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy in the middle of a brawl.
The Weasley twins were loudly cheering their father on, and if Malfoy wasn''t outnumbered by therge Weasley family, he might have jumped in himself.
"What on earth is going on here?"
John watched as Mr. Malfoy took a hit to the eye from Mr. Weasley with a copy of "The Encyclopedia of Toadstools."
Hagrid came over to separate the two, while Mr. Malfoy spat out threats, throwing a book into Ginny''s cauldron in the process.
"Well, they know their limits; they know not to use magic."
Despite the fierce appearance of the fight, neither man used magic.
John understood they both feared the consequences from the Ministry of Magic, knowing that using magic would escte the situation.
"Oh my goodness, was there a fight here?"
Watson eximed, suddenly remembering that his son still needed to buy books.
When Mrs. Wick came over, she saw the mess of books on the ground and worriedly searched for her son.
John watched Mr. Weasley being scolded by Mrs. Weasley like a child. With his purchasesplete, he bid farewell to Harry and the others.
As they said goodbye, John noticed an old book that looked like a diary in Ginny''s cauldron. He couldn''t remember the plot due to his mild amnesia regarding the plot. He thought about how the Weasley family often used second-hand items and didn''t give it much more thought.
Since his family were Muggles, John couldn''t use Floo powder to leave. The family spent another day in London before returning home.
Once back, John began working with his materials. The items Hagrid had bought for him arrived in the following days.
...
"These books are quite fascinating."
John closed the book written by Gilderoy Lockhart, impressed by the stories.
Especially since some of them subtly revealed certain magical principles, prompting John to read them all thoroughly.
"Could it be that this year''s Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is actuallypetent?"
Judging by Lockhart''s fantastic stories, it seemed like he had extensive experience and might turn out to be a good teacher.
"This makes me a bit excited."
Putting the book on the table, John took out a piece of dragon tooth powder.
The dragon tooth powder contained mild toxins.
John mixed the dragon tooth powder with other ingredients to create a viscous liquid, which he applied to the Ironwick Sword.
After evenly coating the Ironwick Sword, it turned a bit dark and then reverted to a mirror-like shine after some time.
"Coating it with dragon tooth for an anti-magic effect; I just don''t know how effective it will be."
John reinforced the Ironwick Sword with anti-magic properties, allowing it to damage the scales of magical creatures.
He ran his hand along the de, which remained sharp and resilient.
After storing the sword, Basil brought him several letters.
Some were correspondences he sent to various alchemy masters, while others were from experts in runes.
These were the fruits of his continuous efforts over the holiday.
He had written to numerous experts, asking and solving problems, even reaching out to potion specialists.
The reason for this was to build connections in advance.
In the wizarding world, mentorship from predecessors was invaluable.
Nics mel had advised him to engage more with others rather than working in istion.
John''s status as a Hogwarts student provided significant advantages. Many of these experts were Hogwarts alumni themselves and were happy to assist a current students from their alma mater.
"Dear John, your proposal for improving the Wolfsbane Potion has deeply intrigued me. I hope to meet with you in person C Damocles Belby."
"So he wants to meet, huh? It might be worth a visit."
Damocles Belby, a former Hogwarts student, was currently researching the Wolfsbane Potion.
John was interested in his wolfsbane potion when he was looking for it. He remembered that the wolfsbane potion could keep werewolves sane after they became werewolves.
With the belief that werewolves deserved empathy, John had sent some of his ideas to Belby. To his surprise, the response was overwhelmingly positive, and Belby wanted to meet him in person.
The meeting ce was St. Mungo''s Hospital for Magical Mdies and Injuries.
Thinking it over, John decided it would be beneficial to meet, as it would also help expand hiswork.
He set the letter aside and picked up thest one.
After opening it, the expression on his face became sad.
Mr. and Mrs. mel had passed away.
They had not wanted John to see them in their final moments, they wanted John to remember how they looked when they were alive instead of how they looked after they died.
John was very sad that such a good teacher passed away.
There was no funeral or grand ceremony, just the presence of a friend, Dumbledore, to witness it.
...
St. Mungo''s Hospital for Magical Mdies and Injuries.
John arrived at the hospital, which was not located in Diagon Alley but in a red-brick department store in London called Purge & Dowse Ltd.
"Entering the hospital."
John stated his purpose to the dummy in the store''s window.
He then proceeded inside and went up to the second floor, where an unlucky wizard bitten by a werewolf was being treated.
Next to the wizard was a thin man meticulously documenting the wizard''s current agony.
This man was Damocles Belby, observing the various reactions to a werewolf bite.
John approached and took a look.
The man was in great pain, and his wound had been sealed with dittany and silver.
"Silver doesn''t treat werewolf bites; it''s the dittany providing enough nutrients to help the patient survive the initial pain."
Damocles Belby was making notes and turned at the sound of John approaching.
"And you are?" he asked, initially mistaking John for just another child. His face showed irritation as he continued, "I''m busy right now. Please leave."
John smiled at the words, "John Wick, nice to meet you, Damocles Belby."
''John Wick?''
Damocles Belby paused in disbelief, looking at John.
"You''re the student who wrote to me?"
He had expected a seventh-year student.
He must be full of talent to be able to point out things he hadn''t noticed and must be incredibly studious. He didn''t expect the talent to be so extraordinary.
Although John was taller than most of his peers, he still looked like a third or fourth-year student.
"Forgive my earlier oversight, Mr. Wick."
Damocles Belby''s attitude changed, bing exceptionally enthusiastic.
He invited John to visit his estate, and John dly epted.
After observing the unlucky wizard for a while, John and Damocles Belby agreed to continue their conversation via letters. John then left the first floor.
As he walked through the hospital, he saw a familiar figure and eximed in surprise, "Neville?"
A downcast Neville walked through the corridor and looked up when he heard John''s voice.
"John, are you sick? Why are you here?" Neville asked anxiously.
He was very worried about his friend being ill.
John shook his head to indicate he was fine, but he found it strange that Neville was there.
"What are you doing here?"
"I''m here to visit my parents."
Neville looked sad, and John knew his parents must be sick.
Since they had met, John went with Neville to the fourth floor, The Janus Thickey Ward also known as the Spell Damage ward.
There, John saw Neville''s parents, the once-great Auror couple.
They had been tortured by Death Eaters and were now insane, unable to recognize their own child.
Seeing this, Neville''s tears fell uncontrobly.
John sighed softly and patted his shoulder tofort him.
Voldemort and his followers had caused too much suffering.
Finally, they left the hospital, and John bid farewell to Neville.
He saw Neville''s grandmother waiting for her grandson.
This elderly woman had a stern appearance but still waited outside for Neville toe out.
John nodded to her in greeting, and Neville''s grandmother also nodded slightly.
Leaving the hospital, John went back to prepare other things.
He remembered that the Wolfsbane Potion appeared in Harry Potter''s third year, and it was Snape who brewed it then.
It seemed that it hadn''t been developed yet.
He didn''t remember all the details, but he recalled that the main ingredient was Aconite.
This substance was highly toxic and not something people would normally use on humans.
A few dayster, John sent his hypotheses to Damocles Belby via letter. After a while, he received a reply.
"It''s a sess!"
________
12 Advance Chapters-
49: Wolfsbane Potion and Transaction
49: Wolfsbane Potion and Transaction
Inside the Belby Estate, a structure resembling a Roman coliseum stood.
In the middle, there was a sturdy iron cage. The moonlight gradually peeked through the clouds.
Tonight was a full moon, and the man inside the cage was in excruciating pain.
He was curled up in the cage, his body convulsing as hair rapidly grew all over him.
"Look at this pitiful hideous creature. They are neither wolf nor human."
Damocles Belby held an ornate cane in his hand, and beside him, a quill was automatically recording his every word.
"The transformation process takes about half a minute. You are about to witness a historic moment."
Damocles''s tone carried a hint of excitement. The development of the Wolfsbane Potion would be a monumental breakthrough.
He no longer sought wealth. As a master of potions, he was notcking in money. He pursued fame.
If the Wolfsbane Potion seeded, he would at least receive a second-ss Order of Merlin.
This was an honor for a wizard and a schr''s aspiration.
John was the first witness to this clinical trial, indicating that Damocles already regarded him as an equal.
"Using the highly toxic wolfsbane as an ingredient, what a genius idea. Throughout history, every potions master who handled wolfsbane shied away from its toxicity."
His haughty words were all praises, calling it a genius idea.
The keyy in the dosage.
After causing partial paralysis in two werewolves and turning three into vegetables during experiments, that delicate bnce was as elusive as a Golden Snitch.
John had been the one to pinpoint the crucial factor for him. Otherwise, there would likely be several werewolf corpses buried beneath the estate by now.
This wasn''t particrly difficult for John, who had the keen sensitivity of a dragon''s tongue and a subtle magical intuition that allowed him to discern the toxicity of a potion with his fingers.
Half a minute passed, and under their witness, the man who had been bitten by a werewolf for a year fully transformed into a bipedal werewolf. However, he seemed a bit dazed at first.
Damocles Belby tapped his cane on the iron cage and shouted, "Shelby, can you understand me?"
At first, the werewolf appeared confused, but as a few minutes passed, rity returned to his eyes, free of the usual feral and violent cloudiness of a transformed werewolf.
He nodded, pointing to his mouth andboriously uttering a single word, "Yes."
The Wolfsbane Potion had seeded.
Damocles couldn''t help but cheer, and John smiled too, though he still needed further confirmation.
He approached the cage and said, "Damocles Belby, please open the cage."
"What?" Damocles Belby thought he had misheard and looked at John incredulously.
"Are you joking with me? Even with Wolfsbane Potion, we cannot fully trust these vile creatures."
His words were full of overt disdain, reflecting the current situation for all werewolves.
They were discriminated against by the entire wizarding world, even though many were unwilling victims.
"Only by thoroughly proving that a werewolf can remain sane can we consider it a sess."
John insisted firmly, "Open the cage."
"If you hadn''t helped me perfect the Wolfsbane Potion, I would think you were insane," Damocles muttered. Seeing John''s determined attitude, he begrudgingly tapped his cane, unlocking the iron gate of the cage.
The werewolf pushed the door open and stepped out. Damocles drew his wand and shouted, "Get back, you scum!"
John did not retreat; instead, he advanced without hesitation, his left hand ready to draw his wand if necessary.
He approached the werewolf, who had grown taller and more menacing in his transformed state.
With a face twisted into a hideous snarl, he looked terrifying in the moonlight. John spread his arms and spoke softly, "Shelby, show me that you''re truly in control."
Damocles erupted, "This is madness! You want to embrace a werewolf?"
Shelby found it unbelievable as well. He cautiously approached John and, to Damocles Belby''s astonishment, embraced John as if he were handling a fragile piece of art.
"I must say, werewolf fur is a bit prickly," John joked, simultaneously breathing a sigh of relief.
He wasn''t sacrificing himself for the sake of research but wanted to test if a werewolf could truly maintain sanity. Werewolves were not epted by wizards due to their uncontroble destruction and killing spree during a full moon. If controble, they could be seen as a super Animagus with armor and muscle.
Such a force, if harnessed to form a team, could be a formidable weapon.
John looked at Damocles, who was so shocked that he had dropped his cane, and chuckled, "Damocles, we will be remembered in magical history. We have changed a species."
Glory! This was what Damocles valued most. Hearing these words, he beamed with pride.
John patted Shelby''s arm, aware that the sharp ws could easily tear open a throat.
"Shelby, perhaps we can be friends. Thank you for your contribution to the Wolfsbane Potion."
"It is... my honor."
Since being bitten, Shelby had endured relentless discrimination. His former colleagues avoided him like the gue. Desperate, he chose to be a test subject. Though he hadn''t fully recovered, retaining his sanity was already an excellent oue.
He felt grateful to the two who developed the potion, especially John. In John''s eyes, he didn''t see the pity and disdain that Damocles exhibited, treating him like a monster. Instead, John genuinely treated him as a patient and as an equal human being.
Over the past year, Shelby had faced countless cold stares. Sometimes, a simple, ordinary greeting could make someone willing to die for you. Especially since John dared to embrace him even after seeing him transform into a werewolf, rather than pointing a wand at him.
The full moon continued, and the two kept observing Shelby. As the moon in the sky disappeared, Shelby began to revert from his werewolf state, gradually returning to his original form.
"It''s a sess."
Shelby had not disyed any irrational behavior throughout the night, signifying the sess of the Wolfsbane Potion. John clenched his fist in triumph, while Damocles stripped off his clothes and ran naked through the manor in celebration.
John brought a set of clothes for Shelby and extended his hand with a smile, "Would you be interested in a job? One hundred Galleons a month."
John needed a reliable bodyguard for his shop in Knockturn Alley, and Shelby seemed like the perfect candidate.
Gray-blue eyes set in deep sockets, with hollowed cheeks giving him a wolf-like appearance. Under his gaze, there was an oppressive feeling of scrutiny. This demeanor was rted to Shelby''s previous upationhe had been an Auror. Bitten by a werewolf during a mission, he lost his job and wandered, his life drastically changing, leaving him gaunt and weary.
Hearing John''s offer, Shelby was incredulous. "I would be grateful for this job."
Though the pay was less than that of an Auror, for a werewolf, it was a high sry. This further solidified John''s position as a boss in Shelby''s mind; he didn''t underestimate John because of his age.
John extended his hand with a smile, "John Wick. But I''d prefer you call me Johnny Silverhand at the shop. The guy running it is a thief; you can keep an eye on him."
Shelby shook John''s hand, a smile breaking through his gloomy face. "Tommy Shelby. I think that''s something I''m good at."
The two agreed to work together smoothly. Meanwhile, Damocles, after his celebratory run, also found working with John pleasant. Although he wished to monopolize the credit, John''s contribution was too significant to ignore.
John shook his head, declining any im. He smiled and said, "Damocles, developing the potion alone highlights the struggle and legend more. Two people might get two second-ss medals, but one person could earn a first-ss medal."
Damocles was temptedwho could refuse a first-ss medal?
He watched John, trying to discern the conditions.
"I want exclusive selling rights for the Wolfsbane Potion. In return, I''m willing to give you a fifty percent share."
In exchange for letting Damocles have the sole glory, John wanted to leverage the Wolfsbane Potion to expand his shop.
Damocles declined; he had no desire for money, having more than enough for several lifetimes. "No need for a share. You know the potion''s recipe; you can have it all."
This made John even happier. The wealth of a potions master was truly enviable. Although the initial profits might not be substantial, the long-term gains were promising.
Damocles'' indifference to money left John in awe.
Ultimately, they reached an agreement: John obtained exclusive rights to the Wolfsbane Potion, and Damocles received the honor of its development.
With John''s involvement, the Wolfsbane Potion would be significantly improved.
It could truly be considered a blessing for werewolves.
_______
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50: Dobby and the Wall
50: Dobby and the Wall
A powerful bodyguard was sent to Johnny Silverhand''s shop in Knockturn Alley.
Mundungus had no idea about the background of this neer, Tommy Shelby, but from the way he showed respect to Johnny Silverhand, it was clear he was a trusted confidant.
This realization was a wake-up call for Mundungus, who had been feeling a bit too self-important. It became clear that he was just another subordinate to Mr. Silverhand. For some reason, Mundungus felt a sense of fear towards Shelby, akin to the feeling of being watched by an Auror while he was stealing.
Having such a watchful presence meant Mundungus had to stay on high alert, which he found extremely annoying.
Tommy Shelby, the new hire, was to be paid 100 Galleons a month, with John also providing him with Wolfsbane Potion each month. Shelby had met many werewolves during his year of wandering, and John nned to have Shelby recruit other werewolves once the shop expanded.
John trusted that anyone who could work with a former Auror would have a decent character.
Johnny Silverhand''s shop had opened a few days ago. Although business was not booming yet, making 200 Galleons a day was not a problem. As more people learned about the ce, business would only grow.
Especially after Damocles received his Order of Merlin, First ss, the reputation of the Wolfsbane Potion would spread, attracting more werewolves to buy it.
A standard dose of Wolfsbane Potion sold for 30 Galleons, allowing the user to suppress the bloodthirsty urges when transforming into a werewolf.
The premium Wolfsbane Potion was priced at 80 Galleons. It allowed a werewolf to recognize their family members and remain calmly in one ce during the transformation.
The top-tier Wolfsbane Potion, costing 150 Galleons, enabled the werewolf to retain their own consciousness entirely, even though they took on the appearance of a wolf and couldn''t use magic.
These three versions of the Wolfsbane Potion catered to the basic needs of werewolves and provided a way for them to ovee societal discrimination.
The top-tier potion, in particr, was the most time-consuming to produce. It required significant effort to create a potion that allowed a werewolf to maintain their pre-transformation consciousnesspletely.
John provided Shelby with this top-tier potion, which earned Shelby''s unwavering loyalty.
...
The start of the new school year was approaching.
With Harry staying at the Burrow, John was feeling rather lonely.
Besides counting his gleaming Galleons, he was constantly spending them as well.
Money was always in short supply since alchemy was such a costly endeavor.
Nevertheless, progress was going smoothly. He inscribed a second runic symbol onto the Ironwick Sword and created a magical circuit for Ironwick.
Once the circuit was activated, the sword''s magic could be used without draining John''s own magical energy.
Of course, these circuits needed time to recharge after each use, making them more of an emergency measure rather than something of significant utility.
One day, John was practicing magic, frustrated that his Transfiguration skills had not improved. He felt the urge to use some points to level it up instantly.
"Maybe I should read more books on Transfiguration?" he wondered aloud.
He had been longing for a dragon form for a while now, estimating that he would need to reach level four to unlock it. With a sigh, he put the thought aside for now.
Suddenly, John sensed an intruder. He had set up detection devices in the basement, alerting him to any unauthorized entry.
Pointing his wand at a corner of the basement, John said coldly, "Did you think I wouldn''t notice you?"
A pair of bulging green eyes, asrge as tennis balls, peered out, with bat-like ears flopping back.
John acted quickly, casting a Transfiguration spell that turned the corner desk into strips of cloth, which tightly wrapped around the intruder.
"A house-elf?" John was taken aback upon seeing what he had caught.
"Ah!" The house-elf screamed, "Dobby hase to see John Wick, friend of Harry Potter."
Dobby struggled to free himself, but the cloth strips held him tightly, muffling his screams.
"Dobby? The house-elf?" John asked in surprise.
John recalled Harry''sints and said sternly, "Who sent you? Are you trying to find out Harry''s whereabouts through me?"
"No, no, Dobby wants John Wick to protect Harry Potter," Dobby replied.
Realizing he was almost about to speak ill of his master, Dobby tried to punish himself but was tightly bound. He could only bang his head against the wall, muttering, "Bad Dobby, bad Dobby!"
"Stop that!" Johnmanded, feeling a headacheing on. He used the cloth strips to bind Dobby''s head as well.
Keeping his wand ready, John approached Dobby with a serious expression and asked, "You said Harry is in danger. How do you know that?"
As he asked, he saw Dobby''s face filled with fear, struggling to self-harm but unable to. Realizing the house-elf''s reaction was too extreme, John rephrased his question, "What kind of danger are you talking about?"
"A plot, a dangerous, terrible plot! Horrible things are going to happen at Hogwarts!" Dobby shrieked.
John released the spell, letting Dobby fall to the ground with a thud.
"Then whye to me to protect Harry?" John lowered his wand but kept a close watch on the house-elf who had broken into his home.
Dobby sniffled and said, "Dobby heard that John Wick is a powerful wizard. He has protected Harry Potter."
"Well... I admit I''ve protected Harry, but calling me a powerful wizard is an exaggeration," John replied, his lips twitching slightly. Who spread such rumors? He was just a third-level magic novice.
ncing at Dobby, he sighed, "If you really want to protect Harry, you should tell me the name of the one behind the plot."
With a name and considering it concerned Harry, the Chosen One, John could write to Dumbledore. With the White Wizard around, he couldn''t believe anyone could harm Harry.
"Dobby can''t say, bad Dobby, bad Dobby!" Dobby started to self-harm again, and John had to bind him once more.
John couldn''t fully trust Dobby''s words, but if Harry were truly in danger, he would help out. "I will investigate this plot, provided it is real."
Dobby looked immensely grateful, and John waved his hand dismissively.
His gaze fell on Dobby, who was wearing an old pillowcase, looking both pitiful andical.
"I have some old clothes. If you don''t mind, you can take them to wear," John offered.
John''s words made Dobby scream, "Dobby is so grateful to John Wick! He is as respectable as Harry Potter. House-elves can only be freed when their masters give them clothes."
John''s good intentions were refused, but Dobby elevated him to the same level as the savior Harry, perhaps just a bit lower. With a snap of his fingers, apanied by a series of popping sounds, Dobby disappeared.
"Capable of wandless magic," John muttered, staring at the spot where Dobby had vanished. Despite the protective spells he had set, Dobby hade and gone freely. It seemed his security measures weren''t enough. He decided to install more Foe-sses to prevent simr incidents in the future.
Time passed, and while Silverhand Johnny''s shop stabilized, it was time for John to return to school.
September 1st.
Watson had taken the kids to King''s Cross Station early, and this time he had even tried running at the pir to tform Nine and Three-Quarters. Predictably, it didn''t work. He wasn''t a wizard. At least, not until he had arge bump on his head, he had harbored a slight hope that perhaps Hogwarts had simply forgotten to send him a letter when he was younger.
Mrs. Wick was busy entertaining clients at the beauty salon, so John had to watch his father m into the barrier with some distaste.
"Alright, Dad, I have to go now," John said.
A dejected Watson, nursing the bump on his head, could only watch his son leave. And then...
*Thud!*
"Ouch!"
"Ow!"
Two cries of pain left Watson dumbfounded. Two young wizards stood dazed, staring at the barrier they couldn''t pass through. They were stunned.
"Why can''t we get through?" Harry asked, confused.
"I don''t know, but we''re going to miss the train," Ron replied, equally perplexed. Time wasn''t on their side, and their inability to ess the tform meant they couldn''t board the train to Hogwarts.
Suddenly, Ron had an idea. "The car! We can fly the car to Hogwarts!"
He remembered the flying car from his family. Harry was hesitant, but the thought of being expelled from Hogwarts for beingte was the worst scenario.
Without further dy, they found the Weasley''s flying car and were about to start it when a hand rested on the window.
"Hey, I think you guys need some help."
Harry and Ron stared nkly at the man with a hat who suddenly appeared.
Watson Wick smiled confidently, "Hello there, you can call me Uncle Wick, I''m nicknamed the Canary Wharf Car God."
_______
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Read 12 Chaps ahead of SH at
51: Canary Wharf Car God and the New Semester
51: Canary Wharf Car God and the New Semester
_______
The Hogwarts Express sped along the tracks.
"Harry and the others are not on the train."
Hermione searched every carriage, but could not find Harry and Ron.
John tossed the chocte frog in his mouth after hearing this. He thought for a moment, could they have missed the train?
"Maybe they just missed the train," he suggested. "It''s no big deal. They can write a letter to the school, and someone wille to get them."
Biting the head of the chocte frog, John turned to Neville.
Neville had been a little depressed since he visited his parents during the holidays.
"Neville, are you okay?" John asked.
Neville was stunned for a moment and nodded, "I''m fine, John."
"Good to hear. Want some toffee?" John offered, shoving some into Neville''s hand. He thought about Neville''s parents, whose condition was caused by a curse.
''The Unforgivable Curse.''
He thought about the time he had used the Cruciatus Curse and decided it was best to avoid using it in the future.
As his thoughts drifted, John gazed out the window and saw a small ck dot approaching.
He blinked, rubbed his eyes, and then looked again to confirm what he was seeing.
A familiar flying car was speeding alongside the Hogwarts Express. Screams echoed from inside the vehicle.
"Mr. Wick, you''re flying in the wrong direction!"
"Not that, that''s a nosedive!"
John watched in disbelief as the flying car plummeted past the train and disappeared under a bridge.
He rubbed his eyes, as if he was doubting what he saw and confirming it again. "I think I just saw my dad."
If he wasn''t mistaken, the car had three upants: Harry, Ron, and his own father, Watson Wick.
With a stiff expression, John realized his father had boldly taken the flying car and was now in a high-speed chase alongside the train.
Did he really think this was the same as driving a car?
"We can only pray that Harry and Rone out of this in one piece after being with the Canary Wharf Car God..."
John sped his hands together in prayer, leaving Hermione confused.
"What did you just see?"
"They are with the Canary Wharf Car God? It means they are fine, right?" Neville asked.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you that there are more boats than cars there," John added.
"What? And what was that screme just now?" Seeing Hermione''s unease, John thoughtfully decided to forget the incident he had just witnessed.
"Oh, it was nothing Hermione, don''t worry. Harry and Ron will be fine."
''Probably''John added silently in his heart.
"Thank you, John."
Hermione realized she might be overreacting.
...
Harry and Ron regretted their decision. Why did they trust this seemingly reliable adult?
"John, John!"
Ron was so scared that he frantically called John''s name. He felt that only John could save them and make this crazy uncle stop.
Harry had hit his head on the car roof for the tenth time. The car''s material was incredibly durable, not even denting.
Of course, Harry''s head might give out sooner...
In contrast to the two boys, Watson was exhrated.
With one hand on the steering wheel, he effortlessly pushed the car''s speed to 200 mph.
"Canary Wharf car god forever!"
""AHHH!""
With a cheer, mixed with two helpless screams, they overshot their destination again.
...
Second years didn''t enter Hogwarts through the ck Lake but through a different route.
On the muddy path outside Hogsmeade Station, a line of horseless carriages waited.
Looking down the road, there were at least a hundred carriages.
The absence of horses made the carriages seem peculiar.
"What pulls these carriages?" Hermione asked curiously, sitting in the same carriage as John.
"It''s a Thestral, a magical creature," John said, staring at the Thestral in front of the carriage. He remembered that this creature could only be seen by those who had witnessed death firsthand.
''Could it be because of Quirrell?'' he wondered, recalling how he had watched Quirrell''s body being taken over by Voldemort.
A carriage could seat four people. After Neville got on, a blonde girl quickly took a seat before Ernie Macmin could.
"Hi, John, long time no see," Daphne said.
Despite trying to appear casual, her rush to get on the carriage revealed her true intention.
John smiled back at her. Despite being in the same house, he didn''t interact much with other Slytherins.
Aside from Malfoy and his two cronies, the person he talked to the most was Daphne, though even that wasn''t much, totaling less than ten sentences.
Hermione, seeing Daphne, immediately felt a sense of natural rivalry.
Women''s intuition can be unreasonable like that. Hermione red at Daphne.
In response, Daphne haughtily flipped her hair, her blonde locks shimmering like silk in the night.
Neville felt the air grow colder, wondering if it was because it was nighttime.
The inside of the carriage was dark, with a faint smell of mildew and straw.
Once all the students had boarded, the hundred carriages lined up in a row and made their way along the muddy path towards Hogwarts.
The Thestral-drawn carriages moved steadily towards the castle, and as they neared the main gate, John saw the winged boars nking the entrance.
Entering the main gate, the carriages traveled up the slope and finally stopped near the stone steps leading to the oak front doors of Hogwarts.
The students disembarked there and headed into the Great Hall. Soon after, the first-year students, brought by the boats, also entered the hall.
Hermione still hadn''t seen Harry or Ron, and with John seated at the Slytherin table, she felt even more uneasy.
At the Slytherin table, Malfoy had initially intended to sit next to John, but Daphne quickly imed the seat beside John.
"That''s my seat!" Malfoy protested.
Daphne gave him a dismissive nce, clearly indicating, "Move along."
"Ehm* Perhaps a different seat would offer a better view," Malfoy said, clearing his throat. Considering Daphne''s ancient pure-blood lineage, which matched his own, he swore it was his gentlemanly nature prompting him to yield.
Malfoy then took a seat opposite John. John remarked, "Draco, you''ve grown taller."
"Really? I think so too. How much taller do you think I''ve gotten?" Malfoy asked eagerly.
Talking about this made Malfoy genuinely happy.
To be honest, his height had never been enough to project the presence he desired.
He always felt that if he had John''s height, he could easily overpower the annoying scar-headed Potter.
John held his hand up to show a significant amount, then reconsidered and adjusted it to the width of two fingers. "About this much."
By the way, John had also grown taller, about the same two-finger width.
But Malfoy was still very pleased.
He excitedly shared his grand n for the term with John.
"My father promised to donate a batch of Nimbus 2001s to the team. Once I be the Seeker, we''ll definitely crush Potter."
Unbelievable wealth.
Malfoy''s move to directly double down on his investment had turned the Slytherin team into the new lords of the pitch.
What surprised John even more was how adeptly Malfoy yed the system with this tant backdoor move.
"I think with your skills, there''s no need to use backdoor tactics in your second year."
To be fair, Malfoy was quite good at flying. While not on par with Harry, he was among the best of the other students.
John''spliment pleased Malfoy immensely. He felt the same way, though Mr. Malfoy didn''t agree.
The Sorting Ceremony began, and John immediately spotted Ginny Weasley. Her red hair was just too noticeable.
Snape was nowhere to be found, and John guessed he was out looking for Harry and the others.
After all, besides Harry, who else could make Professor Snape act personally?
John soon got his answer.
Professor Snape stormed into the Great Hall with a dark expression.
"John Wick,e with me."
Even from a table''s length away, Malfoy could feel the oppressive aura emanating from their head of house.
He couldn''t help but ask quietly, "What did you do? I''ve never seen Professor Snape this angry. Don''t get us in trouble and lose points."
John thought for a moment.
He hadn''t done anything wrong. He''d been following the rules.
"No idea, but I have to go."
Under Daphne''s worried gaze, John left the Great Hall.
He was taken to Snape''s office, a ce filled with numerous jars and bottles, containing either valuable potion ingredients or parts cut from various creatures.
There, John saw his own father.
''Oh..''
Alright, now he understood why Professor Snape was furious.
Other people''s sons cause trouble for their fathers, but in his case, it was the father causing trouble for the son.
John couldn''t help but facepalm. Seeing the murderous look in Professor Snape''s eyes, he thought there might still be a chance to salvage the situation.
_______
Read 12 Chapters ahead of SH at
52: Punishment and Flying Boots
52: Punishment and Flying Boots
"I don''t think I''ll lose points for this, right?"
John asked sincerely, which made Professor Snape''s face darker.
"John Wick, your Muggle father broke into Hogwarts illegally and crashed into a very rare Whomping Willow."
Professor Snape''s mouth twitched, as if he was amazed at the Muggle driving a flying car.
He opened the evening edition of the Daily Prophet with a look of disdain and said, "Moreover, six or seven Muggles reported seeing an old car flying over the post office."
This incident involved the Statute of Secrecy, and having Watson Wick, a Muggle, enter Hogwarts was a severe vition of school rules.
John realized the gravity of the situation, especially since both Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore were involved.
Harry and Ron trembled, while Watson finally understood that he had made a mistake that might get his son in serious trouble.
"Professor, if there''s any punishment to be given, it should be to me. Don''t me the children!" Watson said righteously, making Harry and Ron think this adult was very reliable.
Professor McGonagall, with a stern expression, raised her wand. Harry feared she might turn him into a mute snuffbox.
However, Professor McGonagall only lit the firece and then asked everyone to sit down.
"Exin," shemanded.
Professor McGonagall''s expression was just as stern as when she caught them out of bedst school year. Harry and Ron felt there might still be a chance to exin themselves. "It''s not our fault. The barrier at the station wouldn''t let us through," Harry said.
He exined the problem with the barrier, but Professor McGonagall''s lips were white with anger as she coldly retorted, "Why didn''t you send an owl to inform us? I believe you have an owl, don''t you?"
Harry was left speechless, only now realizing that he could have done that.
Professor McGonagall then turned to Watson Wick, her mouth opening slightly as if to say something but then closing. She left the matter to be handled by Dumbledore, as he was the headmaster.
When Dumbledore arrived, his usual smile was absent. He addressed Watson Wick, "I''m sorry to meet you again under these circumstances, Mr. Wick." (A/N: Dumbles visited their house after John''s dragon blood awakening, remember?)
"This is entirely my fault, Professor Dumbledore," Watson admitted, feeling deeply ashamed.
Watson sighed and asked, "This won''t affect my child, will it?"
"Mr. Wick, if you were a student, I would be writing a letter to your parents. However, I will arrange for someone to escort you home and ask that you do not mention this incident to anyone."
This was good news; at least Watson wouldn''t need to have his memory modified. The news about a Muggle flying a car into Hogwarts also needed to be contained.
Dumbledore turned to John and softly said, "John, as punishment, you will be responsible for taking care of the Whomping Willow until it recovers."
Why did he have to take the fall for something his father did?
John felt helpless but agreed nheless. After all, Dumbledore was already being very lenient. Considering what Watson had done, it wouldn''t have been surprising if they had erased his memory and left him in the outskirts of London.
"I understand, Professor Dumbledore," John nodded obediently.
Dumbledore then looked at Harry and Ron, who were awaiting their verdict like condemned prisoners.
"We''re getting expelled, aren''t we?" Ron despaired.
Harry anxiously watched Dumbledore, who said sternly, "Not today, Mr. Weasley."
"But I must make you understand the seriousness of your actions. I will be writing to your families."
"And I must warn you both, if there is another incident like this, I will have no choice but to expel you."
This oue made Professor Snape feel as if he''d just eaten a Bertie Bott''s Every vor Bean with an earwax vor.
As for Ron Weasley, writing to his family would have a significant impact. But for Harry, whose only family consisted of his indifferent aunt and uncle, writing to them was essentially pointless.
What''s more, Professor McGonagall, citing that the two had arrived at school by flying car before the start of term, didn''t deduct a single point.
This was pure favoritism!
Professor Snape expressed serious objections. Seeing the gloomy expression on his head of house, John knew that Snape was itching to deduct points.
Surely he wouldn''t take it out on him, right?
There was only one Slytherin student present: himself. Harry and Ron were Gryffindors and under Professor McGonagall''s jurisdiction.
"Get Mr. Watson Wick to the station already!" Professor Snape snapped, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he saw John''s expression.
John wisely chose not to provoke him further and escorted his father, Watson Wick, to the station.
Hagrid was waiting there. When he saw John approaching, he waved enthusiastically.
"Hagrid, sorry to trouble you," John said, relieved to see him.
He earnestly added, "If my dad gets too noisy, feel free to knock him out. Thanks."
This filial act prompted protests from Watson Wick, while Hagrid chuckled awkwardly, assuring them he wouldn''t resort to such measures.
Facing Watson''s dissatisfaction, John swiftly neutralized the situation.
"I''ll write to Mom," he said calmly.
Watson fell silent immediately. When he returned home, Mrs. Wick, having received the letter, awaited him.
It was said that Watson took a week off from work after that day, iming he was sick.
...
Ding!
[Hogwarts Phase Two Task Activated: Survive the Second Year as a Magical Apprentice. Task Rewards: +1 Magical Blood, +3 Attribute Points]
Ding!
[Triggered Care Task: Take Care of the Whomping Willow Until It Recovers. Reward: get the blessing: Botanist]
[Botanist: Increases the sess rate of cultivating nts.]
Ding!
[Triggered Challenge Task: Maintain Top Grades Until the End of the Term. Reward: +1 Attribute Point, Diligent Schr Blessing]
[Diligent Schr: Studying continuously for more than two hours grants an efficiency boost for one hour.]
"System, you''re only activating now. Were you waiting to see if I''d get expelled?" John mused aloud.
After sending off his father, John''s Hogwarts Phase Two task was initiated.
He seriously suspected the system had only activated now because he was previously at risk of being expelled.
Thankfully, everything turned out well. Dumbledore wasn''t like Phineas Nigellus ck. If he were, John reckoned that three students would have been sent away today.
After all, being rated as the most disliked headmaster in history was a unique distinction.
John had missed the feast, so he decided to head to the kitchen to see if he could scrounge up a dinner.
The house-elves at Hogwarts were honored to serve Mr. Little Wizard.
After securing a meal, John didn''t return to his dormitory but instead went to the Room of Requirement.
After pacing three times in front of therge tapestry, John entered the training room.
It had been a while since he wasst there, and ayer of dust had umted.
Using magic, he swept the dust out the window and then drew the Iron Wick Sword from his small bag.
At the same time, he took out the flying boots and put them on his feet. Initially toorge, the boots adjusted to fit snugly once his feet were inside.
They felt perfectlyfortable, as if he weren''t wearing shoes at all.
"Abraxan feathers are lighter than spider silk, plus they have a levitation charm attatched," John noted.
He clicked his heels together, and two wings extended from the sides of the boots.
With a gentle leap, John soared three meters high, the small wings on his boots fluttering to keep him aloft.
Gripping the Iron Wick Sword, John recited an incantation to the de.
"I am the dragon."
As the incantation was uttered, the runes on the sword glowed red, and mes ignited along the de.
In the training room, ten enormous humanoid targets floated in the air. With a single, decisive stroke of his ming sword, John cleaved through the targets, leaving them split apart.
The mes licked along the cuts, setting the targets aze.
Without using his wand, John effortlessly destroyed all the humanoid targets.
As the fire consumed the remnants, Johnnded on the ground, surveying the damage he had inflicted.
He called out to the training room, "Difficulty mode."
This training room had four modes: Training, Beginner, Difficult, and Master.
The training mode featured static humanoid targets, suitable only for testing purposes.
The beginner mode introduced evasive maneuvers, while the difficult mode brought forth puppet-like attacking mannequins.
John had previously attempted the difficult mode but had always been hindered by the quality of his sword.
Now, with his new weapon, John decided to see if he could conquer the challenge.
As the order was issued, the human-shaped targets were taken back, and five wizard-like puppets walked out of the firece.
After the puppets appeared, they began to attack John.
_______
Read 12 chapters ahead at
53: Difficult Mode and Changes to the Training Ground
53: Difficult Mode and Changes to the Training Ground
One of the five dummies lunged forward, wielding a wooden sword and aiming a strike directly at John.
John raised his sword to block, then sidestepped to deflect the force, drawing his sword back to slice through the dummy''s waist.
"Faster and more powerful," he observed, turning to the now bisected dummy. He reflected on the boon he had acquired at the end of the previous school year.
[Knight: Significantly enhances power when wielding a sword with both hands; power is further amplified when used in conjunction with a mount.]
With the enhancement described using "significantly" twice, John silently acknowledged the worth of the boon he had risked his life to obtain.
Last term, he could barely keep from being overwhelmed by the dummies. The wooden swords they wielded were extraordinarily sturdy and heavy, capable of creating craters with each swing.
"Today, I''m clearing the difficult mode," John dered confidently.
The second dummy stepped forward, moving swiftly towards him.
John remained calm, then cast the spell...
"Reducto!"
A sh of white light struck the dummy, shattering it into pieces.
John, holding his wand in his left hand, observed the result with a nod of satisfaction.
"As my magical experience grows, the power of my spells has also increased."
Testing his spell''s strength hically seemed to have angered the remaining dummies.
In the next moment, three dummies charged at him simultaneously.
One possessed immense strength, another had incredible speed, and the third was agile and frequently shot spells at him.
John''s expression changed dramatically as he tried to fend off their attacks with his sword while also guarding against surprise assaults.
Under such fatigue, he quickly showed signs of defeat.
A red light spell from the wizard dummy hit him, sending him flying out of the training area.
The three attacking dummies halted, and John felt a wave of nausea and retched.
"Ugh"
He vomited, and a slimy nosebleed slug slid out of his mouth.
"Ugh, gross!"
The visual impact was intense, and John couldn''t help but vomit again.
This time, more slugs appeared, and he quickly grabbed his wand to break the curse.
Because of the training, he had removed his amulet and thus did not trigger the Shield Charm.
He didn''t expect the dummy to use a minor jinx, which was low on damage but high on insult.
At least John felt disgusted enough to want to tear the three dummies apart.
"One mage, one assassin, one warrior."
After breaking the curse, John cleaned up all the slugs on the ground.
His expression turned serious. These three roles were seamlessly coordinated.
One handled the frontal assault, another disrupted from the sides, and thest one delivered the main attacks.
Thisbination made John feel like a wild boss being ganged up on by a party.
He tried a few more times, and after the third time of dispelling the spell that caused his teeth to grow uncontrobly, John had no choice.
"Fighting three against one is tough; maybe leveling up will make it easier."
John''s pupils dted as he summoned the panel.
==========
[Magic Power: Level 3 (1085/1500)]
[Spells: Levitation Charm (Level 4), Transfiguration Charm (Level 2, Dragon Form avable), Disillusionment Charm (Level 4), Incendio (Level 4), Reducto (Level 3), Fiendfyre (Level 3), lumency (Level 4)...]
[Skills: Short Weapon Mastery (Level 7), Greatsword Mastery (Level 4), Firearm Proficiency (Level 1), Rune Mastery (Level 2), Alchemy Mastery (Level 2)]
[Blessings: Physical Fitness, Swift Attack, Precision, Academic Schr 2.0, Pilot, Long-distance Runner, Sword Dance, Night Stalker, Troll Nemesis, Knight, Fire Swallower, Intimidation, Hardening, Dragon Tongue]
===========
The Greatsword Mastery had always been at level 4. While sufficient, it still seemed inadequate against this particrbination.
John pondered whether to upgrade. He had only one point left, and using it now meant waiting until the next taskpletion to earn more.
"Oh well, there aren''t likely to be any immediate dangers at Hogwarts," he reasoned.
Fueled by a spirit of resilience and still feeling nauseated, John was determined to dismantle those three dummies to vent his frustration.
He lightly tapped on Greatsword Mastery, and instantly, his familiarity with the greatsword grew stronger.
Not only that, as he recalled the previous battle, John realized how foolish it was to think his defense had been perfect.
It was as if he had practiced thousands of times. Re-gripping his sword, John found his control over the weapon as natural as moving his own limbs.
"A weapon is an extension of one''s limbs."
He focused intently on the three dummies.
As he stepped forward again, the three dummies simultaneously turned their heads to John.
"Come on, ''''I am the dragon,,"
After the incantation, the rune glowed with a soft whisper, and the Ironwick Sword reignited in mes.
John took the initiative, charging forward like a wild stallion.
The warrior dummy met him head-on, swinging its sword downward.
John refused to back down. He held his sword with both hands and advanced instead of retreating, narrowly avoiding the wooden sword as his greatsword sliced through the air towards the warrior dummy.
At that moment, a red light flew towards John. He nted his right foot firmly, causing the red light to graze the de.
Immediately, the sound of breaking wind came from behindan attack from the assassin dummy.
John adjusted his sword, blocking the strike with the back of his de.
The warrior dummy recovered and attacked again. John used both hands to powerfully deflect the assassin, then swung his greatsword downwards, severing the warrior dummy''s sword-wielding arm.
The mage dummyunched another attack. Seizing the opportunity, John drew his wand and cast a Shield Charm to block the spell. Using his left foot as a pivot, he spun and swung his sword with his right hand.
The sword hilt slid through his palm and, just before it left his grip, he caught it by the pommel. This added an extra reach to the sword, allowing him to pierce the assassin dummy approaching from behind.
With one dummy incapacitated and another impaled, only the mage dummy remained, continuously casting spells.
John deflected the spells with the Shield Charm, using the opportunity to send a spell back, striking the one-armed warrior dummy and taking it out as well.
With each attack and block, John steadily closed the distance to the mage dummy. Although the mage could move, it was much slowerpared to the assassin.
John deflected another spell, countering with a white ball of light that struck the mage, sending it flying.
Capitalizing on this, John thrust the Ironwick Sword into the mage dummy, igniting it with searing mes.
Finally, he had cleared the stage.
John felt a wave of relief wash over him as he released a breath he didn''t realize he''d been holding.
John sat down, feeling refreshed and invigorated.
"It took a level 5 to get through that. What level would I need for the master level?"
John was increasingly curious about the master level. If the difficulty was already this high for the hard level, did the master level involve battling Voldemort?
That seemed unlikely.
As John sat on the ground, the wooden sword he had ced in the corner began to change. Therge, roughly shaped wooden sword gradually shrank, with excess parts falling away like skin to form a humanoid shape.
Meanwhile, in the headmaster''s office.
Dumbledore returned after finishing his tasks. As he entered, he noticed the Sword of Gryffindor trembling slightly.
Seeing this, Dumbledore walked towards the sword, a look of astonishment on his face.
"Albus."
The Sorting Hat, sitting nearby, suddenly spoke. Dumbledore turned to look at it, a realization dawning on him.
"Has he returned?"
"It''s not him; it''s his chamber that has been opened."
When it came to knowledge of Hogwarts, the Sorting Hat undoubtedly knew the most.
Dumbledore quickened his steps to the Sorting Hat''s side and asked, "Who?"
"I don''t know. You know the foundersalways secretive."
This statement made Dumbledore ponder deeply.
He knew that each of the four founders had left their own legacy at Hogwarts. Just as the Chamber of Secrets was Slytherin''s, the other three also had their own legacies.
And the "he" the Sorting Hat referred to was Gryffindor.
"Gryffindor''s chamber... Is it you, Harry?"
Dumbledore''s first thought was of Harry. In his view, the chamber would only open to a recognized sessor.
And Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, was the most likely candidate.
The Sword of Gryffindor ceased its trembling, and Dumbledore fell into deep thought.
"Could it be that you also sense the looming danger?"
....
John had rested enough and was ready to go back.
After getting up, John turned around and picked up the sword he had inserted into the puppet.
The me had gone out, and the red light on the spell dimmed.
He turned around and took a step and then stopped.
In front of him, the young man wearing a wizard hat was staring at him.
At that moment, John felt like he was being stared at by a lion.
______
12 Advance Chapters-
54: Inheritance Test and Howler
54: Inheritance Test and Howler
The man had red hair that cascaded over his shoulders, a handsome and dashing face, and a short beard on his chin.
Pieces of wood-like skin adhered to his body, making him resemble a wooden figure.
rm bells rang in John''s mind. He gripped his sword tightly, his left hand holding his wand, ready to cast a spell at any moment.
"Who are you?"
Thest piece of wooden skin adhered to his face, transforming the once thick wooden sword into a slender wand.
The man opened his eyes, which were bright and sharp, and his first words were, "You must be a Gryffindor!"
"Uh... I''m a Slytherin."
"Slytherin?"
The man looked at John in bewilderment, holding arge sword in his right hand and a wand in his left. This was clearly his own fighting style, and yet John imed to be a Slytherin?
Godric Gryffindor burst into heartyughter. "Don''t try to fool me. You passed the test I left behind. My hat would never ce you in Slytherin."
He was confident it was a joke by the young wizard, but John sensed something amiss.
"Your hat?"
"The Sorting Hat?"
John tentatively asked, "May I ask who you are?"
"Godric Gryffindor. If you prefer, you can call me the old headmaster."
Gryffindor, who appeared to be in his prime, habitually reached up to stroke his ''long'' beard but remembered that this body was made to resemble his younger self with a short beard, not his old long one, so he stopped.
"One of the Four Founders?!" John was greatly shocked.
"You could call me that. This is the chamber I left behind. How do you find it? By the way, how''s Gryffindor House doing these days? Have we beaten Slytherin for the House Cup?"
Gryffindor still thought John was a Gryffindor student. The mere mention of his old friend Szar Slytherin made him snort in disdain.
It seemed the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin was long-standing, dating back to the very founding of the school.
Seeing Gryffindor''s disdain for Slytherin, John quietly pointed to the green on his robe and said, "I really am in Slytherin. Look."
The prominent green and silver on his wizarding robe stood out starkly. Gryffindor''s expression soured instantly.
"Damn it, is my hat broken? It sorted you into Slytherin?"
Even Gryffindor himself now seriously doubted if his Sorting Hat had malfunctioned.
John didn''t know what to say, so he just gave an awkward smile.
The fact that the student who had passed the test and brought him back wasn''t a Gryffindor made Godric Gryffindor a bit ufortable. However, the chamber he left behind was intended to be open to the entire school, aiming to find an excellent sessor.
Even if that sessor was from Slytherin, he had to ept it.
"Alright, you passed the test and are eligible to inherit my legacy."
Gryffindor waved his wand lightly, and the fallen mannequins returned to normal and walked into the firece. Two chairs were conjured out of thin air.
He sat in one of the chairs, holding his wand like it was a branch.
"As long as youplete the next test, I will grant you the power you seek."
John sat down in the chair opposite Gryffindor. After hearing this, he hesitated for a moment and then asked, "I want to ask, if I ept your test, will I be expelled from Slytherin?"
Gryffindor nonchntly said, "Expulsion would be fine. After all, pure-blood families generally aren''t short of money."
"Um, Gryffindor Headmaster, I''m a Muggle-born."
"What?!"
Gryffindor was stunned. It was one thing to be a Slytherin, but to be a Muggle-born as well?
What exactly had happened at Hogwarts during his absence for a Muggle-born to be sorted into Slytherin?
Feeling overwhelmed by the information, Gryffindor needed a moment to process everything. The more he thought about it, the more confused he became.
"Could it be that Gryffindor and Slytherin swapped names?"
He looked at John again, and the more he looked, the more usible it seemed.
Godric Gryffindor had a boyish personality. He and Szar Slytherin were opposites yet best friendsone was brave, the other was calm; one sought adventure, the other craved magic.
Though they eventually went their separate ways, it was an amicable split.
Gryffindor decided not to dwell on it any longer and said, "Don''t worry. My legacy is open to the whole school, so you won''t be expelled."
"Alright."
John felt relieved knowing he wouldn''t be expelled. Though the inheritance was tempting, getting expelled would be disastrous, especially once Voldemort was resurrected.
"The trials are threefold: The Bird in the Forest, The Lion in the Mountain, and The Sword of the Brave."
"During the trials, I will observe your performance," Gryffindor said, preparing to wave his wand.
John raised his hand to interrupt him, apologetically saying, "I''m sorry, Headmaster Gryffindor, but I can''t take the trial right now. It''s time for bed."
Gryffindor held back his words, his actions halted mid-motion by John''s interruption.
"Then let''s do it another time!" Gryffindor finally said after a long pause.
"Thank you, Headmaster Gryffindor."
John stood up, bowed, and left. The idea of starting the trial had initially startled him.
Ding!
[Challenge Task Triggered: Gryffindor Legacy Phase One, The Bird in the Forest. Reward: AP +1, Blessing: Flying Man in the Forest]
John wasn''t willing to take the risk without his protective charms and full equipment.
Caution is the key to longevity.
Returning to the dormitory, John decided to rest and regain his energy before continuing.
...
The next day.
John arrived at the Great Hall for breakfast, which was quite sumptuous, with porridge and pickled herring, as well as bread, eggs, and bacon.
Though having pickled herring in the morning felt somewhat like eating snail noodles with porridge, John had long gotten used to it. His stomach was as strong as iron by now.
As he ate his bread with porridge, a blonde girl sat down next to him.
Daphne stared at John''s handsome profile and inexplicably started tough.
Casually, she said, "John, did you know our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is Gilderoy Lockhart? My mother absolutely loves him."
John took a sip of his porridge, paired it with some cut bacon, and calmly replied, "I''ve read his books. They are well-written, but I''m not sure about his teaching skills."
Changing the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher every year resulted in students having varying levels of proficiency in the subject.
John couldn''t understand why the school was so stubborn about it. Couldn''t they just change the name and teach the same course? Calling it Dark Arts Countermeasures would work just as well.
Voldemort''s curse is on the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor; what does that have to do with my professor of Dark Arts Countermeasures?
Whether the curse is real or not is uncertain, but the fact that there''s a new professor each year is undeniable.
Last year''s professor, Quirrell, wasn''t serious about teaching. Johnter studied Dark Arts with him and knew that Quirrell was quite skilled; he just pretended to be ipetent.
Malfoy approached with his two cronies, excitedly telling John, " Hey John! Potter and that annoying Weasley got into trouble this time. They flew a car to school. It''s a shame you weren''t in the Great Hall yesterday."
''It''s good this kid doesn''t know it was my father who drove that car....''
News spread quickly, and that night, Gryffindor celebrated Harry''s reckless behavior.
Harry realized he''d done something stupid, and the consequence was Hermione getting angry.
As the brains of their trio, Hermione couldn''t believe someone could be so foolish.
She sulkily read "Voyages with Vampires,"pletely enamored with the book and its author, Gilderoy Lockhart.
Today, the post arrived, and hundreds of owls crowded into the Great Hall, creating a chaotic scene overhead.
An elderly owl flew toward Gryffindor, intending tond, but instead plunged headfirst into Hermione''s milk jug.
"Errol!"
The elderly owl belonged to the Weasleys. Ron rescued it and saw the red envelope it was holding.
A Howler.
There was going to be a show. John noticed Malfoy change direction, looking ready to enjoy the drama.
"Haha, a Howler! Weasley is in for it," Malfoy gloated, and his cronies mimicked crying faces in mock sympathy.
Ron held the Howler, not wanting to open it. Neville quietly advised, "You''d better open it. It''s worse if you don''t. My gran sent me one once, and I ignored it, and..."
Remembering the terrifying scene, Neville shivered.
Ron swallowed hard, already dreading the oue.
With trembling hands, he opened the Howler.
The enormous roar from within made the entire Great Hall shudder. John watched as a bit of ash fell into his porridge. Without a word, he switched it with Malfoy''s bowl.
Malfoy, thoroughly enjoying Weasley''s misery, picked up the porridge and took a big sip. It was gone in just a few gulps, but he seemed to relish every moment of it.
______
Read 12 Chapters Ahead at
55: Whomping Willow
55: Whomping Willow
The first ss was the History of Magic. John went to see the Whomping Willow that was hit by his father before ss.
The Whomping Willow is arge, violent tree on the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Itshes out at anything thates too close.
When John arrived at the Whomping Willow, he saw two people already there.
"I once encountered a Whomping Willow on my travels. You just have to do this..."
"Stop it! You''ll only make it angrier!"
"Don''t worry. I''m Gilderoy Lockhart, holder of the Order of Merlin, Third ss, and winner of Witch Weekly''s Most Charming Smile Award."
Boom!
"Strange, why isn''t it working?Ah!"
"Shut up!Ugh!!"
Smack!
p!
John watched as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, who imed to know everything, pulled out his wand and cast a spell, sessfully enraging the Whomping Willow.
The Herbology professor, Professor Sprout, who was there as well, got caught in the chaos and was flung away by the tree.
At that moment, Professor Sprout felt a strong urge to strangle Lockhart. This former Ravenw student was proving to be a know-it-all with more confidence than sense.
Professor Sprout was utterly exasperated. She couldn''t fathom why Dumbledore would bring back this disgrace to Ravenw to teach.
"It''s fine, Professor Sprout. I''ve traveled with trolls before; treating such injuries is a piece of cake for me."
"Stop it, don''te any closer!"
Professor Sprout, despite her short and stout frame, managed to muster an incredible amount of strength, scrambling out of the Whomping Willow''s attack range.
She was genuinely terrified. If this continued, either the Whomping Willow or she herself would end up dead.
Using the excuse that ss was about to start, she hastily urged the annoying man to leave.
"That know-it-all is the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?"
John had witnessed the entire fiasco of Lockhart endangering a seasoned Herbology professor and was now deep in thought.
"Even if they rece the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor every year, surely they wouldn''t hire someone like this?"
Reflecting on the Lockhart books he''d read, John seriously doubted if this Lockhart was the same person who wrote those books.
"Could there be ghostwriters in the magical world too?"
With this seed of suspicion nted, John approached the Whomping Willow after the two had left.
John had seen on the Marauder''s Map that there was a hidden passageway beneath the Whomping Willow, but figuring out how to approach it was the problem.
The Whomping Willow was extremely aggressive. Its branches, normally upright, were now drooping in several cesno doubt due to his father''s earlier collision.
As John moved closer, one of the branchesshed out at him. He quickly stepped back to avoid it, watching as the Whomping Willow''s thrashing branches made it clear that it was not to be trifled with.
"It''s so sensitive and active. If I could use it to make a protective charm, it might have some unexpected effects," he mused, rubbing his chin and eyeing the damaged area of the tree.
John was already plotting where he could take a piece of the tree. As for treating the Whomping Willow, he figured a bit of damage was quite normal.
Drawing his wand with his left hand and unsheathing his sword, he cast, "Petrificus Totalus."
The branch stopped mid-swing. Seizing the moment, John used his flying boots to leap up and quickly cut off a piece of the broken branch.
Afterpleting this task, he used his flying boots to swiftly retreat. The Whomping Willow, recovering from the spell, resumed its furious thrashing, looking like a chaotic dance of angry branches.
"Alright, alright, I just needed to study you to see how I can help treat you," John said, trying to soothe the enraged tree from a safe distance.
John feltpletely justified, even thinking that the Whomping Willow was being overly petty.
''It''s such a big tree, what''s the harm in giving me a little piece? Hmph!'' he thought.
Waving his hand dismissively, John tucked the branch into his small backpack and turned to leave without a second thought.
As for treating the Whomping Willow, he realized that this specialized problem might require a more professional touch. Professor Sprout seemed like an excellent choice for this task.
With ss time approaching, John, familiar with all the secret passages of Hogwarts, was not in the least bit worried.
He arrived just in time, stepping into the ssroom at thest possible moment before History of Magic began.
Professor Binns, who had once fallen asleep and forgotten to take his body with him when he woke up, was now teaching I a ghostly state. His lessons were as lifeless and monotonous as his ghostly appearance, making it difficult for anyone to stay awake.
Even John struggled to stay awake, pretending to read the History of Magic textbook while actually studying his alchemy notes.
After enduring History of Magic, the afternoon brought Defense Against the Dark Arts.
During lunch, Ron was muttering curses at his broken wand.
"My mother always said Lockhart was a brave wizard," Ronined.
Unlike the expectant Daphne, John, recalling the scene he witnessed that morning, had no expectations whatsoever for the Defense Against the Dark Arts ss.
He meticulously peeled a potato, then popped it into his mouth.
Malfoy wasn''t around because he had gone off to mock Harry.
This morning, Harry had been caught by Lockhart and used for more publicity, which made young Malfoy intensely jealous.
Daphne had forgotten to bring her mother''s new book, "Magical Me," for Lockhart to sign, so she went back to get it.
Hermione, carrying Lockhart''s book, walked over with a slight blush on her face, full of anticipation. "I wonder what kind of exciting lesson Professor Lockhart will bring us, just like the adventures in his books."
"Uh... that might be a bit difficult," John hesitated to tell her the truth.
Seeing Hermione''s love-struck expression, he thought she might be devastated when she learned the reality.
Usually, Hermione would pick up on the implication in John''s words, but now she was too engrossed in her admiration for Lockhart.
John found it amusing. If this moment were captured on film, it would be an excellent piece of scandalous material when Hermione became Minister of Magic.
Meanwhile, Harry was having a rough time, not just because of Malfoy''s taunting but also because of the awkwardness caused by Lockhart''s arrival.
Colin Creevey, a first-year Gryffindor student, was also Harry Potter''s ardent admirer.
Colin snapped pictures of Harry with his camera, and when Lockhart arrived, he even asked Colin to take a photo of the two of them together. This made Harry extremely ufortable.
As the afternoon ss bell rang, Lockhart, feeling quite pleased with himself, walked off with Harry under his arm. Ron and Hermione were left behind, as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor seemed to relish the attention.
John finished hisst potato and joined Ron, who was red-faced from Malfoy''s taunting.
"Don''t let it bother you, Ron. I heard your wand is broken?" John asked.
Ron, looking dejected, pulled out his wand, which was broken in two.
John examined the wand and noticed that the core was still intact, which was good news. Given that the damage was caused by his own father, John felt a responsibility to help fix it.
After inspecting the wand for a moment, John said, "I''m currently learning wand-making. I might be able to help repair it."
"Really? That would be amazing! Thank you, John!" Ron eximed, overjoyed. He knew that if Mrs. Weasley found out he had broken his wand, she might send another Howler.
This was like a lifeline, and Ron was extremely grateful.
"ss is about to start. I''ll help you fix it once I gather the materials," John said, returning the wand to Ron. The group headed to their Defense Against the Dark Arts ss, which they had with another house.
The new ssroom was adorned with photos, all featuring none other than Gilderoy Lockhart.
...
Shortly after entering the ssroom, Lockhart arrived. Unlike other professors, he wore a mboyant, sky-blue robe with a matching hat edged in gold, and his shiny blond hair was meticulously styled.
Malfoy scowled, still bitter about Lockhart''s photo op with Harry, and let out a disapproving sound.
In stark contrast, the girls were enthralled. Their eyes sparkled, and their cheeks flushed; they were clearly starstruck. Many of them, or their mothers, were fans of Lockhart''s books.
As a fraud, Lockhart excelled at memory charms, but he also had striking looks that won him admirers.
His mboyant appearance was matched by his grandiose self-introduction.
"I am Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third ss, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League."
"Five-time winner of Witch Weekly''s Most Charming Smile Award though I don''t talk about that. I didn''t get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her."
He ended with ame joke that unfortunately went over everyone''s heads.
John was speechless. After such a lengthy introduction, the only somewhat useful information was his honorary membership in the Dark Force Defense League. Otherwise, he seemed like aplete show-off.
John''s suspicions were quickly confirmed when Lockhart''s first lesson turned out to be a quiz.
The content of the quiz left John bewildered.
1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart''s favorite color?
2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart''s secret ambition?
3. What do you think is Gilderoy Lockhart''s greatest achievement so far?
What kind of nonsense is this? Are you sure you''re here to teach a ss and not to host a fan meeting?
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56: Pixies and Deterrence
56: Pixies and Deterrence
"Tsk, tsk, almost no one remembers my favorite color is lc. I mentioned it in ''Year with the Yeti''."
"Several students need to read ''Wanderings with Werewolves'' more carefully. In Chapter 12, I clearly state that my ideal birthday gift is peace between all magical and non-magical people. Though, I wouldn''t refuse arge bottle of Ogden''s Old Firewhiskey!"
Lockhart reviewed the quiz papers, expressing extreme disappointment that most students couldn''t answer his ''simple'' questions. However, he yfully winked tofort the young wizards.
At this point, even Ron wasn''t the only one struggling to keep it together; the other young wizards were close to losing it too. The entire ss, except for Hermione, was visibly disinterested. When Lockhart suddenly mentioned her name, Hermione jumped in surprise.
"But Miss Hermione Granger knows my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and to market my own range of hair care potions."
Lockhart looked at the quiz paper with delight and satisfaction, recognizing that outstanding individuals stand out no matter where they are.
He cheerfully said, "One hundred points! Where is Hermione Granger?"
Hermione, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness, raised her hand. Lockhart smiled and added, "Excellent! Ten points to Gryffindor!"
This acknowledgment made Hermione tremble with excitement, as it was the first time she had earned points before John.
Immediately, Hermione nced at John, her eyes filled with a sense of hard-won victory. John saw the challenge in her eyes and thought to himself, ''This is not good.''
Miss Know-it-all Hermione Granger was back in full force, and she saw a chance to outshine John.
Over on the other side, Lockhart, unaware that his unintentional action had restored the confidence of a heartbroken top student, ced arge cage covered with a cloth on the podium, dramatically using his bodynguage to draw attention.
"Now, beware! My task is to teach you to defend against the most evil things known to the wizarding world! In this ssroom, you will face the most terrifying creatures!"
His words carried a tone of intimidation, seemingly intended to scare the young wizards.
Perhaps thinking he might have gone too far, he shifted his tone, exuding boundless confidence, and said, "But remember, as long as I''m here, you won''t be harmed. I only ask you to stay calm."
Some of the young wizards were frightened by his words, and theughter ceased. Neville, in the front row, felt very insecure and shrank back.
"I must ask you not to scream, as that would provoke them!"
He emphasized again in a low, intimidating voice, finally creating an atmosphere of sufficient terror that made the whole ss hold their breath.
With everyone watching nervously, he opened the cover...
"Pfft!"
Seamus rarelyughed out loud in ss, unless he couldn''t help it.
In the setting created by Lockhart, as if he had caught a bunch of Dementors, what was actually under the cover was a group of Cornish Pixies.
These pixies were a bright blue color, with small pointed faces and shrill, high-pitched voices, chattering like a bunch of noisy parakeets.
But even with their appearance, it couldn''t change the fact that they were just little creatures no more than eight inches tall.
Seamus''sughter made Lockhart feel a bit embarrassed, and he said with a touch of irritation, "They can be just as cunning as devils!"
But his words only elicited moreughter, which left Lockhart somewhat annoyed, swearing to himself that he meant no harm.
Raising his voice, he dered, "Alright, let''s see how you deal with them!"
He opened the cage, intending to let the students have a taste of the mischief, but the released pixies immediately caused chaos.
They zoomed around the ssroom like tiny fireworks, yanking on the students'' ears and lifting them up. Some darted out of the windows, shattering the ss and scattering shards everywhere.
Lockhart wasn''t wrong; these creatures were like little demons when it came to causing havoc.
Ink sttered all over the ce, and a pixie flew towards John, attempting to grab his ear. With just a stern nce from John, his intimidation took effect, and the pixie quivered in fear.
Cornish Pixies wouldn''t dare to touch the whiskers of a dragon, so the frightened pixie squealed and flew away.
Lockhart frantically directed the students to gather the pixies, chanting improvised spells in an attempt to regain control.
It waspletely ineffective, and poor Neville was lifted by his ears.
John frowned as he saw a pixie chasing a girl with a bottle of ink.
"Enough!"
In the midst of the chaos, John stood up.
With a cold shout, he released a wave of dragon-like intimidation that froze all the mischievous pixies in ce.
Lockhart felt as if he was facing a fire-breathing dragon, and he screamed in terror, running out of the room.
The pixies, even more terrified, huddled together on the ground, trembling pitifully.
Without anger but full of authority, John ended the chaos.
He drew his wand and cast spells at the pixies trying to escape.
With a transfiguration spell, he turned a desk into a cage, trapping the pixies inside.
The ss bell rang, snapping the students out of their daze. John, under the gaze of many students, walked to the door and then, with some curiosity, said, "Aren''t you leaving?"
"Oh, right."
The students, finally reacting, showed varied responses. Daphne stared at John with wide eyes, and even Malfoy shut his gaping mouth.
Slytherin students cheered, seeing John as the savior of the lesson.
"Cool, that was awesome!"
Seamus in Gryffindor eximed excitedly, "Did you see that? John just said one word and the pixies were too scared to move."
"I felt like he was a fire-breathing dragon, it was terrifying," added Harry.
Harry had the same feeling, even though he had never seen an adult dragon before. For a moment, he felt like he was facing an adult Norwegian Ridgeback.
Ron, still shaken, was scared not only by John but also by Lockhart''s terrible teaching.
"I never want to attend Lockhart''s ss again; it''s a nightmare."
Hermione tried to defend her idol, "Maybe he just wanted to give us a practical experience, perhaps."
The more she spoke, the less confident she felt. Ronughed angrily, "Practical experience? He ran away himself."
Harry added, "I think he was scared off by John."
Two of the trio had strong opinions against Lockhart, and Hermione began to reconsider if she had chosen the right person to idolize.
Ron even started to doubt if Lockhart had actually done any of the things he wrote about in his books.
...
"Intimidation is very effective against low-level magical creatures," John thought.
John''s shout had frozen the pixies in ce, which was an outstanding result.
He realized that intimidation could be used as a group Petrification Charm for dealing with minor nuisances. This kind of intimidation came naturally from his bloodline.
Using his innate strength to exert pressure, John considered it another divine skill.
The afternoon sses ended in a state of chaos.
John headed to the greenhouse for Herbology and grabbed tworge buckets of dragon dung to take to the Whomping Willow.
Since Dumbledore had tasked him with taking care of the Whomping Willow until it recovered, John didn''t shirk his responsibility.
Upon reaching the Whomping Willow, John didn''t immediately use his wand to immobilize it. Instead, he activated his intimidation and shouted, "Stop!"
Even before he stepped into the Whomping Willow''s range, it started to wildly thrash its branches as if it had been provoked.
Unable to approach, John had to use the Petrification Charm to immobilize the Whomping Willow.
"It seems my intimidation isn''t enough to stop the Whomping Willow," John thought.
He realized that, given the Whomping Willow''s naturally aggressive nature, his intimidation might actually have the opposite effect.
He poured the dragon dung around the base of the Whomping Willow, knowing that it was beneficial for nts.
Once he stepped out of its range, the Whomping Willow calmed down.
John nodded, satisfied that he had fulfilled his duty.
Back in his dormitory, John refined the Whomping Willow''s branches into a type of alert amulet that would warn him of approaching danger.
This amulet was more sensitive than the one made from the tail of a st-Ended Skrewt, even detecting malicious intent.
"Now I can try to tackle it," John thought.
Remembering the trials of Gryffindor and the tasks given by System about a forest, John prepared himself thoroughly.
With his handy bag, he packed various potions, including antidotes and fire protection.
Once everything was ready, he headed to the Room of Requirement on the seventh floor.
He silently repeated "training ground" three times in his mind, and a door appeared before him.
Inside, Godric Gryffindor was waiting.
John nodded and said, "I''m ready. Start the trial."
With a wave of Gryffindor''s wand, the Room of Requirement transformed instantly.
Vegetation grew, encasing the training ground, and trees sprang up from the ground.
The changes continued for a while, and when everything finally settled, John found himself in a vast forest.
It was the first time John realized that the Room of Requirement could be used in this way.
If he hadn''t seen it with his own eyes, he might have thought he had been transported to the Forbidden Forest... No, a different ce simr to it!
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Read 12 Advance Chapters
57: The Bird in the Forest and the Lion in the Mountain
57: The Bird in the Forest and the Lion in the Mountain
Many thanks to Dersbyth and Adrian for bing new Patreon members!??
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Gryffindor stood beside John, settlingfortably on a tree and said, "Heh! In this forest, there is a small golden bird called the Golden Snidget. You need to find it."
"...Are you sure it''s here?" John nced at the enormous forest, which resembled the Forbidden Forest. Finding a person here would be difficult enough, let alone a bird the size of a Golden Snitch.
"Hahaha! Of course, it''s here. Now don''t tell me you are already feeling distressed. Ah! And one more thing, you''d better find it before nightfall, or other things will appear."
With that, Gryffindor looked like he was enjoying the show. John decided to start searching right away.
He began his search in the forest. The Golden Snidget was a very fast bird, much like the Golden Snitch, making it hard to catch.
Finding a Golden Snitch in Quidditch was already a headache, and now John felt like he was searching for a needle in a haystack.
After walking for a long time without any sign of the Golden Snidget, John decided to change his approach.
He raised his wand and aimed at a tree.
"Reducto!"
The white light hit the tree, instantly sting it apart. The massive disturbance caused a flock of birds to take flight.
John carefully watched the flock of birds but saw no golden glimmers among them.
"In that case, let''s have a bombardment," he said.
Without hesitation, John used his flying boots to ascend into the air and began bombarding in all directions.
Each Reducto spellnded on the ground, causing explosions and shaking the forest.
Even Gryffindor was taken aback by his approach, surprised that someone would choose such a direct method to find the Golden Snidget.
However, upon closer thought, John''s method made sense.
The Golden Snidget was a sensitive bird with incredibly fast flight.
Before danger could arrive, the Golden Snidget would likely have already evaded by flying away.
In other words, John''s approach, though seemingly reckless, was actually quite clever.
"A wise wizard, quickly spotting the most efficient method. But you''re still too young," Gryffindor murmured with a smile.
"This method is indeed efficient, but it consumes a lot of magic. You can''t sustain it for long."
A human-shaped bomber?
Gryffindor was ready to watch John run out of steam and fail.
However, after a while, as John''s magic began to deplete, he pulled out a small bag and retrieved a bottle of restorative potion.
"Glug glug glug."
With one swift gulp, John''s magical energy started to replenish.
Immediately, he began a new round of bombardments.
Gryffindor was stunned by this maneuver. "I can''t believe he has more."
He couldn''t fathom how someone could sustain such a relentless attack, even with potions.
As John downed one bottle after another, Gryffindor became increasingly bewildered.
"Isn''t he supposed to be Muggle-born? How does he have more potions than ancient pure-blood families?"
John drank at least a dozen bottles of restorative potion, leaving the forest in ruins.
Finally, after finishing yet another bottle, a sh of gold darted out of the forest.
With his dragon blood-enhanced vision, John locked onto the golden figure and, without hesitation, activated his flying boots to chase after it.
The Golden Snidget darted through the forest with incredible speed, weaving deftly among the trees and widening the distance between itself and John.
For hours, John chased it but couldn''t catch up. As night began to fall, strange noises echoed through the forest.
Suddenly, a creature with bird feathers and running on two legs burst out. It resembled a feathered dragon. John drew his wand and attacked the creature, hitting it with a precise spell that sent it flying.
However, soon more of these bird-like creatures emerged. Even when hit by sting spells, they would get back up after a while and continue their pursuit.
"Erkling," John identified the creatures.
Increasing his magical output, he unleashed a powerful spell to create a path. Seizing the moment, he flew higher. The Golden Snidget was now just a dot on the horizon.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
He aimed spells at the Snidget''s location, but the bird was too agile. Not even the best broomstick could easily catch it, especially with the interference from the Erkling.
Thinking quickly, John cast a fire spell at the forest below.
mes engulfed a tree, then spread to the next, and the next. The fire expanded, causing the Erklings to shriek and flutter in panic as they were scorched by the spreading mes.
Some of the creatures were also ovee by the thick smoke and plummeted to the ground.
The Golden Snidget flew quickly, but with the interference gone, John could fly at full speed. He adjusted his flying boots to their maximum speed and,bined with the mes and smoke disorienting the Snidget, the bird gradually grew tired.
As its wings stopped pping, the Golden Snidget began to fall.
John caught it just before it fell into the inferno, sessfullypleting the trial.
However, the forest was now engulfed in mes, causing Godric Gryffindor to frown.
"Aguamenti!"
John summoned a huge water ball and directed it toward the fire.
Seeing this, Gryffindor''s frown finally eased.
"He may use drastic measures to achieve victory, but he also takes steps to remedy the aftermath," Gryffindor thought to himself.
John controlled the fire andnded in front of Gryffindor, holding out his hand where a small golden bird was attempting to stand.
"You havepleted the trial of the Golden Snidget in the forest."
Gryffindor nodded and waved his wand, dispersing the forest scene.
[Ding, challenge task triggered: Gryffindor Legacy Phase Two, Lion in the Mountains, reward: +1 AP, Blessing: Heavy Strike]
Gryffindor said, "A lion does notck courage or strength. The lion in the mountains must be stronger than the others. You need to prove to me that you have sufficient power."
"I want you to climb the mountain."
After speaking, Gryffindor waved his wand again.
A towering peak rose up, transforming the Room of Requirement into a mountainousndscape.
Gryffindor pointed his wand at several of John''s alchemical items, removing his protective amulet and flying boots.
"Your alchemical skills are excellent, but you won''t need them now."
Climbing the mountain with flying boots would be cheating.
John was speechless. How could his alchemical skills not count as his own strength?
Looking at the towering mountain, he took a deep breath, and as he exhaled, his breath turned white.
"Is it getting colder?"
He nced around in surprise, noticing snowkes drifting down. John realized that if he didn''t speed up, he might notplete the trial.
Reaching the foot of the mountain, he began his ascent step by step.
The snow grew heavier, apanied by howling winds. John felt his body freezing.
At first, he could still see the path, but as time went on, everything in front of him turned white.
John struggled forward.
On the way, he encountered a white-furred yeti.
The yeti roared and charged at John. If it hit him, John would be out ofmission for a while.
With a stern expression, John dodged the yeti''s charge at thest moment. Without hesitation, he drew his wand and cast a spell at the yeti''s head.
The yeti tumbled down the mountain, forming a giant snowball.
John thought it was over, but when he turned around, he saw a whole group of white-furred yetis.
"You call this a test?"
John''s lips moved, but he refrained from cursing.
John cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself, intending to sneak around the yetis.
However, he underestimated their sense of smell. As he passed by, one of the yetis detected him.
The yeti opened its mouth to roar, but John''s piercing gaze stopped it in its tracks, activating his intimidation.
The white-furred yeti froze, and John had already drawn the Sword Iron Wick.
"Ego sum draco." (A/N: I changed the rune enchantment - "I am the dragon" to its Latin trantion)
mes ignited along the de, and John shed through the yeti''s body.
The yeti fell, its wounds engulfed in fire.
"It seems intimidation works on these Yetis."
John''s eyes narrowed dangerously. A group of yetis blocked his path, and he decided not to hold back any longer.
Gripping the sword with both hands, he shouted, "Come on!"
His intimidation activated, causing every yeti he looked at to freeze.
With the Sword of Iron Wick continuously shing, the number of yetis visibly dwindled.
In the end, there were no snowmen standing next to John.
He held the sword tightly and walked towards the top of the mountain step by step.
Gryffindor also saw this scene. He climbed to the top of the mountain and the snow stopped.
Gryffindor was already waiting for him here, and now there was only onest test left.
The brave sword.
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58: The Legacy
58: The Legacy
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[Ding, challenge task triggered: Gryffindor''s Legacy Phase Three, The Brave of the Sword, reward: +1 AP, Blessing: Seeker]
The mountain vanished, returning them to the original training ground.
Gryffindor stood aside, pping. "I didn''t expect you to make it this far."
"This is the final challenge: Master Mode."
Master Mode?
John looked at Gryffindor. With his current strength, the oue against Master Mode was uncertain.
However, he was confident he could easily pass thebination of difficulties he had faced before.
Gryffindor returned all the alchemical equipment to John. With the protection of the talismans, Master Mode was not out of reach.
Meanwhile, Master Mode began.
John thought he would face another puppet or something simr, but instead, Gryffindor walked to the center of the training ground.
"Come on," Gryffindor beckoned to John.
John was stunned. The opponent in Master Mode was Gryffindor himself?
Da fuk..?
"I protest, there''s a referee entering the fight."
John''s heart sank. Even though he was much stronger than he had been in his first year, he didn''t think he could contend with one of the four founders of Hogwarts.
Especially not with Gryffindor, who was known for being the most skilled in dueling among the four.
Having struggled through the first two challenges, he couldn''t stop now.
With heavy steps, John walked into the training ground.
Gryffindor stood there with just a wand that looked like a tree branch. He smiled lightly, "I admire your courage. Rest assured, I am but a fraction of my former self. Nowhere near as strong as you imagine."
Gryffindor was very pleased with John. Facing formidable challenges head-on was the true mark of Gryffindor courage.
Listening to theforting words, John felt there was quite a bit of exaggeration, but it also gave him the confidence to try.
"Please wait a moment."
John took out his small bag and fished out a bottle of enhancement potion.
In front of Gryffindor, he drank the enhancement potion.
Gryffindor was indifferent. Although such behavior of drinking potions before a fight seemed overly cautious, he thought, ''He''s just a young wizard. How much can he improve with these potions?''
Over the next half minute, Gryffindor watched as John gulped down bottle after bottle of potions.
Had John known how to brew Felix Felicis, he might have drunk that too.
Fire resistance potion, enhancement potion, restorative potion...
John drank every potion he had that could boost his strength.
"I''m ready."
Now brimming with power, John held his sword in his right hand and his wand in his left.
Looking at the figure before him, Gryffindor felt like he was looking into a mirror.
A slight smile appeared on his lips as he raised his wand to his chest and said, "I hope your teacher has taught you about dueling."
The mutual salute before a duel was essential.
After all, John had dueled before.
John raised his wand to his chest, the two saluted each other, then turned and walked away.
When the count reached ten, John turned around instantly and saw a sh of red light in his vision.
His amulet activated at once, and a Shield Charm deflected the attack.
Cold sweat broke out on John''s back. That was fast.
"Interesting little item," Gryffindor praised, striking again. He showed John what it meant to be a dueling master.
Even with his strength reduced to a tenth, Gryffindor''s vast experience still made John struggle tremendously.
The amulet on his body activated once again, and John knew he couldn''t just stay on the defensive.
He began to counterattack, white and red lights shing and intertwining.
"Ego sum draco." he shouted the incantation.
The sword in his hand ignited with mes, and John shed through the iing red light, his wand deflecting the next attack.
With both hands working in harmony, he became increasingly adept.
Gryffindor narrowed his eyes, his wand firing off a spell that John deflected, causing it to explode in the training ground.
The shattered table transformed into arge club, swinging toward John''s back.
John''s amulet activated just in time, but he was still knocked flying. Gryffindor seized the opportunity.
"Oppugno!"
The items in the training ground turned into a flock of birds rushing at John. He cast a Fire Spell to block them, but a few got through, striking his body.
Pain shot through his shoulder, but John gritted his teeth and held on.
With his left hand, he cast a sting Curse at Gryffindor, who easily blocked it and then transformed two chairs into lions that leaped toward John.
He rolled to avoid them, swinging hisrge sword. He kept dodging while Gryffindor hadn''t moved a step.
"Pay attention to the coordination of your steps, your spells, and your frequency," Gryffindor advised, attacking while teaching. John, hearing this, cast a Shield Charm to block, then adjusted his offensive rhythm.
He panted heavily as Gryffindor''s wand shot out lightning, transforming into a whip thatshed out.
John dodged and parried, but Gryffindor fired another red light, hitting John''s wrist.
The Ironwick Sword flew out of John''s control, and just before it fell into Gryffindor''s hand, a glint of determination shed in John''s eyes.
His wand pointed, and the Ironwick Sword changed direction, falling away.
Gryffindor was forced to step back and dodge, breaking the relentless rhythm of his attacks.
John stood up andunched a counterattack, quickly putting points into his Transfiguration skills.
With Transfiguration at level 3, he felt more in control. His wand pointed, transforming into a small dog that bit Gryffindor''s calf.
Gryffindor turned and sted the dog away, but John''s next attack was alreadying.
"Levicorpus!"
John slid under two lunging lions, casting a spell at Gryffindor.
"Oh!?" Gryffindor''s body flew backward, hanging upside down as if a pair of invisible hands grabbed his feet and lifted him.
As expected of a dueling champion, Gryffindor reacted quickly, unhesitatingly casting a spell at John''s legs.
John''s legs immediately froze, but he made a split-second decision tounch a final strike.
"Expelliarmus!"
"Petrificus totalus!"
Red and white lights collided and confronted each other in the air, like a lightning-like attack.
Red and white beams shed mid-air, fiercely pulling at each other like lightning in a fierce storm.
John''s eyes turned to slits, and he raised his right hand, focusing on the Ironwick Sword.
A wave of magical energy pulsed from his hand, summoning the Ironwick Sword as if it had been struck hard, flying straight towards Gryffindor.
Gryffindor, immobilized, aimed his wand at the sword, deflecting it. However, he was struck by the spell and frozen in ce.
I''ll kill you while you''re sick.
Seizing the opportunity, John extended his left arm, swinging his wand to fire spells at Gryffindor.
Gryffindor was knocked out of the air, his wand flying from his hand.
The lion behind John, ready to bite, reverted to two chairs that fell to the ground.
"Alright, you win," Gryffindor said, still immobilized and acknowledging his defeat.
Though his strength was a mere fraction of what it once was and he had only used his wand for the duel, a loss was a loss, and he would not deny it.
"That Levicorpus spell was quite amusing," Gryffindor remarked.
(Levicorpus was created by Snape, a spell Gryffindor had never seen before.)
As the Petrificus Totalus spell was lifted, Gryffindor stood up as if nothing had happened.
On the other hand, the winner John was exhausted. He looked at his right hand, still recalling the scene of controlling the Iron Wick sword just now.
"Interesting. I didn''t expect someone your age to use wandless magic. I underestimated you," Gryffindor said, pping. John himself was unsure how he had managed it. In that instant, it felt like he had returned to his previous state of magical overflow.
Scratching his head, John couldn''t figure it out and eagerly asked, "Did I pass?"
Gryffindor nodded, which excited John immensely. The legacy of the Four Foundersjust thinking about it was exhrating.
Gryffindor, somewhat smug, said, "You will receive an extremely powerful sword, the weapon I used."
"Uh..." John looked at Gryffindor''s confident demeanor and, after holding it in for a long time, finally said, "Um, the sword you''re talking about, it wouldn''t happen to be the Sword of Gryffindor, would it?"
"Of course!" Gryffindor replied, his eyes gleaming. That sword was his favorite, a powerful de specially crafted by the Goblin King.
John felt like crying but had no tears. After all this effort, it turned out to be the Sword of Gryffindor. That sword was indeed formidable, but it was in Dumbledore''s possession.
There was no way he could just take it, could he?
He wasn''t Harry; taking Gryffindor''s sword would be considered rebellion. John now felt Gryffindor had truly set him up.
He sighed and said helplessly, "I''ve seen that sword. It''s in Headmaster Dumbledore''s possession."
"Hmm?" Gryffindor paused, recalling that he had indeed entrusted the sword to Hogwarts for safekeeping.
Seeing John''s resentful expression, Gryffindor felt a bit embarrassed.
"How about... I teach you to forge your own sword?" Gryffindor suggested.
Despite his seemingly careless demeanor, Gryffindor was actually a master in the art of forging.
Aspensation for the Sword of Gryffindor, Gryffindor waved his wand, and the surroundings changed once more.
This time, it wasn''t a forest or a mountain that appeared but afortable room.
This was Gryffindor''s room from his lifetime, known as the Greffindor''s Chamber of Secrets.
Inside ity all the knowledge he had left behindhis most valuable legacy.
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12 Advance Chapters-
59: Changing Neville and the Crazy Girl
59: Changing Neville and the Crazy Girl
Thank you Spartan 106 for bing a Patron!???
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"I hope you will cherish this ce and be an excellent and kind wizard."
"Lions are strong, but they needpanions. You are powerful, but I hope you will help more people."
Gryffindor''s body began to disintegrate into wood shavings. Seeing this, John snapped out of his thoughts and asked, "Are you leaving?"
"Child, I am already dead. This is merely a fragment of my soul left behind."
As the wood shavings fell away, they revealed a kind face with a red beard. Gryffindor looked at John kindly and said, "I see the future of the magical world in you. You possess great talent."
"Thank you, Headmaster Gryffindor."
John sincerely thanked him. Although their time together was short, Gryffindor''s strength and broad-mindedness were truly admirable.
As the wood shavings were about topletely dissipate, Gryffindor, now reduced to just a mouth, seemed to remember something.
He began cursing, "That wretched hat must have malfunctioned to sort you into Slytherin!"
Well, if Gryffindor hadn''t died early, he might have considered throwing the Sorting Hat into water to wash it and see if its brain was clogged with dust.
John awkwardly scratched his nose. He didn''t know what the Sorting Hat was thinking, but since he was already in Slytherin, he didn''t have much of an issue with it.
Gryffindor disappeared, and the training ground transformed into a cozy room.
He picked up a book that detailed Gryffindor''s forging techniques.
This was very helpful to John, and he also found a book that looked like a manual.
It was Gryffindor''s Magical Combat Swordsmanship.
Looking at the book, John realized how lucky he had been to win.
If Gryffindor had been given a sword, John would have lost so badly that he''d have to call him "dad."
Tucking the book into his pocket, John thought he could learn a thing or two from it.
...
Great Hall.
John, feeling sleep-deprived, shoved a piece of bread into his mouth. After dealing with the three trials, it was alreadyte at night.
On his way back, he had even ran into his house head catching students out of bed, but fortunately, he managed to avoid being caught by using the Disillusionment Charm.
"Neville, you might want to fight back a little."
Seeing Neville''s cheeks swollen like two dumplings, John said while biting the bread.
"Thank you, John. I want to, but I''m too weak."
It was obvious that Malfoy was responsible. John found it hard to correct Malfoy''s behavior in a short time.
He looked at Neville, his voice tinged with a hint of temptation.
"Neville, do you want to be strong?"
"Be strong?"
"Yes! Strong enough so that no one can ever bully you."
John''s expression was serious and sincere, and Neville could tell he meant it.
Thinking about being bullied by Malfoy and his parents'' situation, Neville met John''s gaze and hesitantly asked, "What should I do?"
"Meet me by the Whomping Willow after ss this afternoon."
John nced at the time, realizing ss was about to start. He quickly finished his bread and stood up.
As he passed by Neville, John patted him on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Neville, you are definitely not a nobody. You just haven''t discovered your own strength yet."
Neville stared nkly at John''s departing figure. During ss, Neville kept thinking about John''s words, causing him to be distracted, which Professor Flitwick noticed.
...
Afternoon.
John left the ssroom after the Transfiguration lesson, where he had sessfully transformed a beetle into a delicate button.
For someone with Level 3 Transfiguration skills, this task was incredibly easy.
Gryffindor''s legacy had given him three free points. After using them on Transfiguration, he still had two left.
Although he wanted to level up Transfiguration immediately, it was clear that he couldn''t upgrade further at the moment.
So, he decided to keep the remaining points for now.
On his way to the Whomping Willow, he ran into Daphne.
"John, are you going to join the Quidditch team?"
Daphne walked beside him, and her friend Pansy had tactfully left them alone.
John was taken aback by her question, and Daphne continued mysteriously, "Draco''s father donated a batch of new brooms to the Quidditch team. You flew really well in your first year, so maybe you should give it a try."
"Quidditch, huh? I''m interested, but I don''t have enough time for additional activities."
John couldn''t help but shake his head at the thought of Malfoy using donations to secure a spot. It was a sign of ack of confidence.
The Slytherin Quidditch team had a vacancy for the Seeker position. Even without the donations, Malfoy could have earned the spot with his flying skills.
At its core, it was all about money. Perhaps securing a position this way would allow Malfoy to quickly be a central figure.
When Daphne realized John wasn''t interested in Quidditch, she changed the topic to the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Initially, she thought he would be a powerful wizard, but after yesterday''s ss, she had seen through Lockhart''s facade.
"I told my mom, and she didn''t believe me. It''s so frustrating," Daphneined to John, who nodded in agreement. Then, she suddenly suggested, "The wayv you said ''enough'' and the cornish pixies started trembling! I think it would be better if you taught the ss, John. At least we wouldn''t be pulled by some pixies."
John just smiled at herment. No matter how bad things got, the school would never let a student teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. He took her words as just venting and didn''t think much of it.
After parting ways with Daphne on the first floor, John headed to the Whomping Willow.
When he reached the Whomping Willow, he didn''t see Neville yet, but he did spot a little girl.
The girl was near the Whomping Willow, seemingly searching for something. John called out, "I think you should step back. The Whomping Willow will knock you away."
The girl stopped and turned around, her voice ethereal as she said, "I''m looking for a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. It''s a shy creature."
John paused and looked at the girl, unable to hide his puzzled expression at her strange attire.
She was wearing a Ravenw robe, a ne made of Butterbeer corks, and had odd decorations on her ears.
John didn''t mention the strange creature she was looking for. Instead, he approached and said, "Crumple-Horned Snorkack? I haven''t seen any around here. My name is John Wick. Nice to meet you."
"Hello, John Wick. I''m Luna Lovegood."
They shook hands, marking their introduction.
John studied Luna. She had waist-length, dirty blonde hair, and a pair of dreamy, protruding gray eyes with faint eyebrows. Combined with her outfit, she exuded an entric aura.
"You''re a new Ravenw student?"
"Yes, I am. I know you, John from Slytherin."
Luna''s ethereal voice sounded almost like she was singing. John shrugged at her remark, saying, "I hope that''s a good thing."
Apart from her unusual attire, John found Luna to be quite pleasant to talk to.
Pouring dragon dung on the Whomping Willow, John managed to extend the time it remained still. He cut some branches and leaves from it, and as he moved below, he discovered a passage.
"What''s this for?" Luna asked, leaning in curiously.
Luna didn''t seem to doubt John''s ability to keep the Whomping Willow subdued for long.
John, who knew the secret from the Marauder''s Map, replied casually, "Maybe it leads to some haunted house."
This passage led to the Shrieking Shack, and John felt a strong urge to explore it. However, remembering his appointment with Neville, he decided to wait.
After a while, he saw Neville running up, slightly out of breath.
"Sorry, John, I only remembered after I got back to the dormitory," Neville said, leaning over with his hands on his knees, panting. He noticed the girl standing next to John and immediately looked a bit nervous.
John introduced them, "This is Luna Lovegood, a first-year Ravenw."
"Hello," Luna greeted.
Neville''s face turned red, whether from running or shyness. "H-hello, I''m Neville Longbottom."
After introducing Neville to Luna, John turned his attention to the passage beneath the Whomping Willow. With a friendly smile, he said to Neville, "So, let''s start our first training session."
"Training?" Neville asked, puzzled.
"Yes, to make you stronger."
John led the way, with Neville following and Luna tagging along out of curiosity. They reached the dark tunnel entrance beneath the tree, and Neville looked apprehensive.
John patted his shoulder reassuringly, "Rx, there won''t be any ghosts. Well, unless Peeves decided to make this his new home."
Mentioning Peeves made Neville even more uneasy. Despite his reluctance, John encouraged Neville to go ahead, while he stayed close behind.
Luna followed them in, curious about everything. The passage was dark, and Neville was clearly frightened. John noticed that Neville had forgotten to use the lighting charm, so he reminded him.
After a few nervous attempts, Neville finally managed to cast the charm. After the light, he didn''t seem so scared.
________
Read 12 Chapters ahead
60: Boggart and the Stargazers
60: Boggart and the Stargazers
The passage was narrow and cramped, and the three of them walked in a line.
"Where are we going?"
Neville was getting more and more scared. If John hadn''t been behind him, he would have wanted to go back.
"To a haunted house," John replied casually.
"A.. A haunted house?" Neville stopped in his tracks upon hearing that.
John patted his back, saying, "Don''t worry, I''m here with you."
Neville wanted to say that even with John, it was still scary. Luna, in her sing-song voice, added, "There are ghosts in Hogwarts too, aren''t there?"
Among the three, it seemed only Neville was scared, which made him hate his own cowardice.
Summoning his courage, Neville continued forward. Finally, they reached the end of the tunnel and entered a house.
It was a messy, gloomy room. The wallpaper was peeling, the floor was filthy, and all the furniture was broken as if it had been smashed. The windows were boarded up.
It looked exactly like the haunted house of his nightmares, with the torn wallpaper appearing as if something terrifying had shredded it.
The sight sent chills down their spines.
John noticed that Luna was walking closer to him. He forgot that with his Dragon enhancement, he didn''t need light, but others did.
"Lumos."
The wand emitted a glow that provided a sense of security.
The house was dark and gloomy inside. Wanting to train Neville, John suggested, "Let''s split up and look around."
Neville swallowed hard and, despite the eerie atmosphere of the house, mustered the courage to move forward.
John watched him go and then started to look around himself.
The house had been abandoned for a long time, but the remnants of the once luxurious furniture were still visible.
John pushed open a wooden door, which creaked due to years of disrepair.
Luna curiously walked in. Her eyes showed no fear, and this quirky girl, whom John had only met less than a day ago, already trusted him implicitly.
"This looks like a kitchen, and there''s a tree outside."
Through the cracks in the boarded-up window, they could see the shadows of swaying trees outside.
People who were easily frightened probably wouldn''tst long here.
"We need to find Neville Longbottom; he might be scared."
Luna always had a clear insight into people. John thought about it and agreed. For Neville, this ce might indeed be too intimidating.
Turning to search for Neville, John hadn''t found him yet when he heard Neville''s fearful voice.
"Professor Snape, I didn''t mean to."
"No need for exnations, Neville Longbottom. Because of you, Gryffindor has lost 100 points!"
Professor Snape''s voice was cold and ruthless. The thought of Gryffindor losing 100 points because of him made Neville dread the reprimands from his ssmates.
Terrified, he covered his head as Professor Snape stepped closer and closer.
Hearing this from outside, John sensed something was wrong. Even though Professor Snape enjoyed deducting points, he wouldn''t deduct so many at once. Taking away 100 points from Gryffindor due to Neville was like telling the child to get bullied by his housemates.
He suddenly realized that this Professor Snape might be an impostor.
As the fake Snape tried to get closer to Neville, John kicked the door open.
"Stupefy!"
The red light hit the fake Professor Snape, sending him flying into a cab.
John pointed his wand at the figure, calmly demanding, "Who are you?"
"No, John, you''ll be expelled for this!"
Neville couldn''t imagine John attacking a professor, which made him even more frightened.
John, however, kept his eyes on the supposed Professor Snape.
As Snape saw John, his body transformed into a swirling mass of shadows. After a moment of spinning, a freshly baked Stargazy Pie fell to the ground, and the fake Professor Snape vanished.
"What is this?"
Not only was John confused, but Neville was also stunned.
Seeing the pie with four fish heads sticking out, John''s face showed a look of difort.
The infamous British dish made him feel very uneasy.
"It can transform and likes dark ces... Is this a Boggart?"
John recalled a magical creature.
"I remember Boggarts transform into what people fear. I can understand Neville being afraid of Professor Snape, but me fearing Stargazy Pie?"
After a moment of silence, John stared at the pie, suddenly remembering he was constantly using lumency.
Perhaps that''s why the Boggart turned into a dish he found disgusting.
He was speechless.
ncing at the cab, he noted that Boggarts liked to stay in dark, confined spaces.
''Fuck off!''
He walked over and kicked the Stargazy Pie back into the cab, then waved his wand to lock the cab shut.
"Neville, it''s okay now. That was a Boggart. What were you thinking about just now? Why did it turn into Professor Snape?"
John''s expression was peculiar. Although Neville''s fear of Professor Snape wasn''t a secret, thinking of Snape in such an environment showed just how scared he was.
Neville looked embarrassed and stammered, "I thought about losing pointsst year and then thought of Professor Snape waiting inside the room to dock points."
Well, it was understandable. In his first year, Neville had been docked points for notifying Harry, which had left him with a psychological shadow about losing points.
But the one who had docked the points was Professor McGonagall, so why did he think it would be Snape lying in wait?
John nced at Luna. This girl didn''t seem to understand the danger, only finding the Boggart interesting because it could turn into a fish pie.
"Alright, it seems today''s adventure ends here."
The sky outside had darkened, and with a first-year present, John decided not to be a bad influence by leading a night tour.
The three of them retraced their steps through the tunnel. On the way out, Neville was almost hit by the Whomping Willow.
Quick as a sh, John pulled him back and then immobilized the tree again.
Once back in the castle, the three of them went their separate ways.
"Thank you, John. Today''s adventure was really fun."
Luna was in a great mood, her ethereal voice sounding like she was singing.
"If you''re interested, there are many interesting ces in Hogwarts."
John waved goodbye to Luna, as he still needed to head to the Room of Requirement for training.
On his way to training, John thought about Neville.
"Maybe I can get Neville a better weapon."
This was, after all, the swordsmaster of Gryffindor, capable of ying Horcruxes with a single stroke.
John felt that if a swordmaster didn''t use a sword, what kind of swordmaster would that be?
He gathered some materials, not needing them to be too precise, just enough to roughly shape a sword.
With John''s current alchemy levelbined with Gryffindor''s forging techniques, he could quickly finish making a sword.
Though much rougher than the Sword of Ironwick, it was a great training tool for Neville.
Early the next morning, John delivered the sword to Neville.
Neville was puzzled, and John said meaningfully, "What if, just maybe, you are actually a swordmaster?"
"Huh?"
Neville was stunned, unsure of what to say, but John encouraged him to learn swordsmanship well and strive to be an impressive swordmaster in the future.
Hermione was reading Lockhart''s book, undeterred even after attending one of his sses. This made John somewhat admire her perseverance. The infatuation with her idol was truly formidable. Hopefully, she would soon see through Lockhart''s facade.
After finishing breakfast, John headed to ss, which was Potions with his head of house today. He didn''t want to face Snape''s death re for beingte.
"I''ve earned so many points, yet he still seems unfriendly," John thought, puzzled by Professor Snape''s attitude.
Although he had gotten into a fight at the start of the term, it shouldn''t have warranted such longsting resentment.
On his way, he encountered Malfoy. Malfoy boasted about how he would humiliate the Gryffindors on Saturday.
His father had sponsored the entire team with Nimbus 2001s, which were even more advanced than Harry Potter''s Nimbus 2000.
As for the rest of the Gryffindor team''s brooms, there was noparison; Comets and Cleansweep Sevens were barely fit for sweeping floors.
Malfoy seemed to envision leading Slytherin to victory and winning the cup, which made John feel awkward.
He thought about telling Malfoy that with Harry around, that dream might be difficult to achieve.
After all, Harry was the protagonist.
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12 Advance Chapters
61: Obliviate Charm and the True Identity
61: Obliviate Charm and the True Identity
Many thanks to Soul_Shadow, Dore Brandon, and Florian Geht Niemanden for bing new patrons! ???
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Friday.
In Defense Against the Dark Arts ss, Lockhart acted as if nothing had happened. His teaching style was still terrible, especially when he had several students act as trolls and werewolves to reenact his glorious history.
"This is the worst ss I''ve ever taken," Nevillemented, and even Malfoy wasn''t spared, being dragged up to y a vampire.
John still hadn''t earned any points. Originally, Lockhart wanted John to y the Yeti, but after seeing John''s murderous gaze, he didn''t dare insist.
Hermione was also beginning to have doubts. How could someone who wrote such excellent articles know nothing at all? She was deeply conflicted.
"Neville, why are you carrying a sword?" Ron, still frustrated from having his wand fly out and hit Professor Flitwick on the head during Charms ss, turned and saw the sword on Neville''s back.
Harry was astonished. "Are you nning to use that sword to settle the score with Malfoy?"
"It''s not that. It''s John. He said he wants to make me stronger and even suggested that I be a swordmaster," Neville exined, feeling the many curious looks. He was reluctant to carry the sword, but John insisted he get used to it.
Harry, reminded of John''s fight against the troll with a great swordst year, thoughtfully said, "Maybe John is protecting Neville from Malfoy. After all, Malfoy is most afraid of John."
Ron thought carrying a sword didn''t necessarily make Neville John, but it wasn''t impossible either.
"Let''s visit Hagrid tomorrow," Harry suggested.
Hermione had no ns for that day, so she agreed.
As the four walked down the corridor, John emerged from a door.
John greeted them, "Hello, Ron, I was just looking for you."
Surprised to be the one sought out, Ron asked, "What''s up, John?"
"You forgot, I promised to repair your wand."
John lifted his small bag and smiled, "I''ve found some materials these past few days. Let''s see if I can fix it."
Ron excitedly shook John''s hand, saying, "That''s great, John. You have no idea, this damned wand hit Professor Flitwick on the head today."
"Uh... that does sound pretty bad."
John took Ron''s wand, which was broken in two and held together with tape. The crude repair method was enough to make anyone shake their head in disbelief.
"Aspen wood with a unicorn hair core."
"This was Charlie''s. After he left school, it became mine."
Ron blushed, embarrassed by his family''s financial situation, which forced him to use his older brother''s wand.
Seeing this, John shook his head regretfully. "If that''s the case, I suggest you give up on this wand."
"What? Please, John, I don''t have enough money to buy a new one."
Ron panicked at the thought of not being able to repair the wand. He didn''t want to receive another Howler.
Harry, standing nearby, offered, "Ron, I can give you the money to buy a new one."
Harry, being secretly wealthy, was very generous. However, Ron felt ufortable about using his friend''s money.
"It''s not that. This wand is damaged. Maybe we can keep the core and match it with new wood. I happen to have some good materials."
As Ollivander often said, a wizard chooses a wand, and a wand chooses a wizard.
John suspected that Ron''s frequent magical mishaps might be due to his wand.
He pulled out the unicorn hair core from inside and handed the aspen wood to Ron casually.
"It will take about a week. In the meantime, you can use this one."
Taking out his spare wand, John smiled. "This one also has a unicorn hair core."
Ron took it, and although it was quite a bit shorter, it was still usable.
"Well, I''ll be going now. Neville, you cane with me."
John pulled Neville away, bidding farewell to the trio.
...
After enduring John''s rigorous training, Neville was so exhausted that he could barely lift his arms.
John had cut a good branch from the Whomping Willow to use as wand wood, thinking its sensitivity might make the wand more exceptional.
On his way back, he ran into Lockhart.
This fraudulent teacher smiled at John.
"Mr. Wick, I think we could have a chat in my office."
Lockhart invited John, and John wondered what he was up to.
However, he wasn''t worried. Surely, Lockhart wasn''t like Quirrell, another of Voldemort''s followers?
Nodding in agreement, John followed Lockhart to the second-floor Defense Against the Dark Arts office.
The room was filled with photos of Lockhart, making it evident that he was a narcissist who loved vanity.
After sitting down, Lockhart began, "I heard you defeated a troll in your first year? You are truly a talented wizard. Of course, that''s nothingpared to winning Witch Weekly''s Most Charming Smile Award five times in a row."
As he spoke, he didn''t miss the opportunity to boast. John watched him with a nk expression, which made Lockhart feel awkward after a while.
"Ahem, I''d like to ask, what do you think of me?Oops... Uh... I mean, what do you think of Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
Lockhart came to Hogwarts for fame and fortune. Although he was a best-selling author, his abilities and stories were widely disputed.
To silence his critics, he volunteered to teach at Hogwarts.
However, he forgot about the curse the Dark Lord had ced on the Defense Against the Dark Arts position.
His first ss of the term was a fiasco, and today''s ss made him realize that his grand image in the students'' minds had vanished.
He noticed that whether they were from Slytherin or Gryffindor, they all regarded John with a certain respect.
This sparked a different idea in Lockhart''s mind. He said sincerely, "I''m not without my means, but you know, being a celebrityes with many responsibilities. So, I want to hire an assistant, someone who can handle some tasks for me."
"You mean your teaching skills arecking, so you want to dump the job?"
John nced at Lockhart and bluntly said, "Frankly, you should have heard the stories about the Defense Against the Dark Arts position, right? It''s not exactly a desirable job."
Lockhart was annoyed to have his thoughts exposed. He hadn''t expected the student to look down on him during this heart-to-heart talk.
He retorted, "How could you say that? I am Gilderoy Lockhart, holder of the Order of Merlin, Third ss, and five-time winner of..."
"Alright, it''s not impossible for me to help you, but I can only assist you with the second-year sses. I can''t manage anything else."
John interrupted him, growing increasingly suspicious about the authenticity of Lockhart''s stories.
Lockhart''s face darkened. John had indeed pointed out a significant issueLockhart couldn''t possibly hire an assistant for every grade.
Seeing John''sck of respect, Lockhart realized that John was already doubting him.
To maintain his image as a powerful wizard, Lockhart had to abandon his n.
Since that was the case, he decided to take preemptive action.
As John turned to leave, Lockhart drew his wand and cast, "Obliviate."
This was his most proficient spell, which he had used to steal many remarkable stories from other wizards.
A smile appeared on his face. As long as he made John forget today''s conversation, he could continue his terrible teaching and remain the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
However, the moment the spell was cast, the protective charm on John activated.
The Obliviate spell was countered by the Shield Charm.
John''s face darkened. This guy dared to attack him at school.
He turned to the stunned Lockhart and coldly said, "It seems you''re not a good person after all."
"Why are you unharmed?"
This was the first time Lockhart''s Obliviate spell had ever failed.
John drew his wand and aimed it at Lockhart.
In the next second, white light exploded in the office, and cracks appeared on the walls.
All the photos of Lockhart in the room were destroyed, and Lockhart, leaning against the wall, was filled with panic.
"Wait, I''ll leave Hogwarts right now, please spare me," Lockhart begged.
He was terrified that this young wizard actually dared to attack him.
And the spell was aimed directly at his head. If it had hit, his head would likely have exploded like a balloon.
While pleading, Lockhart''s hand secretly reached for his wand.
Just as he was about to touch it, John''s wand emitted a white light, creating a hole next to Lockhart''s hand.
This made Lockhart freeze, and John stared at him, thinking about how to deal with him.
_____
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62: Nimbus 2001 and Slugs
62: Nimbus 2001 and Slugs
Ever since John had decided he wanted to be the next Dumbledore of the wizarding world, he had begun to umte his own power.
People like Armando Dippet, Alex Darma, Mundungus Fletcher, etc, were all part of hiswork.
Lockhart''s actual abilities were very poor; he couldn''t even handle house-elves. However, outside, he had a vast following of fans and many friends in the publishing industry.
This gave John some ideas.
"Gilderoy Lockhart, will you choose to tell me the truth, or should I make you drink Veritaserum?"
John casually pulled out a potion bottle from his satchel, which frightened Lockhart greatly.
Lockhart didn''t have much power to begin with, and he knew that Veritaserum, if consumed excessively, could damage one''s mind.
Hearing that John intended to give him such a potion, Lockhart retreated in fear.
Unfortunately, with the wall behind him, there was no escape route, and he had no choice but toply.
As if his spine had been removed, Lockhart slumped to the ground and confessed how he had used Obliviate to steal stories and pass them off as his own.
John listened to his tale with a strange expression on his face.
"Are you saying all your stories are giarized?"
Staring at Lockhart''s embarrassed smile, John was quite surprised.
With a gentle wave of his wand, John conjured a chair.
Sitting in the chair, John smirked. "I didn''t expect you to be such a social butterfly. Though your skills arecking, you certainly know how to lie."
Seeing that John had no intention of destroying him, Lockhart mustered the courage to stand up and awkwardly said, "I... I really did want to be an adventurer at first, but my skills were too poor. The only thing I''m good at is Obliviate."
After graduating from Hogwarts, he had tried to travel and have adventures like those in his books, but all he got were beatings that left him battered and bruised.
One day, he met an old wizard in a tavern who told him about an adventure with a Tibetan Yeti. Lockhart then had a wicked idea.
He seeded. Using Obliviate, he made the wizard forget the experience.
After recording and publishing the story, he became the beloved Gilderoy Lockhart, winner of Witch Weekly''s Most Charming Smile Award.
This sess spurred him on.
He continued to take stories from others, embellishing them and making them his own.
Rising to fame and selling many books, he became the darling of publishers and the heartthrob of many women.
Gradually, he lost himself in the world of fame and fortune.
"You''re quite the character," John remarked after listening, tapping his cup to refill it with tea.
Taking a sip, John said, "Don''t worry. I won''t drive you out of Hogwarts. In fact, you can stay here and continue teaching."
"R-Really?"
The surprise came too suddenly. Lockhart hurried over and asked, "What do you want? I mean, what do I have to give?"
He had already made up his mind. As long as John didn''t expose him, he would do whatever it took, be it money or anything else...
John nced at the eager Lockhart and pointed at him with his finger, saying ndly, "I want you."
"Huh?"
''No way... is this kid...?''
Lockhart was dumbfounded. Did John have a c.. crush on him?
The thought sent shivers down his spine.
"Can we, uh, change that? My fans would be heartbroken, and besides, you''re so young."
Lockhart''s awkward demeanor almost made John spit out his tea. He put down his cup and said irritably, "I want you to work for me!"
Realizing his misunderstanding, Lockhart sighed in relief but was also puzzled. What could John, a second-year student, want him to do?
"Lockhart, you''re a smart man. You should know that small tricks won''tst. I can help you keep your position as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts. In return, you will need to do some things for me."
"As for what those things are, it might be writing letters, or it might be finding some people."
A glint appeared in John''s eyes. Lockhart had umted quite awork over the years.
Especially those old pure-blood families'' noblewomen. With just a word from Lockhart, these people could go crazy.
As long as Lockhart maintained his persona, these noblewomen would be a considerable force.
John stood up and extended his hand to the somewhat disheveled Lockhart, smiling, "Let''s have a pleasant cooperation, Professor Lockhart."
Lockhart didn''t know how John nned to help him, but it was his only option. He reached out and shook John''s hand to seal the agreement.
...
Saturday.
John had intended to stay in Gryffindor''smon room, but Malfoy was knocking on his dormitory door outside.
"Watch closely, John. Those poor Gryffindors are about to be humiliated by us," Malfoy said, holding a Nimbus 2001, thetest in the Nimbus series of flying brooms.
In terms of performance, it was a notch above the Nimbus 2000.
And the Slytherin Quidditch team had seven of them.
John shook his head helplessly. Paying to win was one thing.
They used the excuse of needing to get familiar with the new equipment to get special permission from Professor Snape and intentionally chose a time when Gryffindor was practicing.
John didn''t want to get involved, but he couldn''t ignore Goyle and Crabbe''s incessant knocking on his door. Otherwise, he wouldn''t havee at all.
Upon arriving at the Quidditch pitch, John moved to the side while Malfoy went forward to provoke them.
Harry had nned to visit Hagrid, but Oliver Wood, the Quidditch fanatic, had devised a new tactic and pulled them all into training.
Ron and Hermione had alsoe to watch Harry practice, and little fanboy Colin had followed along, his camera clicking non-stop.
This made Wood suspect that he was a spy sent by Slytherin to gather intel.
George reminded him, "Slytherin doesn''t need spies, Oliver."
When it came to Quidditch, Wood seemed like a different person. He asked irritably, "How do you know?"
George pointed down, where arge group of people in green Quidditch robes was approaching. "Because they''vee themselves."
Wood looked over and saw the Slytherins approaching. He immediatelynded and blocked their way.
"Flint, this is our practice time! You need to leave!"
The Slytherin Quidditch captain, Marcus Flint, was a burly figure with a cunning expression.
He sneered, "This ce is quiterge, Wood."
Seeing the unfriendly Slytherins, the Gryffindor team members gathered around. Wood said sharply, "But I booked the pitch! I booked it!"
He emphasized repeatedly, but Flint hade prepared this time.
"But I have a note from Professor Snape, specially signed for training our new Seeker."
Flint took out a note signed by Professor Snape, which left Wood speechless.
Unwilling to back down, Wood asked, "You''ve got a new Seeker? Where is he?"
"Heh~" Malfoy stepped forward with a smug grin, knowing it was his moment to shine. He walked out from behind the tall Slytherin yers with a self-satisfied smile that made Harry''s hands itch.
Fred Weasley remembered the fight between Lucius Malfoy and his father and said with disdain, "Aren''t you Lucius Malfoy''s son?"
"Heh~ " This hit the Slytherins'' sore spot, making themugh arrogantly and smugly.
"You mentioned Draco''s father, so you should see the generous gift he gave to Slytherin."
Seven brand-new, sleek, and shiny Nimbus 2001 brooms glinted, dazzling the eyes of the Gryffindor team members.
The Gryffindors could only watch as the Slytherins gloated. Ron and Hermione, seeing Malfoy''s smug face, couldn''t stand it.
Hermione stood up for Gryffindor, sharply saying, "At least the Gryffindor team doesn''t need to buy their way in!"
This hit Malfoy''s sore spot. His face darkened, and he spat out, "No one asked you, you filthy little Mudblo"
He stopped himself, remembering John was nearby, causing him to falter.
Although he didn''t finish, the Gryffindor team understood his meaning and furiously surrounded him, forcing the Slytherins to step in front of him.
As Malfoy looked around for help, Ron, enraged, took immediate action.
"Eat slugs!"
With his new wand, Ron''s spell hit Malfoy, knocking him to the ground. Malfoy felt something slimy in his throat, something trying to crawl out.
He opened his mouth and vomited arge slug, thoroughly disgusting him.
This continued uncontrobly, and Malfoy was eventually sent to the hospital wing.
The Gryffindors surrounded Ron, cheering for his actions. Ron couldn''t help but puff out his chest, even earning Hermione''s newfound respect.
John, watching the scene, shook his head and said, "Draco needed a lesson. In this world, power is paramount, and he shouldn''t mock those stronger than him."
Using blood to measure a person''s identity is very stupid in John''s opinion.
John believes that Draco deserves to be punished, despite their friendship.
He can take action to remove the spell, but John thinks that Draco should be given a hard time.
Speaking of which, if John hadn''t changed Ron''s wand, Draco wouldn''t have been injured just now.
It can only be said that if you don''t ask for death, you won''t die.
_______
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63: Restoration and Assistants
63: Restoration and Assistants
John headed to Hagrid''s to ask for some oak resin.
Making and repairing wands is aplicated process. It requires not only finding materials but also patient crafting and waiting.
When he arrived at Hagrid''s hut, Lockhart happened to be pestering Hagrid, trying to show off his knowledge by teaching a magical creatures expert how to prevent water demons from getting into wells.
John walked over and knocked on the door. Hagrid, relieved, hurried over to open it.
Lockhart was still trying to sell Hagrid his book but froze upon seeing John enter.
"Professor Lockhart, I believe you have some textbooks to take care of."
John nced at Lockhart, giving him a reason to leave.
Lockhart quickly nodded as if just remembering, "Yes, yes, I almost forgot. Thank you, Mr. Wick."
He hurried out as if chased by a dragon, leaving Hagrid puzzled. But with a friend visiting, Hagrid was delighted.
"John, I was just wondering when you''de by. Everything you asked me to buy is here."
Hagrid pulled out arge bag of materials John had requested.
John was invited to sit down, enjoying a cup of hot tea and rock cakes.
"Hagrid, do you know where I can find some oak trees? I need some oak resin."
Hagrid waved hisrge hand and patted his chest, saying heartily, "Of course, there''s no ce in the Forbidden Forest that I don''t know. Wait a moment, and I''ll get some for you."
"Thank you, Hagrid."
Hagrid was always so enthusiastic. After agreeing, he headed towards the oak trees to get some resin for John.
While waiting, the wooden door was knocked again. It was Harry and his friends.
"John, you''re here?"
Seeing John, Hermione was pleasantly surprised.
John was puzzled until he noticed Ron''s pale face.
"What''s wrong with him?"
Harry, angry, said, "It''s Malfoy. He cursed Ron. We were hoping Hagrid might be able to help."
"Well, you''re out of luck. Hagrid just stepped out."
John let the trio inside and saw Ron looking miserable, as if he was about to vomit.
"He''s been hit with the same Curse he used on Malfoy that day."
John had been reading a lottely, practically every day. Seeing Ron''s difort, he deduced it was the Slugulus Eructo.
Just then, Hagrid returned and was even happier to see the trio.
"Here, take this. It''ll be easier to throw up with it."
Hagrid handed an iron bucket to Ron. John approached Ron and said, "Lift up your shirt and show your stomach."
Ron looked bewildered, but Hermione and Harry quickly helped.
As his shirt was pulled up, Ron''s stomach was revealed, showing lumps that looked like small worms moving inside.
"I think I can fix this."
John pondered for a moment, then held his wand in his left hand and pointed it at Ron''s stomach.
"Evomam Immunditiam."
A white light hit Ron''s stomach, making him feel as if he''d been punched.
Ron grimaced, hugged the bucket tightly, and vomited.
He expelled five or six slugs, finally feeling relief.
"Ohh! That was amazing, John! Where did you learn that spell?" Hagrid asked, pping.
John, keeping a straight face, said, "Of course, in the library."
In reality, he had learned it in the Gryffindor''s secret room, where there were many strange curses and spells.
One particrly evil curse called the Blood Curse was inherited through bloodlines. Those afflicted could transform into a snake, known as a blood-cursed lycanthrope, and would eventually turn into a real snake over time.
This made John very curious about what would happen if a blood-cursed lycanthrope were bitten by a werewolf, and how the two curses would interact.
Hagrid had returned with the oak resin, and John decided not to stay any longer.
He ced the materials Hagrid had bought into his small bag and bid farewell.
"I''ll be leaving now, Hagrid. Thanks again for your help."
Hagrid repeatedly said it was no problem. After John left, he remarked, "John is the most talented young wizard I''ve ever met, just like Riddle. Ah! I should have not said that..No, no, ehm, what I mean is you all are excellent too."
Seeing the trio looking at him, he quickly waved his hands.
"Riddle?"
"No, don''t mention that name!"
Hagrid didn''t want to bring up the past, and the trio exchanged looks, realizing that this name held a special significance for Hagrid.
However, they didn''t pursue the matter further. Although Hagrid was a bit of a bbermouth, it was clear he didn''t want to talk about this particr topic.
...
Back in the Gryffindor Chamber of Secrets, John used a branch from the Whomping Willow to create the wand wood, then inserted a unicorn hair.
Afterpleting this, John smoothed out the rough edges and soaked it in oak resin.
Oak is a magical wood; it''s said to contain magical properties within. A wand soaked in oak resin would better align with its wizard.
After finishing the repair, John gathered materials for alchemy.
He discovered that crafting items elerated the leveling up of his alchemy skill.
Although there was no visible experience bar, he could feel the progress.
After crafting a batch of items to be sold in Johnny Silverhand''s shop, John returned to his dormitory and had Basil deliver them.
The shop''s business was still lukewarm, but its reputation was gradually spreading.
Tommy Shelby wrote a letter mentioning that some wizards in Knockturn Alley had peculiar ideas about Johnny Silverhand''s shop.
John replied, advising him to handle it cautiously and preferably without alerting the Aurors.
Recently, the Aurors had been cracking down on Dark Arts items, and Johnny Silverhand''s shop had a few.
John also told Tommy to start contacting a few werewolf friends; he was preparing for a big move.
Damocles had already been notified by the Order of Merlin about the award ceremony, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, he was set to receive the First ss Order of Merlin.
The announcement would be made public sometime between October and Christmas.
After sending the reply, John left the chamber.
Since he had promised to let Lockhart stay at the school, he naturally wouldn''t go back on his word.
Arriving under the Whomping Willow, he froze the Whomping Willow and entered the passage. The cab in the Shrieking Shack was still there, and John moved it away with a levitation spell.
When it was time for the Defense Against the Dark Arts ss, students were surprised to find John standing next to the podium.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for the disastrousst ss. After some reflection, I realized that overly novel teaching methods are not suitable for Hogwarts, so I have decided it is time to show my true skills."
Lockhart never wrote a draft for his boasts. shing a bright smile, he said,"Mr. John Wick is the assistant I invited. He will be responsible for some assistance in teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. Of course, he has already been familiar with it under my guidance in advance."
Everyone looked at John in disbelief. John rolled his eyes. This Lockhart was really good at acting.
He lifted the cab covered with cloth, revealing a cab that Neville felt familiar with.
Lockhart, with a confident smile, said, "Now, everyone line up. We are about to start a great and lively lesson!"
Lockhart had a knack for stirring up emotions. Even the most disappointed students couldn''t help but feel a bit of anticipation.
Seeing the tables in the way, John drew his wand and transformed them into barriers around the front of the ssroom.
This disy of Transfiguration was impressive. If Professor McGonagall had seen it, she would have awarded points.
Lockhart, in his mboyant robes, walked out as if he were a rooster wearing a crown.
"I am going to teach you your first proper lesson: how to defeat a troll!"
Lockhart was very good at memorizing scripts. As long as it didn''t involve practical skills, he could be called the king of rhetoric.
This was evident from how he wrote vivid ounts from stolen stories. He pompously talked about his book, *Holidays with Hags*, and introduced the troll''s weaknesses.
"A troll''s head is very fragile. We only need a simple Levitation Charm to make its club hit its own head to defeat it."
"Now..."
Lockhart pped his hands, and John stepped forward. Lockhart said, "My assistant will now give you all a demonstration."
Demonstration?
The young wizards were puzzled. John gently waved his wand, and the previously locked cab opened.
From within the cab came a low grumbling sound, which filled the expressions of the trio with terror.
They were all too familiar with this soundit was the noise a troll made, just like the one they encountered in their first year.
But then they were confused.
The cab was so smallhow could it contain a troll?
John used lumency to construct the image of a troll in his mind.
The Boggart, mistaking his thoughts for fear of trolls, transformed into a troll and pushed open the cab door, stepping out.
"It''s really a troll!" Ron eximed in fright.
John focused on the club in the troll''s hand. As it lumbered towards him, he acted decisively.
"Wingardium Leviosa."
The troll''s club floated uncontrobly into the air, then came crashing down heavily on its own head.
The boggart, who turned into a troll, had the characteristics of a troll monster, and fell to the ground with a dizzy head.
The giant monster was easily deveted, and everyone apuded after they reacted.
Lockhart came out and said loudly: "As expected of my teaching, Mr. John Wick performed well, Slytherin plus 10 points!"
This ss changed the previous bad reputation of the DADA ss, in the lively ss, the boggart, who turned into a troll, was smashed again and again.
After the ss, everyone changed their previous reputation, and Lockhart became excellent.
_____
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64: Percy and Power
64: Percy and Power
"Now you have seen the real teaching level of Professor Lockhart."
"Come on Hermione, it was John who taught us, and Lockhart didn''t even take out his wand."
After the Defense Against the Dark Arts ss, Hermione immediately found Harry and Ron to clear Lockhart''s name.
Ron was more certain that Lockhart was a guy in name only, because in the whole ss, Lockhart didn''t even take out his wand.
Rather than saying that Lockhart was teaching, it was better to say that John was teaching.
At the time they were having turns, when Neville couldn''t use the levitation spell, it was John who directly controlled the troll with Transfiguration.
Lockhart was obviously scared and hid behind the podium.
"Humph, but his ss was good, wasn''t it." Hermione wanted to refute, but she was convinced in her heart.
Seeing her idol step down from the altar made her very entangled.
Ron shrugged and said indifferently: "If it''s John who''ll teach us like this in the future, I have no problem with Lockhart."
Harry watched the two quarreling, and he was still recalling the voice he heard when he was punished and had to help Lockhart reply to fan letters on Saturday.
Because of Ron and Malfoy''s bad behavior of cursing each other, he and Ron were both detained.
But the good news is that Malfoy''s protective father did note to Hogwarts to make a scene. It is said that John settled everything for them.
This made Harry grateful to John.
At this time, Filch roared.
The Weasley twins wereughing on the side, and the Frog Brains were smeared all over the wall, which made Filch furious.
He was a squib, without magic, and could only remove it bit by bit.
It goes without saying that this was a prank from the Weasley twins. Seeing this scene, Percy walked up and scolded the two of them in a rigid and serious manner.
"You shouldn''t y pranks like this."
"Come on, Percy."
"No, it should be Percy the prefect."
"Maybe you can enter the Ministry of Magic."
"Because you are as rigid and boring as the people there."
George and Fred sang the same tune, making Percy very angry.
Even though Bill and Charlie are outstanding, Percy is an outlier in the Weasley family. Although Mrs. Weasley has always regarded him as a pride, he is ipatible with the whole family atmosphere.
After all, except for Percy, no one in the Weasley ss would read such a boring and terrible book as "How the Prefects Gain Power".
Percy felt helpless about it; he wanted more power.
Because of this, even though Lockhart''s teaching was terrible, Percy still treated him with utmost respect.
In the end, the family affection won over him, and he had to leave in disgrace after leaving a warning.
The Weasley twins made faces behind him, and even Ron found his brother hard to bear.
The twins often teased him, but they never lectured him in a stiff, superior manner like Percy did.
It wasn''t just the Weasleys; even among Gryffindors, Percy seemed like an outlier.
After all, in Gryffindor, you could be a poor student, but you absolutely couldn''t be without friends and a sense of humor.
"John, you are right, I told my dad not toe to school for that matter, and the next time that Weasley messes with me, I will definitely make him cry."
In the Slytherin team, Malfoy proudly told John that he stopped Mr. Malfoy.
After being attacked and cursed by Ron on Saturday, Malfoy had sent a letter to his father toe to school and ask for an exnation and make that annoying Weasly leave the school.
But John after knowing about it frowned and said to him earnestly: "Draco, don''t be like a child. A powerful wizard does not rely on his father. You can curse him back, but never let people look down on you."
This wisdom made Malfoy change his mind, and he cursed Ron back the next time with the same slug curse, and that feeling was more fun than having his fathere to school to make a fuss.
Fighting back also made the matter unfair to both parties, and Mr. Malfoy would probably not get any good results.
Daphne trotted to John''s side, with a little admiration in her eyes, and said coquettishly: "You are great, the Transfiguration at the end of ss just now was simply perfect, by the way, where did you get that troll?"
"Oh? That was brought by Professor Lockhart."
John kept his word and maintained Lockhart''s image outside, at least making him less questionable.
But Daphne was not stupid. She wrinkled her beautiful nose and said angrily, "Come on, he doesn''t have that ability. Oh, Merlin! I don''t know why my mother likes him."
John smiled and didn''tment that the troll was a Boggart.
Boggart can reflect the fear in the heart, but it is not very strong in terms of strength.
Even if it bes a troll, it may not have half the strength of a troll.
As long as you used lumency to construct a fear of a troll and stood in front of it, the Boggart would turn into the creature you wanted.
He remembered that in Harry''s third year, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor had caught a Boggart. Of course, that professor taught how to deal with Boggarts, not trolls.
Lockhart''s skills were very poor, but his stories were real ounts taken from others.
The knowledge in them was indeed useful, and as long as you followed the teachings, even if people criticized the theory, it couldn''t be considered bad.
It''s a pity that Lockhart didn''t realize this. The lesson ns John set for him involved minimal practical work, relying mostly onbining the stories in the books with theoretical knowledge.
Defense Against the Dark Arts mainly dealt with magical creatures and countering and defending against dark magic.
Handling this year''s curriculum would be simple.
After him bing an assistant in the Defense Against the Dark Arts ss, many students began to realize that John was different from them.
Even Professor McGonagall praised his Transfiguration as reaching the level of senior students, which made Slytherin feel extremely proud.
Especially with the bonus points given by Lockhart, John led the Slytherin points funnel to advance all the way, leaving the other three houses far behind.
This made Slytherin stand up straight.
...
"George, Fred!"
Percy''s roar rang out in the corridor.
John walked out of the Room of Requirement and saw two sneaky people sneaking back to Gryffindor Tower.
Percy walked angrily in the corridor and caught two guys wandering at night.
With just one nce, he could confirm that the two iconic me-like red hair were definitely his two younger brothers.
But to his surprise, he didn''t catch the Weasley twins, but John from Slytherin.
"I should give you a warning. Although I''m not deducting points, you are breaking school rules."
Percy, wearing sses and dressed neatly, was quite different from Ron and his brothers who never wore their clothes properly.
He spoke sternly, and John shrugged, then thought of something.
"Percy Weasley,e to think of it, we haven''t really talked much."
John was quite impressed with the Weasley family. Aside from the two Weasleys who had already graduated, Percy''s presence was the least noticeable.
But you couldn''t deny Percy''s excellence. He had earned twelve O.W.L. certificates, making him a top student and academic overachiever.
One might even suspect that if it weren''t for him being a Weasley, he could have been sorted into Ravenw.
After all, all the Weasleys are Gryffindors, and it is estimated that the Sorting Hat doesn''t want to break the tradition.
For Slytherin, all Weasleys'' first reaction is to hate it, but in front of them is John, John Wick, who saved the three little ones.
Percy frowned and politely refused, "Sorry, I still have to help the professor patrol..."
"If that''s the point, I don''t think you need to worry."
John smiled and said easily, "Are you interested in going to the Defense Against the Dark Arts Office for a cup of ck tea?"
He spoke as if he were inviting Percy to his home. Percy was a bit surprised.
Lockhart was unreliable but still a professor, and John seemed too rxed about it.
Thinking of John as the Defense Against the Dark Arts assistant, Percy''s frown rxed, and he agreed, "Alright, but only for a little while."
"That''s enough."
John smiled, but his mind was on something else.
If there was one surprising plot in the Harry Potter series that was memorable, it was the betrayal of a Weasley, who sided with the Ministry of Magic against the Dumbledore supporters in his family.
And that person is Percy, who is eager for power, which also makes Percy a person who is still fresh in John''s memory among the few plots he remembers.
He remembered that Percy was doing well in the Ministry of Magic, and even went to the extent of having a falling out with the Weasley family in order to climb up.
This spirit of climbing up is what John needs, and he started to think about it.
Perhaps he could recruit Percy Weasley.
The connections he had were very attractive.
_____
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65: Myrtle and the Medal
65: Myrtle and the Medal
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________
Defense Against the Dark Arts Office.
Gilderoy Lockhart was replying to a letter from his fan when there was a knock on the door.
"Oh, this is really a headache. My little fans won''t let me go even at night."
He thought it was a fan/student who came to ask for his autograph, and he never got tired of it and even felt happy.
Pure fame and vanity made him happy, even if it would make his hands break from signing.
After opening the door, his bright smile became a little awkward.
"John Wick, I mean Mr. Wick, why are you here?"
His behavior made Percy a little strange, because Lockhart imed to the outside world that he had taught John, but he looked like he was in awe of John.
"Professor Lockhart, we have something to talk about. I hope you don''t mind us taking up some time here."
John walked in, and that look waspletely contrary to the respectful words he said verbally.
Percy nodded respectfully to Lockhart: "Professor Lockhart, you are still actively preparing teaching materials tonight."
"Uh, yes, I mean, I am preparing teaching materials."
Lockhart calmly took the envelope from his desk. After Percy came in, he closed the door, crossed his hands on his abdomen, and rubbed his thumbs in circles.
John sat on the chair and waved his wand to conjure up a chair for Percy.
Instead, Lockhart became a waiter, taking out tea and cups.
"Professor Lockhart and I have developed some friendship during the holidays. We are pen pals."
Seeing Percy''s surprise, John made up a reason casually.
He smiled and said, "After all, connections are also an indispensable part of excellent wizards, and excellent wizards like Professor Lockhart are the same."
Hearing that he was praised, Lockhart straightened his back.
Percy nodded in approval. His ideas were not favored in the Weasley family. It was rare for someone to agree with his ideas. He had some good feelings for John.
Picking up a piece of toffee, John put it in his mouth, and after the sweetness burst out, he took a sip of ck tea.
"Simrly, connections should not be limited to outside the school. To be honest, Percy Weasley, I know you want to be the school Head Boy next year, and the support of the four houses is indispensable."
Percy''s ambition is obvious to everyone. John picked up a piece of toffee and put it in Percy''s hand, chuckling, "I will help you get Slytherin."
"Why, why do you want to help me?" Percy pinched the toffee, a little confused.
He was a little uneasy. He was obviously four years older than John, but he was suppressed in terms of momentum.
"Connections."
John said meaningfully: "I said, you are an excellent person, and the same is true in the Ministry of Magic after graduation. In this case, why shouldn''t I not be friends with you?"
The easiest way to deal with Percy is to let him see the actual help. John pointed at Lockhart.
He said, "Professor Lockhart will help you establish your prestige among the students. You need to show your excellence. The assistant of Defense Against the Dark Arts is a good stage."
Defense Against the Dark Arts currently has only one assistant. If there is one more assistant, it will not only reduce Lockhart''s pressure, but also make the assistant stand out among the students.
John used this to bribe Percy, which made Percy very tempted.
Percy opened the toffee and put it in his mouth. He smiled, nodded and said, "You are right. Connections are indeed important."
He agreed to John''s bribery. John stretched out his hand and Percy shook hands with him.
In this Defense Against the Dark Arts office, Lockhart witnessed the transaction between the two power-grabbers.
After Percy left, Lockhart asked anxiously, "Aren''t you afraid that he will discover my secret? I mean, wouldn''t it be too dangerous to have one more assistant?"
"No, you are his backer, and he will not betray you as long as you continue to give him power."
John nced at Lockhart, gave him some courage, and did not forget to warn him.
"Put away your shy ideas, just use the lesson n I gave you well, and don''t use magic."
Lockhart''s magic level was so bad that John even doubted how he graduated from Hogwarts.
He smiled awkwardly.
Lockhart liked to stand out so much that he couldn''t figure out the nature of his magic rookie.
He took out the sting-tailed skrewt amulet and a ring iid with emeralds from the small bag and ced them on the table. John handed them to Lockhart and said calmly: "Use this when you really need to take action. It has an armor spell and a petrification spell."
This is a newly made prop that can help Lockhart hold up the scene at a critical moment.
Lockhart was overjoyed. These days, people doubting his strength has put him under a lot of pressure.
"Thank you, Mr. Wick, I willplete the task well."
John stood up and left. Before leaving, he said lightly: "Call me John. I said that connections are also an important part of being an excellent wizard."
Lockhart was stunned. He thought John was using the handle to threaten him to show off his power. Now it seems that John may really want to cultivate his connections.
Yes, cultivate.
"Okay John, I will write to you after the term ends." Lockhart made a gesture.
John nodded and left.
...
October has arrived.
The temperature difference is huge, and many young wizards have contracted the flu.
Madam Pomfrey prepared some more stimnts for this purpose. Although the ears will smoke after drinking, it is also very effective.
John, as a student with excellent performance in potions ss, was also called to help.
After delivering the stimnt to the school hospital, John heard crying when he passed the corridor on the second floor.
He walked towards the ce where the sound came from and saw Peeves throwing stones at the girls'' bathroom.
And there was a female student ghost crying because of being bullied.
"Peeves, you can leave now."
Peeves was bullying Myrtle. When he heard the sound, he turned around and saw that it was John. He was so scared that he knocked down the medieval armor and ran away.
"It''s just freezing you a few times, what''s the big deal." Seeing Peeves'' reaction, John couldn''t help but mutter.
Walking into the girls'' bathroom, he saw the ghost of the bullied schoolgirl still crying, and asked, "Are you okay?"
Myrtle screamed and flew through John''s body. John felt as if he was sshed with a basin of cold water, which made him feel ufortable.
"Sorry, I just..."
Before he finished speaking, Myrtle remembered the sad things and started crying again.
John was very troubled by this situation. He really didn''t know how to treat ghosts
But the clothes on Myrtle made him curious, "Are you a student of Hogwarts?"
Myrtle was wearing some clothes somewhat simr to that of Hogwarts students, which made John wonder. Did a student die in Hogwarts?
Or did she forget to take her body away and be a ghost like Professor Binns?
Myrtle wore sses and had straight hair. The style of the clothes on her body should have been a long time ago.
"Of course, I am a student of Hogwarts."
Myrtle stopped crying and red at John, then turned around and jumped into a broken toilet.
"Well, it seems that not all ghosts are easy to talk to."
Spreading his hands, John walked out of the bathroom.
After picking up the knocked-down sign that said "Out of Order", John went back to the Slytherinmon room.
"Goyle, don''t eat too much. You''re almost like a pig."
"And you, Crabbe, stop. Don''t make me angry, okay?"
Daphne was teaching Goyle and Crabbe a lesson in the Slytherinmon room. She really couldn''t understand why these two guys were so good eaters.
Pansy sneered sarcastically, "Maybe they were originally domestic pigs."
After John walked in, he saw Daphne trying to take back the cupcakes that Goyle had taken away.
"John, here are your letters. Your dog brought them back from outside."
Daphne immediately restrained herself and showed herdylike image. At the same time, she handed two envelopes to John like a Slytherin hostess.
"From Mr. Shelby?" John raised his eyebrows.
There were three ink spots on the lower right corner of one of the letters that seemed to have been identally dropped on it. John frowned. It seemed that it was sent by the shop of Johnny Silverhand.
He nodded to Daphne and thanked her, "Thank you for taking care of Tom for me."
Daphne looked up proudly, but her ears were a little red.
Back in the dormitory, John opened the envelope and was relieved by the contents.
"Mr. Damocles Belby will be awarded the medal on October 24."
It seemed that his investment was starting to pay off.
John smiled.
_____
Read 12 Chaps ahead
66: The Attacked Shop and Luna’s Shoes
66: The Attacked Shop and Lunas Shoes
Thank you Skeleton for bing a Patron! ?
______
This was good news, making John smile broadly.
With such a mood, John opened the second envelope.
This one was also sent by Tommy Shelby, but it wasn''t good news.
"The shop was attacked?"
Staring at the words in the letter, the Silver Hand Johnny''s shop was attacked one night by three dark wizards.
Although Tommy repelled them, there were signs they mighte back.
Mr. Borgin was a knowledgeable man. Despite the shop''s low profile, its items were of high quality.
Tommy traced the attackers to Borgin and Burkes.
He had sent three wizards to destroy this uninvited business threat, but they had failed.
"It seems my concern was justified. Tommy Shelby recruited three werewolf partners; it''s time to put them to use."
After thest recruitment, Tommy sessfully brought in three werewolf friends.
They were all from the bottom tier, discriminated against by the wizarding world, and were grateful to John for providing a job.
"It''s time to teach a lesson. Otherwise, after the awarding ceremony, these troubles will only increase."
John''s eyes showed a fierce light. Knockturn Alley was full of dishonest people; they needed to be hurt to be deterred.
Coincidentally, the full moon wasing soon; it was time to let the werewolves take action.
"Hopefully, this time, we can eliminate future troubles."
John snapped his fingers, and the letter burst into mes.
He watched expressionlessly as the letter turned to ashes. He instructed Basil to send a letter to Tommy, along with the protective charms and enchanted rings he had prepared.
Arming them to the teeth, he aimed to cripple Borgin and Burkes in one fell swoop.
He also wrote to Damocles, hoping he could instigate a major search of Knockturn Alley by the Ministry of Magic.
With the influence of the uing Merlin First ss Order and his pureblood status, Damocles could achieve this.
After finishing everything, John started a task simr to Lockhart''s.
The difference was that Lockhart''s correspondence was with fans, while John''s was with alchemy experts and rune schrs.
Some potion masters, introduced by Damocles, had also be his pen pals and responded very positively to him.
Maintaining these connections was also a job, and John wrote to each one.
"A thank-you letter from Barty Crouch?"
Thest letter surprised John.
Upon opening it, he found it was from Barty Crouch Sr., Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, expressing his gratitude for Johnny Silverhand providing a good job for his former subordinate.
"This Director is quite sentimental."
Tommy had once worked under Barty Crouch as an Auror, and Crouch had been deeply pained by his subordinate turning into a werewolf.
Now that he knew John had given Tommy a stable and good job, Barty Crouch Sr. personally wrote a letter of thanks.
Barty Crouch also acknowledged John''s sale of Wolfsbane Potion, expressing gratitude once more for John''s contributions to the werewolfmunity in the wizarding world.
"He seems like someone worth getting to know better."
John picked up a quill and wrote a reply to Barty Crouch Sr.
...
[Ding, magic upgrade sessful, current magic level 4]
After finishing his exercise with Neville by the ck Lake, John saw Neville sit down heavily.
Neville asked sincerely, "John, why do we need to exercise our bodies if we''re wizards?"
"Only a healthy body can support a strong soul."
John kicked Neville, making him get up and continue sword practice.
Neville, in great distress, had no choice but toply. After finishing their training, the two parted ways in the corridor.
It started to rain, and John saw Luna wandering aimlessly barefoot, like a headless chicken, in the corridor.
Beside her was Ginny Weasley, who unsurprisingly was sorted into Gryffindor.
However, the little girl looked a bit haggard.
Percy had mentioned before that his sister had caught a cold, which was likely the reason.
"What are you looking for?" John asked, seeing them searching for something.
Luna greeted John dreamily, "John, it''s good to see you. You didn''t get caught in the rain."
Ginny Weasley, who knew of John and was good friends with Luna, said angrily, "It was some Ravenw students. They hid Luna''s shoes."
"They think it''s a game," Luna added.
"It''s not a game!" Ginny retorted, unable to ept that her good friend was being bullied. Especially aftermunicating with the person in the diary, she was even more afraid of losing this friend.
"Alright, maybe I can help you find them," John said, noticing Ginny''s agitation andforting the two girls.
Suddenly, a cat appeared from around the corner.
It was Mrs. Norris.
John approached and petted her head, speaking softly, "Mrs. Norris, can you help me find Luna''s shoes?"
Mrs. Norris nced at Luna, then circled around as if trying to remember something.
Then she turned and headed down another corridor, with John following her.
This scene surprised Ginny because she had heard about Filch''s cat, who often reported to Filch.
When they reached the fifth-floor corridor, Mrs. Norris sat down and meowed upward.
John looked up and saw Luna''s shoes hanging above.
John took out his wand and used a spell to retrieve the shoes, then fed Mrs. Norris a cat treat he carried with him.
"I need to find some time to groom your furr," he said, noticing her fur was matted again after some time without grooming.
After Mrs. Norris finished the treat and left, John said goodbye to the two girls as well.
"If you need any help, you can alwayse to me."
Seeing that Luna didn''t seem to be doing well in Ravenw, John left her with these words.
Just then, he arrived at the library and decided to go in. He had a note from Lockhart allowing him free ess to the Restricted Section. To make things easier, he had Lockhart write him a dozen notes.
Entering the Restricted Section, John searched for books on curses.
"The Book of Spells, this might be useful," he said, picking it up and preparing to leave. As he passed by a shelf, he stopped in his tracks.
Looking at an empty spot, John thought, "I remember there was a book here."
When he hade in during his first year, there had been a book titled *Secrets of the Darkest Arts* in that spot, but now it was gone.
John found it odd but then noticed another book, *Moste Potente Potions*.
He stopped and took that book as well.
Under Madam Pince''s death re, John calmly presented two notes.
Sessfully taking both books, John headed straight for the Gryffindor''s Chamber of Secrets.
When he came out again, it was already evening.
He had an extra wand in his handit was Ron''s.
"The process of making a wand takes longer than I expected."
The wand was fourteen inches long, quite lengthy.
...
On Monday during the Defense Against the Dark Arts ss, Lockhart had already gotten used to being a hands-off instructor.
After going over his textbook, the ss moved on to practical exercises.
Naturally, it was John who took control of the situation.
Lockhart was the first professor in Hogwarts history to have two assistants.
John felt responsible for his ssmates and demonstrated how to quickly take down a Tibetan Snowman.
After ss, John handed Ron the new wand made with the old core.
"I almost forgot I had another wand," Ron said.
Only then did he remember he had been using John''s given wand.
Upon receiving his new wand, he felt it fit perfectly in his hand.
Hermione eximed, "Oh Merlin! You really know how to make wands!"
"Of course, did you think I was joking?" John replied with a smile.
Hermione felt a bit embarrassed; she had assumed John''s craftsmanship would be rough, but the wand was very delicate.
"Great, now I can make Malfoy suffer!" Ron said excitedly.
These days, Ron and Malfoy had constant friction, having exchanged curses at least three times.
"Hello, John."
Percy walked by with his head held high, which made Ron very annoyed. "You know Lockhart made him an assistant, and now he''s even more full of himself." Ron muttered.
Harry also noticed Percy had be more arroganttely. Bing an assistant in Defense Against the Dark Arts had increased Percy''s authority.
"Isn''t that a good thing?" John didn''t understand why Ron was upset; his brother having more power seemed beneficial.
After saying goodbye to the group, John headed to the dormitory to take Tom for a walk.
When he returned to the dormitory, he heard Tom growling fiercely.
John drew his wand and walked in to find a house-elf wearing a pillowcase, cornered by Tom and unable to fight back.
"Dobby..?"
_____
Read 12 Chapters ahead at
67: Meeting Dobby Again and Searching for another Secret Chamber
67: Meeting Dobby Again and Searching for another Secret Chamber
Dobby was able to enter Hogwarts?
John''s eyes changed. He didn''t expect the magic of the house elves to be so high.
There is anti-Apparition magic in Hogwarts, and wizards cannote here by Apparition.
But Dobby cane to the Slytherinmon room without alerting anyone.
"Okay Tom, rx, good boy!"
Stopping Tom from wanting to pounce on Dobby and bite him, John looked at Dobby and asked, "So..? What are you doing here?"
"Dobby wants Sir John Wick to protect Harry Potter; it''s too dangerous here."
Dobby''s ears drooped. "Dobby blocked Harry Potter from passing through the wall, but he still made it to Hogwarts."
"That was you?"
John recalled Harry being blocked from passing through the barrier at the start of term. His gaze turned cold. "Do you know that because of that, My father still gets beaten up by MomEhm* no, what I mean is Harry and Ron were almost expelled, you know that?!"
His stern tone made Dobby unable to meet his eyes.
"Dobby knows, Dobby is sorry, but danger looms over the castle."
John snapped, "Enough, stop speaking in riddles. Tell me, what is the danger?"
Dobby seemed to remember something and started banging his head against a nearby cab.
John, extremely irritated, raised his hand without even taking out his wand and shouted, "Just fucking Stop!"
Dobby, still self-harming, suddenly froze in ce, and John was momentarily stunned, looking at his right hand. He had sessfully cast a spell without a wand.
"It seems emotions are the key," he thought, his expression changing.
In the magical world, a person''s emotions seemed to be able to manifest physically.
The strongest known emotion-based magic was the love that protected Harry. With her power, Harry''s mother was no match for Voldemort, yet she defeated him with the purest form of love.
The three Unforgivable Curses also relied on emotions: the Killing Curse required intense hatred, and many dark spells needed malice as a prerequisite.
John felt his understanding of magic deepening. He looked at Dobby, who was now staring at him with wide, pitiful eyes.
Feeling a bit exasperated, he said, "I get it.He is my friend after all, I will continue to protect Harry. Just don''t do anything to him again."
He genuinely feared that this house-elf might harm Harry at school, even if he imed to be protecting him. His methods were certainly troublesome.
"Dobby thanks John Wick for his help."
Dobby snapped his fingers, making a sound, and disappeared.
John watched him vanish, growing even more eager to learn Apparition.
"I must learn it quickly. I don''t want to get stranded in another country with no way back."
One of the books he borrowed included the spell for Apparition, but it was dangerous and required guidance.
A small mistake could result in Splinching, which, if not treated in time, could be fatal for a wizard.
John considered and then dismissed the idea of asking his head of house for help.
Putting aside the fact that Professor Snape seemed to have an issue with him, and that Hogwarts had its own Apparition course which he wouldn''t bypass, John knew he couldn''t wait until his sixth year to learn it.
"Waiting until the sixth year is too long," he decided, resolving to find a helper himself.
The heads of the four houses were out of the question as they wouldn''t break the rules. Among the Hogwarts professors, each had their specialty, and asking Lockhart to be his practice partner was out of the question.
"If I did that, I might as well wait until sixth year," John thought.
"Maybe I can get Tommy Shelby to be my practice partner during the holidays."
Shelby, being a former Auror, would surely know Apparition.
Looking out the window, John saw the dark depths of the ck Lake.
The moonlight filtered through theke''s waters as John muttered to himself, "It''s a full moon."
...
In Diagon Alley, four wizards transformed under Mundungus''s horrified gaze.
They drank Wolfsbane Potion before transforming, allowing them to retain their sanity.
Four pairs of oily green eyes scanned the street, unaware that Borgin and Burkes Antique Shop had provoked such a dangerous group.
Mr. Borgin, the shop owner, was plotting how to put Silverhand Johnny''s store out of business, having hired six dark wizards.
"Go in and drive them out of Diagon Alley. I will reward you handsomely."
Mr. Borgin promised these ouws, and greed shed in the dark wizards'' eyes.
Just as they were about to head out, an unexpected change urred.
Boom!
The door of Borgin and Burkes was sted apart, and a red light hit a dark wizard, disarming him.
The tall figures cloaked in ck moved swiftly, casting powerful spells.
Mr. Borgin screamed, "Stop them, stop them!"
The dark wizards fought back, their wands shooting curses.
But the spells couldn''t even slow down the four cloaked figures.
They moved like reapers; one of them snapped his fingers, and a dark wizard was hit by a Stunning Spell, losing consciousness on the spot.
Mr. Borgin, terrified, retreated and loudly demanded, "Who are you?"
"You''ve angered the wrong people, Borgin Burke."
Green eyes loomedrge in Mr. Borgin''s vision as he backed away in fear.
The four figures, well-trained, easily subdued all the dark wizards. Tommy pursued Mr. Borgin, unhurried.
Until Mr. Borgin fled into a pitch-dark room, Tommy''s keen sense of smell pinpointed his location.
"This must be his vault."
Tommy''s ghostly green eyes scanned the darkness for a while, making Mr. Borgin hold his breath in fear.
Fortunately, the cloaked figure soon left.
All the dark wizards were captured, and Mr. Borgin thought they were doomed.
He spent a nerve-wracking night in the vault.
The next day, Mr. Borgin finally dared to venture out.
Thinking the danger had passed, he opened the door only to find several Aurors standing outside.
Without a word, the Aurors went straight to his vault, uncovering arge amount of illicit goods.
In that moment, his mind went nk, realizing his fate was sealed.
The worst part was, he never knew who he had offended.
The powerful ck-cloaked figures, the Aurorseither of these forces were beyond the reach of ordinary people.
In the end, Borgin and Burkes was shut down because the Aurors found numerous dark magical artifacts, many of which were extremely dangerous.
One ne had even imed the lives of neen Muggles.
The case caused a huge stir, leading to Mr. Borgin facing hefty fines and a sentence in Azkaban.
The former Borgin and Burkes was reced by another name.
Johnny Silverhand''s Specialty Store.
...
"No wonder he''s a former Auror, his response was really quick."
John received a letter after Borgin and Burkes was shut down. Tommy and his team did a great job, breaking the wands of six dark wizards with records of killing Muggles and throwing them at the entrance of the Ministry of Magic.
With these people and that warehouse full of dark magical artifacts, Mr. Borgin''s chances of making aeback were almost zero.
Mundungus did well, purchasing the original Borgin and Burkes building immediately, which must have cost quite a bit.
To John, these were minor expenses because Damocles Belby hadpleted the conferment of the Merlin First ss Order, and the Wolfsbane Potion had spread out.
There were wherewolf customers who had some wealth by doing illegal activities, some wealthy wizards who wanted to recruit werewolves with sanity, and some former family members who had abandoned their sons and daughters after they got the infection.
Now, werewolves from all over the world wereing to buy the potion, allowing Silverhand Johnny to quickly umte wealth.
At the same time, he also expanded his strength by recruiting several wizards.
These individuals were all thoroughly investigated through his connections and were reliable and trustworthy wizards.
"Auror Office Chief, Rufus Scrimgeour."
Among the letters from theJohnny Silverhand''s Specialty Store was a special one. John smiled after reading its contents.
"He''s quite clever, finding Johnny Silverhand from the slightest clues."
John conjured mes in his hand and burned the letter. Some things didn''t need to be exposed.
He had Mundungus send Rufus Scrimgeour an amulet, establishing a tacit understanding between the two.
The appearance of the amulet would likely enhance thebat effectiveness of the Aurors, and the Auror Office Chief would probably not refuse it.
It had been raining all day, and John heard Filch''s roaring in the corridor.
Harry had been caught, but John nced and didn''t think much of it.
He was searching for the Chamber of Secrets, a chamber that appeared in the second year... yes, while sleeping the previous day, some of the foggy memory became clear and he remembered that the name of the second movie was Chamber of Secrets.
And the only clue was a bathroom.
However, he had explored all the bathrooms in the school and still hadn''t found the location of the chamber.
Helplessly disappointed, he headed back and, upon reaching the second floor, heard Moaning Myrtle''s crying.
"Perhaps I could ask the ghosts," John thought, pping his forehead.
These ghosts had been at Hogwarts for so long, they must have some clues.
He walked into the girls'' bathroom and saw Moaning Myrtle crying sentimentally inside.
_______
12 Advance Chapters
68: Whispers and Shadows
68: Whispers and Shadows
Thank you Andrew Nuh for bing a member!??
________
"Hey, Moaning Myrtle, I''d like to ask you something."
"Something? Hic* Alright, as long as you don''t despise me. Hic*"
Moaning Myrtle''s sensitive emotions were quite a headache, so John tried his best not to touch on that.
"I want to ask you if you know of any secret chambers in Hogwarts?"
''Other than Gryffindor''s Chamber is what I mean '' He didn''t say this.
Moaning Myrtle flew out from the toilet, her face full of confusion. "Sob-sob* Hic* Secret chambers? I''ve never seen one."
"Ahh.. Alright, looks like I need to ask someone else."
Without getting an answer, John prepared to leave. As he walked out, he bumped into someone.
"Uh... ah.. this.. I''m here to see Moaning Myrtle, hope you understand."
He felt a bit awkward looking at the person who caught himing out of the girls'' bathroom.
Ginny looked flustered. She didn''t dare meet John''s eyes, and the ck leather book in her hand fell to the ground.
"Are you alright, Ginny?"
John noticed something was off with her and tried to help her pick up the diary.
This action made Ginny scream, "Don''t touch it!"
"Sorry..."
John retracted his hand and watched as Ginny picked up the ck leather book and quickly left.
He wondered, "Why does Ginny seem so off?"
Compared to theirst meeting, Ginny''s current state was very unstable. She looked haggard, as if she hadn''t slept well for many days.
"Maybe I should ask Luna."
John left the girls'' bathroom. After he left, Ginny circled back. She heard whispers that made her dazed.
...
"Did you... have you... read it?"
On his way to Filch''s office to groom Mrs. Norris, John overheard a conversation. Filch''s nervous, stuttering voice made him stop.
"This isn''t mine, it''s for a friend. It might look like... but..."
Filch stammered,cking his usual aggressiveness. John moved closer and saw Harry in the office. Filch seemed like he had done something wrong, standing there unsure. In the end, Filch let Harry go without any punishment.
"Strange."
John thought something was off with everyone today. After Harry left, he saw Filch nervously hide a letter.
He knocked on the door and entered, hearing Mrs. Norris meow.
Filch turned stiffly and, seeing it was John, visibly rxed.
John didn''t dwell on it. He waved to Mrs. Norris, who ran over.
"I hope you don''t mind if I groom her."
"Of course," Filch stammered, still a bit nervous. John shrugged and took Mrs. Norris outside.
He pulled out ab and started untangling Mrs. Norris''s fur. Once her fur was smooth, she circled John in what seemed like gratitude.
John waved her off, and she left.
Walking down the corridor, John heard a strange, hissing sound.
"Hmm... It sounds like something crawling...."
John pressed his ear to the wall. With his sharp senses, he detected faint, intermittent movement before it stopped.
Touching his chin thoughtfully, John muttered, "It doesn''t sound like mice, more like something dragging its body."
Something crawled past his feet. Looking down, he saw a group of spiders.
"A swarm of spiders leaving... what''s going on?"
Watching the spiders leave in groups, John felt something was wrong.
Thinking of spiders, John recalled the spider nest he visited with Hagrid in his first year.
"Forget it, let''s go check on Hagrid."
John shook his head and headed to Hagrid''s hut.
When he arrived, he didn''t see Hagrid but did see Fang.
"Hey Fang, where''s Hagrid?"
John casually asked, and Fang got up and led John to the back of the hut.
There, Hagrid kept a flock of chickens, but today, they had be a pile of corpses.
Hagrid was investigating, and when John approached, Hagrid angrily said, "How can this be! Someone killed my chickens, it''s too cruel."
These chickens were not killed by animals, as there were no bite marks, indicating it was done by a person.
Hagrid was very angry, as he had raised these chickens himself.
John fell into deep thought. The spiders leaving the castle in groups, Hagrid''s chickens being killedeverything seemed eerie.
After staying with Hagrid for a while, John went to the Whomping Willow.
The Whomping Willow had almost recovered; it was estimated that it would fully recover in another week.
However, many of its branches were missing, as John had taken them for alchemy.
To this end, he expanded various protective charms and enchanted rings.
These two items yed a significant role during the attack on Borgin and Burkes. Mr. Borgin did not suspect at all that it was done by werewolves.
Because werewolves do not use magic after transforming.
Pouring dragon dung around, John encountered Luna near the Whomping Willow.
"Hi, John, It''s good to see you! You know, Ginny has something going on."
Luna had eyes that were good at observing, her ethereal voice sounding like it was singing, "She hasn''t been looking at metely."
"I think something''s wrong too."
John nodded in agreement. He wasn''t very familiar with Ginny.
So he nned to ask Ron to see if something was going on with her.
...
In Potions ss, John threw sliced bat spleen into the cauldron, stirred counterclockwise four times, and then heated it at a low temperature for thirty seconds.
With a wave of his wand, a perfect potion waspleted.
Professor Snape awarded Slytherin 20 points.
After ss, John found Ron and mentioned Ginny''s situation.
Ron said he would keep an eye on her but immediately shifted the topic to his wand.
"This wand is simply amazing."
Ron wasvish with his praise, and John nodded humbly.
Harry came over and invited John, "We''re going to Nearly Headless Nick''s Deathday Party. Do you want toe with us?"
To be honest, Harry already regretted agreeing, as that night was also the Halloween feast.
He would much rather celebrate with his ssmates than with a bunch of ghosts.
John waved his hand and declined, "Sorry, I don''t have time that day. I still have to take care of the Whomping Willow."
"Oh, yea.. Alright." Harry knew John was busy, so he didn''t continue the invitation.
...
On the night of the Halloween feast, John returned from the Whomping Willow and saw the spiders again.
"What exactly is it?"
Following the spiders'' path, John went to find out.
He remembered Dobby mentioning danger; could it be this?
As he searched, John arrived at the second-floor corridor.
He found a puddle of water at a corner of the corridor.
"Where did this watere from? It hasn''t rained."
John felt the puddle was strange and followed the path where the water was found.
He ended up back at the girls'' bathroom.
Just as he was about to enter, John remembered the previous awkwardness and stopped.
"Hey! Ehm* Is there anyone around?"
Feeling a bit guilty, John looked around.
After entering the girls'' bathroom, he saw another puddle of water on the floor.
This made him think.
"Could it be Moaning Myrtle who caused this?"
John walked toward the toilets, wanting to see if Moaning Myrtle was there.
At that moment, a shadow shed in the mirror.
John''s nerves tightened, and without hesitation, he drew his wand and looked behind him.
He heard the sound of something moving.
Being cautious, John felt a strange sense of oppression in his heart.
He walked past each stall, finding nothing in any of them.
Just as he was wondering where it was, he heard a cat''s meow.
"Mrs. Norris?"
Hearing this sound, John recognized it as Mrs. Norris.
The cat was in the corridor outside, so John went out.
Mrs. Norris was climbing and exploring, as if she had also discovered something.
"Be careful, Mrs. Norris, there might be danger here."
John reached out to stroke Mrs. Norris''s chin. He followed her through the corridor, searching.
He didn''t know what that fleeting shadow was, but his intuition told him it was very dangerous.
He felt as though something was watching him, making him tense.
Mrs. Norris reached a puddle of water at a corner and, possibly thirsty, began to drink.
John heard a movement nearby, followed by a cat''s scream.
Turning his head, he saw arge ck figure there.
Without any hesitation, John acted.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
The Full Body-Bind Curse had no effect on the shadowy figure, and John cursed under his breath.
Before the figure could turn, John cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself and hid in the corner.
He noticed Mrs. Norris had stiffened and seemed to be slowly petrifying. John realized this thing was extremely dangerous.
Drawing the Sword of Gryffindor, John attacked based on his instincts.
"Reducto!"
The white light hit the wall.
_______
Read 12 Chaps ahead
69: The Chamber of Secrets and the Bloody Word
69: The Chamber of Secrets and the Bloody Word
Thanks a lot, Makaii Jackson for bing a patron!??
_______
To confirm the location of the shadow, John used the reflective surface of the Sword Iron Wick.
It was a massive creature with ck scales and a crimson crest on its head. It could easily swallow a giant whole.
John cursed under his breath, wondering where this thing hade from, just as the shadow turned around.
In the sword''s reflection, he saw a pair ofrge yellow eyes. Just a moment of eye contact made his body stiffen.
"Not good, it''s petrification!"
He was horrified, not expecting that just seeing the eyes would result in getting hit. John''s magic resisted the petrification, but it wasn''t very effective.
"Damn it!"
If he got petrified, he would be done for.
John growled, his eyes turning into vertical slits, and the petrification on his body slowed down.
Without hesitation, he reached into his small satchel and took out bottles of potions one by one.
He poured an antidote into his mouth, but it had little effect, so he switched to another bottle.
Racing against time, just before he waspletely petrified, John managed to find the antidote made from Mandrake.
"Fina-fucking-ly!"
*Gulp-Gulp-Gulp!*
After drinking it, the petrification on his body was lifted.
He had made this antidotest term by secretly taking a pot of Mandrake from Professor Sprout''s greenhouse.
It was his only bottle.
"Is it a curse?"
With his dragon eyes activated, John could see that the creature''s eyes were filled with a powerful curse.
Without hesitation, John activated his me mode.
Under the influence of the me sword''s burning magic, the reflected curse was incinerated. Through the sword''s reflection, he saw the shadow approaching him.
As the shadow neared, John closed his eyes and struck at the shadow, relying only on his hearing.
With a me spell attached, the Sword Iron Wick finally pierced through the shadow''s scales with one strike.
Blood trickled down the de, and John heard the shadow''s painful growl.
A gust of wind swept past, forcing John to roll away to avoid it.
"No, I have to get away!"
He turned and ran in the direction he remembered. The shadow, now enraged by its wound, chased after him.
Activating his flying boots, John opened his eyes while facing away from the shadow and began to relocate.
Through the reflection on the sword''s de, John could see that the shadow was still chasing him.
Judging by the time, the Halloween Feast should be ending soon.
If this creature with the deadly gaze got inside, the entire school would be doomed.
With an understanding, John decided to run outside the castle.
After running for a while, he checked the sword''s reflection again and saw that the shadow had disappeared.
"Did it leave?"
John stopped, realizing something, and his face changed as he ran back.
...
On the second floor, Harry saw his least favorite cat, Mrs. Norris, hanging there.
Mrs. Norris was hanging from a torch bracket, her body as stiff as a board.
There was a line of blood-written words on the wall.
"T-The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware...."
Ron read the words in a trembling voice. Just as they realized they should leave, the Halloween Feast ended.
Arge crowd of students witnessed the scene, and Filch pushed through the crowd, seeing his cat in distress.
He stumbled back a few steps, fearfully grabbing his face with his hands, and let out a heart-wrenching scream.
"My cat, my cat! What happened to Mrs. Norris?"
His appearance made people feel a bit sorry for him.
Malfoy saw the blood-written words on the wall and started to mock.
Filch adamantly insisted that Harry had killed his cat, screaming that he wanted to kill Harry to avenge Mrs. Norris.
Dumbledore arrived at the scene and was the first to notice some signs of a struggle.
Among the students, there was amotion, and a wave of panic started to spread.
Dumbledore knew it was crucial to quell these emotions immediately, so he took the three who had witnessed it first to leave with him.
Filch red at them with hatred, while Lockhart eagerly suggested Dumbledore go to his office nearby.
After they left, John returned to the scene.
He stared at the blood-written words on the wall, his eyes scanning the crowd.
He knew that when he was fighting the shadow, these words weren''t there.
This meant that after he had drawn the shadow away, someone else hade here.
"Who could it be?"
John pondered deeply, while the prefects were leading their house students back.
"Gemma, I have something to do."
Gemma Farley, the sixth-year Slytherin prefect, wanted John to leave, but John simply left a sentence and headed in the opposite direction.
Gemma Farley felt somewhat helpless but chose to ignore it.
John arrived at the girls'' bathroom where he had first seen the shadow.
Upon arrival, he noticed water stains still present and cautiously used his sword to probe the area.
"Not here?"
John inspected the entire girls'' bathroom but did not find the shadow.
Instead, he encountered Moaning Myrtle, but he had no time to deal with her at the moment.
Leaving the girls'' bathroom, John''s brow remained furrowed.
He understood the danger of that thing; it wasn''t just about Harry being in danger anymore, but the entire school could be at risk.
"I must tell Dumbledore."
John made up his mind; this was no small matter, and he needed the great White Wizard.
He immediately headed to Lockhart''s office.
"I remember a very simr situation happening in Ouagadougou, a series of attacks. It''s detailed in my autobiography," Lockhart was boasting shamelessly about his autobiography again. None of the professors present genuinely believed him.
Dumbledore deduced that Mrs. Norris wasn''t dead but had been petrified.
Filch, heartbroken, was crying, his tear-streaked face turning viciously towards Harry.
Dumbledore told him that it was impossible for a second-year student to achieve this.
But as he said this, he thought of John.
If there was anyone in the second year most likely to be capable of this, it would be John.
Moreover, John hadn''t been present at the feast.
Dumbledore had aplex feeling towards John.
John''s excellence, diligence, and charm that drew people in all reminded him of Hogwarts'' once most outstanding student.
This worried him.
Filch insisted that Harry and his friends were responsible because Harry had seen his Quick-Spell letter and knew he was a Squib.
The most unexpected thing was Snape speaking up, sarcastically stating that Harry couldn''t possibly have such magical proficiency, though the timing of the trio''s appearance was suspicious.
Harry felt uneasy and didn''t mention hearing the strange voice, only saying he was tired and wanted to sleep.
Anyone could tell it was a poor lie, and Snape was no exception.
Snape even suggested Harry be removed from the Quidditch team, which upset the die-hard Quidditch fan McGonagall.
The two nearly started arguing, with Filch yelling about his cat being petrified.
John decided it was best not to go in; he might witness a fight between two Heads of House, but he knew it wasn''t likely with Dumbledore present.
The discussion inside concluded, and Dumbledore instructed Snape to brew the potion to cure petrification.
The trio was the first to leave, but instead of returning, they found an empty ssroom to discuss.
John initially wanted to talk to Dumbledore, but seeing this, he decided to follow them, remembering Dobby had said these events were targeting Harry.
And he had promised Dobby to protect Harry from danger.
...
In the empty ssroom.
"Do you think I should tell them about the voice I heard?" Harry asked uneasily.
He was the only one who heard the voice, which made him feel very uneasy.
Ron, considering his friend''s well-being, decisively advised him not to, saying, "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn''t a good sign, even in the wizarding world."
Harry asked, "You believe me, right?"
Ron, of course, believed him, which slightlyforted Harry.
Just then, a voice sounded in the empty ssroom.
"Harry, where did you hear the voice?"
Harry was startled, his body tensing up, while Hermione recognized the familiar voice and tentatively asked, "John?"
"Yup, it''s me."
John lifted the Disillusionment Charm, appearing as if he had walked out from the darkness.
He stared at Harry and asked word by word, "You can hear that voice, right?"
"John, did you hear it too?" Sensing something off in John''s tone, Harry asked urgently, "I heard it in the corridor when we wereing from the Ghost party!."
"That makes sense."
A gleam shed in John''s eyes. After leaving, that thing returned to the second floor and disappeared. Perhaps itsir was on the second floor.
[Ding, exploration mission triggered: Find Slytherin''s Chamber of Secrets! Get the Blessing: Snake Catcher]
[Snake Catcher: Increased damage to snakes, immune to snake toxins and curses]
With the mission triggered, John knew where that thing had emerged from.
However, locating Slytherin''s Chamber of Secrets was another problem. Taking a deep breath, John realized he needed help.
Looking at the trio, he said solemnly, "I encountered that thing. It''s a giant snake, and its eyes are extremely dangerous."
The trio''s eyes widened. Had John really encountered the culprit?!
Harry quickly asked, "You mean, you know who the culprit is?"
"No, besides the snake, there was another person. After I left, they wrote the blood message. We need to find them."
When ites to the best helpers, the protagonists are always the best choice.
After John''s revtion, the trio also realized the gravity of the situation.
The heir of the Chamber of Secrets was the most dangerous one.
John entrusted the three people to find the heir to the Chamber of Secrets, and he went to Dumbledore''s office.
But when he arrived at the door, he was in trouble.
After all, he didn''t have the password...
_______
12 Chapters ahead
70: Supremacy and Provoking Hatred
70: Supremacy and Provoking Hatred
After wandering in front of the grotesque statue for a while, he had no choice but to cancel the Disillusionment Charm and said to the statue, "Tell Professor Dumbledore that John Wick is looking for him."
The statue''s head rotated slightly as if it understood.
After a while, the statue jumped aside.
John knew that Dumbledore was aware of his arrival, so he walked in.
It was a spiral passage, and at the very top was the headmaster''s office.
He knocked on the wooden door with a griffin knocker, and the door opened without a breeze.
Entering inside, it was his first time here.
It was a spacious, beautiful circr room filled with various whimsical little sounds.
On the long-legged tables, there were many peculiar silver instruments, rotating and emitting small puffs of smoke.
The patched Sorting Hat rested on a shelf, and next to it in a ss case was a gleaming silver sword with a hilt set withrge rubies.
There was also a nearly bald bird on a perch behind the door. People said a plucked phoenix was no better than a chicken, and now John had seen it for himself.
Dumbledore''s gaze, hidden behind his half-moon sses, observed John''s arrival. His voice was deep with a hint of seriousness.
"John, it is already curfew time."
"I know, Professor Dumbledore."
John nodded respectfully and said seriously, "But I can''t sit by and let Hogwarts fall into danger."
This didn''t sound like an rmist statement. Dumbledore responded solemnly, "I hope to get an answer."
"There is a snake in the school. It''s veryrge, and I encountered it."
As John spoke, Dumbledore''s expression grew grave.
"Mr. John Wick, if what you say is true, Hogwarts is already in great danger."
Dumbledore didn''t take John''s words as a joke, because such an incident had happened at Hogwarts before.
He said sternly, "I will have the professors increase patrols within the castle. John, I need your help to find the Chamber of Secrets."
Even Dumbledore didn''t know the location of the Chamber of Secrets from which the creature emerged.
Otherwise, back when Hagrid was falsely used, he wouldn''t have been able to only protect him.
Szar Slytherin''s ideology was at odds with the other three founders, and the chamber he left behind had always been a mystery at Hogwarts.
The only hope was in the heir of Slytherin.
He had to organize the professors to prevent more serious incidents, and having John, a student, investigate was more convenient.
Another reason was that Slytherin aimed to purge Muggle-borns.
Therefore, John''s existence was a primary target.
John came to get Dumbledore''s support, and now that his goal was achieved, he nced at the bookshelf before leaving. He noticed the missing book "Secrets of the Darkest Arts" from the library.
He wondered why this book was important enough for Dumbledore to personally keep.
...
The attack incidents left everyone anxious. When John returned to the Slytherinmon room, he heard Malfoy boasting loudly.
"Those Muggle-born wizards don''t deserve toe to school."
Malfoy, engrossed in his rant, suddenly realized the room had fallen silent.
He looked up to see John standing at the door.
"J-John."
Malfoy broke into a cold sweat, forgetting that John was one of those Muggle-born wizards.
John took a deep breath and walked into themon room with a nk expression.
The Slytherin students inside quickly stepped aside, leaving Malfoy uncertain whether to stay or leave.
John''s gaze swept the room, and the wizards who met his eyes felt guilty and looked down.
John calmly said, "Muggles don''t deserve to enter the school? Is that your belief?"
"John, that''s not what we meant."
Daphne wanted to exin, but John raised his hand to stop her.
He said calmly, "I know some of you have been exposed to an extreme pure-blood ideology, but it doesn''t matter. I''m giving you a chance to demonstrate the superiority of pure blood."
Some Slytherin students frowned, clearly displeased by John''s words.
But John didn''t care; his goal was to prevent anyone in Slytherin from making any more derogatory remarks.
"Tomorrow in the Defense Against the Dark Arts ssroom, I hope to see all of you there."
He was essentially dering war on the entire Slytherin house. It wasn''t just the second-year students; even the older students thought he was crazy.
But was John really crazy?
He walked through the crowd, returning to his dormitory under everyone''s watchful eyes.
Daphne, furious, marched up to Malfoy and pointed a finger at his nose, saying, "You''ve angered John, Malfoy!"
Malfoy''s expression changed.
His habitual boasting of pure-blood superiority had inadvertently stirred up a hugemotion with his friend.
The news that John Wick had dered war on the entire Slytherin house spread quickly.
All four houses reacted the same way when they heard the news: they thought John was crazy.
The next morning, Harry quickly found Ron and Hermione.
Ron, shocked, said, "Blimey, has John gone mad? He''s taking on all of Slytherin by himself!"
"We need to help him!" Hermione wanted to support her friend.
This sentiment was quickly agreed upon by the other two, and soon they headed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts ssroom.
The ce was already packed with people. The Weasley twins saw a business opportunity and started taking bets from the students.
"Aren''t you worried John might lose?" Harry couldn''t understand why the Weasley twins were confident enough to offer odds of 1:100. Did they think John was Dumbledore?
George blinked and said, "Of course not, he''s John Wick."
"He took down a troll in his first year," Fred added, "and defeated Professor Quirrell."
"But... it''s Slytherin, I mean, he''s facing an entire house by himself!" Ron thought his brothers would lose everything, but the Weasley twins were unconcerned.
In the Defense Against the Dark Arts ssroom, a long stage had been set up. Lockhart saw this and, with a twinkle in his eye, thought he could mimic it.
The dueling champion, Professor Flitwick, was brought in to be the referee, and Percy, along with other prefects, maintained order.
Quidditch fanatic Wood had mercifully canceled practice for the day to watch the spectacle.
Nearly all the students were there, and the ssroom waspletely packed.
John stood on the tform, his wizard''s robe flowing loosely around him, a delicate badge pinned to his chest.
Just by being there, he seemed to draw all the light towards him.
Walking leisurely on the tform, John lightly touched the badge on his chest as a gesture of courtesy.
"It''s an honor for everyone to attend this event, a mixture ofedy and tragedy. Time and again, Muggle-born wizards have proven their talents equal to pure-bloods in the magical world. Yet, some still cling to arrogance and prejudice," he began.
"Their prejudice is bothughable and pitiable, and it''s downright absurd. I have organized this event," John continued, "to show that the magical world should not judge by bloodline but by ability!"
"Anyone who believes they can defeat me is wee toe up."
John''s calm voice carried across the room, addressing the longstanding bias against Muggle-born wizards.
Not long after his words, a fifth-year Slytherin student stepped up.
"Eddie Garfield," the student announced his name.
John calmly asked, "Ready?"
"Ready..."
A sh of red light sent the Slytherin student flying. John stood with his left hand holding his wand, saying coolly, "Next."
The fight was over so quickly that most of the students didn''t even have time to react.
A few Slytherins, faces red with anger, shouted that John had used underhanded tactics.
John merely nced at them, and their voices fell silent immediately.
"Heh~ I''ve already said, anyone dissatisfied cane up directly," he said calmly, his demeanor exuding a subtle arrogance that was hard to ignore.
This attitude was intolerable to the proud Slytherins, and many of them stepped up to challenge him.
But without exception, whether they were upperssmen or underssmen, they were all swiftly defeated by John.
This was the same person who had bested a nerfed Godric Gryffindor in a duel; these school-going students were no match for him.
Professor Flitwick''s hands were nearly sore from pping, his eyes gleaming with admirationJohn was a genius at dueling!
With his level 4 magical power and level 4 sting Curse, John didn''t even have to move his feet.
By the end, more than twenty Slytherins were lying on the ground.
Seeing that the timing was right, John cast a Sonorus Charm on himself.
"I know there are rumors about the Chamber of Secrets targeting Muggle-born wizards. Let me tell you this: it will not seed."
John wanted to find the heir, his gaze sweeping across every face in the room.
They were a mixture of surprised, awed, and frightened.
"Because with me here, he is destined to fail."
John had openly challenged the heir of Slytherin, essentially daring him to target Muggle-borns.
The biggest advocate for Muggle-borns was standing right here.
If the heir dared to make another move, John would be ready to track them down.
His words invigorated the students, lifting their spirits from the grip of fear. They cheered John''s name with enthusiasm.
In the crowd, Ginny''s pale face showed a flicker of panic.
The trio, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, were also pumped up by John''s deration, eager to find and confront the heir immediately.
"Remember, it''s not blood purity that matters, but strength!"
John''s gaze swept across the room, and those who had been critical of him quickly looked away, unable to meet his eyes.
He stepped down from the tform, having firmly established his dominance over Slytherin.
________
Read 12 Chapters ahead at
71: Brewing ‘Luck’ and Malfoy’s Apology
71: Brewing Luck and Malfoys Apology
Many thanks to BombMarley and DetectiveJones for bing patrons! ??
________
After the pureblood theory, another doctrine began to prevail in Slytherin.
Power supremacy!
The smart wizards could sense the changing atmosphere in Slytherin. John was like a drop of ink falling into white paint.
No matter how pure it was, it would change.
Dumbledore learned about this and muttered to himself, "Trying to attract the heir''s attention, John, this is too risky."
He understood that this was John''s ploy to draw hatred. Standing on the podium by stepping on pureblood ideology, if the heir remained indifferent, the opening of the Chamber of Secrets would be a joke.
If the heir did act, and John''s not the target, it would mean he was afraid of John.
Either way, it would dispel the school''s panic.
John Wick!
He had already established his prestige in the school, even instilling his own theories into the students.
"It too ambitious, John, I hope you won''t be like that."
Dumbledore sighed. He didn''t know if what he was doing was right. John really reminded him too much of someone else.
...
Despite John''s strong words in the Defense Against the Dark Arts ssroom, he was already brewing Felix Felicis.
This extremelyplex potion required even him to be very careful.
Watching the brewing Felix Felicis, this was a life-saving potion prepared for himself.
He might talk big, but he didn''t want to gamble with his own life.
The ingredients for Felix Felicis had cost him a fortune.
Now that Johnny Silverhand''s shop was on track, John wasn''tcking in money, but getting the ingredients for Felix Felicis was still very difficult.
If the market had ready-made Felix Felicis, John wouldn''t have to brew it himself.
"I hope that snake doesn''te out again during this period."
While brewing Felix Felicis, John didn''t forget to continue strengthening his abilities.
This time, he didn''t point his wand forward but directed it toward the ground.
"Sensory."
Closing his eyes, John''s wand emitted waves simr to sonar, spreading outward.
Everything it touched fed back into John''s mind, constructing a visual map.
It was just a rough t map, but John was delighted.
"Although it''s just a prototype, the ultra-sensory spell is indeed effective."
This was a spell he created himself, based on the magical theories from the *Book of Spells* and *Moste Potente Potions*.
John created his first spell.
This spell could enhance sensory perception, allowing him to sense his surroundings through the magic dispersed in the area.
John named it the Ultra-Sensory Spell.
With this spell, John no longer needed to use his eyes to monitor the movements of that thing.
"As long as its deadly eyes are neutralized, it''s just a toothless tiger."
Drawing the Sword of Gryffindor, John touched the bloodstains on it.
In his first encounter with it, he had suffered a significant loss.
...
After the incident of single-handedly challenging Slytherin, John had be authoritative in the Defense Against the Dark Arts ss.
Even Lockhart felt that he might be a bit redundant. Under John''s help, the students quickly caught up on the knowledge they had missed in the previous school year.
Harry couldn''t help but remark, "If only John were the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."
Ron wholeheartedly agreed, though Hermione seemed a bit downcast.
Noticing something was wrong, Harryforted her, "What''s wrong, Hermione? Don''t worry, with John around, the Slytherin heir wouldn''t dare harm you."
In their History of Magic ss, they had learned about the story of the Chamber of Secrets, where the heir would open it to cleanse Hogwarts.
But with John''s prior actions, the students were much less fearful.
Harry and the others thought Hermione was upset because of the Chamber of Secrets.
Hermione shook her head and said, "It''s not because of that. John is just too smart, and I feel like an idiot."
"Oh Merlin! Hermione, what does that make Harry and me?" Ron eximed in despair. If she was calling herself an idiot, then they must be two brainless idiots.
Only Hermione knew that she seeded by sheer rote memorization. She wasn''t as naturally smart as everyone thought. She simply put in three to ten times more effort than others.
But even such efforts paled inparison to John''s abilities. While she was still trying to catch up, John could already assist professors.
Her hard-won confidence was once again shattered by John, leaving her disheartened.
To cheer Hermione up, the trio headed to the corridor where Mrs. Norris had been attacked.
There, they found spiders, and Ron''s fear of them made Hermione giggle, lifting her spirits.
They then shifted their suspicion to pure-blood students, starting with Malfoy.
In the girls'' bathroom, they encountered Moaning Myrtle.
"We just wanted to ask if you''ve seen anything interesting recently," they said.
Hermione asked Moaning Myrtle, "On Halloween, a cat was attacked right outside your door."
Harry also pressed, "Did you see anyone around that night?"
Moaning Myrtle thought for a moment. She had been pranked by Peeves and, upon returning, had encountered John.
John had mentioned he encountered the giant snake in the corridor, so the trio didn''t suspect him.
They were just disappointed they didn''t get any useful clues.
Hermione had a n: to brew Polyjuice Potion. However, this n was time-consuming and required Harry''s help.
At first, Harry didn''t understand how he could help until he learned he needed to get a signature from Lockhart.
This made Harry very ufortable; he''d rather fight a troll.
Hermione hesitated, saying, "Should we tell John?"
"Tell John?" Harry was surprised.
"I mean, it''s Slytherin, and Malfoy is John''s friend."
Ron dismissed the idea, saying, "Come on, Malfoy said all Muggle-borns should die. If it weren''t for him, we wouldn''t have seen John teach Slytherin a lesson."
Ron genuinely enjoyed that scene, regretting only that Malfoy hadn''t been among those John sent flying.
Hearing this, Hermione stopped hesitating.
They nned to brew the Polyjuice Potion.
...
John sought out the Bloody Baron.
"Mr. Baron, I''d like to ask you to have the ghosts in the castle keep an eye out."
The Bloody Baron was the most terrifying ghost at Hogwarts. If he took action, the castle''s ghosts wouldply.
Seeing John find him, the Bloody Baron nodded and agreed, saying, "I can ry the message for you."
John was one of the few who dared to speak to the Bloody Baron, and the Baron respected John''s abilities.
After ensuring the castle''s ghosts would provide information for him, John didn''t forget about the Marauder''s Map.
Using the Marauder''s Map, John watched theings and goings of people.
He muttered to himself, "Let''s see how long you can keep hiding."
His main focus was on the girls'' bathroom on the second floor.
John guessed this was the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, but he didn''t know how to open it.
...
In his dormitory, John was working out.
His magic had now reached level 4, and his body had be more robust.
Tom was chasing Basil, and after John finished his workout, someone knocked on his door.
Opening the door, it was Malfoy.
At this moment, Malfoy had a look of guilt and fear on his face. When he saw John open the door, he was the first to speak, "I-I''m sorry, John."
Malfoy was genuinely scared. Not only because John had shown off his prowess in the Defense Against the Dark Arts ssroom, but also because he feared losing John as a friend.
He didn''t have many friends. Due to his usual meanness and arrogance, he only had Goyle and Crabbe, who were more likeckeys than friends.
The only real friend he had was John.
The friendliness from his Quidditch teammates was directed more toward Malfoy''s name and wealth.
John, however, saw Draco Malfoy for who he was. Knowing this, Draco chose to lower his head and apologize.
After the attack incident, Malfoy noticed more people gradually surrounded him.
This made him feel ted andcent, leading him to say hurtful things.
Seeing Malfoy apologize, John nodded and said, "I ept your apology."
"You ept it?!"
Malfoy was stunned. John, with a puzzled look, asked, "You apologize, I ept. What''s wrong with that?"
"No, it''s just... aren''t you angry?" Malfoy was confused.
John chuckled, "Draco, what do you want? Do you want me to curse you?"
Malfoy shuddered and awkwardly replied, "No, that''s not necessary."
"Strength above all, Draco. You should understand now that whether pure-blooded or from noble families, they are nothingpared to one''s own strength. I hope you remember this."
John didn''t want Malfoy to align with the Death Eaters. He sincerely said, "Remember what I told you? For eternal glory."
"Yeah! For eternal glory,"
Malfoy sighed in relief, realizing how foolish he had been before.
The two put aside their differences and became friends again.
_____
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72: The Mad Bludger and Malfoy’s Change
72: The Mad Bludger and Malfoys Change
Many thanks to Stahl for bing a patron!?
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Saturday.
John was invited to watch the Quidditch match, where Malfoy confidently vowed to make Harry Potter eat dust from his broomstick.
Malfoy even kindly gave Harry a nickname, Scarhead.
In response, John stared at Malfoy''s slicked-back hair, hesitant to speak. If Harry was Scarhead, wouldn''t that make Malfoy Greasehead?
Goyle and Crabbe were temporarily borrowed by John to act as his vanguard.
Upon arriving at the Quidditch pitch, John realized he had overthought it. Wherever he went, Slytherin students made way for him.
It looked as if subjects were weing their emperor''s coronation. This scene was also noticed by Hermione and the others.
Sitting in the Slytherin stands, Daphne sat down next to John.
"John, you really look like a king."
Having borrowed John''s influence toe over unimpeded, she smiled beautifully and blinked admiringly, "Strength above all, isn''t it?"
"Your badge is really nice. I knew you wouldn''t be content with mediocrity."
Daphne eyed John''s badge, which resembled a family crest. She guessed John needed to form a group.
Boldly hinting, she asked, "When can I get one?"
John chuckled, "There will be a chance, for eternal glory."
Daphne also smiled and nodded vigorously, "For eternal glory."
Their attention returned to the Quidditch pitch.
As Madam Hooch''s whistle blew, fourteen yers shot up into the gray sky.
Harry flew higher than everyone else; as the Seeker, he needed to keep his eyes peeled and ears alert.
"Are you okay, Scarhead?"
Draco, riding his Nimbus 2001, unted its speed like a child with a new toy, showing off in front of Harry.
Harry had no time to respond to this behavior.
Just then, a ck Bludger came hurtling toward Harry.
Harry narrowly dodged it by a hair''s breadth, feeling the ball brush past his hair.
A wave of relief and fear surged in his heart.
George, seeing this, grabbed his bat and came up to drive away the rogue Bludger.
The struck Bludger''s trajectory changed, flying toward a Slytherin yer, but then it altered direction again, heading straight for Harry.
"What''s going on?"
Harry, terrified, quickly evaded. George, not believing it, struck the Bludger away again, yet it seemed to have locked onto Harry, aiming straight for his head.
This scene gave Harry a sense of dj vu, reminiscent of the previous school year when his broomstick went out of control. This time, it was the Bludger behaving erratically.
He lowered the head of his broom and elerated quickly towards the other end of the pitch.
Even without looking back, he could still hear the whistling sound of the Bludger chasing after him.
"Harry!"
Fred shouted, and Harry instinctively ducked.
Fred mustered all his strength and swung his bat at the Bludger.
The Bludger was knocked to the side, and Fred thought that would be the end of it.
However, the Bludger seemed to be maically attracted, once again heading straight for Harry.
Rain began to fall from the gloomy sky,rge drops sttering on Harry''s face.
His sses were blurred by the rain, obscuring his view of the pitch.
The only thing he could hear was the voice of thementator, Lee Jordan: "Slytherin leads, 60 to 0."
Slytherin''s team had a significant advantage with the Nimbus 2001, elevating their overall performance.
Meanwhile, Harry was being relentlessly pursued by the crazed Bludger, leaving him no time to search for the Golden Snitch.
This Bludger was clearly tampered with, prompting Fred to signal Wood for a timeout.
This move elicited jeers from the Slytherins.
Anyone could see that the Bludger had been tampered with. Wood was agitated, knowing that Slytherin had better equipment and their only hope was being thwarted by the rogue Bludger.
The timeout was limited, and in the end, Harry decided to deal with the rogue Bludger himself while the others focused on scoring points.
As Madam Hooch''s whistle blew again, the game resumed.
The rain intensified, and as soon as Harry flew up, he heard the Bludger chasing after him.
He had to do his best to keep the Bludger at bay while thinking, "Could this be Malfoy''s plot?"
He suspected Malfoy of casting a spell on it, but then realized it might not be possible.
Circling in the air, Harry''s actions drew jeers from Malfoy.
The Bludger seemed determined to crash into him.
Seeing his team about to lose, Harry grew increasingly frustrated.
In the stands, Hermione and Ron were equally anxious.
"Let me knock it down," Ron suggested, wanting to help, but Hermione stopped him. Even if he could hit the Bludger, the distance was too great to be effective.
At that moment, Harry dodged the Bludger with a dive and sped towards the Slytherin stands.
Slytherin students screamed and scattered in fear.
"Harry, over here."
Harry heard the call and looked up to see John in the Slytherin stands.
He initially wanted to dodge, but John signaled for him toe over.
Gritting his teeth, Harry rushed towards John.
"Run!"
Goyle shouted, running to the side, while Daphne noticed that John didn''t move.
John stared at the Bludger, realizing it was cursed.
"Could it be the Heir? Why target Harry and not me?"
John was puzzled but decided to take action.
As Harry passed by and turned, John''s eyes became slitted.
When the Bludger was about to pass him, John decisively reached out and grabbed it.
Boom!
Due to the Bludger''s force, John was pushed back a step.
Holding the Bludger tightly, John drew out his wand with his left hand.
"Finite Incantatem."
The relentless Bludger stopped struggling, and John released it, allowing it to fly away normally.
"Oh Merlin!"
"This is..."
"You... You caught the Bludger with your bare hands?"
Daphne was amazed, as it was the first time she had seen anyone do that. John shrugged and said, "Heh~ This is the second time."
Compared tost time, John''s body was stronger, and he wasn''t injured after catching the Bludger.
However, this impressive act left the Slytherin students wide-eyed in astonishment.
In the Gryffindor stands, Hermione pped excitedly, saying, "I knew John would help!"
Ron swallowed hard and said, "Is he even human? Howe he''s totally fine?"
"Hey Scarhead, are you practicing ballet?"
Malfoy, seeing Harry spinning around, immediately mocked him.
Harry had been irritated by the relentless pursuit of the Bludger and had just managed to shake it off when he caught sight of a golden glint behind Malfoy.
In his moment of distraction, Malfoy hadn''t noticed this.
Harry''s spirits lifted as he tried to approach stealthily, not wanting to alert Malfoy.
However, Harry''s unusual behavior eventually drew Malfoy''s attention. Looking up, he saw the Golden Snitch.
"The Golden Snitch!"
Malfoy shouted in delight, and Harry, not wasting any more time, dashed towards it.
The two collided in midair, and Harry felt like his hand was about to break.
Malfoy cursed loudly but didn''t give an inch.
Chasing the Golden Snitch, the two continuously shed in the sky.
In the end, the Golden Snitch dived down, and the two chased after it.
Seeing they were about to crash into the ground, Malfoy chickened out.
But Harry, determined, caught the Golden Snitch, only to crash and pass out again.
Lee Jordan excitedly announced Gryffindor''s victory, and Harry woke up to see Lockhart rushing over to treat him, which scared him into refusing in a jumbled manner.
However, he was toote, and Lockhart''s spellnded Harry in the hospital wing.
John watched this unfold, exasperated. ''*Sigh* Didn''t I tell him not to use magic if he can avoid it? Yet he rushed to use it anyway?''
What could have been resolved in a day now meant a week''s stay in the hospital because of Lockhart''s spell.
John shook his head, thinking that perhaps Harry couldn''t have won without his intervention with the Bludger, but that would have broken his promise to his friend.
As Harry was taken to the hospital wing, John noticed Marcus Flint expressing his displeasure to Malfoy for not catching the Golden Snitch.
This made Malfoy furious, and he thought that Just as John said, only power truly belongs to oneself.
Watching the others unt their expensive Nimbus 2001 broomsticks arrogantly, Malfoy felt a deep sense of agreement with John''s perspective.
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Read 12 Chapters ahead
73: The Constellation Society
73: The Constetion Society
Many thanks to Imran Ahmed for bing a patron! ??
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"What should I do, John?"
Malfoy was a bit confused; this was different from what he was taught at home.
He was in the corridor, without Goyle and Crabbe by his side.
John said calmly, "Just as I told you, you know what to do."
Malfoy raised his head, seeing the badge on John''s chest gleaming.
He asked, "Can I join you?"
"No," John shook his head, calmly saying, "You are not good enough now, Draco, try to be stronger, so that I can respect you."
Unexpectedly rejected right after speaking, the old Malfoy might have gotten angry.
But now, feeling both unwilling and determined, Malfoy resolved to be stronger.
"You saw how he dived with courage and caught the golden snitch. Foolish and uncaring for his safety indeed, but still won the game against you in your nimbus 2001.. You know, he is nothing special." John patted his shoulder and smiled, "What makes Harry stronger than you is only his unwavering heart."
"I understand. When I achieve it, I hope you''ll personally pin it on me," Malfoy nodded firmly.
John smiled slightly, gently touching the badge on his chest, and bowed with a smile, "I call it the Constetion. You will be one of them."
The Constetion Society, simr to Dumbledore''s Order of the Phoenix.
Those who could enter it were all talents valued by John.
Malfoy couldn''t join just yet, but it wouldn''t be long before he could be one of them.
Malfoy felt his heart racing as he tried to bow with the same posture as John.
...
At the school hospital wing, John knew that the rogue Bludger wasn''t normal.
He went to visit Harry, hoping to find some clues.
Harry was forced to drink arge ss of Skele-Gro, and although John had never tasted it, he knew it couldn''t be pleasant.
"John!"
Hermione saw Johning over and walked up to him, saying, "Thanks to you, otherwise Harry might have been killed by that Bludger."
"Pfft! Killed is too serious; I was just helping a friend."
John waved his hand and walked to Harry''s bedside, smiling as he asked, "Harry, how are you feeling?"
"Terrible, I mean the taste."
Harry''s face was full of bitterness; the taste of Skele-Gro was really bad, and the pain of his bones growing back was even worse.
"Hang in there. By the way, Skele-Gro is a product of the Potter family."
John tried to suppress hisughter; one of Harry''s ancestors was a potions master who developed Skele-Gro.
"Oh..!"
Harry was left questioning his life, realizing that this stuff was actually invented by his own family.
John stopped joking with Harry and asked in a low voice, "That Bludger attacking you might have been the heir''s doing. I''m not sure why they would target you, but it''s not good news."
The trio nodded in agreement, especially Ron, who cursed, "Damn Malfoy!"
"Malfoy?" John was puzzled, wondering how this involved Malfoy.
Hermione, looking a bit embarrassed, said, "He.. I mean.. We think the heir is Malfoy."
John looked at her as if she were joking and shook his head, denying it. "It''s not him. That Bludger was cursed, and Draco doesn''t have that kind of skill."
Ron stubbornly insisted it was Malfoy, muttering, "But he might have other ways in the Chamber of Secrets."
"Alright, that''s a reason, but Draco is under my watch; he wouldn''t do something like this."
John''s firm denial left the trio looking at each other in confusion.
Before leaving, John secretly ced a badge under Harry''s pillow. After he left, Ronined, "See, I told you."
Hermione defended John, ring at Ron, "John is just a good person; he might not realize Malfoy would do something like this."
"Anyway, let''s finish the Polyjuice Potion first, then get the evidence," Harry said, knowing they needed proof.
He also took John''s words to heart, wondering if the cursed Bludger was indeed the heir''s attempt to kill him.
...
That evening, John returned to his dormitory from the Room of Requirement. Inside, Tom was not chasing Basil but staring at the Marauder''s Map.
This was a task John had assigned to it: to alert him whenever someone went to the girls'' bathroom.
Tom, focused as never before on the task, let out a call just as John was working out.
"Did someone show up?"
John sprang up and ran to the Marauder''s Map, looking at the name heading to the girls'' bathroom.
"What the..! Ginny?"
Seeing this name, John was stunned.
He never would have thought it would be someone from the Weasley family.
The heir of Slytherining from a staunchly Gryffindor family?
John felt a strange sense of irony, akin to a Gryffindor choosing a Slytherin student as an heir...
Uh... well, Gryffindor did indeed choose a Slytherin.
John frowned deeply; Ginny Weasley presented a tricky situation.
She was, after all, a Weasley, a family that had never backed down from Voldemort.
But the urgent matter was to catch her and find out how the Chamber of Secrets was opened.
Seeing that Ginny had already entered the girls'' bathroom, John cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself and headed out.
In the second-floor corridor, John moved as quickly as he could.
He kept his eyes on the Marauder''s Map along the way, watching Ginny disappear from it.
"She opened the Chamber of Secrets."
John quickened his pace and arrived at the bathroom, finding it empty.
"She went in?"
Unwilling to give up, John searched the bathroom, even checking the faucets.
"What is this?"
He found a faucet with a different marking.
It had a serpent symbol, the mark of Slytherin.
"Hmm.. Could it be here?"
John stepped back a few paces, drew his wand, and used the Unlocking Charm.
"Alohomora!"
The faucet remained unresponsive. John stubbornly tried a few more times.
"It seems this isn''t working. It must be a higher-level spell."
Frowning, John was unsure when Ginny woulde out or if she would even be here when she did.
There was also the issue of whether the basilisk would emerge from the Chamber. With all these concerns, John decided to wait on the second floor.
He wasn''t in the girls'' bathroom because he was afraid a sudden appearance of the basilisk might kill him.
Having researched some information, John quickly identified the basilisk upon learning its appearance.
The Basilisk.
A magically created creature.
Records mentioned that Slytherin had once bred one. If this was indeed the same creature, it would be nearly a thousand years old.
"Damn.. Now that''s true immortality."
John smacked his lips in amazement. Nics mel had used the Philosopher''s Stone to prolong his life, bing physically aged but living for over six hundred years. Yet, this basilisk had lived for nearly a millennium.
While waiting, John didn''t forget to keep an eye on Harry.
If Ginny was the Heir, why was Harry attacked?
The badge he left with Harry could alert John to any magical disturbances. At this moment, the badge lit up, indicating a magical disturbance around Harry.
Opening the Marauder''s Map, John saw Dobby''s name.
He paused, ready to use the badge to listen in. Just then, he noticed Ginny''s name appearing on the map once again.
"She''sing out!"
John perked up and cast the Disillusionment Charm on himself.
Before he could approach the bathroom, he heard the familiar sound of something crawling.
"Is the Basilisk alsoing out?"
John initially thought of using a sting Curse to probe the way, but he was afraid it might hit Ginny.
He didn''t see Ginnye out of the entrance, so he closed his eyes and lightly tapped his wand on the ground.
"Magical Sense." (Learned from Gryffindor''s Chamber of Secrets)
His magic spread out, allowing John to ''see'' the situation in the girls'' bathroom.
Ginny was standing by the faucet, and a strange sound came out of her mouth.
The position of the faucet was reced by another passage, and John sensed that this passage was connected to a huge space.
"Slytherin''s Chamber of Secrets."
Ginny had juste out of the Chamber.
And Ginny''s state was not right. After Ginny turned around and came out, the passage was closing.
''Hmm, it''s deep inside, maybe Ginny rode the snake toe out?ehm* that sounded somewhatOh, it''s going back!''
Sensing the basilisk leaving, John rushed in before the passageway could close, relying on his Disillusionment Charm.
As he fell freely, his night vision allowed him to see the situation below clearly.
He stabilized himself with his flying boots uponnding, then tapped the ground again.
A burst of magic power spread out, and a passage within a hundred meters appeared through Magical Sense.
"Is this connected to the sewer?"
John looked at the direction of the friction on the ground, and he knew that the basilisk hade out just now, dropped Ginny on the entrance above and then was going inside a different pipe.
"Where should I go now?"
One side might lead to the Chamber of Secrets, and the other to the basilisk. After much hesitation, he chose to follow the basilisk.
The appearance of the basilisk this time could pose a life-threatening danger.
He followed the direction the basilisk had gone. After walking some distance, John found the basilisk.
"It really doesn''t consider me a threat, does it?"
John had openly challenged the heir toe after him. Could it be that Ginny was wary of his rtionship with her brother and Harry?
The basilisk was crawling into a pipe. John chased after it.
Seeing the basilisk''s back, John didn''t hesitate and cast a powerful spell.
"Reducto!"
With level 4 magic power and a level 4 sting Curse, the damage was at Auror level.
The scales on the basilisk''s body deflected part of the spell, causing it to hit the wall and create arge hole.
John closed his eyes, holding his wand in his left hand and a sword in his right. He noticed that something seemed off about the basilisk.
As the basilisk turned around, John, under the effects of his Magical Sense, ''saw'' that the basilisk was missing an eye.
Seeing its enemy John again, the basilisk, filled with hatred, roared and rushed over!
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12 Advance Chapters-
74: Snake King Vs John Wick!
74: Snake King Vs John Wick!
That missing eye must have been injured by Johnst time.
John was slightly crouched, taking a stance as a wild animal. With his eyes tightly shut, John kept tapping the ground with his wand.
As the basilisk charged, he activated his flying boots to dodge. John waved his wand, sending bursts of white light onto the basilisk''s body.
"Ego sum draco."
The sword de ignited with fierce mes. John swung it down, slicing the basilisk''s scales, and the sword got stuck.
"Hiss!!!!!!!!"
The basilisk, in pain, twisted its body, causing John to lose his footing.
Aiming his wand at the basilisk''s wound, John kept attacking.
"Reducto!"
"Reducto!"
"Reducto!"
Three consecutive white sts struck the basilisk, scattering scales from its wound.
In pain, the basilisk crashed into the sewer wall, causing John''s back to m against the wall.
"Ugh-!!"
He nearly got crushed.
The impact embedded the sword deeper into the basilisk''s body. Reluctantly, John let go of the sword.
Perhaps due to its old age, the basilisk''s other senses, aside from its eyes, were much weaker.
John used a Transfiguration spell to turn the surroundings into sharp thorns, but the basilisk''s hard scales crushed them, clearing a path.
"Trying to escape?"
Noticing the basilisk''s attacks weakening, John realized it wanted to leave the unfavorable environment. Although the sewer wasrge, the basilisk''s enormous size made it less agile.
The basilisk opened its mouth, spewing venom. John used the Shield Charm to block it, but was surprised to see the venom corroding the shield.
"So fierce."
Startled, John quickly dodged.
After spitting out the venom, the basilisk seemed to weaken. John seized the opportunity to cast a spell.
"Incendio!"
mes shot out from the wand''s tip, forming a fiery cloud. John waved his wand, directing the mes towards the basilisk.
The basilisk hissed in pain from the mes and turned to flee down the sewer. Seeing it try to escape, John extended his right hand and clenched his fist.
"Ego sum draco!"
The IronWick sword, which had been embedded in the basilisk and had its mes extinguished, reignited. The basilisk, now burning, writhed in agony.
It thrashed through the sewer, its tail striking John, shattering two of the protective amulets he wore.
"Fuck... almost lost my life."
Crashing into the wall, John felt like his internal organs had been squeezed together. Without the protective amulets, he might not have survived.
The basilisk fled with the IronWick sword embedded in it. John adjusted his breathing and took a strengthening potion from his small pouch, gulping it down.
Once recovered, John sensed the IronWick sword and pursued it.
...
"Colin, are you going?"
"Of course, I''m going to visit Harry Potter."
Colin Creevey, carrying his camera, also brought grapes and other fruits. He had witnessed the most exciting Quidditch match today and wanted to visit the injured Harry.
Feeling a bit nervous, he was apanied by another Gryffindor student, Sylvia Bradley.
This girl was very pretty,passionate, and kind-hearted. She was also a Muggle-born witch.
Sylvia was Colin''s good friend in Gryffindor, and Colin had some feelings for her.
Colin didn''t quite understand what attraction of love was, but he seemed to like this girl''spany.
Originally, Sylvia Bradley didn''t want to go because of the terrifying rumors about the Chamber of Secrets circting around the school.
Muggle-born wizards like her was supposedly at risk of being purged, which scared Sylvia so much she couldn''t sleep.
Fortunately, a handsome senior - John Wick had appeared in time, challenging the heir with his overwhelming strength that even Slytherin respected.
This made Sylvia Bradley feel that she might not be in as much danger anymore.
The two walked towards the hospital wing, with Colin recording Hogwarts with his camera along the way.
Just as they were about to reach the hospital wing, a loud noise came from one of the pipes.
Sylvia, frightened, asked, "What is that sound?"
"I.. I don''t know," Colin replied, equally scared, and raised his camera to take a picture.
At that moment, a massive head emerged from a pipe connected to the wall, and Colin instinctively pressed the shutter button.
The basilisk burst out of the sewer, its scales shattered, the once green scales turned ck, and its eyes were so scorched by fire that they couldn''t open.
Hearing the shutter sound, the basilisk charged in that direction.
Colin and Sylvia screamed, feeling like they were about to die.
"Impedimenta!"
The basilisk''s speed slowed, and John rushed out of the sewer, his eyes transforming into vertical slits. He raised his hand to summon the Ironwyk sword.
"Ego sum draco!"
"Criiiiiii!!!"
The IronWick sword ignited, causing the basilisk to howl in pain. Seizing the opportunity, John drew his wand and pointed it at the two young Gryffindor students.
The two were pushed aside by a Levitation Charm. John noticed the basilisk was about to open its eyes, so he fired another white light from his wand, hitting the basilisk''s head.
The basilisk turned its head in pain, and John seized the moment to shout at the two little students, "Run, go get a professor!"
The basilisk, standing at 50 feet tall, was intimidating enough to make anyone''s legs go weak.
John''s shout brought the two back to their senses, but it also came at a cost for him. The basilisk struck him from its tail, nearly sending him flying. Despite the pain, John cast another Reducto Curse, hitting the basilisk.
Back and forth they went, man versus serpent, with John''s magical energy starting to wane.
"Vera Verto!"
Transforming a torch into a rope that wound around the basilisk, John activated his Flying Boots, stepping into the air and leaping onto the basilisk''s back to grab the stuck sword hilt.
|"Ego.."
"sum.."
"..draco!"|
He growled in what seemed like Draconic, causing the sword to ignite with even more intense mes, scorching the scales and allowing the sword to be slowly pulled out.
As he withdrew the sword, blood sttered onto John, making his skin sting.
The rope snapped, causing John to fall, while the basilisk thrashed wildly.
Just as John was about to deliver a fatal blow, a strange chant echoed through the air.
Suddenly, the basilisk seemed to calm down and turned its head towards the pipes.
John, of course, wasn''t going to let it escape. Just as he was about to make a move, a spell glowing white hit him.
"The Fuck!"
With his protective charms exhausted from the battle with the basilisk, John was flung back, pain shooting through his back.
Turning around, he saw a figure jump into the pipes with the basilisk.
John wanted to give chase but found himself powerless. He cursed bitterly, "Tsk* No honor among youngsters, resorting to sneak attacks."
Themotion quickly attracted the professors'' attention, and Colin and hispanion had brought them over.
Seeing who had arrived, John almost fainted.
"Uh... John, are you alright?"
Lockhart, with curlers still in his hair, asked. ''This motherfucker..'' John snapped, "I''ll live!"
Rubbing his back, John stood up. If any other professor hade, he would have gone after the basilisk through the pipes.
Unfortunately, it was Lockhart. John figured that with him, at best, they could provide the basilisk a hearty meal.
John''s attitude was far from friendly, and Lockhart awkwardly smiled.
"What happened here?"
Other professors arrived one after another, and seeing the state of the corridor, Professor McGonagall''s eyes widened in shock.
John immediately threw Lockhart out to cover for him. All he wanted now was to lie down; he had taken a sting Curse to the back and felt like his waist was about to break.
Lockhart quickly understood, vividly recounting how he had battled the monster.
The professors who arrived shifted their focus to John, but his face didn''t look good.
"John Wick, what''s wrong?" Professor McGonagall was the first to notice something amiss. John''s face was pale, his lips bloodless.
Professor Snape stepped forward to examine him and noticed the blood on John''s clothes. With a furrowed brow, he said, "There''s poison in here."
This statement rmed everyone, but fortunately, the hospital wing wasn''t far, and they carried him over.
Meanwhile, Harry, having learned that Dobby had controlled the rogue Bludger, was furious and wanted to strangle the house-elf. Upon learning that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened before, he wanted to ask more questions, but then he heard amotion outside.
Dobby disapparated.
Harry quicklyy down and pretended to sleep, cracking open one eye to peek at the doorway.
The first person he saw was Snape, who seemed to be carrying someone.
Next was Professor McGonagall, followed by Professor Sprout. Professor Flitwick was too short for Harry to notice.
Finally, Dumbledore arrived.
They gathered around the hospital bed, and Dumbledore''s serious expression rxed slightly. "Thank heavens, you saved two young wizards."
Thanks to John''s warning, Dumbledore had instructed the professors to increase their patrols, which was why they arrived so quickly.
(Like fuck they arrived quickly)
Colin, having seen the basilisk, frantically alerted all the professors.
Dumbledore knew that without John, the two young wizards would likely have died.
Madam Pomfrey came over and screamed because John looked like he was about to die any second.
After an examination, it was found that the most severe injury was the sting Curse, but John''s tough constitution meant he''d be fine after a night''s rest.
The blood was poisonous, but luckily John had an unnaturally strong resistance to poison, so he might just have some stomach trouble.
The professors all breathed a sigh of relief. Dumbledore had things to discuss but decided to wait until the next day.
After the professors left, Harry got out of bed and walked towards John.
John''s first words left Harry stunned.
"H.. Harry,"
"D-don''t worry John.. you''ll be alright!" Harry had moist eyes looking at his injured friend.
"Harry.. get me.."
"Yes! What is it!?"
"Stop acting like we are in a war movie and ..get me a toffee from your get-well pile of gifts."
"eh?"
John''s stomach growled; he hadn''t eaten yet...
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12 Advance Chapters
75: Heir and Protector
75: Heir and Protector
Many thanks to phantom567, Nik Nord, J, and Ian Crittenden for the support! ??
Thank you so much for your patronage! ?
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The next day.
"Have you heard?"
"Of course, John Wick, he''s so cool!"
"I didn''t think it was real; he''s our protector!"
"I heard it directly from Colin, and there are photos! My gosh, that thing was terrifying."
Harry was discharged from the hospital. He found Hermione and Ron brewing Polyjuice Potion in the girls'' bathroom.
"Oh my gosh, Harry, is it true?"
Ron was too excited for words, holding a photograph.
It showed the basilisk being struck by John''s spell.
Colin was really a natural photographer; the picture looked almost staged, capturing the moment perfectly.
Even John''s hair was captured flying just right.
Ron wanted to confirm with Harry since the incident happened near the hospital wing, and Harry must have seen it.
Harry felt a bit embarrassed because he had been chatting with Dobby at the time and hadn''t noticed.
However, he did see John being taken to the hospital wing.
Hermione''s heart skipped a beat. She asked worriedly, "Was John seriously injured?"
"Well... No."
Harry remembered John finishing off his toffees yesterday and replied with a strange expression, "He''s fine, just hungry."
This answer left Ron unable to imagine the situation, and Hermione breathed a sigh of relief.
Then Hermione hesitated and asked, "Should we still continue with the Polyjuice Potion?"
Originally, they were brewing the Polyjuice Potion to extract information from Malfoy, but with John having driven off that monster, their efforts seemed futile.
Harry nodded decisively and said seriously, "Of course we should. Don''t you remember how Malfoy insulted Muggle-born wizards? John encountered that thing, and it might be Malfoy trying to kill John."
Harry''s suspicion wasn''t baseless. Malfoy''s actions had caused a lot ofmotion and had led John to take on the entire Slytherin house single-handedly.
Given Malfoy''s arrogant nature, it wasn''t impossible that he might have opened the Chamber to have the monster kill John in revenge.
Thinking about the danger their friend might face, Hermione couldn''t sit still.
They were still missing some ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion, so Hermione set her sights on Snape.
As a Potions Master, no one would have a moreplete collection of ingredients than Snape.
...
Monday.
John was discharged from the hospital. Madam Pomfrey looked at him with a strange expression on her face.
Because John''s stay in the hospital felt more like staying in a hotel, he never stopped eating.
His appetite was great, and he himself thought it might be rted to the poisoning.
But wasn''t he supposed to have diarrhea? Instead, his appetite improved.
Unable to figure it out, John didn''t dwell on it. As he walked through the school, he received admiring nces from all around.
He walked to the bulletin board and saw a photo at the top.
"It would be a huge loss if Colin doesn''t be a photographer."
Seeing this photo of himself looking so handsome, John even wondered if it had been staged.
No one doubted John''s words now because he had proven them true.
The Weasley twins, Fred and George, were selling a bunch of John''s stuff. They called out, "Protector John Wick''s personal socks, protecting you from the heir''s harm."
"Wait, how did you get my socks?"
John thought Fred was joking, but it turned out they really were his socks.
George, feeling justified, said, "Of course they''re yours; we never sell fake goods."
Fred winked and whispered, "We paid a hefty price to get someone to let us in."
There are bad guys among the crowd.
Slytherin being bribed? Is there no justice anymore?
John''s face darkened as he approached George and Fred, speaking in a low voice, "Fifty-fifty split."
"What?"
"We spent money on this!"
Ignoring their protests, John gave them a nce and said calmly, "Then I''ll dere you''re selling fakes."
This was a nightmare for the twins; the stuff was too popr, and they had already sold a lot.
If word got out that it was fake, they''d be chased and beaten.
George grumbled, "Fine, take it, you Slytherin."
John was satisfied and asked if he could sell a brand-new set of pencils individually.
Although he had money, no one would refuse more.
John encountered Neville, who was wearing his scarf.
Eh? John fell silent.
"Why are you wearing my scarf?"
"Uh..."
Neville scratched his head, looking embarrassed.
It felt like being caught wearing someone else''s clothes.
John wanted to say that appearances can be deceiving; he didn''t expect Neville to be this kind of person.
Fortunately, Neville exined that he bought the scarf as an amulet from the twins, otherwise, John would have considered keeping his distance.
"Don''t you have the sword I made? What''s the use of a scarf?"
John looked at him as if he were an idiot.
Neville thought about it and realized that the sword was indeed more useful than a scarf.
After arranging a strength-training package for Neville, John couldn''t find peace in ss either.
Wizards from other houses kept squeezing over, seemingly for a greater sense of security.
In Defense Against the Dark Arts ss, John saw Lockhart drawing something on paper, seemingly designing a stage?
After ss, John found Percy and hoped he could bring Ginny to the Whomping Willow.
"Do you like Ginny?" Percy asked, full of vignce. Ginny was his sister, and he wouldn''t let anyone with ill intentions near her.
John was speechless. What was Percy thinking? Ginny was just a little kid.
After repeatedly assuring that he absolutely didn''t like Ginny, Percy reluctantly agreed.
Now the two were partners, and John was sure he wouldn''t hurt Ginny.
This much could be guaranteed.
John sought out Percy instead of Ron or the Weasley twins because he feared they mightplicate things.
Compared to Percy, the others were less reliable, especially the twins. If they decided to eavesdrop, it would be quite awkward for him.
Although he had confirmed that Ginny was the Heir, John didn''t expose her immediately.
He was puzzled as to how a Weasley could open the Chamber of Secrets, where she got the knowledge, and how she could cast a spell like "Reducto," which was beyond first-year capabilities.
With these questions in mind, John went to the Whomping Willow that afternoon.
The Whomping Willow had fully recovered, and a small bird that flew by was immediately turned into a puff of feathers.
John didn''t idle while waiting; he recalled the incantation he used to enhance the me of the Ironwick Sword.
"Could using Dragonnguage make it stronger?" he wondered.
He took out the Ironwick Sword and attempted to recite the spell in Dragontongue. The mes on the sword gradually took the form of a fire dragon.
"When I enchanted it, I used dragon''s blood. That must be why," he concluded.
Putting away the sword, John took out his wand.
He tried using Dragontongue to cast a spell, but the wand only produced a small me before fizzling out.
"It seems it doesn''t work."
John sighed, somewhat disappointed.
After waiting for a while, he saw Ginny walking toward him.
Ginny''s face was full of tension, and Percy keptforting her.
When they arrived, Ginny started trembling upon seeing John, while Percy exined, "Sorry, she''s just scared because of the monster from the Chamber of Secrets, you know."
"I know."
John stared at Ginny, noticing the fear in her expression.
This wasn''t an act; at least, such a frightened Ginny couldn''t have cast a Reducto spell on his back.
John gazed at her and softly asked, "Ginny, it was you, wasn''t it?"
Ginny''s body trembled, tears streaming down her cheeks, and she nodded.
"What did she do?" Percy asked, confused.
Ginny choked up and said, "I don''t know why. I was so scared. I felt like he was influencing me, so I threw him away."
John''s mind raced, and he asked, "Who is ''he''?"
Ginny was sobbing uncontrobly, the pressure of the past few weeks finally overwhelming her as she realized she might have released the monster.
"Riddle, a diary."
Hearing Ginny''s words, Percy looked incredulous. He turned to John, urgently seeking answers, "John, tell me what''s going on!"
John pondered and said, "I initially thought Ginny was chosen as Slytherin''s heir. Now it seems it might be that diary."
Riddle...
Tom Riddle.
Voldemort''s surname.
Hearing that name, some fog in the memory cleared and John immediately knew it was rted to Voldemort.
John''s face grew serious as he asked, "Where did you throw the diary?"
He needed to get the diary before anyone else found it.
______
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76: The Missing Diary and the Duel Club
76: The Missing Diary and the Duel Club
Three hurried figures rushed through the Hogwarts castle.
The group was unusual: one Slytherin, two Gryffindors, with one of them being a Gryffindor prefect.
They made their way to the second-floor girls''vatory and pushed open the door, stepping inside.
"Where is it!"
Percy was truly angry this time.
His sister had almost be Slytherin''s heir!
"Ahh!"He grabbed Ginny''s shoulders so forcefully that she couldn''t help but cry out.
"Sorry, Ginny. Quickly, tell us where it is," realizing his reaction was too intense, Percy quickly apologized.
Ginny slowly extended her hand and pointed to a sink.
John and Percy exchanged a nce and walked over, only to find it empty.
"The thing is gone?" John frowned.
Percy was agitated and frustrated. He quickly turned to Ginny and shouted, "Are you sure you didn''t remember wrong?"
"I-I remember it was right here."
Ginny was so scared that tears began to flow again. Percy, in his anger, punched the mirror.
"Percy, stop!"
John stopped Percy''s behavior and called out seriously, "Myrtle, are you here?"
"Of course, I''m here."
Moaning Myrtle floated out from a broken toilet.
John sighed in relief and asked, "Has anyone else been here besides us?"
"Other people? Three Gryffindor students."
Her translucent body floated over, and Myrtle giggled.
"It should be Ron and the others. Did they take the diary?"
Percy, who had once caught the trio in the girls'' bathroom, immediately thought of them and said sternly, "I''ll go find them."
"Wait, Percy, don''t make a fuss."
John stopped him, shaking his head. "The diary''s whereabouts are unknown. Let''s not rm anyone. I need you to use your position to search the Gryffindormon room quietly."
They were close to the truth. John held down the agitated Percy and said slowly, "Until we find that person or diary, don''t tell anyone. This isn''t just about Ginny."
"Alright, I''ll help."
Percy, capable of earning twelve certificates, wasn''tcking in intelligence, just too rigid.
If outsiders found out about Ginny, it wouldn''t just affect him but the entire Weasley family.
In severe cases, she might even be sent to Azkaban.
Although Percy was meticulous and rigid, he would never send his sister to Azkaban.
They tacitly agreed to keep this matter secret, and Ginny was reassured and brought back.
During this time, to ensure Ginny hadn''t lied and to protect her from being controlled a second time, John gave her a Whomping Willow amulet.
"Wear it at all times and never take it off," John instructed seriously. Ginny, pale and anxious, nodded quickly.
After sending Ginny away John sighed.
...
The next day, Percy found John.
He had personally escorted Ginny back to the Gryffindor Tower yesterday. The Weasley twins, seeing this, were immediately curious.
It wasn''t until Percy got angry and chased his two brothers away, repeatedly reminding them to keep an eye on Ginny and not let her leave alone, that they were convinced of his seriousness.
This made the Weasley twins suspicious, but Percy''s tone also frightened them.
"George and Fred must think I''ve gone mad," Percy sighed, feeling he might have been too harsh on his brothers yesterday.
John sympathetically nced at Percy. With those two as brothers, no wonder Percy had such headaches.
"In a while, we''ll find the diary, and we can end all this. I''ll leave Gryffindor to you, and please talk to Penelope Clearwater as well, since she''s your girlfriend," John said, his tone teasing.
"How... how do you know?" Percy stammered, as if someone had uncovered his secret.
"You and Penelope Clearwater meet up during patrols. I just happened to know," John replied with a knowing smile.
Percy eximed, "Merlin''s beard! Is there anything you don''t know?"
What Percy didn''t realize was that John had the Marauder''s Map. When he was stalking out the Heir of Slytherin, he often saw Percy sneaking off with Penelope Clearwater, the Ravenw prefect.
If John hadn''t known, he might as well have torn up the Marauder''s Map.
Waving his hand, John left Percy with a mysterious expression and walked away.
December arrived.
Before Christmas, Professor McGonagall collected the list of students staying at school, as she did every year.
John initially nned to go home for Christmas, but with the Chamber of Secrets situation unresolved, he decided to stay.
He had Basil send a letter to Mrs. Wick, along with two Wizard Cards.
Ever since his father, John Watson Wick, discovered Wizard Cards by eating Chocte Frogs, he had be enamored with these cards featuring moving portraits.
John was also forced to collect some, considering whether to trade with Ron, but his father was adamant about collecting on his own.
Neville, due to his rigorous training, had even lost some of his chubby cheeks, bing noticeably slimmer.
Malfoy approached John, seeking his guidance.
After all, by the end of the term, everyone could see that John was the real Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
In response, John gave Malfoy aprehensive training n, which included a task simr to Neville''s: taking a trip to the Shrieking Shack to train his courage.
To be honest, Malfoy''s bravery wasn''t much greater than Neville''s.
During Potions ss, some troublemaker threw a Filibuster Firework into a cauldron, causing an explosion that turned the entire ssroom into a chaotic mess.
When the swelling potion was about to ssh onto him, John instinctively raised his hand, and the potion was deflected by an invisible barrier, sshing onto Crabbe instead, who had been gloating moments before.
Snape was clearly frustrated. John noticed that only a few people in the room remained unaffected: himself and Harry''s group.
Hermione was also conspicuously absent, which made John suspicious of a plot.
"John Wick, you''ll be responsible for brewing the Deting Draught."
John, caught in the crossfire, was roped into brewing the antidote since supplies were running low.
Of course, he earned extra points for it.
John didn''t give up on finding the heir. Although he didn''t rm anyone, he involved the prefects from all four houses.
He didn''t call too many people, but as soon as the word got out that it was about the heir, the prefects cooperated enthusiastically.
This led to many dormitories being searched, causing students to suspect that there was a thief in Hogwarts.
Percy focused on searching his brothers, fearing that the Weasley twins might have kept the diary for fun.
Unfortunately, he found nothing but a pile of prank items.
He didn''t spare Ron either, searching him several times and even tossing aside hiszy pet rat.
A week passed.
John thought everything would be peaceful before Christmas, but he was wrong.
A new parchment appeared on the bulletin board, and Lockhart was up to something again.
"So... you have no idea?"
John looked at Lockhart, who was pleading with him. Despite telling him not to cause trouble, Lockhart went ahead and started a dueling club.
Starting a dueling club was one thing, but having the nerve to ask for John''s support was another.
With a dark expression, John red at Lockhart, who shrank back and awkwardlyughed, "John, I know you have a way, just like with this."
He took out his amulet and ring. After experiencing their benefits in one ss, he had gotten greedy.
The great Lockhart couldn''t miss an opportunity to show off.
John nced at him and said calmly, "Everythinges at a cost, Gilderoy."
He didn''t address him as Professor Lockhart but as Gilderoy.
Lockhart understood John''s implication. He struggled for a moment before slightly bowing and saying through gritted teeth, "I.. I hope Gilderoy Lockhart can be your friend."
"Alright, I won''t refuse a friend''s request."
John slightly raised his chin. Lockhart had now be part of hiswork.
John never hesitated to cultivate connections. From his small bag, he took out two enchanted rings and two amulets.
The amulets contained Shield Charms, and the enchanted rings each had different spells. One had the Disarming Charm and the Petrification Charm, and the other could be used three times consecutively instead of just once.
This was the result of John''s upgraded alchemy skills. This single enhancement was enough to make Johnny Silverhandirreceable among the Aurors.
Lockhart was overjoyed.
At 8 PM, the Great Hall featured a crescent moon stage personally designed by Lockhart.
John didn''t expect that Lockhart would even dare to find an assistant, and that assistant turned out to be Professor Snape.
He sighed, "He really has a death wish."
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77: Chicken Farmer and Harry Parseltongue
77: Chicken Farmer and Harry Parseltongue
Many thanks to ScarNinja for bing a patron!?
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In the Great Hall.
The long tables had all disappeared, reced by a gilded stage.
The ceiling of the hall had turned into a velvet-like ck, with hundreds of candles illuminating the stage.
A Duel Club.
Such a novel concept was something Hogwarts students wouldn''t miss.
Nearly the entire school hade. Though the fear of the Chamber of Secrets had been dispelled by John, the students were still very interested in hisst duel on stage.
When they arrived and saw the extravagantly dressed Lockhart, most of the students, except for Harry and his friends, weren''t too disappointed.
This was thanks to the lesson ns John had created for him, which prevented Lockhart frompletely falling apart.
At least in the eyes of the public, he was a wizard who preferred theory over practical work.
Since he was teaching the knowledge from his autobiographies, the students were more convinced that Lockhart was quite capable.
Only Harry, who had seen him struggle with even a simple household spell and another time where he had nearly removed Harry''s bones, was resistant.
"Ahem, quiet, everyone quiet."
Lockhart, in yet another mboyant wizard''s robe, signaled for silence as all eyes focused on him.
He shed the smile that had won him the "Witch Weekly''s" Most Charming Smile Award five times.
"It''s like this: Professor Dumbledore has allowed me to start this little Duelling Club to properly train you all, just in case you ever need to defend yourselves. I have used these techniques countless times to protect myself, and John Wick here should be well aware of that, as he has been trained under my guidance..."
Lockhart began to ramble on, to the point where the students were growing impatient.
Fortunately, Lockhart had some self-awareness and, after his lengthy speech, introduced his assistant.
When Snape walked onto the stage, Harry and Ron both gulped and exchanged worried nces, wondering if Lockhart had lost his mind.
"Don''t worry, I''ll return your Potions Master to you in one piece," Lockhart said with a wink,pletely oblivious to the dark aura practically emanating from Snape.
He exaggeratedly gestured with his hands, "Now, let''s hear a few words from Professor Snape."
Professor Snape coldly remarked, "Some of you idiots have been keeping roosters in your dormitories. I hope that once you''ve learned to duel, you''ll remember that you''re wizards."
The students below felt a wave of guilt.
Some had discovered that the monster in the Chamber of Secrets was a Basilisk, and knowing that Basilisks fear the crowing of roosters, it had be a trend among students to keep chickens.
Now, no one needed an rm clock in the morningthe rooster crows were loud enough to give everyone a headache.
With those few simple words, Professor Snape had already turned to face Lockhart.
Harry could tell that Snape''s upper lip had curleda sure sign of danger.
If Snape looked at him like that, Harry would probably have already bolted, his legs giving way beneath him.
Lockhart, however, managed to turn even a bow into a disy of various flourishes, which only made Snape shake his head in exasperation.
After each raised their wands in a salute, they moved to opposite ends of the stage.
"As you can see, we are holding our wands in the standard dueling position," Lockhart continued to ramble, while the impatience in Snape''s eyes grew more and more evident.
Lockhart began counting.
The moment he reached three, both raised their wands above their shoulders, and Snape immediately took the initiative.
"Expelliarmus!"
A bright red light shot across the stage and struck Lockhart. However, Lockhart didn''t fly backward as Harry had imagined.
Instead, the light was absorbed by what seemed to be a protective charm, like armor, blocking the attack. Lockhart seemed momentarily unaware of what had just happened.
Professor Snape''s eyes showed a hint of surprise and curiosity.
"Did you see that? A brilliant disy of attack and defense," Lockhart quickly recovered, trying to appear nonchnt.
He then activated the enchanted ring, sending a red beam of light flying toward Snape.
Professor Snape reacted swiftly, deftly deflecting the red light and counterattacking in return.
The two wizards exchanged spells, with Lockhart somehow managing to block each of Snape''s curses.
The students gasped in amazement, and the girls'' eyes sparkled with admiration for Lockhart.
As the duel continued, Professor Snape began to take things more seriously.
"Levicorpus!"
Once again, the Shield Charm appeared, blocking the spell, and Lockhart, feeling overly confident, didn''t realize that his protective charm had been used up a lot by now.
He countered with a Petrificus Totalus, which Snape deflected before channeling power into a Disarming Charm that sent Lockhart flying.
Lockhart''s wand flew out of his hand, and only then did he notice that his protective charm had been exhausted.
He quickly stopped Snape from continuing, stood up, andughed, "Did you see that? That''s a Disarming CharmI lost my wand. I thought you should see it."
Lockhart pretended that he had been disarmed on purpose.
Harry and Ron exchanged nces, feeling that Lockhart''s words were somewhat hollow.
"Of course, I could have easily prevented it, but I wanted you to learn something... ehm*" Lockhart added, though noticing Snape''s darkening expression, he quickly concluded, "The demonstration is over. Now I''lle down and join you. Pair up for duels!"
The students, already excited by the impressive disy they had just witnessed, eagerly prepared to start dueling themselves.
Snape quickly thwarted Harry''s n to train with Ron, circling the room to find an opponent for Harry.
His gaze passed over John, as he was too dangerous an option. Finally, Snape settled on Malfoy, beckoning him over to have a more "in-depth" exchange with the Boy Who Lived.
John was also looking for a duel partner, but everyone instinctively avoided him. The memory of him single-handedly taking on the entire Slytherin house was still fresh, and no one wanted to face such a challenge.
"May I duel with you?"
A handsome older boy approached, and John, seeing that he wasn''t avoiding him, dly agreed.
"I''m Cedric Diggory, fourth-year Hufflepuff."
Cedric''s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. He respectfully greeted John, mimicking Snape and Lockhart''s earlier gestures.
"May I call you John?"
"Of course, Cedric."
This impressive Hufflepuff student caught John''s interest. John lightly touched his badge, bowed slightly, and smiled, "Let''s begin."
Cedric''s smile faded as he focused,unching a skilled Disarming Charm. John''s eyebrow twitched as he deftly deflected the red light with his wand and countered.
He quickly realized that Cedric was quite strong, certainly stronger than some of the Slytherins of Cedric''s year he had faced before.
With a flick of his wand, John effortlessly deflected all of Cedric''s attacks.
Seizing an opportunity, John unleashed a quick three-spellbo:
"Langlock!"
"Fermio!"
"Expulso!"
Just as Cedric was about to cast a spell, his tongue glued itself to the roof of his mouth, rendering him speechless.
"!!"
His robes suddenly tightened, constricting his movements, and then a burst of sparks hit him, sending him flying backward.
"OMhp!"
Hended on the ground with a wry smile.
"Mmm mmm mmm..."
Unable to speak, he pointed to his mouth.
John walked over, dispelled the jinx, and helped him up.
"You''re incredible, John. You''re hardly like a student at all."
Cedric, epting his defeat graciously, looked at John with admiration and curiously asked, "Are you nning to be an Auror?"
John shrugged casually and replied, "Heh~ Maybe, but being an Auror might not be the best fit for me."
As they finished their duel and looked around, they noticed that the rest of the Great Hall had descended into chaos, with no one else engaging in proper dueling.
Hermione and a chubby Slytherin girl were in a full-on brawl, having thrown their wands aside andpletely forgotten they were witches.
Lockhart realized things were getting out of control and shouted for everyone to stop.
But it was Professor Snape who ultimately put an end to the chaos.
However, there were still some injuries, and in the end, Lockhart decided to have two studentse up and demonstrate proper dueling.
He considered calling Neville, but then remembered how Neville had been chasing people around with a sword earlier, so he held back.
Snape seized the opportunity to have Malfoy and Harry go up instead.
This was perfecttwo of the most heated opponents were now facing off!!
As soon as they were on stage, the animosity was palpable. Malfoy clenched his teeth, determined to get back at Harry for the Levicorpus spell earlier.
When Lockhart finished counting down, Malfoy immediately cast one of his favorite curses.
"Serpensortia!"
The tip of his wand exploded, and a long, ck snake shot out from the cloud of smoke,nding on the floor between them.
Gasp!
"..A.. A.."
"A Snake!"
The sight of it sent the crowd into a frenzy of screams. Snape, amused by the spectacle, drawledzily, "Tsk* Don''t move, Potter. I''ll take care of it."
However, Lockhart, thinking he could handle the situation, rushed forward and waved his wand. The snake flew up a yard into the air before crashing back down, even angrier.
Nearby, Justin Finch-Fletchley stood frozen in ce as the snake slithered menacingly towards him.
Harry only wanted to stop the snake. He opened his mouth to speak to it, but the sound that came out was chilling.
"$Leave him alone$"
He intended to stop the snake but waspletely unaware that he was speaking in Parseltongue.
Everyone else, however, thought Harry wasmanding the snake to attack Justin Finch-Fletchley.
At that moment, another voice rang out.
"Stop."
The snake, which had just started to rx, suddenly felt a pressure bearing down on it.
It looked up and saw a pair of dark pupils that held the might of a strong being that made it go limp.
When Justin saw the figure, he immediately felt a surge of security. "J-John! Thanks a lot, Mate!"
He angrily shouted at Harry, "What kind of trick do you think you''re ying? We have John Wick!"
Harry was confused, not understanding what was happening.
John drew his wand and turned the snake into ck smoke. He then looked up at Harry, his eyes so deep that they filled Harry with a sense of dread.
"The dueling club is over for today. Disperse," John said, giving Lockhart a signal. Lockhart quickly caught on and announced the end.
But this event would lead to even greater turmoil in the days toe.
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Read 12 Advance Chapters
78: Rumors only affect the weak
78: Rumors only affect the weak
Many thanks to Marat Sabit for bing a new member!??
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By Merlin''s beard!
Harry Potter is a Parselmouth!
Everyone in the Great Hall witnessed this, pushing Harry into the spotlight.
Some people started saying that Harry was the heir, while others approached John, hoping he would deal with this "threat."
John, however, told them not to jump to conclusions.
But in no time, Harry became synonymous with the heir.
There were even conspiracy theories suggesting that Voldemort tried to kill Harry because he feared Harry would take over as the Dark Lord. John couldn''t help butugh when he heard that.
A snowstorm caused the afternoon Herbology ss to end early.
Harry was taken away by Professor McGonagall, while John remained in the Great Hall. Percy sat beside him, sipping warm pumpkin juice.
"Sorry, we couldn''t find anything. I searched Harry''s luggage three times."
Listening to Percy''s apologetic words, John shook his head helplessly. "Percy, you have to believe in Harry. He can''t be the heir."
"Alright," Percy agreed, though John knew he still harbored doubts about Harry. But John didn''t call him out on it.
Harry being a Parselmouth made John think of somethingperhaps he could use Harry to open the Chamber of Secrets.
However, with Harry now taken away by Professor McGonagall, John would have to wait.
"I will prove that he''s not."
John reassured Percy, thinking that this was the Savior they were talking about. If Harry became disheartened due to all the suspicion, what would happen then?
After Percy left, John took out the Marauder''s Map to check.
Apart from Harry and his two friends, no one had been near the girls'' bathroom for quite some time. With the basilisk unable to escape without the Chamber of Secrets being opened, Hogwarts was safe.
''What are those three doing in there?''
John''s face turned a bit strange as he recalled the scent of potion brewing thest time he was there.
Could the trio be brewing potions inside the girls'' bathroom?
Brewing potions in a girls'' bathroomwas there some special reason behind that?
In reality, John, with his ess to the Room of Requirement, didn''t fully understand the challenges Harry and his friends faced. They had no such convenient options.
It wasn''t as if they could brew potions in the Gryffindormon room after all.
Meanwhile, after leaving Dumbledore''s office, Harry kept to himself what he knew. Dumbledore had questioned him, but Harry had chosen to keep things secret, influenced by Ron''s warning that hearing voices might not be a good sign.
The rumors circting in the school were making him increasingly agitated, especially after he secretly put on the Sorting Hat in the headmaster''s office.
That old hat still insisted that he belonged in Slytherin.
This made him start doubting whether he might actually be Slytherin''s heir.
Hermione noticed his worry and suddenly had an idea, suggesting, "You could talk to John. He''ll help you."
"John?"
Harry recalled another momenton the dueling stage, from his perspective, he had seen John''s eyes change.
Those eyesthey looked just like a dragon''s or a snake''s...
He hesitated for a moment and asked, "Wouldn''t that be bothering him?"
Hermione, knowing John well, reassured him, "John would definitely be waiting for you. You know he''s always good to his friends."
Friends?
Harry was silent for a moment.
In the end, he decided to go find John.
At the castle''s covered bridge, Harry arrived with a nervous heart.
"Oh! Hi Harry." John wasn''t surprised to see him and gently said, "You''re struggling with your differences, aren''t you?"
"And you, John, do you.. do you also think I''m Slytherin''s heir?" Harry asked, staring into John''s eyes.
John burst intoughter, hisughter bright and cheerful.
"Stop joking around. You''re the Chosen One; how could you possibly be Slytherin''s heir?"
It was as if he had heard a hrious joke, and John couldn''t stopughing.
Harry grew a bit annoyed by theughter. "Enough, it''s not funny."
Harry was startled by his own voice; he hadn''t meant to shout so loudly.
John stoppedughing and stared at Harry, seriously saying, "You''re not Slytherin''s heir, at least not now."
Seeing that Harry was still doubtful and hesitant, John chuckled and added, "Rumors only affect the weak, Harry. Those who are strong enough don''t care about whose heir someone is."
Harry felt a jolt in his heart as he looked at John, realizing he wasn''t joking.
Harry sighed and said, "If only everyone else thought like you."
"You can''t expect everyone to be like that. The strong lead the weakit''s an unchanging truth."
John leaned on the railing of the covered bridge, gazing into the distance where snowkes covered thend.
...
Christmas arrived.
Many students had left the school, but not everyone.
Some Muggle-born wizards even stayed at the school because John Wick made them feel safe.
"John Wick will protect us, just like he protected Justin Finch-Fletchley."
The scene at the Dueling Club had earned John a lot of favor among the Muggle-born wizards. They even began to think of him as their protector.
Some of them kept a photo of John fighting the Basilisk at their bedside, believing it could protect them.
Morning arrived.
John received numerous packages.
He opened oneit was sent by Cedric.
Inside was a new-style handbag; it seemed Cedric thought John would like such a bag.
There were so many gifts that if he wanted to open them all, it would take the entire day.
John decided to save the unwrapping for the evening. As he stepped out of the dormitory, he spotted a blonde girl and a dark-haired girl.
''Daphne and Pansy, they didn''t go home?''
It was a bit surprising that the two hadn''t returned home, but John didn''t dwell on it.
Malfoy was already waiting for John in themon room. When he saw John emerge, he grumbled, "You made me wake up so early, yet you slept in."
"I didn''t sleep in; I was nning a project for you."
Malfoy rolled his eyes at John, as if to say, "Yeah, right."
Malfoy hadn''t gone home for Christmas; he wanted to stay at school to strengthen himself.
At the Dueling Club, Malfoy and Harry had exchanged curses, and in the end, Malfoy was even hoisted into the air.
Although heter unleashed a Serpensortia, it didn''t cause Harry any harm at all.
Frustrated, Malfoy sought out John for help in strengthening himself, and John naturally agreed.
The two left the Slytherin dungeon and headed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts ssroom.
Since they were going to train, they needed a spacious ce.
John brought out a BoggartMalfoy was all too familiar with this cab.
Every time John taught a ss, he would bring it out, and Malfoy always wondered how so many creatures could fit inside itMalfoy didn''t knew it was a boggart after all.
And so, the two began a hands-on lesson, with John instructing and Malfoy practicing.
By evening, before the sky had fully darkened, John had to head to the Room of Requirement, so they had to pause the training.
As Malfoy was heading back, he encountered Crabbe and Goyle. These two cronies always did whatever Malfoy did.
Seeing them standing around aimlessly, Malfoy kindly led them back.
Little did he know that the two were actually Harry and Ron in disguise.
And when Malfoy had time to rx, he liked to brag. He knew a lot of secrets from Lucius Malfoy, including the fact that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened before.
...
"Tsk* Felix Felicis is really hard toe by."
John looked at the still-unfinished Felix Felicis and couldn''t help but shake his head.
It was truly the most top-tier potionnot only did it take a long time to brew, but it also required meticulous attention.
Potion-making was a branch of alchemy, and since John had learned alchemy, he had also mastered potion-making.
Now, his level had reached 3, making him a seasoned alchemist.
After adding the necessary ingredients for the Felix Felicis, John watched over it for a while to ensure there were no issues.
He then began experimenting with embedding new enchantments onto the Iron Wick Sword in the Room of Requirement.
"Dragon blood can enhance fire spells, so what could other magical creatures enhance?"
John pondered this for a while, still undecided on which enchantment to apply to the Iron Wick Sword.
Unlike the Sword of Gryffindor, which was an alchemical artifact made by the great Goblin, the Iron Wick Sword was still a lesser-made item.
If something went wrong, the entire sword could be ruined, which would be troublesome.
After deliberating for a while, John temporarily set aside the idea of enchanting the sword.
He then extended his hand, attempting to cast a spell without using a wand.
"Emotion, I need an emotion."
John closed his eyes in deep thought, allowing his emotions to fuel the magic.
His expression gradually shifted to one of anger, and John raised his hand and struck.
The chest of the humanoid target before him exploded.
"Anger It''s hard to control, but it sure works."
When it came to the simplest and most intense emotion, anger was a good choice.
Just now, John had thought about someone forcing him to eat a Stargazy Pie, and that surge of anger had arisen...
"How can the others eat such an abomination.."
Back to the topic,
Wandless magic was indeed possible; after a few tries, John found that in moments of extreme anger, he could perform basic spells.
The castle was never short of feasts, so after finishing his training, John headed to the evening banquet.
On his way there, he ran into Goyle and Crabbe, who were groggily waking up, which struck him as odd.
________
12 Advance Chapters-
79: Uncle’s Gift and Cat Girl Hermione
79: Uncles Gift and Cat Girl Hermione
John''s "unsociable" behavior had be quitemon in Slytherin.
It was rare to see John at dinner, and even the Christmas feast was no exception.
By the time John arrived, the feast was already over.
But as soon as he sat down, a golden te in front of him would produce a steaming hot roast turkey, along with potatoes and bread.
"Thank you," he said softly, unsure if the house-elves working in the kitchen could hear him.
Because he often missed dinner, John had be quite familiar with the house-elves in the kitchen.
They always left a portion for him during dinner, and today was no different.
He cut a slice from the turkey, spread thest of his spices on the bread, and took a bite of the turkey sandwich. John closed his eyes in satisfaction.
After finishing his meal, John returned to the Slytherin dungeon.
Malfoy was in a rage. When he saw John, he warily asked, "Are you really John?"
John was confused. "Of course I am."
"Prove it!"
Malfoy looked like a little boy who had just been tricked out of his candy, holding his wand in hand.
If John couldn''t provide proof, Malfoy was ready to make the person who tricked him pay.
John thought for a moment and then gestured for Malfoy toe closer.
Still wary of John, Malfoy approached slowly.
When he was close enough, John''s left hand moved like a viper, catching Malfoy off guard. He twisted Malfoy''s hand holding the wand, causing it to drop to the floor.
Immediately after, John grabbed Malfoy by the cor with his right hand and effortlessly lifted him off the ground.
"I believe you! I believe you!"
Malfoy, struggling to breathe, quickly patted John''s hand in surrender.
"See? That wasn''t so hard," John said as he released his grip, causing Malfoy to fall back onto the floor with a thud. John then moved to sit down on a nearby couch, where Tom, who was always running around the Slytherinmon room, jumped up next to him, seeking attention.
"Cough, cough... There were two people disguised as Goyle and Crabbe," Malfoy said,pletely convinced now. He knew that no one else in Hogwarts, apart from John, could possess such strength.
He growled angrily, "If I find out who it was, I''ll make them regret it with some nasty curses!"
"Disguised as Goyle and Crabbe? Could it be Polyjuice Potion?" John mused.
John patted Tom''s head, and the dog, feeling content, sprawled out on the floor.
He thought about the trioHarry, Ron, and Hermione. Besides them, no one else would likely pull such a stunt.
"So? How did they manage to trick you? What did you tell them?" John, knowing the answer, was curious about what the trio had asked.
It was probably something about the Heir, considering they''d been suspecting Malfoy all along.
Malfoy hesitated for a moment before saying, "I did most of the talking."
"...Draco, you really need to work on that habit," John said, exasperated. He couldn''t believe Malfoy had just handed over information without being asked.
Feeling embarrassed, Malfoy shifted the me, taking out his frustration on Goyle and Crabbe.
"I-It''s all your fault foring back sote."
"We just had some cake and then passed out," Goyle and Crabbe replied, sounding equally frustrated. John shook his head and patted Tom''s head, signaling for him to get up.
"Alright, let''s leave it at that."
As John got up to return to his dorm, Malfoy called out to him just before he left.
"John, they also asked about you."
"Me?" John responded, surprised.
John was taken aback for a moment, and Malfoy nodded. "I told them you often disappear, and no one knows where you go."
''Are they suspicious of me?'' John thought it was unlikely. After all, he was a pure Muggle-born wizard.
He figured Harry had probably asked offhandedly, just curious about what his life was like in Slytherin.
Not giving it much thought, John returned to his dorm room.
Now that he had some free time, he could finally deal with the mountain of Christmas gifts.
Most of them were from his pen palsmaintaining rtionships was important, after all. John or Johny Silverhand had sent out quite a few gifts for Christmas as well.
He opened one from Neville, which contained a beautiful ss orb. When ced near a candle, it projected stars.
Hermione had sent a finely crafted quill, Ron had sent a wizard''s chess set, and Harry had sent a book on Quidditch.
His mother had sent a pair of cufflinks, and his father had sent a wizard''s hatmade by Muggles, by the look of it, and handcrafted.
In his father''s letter, Watson Wick had subtly hinted that John could bring back a Golden Snitch for him. It seemed the Quidditch book John had brought home during the summer had piqued his father''s interest.
Mrs. Wick''s letter was more straightforward: "Tell your father to go to hell. Don''t listen to him."
After opening most of the gifts, John turned his attention to thest one.
The address on it made him pauseit was from his rtives.
He opened the gift and found a letter inside.
He picked it up and scanned it:
"My dearest Tiger cub, I hope this gift finds you well.
It''s unfortunate that you couldn''te home for Christmas this year, but perhaps it''s for the bestthings have been rather chaotic heretely.
The situation is unstable, and your uncles have been affected as well. Your father is getting older as the manager, yet some people still try to drag him into the ground-rted matters of The Continental.
Naturally, I''ve driven those scoundrels awayfrom the background of course. These heartless men wanted to squeeze out thest bit of value they could.
But enough about that.
Do you remember that brown bear? Its cubs have grown, and they''re even stronger than their mother.
I really hope you cane see them next year. I still haven''t taken you hunting.
Love, your uncle,
Seryozha Chovanovich."
Tiger Cubonly his maternal grandfather''s family called him by that name.
The letter was sent by his uncle to his home, and then Mrs. Wick forwarded it to him.
A trace of nostalgia flickered in John''s eyes.
Though his uncles were rough and loved to wrestle with bears, they genuinely cared for him.
Even though it had been a long time since hest visited, his uncles still made sure to send him gifts.
"I wonder what Uncle sent this time," John thought, feeling a mix of curiosity and anticipation as he opened the gift, which was about the size of a book.
After tearing off the white polka-dotted wrapping paper, a sleek ck box was revealed.
John carefully opened the box, revealing something matte ck lying quietly inside.
"!?"
Seeing the item inside, John fell into deep thought.
He maintained his position, then, refusing to believe what he was seeing, he closed the box and opened it again.
Yes, the contents remained unchanged.
With an expressionless face, he picked up the item.
Thefortable grip was a bitrge for a child, but since John had developed faster than most kids, it fit him well enough.
The synthetic material of the grip, the matte ck finish that wouldn''t give away its position due to light reflection, the overall lightweight build, the 9mm caliber, an effective range of 50 meters, and a magazine capacity of 17 rounds.
"No way..."
That''s right.
It was a gun.
His uncle had sent him a handgun.
John thought that either he had gone mad or that his eldest uncle''s thought process was entirely different from a normal person''s.
"Hmm... The idea of a wizard using a gun?"
There weren''t many bullets in the boxjust 17 rounds.
It seemed like his uncle didn''t want to encourage too much violence... Or not!
What kind of person gives a child a handgun? And he was only twelve years old, for crying out loud.
"Uncle, you''re way too hardcore."
Silently, John put the gun back in the box and decided to seal it away.
On the second day of Christmas, John heard that Hermione had been hospitalized, so, being a caring friend, he went to visit her.
When he arrived at the school hospital wing, he was greeted by a very furry face.
Rubbing his eyes, John looked again, only to see that the face was now covered by a pair of hands.
"Stop looking, John, just leave!" Hermione cried out, covering her face in embarrassment.
"Hermione.. I know you are a good student and you like Professor McGonagall.. But," With a strange expression, John asked, "Are you so obsessed with Professor McGonagall that you want to be a cat?"
Why didn''t he remember that Hermione''s Transfiguration reached this level?
"John!" Hermione became even more embarrassed.
She had intended to transform into Millicent Bulstrode, with whom she had engaged in closebat at the Dueling Club. However, since Millicent owned a cat, Hermione had identally gotten her hands on some cat hair instead, leaving her too mortified to show her face.
"Pfft.. Hey~ pff.. cat''s meow, they don''t talk.."
John struggled to hold back hisughter.
"Johnn shut up! Stop behaving like a child and go!" Hermione tried to shoo him out.
"Ha.. pft.. Fu~ Alright.. Alright! Well, it''s pretty cute, isn''t it."
John even had the urge to rub the cat''s head, but considering that he might be bitten by the future Minister of Magic, he held back.
Before Hermione could throw a pillow at him, John pulled out his wand and conjured a curtain to provide her some privacy.
"Hope you recover soon. Oh, and by the way, could you pass me the badge under your pillow?"
John had left the badge under Harry''s pillowst time and hadpletely forgotten about it. Since Hermione was on the same bed as Harry had the previous night, it seemed the badge had stayed there.
John couldn''t help but wonderdon''t they ever wash these things?
Concerned about the hygiene of the school hospital, John retrieved his badge. Hermione looked puzzled, so John casually exined, "Last time when Harry got hit by a Bludger, I wanted to find out who was behind it. Seems like the heir wasn''t after him."
"Okay."
Speaking of the heir, Hermione felt a little guilty, and they turned into Slytherins to ask Malfoy and even suspected him even though John had vouched for him.
After saying goodbye to Hermione, John left the school hospital Wing.
________
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80: Snape’s Suspicion and a Letter from Durmstrang
80: Snapes Suspicion and a Letter from Durmstrang
Christmas at the school wasn''t particrly interesting. Apart from regrly keeping an eye on the Marauder''s Map, John spent his time making Malfoy experience Neville''s struggles.
"Can''t keep up? You can say so; I never force you," John said coolly as he stood outside the Whomping Willow, watching Malfoy get chased by its branches.
"Shut up, John," Malfoy snapped, already having been hit several times. At first, he had been puzzled as to why wizards needed to train in dodging.
That was until John repeatedly evaded three of Malfoy''s spells, making Malfoy realize the importance of agility.
But John didn''t stay quiet, his toneced with mockery. "You''re right not to bring Goyle and the others along; you look too pathetic right now."
"Bahaha~ The Malfoys, one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, and their heir can''t even handle a tree."
"Maybe your father is rightafter all, with your family''s wealth, you could live your life as a uselessyabout."
"Oh, I forgot, perhaps it''s more than just ''like.''"
His words cut like a knife, throwing Malfoy into a state of frustration, and with one misstep, he was sent flying by the Whomping Willow''s branch.
"Tut tut~ Look at you, like a rat being chased away with a broom."
"How much did your family donate to Hogwarts to convince them to let you in?"
John pulled out a turkey sandwich and took a bite, looking utterly rxed, a sight sure to fuel Malfoy''s resentment.
Malfoy was seething with anger. A voice in his head questioned why he was letting that Muggle-born wizard enjoy himself while he, a noble pure-blood, suffered.
As his anger surged, Malfoy couldn''t take it anymore after being thrown back by the Whomping Willow once again. He drew his wand and fired a spell at the annoying tree.
Just as the spell was about to hit the Whomping Willow, a Shield Charm appeared.
"I told you to dodge. Who said you could attack?"
The firstyer of the Shield Charm shattered upon impact, but the secondyer managed to stop the attack.
The Whomping Willow, now enraged, swung its branches even faster and more furiously. Malfoy, unable to dodge in time, was about to get hit.
Seeing this, John quickly cast a Levitation Charm, pulling Malfoy back to safety. Noticing that Malfoy was still angry, John pped and praised him, "This time, the power was greater than before. Keep that feeling."
John was testing the effects of emotions on the power of spells. After Malfoy got angry, the power of his spell had increased by half.
Although this kind of emotion affected uracy, the increase in power was quite significant.
John took out a pen to note this in his journal. ncing at the still-angry Malfoy, he sighed and said, "You''re the one who asked me to train you."
Malfoy understood that John was trying to help him improve his skills, but he still had trouble controlling his emotions.
At times like this, John usually just needed to use a Sleep Charm on him.
"Alright, time to sleep again," John said.
"Ah Wait" Without giving Malfoy a chance to react, John cast the Sleep Charm right in his face, sending him into a peaceful, baby-like slumber.
He called Goyle and Crabbe to carry Malfoy back. The two of them were used to Malfoy being so exhausted that he fell asleep every day.
After scribbling some notes in his journal, John closed the book and slipped it into his small bag.
"Anger is useful, but it''s better to use it sparingly. This time, Draco''s emotional statested longer."
John thought that if this continued, there mighte a day when Malfoy would take things too far and turn against him.
Though it was a bit disappointing, John decided to put a temporary halt to their sessions.
Unbeknownst to him, someone had been observing his every move.
Snape, with his dark, shadowy eyes, had been watching and decided to report to Dumbledore.
...
"Dumbledore, you need to do something about John Wick," Snape said in the headmaster''s office. This time, his tone was not his usual sarcastic drawl but one tinged with anger.
"What''s the matter, Severus?"
Dumbledore looked up from his desk, surprised to see Snape in such a state.
"He''s slowly gaining power, and don''t tell me you haven''t noticed, Dumbledore."
As a former Death Eater, Snape saw echoes of another person in John. The same extraordinary talent, the same good looks, the same ability to sway those around him.
John Wick.
Aside from his bloodline, this boy was aplete replica of that person.
There was a hint of madness in Snape''s voice, his tone as dark and murky as if it had been dredged from the depths.
"He''s mimicking the Dark Lord. He won''t settle for being ordinarySlytherin is proof of that. In just one year, he''s turned the entire house into his own."
Dumbledore, seeing how agitated Snape was, responded calmly, "Severus, calm down. He''s just a child."
"Voldemort was also just a child once!" Snape retorted, emphasizing every word, even going so far as to say the Dark Lord''s name.
He was deeply concerned about John Wick.
A sneer spread across Snape''s face as he continued in his usual sarcastic drawl, "Don''t tell me you haven''t noticed what he''s been up to. In his first year, he was already dabbling in Dark Magic. He''s cunning, ambitious, and even Draco Malfoy now bows to him."
"Dumbledore, we both know what this could mean. The heir of Slytherinhow do you know it''s not him?"
"Severus!"
Dumbledore''s expression became stern, causing Snape to calm down slightly.
"That''s a very serious usation, you know."
Dumbledore''s wise eyes gazed towards the Sword of Gryffindor as he softly spoke, "I believe John Wick will not be that person. He''s differenthe has family, friends, and... love."
Snape, now fullyposed, stared coldly at Dumbledore, his voice returning to its usual tone.
"I hope you''re right. We won''t have another Dumbledore in the future after all."
With that, he left, leaving Dumbledore alone in thought.
Voldemort was a painful subject for Snape, as he had taken the life of Snape''s beloved.
Dumbledore was fully aware of this, and he also understood that when Voldemort was in his second year, he was far less exceptional than John. The people around John were drawn to him because of his powernot because of his bloodline, but because of his strength.
In this regard, John was much like another person from the past.
Dumbledore looked at the Sword of Gryffindor and sighed, "I hope it''s you, John."
He recalled the time the Chamber of Gryffindor had been opened. If it weren''t for Harry, Dumbledore couldn''t think of anyone more exceptional than John. If it was John, then he wouldn''t be the next Voldemort.
Snape was rightthere isn''t another Dumbledore in the magical world. They couldn''t afford a third Dark Lord.
...
John was unaware that because of him, Snape and Dumbledore had a heated argument. He was currently opening an envelope delivered by an owl.
The letter was from Durmstrang.
The owl looked utterly exhausted after delivering the letter. The envelope showed that it was sent from Durmstrang but the family seal on the envelope was one John had never seen beforea bat holding a sword.
Inside, there was a letter and an object that looked like a scale.
"A dragon scale?"
Opening the letter, John saw a line of elegant handwriting.
"I''vee to find you."
"Why does this feel like a threat?"
John fell into thought. Could it be a prank by the Weasley twins?
He noticed the sender''s name: Heidrich Edgar.
This name instantly took him back to that day during the summer holiday when he and Fleur had fallen into the forest. The Durmstrang student he had dueled with.
"Come to find me?"
Thinking it over, John realized he hadn''t done anything to provoke the other person. So why send a threatening letter?
"Forget it, no point in dwelling on it."
Unable to figure it out, John decided not to worry about it and headed to the Secret Chamber of Gryffindor.
He held a new piece of parchment in his hand, intending to try replicating the Marauder''s Map. This was a student-made item, so theoretically, the level of alchemy involved should have its limits.
Level 3 alchemy should be just enough to aplish it.
Replicating the map wasn''t the main goalJohn was more interested in studying the tracking spells embedded within it. The map could mark anyone who entered Hogwarts, using a magic simr to tracing charms.
John had previously extracted tracing spells, so he had some understanding of them.
The four people who canbine the two and make a map are really geniuses.
In the Secret Chamber of Gryffindor, John first added an ingredient to the Felix Felicis.
The Felix Felicis is nearing the end, and it is estimated that it will bepleted after the start of the next semester.
John is also preparing to enter the Slytherin Chamber at that time.
______
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81: The Seed of Doubt and Pansy’s Love
81: The Seed of Doubt and Pansys Love
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________
Hospital Wing.
"Harry, you''re wrong."
Hermione argued back at Harry, clearly upset. "How can you suspect John? He''s our friend, and he''s a Muggle-born."
Even Ron thought Harry''s idea was crazy. That was John Wick they were talking about.
He was the one who single-handedly dispelled people''s fears about the Heir of Slytherin, and he was the one who saved the Gryffindor students by driving away the basilisk.
How could Harry possibly suspect John?
Seeing that his friends didn''t believe him, Harry voiced his suspicions. "Think about it. Who was the first to discover the basilisk? It was John."
"What''s so strange about that? If it weren''t for John, you''d have been med as the cat killer by Filch," Hermione retorted, her cat-like face puffing up in anger.
Harry shook his head and said seriously, "What about the second time? John came out with the basilisk, and it just so happened that Colin was there to take a picture. During the time Colin went to get a professor, no one knows what really happened between John and the basilisk."
This made Ron think, just a little, that Harry might have a point.
"Think about itwhy was John, facing such a dangerous creature like the basilisk, barely hurt? He just slept it off in the hospital wing."
Hermione dismissed the idea, "Maybe John is just that strong."
"Yes, he''s strong, strong enough to take down Slytherin on his own. But don''t you think it''s all too convenient?" Harry pressed.
Recalling the strangepulsion that led him to ask Malfoy, Harry''s suspicions about John grew.
He said, "John often disappears, and no one knows where he goes. Every time the basilisk shows up, John''s reputation only gets stronger, almost like..."
"Almost like it''s deliberately boosting his reputation, right? Harry, you''re absolutely wrong! John is a Muggle-born wizardSlytherin would never seek out a Muggle!" Hermione angrily finished his sentence, her whiskers practically twitching with indignation.
"But what if he''s not?" Harry said quietly.
Hermione was stunned, and Ron, surprised, asked, "You mean John isn''t a Muggle-born wizard?"
Harry''s eyes gleamed with a hint of wisdom. "Maybe someone in John''s family is a Squib, which would make him a half-blood, not a Muggle-born. And you''ve seen itMalfoy is his friend, and Malfoy hates Muggle-borns."
Hermione wrinkled her nose and said, "That''s just spection, Harry. You need to calm down."
Ron nodded in agreement, thinking Harry might be too tired.
Seeing that his friends didn''t believe him, Harry felt a mix of helplessness and frustration.
A voice in his head kept telling him that John was the Heir of Slytherin.
It was only for a fraction of a second but due to his sharp eyes, he urately saw John that day.. The memory of John''s slit-pupil eyes during the dueling club only fueled Harry''s doubts.
The seed of suspicion had been nted deep in his mind, and Harry became increasingly wary of John.
...
"ho!" John sneezed and rubbed his nose, puzzled. "There''s no wind, though."
John nced at the two pieces of parchment on the table, and tapped them with his finger.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!"
Both pieces of parchment unfolded, revealing identical maps.
The footprints and names moving on them were exactly the sameJohn had sessfully duplicated the Marauder''s Map!
Seeing the name "Peter Pettigrew" moving alongside Ron, John muttered to himself, "The Marauder''s Map is not omnipotent. Perhaps it only needs a strong enough Confusion Charm to confuse it."
The Marauder''s Map was like an advanced version of the Tracking Spell. Though powerful, it could still be disrupted by spells.
John wasn''t sure what level of Confundus Charm would be required, but it would likely need to be at least Level 4 or higher.
"Probably no one in the school except Professor Flitwick and a few others could manage it."
Even ordinary professors wouldn''t be capable; only the heads of the four houses might be able to cast a Confundus Charm at that level.
Tapping the Marauder''s Map again, John closed it.
He had now reached the point where he could perform simple tasks without a wand.
Tucking away both versions of the Marauder''s Map, John didn''t want to risk them being found by someone with ill intentions.
Of course, if the Weasley twins discovered that he had taken the map and came to im it back, he would be very generous.
Christmas had passed.
With the start of the new term, Hermione, who had turned into a cat-girl, wouldn''t be appearing in sses for a while.
Without this know-it-all Miss Granger topete with, John found the sses a bit lonely.
This must be what it feels like to have no worthy opponents.
Neville was happy when he returned to school because his grandmother had praised him.
The training had helped Neville lose quite a bit of weight, which made Mrs. Longbottom both pleased and worried.
Before long, February arrived.
Hermione was finally out of the hospital, having been cured.
But for some reason, John noticed that Harry seemed to be keeping his distance from him.
''Could it be that the incident where I made Harry take the mest time was exposed?''
John thought that Harry might have figured out the summer incident where he had shifted the me onto him. If that were the case, he was willing to apologize.
The Felix Felicis was almost ready, and John still needed Harry''s Parseltongue to guide the way.
Now that he knew the entrance, everything was ready except for the Parseltongue.
The Heir of Slytherin had yet to show up, and John even began to wonder if someone had forgotten to bring toilet paper and had used the diary...
No matter what, John was determined to visit the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets. After all, there were plenty of rewards to be gained.
Moreover, there was a chance that the Chamber of Secrets might trigger a challenge task simr to the Gryffindor Chamber. Missing out on that would be heartbreaking.
...
With the new term beginning, it seemed as though the previous fears had vanished.
Hogwarts was filled withughter, and the Quidditch training grounds were echoing with Wood''s roars.
Tom was running around everywhere, and the school had grown ustomed to having a cute dog around.
Whenever Tom went out, it would always wait at the entrance for the students heading to the Slytherinmon room.
This time was no exception. After finding Fang, Tom obediently squatted by the entrance.
Daphne and Pansy happened to return, and Tom happily trotted behind them.
"Pansy, are you okay? Lately, you seem a bit distracted."
Daphne had noticed that Pansy seemed to be infatuated with writing in a diary. Even before bed in the dormitory, she could see Pansy scribbling away.
When Pansy heard this, a slight smile tugged at the corners of her lips, giving her the appearance of a girl in love, a bit shy.
"I think I''ve fallen for someone."
"Really?" Daphne was taken aback and curiously asked, "I haven''t seen you interacting with any boys."
"What''s so strange about that? You''re the same way, and yet you like to"
Pansy''s words were abruptly cut off as Daphne covered her mouth, her ears turning red and a blush spreading across her pale cheeks.
"Don''t say such nonsense," Daphne growled sternly.
Pansy rolled her eyes and pouted, "It''s not exactly a secret anymore."
"That doesn''t matter!" Daphne insisted, forcing Pansy to keep quiet.
Tom, who was following them, tilted his head, feeling as if they were discussing his master.
Barking twice, Tom struggled to climb the stairs with his short legs.
Seeing this, Daphne picked him up. Tom was a small dog, and fit perfectly in her arms.
When John came back, he happened to run into Daphne who was furiously rubbing his dog''s head in themon room. John looked down on Tom''s dog-licking look.
"Thanks for taking care of Tom," John said.
Daphne smiled and replied, "Oh, I like Tom too. By the way, how do you n to spend tomorrow?"
She nced to the side, pretending to ask casually, but with a hint of curiosity, "Umm.. Professor Lockhart mentioned he''s nning a surprise for everyone on Valentine''s Day."
"Him? A surprise?"
When John heard this, he immediately realized that the restless Lockhart was up to something again.
Hepletely missed Daphne''s mention of Valentine''s Day.
His eyelid twitched, and his instincts told him that Lockhart was definitely not nning anything good.
The Duelling Club, which had caught the students'' interest thanks to Lockhart''s surprisingly impressive initial disy, had be a regr Saturday evening event.
John had thought that this would keep Lockhart upied and out of trouble, but it seemed that the professor still wanted to stir things up.
''It seems I can''t let him stay idle, or he''ll keep causing problems,'' John decided. There was no way he was going to let Lockhart continue his fuckery. Since Lockhart liked writing books so much, John thought it best to send him off to do just that, and stop him from tormenting the students.
The next day, when John saw the twelve dwarfs dressed as cupids, he facepalmed.
Especially when he received a Valentine''s card that one of the dwarfs enthusiastically performed.
It was a moment of pure embarrassment. Malfoy wanted tough but didn''t dare because John was ring at him.
________
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82: Completion of Felix Felicis and Riddle’s Medal
82: Completion of Felix Felicis and Riddles Medal
"Your eyes are as beautiful as a smander''s, and your hair looks like oiled silk. Pfft, John, this is a terrible love letter."
Malfoy finally couldn''t hold back hisughter, and John shot him an annoyed re.
"Let me throw it away for you. It might be one of those damn Weasley pranks."
Malfoy took it upon himself to dispose of John''s love letter, but John snatched it back with a huff, "Forget it, I''ll keep it."
He folded the letter, What if it was really sent by a girl? It would be too hurtful to throw it away casually.
Malfoy smoothed his hair and looked over at Harry, deliberately saying loudly, "Look, our savior also got a love letter."
"Shut up, Malfoy."
Harry was struggling as one of the dwarfs clung to his knees, refusing to let go. He had no choice but to listen to the dwarf perform.
His green eyes were described as pickled toads, which was just as bad as John''s smander eyes.
This made John suspect that the Weasley twins were behind the prank.
Leaving the Great Hall, John found Lockhart and gave him a task.
"Aren''t you fond of writing books? Then write one for me!"
He ordered Lockhart to write a book titled Swinging the Sword at Hogwarts, so he wouldn''t have to watch Lockhart causing trouble any longer.
Unlocking the Gryffindor''s Secret Chamber, the Felix Felicis potion was nearingpletion.
With thest ingredient added, the potion became as clear as water.
Carefully using a dropper, John ced the Felix Felicis into a ss bottle shaped like a water bulb. After months of preparation, the final yield was just a small amount.
Sealing the bottle, John finally exhaled in relief.
The Felix Felicis was crystal clear, with the flickering candlelight reflecting off its surface.
John murmured softly, "Now the trip to the Chamber is secured."
He wrapped a protective charm string around the bottle''s neck to make a pendant, deciding not to store it in his small pouch.
The Felix Felicis was too valuable; he needed to keep it close.
He wore the pendant around his neck, tucking it safely inside his shirt.
John then made his way to the second-floor girls'' bathroom.
Apart from him, no one knew the entrance to the Chamber was there.
After scanning the room to ensure no one had been around, he snapped his fingers.
|"Badge,e."|
The badge, hidden behind the mirror, flew over. John caught it, and as his left hand brushed over it, the stars on the badge turned pale blue.
"The snake hasn''te out, and apart from Moaning Myrtle, only Harry and his friends have been here."
After a moment of contemtion, John put the badge into his pocket.
He then approached the broken toilet and politely knocked on it.
"Hi, Moaning Myrtle, I need your help with something."
Moaning Myrtle floated out of the toilet, her voice sharp and angry as she said, "Moaning Myrtle, Moaning Myrtle, can''t you stop bullying Moaning Myrtle!"
"Well, if you''re willing to help me, I''d be happy to give you a gift."
John shrugged. As a person trained by his mother to attend her various parties, he knew how to handle social situations.
Upon hearing about a gift, Moaning Myrtle stopped crying and floated around John a few times.
"You know I''m a ghost, right?"
She thought John was trying to deceive her, as ghosts couldn''t receive gifts.
Ghosts retain the state they were in one second before death, like Nearly Headless Nick, whose head was nearly severed but still had a small connection, preventing him from fully joining the Headless team.
Seeing that she didn''t believe him, John didn''t waste any more words. He raised his wand and pointed it at Moaning Myrtle.
"What are you doing!" Moaning Myrtle screamed, darting around in panic.
"Shh, quiet."
John motioned for her to be silent, then smiled lightly and said, "This is my gift to you."
"Mutatio est anima forma"
As the incantation was spoken, a stream of white smoke emerged from John''s wand, enveloping Moaning Myrtle.
He reached into his small bag and pulled out a feathered hairpin, gripping it in his right hand.
The hairpin quickly disappeared from his hand, and in Moaning Myrtle''s hand, the feathered hairpin began to materialize.
"How is this possible?"
Moaning Myrtle touched the hairpin in disbelief, the feel of the feathers in her hand exactly as it had been when she was alive.
"A simple spell, a conversion of material between life and death. Wizards who refuse death be ghosts. In the magical world, there are beings that walk between the living and the dead, and I''ve just borrowed their methods."
John spoke casually, but the process was actually extremely difficult.
The hairpin was made from a Thestral feather, and with the added Hogwarts engraving, it allowed the hairpin to exist in a ghostly state within Hogwarts.
In the book Moste Potente Potions, there were some spells rted to souls; this was just an experiment.
John''s ultimate goal with ghost-rted spells was to transform the ordinary deceased into ghosts.
Strictly speaking, this could be considered dark magic.
Manipting life and deathany who dabbles in such will bear great sin.
John opened his palm, and the hairpin crumbled into a handful of ashes that slipped through his fingers.
He smiled and said, "Now, will you help me?"
"Of course!"
Moaning Myrtle was overjoyed, darting around the room.
John pointed to the faucet marked with a serpent symbol and said, "I need you to go down this pipe and take a look."
Last time, John had jumped down, but without opening the entrance this time, he had to rely on Moaning Myrtle''s ability to move freely through barriers.
Ghosts can visit ces they walked in life, and fortunately, the Slytherin Chamber was built into Hogwarts.
John could use the ghost spell to temporarily grant Myrtle the freedom to explore.
At this moment, John felt immense gratitude towards the creators of the Marauder''s Map.
Thanks to the Marauder''s Map, John was able to connect with the magical engravings of Hogwarts.
"Yeah! Don''t worry!"
Moaning Myrtle descended through the faucet pipe, phasing through the tunnels all the way to the bottom.
After some time, about fifteen minutester, John heard a noiseing from the toilet.
He looked over and saw Moaning Myrtle emerging from the toilet, looking confused.
"How did I get back here?"
Moaning Myrtle seemed dazed. John realized that the ghost spell had worn off, and he waved his hand, saying, "Umm, seems my spell expired. It pulled you back to the starting point."
"That''s a shame. I saw a wall with two intertwined serpents on it."
Myrtle, still savoring the rare freedom she had experienced,mented, "That wall had magic on it, and I couldn''t pass through."
''A wall? That must be the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.''
Gleaning this bit of information, John thanked Moaning Myrtle.
After leaving the girls'' bathroom, John muttered to himself, "It seems I can''t do this without Harry. He''s the key; I need him."
It seems without Parseltongue, he wouldn''t be able to enter the Slytherin Chamber, even if he reached its entrance.
John decided to seek Harry''s cooperation.
However, as he said this, he didn''t notice that someone nearby had overheard his words.
...
Harry''s scar throbbed with pain, and a voice echoed in his mind.
"He''s the key; I need him."
A vision shed before his eyes: John, with a dark and brooding expression, walking out of the girls'' bathroom, muttering to himself.
After this vision, Harry found himself in the Trophy Room.
A golden medal bearing the name "Riddle" appeared before him.
Harry felt dazed, only snapping back to reality after Hermione called his name several times.
"I told you, Harry needs to rest," Ron said, thinking Harry was simply exhausted.
The Transfiguration homework was overwhelming, leaving them barely able to breathe.
Hermione was displeased. She thought, with so little homework, it felt like an insult. If the Slytherins saw this, they''d think Gryffindors couldn''t handle it.
"Ten more assignments, one for each of us!" she thought defiantly.
"Ron, you''re right. I do need to rest," Harry suddenly said.
He stood up and walked out.
His behavior was strange, and Hermione and Ron exchanged nces, each seeing the confusion in the other''s eyes.
"What''s wrong with Harry?" Hermione asked.
...
On the first floor, John encountered Gemma Farley, who brought up the diary.
"I couldn''t find an old magical diary. I''ve searched everywhere."
"Alright, thank you anyway. If another little wizard had gotten hold of it, that would have been disastrous."
Gemma Farley had been quite helpful in searching for the diary, so John wasn''t going to be too hard on her.
After she left, John sighed and muttered to himself, "Tom Riddle, where are you hiding? Stop ying games."
Voldemort was like a worm in the gutterthough not dangerous at the moment, he was still incredibly annoying.
With that, John headed back to the Slytherin dungeon. After he was gone, Harry appeared from around the corner of the staircase.
He stared at John''s retreating figure, recalling the golden medal he had seen.
"John seems really wary of this Riddle. But why?"
Harry felt he was close to uncovering the truth and made his way to the Trophy Room, as he had seen in his vision.
There, he found Riddle''s medal, and in the corner, there was a diary.
It seemed as though a diary had been waiting for him for a long time.
_________
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83: Harry and Tom
83: Harry and Tom
Harry looked at the Special Services to the School medal, noticing Riddle''s name in other ces as well.
"He must have been very talented."
Staring at the list of Head Boys, Harry spoke these words, feeling that this person must have been as exceptional as John to have earned such des.
Suddenly, as if guided by something, he turned his gaze to a corner.
The old diary wasn''t very noticeable, almost blending in with the floor.
"T.M. Riddle... Tom Riddle!"
Harry noticed the diary, opened the faded cover, and on the first page, saw a name.
As soon as he saw the name, Harry instantly recalled what John had mentioned.
He wasn''t sure if this was the Riddle that John had been searching for, but he knew he needed to take the diary back.
The Great Hall.
Harry returned, and Hermione, seeing him, urged him to hurry up and finish his homework.
Harry nodded absentmindedly, and when most people had left, he mysteriously took out the diary.
"What''s this? It looks really old," Ronmented when Harry revealed the item.
"You''re right, Ron, it is very oldat least 50 years old."
Hermione noticed the faded date on the diary. She took it and flipped through, noticing the name written on it.
"T.M. Riddle? Who''s that?"
"Wait, I know that name..."
Ron, recalling the name from the countless times he''d polished that award, was about to speak when Harry, eager and impatient, interrupted him.
"That doesn''t matterJohn seems to be looking for it."
"What?" Hermione was startled. She assumed it was John''s belonging and said, "We should return it to John."
"No, no, Hermione, listen to me."
Stopping Hermione, who was about to hand it over to John, Harry exined everything he had seen in the Trophy Room.
"Ron, remember, Malfoy mentioned that the Chamber of Secrets was opened 50 years ago."
He turned to Ron, who, after a moment, also recalled the event.
"Maybe Riddle discovered the Chamber was opened 50 years ago, and that''s why he got the award."
Harry spoke in a low, excited voice.
Hermione hesitated, whispering, "If it''s that important, why don''t we give it to John?"
"Please, Hermione, stop with the ''John, John, John!''"
Hearing that name again, Harry felt an inexplicable irritation. He snatched the diary back, saying, "He''s in Slytherin, we''re in Gryffindorwhy do we always have to listen to him?"
After speaking, Harry looked at the somewhat stunned Hermione and Ron, and added, "We can investigate on our own. If we discover something first, we''ll be the heroes of Hogwarts."
Seeing that Hermione still wanted to say something, Harry impatiently said, "Don''t forget, John could also be the heir of Slytherin."
This made Hermione close her mouth in annoyance but she nodded.
The three of them tried to uncover the diary''s secrets, but unfortunately, it didn''t seem to contain anything. It was as if someone had been given the diary as a Christmas present and had carelessly forgotten it in some corner.
They researched it for a while, and Hermione suggested that it might be under a concealment charm, but even using their wands to reveal it didn''t work.
The next day, Harry kept flipping through the diary, page by page. It remained nk, showing nothing.
Hermione thought they should start investigating the medals instead, so the trio took another trip to the Trophy Room, but they found nothing.
A few days passed, and the diary remained in Harry''s possession. One day, as he was idly flipping through it in the library, Hermione rushed over and questioned, "Harry, John has been looking for you several times."
"Sorry, Hermione, but I really don''t feel like seeing John right now."
Harry nonchntly propped his face up with one hand while flipping through the diary with the other. This behavior made Hermione think Harry had lost his mind. She burst out like an enraged lioness, shouting, "Stop messing with that thing!"
Angrily, Hermione grabbed the diary and threw it, causing it to hit an ink bottle on the table. Harry was shocked.
"I don''t know why you act like you''re under a spell," Hermione fumed, turning on her heel and storming out of the library.
Madam Pince opened her mouth, likely ready to yell at Hermione to leave, but Hermione had already gone on her own.
Harry didn''t know whether he should go after Hermione or save the diary. After some hesitation, he chose to retrieve the diary. When he reached it, he noticed something unusual.
The ink that should have spread across the table was instead moving toward the diary. Harry''s eyes lit up with realization. He opened the diary and saw the ink being absorbed into its pages.
This gave Harry an idea. He quickly took out a pen and wrote a line on one of the nk pages of the diary.
"My name is Harry Potter."
Feeling nervous, he watched the diary.
Within seconds, the words began to disappear, absorbed by the paper.
Then, some words that Harry had never written before began to seep through the paper.
"Hello, Harry Potter."
"My name is Tom Riddle. How did you find my diary?"
This magical urrence made Harry''s eyes widen in amazement. After the writing disappeared, Harry quickly scribbled a reply.
"Found it in the corner of the trophy room."
"Luckily, I recorded my memories in a way thatsts longer than ink. Someone has always wanted to find me."
Someone?
Harry''s heart was racing; he felt as if he was on the verge of uncovering the truth.
"What do you mean?" he wrote, his hands trembling with excitement as he hastily scrawled the question on the page.
The ink was quickly absorbed, and another line of text appeared.
"This diary contains some terrible truths, truths that have been covered up. Some people don''t want others to see them."
Harry took a deep breath, as if he had just finished a run.
He tried to calm his nerves, knowing deep down that this time, he was about to discover the truth behind the Chamber of Secrets.
He wrote on the paper: "Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?"
"The Chamber? Has it been opened again? That terrible creature... The Chamber was opened when I was in my fifth year, and the monster inside attacked several students..."
The diary didn''t hold back at all. Harry already knew about the basilisk, so he quickly wrote a response to Riddle on the paper.
It looked as though he was a diligent student, but the more he read, the more rmed he became.
Tom Riddle knew about the Chamber of Secrets and was fully aware of its dangers.
Harry was just one step away from the ''truth''.
He wrote on the page, "Do you know who the culprit is?"
"Rubeus Hagrid. He''s a half-giant, looked down upon by students. To gain attention, he deliberately released the monster."
These words made Harry feel as if he had been plunged into icy water.
He found it difficult to breathe. His left hand steadied his trembling right hand as he painstakingly wrote, "Even someone who''s not pure-blooded?"
"The heir of Slytherin only chooses those who are exceptional and wicked."
It all made sense now....
Harry leaned back in his chair, staring nkly at the diary.
John Wick, a Muggle-born wizard, the lowest in Slytherin''s hierarchy.
To gain recognition, he opened Slytherin''s Chamber of Secrets, using the basilisk inside to establish his authority...
"..Why did you turn out like this, John..?"
Harry spoke sadly, feeling sorrow for his friend''s descent into darkness. At the same time, a new thought began to form in his mind.
I must stop John. I can''t let him continue down this path.
Just like Tom Riddle stopped Hagrid.
Harry didn''t realize that he was even beginning to suspect Hagrid.
If it had been the old him, he would never have doubted Hagrid this way; at most, he might have thought Hagrid had identally opened the Chamber.
But now, not only did he not find anything wrong with this line of thought, he actually felt more certain about it.
Meanwhile, in the diary, the young Tom Riddle couldn''t suppress a smile.
He held the same diary as Harry and took out a pen to write in it.
"I know where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is. If it opens again, I hope you''ll stop it."
Seeing the location of the Chamber, Harry''s eyes lit up. It was as if he could already see himself stopping John, bing a hero of the school, and shaking hands with Dumbledore.
Harry resolutely wrote, "I will."
...
"Where has Harry been these past few days?"
John tried to catch Harry after ss, but Harry managed to slip away again.
John was a bit helpless and couldn''t figure out what was going on with Harry. He hadn''t noticed Harry being this busy before.
John didn''t think Harry was deliberately avoiding him, considering their rtionship was pretty good.
He heard Hermione''s determined footsteps echoing on the floor and asked curiously, "Hey, Hermione, did you find Harry?"
________
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84: Hagrid’s Accident and the Whereabouts of the Diary
84: Hagrids ident and the Whereabouts of the Diary
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Hearing John''s question, Hermione, torn between two friends, reluctantly replied, "Harry''s studying in the library."
She wanted to tell John that Harry was suspicious of him but was afraid that both friends would be lost at once.
As soon as John heard "library," he immediately stood up.
This time, he was determined not to let Harry slip away.
He just needed the Parseltongue to open the Chamber of SecretsHarry, just open the door for me already!
''Mother fu...'' When John arrived at the library, Harry was nowhere to be found.
Now, John waspletely speechless. Was Harry part mouse or something? How could he hide so well?
John pulled out the Marauder''s Map and saw that Harry had already returned to the Gryffindor dormitory.
"That was fast."
Putting the map away, John rubbed his forehead in frustration.
This Harry, who usually enjoyed sneaking around at night, was now suddenly ying by the rules.
As John walked toward the Slytherin dungeons, he ran into Ernie Macmin, who was loudly dering something.
"The heir of Slytherin has been foundit''s the gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid!"
John almost tripped over an uneven stone and eximed in shock, "Who did you say?"
Ernie Macmin, delighted to see John, repeated, "Ah! I said Rubeus Hagrid! I just saw Ministry officials heading to him; they''ve taken him away."
The news left everyone at Hogwarts in disbelief. Could the bumbling Hagrid really be the heir of Slytherin?
John quickened his pace, managing to reach Hagrid before he was taken away.
The Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, had personallye with his team, and among them, John spotted Lucius Malfoy.
Hermione and Ron rushed over as well, pleading with Dumbledore, "Professor Dumbledore, they must be making a mistake!"
"I''m sorry, miss, but we need to take Rubeus Hagrid away immediately," Fudge replied. Despite his generally affable demeanor, he could be firm when it came to matters not threatening his position.
Dumbledore stood nearby, his face somber, while Hagrid looked dejected.
Hermione, growing increasingly anxious, asked, "Where are you taking him?"
"To Azkaban. Apologies, but something simr happened before," Fudge responded, ncing at his watch, showing signs of impatience.
Lucius Malfoy wore a smug smile, as if everything was unfolding ording to his n.
John, with a serious expression, reassured Hagrid, "Don''t worry, I''ll get you out of there."
"Get him out? Heh~ This young wizard seems unaware of the dangers of Azkaban," Lucius Malfoy sneered, looking down at John with disdain. "Unless you n on going in yourself, you''ll only see him in your memories."
John met Lucius''s gaze calmly and said, "Is that so? Then we''ll see about that."
This confident response made Lucius''s expression darken.
He seemed to have another thought, then smirked mockingly before leaving with the Ministry officials.
Ron couldn''t believe itthey had just taken Hagrid away like that. He looked to Dumbledore, "Professor Dumbledore, you have to do something."
"I''m sorry, Mr. Weasley, but for now, all we can do is wait," Dumbledore replied, then turned to John, curious about how he nned to rescue Hagrid.
John, watching the departing Ministry officials, had a strange gleam in his eyes and a cold smile on his lips. He muttered to himself, "The Ministry of Magic doesn''t belong to just one person."
This incident caused an uproar at Hogwarts, and Harry saw it too. Strangely, he didn''t step forward to help; instead, he just muttered to himself, "I should help."
Back in the dormitory, John sent out a few letters via owl.
After some time, a miracle happenedHagrid, who was supposed to be sent to Azkaban, was instead detained at the Ministry of Magic.
It was nothing short of a miracle.
Word spread that Lucius Malfoy was furious about it.
In response, he and other members of the Hogwarts Board of Governors temporarily suspended Dumbledore. Lucius had thought that once Dumbledore was out of the way, everything would go ording to n. He hadn''t expected anyone to interfere.
Recently, Damocles Belby, who had just been awarded the Order of Merlin, First ss, put pressure on the Ministry, and Rufus Scrimgeour of the Auror Office also advocated for Hagrid''s detention rather than imprisonment.
This derailed Lucius''s ns.
And all of this was due to the letters John had sent out.
Lucius could never have imagined that the young wizard he looked down upon had such significant influence.
...
"Twenty sets of protective charms and strike rings for the Auror Office, huh?"
John looked at the conditions set by Rufus Scrimgeour. They hadn''t known each other for long, so it wasn''t surprising that Scrimgeour wouldn''t help for free.
The Auror Office was very interested in the equipment John had sent over previously. Aurors had a dangerous jobyou never knew when a Dark wizard might suddenly cast the Killing Curse at you.
The protective charms were a great solution, especially the Whomping Willow charms, which were highly sensitive and could react to even the slightest hint of malice.
"Damocles Belby, on the other hand, was straightforward, helping out without asking for anything in return."
Receiving Belby''s letter made John feel a bit conflicted.
This kind of help without any strings attached left him feeling truly indebted.
He thought about it for a moment, then took out his notebook, turned to a particr page, and copied down some notes.
He enclosed these notes in an envelope and had an owl send them off. John believed that Damocles Belby would be interested in this research.
If sessful, it could be a historical breakthrough.
"I was nning on reaching out to others, but it seems unnecessary now."
Closing the silver-coveredworking notebook, John breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed that even the Ministry of Magic wasn''t entirely sure about Hagrid''s guilt; otherwise, they wouldn''t have been so lenient.
"I need to find the diary and get into the Chamber of Secrets as soon as possible."
John was worried that if he dyed any longer, something might go wrong.
In the following days, John began using the Marauder''s Map to keep tabs on Harry.
It literally felt as though Harry also had the Marauder''s Map, as he managed to avoid John with precision every time.
Over time, John realized that Harry was intentionally avoiding him. Although he didn''t understand why Harry had suddenly be distant, he knew he wouldn''t be able to catch up with him.
Given this, John decided to try a different approach.
He sought out Malfoy.
"Draco, it''s time to put your skills to the test."
Malfoy was a bit confused by John''s words, not fully understanding, but he did grasp that John wanted him to catch Harry.
Such an opportunity to make Potter look bad was something Malfoy couldn''t pass uphe was more than happy to oblige.
However, before the n could be put into action, a new development urred on John''s end.
Daphne approached John and started talking to him about Pansy''s recent love life.
"It seems like she''s in a rtionship with an invisible person. I''ve caught her talking to herself several times. Always writing in a diary in hiding."
Daphne was frightened by her best friend Pansy''s recent strange behavior, as if Pansy had been cursed.
The moment John heard that Pansy had been writing in a diary, his mind went into overdrive with rm.
"Did you say a diary?"
John, feeling a surge of excitement, grabbed Daphne''s hand and asked, "Do you know what she''s been writing?"
Daphne blushed at the sudden gesture, but she wasn''t the type to get lost in romantic thoughts; she understood the importance of the situation.
"I''m not sure; she never lets us see it," Daphne replied. She had tried to sneak a look, but Pansy guarded it fiercely.
After thinking for a moment, she hesitated and then added, "But I think the boy''s name is Tom. I initially thought she was calling you Tom."
The words were a bit convoluted, but John was certainthis was the diary he''d been searching for all along.
What a stroke of luck, finding it so easily after such a long search.
A smile spread across John''s face. "Where is she?"
"In themon room."
John immediately headed to themon room, dragging Malfoy, who had been nning to confront Harry, along with him.
"Pansy has a boyfriendaren''t you going to check it out?"
This statement made Malfoy bristle with anger. He had been there first; how could someone else swoop in and steal her away?
Forget about that scarhead PotterMalfoy wanted to see for himself what made this guy better than him.
John, Malfoy, Daphne, Goyle, and Crabbe stormed into themon room. Pansy, who had been there daydreaming while staring at the giant squid outside the window, suddenly found herself surrounded.
John ordered Goyle and Crabbe to pin Pansy down on the sofa.
"Daphne, go to the dormitory and find the diary," Johnmanded.
Daphne immediately dashed off to the dormitory, and as soon as Pansy heard this, she began to struggle.
Seeing Pansy''s reaction, John became even more convinced that Voldemort''s diary was in her possession. He had been careless.
Daphne, who shared a dormitory with Pansy, started searching through her things as soon as she reached her spot.
Malfoy, feeling betrayed, looked at Pansy with deep disappointment. "I never thought you''d be this kind of person," he said.
The two had yed together since childhood, and he had assumed they would always support each other. He never imagined someone woulde along and steal her away.
At that moment, Malfoy wanted nothing more than to beat up this Tom guy.
If his father knew what was going through his mind, he''d probablyugh himself to madness.
___________
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"Tsk* Couldn''t find it."
Daphne searched everywhere but came up empty-handed.
John frowned and looked at Pansy.
"Haha... the game has begun."
Pansy suddenly burst into hystericalughter, her expression filled with madness.
Then, her voice dropped to a low, menacing tone: "John Wick, use all your knowledgetry it!"
With that, Pansy somehow found the strength to throw off the two people holding her down.
She pulled a bottle out of her pocket and drank from it.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
The sudden turn of events shocked everyone, but John quickly intervened, casting a spell that hit Pansy, rendering her immobile and causing her to copse.
But it was toote; Pansy had already consumed half of the potion.
John stepped forward to check on her. Pansy''s wide eyes were locked on him, her body unable to move. ck veins appeared on her neck and cheeks.
In those eyes, it seemed as though another pair of eyes was hidden within.
"She''s been cursed ....the Imperius Curse...?"
Pansy had been controlled by someoneJohn knew this feeling all too well, having been hit by the Imperius Curse himself back in his first year.
Malfoy, experiencing this kind of situation for the first time, looked at John helplessly. "What do we do now? Is Pansy going to die? What should we do!?"
"Calm down, we need to get her to the hospital wing quickly."
John snapped at Malfoy to steady him. With a serious expression, he took out an antidote and administered it to Pansy.
The only person capable of using the Imperius Curse to control Pansy that John could think of was Riddle.
"But wait, Ginny said she was controlled unintentionallyhow is he able to use the Imperius Curse?"
The more John thought about it, the more wrong it seemed. The group hurriedly took Pansy to the hospital wing.
He had a vague feeling that the situation was spiraling out of control.
In the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey worked on Pansy with urgency, while Malfoy, at a loss, was shooed out. Daphne sat outside, her head lowered.
''Riddle, this is a deration of war.''
A cold light shed in John''s eyesthis time, he was truly angry.
Previously, he could tolerate it as long as his friends weren''t harmed, but now, Pansy had been controlled right in front of him.
This was nothing short of a direct challenge to John.
"I need to find that diary."
"She used to keep that diary under her pillow right?"
With Pansy lying in the hospital wing, a sudden idea struck John''s mind.
After returning to the Slytherin dungeon, John released Tom.
"Hey, buddy~ memorize this scent."
"Woof!"
Holding Pansy''s pillow, John let Tom memorize its scent.
"Good boy! Now Go find the diary."
"Woof!"
With thatmand, Tom began running around Hogwarts.
His short legs moved with great determination, and John followed closely behind.
Tom would asionally stop to sniff around, then continue running after a few seconds.
Voldemort probably never imagined that John would use a Muggle method to track someone down.
As a Beagle, Tom''s sense of smell was among the best in the canine world.
A peculiar scene unfolded at Hogwartsa dog leading the way, with John following closely behind.
Meanwhile, Malfoy went to confront Harry. This time, John was determined not to let Voldemort slip away.
After some time searching, John found himself in the Trophy Room.
"Woof!"
There, Tom stopped, and John knew the diary was somewhere inside.
He walked inside, finding that theyout of the Trophy Room had remainedrgely unchanged.
At the far end, the que with Tom Riddle''s name was still in its ce.
Beneath the que, an old, worn diaryy quietly.
"It seems we''ve finally met, Riddle."
John picked up the diary, his cold expression filled with icy resolve.
...
Taking the diary to the Room of Requirement, John opened it to the first page, where a message was written.
"I''ve been waiting for you, John Wick."
The diary greeted him with provocative words.
"How can you know it''s me without me writing anything?"
John grew more cautious. He pulled out his wand and conjured two silver chains, binding the diary.
In a cold voice, he said, "Doesn''t matter! You''re captured now, Riddle."
The words on the page vanished, reced by a new message seeping through the paper: "Captured? No, no, no, you''re mistaken."
"I''ve been waiting for you. You should have known me through that Weasley girl."
The confidence of the writing made John even more wary. He stared at the diary with his magical sense, sensing that it had grown stronger.
"John Wick, you''re very clever. Whether it''s the basilisk or finding me, you''ve done well."
"Unfortunately, you''re still toote. The Chamber has already been opened."
John froze upon seeing the words in the diary, then quickly realized something.
"The Chamber can only be opened by Parseltongue, and you''re in my hands."
"Who said... there''s only one Parseltongue?"
Riddle''s writing in the diary shifted to a red color as he revealed a sinister smile.
"Now, do your best."
The crimson words looked as if they were written in blood, causing John''s expression to change drastically as he recalled another Parseltongue.
"Harry..."
John cast a binding spell on the diary, causing two silver chains to cross over and lock it tightly.
He grabbed the diary and sprinted out of the Room of Requirement, rushing down to the second floor.
When he burst into the girls'' bathroom, John saw that the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets was already open.
"Damn it!"
Cursing under his breath, John shouted at the diary, "What have you done?"
"Just a little suggestion. That boy has been overshadowed by your brilliance; he longs to be a hero."
Voldemort''s words dripped with mockery, as if he couldn''t believe that in his old age, he would be defeated by such a so-called savior.
"This motherfucker..."
John''s face was dark and serious as he cast a heightened sensory charm on the passage, allowing him to perceive the situation within.
"John, what''s going on?"
Malfoy, who hadn''t managed to intercept Harry, saw John rushing into the girls'' bathroom.
There was no time to exin. After locking the diary again, John threw it to Malfoy.
"Draco, go find Professor Snape. Don''t interact with it and don''t let anyone touch this diary!"
Without another word, John jumped straight into the passage.
Malfoy considered following him, but upon seeing the pitch-ck tunnel, he swallowed nervously and muttered to himself, "I''d better find Professor Snape."
"Goyle, Crabbe, let''s go."
He took his two cronies with him.
Meanwhile, John was once again experiencing the sensation of free fall. Before hitting the bottom, he activated his flying boots.
Uponnding, John looked towards another tunnel.
"Where did Harry go?"
Upon arrival, he saw that the Chamber''s door, which should have been a solid wall, had been opened.
John cautiously stepped inside, while the system notified him that he hadpleted the quest to go inside Slytherin''s Chamber of Secrets.
He moved forward carefully, every step deliberate and measured.
It was a long, dimly lit room on one side.
Numerous stone pirs, intricately carved with entwining serpents, stood tall, supporting a ceiling that disappeared into the darkness above.
The room was filled with an eerie, greenish mist, casting long, ominous shadows that stretched across the floor.
John walked inside, calling out loudly, "Harry, where are you?"
His voice echoed through the silence, reverberating in the vast chamber.
With the blessing of the snake catcher, John was ready to fight and kill the basilisk.
He reached up to touch the pendant ne he wore and opened the vial of Felix Felicis.
Gulp! Gulp!
John took a deep drink.
In an instant, a profound and mystical sensation filled his mind.
Everything before John''s eyes seemed to be sharper, his vision intensely focused.
In the room, there was a statue that matched the height of the chamber itself.
The statue had the face of an old man, almost monkey-like, with a long, scraggly beard that nearly reached the hem of the stone-carved wizard''s robe.
This was the Slytherin''s Chamber of Secrets, so the identity of the statue''s owner was clear.
"Szar Slytherin."
John seemed to feel something as he looked up at the enormous stone face.
The mouth of the statue was open, revealing a dark passage that seemed to stretch far into the distance.
"They left through here, Riddle. What exactly are you trying to do?"
With the luck-enhancing effects of the Felix Felicis coursing through him, John''s instincts led him forward into the passage.
The walls of the passage were smooth, as if worn down by years of something slithering through.
John used his flying boots to glide along the passage.
As he continued, he saw many hidden aspects within the Slytherin statue.
Moving forward, a light appeared ahead of him.
elerating, John leaped out, finding himself surrounded by trees.
"This is... the Forbidden Forest?"
It was unexpected to find that the Chamber of Secrets had a connection to the deepest part of the Forbidden Forest, which exined how the basilisk could stay hidden for nearly a thousand years.
Bones were scattered on the ground, exposed to the elements, and John quickly picked a direction to follow.
The trail of crushed bones extended along the ground, leading him to Harry.
At that moment, Harry seemed to be regaining some of his senses.
The basilisk, now with one blinded eye, continued to slide forward, with Harry perched atop, too afraid to move.
"This is the deepest part of the Forbidden Forest, filled with danger. I can''t let it go any further," John thought.
John drew his wand, and a sting Curse turned into a white light sphere that struck the basilisk.
*Crrri!*
The basilisk hissed in pain, throwing Harry off its back.
John took out his sword, his eyes transforming into slit pupils as he whispered in thenguage of dragons.
"Ego Sum Draco."
mes ignited along the de, and wings sprouted from his flying boots, pping.
Descending from the sky, John plunged the sword into the basilisk''s other eye.
Twisting the de, mes poured through the eye socket into the creature''s body, causing the basilisk to thrash in agony.
John continued to wield his wand, casting Transfiguration to conjure chains that tightly bound the basilisk.
Pressing his wand against the basilisk''s head, he released a point-nk sting Curse.
The basilisk''s head mmed into the ground from the impact.
John seized the opportunity to finish the creature off but found the basilisk rolling over, forcing him to withdraw the sword.
He spun around, and with a powerful strike, the Ironwick Sword shed down.
The de vibrated, but only a few scales cracked.
John retreated from the basilisk''s reach, muttering under his breath, "Looks like the quality still isn''t enough."
The basilisk''s magical resistance was too high. With his current level of spells, John realized that killing it would require using Fiendfyre.
But... John nced at Harry. He didn''t want to reveal his dark magic.
Caught in a dilemma, he suddenly heard the sound of something cutting through the air.
A bright light swiftly descended from the sky,nding not far away.
Seeing the object clearly, John eximed in surprise, "The.. The Sword of Gryffindor?"
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Read 12 Advance Chapters
86: Killing the Basilisk and Daphne’s Disappearance
86: Killing the Basilisk and Daphnes Disappearance
Many Thanks to Sum?a gathia for bing a patron! ??
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The Sword of Gryffindor was lodged between John and Harry.
John was about to grab it when the basilisk broke free from its bindings andshed its tail toward them.
He had no choice but to continue reinforcing his Transfiguration spells, causing the surrounding trees to transform into ropes that tightly bound the basilisk.
Stones turned into small dogs that bit into the basilisk''s tail.
"Harry, pick up that sword!" John shouted to Harry, who had snapped out of his fear-induced stupor caused by the basilisk.
The suggestion had been nted by Riddle through the connection of the Horcruxes, and any strong stimulus would help Harry regain his senses.
But Harrycked confidence, shaking his head rapidly in front of a tree, and yelled, "I.. I can''t do it!"
"You can do it! You are the Chosen One, the child of prophecy!"
John, distracted for a moment, nearly got bitten by the basilisk''s head as it struggled free.
The sharp fangs, like military des, sank into a tree, causing it to wither and rot quickly. John broke out in a cold sweat.
Meanwhile, Harry continued shaking his head, saying, "My body is shivering.. I.. I can''t do it, John. I''m not like you. I''m not that good."
"Fuck..."
The basilisk bit through the rotting tree, its venomous fangs gleaming with deadly intent as it lunged toward the source of the sound.
John used the Shield Charm to block the attack, but his wand was knocked out of his hand.
He had no choice but to parry with the Ironwick sword, with the basilisk''s venomous fangs dangerously close to his face.
Even the most patient person would be cursing by now, and John was no exception.
He rolled to dodge and then pointed towards Harry.
Using wandless magic, he cast a physical version of the Reviving Charm.
Harry, still in a daze, was suddenly thrown through the air, his body uncontrobly mmed around before being yanked out from behind the tree.
It workedhe snapped out of his confusion. John shouted angrily, "I don''t care if you can do it or not, just pull out that fucking sword!"
"Right, John''s in danger. I have to help."
The Charm cleared Harry''s head. Though still a bit dizzy, he got up from the ground, ran over to the Sword of Gryffindor, and pulled it out.
The gleaming silver sword had a hilt encrusted with a dazzling, egg-sized ruby.
With the sword in his hand, Harry suddenly felt a surge of courage.
But that courage might have been a bit too muchhe mimicked John, gripping the Sword of Gryffindor, and charged at the basilisk.
John was stunned.
"Wait, are all Gryffindors this stupid? I meant for you to pull it out and give it to me!"
Harry made a fearless charge, and then...
"John, help!!!"
The basilisk wrapped itself around Harry, preparing to swallow him whole.
However, Harry''s actions managed to distract the basilisk, giving John the crucial time he needed.
John picked up his wand and aimed it at the basilisk, which was about to bite Harry. Channeling all his magical power into the tip of his wand, it emitted a brilliant white light.
"Reducto!"
The white light struck the basilisk''s mouth, where there were no scales, causing its massive head to jerk back and fling away.
Boom!
The entire serpent copsed to the ground.
It tried to rise again, but John reversed his grip on the sword, elerated, and drove it into the open maw of the beast.
The soft tissue of the mouth provided resistance, but John pushed through.
No matter, John aimed his wand at the sword''s hilt and cast a Banishing Charm, forcefully driving the de further in.
The Ironwick sword acted like a nail, prating through the jaw and embedding itself into the ground.
The basilisk convulsed in agony, its body thrashing wildly.
John barely avoided the venomous fangs as he withdrew his arm and shouted, "Just finish it off already!"
Harry, feeling sore all over, finally snapped out of it. He grabbed the sword and charged forward.
He swung the sword at the basilisk''s head, but embarrassingly, it got stuck halfway through.
John was speechless; this only made the basilisk angrier.
|"You damn little wizard! If you''re going to kill me, at least make it quick,"| the basilisk roared. Harry, who understood Parseltongue, was stunned.
Fortunately, John released his grip on the Ironwick sword, took the Gryffindor sword from Harry, and drove it through the basilisk''s head.
"Haah! This is how you do it!"
The basilisk, which had an incredibly strong life force, quickly weakened after its brain was pierced. Within seconds, it waspletely lifeless.
"Huff.. huff.."
Harry copsed to the ground, swearing this had been the most harrowing day of his life.
John, stepping off the basilisk''s head, wasn''t in much better shape.
The basilisk was impaled by two swords: the Ironwick sword pinned its jaw, and the Gryffindor sword pierced its brain.
As basilisk blood dripped down the silver de, John took out a bottle and collected some of the blood.
Then, he carefully examined the basilisk, noticing the sword-length fangs. He pulled out a few more bottles.
Harry, having rested enough, watched John''s odd behavior and apologized, feeling guilty and remorseful.
"John.. I.. I.."
"You what, huh? Say it."
Tears dwelt in Harry''s eyes. Out of sadness or shame, no one knew. "..I''m sorry, John. This is all my fault."
Yeah, he is just a kid after all...
"Sigh* It''s okay, Harry. You were just being used."
''Hmm?'' John didn''t dwell on it and forcefully pulled out the Ironwick sword, noticing small spots on the de where the venom had started to corrode it.
He looked enviously at the Gryffindor sword, its gleaming depletely unaffected.
Feeling some pain in his hand, John rolled up his sleeve to reveal a bloodied wound on his right arm, as clean as if it had been cut by a knife.
Harry saw this and panicked, "Oh no! John, you need to get treated quickly!"
He knew the basilisk''s venom could be deadly.
John chuckled confidently. "Ha, chin up kid, this ain''t nothing but a flesh wound~"
"K-Kid..?"
"Heh~" He smiled, confident that with Dumbledore around, nothing serious would happen to him.
He looked up at the sky, certain that the Gryffindor sword had been sent by Dumbledore.
He stood there waiting for a few minutes, expecting Dumbledore to appear out of nowhere, but..
Nothing happened!
John started to get a bit anxious.
This was basilisk venom, after all. He hoped Dumbledore wasn''t ying a joke on him.
His arm began to feel numb, likely a sign the venom was taking effect.
John kept waiting for Dumbledore to save him, but it turned out he was wrong.
Dumbledore had no idea about this sudden situation; at that moment, Dumbledore wasn''t even at the school.
It wasn''t until the venom caused John to lose feeling in his right hand that he finally epted that Dumbledore really wasn''ting.
John sighed in resignation. "Haa.. so this is the end, huh? Alright, Harry,e here. I need to give you somest words."
"No, no, you won''t die, John!" Harry refused to ept it, determinedly rushing over to John. He opened his mouth, ready to suck out the venom from John''s arm.
"What are you doing?" John pushed Harry''s head away with his left hand, keeping him away from his right arm, thinking to himself that even if Harry was the Chosen One, he wasn''t going to let him do that.
Harry, determined, said, "I''m going to suck out the poison for you!"
"Don''t be ridiculous. You could drain all my blood and still not cure the poison. You''d be better off chopping off my hand."
John looked at Harry, exasperated. The poison had already made his hand numb; sucking it out would only lead to both of them lying down dead.
Realizing that John had a point, Harry hesitated, then drew the Gryffindor sword, his expression conflicted. "..o..ok.."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, don''t cut it off! I think I might still have a chance," John eximed, breaking out in a cold sweat at Harry''s ''determination''. He suddenly remembered that he had the Serpent yer(/Catcher) Blessing, so maybe there was still hope.
Seeing Harry''s skeptical expression, John quickly took out an antidote and downed it in one gulp. Then, he pointed his wand at the wound.
"Episkey!"
The wound slowly began to heal, and John could feel sensation gradually returning to his hand.
This allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief, realizing he''d scared himself for no reason.
Continuing to cast healing spells, the gruesome wound healedpletely over time.
John flexed his right hand, and aside from some soreness, everything seemed fine.
Swallowing nervously, John noticed Harry still holding the sword aloft. "You can put that down now."
"Oh!? Yeah!" Harry lowered the sword, and John walked over to the basilisk. The creature was a treasure trove, though unfortunately, they couldn''t take much of it with them.
''Hmm.. Hummm...''
John focused on the venomous fangs, knowing they were incredibly valuable.
He carefully pried each one out, stashing them in his small pouch.
"Let''s head back," John said.
With the basilisk dealt with, it was time for them to return.
Both of them looked a bit disheveled, but John didn''t care much about that right now.
After the healing, his stomach started to growl, and even Harry felt the sameearlier, he had been under Riddle''s influence, and now that he had snapped out of it, he was filled with a lingering fear.
"So, you''re saying that diary was something you ced there?"
John listened to Harry speak, falling into deep thought.
What exactly was Riddle''s n?
"He told me it was you who opened the Chamber, and that he could stop you, so I"
Harry felt awkward and guilty. In hindsight, he realized how foolish his actions had been.
John was speechless.
You didn''t listen to me, but you trusted a piece of paper from a diary?
The two of them returned to the Slytherin''s Chamber of Secrets, and as John passed by the room within the statue, he thought it best toe back another time.
Exiting through the passage, they found Professor Snape already waiting in the girls'' bathroom.
"John Wick, Harry Potter," Professor Snape''s face was grim. John gave a sheepish smile and said sincerely, "I had my reasons. Do you believe me?"
Professor Snape stared at John coldly, as if to say, "Do you think I believe you?"
After finally exining everything to Professor Snape, John even showed him the basilisk fangs as proof.
Professor McGonagall arrived, and upon seeing the situation, hurriedly sent the two boys to the school hospital wing for a check-up.
Harry was mostly fine, aside from some fatigue and a few scrapes.
But when it was John''s turn, Madam Pomfrey suspected that this child might be faking his injuries.
Aside from his tattered clothes, John waspletely unharmednot even a scratch.
If Harry hadn''t seen John get bitten with his own eyes, he might have thought John had just rolled around in some mud!
...
After feasting in the Great Hall, John decided to find Malfoy and get the diary back.
But when he finally found Malfoy, he delivered some bad news.
"What did you say? Daphne is missing...?"
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87: Reentering the Forbidden Forest and The Demiguise
87: Reentering the Forbidden Forest and The Demiguise
"What - wait - how..?"
John was stunned. Where could Daphne go?
In his memory, the most notable thing about this beautiful Slytherin girl, besides asionally sitting next to him, was her arrogance.
Except for John, Daphne didn''t even bother to nce at Malfoy or the others.
Malfoy, feeling guilty, said, "She.. She ran off with the diary."
"...Draco, what should I even say to you?"
John sighed heavily. It wasn''t Malfoy''s fault; he kept hearing faint whispers from the book, almost like someone was speaking directly into his ear.
A few times, he almost opened the diary, as ifpelled by some unseen force. But after Snape heard about what happened with Harry and John, he didn''t have time to help.
Daphne noticed something was off with Malfoy, so she took the diary from him.
Unexpectedly, Daphne''s will was even weaker than his, and now she was missing.
Malfoy deeply regretted it; he wished he had just dealt with it himself.
John still had the highnessehm*effects of Felix Felicis, so he carefully recalled what Harry had said about Riddle.
"A way to deal with me? I''ve already killed the basilisk, and there''s nothing left in Hogwarts that can threaten me."
His mind raced, piecing everything together.
"Use all your knowledge, and try."
Remembering what Pansy had said, a spark of realization lit up in John''s mind.
He anxiously asked, "Where''s Pansy''s bottle of poison?"
Malfoy was taken aback, unable to understand what poison had to do with anything. After thinking carefully, he said, "Professor Snape took it."
Upon hearing this, John hurriedly went to find Professor Snape, realizing that the poison was the final clue.
Riddle knew the basilisk was already severely wounded, so he didn''t hesitate to use it as a pawn to stall him.
Indeed, killing Harry was tempting, but for Riddle in his current state, resurrection was the top priority.
He must be hiding somewhere, preparing for his revival.
"From the moment he started controlling Ginny, he gradually grew stronger. He must have some method."
Recalling the state of the previous diary holders, John noted that Ginny became weak, Pansy acted strangely, Harry was secretly hypnotized, and even Malfoy was affected by the voices.
Without exception, all of them experienced physical decline, while Riddle''s influence grew. Initially, he could onlymunicate through written words, butter, he could hypnotize and possess them.
This was likely because the diary absorbed the magic and life force of its holders, causing Riddle to change.
In other words, Riddle''s growth came from the deterioration of the young wizards'' bodies.
He originally nned to find his next victim in the Trophy Room, but instead, John found him through Tom.
With John''s strong magic and mental fortitude, he wasn''t easily affected, so Riddle deliberately let John discover that Harry had gone to the Chamber of Secrets.
"Damn it, I underestimated the Dark Lord''s intelligence."
In the previous life, the many foolish actions of Voldemort in the *Harry Potter* series made John once think that Voldemort wasn''t too bright when he was young.
But now, thinking it over carefully, this is Voldemort, the second Dark Lord, a figure who nearly ruled the magical world.
In his youth, he was also highly talented and cunning; it couldn''t be as simple as just a basilisk.
John found Snape''s office and pushed open the door, seeing him analyzing the bottle of poison.
"John Wick, I hope you''ve learned some manners," Professor Snape said, his face showing undisguised disdain. John quickly stepped forward and asked urgently, "Professor, do you know the ingredients in this?"
Hearing this, Professor Snape replied sarcastically, "Perhaps you should study harder. A potion''s ingredients areplex and cannot be identified with the naked eye."
He thought John was there to ask about an antidote and dismissed him casually, saying, "If you''re really worried, you can go to the hospital wing and check on Miss Parkinson."
"There''s no time," John said.
Seeing that Snape hadn''t yet figured out theposition, John did something that caught Professor Snape off guard.
Just as Snape set down the bottle, John picked it up, carefully sniffed it, and before Snape could ridicule him, John took a small sip.
"John Wick, I''ve already told you... Oh!?"
This scene shocked Professor Snape. Indeed, the quickest way to identify theponents of a poison is to experience it firsthand, but he didn''t expect John to go to such lengths.
As the various toxins passed over his tongue, John carefully discerned each one. After smacking his lips, he felt a slight numbness in his body, and the frown on his face rxed.
"Acromant venom."
John, with his dragon-like constitution, had a high resistance to poisons. Although he was poisoned, it wasn''t too severe.
Having identified the main ingredient, John quickly pulled out an antidote and drank it as if it were water.
Professor Snape''s face turned ashen. He never imagined he would be so worried about John. His usually cold and drawn-out tone became furious. "Twenty points from Slytherin!"
"Alright," John replied, unfazed, and immediately rushed out of the office.
On his way, he encountered Harry being surrounded by Ron and Hermione. Seeing John''s hurried steps, Harry didn''t think twice and followed him.
"John! Harry!"
Hermione stomped her foot in frustration as she watched them go. Ron wanted to follow as well, but seeing how angry Hermione was, he didn''t dare move.
...
"John, where are you going?"
Harry called out from behind as John ran ahead.
Hearing Harry''s voice, John nced back but didn''t slow down. With a serious expression, he said, "Daphne is in trouble. I suspect Riddle has taken her to the Forbidden Forest."
"Why would Riddle do that? Who is he, anyway?"
Even now, Harry still didn''t fully understand who Riddle was.
Seeing Harry''s innocent expression, John stopped in his tracks. He stared at the scar on Harry''s forehead and said seriously, "Riddle is just his surname. His full name is Tom Marvolo Riddle. Not many people know that name, but he has another name that shook the wizarding world."
Harry, still confused, asked, "What is it?"
John looked deeply at the scar and, with a slight parting of his lips, uttered a name.
"Voldemort."
"Voldemort!"
Harry''s body froze, and for a moment, he saw a sh of green light before his eyes, apanied by a woman''s scream.
Cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
"Harry, Riddle is definitely after you. He''s nning to resurrect himself. This is extremely dangerous."
John wanted Harry to go back, but Harry had made up his mind. He couldn''t let John face this danger alone.
"I''m going with you, John. You know there''s something between Voldemort and me."
Seeing Harry''s resolve, John nodded and said, "I respect your choice, Harry. Now, there is no time!"
The two of them ran towards the Forbidden Forest. As they passed by Hagrid''s hut, John shouted inside.
"Fang."
Hagrid''s dog, Fang, came trotting out, wagging his tail. John pulled out Daphne''s handkerchief and let Fang sniff it.
"Fang, I need you to find this cloth''s owner."
Fang barked once and started charging into the Forbidden Forest. This confirmed John''s suspicions, and they quickly followed behind.
The sky began to darken, and the path through the Forbidden Forest was treacherous. One misstep could lead to tripping over a fallen branch.
John had no trouble, but Harry,cking night vision, had to light his wand to barely keep up with John and Fang.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, Fang began to lose the scent.
"W..Woof! Woof!"
Suddenly, Fang stopped and barked in a specific direction.
"Who''s there?"
John signaled Fang to be quiet. He drew his wand and cautiously moved toward the direction Fang indicated.
It was a humanoid creature, resembling an ape, with ck eyes and long hair.
The ck eyes stared at John, showing no signs of aggression.
John realized that this creature had just appeared from invisibility.
"An Invisibility Beast? The Demiguise?" John, who was well-versed in *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them*, was momentarily stunned.
The Demiguise, known for its gentle nature, was urgently pointing in a direction.
"Are you telling me to go that way?"
John understood its meaning, and under the influence of Felix Felicis, he felt that the creature could be trusted.
John exchanged a nce with Harry, and the two of them headed in the direction indicated.
After passing through a path surrounded by thorny bushes, they arrived at a silverke. The moonlight shimmered on the surface, casting a radiant glow.
A boy wearing Hogwarts robes stood by theke. At his feety a girl with beautiful golden hair.
The boy had pitch-ck eyes, was tall, and had a pale, handsome face.
He was the young Voldemort, holding Daphne''surel wand in his hand, a smile ying on his lips.
"Ah~ You finally arrived."
Young Riddle''s lips curved confidently as he held the wand, not considering the two of them a threat in the slightest.
"That useless old snake... it seems he''s dead. But it doesn''t matter; I will handle this myself."
Riddle had every reason to be arrogant. He pointed his wand at Harry and said haughtily, "Draw your wand, Harry. I know you''ve learned to duel. I will personally take your life."
He had heard the story of Harry Potter from Ginny, the boy who had taken everything from the Dark Lord who once terrorized the wizarding world.
This was a grudge he intended to settle personally.
Even John was sidelined.
Harry picked up his wand, mustering the courage to step forward.
A smile appeared on Riddle''s face.
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88: Back handed and Riddle’s Collapse
88: Back handed and Riddles Copse
"What have you done to her?"
Harry looked at Daphne, who was lying there, her pale face now showing an unhealthy hue, her once cherry-colored lips now frighteningly white.
He didn''t understand why the Heir of Slytherin would attack a pureblood.
"Her?"
Riddle spoke softly, almostzily, "Killing Mudbloods is no longer important to me. My new goal has always been resurrection."
Harry stared at him in shock, which Riddle relished. He sneered, "Did you know? She''s just like Ginnya poor little girl caught up in infatuation. What aughable love."
"John Wick, she likes you. Driven by love, she foolishly followed me because I told her you were in the Forbidden Forest and she needed to help you~"
As John listened to Riddle''s words, his expression slowly shifted from calm to anger.
"Since the day I released the basilisk, you''ve been opposing me. This school should have been engulfed in fear, but because of you, they all recovered."
"John, it wasn''t supposed to be this way. You ruined everythingruined my basilisk."
Riddle''s tone grew darker as he spoke. He had nned everything, using the basilisk to kill Muggle-borns and plunge the school into chaos.
But John, alone, had changed everything.
Fortunately, Riddle had still managed to resurrect himself. He pointed to the unconscious Daphne, a slight smile on his lips, "She will die here. When she does, I will be fully revived. And! Before that happens, I''m going to kill you both."
His wand was pointed at them, confident that even together, they posed no threat to him.
Because he was Tom Riddle, the most outstanding student at Hogwarts and the future Dark Lord of the wizarding world.
"Harry, stop hesitating and duel me. I can''t wait to see you die painfully before me."
Riddle''s taunting words provoked Harry. Even if he wasn''t a match for Riddle, he was determined to face him in a duel.
"Come on, Riddle!"
Harry gripped his wand tightly, and Riddle, unhurriedly, bowed with elegance.
"One should bow before a duel. Didn''t your teachers teach you that?"
Not wanting to appear inferior, Harry mimicked Riddle''s gesture and began to bow as well.
As they both lowered their heads, a sudden sound shattered the silence.
Bang.
Startled, Harry looked up.
Riddle''s face showed the same surprise as a blood hole appeared in his body, ck smoke rising from it.
John stood there calmly, the barrel of his gun still smoking in his right hand.
Seeing Harry''s confused expression, John said coolly, "Against scum like him, why bother with honor?"
He couldn''t understand Harry''s thinking. With a two-on-one advantage, why would Harry want to duel Riddle one-on-one?
John was full of energy, starting with the ssic move: "Times have changed."
He then waved his wand, sending beams of white light flying towards Riddle.
Riddle countered with his own wand, casting a Shield Charm against the sting Curse. However, itsted less than a second before shattering.
"How is this possible?"
Riddle''s eyes widened in disbelief. He couldn''t ept that a second-year wizard could surpass his own magical prowess.
Could the wizards of this era be so powerful?
What he didn''t know was that John was no ordinary second-year student.
Even though his body was smaller, his mind remained sharp. No matter what happened, he believed that the range of his wand was the ultimate truth.
Outwardly, he looked like a child, but in reality, John Wick was a second-year at Hogwarts with strength far beyond the norm.
Due to John starting off with a level four sting Curse, Riddle was forced to retreat.
As John advanced, he continuously fired white beams, asionally punctuated by the subtle sound of a gunshot.
All fourteen bullets were aimed at Riddle.
Forced into a defensive stance, Riddle cursed angrily, "John Wick, do you dare to duel me?"
"Duel? You kidnapped my friend, and you still have the nerve to talk about a duel?"
John was full of contempt.
He took back what he had said beforeRiddle really didn''t seem to have a good head on his shoulders.
Riddle''s behavior was like a group of kidnappers challenging the police to a duel. Just show your head, and the sniper will take care of you.
Fooling a kid like Harry might work, but to John, this was just ridiculous.
Riddle was gradually forced into theke behind him. John raised his hand, casting a Transfiguration spell to gather the water into arge mass and drop it on Riddle, drenching him thoroughly.
Harry learned his first lesson from John: when facing Death Eaters or the Dark Lord, never bother with reasoning.
Once he realized what was happening, Harry joined the fight as well.
With one on the left and the other on the right, they forced Riddle into retreat.
"How dare you?!"
Riddle''s eyes practically zed with anger. Once he got his bearings, he deflected a sting Curse, causing an explosion at Harry''s feet that sent him flying.
Riddle was beginning to fight back.
John started to feel the pressure, but his experience of dueling Gryffindor paid off. He moved skillfully, dodging and countering Riddle''s attacks.
Green, white, and red lights shed in the air, spells flying back and forth.
One of the spells hit near Daphne, causing stones to scatter dangerously.
Tsk* ''We need to get him away from Daphne,'' John thought.
John narrowed his eyes, seizing an opening in Riddle''s defense. He gathered his strength and unleashed a powerful spell.
"Incendio!"
The Level 4 Fire-Making Spell erupted into a wall of mes, separating the two of them. John shouted to Harry, "Get Daphne back!"
As the fire broke open arge hole, Riddle cast the Cruciatus Curse, narrowly missing John.
"Reducto!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
The green and white beams collided in midair, crackling with the intensity of lightning.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Harry quickly moved to carry Daphne away. Riddle, seeing this, tried to stop him, but John remained a constant threat.
"Riddle, are you scared?"
John''s voice wasced with contempt as he employed the dragon''s taunt. He stared Riddle down, his tone calm as he said, "You should be grateful you didn''t encounter me during your school days."
"Utter nonsense!" Riddle''s expression twisted with rage, refusing to admit that he was inferior to John.
The two were locked in a battle of magical strength, each trying to oust the other''s power.
But Riddle had forgotten one crucial detailJohn had taken Felix Felicis, and his magical energy was in abundant supply.
Riddle''s face contorted with anger,pletely oblivious to the approaching footsteps behind him.
Green lightning surged forward, pushing the white lightning back. John''s expression turned serious as he increased his magical output, bringing the two forces back into bnce.
Bang!
"Ugh!" At that moment, Riddle''s head suddenly took a hard blow.
He was utterly devastated, not only by John''s shameless sneak attack but also by the unexpected hit from behind.
The brief moment of imbnce allowed the white light to overpower the green light, crashing into Riddle''s body.
Riddle''s form could no longer hold together, shattering like porcin.
His eyes remained fixed on John as his body finally exploded, dissolving into ck smoke that dispersed into the air.
"Is he dead?!"
Harry''s eyes widened in disbelief. Despite John''s apparent underhanded tactics, this was Voldemort they were dealing with.
As Riddle''s body shattered, an rm went off in John''s mind.
He immediately turned to look in Harry''s direction, seeing ck smoke emerging from the diary on Daphne''s body, rushing towards Harry.
"Dodge!"
Harry reacted quickly, dodging to the side, but the ck smoke relentlessly pursued him.
John''s attacks passed through the smoke without effect, reminding him of the incident with the Philosopher''s Stone trial.
Harry tripped over something. He looked down and saw the Sword of Gryffindor.
He clearly remembered leaving it in the Great Hall, yet now it had mysteriously appeared at his feet.
There was no time to ponder. Harry picked up the Sword of Gryffindor and swung it towards the ck smoke.
The smoke, impervious to spells, was sliced through by the Sword of Gryffindor as easily as a hot knife through butter.
"No!!!"
As the ck smoke was cut apart, it revealed the diary within.
Harry gripped the Sword of Gryffindor with both hands and drove it forcefully into the diary.
A shrill scream emanated from the diary as ink sprayed out through the de, sttering everywhere, almost causing Harry to faint.
Seeing this, John couldn''t help but be impressed. He had been battling intensely, holding his ground, yet Harry had swooped in and finished the job.
"Haah.. Haah.. Is it over?" Harry asked, still in a daze.
He was panting heavily, his face still showing signs of lingering fear.
John walked over, patted him on the shoulder, and smiled, "Nicely done, Harry. Interested in learning swordsmanship from me?"
"Uh... no thanks, I still think wands are more my style," Harry replied, shivering as he recalled Neville''stely zombie-like appearances after training with John.
John felt a bit disappointed, thinking the sword was much more effective than a wand.
He picked up the diary, now with a hole stabbed through it, and stuffed it into his satchel. Then, he moved to check on Daphne.
As the diary was destroyed, color returned to Daphne''s face.
"She''ll probably need to sleep for a while," John remarked, staring at her beautiful face while pondering something.
''Carrying someone seems like it would be pretty exhausting.''
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then nced at Harry, realizing there was some freebor at hand.
''Ggh!~? Why do I feel cold?'' Harry suddenly felt a chill, thinking he might need to add an extra nket tonight when he slept.
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89: Anger of a Dragon
89: Anger of a Dragon
After some time, Harry was reluctantly carrying Daphne on his back, his face showing his difort.
Meanwhile, John was busy thanking the Demiguise.
"Thanks for the help, buddy" he said.
If it weren''t for the Demiguise knocking Riddle out earlier, John wouldn''t have won so easily. Who would''ve thought that such a wide-eyed innocent looking creature would enjoy ying dirty tricks?
John shook hands with it, not caring whether the Demiguise understood the gesture.
"John.. so.. you have a gun?"
"Oh, that was .. um, aren''t you feeling hungry? I''m starving! Let''s just go quickly and eat something"
"O-Ok..."
The Demiguise''s big eyes began to glow with colorful lights, and suddenly it started shouting anxiously.
"Hmm?"
Just as John was wondering what was going on, he heard rustling sounds around them.
"Why does that sound so familiar?" he muttered.
As he looked up to find the source of the noise, he saw a spider the size of a small car staring intently at them.
"FuckRun!" John shouted, immediately deciding to flee.
Fang, the cowardly dog, had already disappeared, probably sensing the danger. After all, dogs have that instinct.
When Harry saw the enormous spiders, he was terrified, wishing he could use a Transfiguration spell to grow a second pair of legs.
The two of them sprinted wildly through the Forbidden Forest, and then...
They stumbled upon a massive spider nest.
"Are you kidding me..." John nearly cursed. They had run straight into the spider''sir.
It turned out that Riddle wasn''t the real danger; these spiders had been lying in wait, ready to strike.
*Tap-tap-tap!*
*Cri-cri!*
The Acromants, with their eight greedy eyes glinting, let out sharp cries as they advanced on them.
"Harry, fight back!" John shouted.
He drew his wand and fired a st of white light at the nearest spider, causing its body to explode like a watermelon.
John and these spiders had a long-standing enmity.
Harry, struggling with the weight of the person on his back, managed to swing his wand and fight back.
However, his attacks were no match for John''s. When John saw a spider about to pounce on Harry''s back, he quickly turned and struck.
"Arania Exumai!"
The spider was sted away, but John''s action drew the attention of a muchrger spider.
Without pausing, John pulled a sword from his small bag as he turned.
Swoosh!
Just as the giant spider lunged, John cleaved its head in two with a single stroke.
With his right hand holding a sword and his left hand wielding a wand, John was a force to be reckoned withusing the wand for long-range attacks and the sword for closebat.
However, even with his bnced offensive and defensive strategies, John was being gradually overwhelmed by the sheer number of spiders. He was forced to retreat step by step until he and Harry were standing back to back.
Harry was panting heavily, his hands tremblinga sign of severe magical exhaustion.
He hadpletely run out of magic.
John wasn''t in much better shape either. After his intense duel with Riddle, his magical reserves were nearly depleted.
"What do we do?" Harry asked, desperation in his voice.
John''s mind raced, searching for a solution as more spiders continued to emerge from the shadows, surrounding them.
At that moment, a strange noise came from the distance.
Beep beep
Harry and John turned to look. Tworge, bright eyes were cutting through the mass of spiders, barreling straight toward them.
No, not eyes.
Headlights!
"Harry!" Ron''s voice called out from inside the car, and John spotted a familiar bushy-haired head next to himit was Hermione.
The trio reunited as the Weasley''s magical car plowed into the mass of spiders.
Fang was inside, barking wildly.
"Hermione, Ron!" Harry called out in relief and joy, grateful that his friends hade to the rescue.
The car door swung open, and Harry, with Daphne on his back, quickly ran inside, shouting to John, "John, hurry up and get in!"
The spiders were closing in, but John''s expression shifted several times as he stood outside.
He stared at the spider-infested nest, and a spark of anger ignited within him.
These Acromants had almost devoured himst time, and now they were at it again.
Even the most patient person would find it hard to forgive these creatures, and John was no exception. Despite Harry''s urgent calls, John leaped onto the car''s roof.
As the spiders surged toward the car, John took a deep breath, tightly gripping his wand as he drew arge circle in the air.
"Fiendfyre!" he incanted.
Crimson mes erupted from the tip of his wand, and John''s eyes turned into slits as a powerful wave of anger enveloped him.
The fiery ze transformed into a massive dragon, and the approaching spiders were instantly ignited by the cursed fire. The dragon opened its mouth, spewing mes that consumed the spiders, incinerating them all.
Everywhere it passed, the crimson dragon left behind a sea of fire, turning the area into an inferno.
|Let me show you what it means to mess with a dragon!| John roared.
He felt the rapid depletion of his magical energy as he controlled the Fiendfyre, carving a path through the inferno.
The agonized screams and wails of the spiders filled the air, leaving the trio utterly stunned.
Fang was trembling and curled up in the backseat, and the Demiguise had somehow sneaked into the car as well.
"Get us out of here!" John shouted.
Ron floored the elerator, speeding away from the sea of mes. With hisst bit of strength, John directed the fiery dragon into the heart of the spider nest.
"You wanted to eat me, huh? I''ll wipe you out!" John muttered darkly, a fierce expression on his face. The spider nest turned into a catastrophic scene.
Countless spiders were burned alive by the rampaging dragon. The aging Aragog watched in terror as its reckless behavior led to the near extinction of its Acromant offspring.
The webs inside the nest became the perfect fuel, allowing the fire dragon to rage for a full two hours before finally dying down.
Thick smoke rose into the sky, forming dark clouds, and rain began to fall, extinguishing the remnants of the mes. The Aragog''s colony was almost entirely wiped out.
...
The Weasley family''s enchanted car sped to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, where John jumped down from the roof, feeling much calmer.
''''Haah.. haa..."
''Looks like I shouldn''t drink too much Felix Felicis,'' John reflected with lingering unease. He realized that his emotions had been out of control, recalling the warnings about Felix Felicisoverdosing could lead to toxicity, making one overconfident and reckless.
John typically avoided using Fiendfyre, not only because it was dark magic, but mainly due to its inherent instability. Controlling Fiendfyre was an incredibly difficult task unless one''s magical power significantly surpassed it.
''Worth it!''
After torching the spider nest, John felt a sense of satisfaction, though he couldn''t help but wonder if Hagrid would cry when he returned to find the nest destroyed.
The trio exited the car, and John carried Daphne out.
The enchanted car gave its doors a quick p and then shot back into the Forbidden Forest.
"...Did that car just go feral?" John was baffled, not understanding what just happened.
Hermione marched over, furious, and pointed at John and Harry, scolding them, "How could you be so reckless? You''ve broken at least fifty school rules!"
An angry Hermione didn''t care whether they were the Boy Who Lived or John Wick; both were scolded like children caught by a parent.
Ron wisely kept quiet the entire time, disying his lower rank in the family dynamic.
Harry nudged John with his elbow, signaling him to say something to calm Hermione down.
"Ah?" After a moment''s thought, John said, "Don''t me Harry; Riddle took Daphne, and I lost myposure."
As Hermione''s anger began to dissipate, she noticed Daphne. The girl was stunning and frequently seen with John.
"Who''s Riddle?" Ron asked, puzzled.
"Oh, that''s Voldemort," John said casually.
Harry nodded rapidly beside him; after all, they had just fought Voldemort and then narrowly survived the spider nest.
As soon as Voldemort''s name was mentioned, it felt as if a chilling wind swept through the area.
"~Ugh~~" Ron shivered, visibly frightened. "Don''t say that name."
Hermione also felt a twinge of fear. If they hadn''t arrived just in time, Harry and John might have met their end at the hands of the spiders.
In the end, Hermione couldn''t stay mad at Harry for long; she scolded them, but that was it.
Carrying the unconscious Daphne, the four of them headed back to the castle.
Their disappearance had nearly driven everyone at Hogwarts to panic. The first person they encountered was Professor McGonagall, who was clutching her chest and taking deep breaths to calm herself.
Professor McGonagall led them into the castle and then to the Headmaster''s office.
John noticed that Professor Snape was also there, and he felt a bit guilty.
Because he had taken an entire bottle of Felix Felicis, he had be much more reckless.
He had even done something as bold as snatching a potion from Professor Snape''s hands, not caring at all about the loss of house points.
Now that the effects of the potion had worn off, John suspected he might be in for even more point deductions.
Fortunately, fate seemed to be on his sideDumbledore had returned.
He had been suspended from his duties, but when trouble struck Hogwarts, he was the first to return.
Among the five of them, one was unconscious, two were disheveled, and two others dared not lift their heads.
In the Headmaster''s office, there was a couple presentDaphne''s parents.
"John! Thank you so much! Thank you.. I.. I.." Seeing that their daughter was unharmed, Daphne''s mother, who had a striking appearance, even forgot that John was of Muggle-born origin.
"The Greengrass family will not forget your kindness," Daphne''s father said solemnly, though his expression suggested that John had somehow wronged his family.
It wasn''t just the Greengrass family present; the Weasleys were also there. Mrs. Weasley, overwhelmed with emotion, hugged Harry tightly.
Ginny had confessed everything to Dumbledore, and so he felt it necessary to summon the Weasley family.
Mrs. Weasley also hugged John enthusiastically. If it weren''t for these two boys, Ginny might have been burdened with the guilt of harming a fellow student for the rest of her life.
John ced the diary and the Sword of Gryffindor on the desk, also producing the basilisk fang as irrefutable evidence.
With this concrete proof, and Harry''s detailed ten-minute exnation, Ginny was naturally absolved of any me.
"Well done, Harry, John," Dumbledore praised them without hesitation. Even though the two of them had broken about a hundred school rules, Gryffindors never worry about such things... Well, neither do Slytherins, Heh~
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90: Dejected Malfoy and Free Dobby
90: Dejected Malfoy and Free Dobby
Then it was Harry''s turn. Dumbledore nced at the Sword of Gryffindor that Harry had brought back.
With a smile on his face, he said something along the lines of, "Young man, you truly embody the spirit of Gryffindor."
Finally, it was John''s turn. Feeling a bit uneasy, John remembered that he had set a fire earlier.
Snape, standing nearby, looked like he was grinding his teeth. After all, having a student who dared to drink poison directly was undoubtedly a headache for him as a teacher.
"Shrewd, brave, strong, trusting in yourpanions, and never abandoning any student."
"Mr. John Wick, your willingness to take risks for your friends and your spirit of selflessness ismendable."
John cautiously asked, "Professor, aren''t you forgetting wisdom?"
Dumbledore paused. ''You dared to use your body to test poison, and you still want me to praise your wisdom?''
Silently brushing off that request, Dumbledore briefly exined who Tom Riddle was, which elicited more gasps from the parents.
"Did you know, Minerva," Dumbledore mused aloud to Professor McGonagall, "I think these events are worth celebrating with a feast. Could I ask you to inform the kitchen?"
Professor McGonagall, understanding that Dumbledore wanted to speak privately with the students, promptly agreed.
She left, taking the parents and Daphne with her.
Dumbledore then turned to Professor Snape and said, "Severus, we have a cat that needs treatment, don''t we?"
Professor Snape''s expression darkened, which secretly pleased Harry and Ron.
In the end, Snape had no choice but to reluctantly agree, since Professor Sprout''s Mandrakes were ready. Before leaving, he shot a re at the group.
John felt a headacheing on; he figured he had likely be Snape''s number one nuisance.
Facing Dumbledore, the four of them still felt the pressure.
Dumbledore''s scrutinizing gaze passed over John''s face as he said, "You all have earned a Special Award for Services to the School, especially Harry and Ron. Sometimes, even I must break my own rules."
Dumbledore winked, and the two who had feared they might be expelled for breaking the rules breathed a sigh of relief.
"Let me think each of you three has earned Gryffindor 200 points. John, you''ve also earned 200 points for Slytherin."
Hearing this, John couldn''t help but exim internally at Gryffindor. With 600 points added in one go, Gryffindor quickly surpassed Slytherin.
Even with his 200 points, Slytherin was still trailing behind Gryffindor.
Harry was thrilled. Even though he knew some of these points were somewhat inted, beating Slytherin was a great honor for Gryffindor.
Hermione bit her lip, hesitating before she asked, "Professor, we didn''t really do anything. Isn''t this a bit too much?"
Dumbledore smiled and replied, "The fact that you can say that is worth 200 points."
Adding points just like that?
John silently grumbled to himselfwhat about the referee cheating?
Alright, Hermione and the others did save him, so John had no choice but to ept it.
As if hearing John''s inner thoughts, Dumbledore nced at him.
"But sometimes, your methods can be a bit excessive," Dumbledore remarked.
John quickly stered on a smile, unsure if Dumbledore was referring to the Fiendfyre incident. But considering Dumbledore''s unfathomable power, John figured it was best to y it safe.
Because of John''s intervention, Gilderoy Lockhart was still in his office, scribbling away furiously. Naturally, that meant he didn''t have much of a role in this anymore.
Harry, who had been struggling with a certain question, blurted out, "Professor Dumbledore, Riddle said in the diary that I''m a lot like him..."
"He said that?" Dumbledore''s eyes, beneath his thick silver eyebrows, gazed thoughtfully at Harry. "And what do you think, Harry?"
"I''m nothing like him!" Harry responded, his voice a bit louder and more agitated than usual.
"I''m in Gryffindor, I''m..."
As he continued speaking, Harry grew silent, recalling the time he had worn the Sorting Hat. He hesitated, "The Sorting Hat told me I would do well in Slytherin. For a while, everyone thought I was the Heir of Slytherin because I can speak Parseltongue."
He hoped Dumbledore could offer him an exnation. That moment of insecurity had led to him being susceptible to Riddle''s influenceter on.
"Harry, you can speak Parseltongue," Dumbledore said calmly. "Because Voldemort can speak Parseltongue. He is thest descendant of Slytherin. If I''m not mistaken, on the night he gave you that scar, he transferred some of his powers to you."
"He didn''t do it intentionally; I''m quite sure of that."
Harry was stunned by this revtion. Then, feeling deted, he said, "So I should have been in Slytherin. The Sorting Hat probably saw some Slytherin qualities in me."
"It ced you in Gryffindor," Dumbledore continued, unhurried. "Harry, you happen to possess many of the traits that Szar Slytherin valued in his students."
"Some of his rare talentsParseltongue, resourcefulness, strong will... and a certain disregard for rules."
As Dumbledore mentioned Slytherin, John noticed that everyone''s eyes were suddenly on him.
Harry recalled how John had ambushed Riddle: "Resourcefulness?"
Ron remembered how John couldn''t resist petting Professor McGonagall''s tabby cat in their first year: "Strong-willed??"
Hermione raised an eyebrow, almost smiling: "Disregard for rules."
"Hey, that''s enough!" John thought to himself. What part of him didn''t fit?
So what if I''m in Slytherin?
Is it so wrong for a Slytherin to wield a wand in one hand and a sword in the other? Didn''t they notice that Merlin also swung a sword?
"If you keep looking at me like that, I''ll sue you for nder!"
Dumbledore''s expression was also quite strange. If Harry hadn''te back with the Sword of Gryffindor, he might have thought John was the true Gryffindor. After all, it takes a certain bravery to drink poison straight up.
To help Harry hold onto his Gryffindor identity, Dumbledore even pulled out the Sword of Gryffindor for a bit of a showcase.
"Only a true Gryffindor can summon it, Harry."
Dumbledore''s intention was to strengthen Harry''s belief, but this only made Harry''s expression turn awkward. He hesitated and said, "Professor, maybe the sword chose John."
"?"
Dumbledore was stunned. He hadn''t been sure who had summoned the Sword of Gryffindor, and by the time he found out, the sword had already disappeared. Seeing Harry holding it, he assumed it was Harry who had summoned it.
Harry exined, "The sword fell from the air,nding right between John and me."
"..."
Dumbledore fell into deep thought. How was he supposed to interpret that?
"It doesn''t matter. Just think of yourself as a true Gryffindor, Harry," Johnforted him.
But somehow, the words didn''t quite sound likefort. Dumbledore had no other solution, especially since even the Sword of Gryffindor hadn''t made it clear.
"John... keep protecting the school," Dumbledore wanted to say a few more words to John. But recalling all that John had done, he blinked, hoping John wouldn''t burn the school down while trying to protect it.
John gave an awkward smileit really wasn''t intentional.
After exchanging a few words, the group was ready to leave. Just as they were about to open the door, it was flung open with such force that it nearly hit John''s nose. John reached out and pushed the door back without any hesitation.
"Dumbledoreouch!"
Lucius Malfoy clutched his now-red nose. He looked behind the door and locked eyes with John, who raised an eyebrow at him, full of defiance.
This only added fuel to Lucius''s already simmering anger, and he nearly lost hisposure. Under his arm was a bandaged Dobby. Lucius was here to cause trouble for Dumbledore, so he decided to temporarily overlook the Muggle-born standing before him.
Fuming, he stormed up to Dumbledore.
Not wanting to watch the adults argue, John walked out of the room, ncing back at the trio who seemed glued to the spot. He shook his head in disbelief.
"Typical Gryffindors, always nosy."
After waiting outside for a bit, John noticed a disheveled Lucius exiting the room. Lucius shot John a re. And John? He wasn''t about to let that slide.
Harry came out, still looking like he wanted more drama. John grabbed him and, with a wink, said, "Harry, I think you have the chance to free a soul."
"What?" Harry looked puzzled.
John pointed at Dobby, who was standing behind Lucius. Harry immediately understood.
Caught up in watching the scene with Ron and Hermione, Harry had nearly forgotten about Dobby. He quickly ran back to Dumbledore to borrow the diary. Just as he was about to pull off his sweaty, smelly sock that had been on his feet all day, John stopped him.
"I don''t think Dobby would appreciate that."
John pulled out his wand and conjured a fresh sock, handing it to Harry.
Harry understood and slipped the sock inside the diary, then ran over to return it to Lucius.
When Lucius noticed the sock, he angrily yanked it out and threw it away, quickly tossing the diary back to Harry as if trying to wash his hands of the whole situation.
Dobby caught the sock like it was the key to his freedom and held it high with joy.
Having lost his position on the board and now his house-elf, Lucius was furious and even looked ready tosh out.
But Dobby, now free, struck his former master, stopping him in his tracks.
Lucius left in disgrace, and John watched him go, his fingers unconsciously rubbing his wand.
"Lucius Malfoy," John murmured, his gaze intense.
When they returned to the Great Hall, John saw students in pajamas, still groggy from sleep.
He couldn''t help but wonder what Dumbledore was thinking, throwing a feast in the middle of the night.
________
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91: Johnny Silverhand and the Slytherin’s Chamber of Secrets
91: Johnny Silverhand and the Slytherins Chamber of Secrets
The highlight of the feast began when Professor McGonagall announced that the end-of-year exams were canceled.
Around 3:30 AM, Hagrid returned from the Ministry of Magic. This made Harry very happy, and he went over to give him a tight hug.
"I don''t really know what happened, but the Head of the Auror Office was quite nice to me," Hagrid said, confused, when asked how things had gone at the Ministry.
Although Lucius had been determined to send him to Azkaban, the Auror Office had insisted on treating him well and even gave him a big bed to lie down on.
It felt more like a vacation at the Ministry than being imprisoned.
"Rufus Scrimgeour asked me to send his regards to Johnny Silverhand, but I don''t even know who that is," Hagrid added.
Harry, curious, asked, "Johnny Silverhand? Who''s that?"
Hagrid took a sip of beer, savoring the familiar taste, and said, "The owner of the Johnny Silverhand Specialty Shop in Knockturn Alley. You wouldn''t believe how popr his stuff is at the Auror Office."
As a frequent visitor to Knockturn Alley, Hagrid collected materials for John and had been to the Johnny Silverhand Specialty Shop sometimes, where the items sold were of a much higher quality than those typically found in Knockturn Alley.
That greedy Mundungus Fletcher was also working there, dressed up and looking presentable, eager to empty everyone''s pockets.
"I heard that Johnny Silverhand donated a batch ofbat gear to the Auror Office. Hahaha, I guess they got the wrong idea."
Hagrid thought that Rufus Scrimgeour had misunderstood his connection to Johnny Silverhand, but he considered it a good thing.
Because of this, he downed threerge mugs of beer, each of which had been enchanted with a refilling charm, so he drank without stopping.
Harry made a mental note of the name Johnny Silverhand; this seemed to be a significant figure.
He shared this information with his friends, and Ron, with a chicken leg in each hand, was eating so much that his cheeks were puffed out.
"Johnny Silverhand? I know him. My dad said he turned in a whole bunch of Dark Magic artifacts to the Ministry. That really helped my dad stand tall at work."
After John raided Borgin and Burkes, he knew he needed to do something to reassure the Ministry, so he handed over half of the Dark Magic items.
This move sessfully won the favor of the Ministry, and even Fudge mentioned that if more wizards in Knockturn Alley were as conscientious, they would have two Diagon Alleys by now.
Although no one had seen Johnny Silverhand, it didn''t stop the Ministry from having a good opinion of this mysterious figure.
Seeing their interest in the Johnny Silverhand Specialty Shop, Hermione immediately yed the role of the concerned mother, warning, "Harry, have you forgotten that you almost got caught by that old witch at the start of the school year?"
"Please, Hermione, don''t bring that up."
The Savior''s embarrassing history was being dragged out again, and Harry wished he could find a hole to crawl into.
Even Ron joined in the mockingughter, but was soon silenced by Hermione''s scolding, which made him retreat into himself.
"Hagrid and Mrs. Weasley both said we shouldn''t go there. It''s too dangerous."
"That Johnny Silverhand in Knockturn Alley might even be a Dark wizard."
After repeatedly warning the two troublemakers, Hermione asserted her authority within the group.
...
John sneezed twice in a row. He rubbed his nose, feeling as though someone was talking about him.
...
In April, the Mandrakes matured.
Professor Snape never imagined that he would have to brew a potion specifically for a cat.
During this time, Filch went out of his way to please Professor Snape, as all of Mrs. Norris''s hopes depended on him.
With the administration of the antidote, Mrs. Norris returned to normal.
A few days before Easter, Professor McGonagall had them choose their third-year courses.
"Hmm.."
John nced at the list of subjects.
Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Divination, Muggle Studies, Care of Magical Creatures.
There were five elective courses, and John needed to choose the ones he wanted to study.
Ancient Runes, also known as Ancient Script, was essential for John.
Muggle Studies, as a former Muggle, John''s understanding of Muggle society could be said to be ahead of the teachers here.
Care of Magical Creatures interested John a bit, as many aspects of alchemy were rted to magical creatures.
Arithmancy and Divination were both forms of divination, but they involved different areas.
Arithmancy is a subject that studies the magical properties of numbers, and it''s very difficult to learn because it requires memorizing or using arge number of charts.
Divination, on the other hand, differs in that it includes a variety of methods and techniques, such as reading tea leaves, interpreting fire omens, crystal ball gazing, palmistry, tarot card reading, astrology, and dream interpretation.
Divination relies heavily on talent, and even Professor McGonagall couldn''t help but mention that it is the least rigorous of the subjects.
"Fuck! Gotta learn them all!"
Given all this, John felt that he was interested in all the courses.
So, he decided to choose them all.
As for potential scheduling conflicts?
It didn''t matter. John only needed to excel in one to achieve a perfect score.
He could drop by Muggle Studies once or twice asionally. Even without attending regrly, he knew more about Muggles than most wizards who were immersed in the magical world.
...
Easter arrived.
During this time, John buried himself in earning points, rapidly boosting Slytherin''s score by an extraordinary margin.
Especially in Defense Against the Dark Arts, John''s point-earning speed was absurd.
Lockhart was practically giving him a point for every word he spoke.
As the saying goes, "You have a referee on your side, I have external support."
(A/N: other simr sayings:
-You have the home field umpire, I have fans in the stands.
-You have the friend in ounting, I have allies in the halls.
-You have the coach on the payroll, I have backing from the bleachers.
-You have the teacher holding your pen, I have help from the bench.)
With John''s relentless pursuit of points, the Slytherin hourss was catching up to Gryffindor''s at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Originally, the confident Gryffindor found themselves on edge, feeling as though they were being pricked by needles, and didn''t dare to rx. They quickly entered a hyperpetitive mode to earn more points.
Ravenw, of course, needed no exnation.
Though they had been perpetual third-ce finishers, their reputation for intelligence meant they were naturally inclined topete intensely within their house.
The Hufflepuffs, the usual bystanders, noticed everyone else''s intensepetition and decided that continuing to ck off would be rude. So they also began to work hard.
This phenomenon amazed the professors, who had never expected that canceling the final exams would lead to everyone working even harder.
It even made Dumbledore consider whether he should cancel the final exams altogether in the future.
In short, John single-handedly sparked apetitive spirit across the school. His habit of answering questions in ss before Hermione could made her grit her teeth in frustration.
Daphne''s secret had been discovered by John, and for a while, she didn''t dare to appear in front of him.
She had expected John to react to her, but to her surprise, John was so absorbed in earning points that he couldn''t pull himself away.
This both pleased and annoyed her.
...
In the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets.
Now that John knew there was a way to get in through the Forbidden Forest, he no longer needed to bother Harry.
He entered the room inside the statue, and apart from the tracks left by something that had been sliding around for years, the ce was rtively dust-free.
"Must be because of magic," he mused.
The room was divided into three levels. The first level resembled a workshop, filled with various fearsome magical creatures preserved in liquid.
Some of them had been smashed, possibly because the basilisk had been hungry.
The second level was an office.
A golden candbrum stood on the desk, and a silver skull-shaped item was enchanted with some spells.
There was also a long rectangr box, but its contents were missingeither taken by Riddle or removed during Szar Slytherin''s time.
The third level resembled the Restricted Section of the library. John walked in and pulled out a book; it was filled with information about dark magic.
There were also some books on forbidden topics or on the human bodysubjects unsuitable for young wizards.
"I wouldn''t be surprised if more than half of the Restricted Section in the library was contributed by Szar Slytherin," John thought.
He leafed through several books, and the content was horrifying.
One book, with an unknown leather cover, contained material that particrly intrigued John. His flipping stopped.
"Blood Magic."
John''s eyes gleamed with interest as he closed the book.
He hadn''t triggered any inheritance tests in Slytherin''s chamber, which made senseafter all, Slytherin''s heir was Voldemort.
Given Voldemort''s nature, he wouldn''t leave anything valuable behind for others.
These books were probably left behind simply because they were too inconvenient to carry.
"Thank you Voldy~" This turned out to be a stroke of luck for John.
For the remainder of the term, John frequently visited Slytherin''s chamber.
His knowledge was umting rapidly, which caused his pace in earning points in ss to slow down. The other students, who had been struggling to keep up, finally breathed a sigh of reliefthey were truly exhausted by this "points king."
But even so, John''s progress in earning points did note to a halt.
When May arrived, Gryffindor was horrified to discover that Slytherin had caught up in the points race.
Slytherin erupted in cheers, and even Draco Malfoy, who had been sulking since Lucius lost his position on the Board of Governors, wore a silly smile again.
Everyone knew who was responsible for Slytherin''seback.
"Hey, hey, easy." Surrounded by his housemates, John frowned and said, "Ehm* We haven''t reached the moment of victory yet; we must not getcent."
His words brought the Slytherins back to their senses.
Indeed, who knew if Gryffindor would mysteriously gain points again before the term ended? This served as a wake-up call for Slytherin.
The earlier cheers were reced with a renewed sense of determination, as Slytherin burned with an unprecedented fighting spirit.
They were now united, more so than ever before.
______________
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92: The Demiguise’s Request for Help
92: The Demiguises Request for Help
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_________
"Hagrid, stop crying. Aragog is gone, and there''s no bringing him back."
Inside Hagrid''s hut, the burly Hagrid was crying his eyes out.
After he returned, he had been busy tending to his overgrown vegetable garden. When he finally had the time to go into the Forbidden Forest to look for his old friend, all he found were burned spider corpses scattered everywhere.
Aragog had narrowly survived, but he was now very weak from the smoke inhtion.
The trio was thereforting Hagrid. Sniffling, Hagrid said, "I don''t know who did it. It''s so cruel."
"Uh"
The trio exchanged nces, and Harry awkwardly said, "Maybe it was just an ident. I mean, the Forbidden Forest is full of dangers, isn''t it?"
Hearing this, Hagrid thought it made sense, but he then said curiously, "But as far as I know, apart from centaurs and werewolves, nothing else in the forest uses fire."
Aragog already had cataracts, and since John hadn''t gone inside, it didn''t know John was responsible.
These words made the trio even more uneasy, and they each started talking about other things to change the subject.
Hagrid finally calmed down.
During this period of intense studying, Hagrid''s hut was the trio''s only safe haven.
Coming here made them feel like they were stepping out of the endless sea of books.
Suddenly, a dog barked outside.
Fang heard the noise and, after scratching the ground a few times with his paws, finally stood up.
"It''s Tom. He''s here to y with Fang."
As the dog who controlled Fang''s food supply, Tom was always the boss in Fang''s eyes.
The door opened, and besides Tom, John was there too.
John, taking Tom for a walk, hade to Hagrid''s hut. He greeted Hagrid, "Hagrid, I heard about what happened. I hope you can find some peace."
He brought Hagrid ten baguettes and a big rye bread from his uncle''s ce. Hagrid didn''t like eating food that was too soft.
"Thank you, John. You''re so kind."
Talking about the sad event, Hagrid wiped his nose.
John nodded calmly, as if he hadn''t been the one to burn the spider''s nest.
As soon as Ron saw John, he instinctively put his hand on his head, having developed a conditioned response to this study fanatic.
Hermione, being the only one who could somewhatpete with the study fanatic, asked, "John, how many electives did you choose?"
"I thought they all seemed interesting, so I chose all of them."
John smiled as he said something unimaginable, which made Harry and Ron''s faces fill with fear.
Having realized that some sses had scheduling conflicts, Hermione had been hesitating about which ones to choose. Now, after hearing John''s answer, she immediately decided to choose all of them too.
Caught between the two, Harry and Ron felt weak, pitiful, and helpless. This situation caused severe emotional trauma to their young minds.
Invited inside for tea, John took a bite of a rock cake.
He realized his biting strength seemed to have increased, as he managed to take a bite out of the rock-hard cake.
John chewed on it; if it weren''t so hard, the taste would actually be quite nice.
"John, now.. can you exin about, um, how do you have a... gun?" Harry hesitated for a long time before finally asking the question that had been on his mind for a while.
When they were dealing with Riddle, he had seen John holding a gun.
He couldn''t understand why a wizard would have a dangerous weapon like a handgun.
Hearing this, Hermione looked at John in disbelief and eximed, "You actually brought something so dangerous into the school!"
John nodded and said, "I do have one, but guns aren''t as dangerous as you think."
Without hiding the fact that he had a prohibited item, John took out the handgun, which was already out of bullets.
But for some reason, even though it had been less than half a year since Christmas, the gun was already covered in rust.
"The magical field of Hogwarts causes some damage to Muggle items to a certain extent, and as for a gun, it''s not particrly dangerous to a wizard, except as a surprise tactic."
John gave an example, saying, "Being hit by a bullet is a fatal thing, but for wizards, we have potions that can regrow bones, so apart from the pain, it''s not necessarily lethal.
Of course, there are some exceptions."
"For example, being shot in the heart or something like that. Wizards are powerful, but essentially they are still human beings."
John spoke lightly about it. He had experimented beforeon Riddle, in fact.
Riddle was hit by at least three bullets and didn''t make a sound.
John attributed this to the inherently special constitution of wizards, but that doesn''t mean that wizards are above Muggles.
On the contrary, if Muggles wanted to eliminate wizards, aside from spending some time and being careful to guard against the wizards'' elusive abilities, Muggles could be more deadly. This is why both sides prefer not to interact with each other too much.
The numbers decide everything.
There are far more Muggles, and with any weapon, an ordinary person can possess the power to take a life.
Hearing this, Harry and Hermione reluctantly epted it.
While Ron was still asking what a gun was, the two dogs ying outside started barking.
John walked out to check, and the fence outside opened two eyes.
It was a Demiguise.
The Demiguise saw John and showed a human-like expression of happiness.
"Tom Stop, he''s a friend."
Tom was still barking, and John told him to stop.
"Are you looking for me?"
The Demiguise had clearlye for a reason. John walked out.
The Demiguise pointed towards the Forbidden Forest. From its gestures, it seemed to want John to go with it.
"Go ahead, John. Demiguises are gentle creatures; they won''t harm anyone."
Hagrid''s eyes widened at the sight of the rare Demiguise. He wanted to talk to it but refrained, fearing he might scare it.
The Demiguise had specificallye for John. Pondering for a moment, John nced back at Harry and the others, then nodded and said, "I''ll go with you."
He parted ways with Harry and the group, asking Hermione to look after Tom.
The Demiguise led the way, with John following behind.
Man and beast entered the Forbidden Forest. After passing through a patch of trees, they arrived under arge tree.
It was a massive tree, home to several Bowtruckles and a bird''s nest.
"You want me to go to the bird''s nest?"
Seeing the Demiguise hopping up and down, John activated his boots and floated up.
As he approached the bird''s nest, the Bowtruckles hissed cautiously.
John signaled that he meant no harm. When he reached the nest, he found broken silver eggshells inside.
"Is this silver?"
Picking up a piece of the eggshell, something shed through John''s mind.
"A amy?"
He carefully removed the broken eggshell, revealing a winged amy inside.
This was a magical creature whose size could change ording to the avable space. This particr amy had just been born and hadn''t even opened its eyes yet.
John understood why the Demiguise and the Bowtruckles were so anxious; the amy looked like it was in bad shape.
"Hmm.. I remember Professor Silvanus Kettleburn kept some amies; this could be the offspring of those amies."
Gently lifting the amy, John noticed the Demiguise moving closer.
It pointed at the amy and then at John, hoping he could take care of it.
John shook his head and said, "I know someone who can take excellent care of it. Trust me, he''s the best."
The Demiguise seemed doubtful, but John reassured it with a promise.
As they left the Forbidden Forest, John kept observing the Demiguise.
By the end of this term, he would gain new magical blood, and he would need the blood of a magical creature to mix with it.
Although he already had the Basilisk''s blood, seeing the Demiguise gave him another idea.
"If I use Demiguise blood, would it strengthen my Disillusionment Charm?"
John stared at the Demiguise. Betraying it would be impossible for him.
So, he chose to make a deal with the Demiguise. After leaving the Forbidden Forest, John had acquired some Demiguise blood.
Finding Hagrid, John took out the newly hatched amy.
Upon seeing the amy, Hagrid almost crushed John with excitement.
A strong hug from Hagrid made John think his bones might break.
With Hagrid, a magical creature expert, around, John wasn''t worried about the amy''s well-being.
The trio gathered around to look at the amy.
After leaving Hagrid''s hut, John headed to the Gryffindor''s Chamber of Secrets.
He felt like his alchemy skills were about to reach level 4.
With plenty of time on his hands, he nned to push forward and reach level 4 in one go.
The Slytherin students were as energized as if they had been injected with adrenaline, even on the Quidditch field.
Malfoy wanted to redeem himself and show that he wasn''t just relying on his father''s reputation.
Unfortunately, Harry, the natural Seeker, was still a cut above, causing Malfoy to angrily smash his Nimbus 2001 on the spot.
...
Time passed bit by bit, and this term finally came to an end.
Slytherin defended its winning streak with less than ten points, which made Gryffindor feel very sorry.
After two months of tension, Slytherin finally breathed a sigh of relief and shouted John Wick''s name.
The student with the highest score(?)
__________
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93: The Second Magical Outburst and Tooth Decay
93: The Second Magical Outburst and Tooth Decay
In front of the station, Hagrid repeatedly assured everyone that he would take good care of the poor little creature.
It was clear that Hagrid truly loved magical creatures.
Ron dashed onto the train because John had asked to borrow Scabbers, saying he needed to perform some experiments, with the biggest side effect being sterility.
This scared Scabbers so much that he burrowed into Ron''s pocket and refused toe out, which John found quite disappointing.
As the train departed from Hogsmeade Station, John began to tally up his rewards.
Ding!
[You havepleted Hogwarts Stage Task Two: Survive the second year as a Magical Apprentice. Rewards: Magic Blood +1, AP +3]
Ding!
[You maintained the top grade until the end of the term. Rewards: AP +1, Blessing: Diligent Schr]
Four points in total were added to his tally. Along with the two points he had previously received from the Gryffindor inheritance trial, this made a total of six points.
John felt like he was starting to feel rich. He summoned his panel to check his stats.
=======
[Magic: Level 4 (755/5000)]
[Spells: Levitation Charm (Level 4), Transfiguration Spell (Level 3, Dragon Form avable), Disillusionment Charm (Level 4), Incendio (Level 4), Reducto (Level 4), Fiendfyre (Level 4), lumency (Level 4), Patronus Charm (Level 3), Protego (Level 3) expand]
[Skills: Short Weapon Mastery (Level 7), Greatsword Mastery (Level 4), Firearm proficiency (Level 2), Runes Mastery (Level 3), Alchemy Mastery (Level 3)...]
[Blessings: Physical Fitness, Swift/Quick Attack, Precision, Academic Schr 2.0, Pilot, Long-Distance Running, Sword Dance, Night Stalker, Troll Nemesis, Knight, Fire Swallower, Intimidation, Hardening, Dragon Tongue, Botanist, Diligent Schr]
========
John carefully reviewed his skills, ignoring anything below level three.
The Levitation Charm, although a basic skill, was incredibly useful.
The Disillusionment Charm didn''t need further exnation; it was an essential skill for stealth and night outings. Since he nned to fuse the blood of an amy, there was no rush to upgrade it.
Reducto was a spell he was very adept with, serving as his primary offensive means. At level 4, it was sufficient for his needs.
Fiendfyre, of course, was uncontroble at level 4, and John decided not to consider upgrading it until his magic reached level 5.
lumency and Transfiguration, however, were worth considering for upgrades.
The Patronus Charm was something he had found in the Gryffindor''s Chamber of Secrets.
In the Slytherin''s Chamber of Secrets, there were mostly research notes and Dark Arts materials, while Gryffindor''s chamber was the opposite, though it still contained some Dark Arts material.
No matter how powerful a wizard was, they couldn''t avoid the necessity of learning the Dark Arts.
John had thought that his Rune Studies and Alchemy were close to reaching level 4 and had nned to upgrade them once they did.
Unfortunately, they hadn''t reached that point by the end of the term.
With six points avable, John hesitated for a moment before choosing to upgrade Transfiguration to level 4.
He then tapped on the Patronus Charm. At level 3, the Patronus Charm vaguely revealed the shape of the Patronus, but at level 4, it could be fully manifested.
After using up two of his free points, John also tapped on the Shield Charm.
A level 4 Shield Charm was already at the level of many Aurors. He was left with three free points.
He decided to save two points for upgrading Alchemy and Rune Studies once they reached the next level and kept one point in reserve for emergencies.
After distributing the points, the train arrived at the station.
He said goodbye to his friends, and his father was already waiting outside.
Having to take a car home every time felt inconvenient to John.
He set a goal for himself: to learn Apparition during this holiday.
Before leaving London, John made a trip to Knockturn Alley.
Johnny Silverhand had already grown into a force that couldn''t be ignored, and Tommy Shelby had been appointed as the head of the security team.
Among his subordinates were werewolves and wizards.
One of the werewolves seemed strangely familiar to John; his name was Remus Lupin.
Tommy also spoke highly of this werewolf''s abilities, but unfortunately, it seemed Lupin was nning to resign.
...
John returned home.
A weekter, John opened the basement.
In his hand, he held a vial of magical blood, inside of which various colors asionally morphed into the shape of a Demiguise.
Having learned from hisst experience, John sealed the basement.
He drank the magical blood, and that familiar sensation began to spread throughout his body again.
John tried his best to control his power, but the overflowing energy caused everything in the basement to continuously change.
mes burst out from his body, transforming into a fierce fire dragon that roared endlessly.
After a while, John emerged looking as if he had just been pulled out of water.
Casting a Cleaning Charm on himself, John checked his Disillusionment Charm. What was once at level 4 had now upgraded to level 5.
Even most Aurors didn''t have such a level of the Disillusionment Charm; perhaps only a few elite Aurors couldpare.
Ding!
~[Magical Blood Process Complete]~
[Acquired Demiguise Trait Blessings: Foresight, Invisibility, Insight, Precognition]
[Foresight: The ability to foresee events within the next ten minutes]
[Invisibility: Greatly enhanced stealth capabilities]
[Insight: Expanded vision and heightened sensitivity to surroundings]
[Precognition: Awakens the talent for prophecy, with a probabilistic chance to trigger predictions]
John stared at the traits he had gained. Just like with thest time when he acquired the Fire Dragon traits, there were four in total.
He focused on thest one, "Precognition," surprised that he could gain such an extraordinary ability.
If one were to mention the most famous prophecy in the Harry Potter world, it would undoubtedly be the one that led to Voldemort''s downfall.
Sybill Trwney once made a prophecy:
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies."
Because of this prophecy, Voldemort targeted Harry.
And it was due to this prophecy that the greatest miracle in the wizarding world urredHarry survived the Killing Curse.
It could be said that without the prophecy, Voldemort wouldn''t have been defeated, and Harry wouldn''t have be the Boy Who Lived.
"I made the right choice with Divination," John thought.
Feeling somewhat fortunate that he chose Divination, John attempted to use his "Foresight" ability.
A colorful glow appeared in his eyes as scenes rapidly yed out before him.
Just as the vision was about to end, he saw Watson Wick screaming in pain.
"Did something happen to Dad?"
Seeing this scene made John''s heart sink. He opened the basement door.
Watson Wick was leaning against the door, eavesdropping. When the door opened, he fell right in.
Trying to maintain his fatherly dignity, he acted as if nothing had happened and casually unwrapped a Chocte Frog, popping it into his mouth.
"Ouchehm* Hi John, did you create any new crafts this time?"
Watson''s eyes kept darting toward the basement. The owl John had madest time had given him something to brag about for quite a while.
When he saw the lifelike big dog, his eyes lit up immediately.
"John, this would make a great decoration in the living room, don''t you think?"
"Eh? Sure," John replied, a bit distracted. He was staring at Watson, puzzled about why he had seen him screaming in his vision.
Watson Wick was busy trying to move therge dog upstairs, and John, feeling uneasy, followed behind.
Nearly ten minutes had passed, and Watson Wick didn''t seem to be in any danger.
"Could I have made a mistake?" John wondered, rubbing his chin while Watson continued to eat his Chocte Frog.
Watson had almostpleted his collection of wizard cards, but he still hadn''t gotten the Damocles Belby card.
Since Damocles Belby was awarded the Order of Merlin, First ss, the Chocte Frogpany made a card of him.
Mrs. Wick walked over and saw her husband indulging in Chocte Frogs without restraint, which made her frown.
"If you keep eating like that, you''ll get sick," she warned.
Ignoring Mrs. Wick''s words, Watson patted his stomach andughed loudly, "I have an iron stomach; how could I everOooUUUch!"
Before he could finish, Watson felt a sharp pain in his tooth.
He identally bit down hard, and a scream echoed through the entire house.
The scene was exactly what John had foreseen. He looked at his dad speechlessly, thinking he might have bitten his tongue.
However, it wasn''t that simpleWatson Wick had developed a cavity.
After examining him, Mrs. Wick sneered, "I thought you had an iron stomach."
Watson tried to be stubborn, pointing at his mouth, "What does a cavity have to do with my stomach?"
"Still trying to argue? Hmph!"
Mrs. Wick immediately pinched Watson''s swollen cheek, causing him to scream in pain again.
"You''ll have to get that tooth pulled."
With a cold tone, Mrs. Wick gave the directive, casting a sidelong, disdainful nce at her husband.
They weren''t kids anymore, yet he still managed to get a cavity.
John also looked incredulous. Just how many Chocte Frogs had his dad been eating at home?
He initially wondered how it could be so many until he saw the junk room filled with Chocte Frog wrappers.
"Dad, honestly, you deserve the cavity," John remarked, finally understanding Mrs. Wick''s indifferent attitude. This was entirely self-inflicted.
Watson Wick needed to visit the dentist to get his tooth pulled.
As everyone knows, dentistry in Europe is notoriously expensive. Rumor has it that a retired dentist can even afford to own a golf course.
Unable to drive due to his toothache, Mrs. Wick drove Watson to get his tooth pulled, and John went along as well since he also needed to go to Knockturn Alley.
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95: Fenrir Greyback
95: Fenrir Greyback
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"It seems you still remember me, Mundungus."
Under the silver mask, John''s tone was cold as he leaned closer to Mundungus''s face, allowing Mundungus to see his eyes through the holes in the mask.
"So... why didn''t youe out to greet me?"
Mundungus saw that the eyes inside the mask had transformed to look like those of a dragon, and a wave of pressure fell upon him.
Mundungus''s body trembled uncontrobly. He screamed and rolled out to kneel before John.
"Honorable Lord Silverhand, Mundungus Fletcher offers you his sincere and utmost respectful greetings."
The bit of pride and arrogance he had felt vanished instantly in the presence of Johnny Silverhand.
Large beads of sweat dripped from Mundungus''s ridiculous nose. He stammered with a fearful trembling voice, showing a fawning smile, "Lord Silverhand, this is all just a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding?"
John walked indifferently into the Johnny Silverhand Specialty Store. The security wizards tensed up; they were werewolves and could sense the extreme danger emanating from the man before them.
They looked to their captain and saw Tommy Shelby step forward and bow respectfully to John.
"Wee back, sir."
As the only one who had seen Silverhand Johnny''s true face, Tommy had been the one managing all the store''s connections.
He was even more shocked by John''s current state. The faint pressure emanating from John gave him the feeling of facing a superior being.
He respectfully said, "We have been waiting for your arrival."
Seeing their captain act in such a manner, the security team naturally would not point their wands at their boss.
"It seems you all like this ce," Johnny remarked, pleased with the current state of the Johnny Silverhand Specialty Store. Mundungus and Tommy, one managing the internal affairs and the other the external, had been running the ce quite well.
With the mysterious Silverhand''s return, all the employees in the store came out to see him. The security team had expanded to ten members. Besides the original four werewolves, there was also Remus Lupin and four other retired Hit Wizards, forming a team withbat strengthparable to the Aurors of the Ministry of Magic.
Including Tommy, this ten-person team boasted a fighting force not inferior to the Ministry''s Aurors.
Mundungus had also hired an employee to help run the business when he was away. That young man was named Kim Ladiy, a tall and handsome boy with golden hair and blue eyes, who hade to work during his holiday.
Standing next to Mundungus, Kim Ladiy''s dashing appearance created aical contrast, making the situation seem somewhat absurd.
"Honorable Lord Silverhand, here isst year''s ie. Most of it has been deposited in Gringotts, and there are still some items in the warehouse reserved for business purchases," Mundungus said, handing over the ledger.
Given the size of the shop, John alone couldn''t supply everything needed through his crafting; Mundungus had also been purchasing goods from various ces.
Some of these items, which were of questionable legality, were discreetly handled and distributed through his connections.
John nced over the ledger briefly, fully aware of Mundungus''s greed for money.
"Mundungus, I don''t want you to be erased from Johnny Silverhand Speciality Shop forever."
With just this simple sentence, John scared Mundungus so much that he copsed to the ground. Terrified, Mundungus said, "Lord Silverhand, I swear, I absolutely haven''t!"
"Your oaths are too cheap," John said calmly.
Mundungus was pulled by an unseen force and floated toward John. A hand gripped his neck, lifting him off the ground as he struggled to cry out for help. His wand flew out of his hand as soon as he drew it. Even as a wizard, being unable to breathe would still lead to death.
The feeling of suffocation quickly overwhelmed his brain, and the fear of death made Mundungus deeply regret his actions.
"Enough, Lord Silverhand!"
Remus Lupin was the first to speak up. He raised his wand and pointed it at John, shouting, "You should let him go."
Tommy drew his wand, his voice cold. "Remus, you should recognize your position."
"Let him go? Remus, do you know where the money he''s been embezzling these days has beening from?" John said, pressing down Tommy''s wand.
"I set up a fund for every young wizard who has been persecuted by curses. With this fund, even the poorest young wizard can receive a bottle of Wolfsbane Potion each month."
Lupin''s expression changed. John''s grip tightened slightly, and Mundungus was on the brink of suffocation and death.
John spoke coldly, "But this person, he''s embezzled more than half of the funds from that ount. Do you know what that means?"
Lupin opened his mouth but eventually lowered his wand.
"No, Remus, save me."
Mundungus squeezed the words out from his throat, and seeing Lupin put down his wand, he was filled with despair.
He hadn''t expected his little schemes to be so clearly known by Johnny Silverhand. What was most deadly were the looks of hatred from those werewolves.
Lupin had been a werewolf since childhood, so he understood that werewolves faced discrimination and, as they grew older, couldn''t even get a job.
Every knut that Mundungus embezzled was effectively killing a young werewolf wizard. How could they not hate him?
Just as Mundungus was on the verge of death, that merciless hand released him.
Thud!
He fell to the floor, his body convulsing as he greedily sucked in air through his mouth and nose.
The deep, cold voice spoke again, "This is the first time, Mundungus. I hope you understand that I''ve given you quite a lot."
"I.. I understand, Lord Silverhand. I''ll return everything immediately."
Mundungus didn''t dare to hope for anything more. Crawling and stumbling, he clutched John''s leg and swore his loyalty.
The masterful wandless magic,bined with that terrifying strength
Mundungus no longer dared to harbor any thoughts of rebellion; he only wanted to keep his job.
At first, the wizards in the security team didn''t think much of it, but now they understood why the powerful Tommy treated this Lord Silverhand with such respect.
They put away their arrogance and bent their knees in humility.
John''s act of "killing the monkey to warn the wolves" subdued everyone.
The young Kim Ladiy looked at John, his eyes revealing a mix of emotions.
"Such a surprising sense of generosity." Although Kim Ladiy was brought in by Mundungus, his gratitude to Mundungus was merely that of a subordinate to a superior.
But Johnny Silverhand was different. He didn''t expect someone to dip into their coffers for the cursed young wizards. Such magnanimity filled the righteous Kim Ladiy with admiration.
Even though he was just a temp worker, Kim Ladiy felt he could learn a lot from this Lord Silverhand.
Leading a team requires both kindness and sternness; providing free Wolfsbane Potion to underage werewolves is kindness, while punishing Mundungus is sternness.
...
Knockturn Alley was never a calm ce.
After John resolved the embezzlement issue and announced the ownership of the shop, trouble soon arrived.
A group of uninvited guests entered through the shop''s front door, exuding a primitive scent. Their rough attire made them look like a biker gang.
Lupin saw the leader and took a deep breath, struggling to stay calm.
Standing to John''s left, Tommy whispered, "Fenrir Greyback, the leader of the werewolfmunity. He''s been eyeing the Wolfsbane Potion."
A few simple words rified the situation. John, rubbing the wand at his waist, realized that this group hade with ill intentions.
ncing at Lupin, who was taking a deep breath, John found it odd and asked calmly, "Lupin, what''s wrong?"
Lupin hadn''t expected John to notice his small gesture. He closed his eyes to calm himself and said, "I was bitten by Fenrir when I was four years old. He''s a scumbag who likes to bite children."
Hearing this made John''s eyes narrow dangerously. No matter the society, harming children was the lowest of actions.
Fenrir stepped into the Silverhand Johnny store with arrogance and said, "I need to see the owner of this ce."
John stepped forward and said coolly, "You better have a reason to be here."
"So, it''s youthe legendary Silverhand?"
Fenrir moved closer to John, his nose twitching. John was taller than most kids his age, so Fenrir didn''t notice anything off. After taking a sniff, he said with bloodthirsty intent, "You''d better give me the Wolfsbane Potion, or I''ll tear your throat out."
He was a despicable person who specifically bit children, nurturing them with hatred to make them his followers.
He was a cruel person who stole and killed for food, sometimes even attacking people when it wasn''t a full moon.
Fenrir was known for doing all sorts of evil deeds, so threatening a shop owner was just another ordinary act for him.
In response to the threat, a cold smile appeared on John''s face beneath the mask.
John spoke slowly, "It seems you''ve misunderstood something."
"Hmm?" Fenrir frowned.
John leaned closer to that ugly, fierce face and said calmly, "Only the strong have the right to dominate the weak."
Fenrir bared his fangs, ready to bite through John''s neck.
The next second, a scream filled the air as blood sttered everywhere.
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96: You don’t mess with Silverhand
96: You dont mess with Silverhand
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An ear flew to the ground, and Fenrir covered it.
Meanwhile, the culprit, John, held a dagger in his right hand that gleamed with a cold light.
"Ugh! I want you dead!"
Fenrir, enraged, lunged at Johnny Silverhand with an angry roar.
"Oh, how inelegant" John sidestepped.
sh! Stab! sh!
And in a sh, his dagger left seven bloody holes on Fenrir''s body.
"Ack! You.. you.."
Fenrir fell to his knees, and John casually wiped the dirty blood from his dagger.
He coldly ordered Fenrir, "Pick up your ear! Your filthy blood is staining my floor."
"*Awoo*!"
Fenrir raised himself and let out a wolf''s howl, which was answered by the four subordinates who hade with him.
They charged at John. Lupin raised his wand to take action, but Tommy stopped him.
Lupin saw the confidence on Tommy''s face and couldn''t understand itthose were werewolves.
"It seems the guests are incapable of perfectly hearing" John nced briefly at the werewolves and calmly said, "What I said was, don''t dirty my floor!"
With the grace of drawing a conductor''s baton, he took out his wand. Transfiguration turned the benches near the door into tworge dogs that bit two werewolves.
The Levitation Charm caused one werewolf to float towards the ceiling, while the Banishing Charm sent another flying.
Fenrir''s teeth were about to reach John when his body was ignited by a burning fireball.
One of the werewolves struggled to get up, but John pointed his wand at him.
"Crucio~"
"AhhhHHHHHhhhhh!!..."
A searing, excruciating pain caused the werewolf to convulse uncontrobly.
The Cruciatus Curse!
Lupin''s heart tightened, but the wizards around seemed unfazed.
In Knockturn Alley, what kind of dark wizard hasn''t been seen?
Besides, who says using an Unforgivable Curse automatically leads to capture?
John twisted his wand, and the purpleheart wood wand he crafted himself made the werewolf writhe on the ground.
Even though Fenrir''s fur was burned off by the mes, he didn''t die, showing just how resilient he was.
"You see, gentlemen. I like an unruly dog to know its ce.."
Single-handedly subduing five werewolves, one of them being Fenrir, once again demonstrated Johnny Silverhand''s power.
"That isbound in chains and under my control~"
With an elegant flick of his wand, the floor on either side turned into chains that bound Fenrir.
"Now, Mr. Lupin" John walked over to Lupin and calmly said, "He once bit you. Now I''m handing him over to you for judgment."
Lupin found himself in a dilemma. He indeed hated Fenrir, but John''s intention was clearly to have Fenrir killed.
But Lupin was thinking about sending Fenrir to Azkaban.
That way, it wouldn''t affect his conscience and he could go to Hogwarts with a free spirit.
The hesitation on his face didn''t escape John''s notice.
John sighed, "Lupin, you''re too righteous."
He then turned to Fenrir, raised his wand, and softly uttered, "Redi ad animam tuam~"
A spell that had never been heard before.
"Aa.. Wh... what.. Ugh.. UGGGHHHHHhhhhHhhh..."
Lupin, who was about to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts, one of the outstanding students back in the day with James and Sirius, possessed strength and knowledge far beyond ordinary wizards.
But Lupin could swear this was the most terrifying spell he had ever witnessed.
"UrggGGGGGggghhh.... Stop it! StoAArrrGggh....!!"
Fenrir let a crudling scream and struggled to break free, but the chains held him firmly to the floor.
As the screams continued, white smoke began to rise from his body, and a translucent silver version of Fenrir''s soul slowly floated out.
After his soul floated out, Fenrir''s body immediately became motionless.
Fenrir''s soul appeared confused and disoriented. As he floated in front of John, still in a daze, John''s wand acted like a knife, slicing across Fenrir''s spectral arm.
The soul-wrenching pain made Fenrir howl and scream madly.
The wizards present shuddered at the sound of the screams, feeling a chill down their spines as if they had fallen into an icy pit in the middle of winter.
The screams went on for some time, and Fenrir''s two arms were severed.
His soul appeared hollow, as if it had fallen into a deep sleep.
John waved his hand gently, and Fenrir''s soul returned to his body, but the two severed spectral arms never went back.
"Sir Silverhand, you..."
It was a long three minutes. Lupin''s lips were dry, and he didn''t know what to say.
Even the battle-hardened Tommy Shelby was at a loss. He knew John''s true identity but had never imagined that a wizard still in school could possess such a terrifying and powerful spell.
"Two arms as a price. I think they won''t daree again."
John snapped his fingers, and Fenrir''s two spectral arms dissipated into white smoke.
The werewolves who had followed Fenrir were terrified, groveling on the ground like little dogs.
John walked up to one of the werewolves, his voice low as he said, "So~ Who sent you?"
"I..."
"I need a name, unless you want to end up like Fenrir."
Before the werewolf could speak, John''s wand gently pressed against his forehead.
The werewolf broke out in a cold sweat and stammered in fear, "It was Sean, Sean Shafiq. He sent us here."
"Shafiq? Looks like the purebloods have their eyes on this ce."
John put away his wand, giving the werewolf the impression that he had narrowly escaped death.
But John wasn''t going to let them off so easily. He turned to Tommy Shelby and said, "Lock them up. I believe someone will find them interesting."
Tommy nodded respectfully, and soon the werewolves were thrown into the dark cells.
Around midnight, Aurors knocked on the door of the Johnny Silverhand shop.
Leading them was Rufus Scrimgeour, the Head of the Auror Office.
He looked like an old lion as he watched his men escort the notorious werewolves to Azkaban one by one.
"A pleasure to meet you, Sir Johnny Silverhand."
Scrimgeour shook hands with John, who wore a mask, and chuckled, "Mr. Rufus Scrimgeour, I hope you''re pleased with my gift."
Scrimgeour''s smile was hard to hide. He hinted, "This isn''t the first time you''ve helped me out."
"I won''t forget, and neither will you."
John smiled lightly and said, "Rufus, perhaps you could tell me where Sean Shafiq is?"
"Sean Shafiq? Seems like he''s going to be in some trouble." Scrimgeour frowned and replied, "Sir Silverhand, I hope you won''t make things difficult for me."
"Of course, the Sacred Twenty-Eight are quite a rare breed," John''s tone was less like he was talking about a prestigious family and more like he was referring to the old Denton clinic on the corner.
A gleam shed in Scrimgeour''s eyes as he said, "Then I''m willing to provide you with the address of the Shafiq family''s manor."
Using a pure-blood family as a bargaining chip, the two had trulye to understand each other.
The incident with Hagrid had made Scrimgeour realize just how powerful Johnny Silverhand''s connections were. Though not from the Sacred Twenty-Eight, the pure-blood Belby family was not far behind.
To have someone with a First ss Order of Merlin on his side, protecting a half-breed giantit had to be someone with incredibly powerful connections.
Scrimgeour didn''t just want his current position; he wanted to climb even higher.
And Johnny Silverhand was his opportunity.
...
The Shafiq Manor.
The Shafiqs disdained mingling with Muggles, so their manor was located in a secluded area on the outskirts.
Sean Shafiq, who managed the Shafiq fortune, frowned deeply as he looked at the vault, now significantly lighter in Galleons, and was visibly annoyed.
With thin eyebrows and a gaunt face, his beard drooped over his wizard robes. The head of the Shafiq family didn''t appear very strong.
He was better known for his intellect. The Borgin and Burkes antique shop in Knockturn Alley was just one of his profitable ventures.
He had invested a lot of money, but it had all gone to waste because of the appearance of the Johnny Silverhand shop.
This made Sean very angry. He didn''t care about Borgin and Burkes; he cared about his Galleons.
He had hoped to recover his losses by buying back the shop, but Mundungus had secretly taken the first step.
A sneaky thief, Mundungus had turned around and spent thousands of Galleons to secure the shop. The price made Sean''s heart bleed.
Moreover, that damned Mundungus even handed over the Dark Magic artifacts that belonged to the Shafiq family, which made Sean want to kill the short, fat man.
"The werewolves better rip Mundungus''s throat apart. That damned Johnnyeven if he knelt down to lick my shoes, I wouldn''t forgive him."
Sean Shafiq''s face twisted in anger. The house-elf didn''t daree near him and quietly left the room to clean.
Crack!
The sound of something breaking came from the room, and Sean flew into a rage. He cursed, "Damn clumsy house-elf! I''ll shove your hands into the firece!"
He stormed out angrily, and the room was shrouded in darkness.
Although Sean was stingy, he wouldn''t be so miserly as to refuse to light a candle.
When he realized something was wrong, the candles in the room suddenly lit up.
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97: Shafiq’s Concession
97: Shafiqs Concession
Two figures appeared in the roomone sitting and the other standing.
"Who are you!" Sean Shafiq shouted sharply.
He wasn''t being foolish by doing so; he was trying to wake up the portraits on the wall.
This cunning old buzzard knew something was wrong the moment he saw the two of them.
There was a magical barrier on the Shafiq family estate. For them to enter the manor so silently, they couldn''t possibly be here just to chat with an old man like him.
His shouting didn''t wake the portraits. The previous head of the Shafiq family, whose portrait hung on the wall, was sound asleep.
No matter how much noise Sean made, the portrait didn''t stir.
Even the house-elf, who was usually bullied, seemed deaf, showing no intention ofing over.
The Shafiq Manor was eerily quiet.
The two people in the room continued to watch Sean in silence. John, who was sitting on the sofa, turned the emerald ring on his left hand.
He calmly watched Sean, then raised his index finger to his lips in a shushing gesture.
"Shhplease keep quiet."
Sean''s palms were sweating. He wanted to strike first, gripping the eagle head on his cane and pulling it out forcefully.
''I should capture the leader first,'' Sean thought, and heunched an attack on the person on the sofa.
"Stupefy!"
"Expelliarmus!"
Two voices sounded simultaneously. Sean was hit by a red light, and his wand flew out of his hand.
Just as the wand was about to hit the ground, it suddenly changed direction andnded in the hand of the person wearing the silver mask.
Sean''s expression changed drastically. He stared intently at the person.
That person hadn''t used a wandit was a brilliant disy of wandless magic.
"Wandless magic? I don''t recall having such a powerful enemy."
"That was in the past. Johnny Silverhand greets you," John said casually, his fingers lightly brushing the handle of the wand. The wand was made of wood painted with silverhow stingy this Shafiq was.
With a slight force of his fingers, John broke the handle off the wand.
He then picked up the yew wand and pointed it nonchntly at Sean, saying calmly, "You shouldn''t have meddled with my shop, Sean Shafiq."
Sean shouted aggressively, "I don''t know what you''re talking about!"
"No matter. I don''t need your answer."
John tilted his head slightly, his deep gaze piercing through the silver mask andnding on Sean.
At that moment, Sean felt a predatory pressure emanating from him.
Tommy, wearing a white mask, stepped forward and respectfully asked, "Master, may I do the honors?"
"You may," John replied indifferently.
"I-I am pure-blood. You can''t harm a pure-blood. The Ministry of Magic won''t let you get away with it."
Pure-bloods are not like the dark wizards of Knockturn Alley; the Ministry wouldn''t just turn a blind eye.
Just as Sean Shafiq was trying to use his pure-blood status as a threat, Tommy drew his wand and sinisterly whispered, "Crucio."
"Ug... ggg.. ggghh..."
The chattering mouth was silenced by the intense pain, leaving Sean unable to speak.
He fell to the ground, his body convulsing like a beached fish.
"You can pretend to know nothing."
ying idly with the elm wand, John chuckled softly, "But you and I are both smart men, right?"
The first wave of pain passed, and Sean''s already gaunt cheeks turned even paler.
"Haah.. Haa.h.." He trembled, his lips quivering as he spat out, "Haah.. I''ll destroy your shop!"
"Looks like you''re a tough guy." John leaned his head back against the somewhat rigid sofa. "Tommy~"
Tommy, expressionless, waved his wand again. The second round of painsted a full half hour.
John inserted the Tracing Silk he had developed into Sean''s wand and raised his hand to signal Tommy to stop.
Sweat from Sean had already formed a puddle beneath him. His face was filled with terror, his eyes no longer sharp and calcting.
"W.. What do you want?"
"What do I want?"
John shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of disappointment as if Sean had failed to meet expectations. He coldly said, "I should be the one asking you that, Sean. Tell me, what do you want?"
Sean was momentarily stunned by the question. He didn''t understand what John meant.
"It seems you''re not as clever as the rumors say. You didn''t even address me with respect, and that displeases me. Hand over all your businesses in Knockturn Alley. That''s your punishment."
John sighed, casually lifting his wand, and delivering a ruthless ultimatum.
"Looking at you.. um, it''ll take just three strikes, and you''re out. Your choice is death ...or submission~"
Sean understood now. This person actually wanted him to submit.
As the head of the Shafiq family, one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, Sean red and roared, "Impossible!"
"What a pity."
John''s voice deepened and elongated as he intoned, "Redi ad animam tuam~"
White smoke emerged from Sean''s skin, and in a panic, he tried to extinguish it but couldn''t.
His soul was being slowly pulled out, a terrifying sight that caused the previously defiant Sean to scream in horror.
John stepped forward and used his wand to carve a curse into the center of Sean''s ethereal chest.
"Leave this ce, Sean Shafiq, and never return."
He whispered into Sean''s ear.
Sean''s soul couldn''t move, and the inscribed mark became searing hot, amplifying his screams.
Havingpleted his task, John pressed his hand onto the soul and shoved it back into Sean Shafiq''s body.
Once back in his body, Sean clutched his chest, writhing and shouting in agony. He tore his shirt open, revealing no visible wound on his chest, but it felt as if a red-hot brand had been pressed against him.
John threw Sean''s wand to the ground with disdain,turned and walked away, leaving Sean with only the view of his back.
Filled with hatred, Sean immediately grabbed his wand, aiming it at John. But he found he couldn''t raise his hand, and the curse he wanted to shout disappeared from his lips.
In disbelief, he aimed a dark curse at the sofa, finding his body to be otherwise normal.
It was as if he had been shackled. Unwilling to believe it, he tried to curse again, but his head throbbed with pain.
It felt as though a knife had been plunged into his heart; the intense pain nearly suffocated him.
After a long while, he finally got up from the cheap carpet.
He walked over to the mirror and yanked his shirt open, revealing a line of words on his chest.
"An enemy not to be made."
But looking down, his chest appeared smooth and unmarked.
Sean copsed again; now he couldn''t even utter a single vulgar word against Johnny Silverhand.
"No!!!"
Overwhelmed by immense despair, he smashed everything around him and eventually passed out in the manor.
Inside the Shafiq Manor.
All the guards had been knocked out.
The loyal house-elves were stuffed under the bed. Lupin and three security team members were together, looking up at the manor.
There was no sign of activity inside.
After waiting for a while, the sound of smashing came from the manor, and Johnny Silverhand came down with Tommy Shelby.
"It''s done. Sean Shafiq was very generous; he voluntarily gave up all his properties in Knockturn Alley as a gift."
Johnny Silverhand walked past him, and Lupin didn''t know what he had said to that old vulture, Sean Shafiq, but he knew it was definitely not something good.
The young shop assistant, Kim Ladiy, caught up and pretended to ask curiously, "Sir, how did you get Shafiq to apologize?"
John paused, his voice carrying a hint of mockery. "Heh, I gave him an offer he couldn''t refuse."
This answer made Kim Ladiy frown, pondering what kind of enticing offer it could have been to make an ancient pure-blood family back down.
Upon hearing his boss''s words, Tommy Shelby showed a helpless expression.
If not being able to ever raise his head in front of Johnny Silverhand could be called enticing, then it really was an offer one couldn''t refuse.
He even suspected that when it came to soul research, no one could surpass his boss.
That miraculous soul curse, which allowed Johnny to take their soul out of the body, cut their hands, or carve something on them, then after ying shove them back to the body all while without leaving a scar, was even more sinister than the Killing Curse.
At the same time, Tommy was also grateful he wasn''t one of those rigid fuckers who messed with Johnny Silverhand; otherwise, being an enemy of his boss would be a terrifying thing.
After leaving the anti-Disapparition zone, John put his hand on Tommy''s shoulder.
Tommy also wanted toin about this. His boss even knew something as weird as the soul spell, but he couldn''t Apparate.
This made him wonder if Apparation was so difficult to learn?
Waving his wand, Tommy Apparated with John.
The other wizards followed him, thinking that the boss was too cool to Apparate by himself.
After all, if someone said that he couldn''t Apparate with such strength, who would believe him?
...
The next day.
The Shafiq family withdrew from Knockturn Alley, and all their assets were acquired by Johnny Silverhand''s exclusive store. (A/N: I''m always forgetting the spelling of Speciality)
Not only that, but the Shafiq family also abandoned London and went abroad to a country in turmoil.
Some say the Shafiqs wanted to make a profit during the Muggle unrest, while others im the old buzzard wanted to enter politics and run for Minister of Magic.
But whatever the reason, Knockturn Alley had changed.
The former Dark Lord of Knockturn Alley had gone overseas, and a new ruler had ascended.
The forces that had previously eyed Johnny Silverhand now retreated.
Even Rufus Scrimgeour, who had anticipated a period of tension, was bewildered.
"Just one night, and Shafiq gave up?"
He scoffed at the rumors.
No one knew better than he did how much of an empire the old buzzard, Sean Shafiq, had in Knockturn Alleya sum that the old buzzard would never relinquish.
So there was only one truth: Shafiq had been exiled.
The suddenly emerging Johnny Silverhand had exiled one of the twenty-eight Sacred Families in just one night.
Rufus Scrimgeour felt he needed to reassess his rtionship with Johnny Silverhand.
The new king of Knockturn Alley, Johnny Silverhand, had be a legend.
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98: Lucius and the Letter
98: Lucius and the Letter
Malfoy Manor.
Lucius Malfoy hadn''t been doing welltely.
He had threatened the other Hogwarts governors, forcing them to sign a notice suspending Dumbledore from his duties.
Because of this, he was expelled from the school board after Dumbledore''s return.
This was bad news for the Malfoy family, but even worse was the issue of the Malfoy family''s Dark artifacts.
Almost every ancient pure-blood family possesses two things: a house elf and Dark artifacts.
The Malfoy family was no exception, and having once followed Voldemort, the Malfoy Manor was practically filled with Dark artifacts.
Voldemort did not trust the Malfoys, but considering their ancient lineage and those Dark artifacts, he treated Lucius with special favor.
Now, that damn Arthur Weasley was keeping a close eye on Malfoy Manor, and Lucius didn''t yet know that his son had mentioned the cer where the Dark artifacts were hidden.
He was genuinely afraid that one day Arthur Weasley would kick open the doors of Malfoy Manor and drag the entire Malfoy family off to Azkaban.
Lucius wanted to sell the artifacts, but the Borgin and Burkes antique shop, with which he had close dealings, was long gone.
He thought of Sean Shafiq; that old buzzard would certainly be interested in these items.
But that man was notoriously greedy and would drive the price down to the point where there was no profit, so Lucius hesitated for a long time.
He just didn''t expect that in his moment of hesitation, when he returned to the Shafiq residence, it was already deserted.
"Damn Weasley, damn Harry Potter!"
Lucius mmed his fist on the stair railing, frustrated and angry.
"Calm your temper, Lucius."
Narcissa Malfoy, noticing him, raised her chin slightly, looking very proud.
"Narcissa, Arthur Weasley coulde running over here at any moment."
Lucius, on the verge of venting his anger, had to hold it back due to his wife''s presence.
All he could do was grasp the railing furiously, seething with impotent rage.
"You can hide the Dark artifacts or sell them, Lucius. Do not show weakness in front of Draco."
Mrs. Malfoy approached Lucius, her gaze passing through the window to rest on their son, who was practicing magic outside.
She could feel that her son had changed a lot at Hogwarts.
He used to be well-behaved, but because of his parents, he became a crybaby who always called for his father. The current Draco waspletely different.
Even a daughter from the ever-pure ck family bes sentimental when she bes a mother.
Draco''s transformation made Narcissa very pleased, and she alsoforted her husband.
Lucius was feeling irritable, raising his voice slightly as he said, "Of course, I know that, but that Arthur Weasley seems to know about my storage. He swore that day he would make me spend the rest of my life in Azkaban."
"I want to sell the Dark artifacts now, but Borgin and Burkes has been taken to Azkaban, and that old vulture, Sean Shafiq, has relocated his family. I have no idea who to turn to."
The Malfoy family wasn''t short on money; what he needed was a temporary ce to store his family''s belongings.
Borgin and Burkes used to be such a ce; items sold there could be bought back at the original price, a mutual understanding between the two families.
Now that Johnny Silverhand''s specialty shop has reced Borgin and Burkes, he heard that the people there seemed to have close ties with the Ministry of Magic.
Lucius didn''t dare to gamble. If the other side turned him over to the Ministry, he''d be stuck in Azkaban, receiving daily kisses from Dementors.
The mere thought of it sent shivers down his spine.
Narcissa noticed his concerns and said, "You have to try. I don''t want our son to have a father who''s locked up in Azkaban."
Lucius''s expression changed several times.
At that moment, a long-eared ck owl arrived at Malfoy Manor.
A letter dropped onto the windowsill. Lucius nced at it but didn''t go over to pick it up.
He instinctively thought the house-elf Dobby would pick it up and carefully bring it to him.
However, he had forgotten how he had been tricked by Harry. Realizing this, his face darkened, and he stomped over to the letter with a vengeful heavy tread.
This was a special letter.
There was no name on it, only a ck wax seal with a silver handprint.
Lucius thought of the current king of Knockturn Alley.
''Johnny Silverhand.''
The emblem on the letter was the same as the one for Johnny Silverhand''s specialty shop, which made him inexplicably nervous.
He had just been thinking about Johnny Silverhand''s specialty shop, and now they had sent him a letter.
Even though he knew it was a coincidence, he couldn''t help but feel uneasy.
As he opened the letter, his expression changed several times.
Narcissa took note of everything, walking over to pick up the letter and read it.
Like Lucius, Narcissa became puzzled and asked, "Do you know Johnny Silverhand?"
Lucius shook his head, his expression peculiar as he said, "We''ve never met."
The couple exchanged a nce. The letter mentioned a willingness to provide a hiding ce for the Malfoy family''s Dark artifacts.
Not only that, but Johnny Silverhand also expressed his willingness to help Lucius regain his position on the Hogwarts board of governors.
Each of these things was fraught with risk.
''Why would Johnny Silverhand be willing to help?''
The couple couldn''t figure it out, and Lucius hesitated, saying, "Could it be that he is...?"
Lucius''s lips moved slightly, and his gaze instinctively shifted to his left hand.
Narcissa''s face grew stern. Regarding the matter of the Death Eaters, whoever was discovered would undoubtedly be sent to Azkaban.
Aside from being a Death Eater, Lucius truly couldn''t fathom why Johnny Silverhand would want to help him.
Staring at the letter, the couple fell into deep thought.
Draco Malfoy, unaware of the choice his parents were facing, was fully endorsing John''s words at this moment.
"Only your own strength is the greatest glory."
He aimed at a human-shaped target, imagining it as Harry Potter, casting spells at the target repeatedly.
After experiencing the cold reception from his team and his father''s dismissal, he had undergone aplete transformation.
Even when Goyle and Crabbe arrived, they could only serve as sparring partners.
...
The depleted Junior Wizard Fund was replenished, making Mundungus feel as though he was being carved up with a knife.
Having witnessed Johnny Silverhand''s strength, the wizards who had previously refrained from visiting due to the Shafiq family''s influence could finally patronize freely.
In a short amount of time, the sales at Johnny Silverhand''s specialty shop multiplied several times over.
Kim Ladiy''s bright smile never faded, apanied by the constant sound of Galleons clinking.
John had prepared an office for himself; he was sitting inside, holding letters sent from various sources in his hand.
"Thank you for your hard work, Riddle."
John reached out and petted the long-eared ck owl, feeding it a piece of dried fish.
There were many letters, most of which were from the dark wizards of Knockturn Alley, paying their respects and inquiring about the new rules.
Previously, these matters were controlled by the Shafiq family. Now that a new king had taken over, they were quite tactful.
Of course, there were also some who were less tactful.
In those cases, John would offer them an offer they couldn''t refuse, like a trip to Azkaban or a bite from a werewolf.
Heh~
These individuals quickly becamepliant.
Before taking action, John would send a letter of condolence to those individuals.
This letter was also known as the Silverhand Letter. The content was simple, expressing regret over not bing friends, with arge silver handprint stamped on it.
Those who received such a letter would eithere crawling to make amends the next day or disappear from Knockturn Alley altogether.
Under such intimidation, everyone knew that Johnny Silverhand was even more ruthless and decisive than the previous Sean Shafiq.
"Hmm? A reply.."
A letter from Malfoy Manor caught John''s attention.
He opened the envelope.
The content inside made the corners of his mouth curl up slightly, and he smiled, saying, "Lucius Malfoy is a sensible person, but the matter of the Death Eaters still needs to be handled carefully."
Knowing that Lucius is a Death Eater, it''s clear he''s not a very loyal one.
During Voldemort''s peak power, he strutted around with arrogance, but once Voldemort fell, Lucius was one of the first to actively sever ties.
This aligns perfectly with the traits of a Slytherin: following the powerful, being cunning, and prioritizing self-preservation.
When Voldemort is resurrected, Lucius will return to his side, but he is certainly not a die-hard follower.
The true loyalists of Voldemort are all sitting in Azkaban; the ones outside are merely theckeys cheering from the sidelines.
"I need to make good use of this identity."
John stroked his chin.
As Johnny Silverhand, he had already be a figure of some influence.
Given that Knockturn Alley was a focus of his efforts, naturally, John wouldn''t just remain there.
Diagon Alley was where the real action was, as it''s the ce all wizards across the country visit.
Reapplying his mask, John descended the stairs.
Every wizard who saw that mask would bow with a mixture of fear and respect.
This scene did not go unnoticed by the Aurors keeping watch; they realized that someone even more troublesome than Sean Shafiq had emerged.
____________
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99: Apparition and the Daily Prophet
99: Apparition and the Daily Prophet
"The most important thing to remember are the three ''Ds'': destination, determination, and deliberation.
When performing it, focus your attention on your destination, be determined to upy the space you envision, and act with deliberation."
Tommy Shelby was a master of Apparition, and John estimated his level to be about 5.
In this deste forest, John was learning the spell of Apparition.
To be precise, this spell was divided into two parts:
Disapparition and Apparition.
The difference between the two was that one was disappearing at the starting point, and the other was appearing at the destination.
You need to master both steps carefully, otherwise, you might end up with a Splinching situation.
Just like now, John stared nkly at his missing ring finger.
"You''re doing quite well, actually. Some people have even managed to decapitate themselves while attempting Apparition."
Tommy was treating John with Dittany. The boss''s secret mission turned out to be remedial lessons.
Tommy thought that if he hadn''t be an Auror back then, he might have been able to teach at Hogwarts.
With his finger reattached, John wiggled it a bit.
"This Splinching doesn''t feel like being cut apart, more like being separated."
Aside from its convenience, Apparition is actually quite an ufortable experience.
It''s like being forcefully stuffed into a narrow pipe and then squeezed out at the other end.
After many attempts, John finally got Apparition to appear on his spell list.
At the thought of having to continue leveling up while risking getting splinched, John decisively used his skill points to upgrade.
At level 2, Apparition feltpletely different.
John immediately decided to give it a try.
"Apparition should not be rushed. It took me several weeks to seed for the first time. Remember the three D''s: destination, determination, and... what the fuc-!"
Tommy was still mumbling on when suddenly, a loud crack echoed in his ears.
He stared in a daze as John appeared 100 meters away, his body perfectly intact.
John felt a bit dizzy when hended, but it was within an eptable range.
His body also didn''t show any signs of splinching, which meant he had sessfully mastered the spell.
Trying again, he appeared next to Tommy. Although his position was slightly off, it wasn''t too far off the mark.
Seeing Tommy''s dumbfounded expression, John smiled and asked, "What were you just saying?"
"Uh... just pretend I never said anything."
This was the first time Tommy realized the gap between ordinary people and those favored by the heavens.
Back in the day, he had experienced splitting at least a dozen times, and the worst one almost cost him a leg.
But when it came to John, he only experienced a minor Splinching once, and within a day, he had already mastered Apparition.
This truly made Tommy envious.
Now that John had learned Apparition, he no longer needed to take a car back and forth every day.
The Floo Network in the nearby house where Mundungus used to stay had been cut off, probably due to overdue payments.
That guy was incredibly stingy. Even though he was now earning 300 Galleons, he still made himself look like a beggar.
Well, you could say wizards always had a unique sense of style, so John wouldn''t interfere too much.
ncing at Tommy beside him, John thought he might as well give him a change of clothes.
Judging by the looks of it, Tommy had been wearing his current outfit for quite some time. The patches didn''t quite fit the style of the Silver Hand Johnny''s specialty shop.
You could only say Tommy had been terrified of poverty. The year he became a werewolf, he often couldn''t even afford to eat.
John found a ce to get Tommy a new set of clothes, and he also sent some to the security team.
The original gathering that looked like a beggars'' convention instantly turned into a supermodel runway.
Even the soon-to-be-retired Remus Lupin wasn''t left out; John treated everyone equally.
This made Lupin very touched.
In fact, Lupin had already received an invitation before Lockhart resigned, but he chose to dy his departure just to get an extra bottle of Wolfsbane Potion.
The Wolfsbane Potion avable on the market couldn''tpare to the one from within Silverhand Johnny''s, and Lupin was doing everything he could to maintain his sanity while teaching students at Hogwarts.
He saved the one bottle of Wolfsbane Potion he received each month and used his own money to buy the cheapest version to get through the full moon.
Tommy turned a blind eye to his actions. After all, being a fellow werewolf, he knew Lupin was a good person and chose to wish him well.
"Thank you, Lord Silverhand."
The security team members, dressed in new clothes and equipped with protective amulets and magical rings, all had a different aura about them.
"Remus, you''re always wee back here."
John knew that werewolves don''tst long in other ces of employment. He instructed Mundungus, "Prepare three bottles of the best Wolfsbane Potion for him."
These three bottles were a farewell gift, and John didn''t ask where Lupin was heading.
Anyone who leaves me, I''ll give a million.
So how much could those who stay and work earn? Wouldn''t it be a billion?
Apuse from those who understood!
Lupin was full of gratitude; out of all the jobs he had encountered, John was the only one who truly treated werewolves as colleagues.
A copy of the Daily Prophet was delivered by an owl. John picked it up, and the headline was about a new ruler in Diagon Alley.
Of course, things like this usually weren''t supposed to be mentioned.
The editor, named Rita Skeeter, was notorious for being provocative. In her article, she referred to Johnny Silverhand as the "Second King,"paring him to a second ruler beneath the Ministry of Magic.
"She does write a good article, though."
John saw things in there that he had never done before, like chopping people up to feed to dragons or using Nifflers to steal from Gringotts.
He marveled, "She''s practically another great writer like Lockhart."
Reading with great interest, John even started to feel as if he were ruling the magical world.
"Oh? There''s an exclusive news preview?"
John noticed that Rita Skeeter had even more exclusive news.
"Unveiling the true face of the Second King, Johnny Silverhand: Is he a faceless man or an undead? Stay tuned."
Reading out the preview, John was a bit dumbfounded himself.
"Exclusive interview? Unveiling? Howe I didn''t know about this?"
A string of three questions, and John himself had no idea he had epted an exclusive interview.
He figured this was probably just Rita Skeeter making things up again, so he didn''t pay much attention.
He fed some fish snacks to Riddle, who was perched on the table with its round eyes wide open. Meanwhile, a beetle silentlynded on the windowsill. (Riddle is the ck cat from the previous chapter)
John stroked Riddle''s head, musing, "Public opinion is also a powerful force. Controlling it coulde in handy one day."
Never underestimate public opinion, especially in an era when the inte isn''t yet widespread.
Most people get their information from newspapers and television, particrly in the magical world, where ordinary wizards rely solely on newspapers and magazines to learn about what''s happening in the world.
As the undisputed leader, the *Daily Prophet* controls more than 90% of public opinion.
There''s also *The Quibbler*, which has decent sales, but unfortunately, most people treat it as a joke magazine.
John scratched Riddle''s head, making it narrow its eyesfortably.
The beetle at the window flew a bit further into the room, and a candle with eyes on the table lit up.
John noticed this and waved his hand, causing the window to m shut instantly.
The pupils in the eyes erged until they nearly took up the entire space, and John scanned the room.
He quickly detected the beetle.
The beetle tried to crawl out through a crack in the window. John picked up a brass paperweight from the table, transformed it into a bottle, and swiftly caught the escaping beetle, stuffing it into the bottle.
John stared at the bottle; he "saw" that the beetle had magic within it.
"An Animagus?"
Thinking of Transfiguration, John opened the bottle. As the beetle flew out, he immediately used his wand.
"Revelio."
The beetle flying through the air transformed into a woman wearing green clothes.
Her strange curly golden hair, paired with a long, sharp chin, gave her face an awkward appearance.
Her sses, extravagantly encrusted with jewels, sat crookedly on her face, which was painted bright red.
Rita Skeeter.
John looked at her in surprise, a sense of unease creeping over him.
Good thing he hadn''t taken off his mask, or tomorrow''s Daily Prophet headline might have been: "Shocking: Silver Hand Johnny Is Actually a Hogwarts Student."
Animagi are incredibly hard to guard against. If not for John''s enhanced perception and his Eye of Dragon, which was even more sensitive than a Sneakoscope, he might have beenpletely fooled.
Revealed, Rita Skeeter was filled with fear, her eyes behind the silver mask unnaturally dark.
John pointed his wand at Rita and said in a low voice, "Give me a reason not to feed you to a dragon."
"Honorable Johnny Silverhand, this is all just a misunderstanding," Rita replied, rubbing her hands awkwardly, as if trying to talk her way out of it.
John looked at her with a faint smile, and his wand shot out a white light that exploded near Rita''s feet.
"Ouch!"
"An unregistered Animagus... If the Ministry of Magic were to find out about this, it could be quite an interesting development."
"I-I was wrong, Lord Silverhand Johnny, please have mercy on me," Rita pleaded, filled with terror. She had relied on her Animagus form to dig up a lot of juicy stories over the years.
If the Ministry found out, the high-ranking officials she had offended would certainly send her to Azkaban.
She begged for mercy, and a strange glint shed in John''s eyes.
Kekeke
Talk about a stroke of luck~
This was the perfect person to control public opinion.
_____
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100: The Vigilant Dark Arts Museum?
100: The Vignt Dark Arts Museum?
Rita Skeeter begged frantically for mercy, hoping the man in front of her would give her a way out.
From the wandless magic just now and the way he forced her to reveal herself, Rita could confirm that she was no match for this person.
Despite all the bold ims she had written in her articles, when caught, Rita was more cowardly than anyone.
"Rita Skeeter, you''re a smart person."
Silverhand looked down at Rita from above. He opened a drawer filled with gleaming Galleons, making Rita mistakenly think John was going to bribe her.
"Do something for me."
The expression under the silver mask was unclear, but Rita knew that if she dared to refuse, it would be more painful than going to Azkaban.
Soon, the Daily Prophet featured a new "Lucky Wizard Grand Prize," a contest sponsored by Silverhand Johnny''s store.
For this, reporter Rita Skeetervishly promoted her interview results in the newspaper.
Lord Silverhand Johnny is a kind and approachable person who established the Little Wizards Foundation, specifically to provide free help to young wizards affected by curses.
Such a generous act was highly praised by many celebrities in the wizarding world.
Moreover, the real reason behind the poprity of Silverhand Johnny''s store was the prize money. It was like a Chocte Frog; every purchase of the Daily Prophet came with a chance to win.
The Daily Prophet''s sales instantly increased significantly.
The Lucky Wizard Grand Prize had three tiers: the first was the Galleon Prize, the second was the Sickle Prize, and the third was the Knut Prize.
On the very first day of the promotion, a wizard won the Sickle Prizeseven hundred Sickles, which was a substantial amount.
The Lucky Wizard Grand Prize was a huge hit.
An owl carrying a newspaper flew towards the Burrow.
...
Morning.
Arthur Weasley picked up his subscription to the newspaper and noticed the Lucky Wizard Grand Prize scratch-off ticket attached to it. He scratched it off and nced at it casually.
ng!
The cup fell onto the table, and the milk inside sshed all over him.
Hearing the noise, Molly ran out, ready to scold him, but then she saw Arthur Weasley staring nkly as he turned his head and said, "...I won."
"What?"
"Ha.. Haha.. Hahahaha I really WON!"
Not understanding what her husband was talking about, Molly was startled by Arthur''s suddenughter.
Ron, who had just woken up and was holding Scabbers, was also startled by theughter, causing Scabbers to wriggle free and run back to the bed.
George asked, "Dad''s gone mad?"
Fred replied, "Maybe he''s had too much Cheering Charm."
The Weasley twins exchanged a nce, as if asking each other when they had yed a prank.
Percy had already started to get busy this year, campaigning for student body president, and his studies were also quite demanding.
Once all the kids were gathered, Mr. Weasley excitedly announced the good news he had received.
"Seven hundred Galleons, by Merlin''s beard!!"
Molly covered her mouth in disbelief. The Weasley family had never had this much money before.
She wanted to hug Mr. Weasley and give him a big kiss, but all the kids were present.
"I want to use this money to go on a trip. What do you think about Egypt?"
After winning the prize, Arthur Weasley wanted to go on a vacation. It must be said that their family never had the habit of saving money.
Everyone in the family agreed with this decision. Even Percy, who hadn''t rxed his studies during the holidays, seemed a bit tempted.
Arthur Weasley suggested the trip mainly because he didn''t want his third son to be too stressed out.
Being the most responsible child didn''t mean he wasn''t deserving of some care and attention after all.
With the whole family in agreement, they began nning the trip.
As the person who personally handed out this grand prize, Rita Skeeter didn''t understand why such a generous reward had been given to the Weasley family.
This prize was printed on a single ticket; it might as well have had the Weasley family''s address written on it.
However, Rita didn''t dare to ask. She was now being ckmailed.
To ensure she wouldn''t spend the rest of her life in Azkaban, she had no choice but to listen to Johnny Silverhand''smands.
...
After winning the big prize, Arthur Weasley temporarily put aside his determination to take down the Malfoy family. A neat andplete family vacation was now the most important thing.
This gave the Malfoy family a moment to breathe. Lucius himself paid a visit to Johnny Silverhand.
When he saw the eyes beneath the silver mask, he couldn''t help but be a bit curious about the person behind it.
"Mr. Lucius Malfoy, I am very pleased that you''vee here," John said, seeing the father of his schoolmate, maintaining his enigmatic demeanor. He added meaningfully, "Even if you are a Death Eater~"
"Ah.." Lucius''s pupils constricted, his usual arrogance immediately disappearing. He was inwardly shaken, looking at John as if he were a trap set by the Ministry of Magic.
A strained, unnatural smile stretched across his pale face as he pretended not to understand. "I was indeed once controlled by the Imperius Curse from the Dark Lord, but that doesn''t mean I am"
"Lucius, there''s no need to be afraid."
John interrupted him as he walked toward Lucius, his footsteps neither too light nor too heavy, making sounds with each contact with the ground.
Lucius stood rigid, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, his entire body unusually tense.
John moved closer to Lucius, grabbing his left hand. At that moment, Lucius had already raised his wand, but then he saw those mysterious eyes.
"I don''t mind. In fact, I admire you," came a meaningfulugh from beneath the mask. Lucius felt as if all his secrets wereid bare.
John nced at the tightly gripped wand and chuckled softly. "Rx, I won''t tell anyone. On the contrary, I can give you everythingnot because you''re a Death Eater or due to the Ministry of Magic, but because of the Malfoy name."
Lucius''s grip on his wand tightened and then loosened, repeating three times before he finally couldn''t hold back anymore. With a hint of fear, he asked, "What do you want?"
Without hesitation, John answered, "A friend."
Those simple two words seemed unreal to Lucius.
The Dark Lord he followed had never uttered those words.
Seeing Lucius''s disbelief, John handed him the day''s edition of the Daily Prophet.
"Arthur Weasley won''t bother you for a while. That''s my goodwill gesture."
The newspaper revealed that the Galleon Prize had been awarded, and Arthur Weasley''s name was written on it.
So it was deliberately done by Silverhand..
Lucius, who had been tense, finally rxed. He stared into John''s eyes and asked, "You want me to be your friend, right?"
"Lucius, as a Malfoy, you should understand the importance of friends better than anyone else. Friends are your secondwork, beyond bloodlines. We help each other. Just as I helped you today, you will help me tomorrow," John said.
He waved his hand over a candle, extinguishing its me, and as he turned away, the candle relit. Extending his hand toward Lucius, John smiled and asked, "Isn''t that so?"
Lucius hesitated for a moment before grasping the younger man''s hand firmly. In a low voice, he said, "You''re right, Lord Silverhand. The Malfoys are willing to be your friends."
The connections between pure-blood families often involved intermarriage, binding each family to one another with aplex web of rtions. These bloodlines were like the branches of a great tree, each rtion a separate twig.
However, many of these branches had now withered. Of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, some were dead, some were broken; they were no longer as strong as they once were.
The new ruler of Knockturn Alley was willing to extend an olive branch. Lucius knew this was a tactic to draw him in, but he had no choice.
The position of the Hogwarts governor was too crucial; it was the best means for Lucius, a former Death Eater, to protect himself. Without returning to that position, he would be a thorn in the Ministry''s side, and the Aurors would stop at nothing to add another blemish to his record.
Lucius agreed, but then, with some doubt, he asked, "How do you n to deal with the Dark artifacts?"
John gave a mysterious smile and softly replied, "Do you know of a ce, other than the Ministry, where one can legally possess Dark artifacts?"
Seeing Lucius''s puzzled expression, John raised his hand and waved it in front of him.
A line of small green text appeared in front of Lucius:
"The Vignt Dark Arts Museum?"
Lucius was confused, but John exined that with this museum, even if you store the most dangerous items inside, the Ministry of Magic won''t bother you.
It was like how digging without a permit is called grave robbing, but with a permit, it''s called archaeology.
John had already applied to the Ministry of Magic for this Vignt Dark Arts Museum. His reasoning was sound: people needed to understand the dangers of Dark artifacts. You couldn''t expect everyone to know what Dark artifacts looked like.
So, there was a real need for this museum.
What''s that?
Dangerous?
So, should the Museum not have dangerous artifacts?
No, you''re mistaken~
How could people understand the severity of these dangers if the items weren''t dangerous?
As for what would be exhibited, well, that would be under his control.
If an item or two went missing, who would say anything? You could im it was stolen, or say the artifact was destroyed.
This was a good thing, and it would add another achievement to the current Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge.
Naturally, the Ministry had no reason to refuse. The newspapers would report on this, praising Lord Silverhand as a kind and great wizard.
And so, with Lord Silverhand leading the initiative, the first museum in the magical world was officially in the nning stages.
_________
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101: Level 4 Alchemy and Hermione’s Invitation
101: Level 4 Alchemy and Hermiones Invitation
Inside the Johnny Silverhand''s Speciality Shop, there was a room dedicated to John''s alchemy work.
"Yes! Alchemy has finally been upgraded." John shouted with satisfaction.
With the sessful creation of the "Heart of Silence," John had finally advanced to Level 4 in alchemy.
He ced the ne he was holding down on the table. This obsidian-like ne was part of the Silverhand Johnny''s "of" series.
The "Heart of Silence" had the effect of blocking any surrounding detection while also ensuring that no internal sounds could be transmitted outside.
During thest raid on the Shafiq Manor, they had relied on each person wearing a "Heart of Silence."
However, this item had a downside: after being used, the pendant on it needed to be reced.
The pendant was a very simplified version of a magical residue stone, a defective product John had created based on the handwritten notes of Nics mel.
Its only function was to store and release magic. The true "Heart of Silence" was actually in the chain itself.
"Level 3 alchemy was too low to create a Philosopher''s Stone. Now I should be able to upgrade to a higher version."
John had long since memorized Nics mel''s knowledge in his head. These things were quiteplicated, but as he continued to digest them, his alchemy skills would also improve.
Aside from this knowledge, Nics mel had donated all his other belongings.
Not only did this allow John to avoid the prying eyes of those with ulterior motives, but it also mainly ensured that John wouldn''t be obsessed with mel''s legacy.
It had to be said that Nics mel was a good teacher. As his sessor, John naturally intended to create a new Philosopher''s Stone on his own.
After some tinkering, a pale purple, pigeon-egg-sized stone appeared in John''s hand.
This was a so-called "magic stone"though it couldn''t be used to brew the Elixir of Life like the true Philosopher''s Stone, it could still perform some of the same functions.
"I''ll call it the Magic Crystal," John decided.
Holding the Magic Crystal in one hand, John ced his other hand on a spoon. Under his focused gaze, the spoon gradually transformed into gold.
In less than ten seconds, the spoon in John''s hand had turned into solid gold.
It was real gold.
John sliced the spoon open; the golden spoon was almost indistinguishable from genuine gold.
Opening his palm, he noticed that the color of the Magic Crystal had dimmed slightly. He estimated that about a tenth of its power had been consumed.
"If it were a real Philosopher''s Stone, this amount of power would be negligible. Looks like there''s still room for improvement."
John put the Magic Crystal away and casually tossed the golden spoon into a drawer.
He considered using some points to immediately upgrade his alchemy skills again, but after thinking it over, he decided to hold off for now.
Acting too hastily might lead to instability, so he resolved not to upgrade until he had solidified his current skills.
After leaving the cauldron room, John called over Tommy to give him some instructions. He then used the Disillusionment Charm to leave the Johnny Silverhand''s shop.
The Wick family had been staying in London for nearly a week.
At first, old man Watson Wick and Mr. Granger yed golf, but as they chatted, their friendship quickly warmed up.
It even reached the point where Mr. Granger and Watson both made some shocking revtions.
Yes, you read that rightshocking revtions.
This incident actually began on the third day.
Watson and Mr. Granger were enjoying some drinks and the river breeze, living quitefortably.
Mrs. Granger and Mrs. Wick were baking together and getting along very well.
But then, something dramatic happened.
A young woman, whom they had briefly met at the clinic earlier, reappeared and ran into the two old men.
The two old men, having had a few drinks, couldn''t resist and epted the young woman''s invitation for another drink.
Barely three minutes after they had settled onto the bar stools, Mrs. Wick and Mrs. Granger stormed in.
It''s said that the scene was extremely frighteningWatson almost lost the ceramic teeth he had just gotten fixed.
To ensure his friend wouldn''t get into trouble, Watson bravely took full responsibility, iming that the young woman was there to see him.
He fucked up..
This made Mrs. Wick furious, smiling as she prepared to enforce the family rules.
Seeing Watson''s loyalty, Mr. Granger and he exchanged a deep, meaningful look, and it was as if they could hear that ssic line:
"We may not have been born on the same day, but let us die on the same day."
The theme song yed:
"In this bow, joyous encounters with kindred spirits, the peach blossoms smile upon the sacrificial altar..."
And so... Mr. Granger also decided to make his shocking revtion.
He confessed about the young woman pursuing him and how she had repeatedlye to the clinic, which sent Mrs. Granger into a rampage.
The two wives teamed up to deliver a mixed doubles beating, which extended John''s stay in London to seven days.
Don''t get the wrong ideait wasn''t that the wives were too brutal, but that the two old men got hit by a car while trying to escape.
Fortunately, it was only a toy car, but because of this, the two brothers couldn''t keep their bnce, fell off the steps, and ended up hugging each other as they were sent to the hospital for a few days.
After their hospital stay, the two wives finally calmed down.
Neither of them had any desire to be mischievous, not even the nerve.
The young woman had took advantage of the chaos to escape, and the matter turned into a headless case.
...
Returning to his father''s apartment, this was the amodation in the London''s continental thepany had assigned to him.
''Don''t be fooled by how unserious Dad seemshe''s still an elite, after all.''
As soon as John entered the apartment, he saw his dad leaning on a crutch, struggling to open the fridge to get a beer.
"Dad, if you want to settle down here, you can do it without involving me."
Casually taking away the beer his dad had struggled to grab, John left Watson wailing behind him, his back turned indifferently.
Watson was full of resentment because, after some liquid courage from the beer, he had be a prime candidate for special monitoring.
"If you don''t behave, I''ll have Andre take care of you."
Those were Mrs. Wick''s exact words, and Andr was one of John''s uncles.
Watson had once witnessed Andr break a por tree with his bare hands. He''s an extremely tough person and was the one who suggested taking John into the mountains for hunting in the first ce.
With no beer to drink, Watson was left bored. Just then, there was a knock on the door.
Watson thought it might be his good friend Granger visiting. When he opened the door, it was indeed a Grangerbut it was young Granger.
"Hello, Mr. Wick, I''m here to see John."
Hermione, for once, didn''t have a book with her and had changed into casual clothes.
"John, of course~ He''s over there."
Watson said with deep meaning, leaving Hermione a bit puzzled.
When John learned that Hermione was looking for him, he came out as well.
"John, do you want to go out together?"
Hermione invited John, which was the first time she had asked a fellow wizard to go out.
John thought about it.
"Sure."
Since he didn''t have anything else to do, he decided to ept.
He initially thought they would go to a ce like Diagon Alley, but surprisingly, they ended up at a park.
No magic, no wizards.
This kind of park made John feel a bit dazed, as if it had been a long time since he had been to such a ce.
He casually plucked a de of grass, put it in his mouth, and sucked on it, tasting the slight bitterness of the greenery. John looked curiously at Hermione, who was standing beside him, and asked, "You seem to know this ce well."
"This was the ce I used toe to the most. You know, I wasn''t very popr."
When she said this, Hermione tried to act like she didn''t care, but there was a hint of sadness in her tone.
In response, John had a look of sudden realization. After all, she was the "know-it-all" girl; even Harry and Ron didn''t like Hermione when they first met her.
Come to think of it, John was Hermione''s first friend at Hogwarts, so Hermione always had a special feeling toward John.
That feeling wasn''t loveit was care.
Just like when Harry was suspicious of John, Hermione would stand up for John and even get upset with Harry.
She didn''t want her friend to be seen as a criminal, and John didn''t let her down.
When they reached a swing set, Hermione sat on one and was about to ask John to push her, but then she saw that John had already jumped onto another swing.
Seeing him having so much fun, Hermione was speechless.
After thinking for a long time, Hermione couldn''t help but ask, "John, why... were you willing to be my friend?"
The first time they met, the situation wasn''t exactly friendly.
John swung high into the air and, hearing her question, casually said, "Friendship is based on feelings, isn''t it?"
Hermione felt a bit frustrated.
Feelings?
''Is that why you said I have big teeth?''
Actually, Hermione had been feeling a bit downtely because she felt she hadn''t been able to help Harry much.
Ron could fly a car to rescue Harry from the Dursleys, but she felt like she couldn''t do anything.
Noticing her gloominess, John got off his swing and said seriously, "Hermione, you need to recognize your own value. You have a heart that''s honest and brave, and you also have, um, endless wisdom..."
"Ehm* Friendship is about our hearts being connected, not about the life-or-death things we do for each other."
Hearing John''s earnest words, Hermione felt relieved.
She gratefully said, "Thank you, John."
Looking up, she saw John already by the ice cream truck at the side of the road.
After hearing her, he turned around with a creamy ice cream in his hand and asked what vor she wanted.
Hermione replied, "...I want strawberry."
__________
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102: Werewolf Community
102: Werewolf Community
John paid for the ice cream.
''Hmm.. Maybe I should exchange some money?''
Looking at the few British pounds in his hand, John felt he might have been too focused on the magical world.
The great Johnny Silverhand had almost been unable to pay just now.
In July, John returned to Privet Drive.
He stopped by to knock on the Dursleys'' door.
When Vernon Dursley saw John, he was furious but didn''t dare say anything.
Dudley quickly hid, frightened. John acted as if he didn''t notice and handed Vernon therge watermelon he had bought.
"Is Harry upstairs? Sorry to bother you."
John''s polite manner left no room forint, so Uncle Vernon could only grumble, "Yes, he''s upstairs."
Vernon''s beady eyes stared at John, seemingly wondering when he could get rid of him.
After John''s previous threats, the Dursleys had stopped mistreating Harry.
Although they still asionally said a few things, they no longer dared to lock him up.
John walked upstairs and heard some low murmuring.
Harry was writing a paper on the history of magic when John knocked and entered.
Harry was pleasantly surprised to see John. He had tried to visit John, but unfortunately, Sir Johnny Silverhand was busy in Knockturn Alley at that time.
"Harry, want some ice cream?"
"John!"
John took out an ice cream, neatly packed in a box, from his small bag.
"Stop shouting and eat before it melts."
Harry, a bit bewildered, epted it and asked, "Did.. did youe just to bring me ice cream?"
"Of course... not." John rolled his eyes. Did he look like a food delivery guy?
With a casual wave of his hand, the open door closed by itself.
Harry''s eyes widened when he saw this trick. Although he knew there was some gap between him and John, he hadn''t expected it to be this vast.
While he was still learning how to cast spells with a wand, John could already perform wandless magic.
Coming up to Harry, John pulled out a pair of gloves from his small bag and put them on.
"What are you doing?" Harry couldn''t help but ask, seeing John''s serious demeanor.
John replied, "Last time you mentioned your scar was hurting. I want to investigate it."
While others might not know, John was well aware.
As the seventh Horcrux, Harry had a piece of Voldemort''s soul inadvertently split within him.
John had seen quite a few books on the subject of souls in the Slytherin and Gryffindor chambers. The soul is an extremelyplex entity.
During the era of the Four Founders, wizards had various fields of study.
Researching souls wasn''t considered unusual back then. However, nowadays, anything rted to souls has be taboo.
Many studies involving the soul are now deemed illegal, so with such a rare and interesting subject at hand, John naturally wouldn''t let the opportunity pass, would he?
Fully prepared, he donned his anti-curse magical gloves and reached out to touch Harry''s scar.
The scene was somewhatical, with Harry looking like a scared kitten.
In his view, John was overly enthusiastic. He had only casually mentioned it once, but John remembered it to this day.
While eating his ice cream, Harry let John fiddle with his scar.
After a bit of examining, John confirmed there was indeed a very powerful spell present within it.
Rather than calling it a spell, it would be more urate to describe it as a curse.
''Because of ''love'', perhaps.''
John fell into deep thought.
As the greatest miracle of this century, the protective charm of ''love'' on Harry was something even Voldemort couldn''t break.
This charm would always protect Harry, as even being possessed by Quirrell resulted in him getting burned just by touching him.
"John, are you done yet?"
Seeing John deep in thought, Harry didn''t dare move. The ice cream in his hand was almost melting.
"If I could just cut it open..."
Hearing John''s mutterings, "W.. What!" Harry broke into a cold sweat and quickly said, "C..Calm down, John, I''m not a guinea pig."
"Alright."
John looked a bit disappointed. If he could study the structure of a Horcrux, he might have a way to deal with Voldemort.
"If it hurts again, let me know."
Knowing that Harry''s pain was connected to Voldemort, John reminded him with concern.
Harry nodded like a chicken, worried that John might once again want to cut him open.
...
After returning home, John began working on forging a new weapon.
For this, he set up quite a bit of equipment, melting down one silver sickle after another mixed with mithril.
A sword made of pure silver floated in the basement.
"The currency of the wizarding world is forged by goblins, and it contains the unique magical ripples of goblin forging."
John manipted the molten silver, adding various metals to it.
After some time, the de cooled down, and John began to polish it.
He took out dragon blood and started engraving runes on the de.
"The Sword of Iron Wick was corroded by Basilisk venom. After reforging it, this sword now carries that venom... Noice!"
The Sword of Iron Wick had already been dismantled by John, and its materials were incorporated into this new sword.
This increased the weight of the de significantly.
After re-inscribing the enchantments on the sword, John ignited a me.
Under the high heat, the silver sword showed no signs of melting.
This meant John''s sword was a sess!
Swoosh! Swoosh!
"Hmm.."
"Although it''s not as good as the Sword of Gryffindor, it''s still a magical artifact."
He swung it a few times, leaving some space on the de forter additions of more enchantments.
This sword could now be considered an upgraded version of the Sword of Iron Wick in every aspect.
"I''ll call you SilverWick."
Satisfied, John nodded and ced the SilverWick into his small bag.
This small bag truly lived up to its reputation as a creation of an alchemy master. The Undetectable Extension Charm inside was stable, and the space was veryrge.
...
At night.
John put on a silver mask and donned a green robe.
With a wave of his wand, John''s body vanished and reappeared in Knockturn Alley.
Apparition had made John''sings and goings much easier.
Tommy Shelby was already waiting there, apanied by a hunched old man.
With a crack, John appeared in front of them.
The old man trembled with excitement, attempting to kneel.
John nced at Tommy, who exined, "Master, this is Old Jack from the werewolfmunity. He hase here seeking your help."
''Werewolfmunity?''
Wasn''t Fenrir, the one whose arms'' souls John extractedst time, the leader of the werewolfmunity?
John spoke in a deep voice, "State your request."
Old Jack''s voice was hoarse as he said, "Honorable Mr.No! Lord Silverhand, we seek your protection. With Fenrir gone, the werewolves have scattered, leaving only the weak and elderly among us."
It turned out that after John dealt with Fenrir that day, the werewolves in themunity fled in all directions.
They were all individuals with blood on their hands, and if they were caught, they would only end up in thepany of Dementors.
Old Jack and the others, the weak and elderly, were the lowest tier of the werewolfmunity. Without protection, they were now at risk of being exterminated by dark wizards.
With no other choice, they had to seek help from the one who started it all.
After listening to Old Jack, John first turned to Shelby to confirm the truth of the situation.
"Master, Old Jack''s group consists of frail werewolves. They don''t have the strength to kill a wizard," Tommy exined.
Hearing this, John nodded. He looked at the nervous Old Jack and said calmly, "I ept your plea for help. In return, I need you to manage the werewolfmunity well."
Werewolves were a formidable force, and currently, the werewolfmunity was filled with many young werewolves bitten by Fenrir.
If John could guide them properly, they would be a powerful force in the future.
Old Jack was overwhelmed with gratitude. He stammered, "Thank you so much, Lord Silverhand. May Merlin bless you."
A few dayster, the body of a dark wizard was thrown out from the werewolfmunity.
The symbol of Silverhand Johnny rose above the werewolfmunity, causing those dark wizards to flee like startled birds.
Not only that, but John also provided themunity with a monthly supply of Wolfsbane Potion to help the young werewolves avoid the pain of the full moon.
This move once again boosted Silverhand Johnny''s reputation.
Even "The Daily Prophet" sought an exclusive interview with him, conducted by none other than Rita Skeeter.
"Hi, Miss Skeeter~ I hope there won''t be any strange interpretations," John remarked.
John nced at Rita, causing her to shiver in fear.
"Y-Yes Sir Silverhand!" She quickly nodded and promised to write a proper article.
An article titled "The Great Phnthropist Sir Silverhand Johnny" was published in the newspaper.
It stated that Silverhand Johnny''s wish was for world peace and for all young wizards to never experience hunger again.
Rumor has it that Rita even suggested to the editor-in-chief that Sir Silverhand should receive a "Phnthropist of the Year" award, but the editor-in-chief refused.
________
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103: Level 4 Runes and Ancient Magic
103: Level 4 Runes and Ancient Magic
Thud!
An owl crashed into the window. Without even looking, John knew it was the Weasleys'' old owl.
Opening the window, John grabbed the owl and took the letter from its beak.
"Going on a trip to Egypt, right?"
Ron wrote in the letter to tell John that his whole family was going on a trip to Egypt and to apologize for having to postpone the invitation to the Burrow.
"If you hadn''t mentioned it, I would have forgotten about this."
Back in their second year, Ron had invited John to the Burrow, but John had forgotten about it after returning home.
He thought Ron wouldn''t invite him anymore, especially since he was thinking of using Scabbers for an experiment.
Percy also sent a letter, thanking John for helping him get the position of Head Boy and subtly mentioning that he wanted to work at the Ministry of Magic in the future.
"Looks like he seeded. The Ministry of MagicI remember he did quite well there."
As the Weasley family''s odd one out, Percy could be said to have maxed out his bureaucratic skills.
From prefect to Head Boy, and thenter on to working at the Ministry of Magic.
Each step had a clear goal.
John chuckled, "In that case, why not give you a little help?"
He took out a quill and wrote a letter to Bartemius Crouch Sr. After observing and learning more about him, John knew he was someone worth forming a close rtionship with.
If nothing else, Bartemius Crouch Sr.''s act of delivering justice to his own son was something John greatly admired.
With Percy''s remarkable talent, Bartemius would likely be very interested in him.
After handling his daily correspondence, John picked up a copy of the Daily Prophet.
Themotion surrounding Lord Johnny Silverhand was gradually dying down. The opening of a museum dedicated to vignce against the Dark Arts seemed to suggest that Johnny Silverhand wasn''t the kind of extremely greedy dark wizard people feared.
Now, the newspaper''s front page featured a familiar face: Gilderoy Lockhart.
He had won Witch Weekly''s "Most Charming Smile" award for the sixth time, and the newspaper also covered Lockhart''s new book.
<"My Adventures with a Great Sword at Hogwarts"> became a sensation in the wizarding world upon release and has topped the bestseller list for three consecutive weeks. Gilderoy Lockhart''s time at Hogwarts has added a brilliant chapter to his legendary life.
John had to admit that Lockhart was quite a talent. As long as his secrets remained hidden, Lockhart was undeniably the top celebrity in the wizarding world.
This book quickly became a hit throughout the magicalmunity. Although it was a bit exaggerated in parts, Lockhart was very clever this time; he chose a dual protagonist approach.
One protagonist was a handsome and powerful wizarding professor, paired with a prodigiously talented, legendary student of Hogwarts.
The events in the book were also based on true stories: the teaching moments, the basilisk, and finally, the big reveal at the end.
The plot progression was excellenta masterpiece, even.
"I, John Wick, am willing to call it the strongest of his works!"
"Maybe I could do a little more to promote him."
Not using such a cash cow would be a waste of the top celebrity status.
John stroked his chin, thinking he should give this a little nudge.
He took out paper and pen and sent a letter to Rita Skeeter.
With the Daily Prophet''s influence, Lockhart could continue creating miracles.
Of course, he wasn''t helping out of pure goodwill. John was earning money from Lockhart''s book, after all.
Johnny Silverhand had secured the rights, and John and Lockhart split the profits 60-40.
Properly managing this book would be quite a lucrative ie for John.
He headed to the basement.
This ce hadpletely be John''s domain. Many dangerous objects were stored inside, so he would always lock it up whenever he left.
After a day of absorbing knowledge and practice, John''s proficiency in runes had sessfully leveled up.
Runes [Level 4]!
John reopened Goblin Forging Studies; now he could understand everything inside.
It had to be said, the goblins'' ability to thrive in the wizarding world wasrgely due to their unique and magical forging techniques.
"Goblin magic..."
Looking at the goblin magic described in the book, John fell into deep thought.
This type of magic, also known as ancient magic, has a very old origin.
It dates back to before the time of the Four Founders when goblins were not yet under the jurisdiction of wizards.
Goblin magic does not rely on wands; it''s like an innate form of magic.
"Ancient runes are also a form of ancient magic; no wonder it requires knowledge of Runes."
Carefully reading through the knowledge in the book, John attempted to use the goblin methods for forging.
"Channel elements into objects to construct natural magic circuits... Hmm.."
Wearing a magic crystal, John extended his hands forward.
With his concentrated thought, a whirlwind suddenly formed in the enclosed basement.
"Wind elements."
Fixing his gaze on the whirlwind, John continued to hold his breath in concentration. Under his control, the wind spiraled continuously, moving toward a magical ring on the table.
At the moment of contact, the magic ring was triggered, and a Petrification Curse narrowly grazed John''s cheek.
The wind element dissipated.
"Looks like I need a few more tests."
John frowned deeply. This Goblin Forging involved ancient magic, and it was incredibly difficult.
Did he have to follow Gryffindor''s lead and directly find goblins to forge a sword?
Even if he wanted to, all the goblins were in Gringotts now, and whether they even had the craftsmanship was a big question.
Gryffindor back then had sought the Goblin King to create his sword, and that level of craftsmanship was certainly not something an ordinary goblin could possess.
Thinking of this, John couldn''t help but sigh, feeling a bit weary. "Still have to rely on myself."
He summoned the panel to check and saw there were two remaining skill points yet to be used.
"Oh!?"
A new skill had also appeared in the skills section.
"Mastery of Ancient Magic?"
The newly appeared skill was only at level 1, and upgrading it further was not yet possible.
The skill was grayed out, indicating that John needed to umte more knowledge.
"To level up again, I need to gather more ancient magic knowledge."
John stared at this skill; it delved into a knowledge area he was not yet familiar with.
After all, he didn''t even know what counted as ancient magic, so asking him to learn it was quite a tall order.
Putting this matter aside for now, John finished reading Goblin Forging in its entirety.
The book wasn''t too difficult for him anymore. In terms of alchemy and runes, he could certainly be considered an expert.
"Although this book records some knowledge of goblin forging, it''s notprehensive."
Closing the book, John rubbed his brow.
"Sigh.."
It seemed he had to change direction once again.
Hopefully, there would be books in the Restricted Section that could help him.
Regarding ancient magic, he could visit the chambers of the two founders. They were the oldest figures John knew of. If nothing was there, he would have to trace back to the era of the Peverell brothers, the Wealders, and probably the real creators of the Deathly Hallows.
Over the next few days, John spent all his time in the basement.
He gradually mastered three other elemental magics besides wind: fog magic, water magic, and fire magic.
Wind magic could enhance perception, fog magic could obscure one''s form, water magic could summon streams, and fire magic could conjure mes.
The application of all four magics could be performed without a wand, which was a great achievement for John.
...
"Tom, do a backflip. Good boy!"
"Oh my God! That''s amazing! How did you train this dog?"
"Oh, it was nothing special, just some casual training."
Some guests were visiting the housefriends from his dad''s business circle. To make a better impression, the guest brought along a kid who was about the same age as John.
However, when John saw the arrogant, self-important look on the kid''s face, he felt like he was babysitting. It was so unbearable that he used Tom as a distraction and quickly slipped away.
"Ah, fresh air," John sighed, standing by the roadside and breathing in the freedom. He swore he''d never want to entertain any more spoiled brats.
It was almost worse than negotiating money matters with a Mundungus.
He muttered to himself, "Compared to that kid, even Draco seems well-behaved."
Spoiled children were everywhere, and John had no interest in dealing with them.
As he wandered aimlessly along the roadside, he noticed a ck dog.
The dog looked like it hadn''t eaten in days. Even through its thick fur, John could see how emaciated it was.
He admitted the dog wasn''t exactly a looker, but being a sucker for fluffy little ones, John pulled out a pack of dried fish snacks.
"Hi, Buddy Buddy~ Been hungry for a while, huh?"
The ck dog was staring off in a particr direction and seemed a bit startled when it heard John''s voice.
A ck-haired boy had brought him some dried fish snacks. Although these treats didn''t exactly seem like dog food, being a big dog that hadn''t eaten for a long time, he devoured them without hesitation.
Seeing the way the dog ate, John felt a bit of sympathy.
As he petted the dog''s head, John muttered to himself, "I wonder where you came from. Stray dogs aren''t usually allowed around here."
The big ck dog looked rather shabby, but its fur was surprisingly nice.
John kept rubbing its head, getting a little addicted to the sensation.
Completely unaware of the bewildered expression in the dog''s eyes...
____________
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104: The Godfather?
104: The Godfather?
The guests at home had finally left, and Tom was panting heavily, with some fur missing from his tail.
The spoiled kid from that friend''s family saw that Tom could do a backflip and threw a tantrum, demanding to take Tom home. Even his parents couldn''t do anything about it.
They even said something like, "The child is still young, and we are willing to pay to buy the dog."
Mrs. Wick directly shut that down.
This was her son''s dog, after all, a gift she had given him.
In the end, the brat was scared off by Mrs. Wick''s "friendly" smile.
Because Mrs. Wick was holding a kitchen knife, the kind even Watson couldn''t stop.
John came back, and Tom, suddenly full of energy again, ran over.
As he got closer, Tom suddenly halted, his big dog eyes filled with confusion.
Not quite believing it, he sniffed around John again, then started barking loudly.
It was as if he was saying, "You''ve been with another dog!"
John looked at the sulking Tom and thought, "I just petted another dog for a bit, and you could tell?"
He picked up the grumpy Tom and spoke with the tone of a scoundrel, "I was just fooling around with it, nothing serious. I''d never actually keep another dog."
"Woof, woof."
Tom seemed skeptical, but his wagging tail betrayed his true feelings.
After calming Tom down, John took out some dog food and began feeding him.
A snowy owl flew onto the top of a cab and hooted a couple of times, clearly indicating that it was hungry too.
"Where have you been hiding just now?"
John took out some dried fish to feed the snowy owl, then brought it down from the cab.
Returning to the attic room, John saw another snowy owl sitting inside.
"Eh?... You''re Basil... so who are you?"
John silently looked at the snowy owl in his hand. As soon as Basil saw John with another snowy owl, he immediately pped his wings and took flight.
"Wait a minute, this feather color... Could you be Hedwig?"
John was a bit confused, and Hedwig gave a hoot.
He walked over to the window and looked towards the Dursleys'' house. The window on the second floor was open, indicating that Hedwig had flown out.
"Hmm? That big ck dog is still there?"
Noticing that the big ck dog was still squatting by the roadside, John was puzzled. Could this dog have an owner?
Basil approached Hedwig, who tilted her head in curiosity. Before Hedwig could react, Basil quickly gave her a swift wing p.
John was staring out the window and didn''t even notice that the two snowy owls were about to start fighting.
By the time John noticed, the two snowy owls were already pping each other with their wings.
"Ok, stop now.."
Separating them, John had no choice but to take out double the amount of dried fish.
Finally, they stopped fighting.
After a while, John saw Harrying out to look for Hedwig.
From the attic, he shouted, "Harry, over here!"
Harry looked up and saw John standing with Basil.
He replied, "John, have you seen Hedwig?"
Just as he finished speaking, another snowy owl appeared at the window; the two snowy owls looked almost identical.
"Hedwig!"
Harry was overjoyed and quickly ran to the Wicks'' front door.
It was Mrs. Wick who opened the door. This beautiful and elegant woman looked like high society nobility, which made Harry a bit nervous.
"Harry,e in. Oh, by the way, could you secretly turn my teacup into a mouse for me?"
Watson Wick, upon seeing Harry, immediately remembered his glory days as the Canary Wharf Car God.
Watson''s eyes twinkled as he secretly pulled Harry aside and whispered, "I swear I won''t show it to anyone else, just keep it at home as a pet."
".. A.. um.."
Harry was taken aback when he heard this.
He thought Mr. Wick had too high an opinion of himhow could he possibly perform such advanced Transfiguration?
He quickly shook his head and said, "Sorry, Mr. Wick, I don''t know any magic that advanced, and besides, we''re not allowed to do magic outside of school."
"Not allowed to do magic outside of school?"
Watson looked surprised. His son was always tinkering with things at homewasn''t that considered doing magic?
Watson was so enthusiastic that Harry couldn''t handle it, so he hurried upstairs.
The Wicks'' mansion was much bigger than the Dursleys'' house.
John lived there alone. There was a dog bed and a birdcage; it almost felt like a zoo.
But none of this prevented John from looking like a noble young gentleman in the midst of it all.
As Hedwig munched on some dried fish, Harry thanked him repeatedly.
John noticed that the big ck dog outside was goneprobably left.
"It''s perfect timing you came by. I was just about to give you your birthday present."
On the table was a wrapped gift box, which John handed to Harry.
Harry eagerly took it and asked, "Can I open it?"
"Of course, it''s for you."
John gave Hedwig a piece of dried fish. Who knows how long this owl had been flying today; she looked like she hadn''t eaten for days.
In front of John, Harry opened the gift.
Inside was a bottle containing a ck powdery substance. Harry shook it in his hand, and the powder danced around inside the bottle, with shimmering particles that looked like stars.
He had never seen anything like this before, so he asked curiously, "What is this?"
"It''s something to prevent spying. Sprinkle this powder around, and it will alert you if someone''s eavesdropping."
John then took a small amount from the bottle and flicked it out. The powder floated in the air before eventually settling on the door.
ncing at the door, John called out, "Dad, are you bringing us some drinks?"
Watson, who had been eavesdropping behind the door, was caught off guard. He opened the door, holding a tray of drinks, ced them down quickly, and then hurried back out.
John shrugged, sealed the bottle again, and casually said, "See? Just like that."
Harry''s eyes lit up, and holding the bottle, he excitedly asked, "This is amazing! What''s it called?"
At this moment, he was thinking that he''d never have to worry about Uncle Vernon eavesdropping again.
John thought for a moment; this thing didn''t have a name yet. Off the top of his head, he said, "Let''s call it Stardust."
Harry took Hedwig and headed back home.
...
August.
John went to Diagon Alley.
Recently, Johnny Silverhand didn''t need to show up too often since his name itself was a symbol of mystery.
John walked into a fortune-telling shop to buy a crystal ball for divination. The crystal ball seemed to be filled with white mist, and after several attempts, John failed to induce any predictions.
"As expected, this isn''t something that''s easy to learn," he muttered to himself.
Shaking his head, John set the crystal ball down, treating it like a marble in Johnny Silverhand''s office. Just as he flicked the crystal ball with his finger, there was a knock on his door.
He quicklyposed himself, sitting up straight, and said in a deep voice, "Come in, my friend."
The door opened to reveal the same oily, pale blond hair. John was momentarily confused when he saw who hade inboth of them were here.
Lucius Malfoy had brought Draco Malfoy along.
From young Malfoy''s face, John could see a hint of nervousness.
Clearly, when faced with the mysterious Lord Johnny Silverhand, young Malfoy was still somewhat inexperienced.
Lucius walked over, a smile still on his face.
"My friend, Lord Johnny Silverhand, it''s been some time since west met."
John had resolved the risk of Lucius potentially getting his home raided by the Ministry of Magic. Additionally, Lucius had caught wind that some influential wizards were quite vocal about Dumbledore''s decision to expel Malfoy.
Given the Malfoy family''s reputation, it wasn''t hard to guess why these wizards were speaking up. The reason was clearly the man standing before himJohnny Silverhand.
So, when Lucius came this time, his face was full of smiles.
He no longer doubted Johnny Silverhand''s abilities and wanted to further strengthen their connection.
"This is my son, Draco Malfoy," Lucius said, giving Draco a gentle nudge on the back.
Draco stepped forward and said, "It''s an honor to meet you, esteemed Lord Johnny Silverhand."
This scene made John start to wonder what Lucius was up to. What kind of game was Lucius ying?
Lucius then revealed his purpose for the visit with a smile. "I hope my son could have the honor of bing the godson of Lord Johnny Silverhand."
"What?"
If the mask were removed, the Malfoy father and son would have certainly seen the shock on John''s face.
Draco''s godfather?
Me?
John''s head was spinning.
Wow, Lucius, you sure have some nerve!
John thought to himself, ''I''m actually Draco''s ssmate. If this happens, how will we handle things in the future?''
I call you Draco, and you call me godfather?
At the same time, John understood Lucius''s intentions. He wanted to further solidify the rtionship between the two families.
After all, just being friends wasn''t enough to make the Malfoy family feel secure. Compared to friendship, the title of godfather conveyed a closer bond.
"I understand your desire to deepen our connection, Lucius," John said in a serious tone. "However, this might not be quite appropriate."
Lucius looked surprised; he hadn''t expected John to refuse.
Draco''s heart sank. His father had told him that this prominent figure was crucial to the future of the Malfoy family.
"Lord Johnny Silverhand, Draco is a good child," Lucius insisted.
"I know, Lucius. I know better than you," John replied.
After saying this, John silently added in his mind, after all, we''ve been ssmates for two years.
Lucius found it strange. How did Johnny Silverhand know Draco?
It wasn''t just LuciusDraco was also confused.
Fortunately, John continued, "I see a desire to do great things in this child''s eyes. Lucius, you''re crushing that quality. It''s a rare trait, like a pearl hidden in the dust."
''A desire to do great things?''
Lucius carefully observed his son. Does my son really possess such a quality?
_____
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105: Daughter spending father’s wealth on her lover
105: Daughter spending fathers wealth on her lover
Lucius scrutinized Draco for a moment, but he really couldn''t see it.
John continued, "He will be a powerful wizard, one who doesn''t need to rely on his forebears. He will achieve things on his own that will make you proud."
After all, saying a few nice words doesn''t cost anything, so Johnid it on thick.
His voice was low and slightly raspy, like an ancient bard reciting a timeless bad.
"He has someone he needs to follow, a person who will change everything. That person is like a star in the sky, illuminating the entire wizarding world."
Draco was moved by these words, and John''s image filled his mind.
Johnny Silverhand seemed to see through everything.
He stared at Draco, and with deep meaning, asked, "Child, do you choose to follow that person, or do you want to spend your life under someone else''s protection?"
Draco struggled internally but eventually looked determined. He said, "I''m sorry, Lord Johnny Silverhand. I really have someone I need to follow. Although he isn''t as powerful as you, he is someone worth following."
"Draco?" Lucius''s eyes widened. He felt something was off with Draco.
John raised his hand, stopping Lucius from saying anything further. He stood up, walked over to Draco, and mysteriously said, "I''m looking forward to it."
The immense pressure made Draco take a deep breath. He nodded seriously and said, "That day wille."
John nodded in satisfaction, relieved that he didn''t have to take on Draco as a godson.
To prevent Lucius from causing more trouble, John took out a few letters.
"These are letters from the pure-blood families that will be sent to Hogwarts. By this Christmas, you will be reinstated as a member of the Hogwarts Board of Governors."
Lucius perked up at this. As long as he regained his position on the board, the Malfoy family would remain as prestigious as ever.
"But..
There is one condition."
John''s deep eyes met Lucius''s as he calmly said, "You must not get too involved in the management of Hogwarts. This position on the board is just a title."
Lucius''s face darkened; this wasn''t what he had in mind.
"You need to learn to be satisfied. You know the person you angeredhe is regarded as the most powerful wizard of the century and the most loved headmaster in Hogwarts'' history."
John scolded him, "You should know that even the Dark Lord wouldn''t want to make an enemy of him."
These words made Lucius''s heart tighten. It felt as though all his thoughts wereid bare before this man.
Dumbledore''s years of keeping a low profile had made people forget that he was once the man who fought against two generations of Dark Lords.
There can be two Dark Lords, but there can only be one White Wizard.
Lucius suppressed his dissatisfaction, understanding that the Malfoys needed to keep a low profile in theing days.
Lucius and Draco left, and John maintained his mysterious demeanor. After they left, he too fell into deep thought.
"From Lucius''s attitude, it seems he isn''t aware of Voldemort''s current condition."
As a former Death Eater, Lucius would have been summoned by Voldemort if the Dark Lord wasn''t so weak and incapable of doing so.
This was good news.
Like always, John couldn''t remember exactly what happened during the third year, but if Voldemort decided to cause trouble during this period, he certainly wasn''t prepared for it.
"Whatever, if troublees, Harry will handle it, and Dumbledore will deal with the rest."
John pushed these concerns out of his mind.
Casting a Disillusionment Charm on himself, he left the Johnny Silverhand shop.
Finding a secluded corner, John used Apparition to return home.
He was getting increasingly skilled at Apparition.
The daily trips to Knockturn Alley had significantly improved his proficiency, and he figured it wouldn''t be long before he reached level 3.
John walked out of the basement and searched the house for Tom, but couldn''t find him anywhere.
"Basil, where''s Tom?"
Basil was dozing in his designated spot, eyes half-closed. Upon hearing the question, Basil nced toward the window.
John walked over and saw that short-legged dog outsideit was indeed his dog. Next to him was that stray ck dog he''d encountered before.
"Last time, you were jealous, and now you''re ying together," John muttered with a look of disbelief.
He watched as his little short-legged dog, Tom, waspletely outmatched by the long legs of the big ck dog. The two dogs seemed to have be fast friends.
"Could it be because that one''s a male dog?"
John stroked his chin thoughtfully as his gaze shifted to the big ck dog.
He remembered that Tom was female. (A/N: Yeah.. WTF?!)
Could it be that she was getting older and looking for a mate?
"Sigh, Tom, you and that dog have no future together, especially considering... well, the size difference. And by that, I mean the leg size."
Looking at the stark difference in their physiques, John wasn''t optimistic about this romance.
He thought mournfully, "Is this really going to be one of those tragic love stories between a dashing stray with long legs and a sheltered house dog?"
Since that seemed to be the case, he decided to let them be for a few days.
After all, he''d be heading back to school soon, and once they were separated, Tom would likely forget all about it.
Shaking his head, John decided not to worry about the two dogs.
...
Meanwhile, Sirius ck was hiding out on Privet Drive, evading the Ministry of Magic and the Dementors.
He was certain of one thing: ever since he saw that newspaper, he knew without a doubt.
That coward wasn''t deadhe was hiding.
He had been hiding in fear for 12 years, living as a rat in some family''s home.
Sirius was furious, filled with anger and resentment. He was so agitated that he wanted nothing more than to devour that rat.
Once, there had been four Marauders, three of whom had helped each other be Animagi, only for one to repay them with betrayal, selling out everyone.
"Woof, woof?"
The big ck dog''s expression wasplicated and deep, something Tom couldn''t quite understand. She wagged her tail and spun in circles.
Sirius, in his dog form, looked at her and remembered the taste of the dried fish he''d eaten.
After spending 12 years in Azkaban, then swimming across the sea to reach Harry, he''d had nothing but garbage and bugs to fill his stomach.
Something like dried fish was the best thing he had tasted in 12 years.
Drool dribbled from the corner of his moutha pitiful sight for the once-wealthy heir of the ck family.
Seeing his drool, Tom immediately realized he was hungry and quickly ran back toward the house on her short legs.
A little whileter, Tom dragged out a big bag of dog food.
Though it wasn''t dried fish, it still made Sirius''s eyes light up.
As the dog food spilled out, Sirius lowered his head to eat, and to his surprise, he found a piece of jerky!
''There''s even a steak! This is amazing!''
Sirius devoured the food, nearly brought to tears by the taste.
...
Watching his own dog eagerly fetching food, John couldn''t help but imagine a daughter secretly supporting a lover, spending money left and right.
"Wow, I never thought you were this kind of daughterI mean Dog."
John stared at the big ck dog outside, wondering if he should have it neutered to prevent it from causing trouble with other people''s pets.
"Is this the canine version of a heartthrob?"
After letting his thoughts run wild for a while, John shook his head and stopped thinking about it.
But now, he had a new daily task: observing from the attic as Tom brought food and drinks to the ck dog. The way Tom did it so freely, without a care, made John feel frustrated.
He stepped on a book that had just tried to bite him, bent down, and picked up The Monster Book of Monsters. His fingers brushed along the spine, causing the book to emit a satisfied sound, softening its aggressive nature.
"Hagrid chose this as a textbookare we sure there won''t be any incidents of students getting bitten?"
John stared at the book. Hagrid had written to him, asking for his help in testing out the new textbook.
What John hadn''t expected was that Dumbledore would appoint Hagrid as the new Care of Magical Creatures professor.
Ever since it was revealed that Voldemort had been behind the events of the Secret Chamber and the girl''s death fifty years ago, Hagrid had been exonerated and was finally able to live without the shadow of false usations.
"Justice may be dyed, but it never fails to arrive. Yet, can justice that''s dyed still be called justice?"
Fifty yearshow many fifty-year spans does a person have?
Not everyone is Nics mel. Hagrid, wrongfully expelled, had his life consumed by the passage of time. If it hadn''t been for Dumbledore''s unwavering support, Hagrid might have ended up as nothing more than a shell drained by Dementors.
Fortunately, Hagrid remained passionate. During those fifty years, he continued to pursue his love for magical creatures.
Dumbledore must have recognized this and gave Hagrid this new role as a form ofpensation.
Having never been a professor before, Hagrid immediately thought of John. As the Assistant in Defense Against the Dark Arts, John was seen by Hagrid as someone with plenty of experience.
Looking at the list of teaching ns Hagrid had sent him, John shook his head in exasperation.
"st-Ended Skrewts and the like... can we not just stick to something more visually appealing?"
John felt a headacheing on.
In Hagrid''s eyes, all magical creatures were cute and beautiful, but for the students, it wasn''t the same.
At least, st-Ended Skrewts were far from what anyone would call ''cute.''
John had no choice but to take up his quill and rewrite a list of magical creatures more suitable for the students.
Afterpleting everything, he looked up, feeling a bit tired.
"Now I just want to lie down and do nothing for theWHAT THE FUCK!?"
And that''s when he saw a giant balloon floating in the sky.
________
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106: There’s a Balloon in the Sky
106: Theres a Balloon in the Sky
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______
"A useless,zy, good-for-nothing liar, he..."
"He was not!"
Harry trembled with rage at Aunt Marge''s words. He couldn''t let anyone talk about his father that way.
"More brandy!" Uncle Vernon, sensing the danger of the situation, poured the remaining liquor from the bottle into Aunt Marge''s ss. He roared at Harry, "Go to bed! Now!"
"No, Vernon."
Aunt Marge gulped down the brandy, letting out a loud burp.
Her bloodshot eyes locked onto Harry''s, and she poked at his scar. "Go on, boy. You proud of your parents, eh? Died in a car crash, didn''t they?"
Harry couldn''t take it any longer. He stood up, shouting, "They did not die in a car crash!"
Vernon''s face went pale. His stubby fingers twitched as he tried to stop Marge from speaking further.
But it was like someone had flipped a switch. Harsh words continued pouring out of Marge''s mouth.
She insulted Harry, calling him a burden on the family, a rude, ungrateful brat.
As she spoke, her body began to swell.
Terrified, she looked down to see her body inting like a balloon, and soon enough, she started floating into the air.
Uncle Vernon screamed in terror as he watched Aunt Marge inte and float away. He tried to grab onto her to stop her from drifting off, but he nearly got pulled up himself.
The Dursleys were inplete chaos, and Harry had had enough.
He grabbed his belongings, taking just a few seconds to pack up and move to the door.
Uncle Vernon noticed and tried to stop him, but Harry, still furious, pulled out his wand and pointed it at him, threatening, "She brought this on herself. Get out of my way!"
After seeing what had just happened, Uncle Vernon didn''t dare stop him.
Dragging his suitcase behind him, Harry walked several blocks before finally calming down.
He copsed onto a low wall on Magnolia Crescent,pletely drained, gasping for breath.
He was lostwhere could he go now?
Using magic on a Muggle outside of school, he might now be hunted by the Ministry of Magic, possibly thrown into Azkaban(?)
He sat there, frozen with uncertainty, for a full ten minutes.
Nervous, anxious, unsure, confused
His emotions swirled inside him like a mess of spilled spicessweet, sour, bitter, and saltymaking him hang his head in despair.
He thought sadly, "Maybe I''ll be a fugitive, wandering alone in the dark Muggle world."
Harry thought about Ron and Hermione.
No matter what happened, his friends would definitely help him, even if he had broken thew.
Because of Aunt Marge''s visit, Harry had sent Hedwig to stay at Ron''s ce for a few days, which meant he had no way of contacting anyone right now.
He felt utterly miserable.
"Harry, it seems like things are pretty lively on your end."
A voice suddenly rang out, and Harry jerked his head up.
John emerged from the shadows, holding a can of fish snacks for some reason.
Seeing Harry so dejected, John raised an eyebrow and said, "Are you nning to run away from home?"
"John, II think I''m about to be a fugitive."
Seeing John, Harry realized he lived nearby and had probably seen the whole mess unfold. Defeated, Harry said, "I was hoping you could lend me some money so I could escape further away."
"Don''t be ridiculous, Harry. But you do need to calm down a bit."
John looked at him with an exasperated expression.
"Why don''t youe to my home?"
Harry was the Chosen Oneno way would the Ministry throw him in Azkaban over something this small.
"John.. I have gotten many warnings from the ministry and what I just did now.. I-I don''t wanna drag you in my mess.. I think I''m going to live my life as a fugitive.."
"Ok, Harry, Sigh" John walked up to Harry, set down the fish snacks, and said, "Don''t be so down. You''ll be fine. Just find a ce to wait for a while. The Ministry might send you a letter."
"Don''t worry about me.. I-I''ll somehow manage."
Seeing that Harry clearly didn''t want to go back, John thought for a moment and suggested, "If you don''t want to return, you can stay at the Leaky Cauldron for a while. I''ll handle the rest! Ok?"
"Alright, ..maybe you''re right," Harry said, feeling slightly better after beingforted. He remembered how in second year, Dobby had knocked over a cake, and the Ministry had sent him a warning.
John patted Harry on the shoulder and pulled out a pouch of Galleons from his bag.
Harry''s eyes went wide with shock. "Uh... this is way too much, at least a hundred Galleons," he stammered, scratching his head.
John rolled his eyes. ''You''ve got a mountain of gold sitting in your family vault, and you''re acting like a pauper here?''
He tossed the pouch to Harry, who clutched his chest, nearly winded by the heavy bag.
"Oh, gotta do something about that balloon!"
John turned and headed toward the Dursleys'' house. With someone as big as Aunt Marge floating around in the sky, he needed to take care of things before other Muggles noticed.
After John left, Harry finally caught his breath from under the pile of Galleons. Watching John disappear into the distance, Harry felt a warm glow in his heart.
But suddenly, he felt a chill creeping up the back of his neck.
Confused, he nced toward the darkened street behind him. At the far end of the road, there seemed to be something lurking there.
"Lumos."
Harry''s wand lit up, momentarily dazzling him. He raised it higher to ease the re, finally able to see more clearly.
Across the road stood arge ck dog, almost bear-like in its size.
A wave of panic hit Harry. Just as he tried to get a better look, he stumbled and fell.
"Ow!"
Suddenly, a loud rumble approached.
Beep beep!
Blinded by the intense headlights, Harry shielded his eyes with his hand, peeking through his fingers to see what wasing.
It was a purple, triple-decker bus. A young conductor, about seventeen or eighteen, stepped off. He hadrge, protruding ears.
The conductor looked at Harry, who was sprawled on the ground, and asked curiously, "What are you doing sitting on the floor?"
Harry quickly nced back across the street, but therge ck dog had vanished.
...
Screams, barking, and chaos ensued inside the Dursley household, like a bull had stormed through their living room.
Marge was still floating high in the sky, dangerously close to being swept away by the wind. Just then, a snowy owl swooped in, gripping her cor and trying to guide her back down.
John stood at the Dursley''s front door, giving it a light knock.
Judging by themotion inside, it seemed they were too preupied to answer.
With a simple wave of his hand over the door handle, there was a soft *click*, and the door unlocked itself.
John walked into the house, and the chaotic noise abruptly stopped as if someone had hit a pause button.
"You dare show up here! You lot" Vernon Dursley roared furiously. John frowned, and with just a nce, Vernon swallowed the rest of his sentence.
At that moment, outside, Marge was being dragged back down by Basil, the owl.
Seeing this, the Dursleys hurried over to help her.
"Fix her! Now!" Vernon barked, still in the habit ofmanding Harry.
But then he realized he was talking to John, who was now standing with an amused look on his face.
John spoke calmly, "If you''d received a proper Muggle education, you''d know when it''s time to be polite."
Vernon''s face turned a deep shade of purple as his lips trembled. Finally, he managed to force out a few words, "Please... help her."
"That''s better," John said, raising an eyebrow. He pointed a finger at Marge.
It was as if a balloon had been popped. Marge''s body deted rapidly, shrinking back to normal size. She copsed to the ground in shock, her hair inplete disarray. Even her bulldog couldn''t snap her out of her terrified stupor.
Just as John finished, a loud crack echoed from outside, and two figures appeared: a man and a woman.
It was the Ministry of Magic officials.
Upon arrival, they first saw John, then the terrified Marge.
"You''ve arrived. I believe there''s a Muggle here who could use some memory modification for a particrly... stimting experience," John said, turning around with a smile, as if the whole situation had nothing to do with him.
The male official eyed John suspiciously and asked, "Are you a Hogwarts student?"
"No need to thank me for sparing you the trouble of searching," John replied, pointing to Basil the owl. "If you could bring along two cans of fish snacks for my owl, it''d be much appreciated."
The two officials were a bit stunned. They had meant to interrogate him, but somehow, John had twisted the situation into them owing him thanks.
Of course, they knew this wasn''t Harry Potter. The Ministry had been alerted to Harry performing magic. John''s presence didn''t exin much, and to make things even more confusing, John credited the whole situation to Basil.
In the end, the Ministry officials erased Marge''s memories, an act that left the Dursleys trembling in fear. To them, it seemed as though the Ministry was turning Marge into a mindless idiot.
After handling everything, the two officials left.
But John didn''t!
He casually sat down on the sofa, with Basil perched on his shoulder.
"Now, Mr. Dursley, could you exin to me why Harry was so angry?"
He smiled slightly, and Vernon Dursley swallowed hard.
This child was clearly the same age as Harry, but he exuded the same level of intimidation as wealthy officials who abused their power through money.
_________
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107: Silverhand Angel Investment
107: Silverhand Angel Investment
As the head of the household, Vernon reluctantly stepped forward and carefully said, "It was Marge. We identally brought up some things about Harry''s parents."
"identally?" John nced at him.
Vernon quickly corrected himself, "There may have been some... unpleasant words involved."
He cautiously looked at John''s face, but saw no sign of anger.
John sighed. No wonder Harry was so upset.
In Harry''s mind, his parents were perfect and the best people. Today, under those circumstances, he was provoked and unknowingly released magic, causing Marge to inte.
And it was wandless magic, which only confirmed John''s theory that magic is closely tied to emotions.
John sat on the sofa, tapping his fingers on the armrest.
As the Dursleys watched in fear, everything that had been thrown into chaos earlier seemed to be tidily restored, as if by invisible hands.
John''s gaze turned deep as he looked at Vernon and calmly said, "It seems you have some misunderstandings about wizards."
Vernon wanted to deny it, but seeing John''s eyes, he decided to stay silent.
Leaning his head back on the sofa, John said coldly, "You seem to think wizards are nothing more than street magicians, ying cheap tricks to fool people."
"Wrong," John said calmly. "With just a flick of a wand, a wizard can easily demolish a house or send your car careening off a cliff."
Vernon gasped, staring at John with wide eyes. His voice trembled as he asked, "But students aren''t allowed to perform magic outside of school, right?"
"Yes, and no."
John chuckled softly. "It''s not unheard of for students to drop out of Hogwarts. Do you think that once a wizard leaves school, they cease to be a wizard?"
He stared directly into Vernon''s beady eyes, enunciating each word slowly: "Mr. Dursley, I''m not trying to scare you. But you''re provoking Harry, pushing him down a path that could turn him into a murderer."
"Gasp!" Vernon''s mind buzzed with panic. He had never liked Harry, but he hadn''t realized things could be this serious.
"Today, if Harry had been less rational, you might not have lived long enough for me to arrive. Life is fragile. Why would you provoke a wizard with such a terrible attitude? You could have been good family to him."
At the mention of "family," Petunia Dursley squeezed Vernon''s hand tightly. Harry was her sister''s child.
When Voldemort killed Harry''s parents, she had lost her sister too.
Though she had always envied her sister''s magical abilities, Petunia had never considered abandoning Harry.
Now, hearing John''s words, conflicting emotions surfaced, making her realize the gravity of her actions.
Vernon, drenched in cold sweat, was shaken to his core. Yes, when Harry had pointed the wand at him earlier, he had felt as if his heart might stop beating.
"That''s all I have to say, Mr. Dursley. Sorry for the disturbance."
Seeing that they had finally understood the need to change their attitude toward Harry, John stood up and left the Dursley household.
On his way back, John once again spotted therge ck dog.
He sighed internally, ''Really? After I just gave you some fish snacks, you''re back again?''
He took out hisst fish snacks, ced them on the ground, and fiddled with the now-empty tin. "That''s it, no more."
The big ck dog stared at John for a moment before approaching and gobbling up the fish treats.
John gave the dog a pat on the head and headed home.
Sirius ck, in his animagus form, had observed the scene clearly. This guy was one of Harry''s friends... a very good friend.
Chewing on thest bits of fish snacks, Sirius mulled over how he could capture that traitor.
...
There was less than a month of summer vacation left.
John lightly nudged the crystal ball, and it rolled off the desk and onto the floor.
Tom, noticing this, immediately dashed over, attempting to pick up the ball with hisher mouth.
"It seems young wizards are quite enthusiastic, after all," John mused, eyeing the growing pile of letters on his deskall addressed to the generous "Johnny Silverhand."
The Little Wizards Foundation, besides covering the cost of Wolfsbane Potion for young wizards cursed with lycanthropy until theye of age, still had arge portion of its funds unused.
Now, with the "Johnny Silverhand" store bringing in a steady stream of ie from the sales of Lockhart''s books and other profitable ventures, the amount of money had grown to a staggering figure.
Since the money wouldn''t multiply by just sitting there, John decided to use it to boost Johnny Silverhand''s reputation.
He created a program that offered young wizards the chance to fulfill their dreams. As long as you had a good enough idea, Johnny Silverhand''s angel investment would sponsor your startup.
This initiative became a huge help to many aspiring wizards who dreamed of starting their own ventures butcked the initial funding. Letters flooded in from all over the country, addressed to the Johnny Silverhand Speciality store.
To manage the influx, John set up a dedicated letter-receiving window.
Every time Basil flew over to John''s house, he carried arge sack of mail.
John picked up a letter, and when he saw the address on it, he paused for a moment.
"Fred and George?"
What a coincidencethese two dreamers were actually his schoolmates.
Knowing their boundless imagination for invention and creativity, John opened the letter with interest.
Inside, it was one of the rare instances where the twins were being serious. It seemed they were in real need of this money.
"A joke shop, huh? That''s actually a pretty great idea."
John picked up his quill, dipped it in ink, and began writing a reply to the Weasley twins.
"But even if we''re schoolmates, I still need to inspect the goods."
Just as he was about to send Basil off with the letter, John remembered that the brothers were currently on vacation in Egypt.
"Never mind, I''ll send it after they return."
Setting the letter aside, John continued going through the other mail.
Hermione had gone to France and even sent a photo from Paris.
John nced at it. Hmm, she seemed a bit tanner, but it could just be the camera angle.
"Looks like Damocles Belby finally came out of his research."
Seeing the response from Damocles, John opened the letter and took a quick look.
Damocles was indeed very intrigued by the research John had sent him earlier. He had been holed up in hisb ever since, and now that he had made some progress, he was eagerly inviting John to his manor again.
John, of course, didn''t refuse. Using Apparition, he quickly arrived at Belby Manor.
He was greeted by the Belby family''s house-elf, who respectfully led him into the manor.
When Damocles finally appeared, John was startled.
"Don''t drink too many stimnts," John said.
Damocles Belby''s ears were emitting smoke like a steam train, and heavy dark circles lined his face, as if he hadn''t slept properly in months.
"John! Come Come!"
But even in this state, nothing could dampen Damocles''s enthusiasm.
He grabbed John''s hand, dragging him over to see his research results.
"You''re an absolute genius! The Blood Cursesomething that''s gued wizards for centuriesand you''vee up with a way to break it," Damocles eximed, his eyes wide as if they were about to pop out.
John looked at his creation: a vial of blood-red potion.
"Without an actual Blood Curse victim to experiment on, I had to rely on principles from the Wolfsbane Potion," Damocles exined.
If he had known the Blood Curse himself, Damocles would have likely tried the curse on someone just to test it out.
"The Blood Curse is a hereditary curse. It''s incredibly dark, and there''s no known way to break it," John said as he picked up the blood-red potion, noticing the foul stench emanating from the crimson liquid.
"I''m more interested in its hereditary nature," John remarked, putting down the potion and ncing at Damocles. "Magic dies with the caster, but the Blood Curse isn''t bound by that rule."
...
Once Damocles had calmed down, exhaustion hit him like a tidal wave. He yawned widely and, after trying to stay awake for a bit longer, eventually copsed onto the floor, snoring loudly.
John stared at Damocles, who seemed like he was going to sleep for quite a while.
As John was about to find a ce to wait, a strange light shimmered in his eyes.
His vision shifted, transforming into a scene of a dense, ancient forest. A faint, elusive chanting echoed around him, drifting in and out of his awareness.
"What''s going on?" John''s body tensed as the sounds around him gradually morphed into something he could understand.
"I''m here."
A shadowy figure flickered before his eyes, and John widened his gaze, trying to focus.
It felt as if his body was being yanked by an invisible rope, simr to the sensation of traveling through an Apparition tunnel.
He was pulled backward and upward, farther and farther. Just as he was about topletely leave the strange vision, John caught a glimpse of floating silver threads ahead.
Summoning all his strength, he reached out and grabbed one of the silver threads, jerking himself downward.
Everything vanished in an instant, and he found himself back in the Belby manor.
"Haah.. Haah..."
John leaned against the table, panting heavily, trying to steady himself. He focused on his right hand, where a silver thread was still connected, its other end disappearing into the void.
"What was that?" John muttered in confusion. He felt something in his hand and looked down to find... a book.
On the open page of the book, there was a detailed entry about the Blood Curse.
At the same time, a notification appeared in his mindhis mastery of Ancient Magic had leveled up.
Focusing on his newfound knowledge, John realized that the voice from earlier sounded familiar. As he thought about it, it reminded him of the words in Goblin Forging.
"Ancient magic, huh."
His fingers lightly brushed over the page describing the Blood Curse, and John''s expression shifted with intrigue. That voice... it had been an ancient call, mncholic, and distinctly feminine.
"Well, no harm in checking it out," he said to himself, gripping the silver thread in his hand tightly. But it seemed that the ce it led to wasn''t within his country''s borders.
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108: Albania and the source of Call
108: Albania and the source of Call
The silver thread slipped from John''s palm and started pulling in a specific direction.
He tightened his grip, and the thread remained still in his hand, though he could feel a faint force tugging at it.
"It''s guiding me," John muttered.
After a moment of consideration, he left the Belby estate and Apparated. The moment he activated Apparition, the pull of the thread in his hand grew stronger.
Then John did something incredibly reckless.
He didn''tplete the Apparition. Instead, he let the thread pull him wherever it wanted to go.
The sensation was strange, his body being stretched andpressed in all directions. Slowly, he felt himself being drawn into the thread.
His body raced through an unknown dimension, enduring the pain of this rapid eleration.
With a loud pop, John finallynded, glowing with a faint silver light. The thread in his hand began to dissolve.
He took a look around and said, "Fuu~ I can say for certain, I''ve just illegally entered another countryUrg! Uwack!"
The wild and untamed surroundings made it clearthis wasn''t anywhere in his homnd.
The primitive forest surrounded John, emphasizing how remote this ce was.
It was his first time using Apparition for such a long-distance journey, and the intense nausea hit him hard. He gagged, his mouth opening as he dry-heaved a few times.
"Haah.. This scene looks exactly like the ce I saw before," he muttered.
After a while, he recovered.
He fixed his gaze on a forked tree. In his earlier vision, this tree had appeared as well. The figure he saw had hidden there before disappearing.
Carefully approaching the tree, John''s pupils dted, the ckness in his eyes spreading.
In his sight, tiny chaotic particles of magic shimmered on the tree, just a few, scattered here and there.
"Is this ancient magic?" he wondered.
Once he was sure there was no immediate danger, John reached out to touch the particles.
As soon as his hand made contact, the chaotic particles transformed into a snake, biting his palm.
He recoiled quickly, inspecting his hand. A faint, dark wound was left behind, barely noticeable unless examined closely.
"Highly aggressive," he murmured.
After some trial and error, he conjured a small orb of water at his fingertips and wrapped it around the chaotic particles, containing them.
"Only goblin magic, which is also ancient, can control this," John muttered.
Three drops of water, each encasing one chaotic particle, swirled around his hand.
He grabbed one of the orbs and softly whispered, "Point me (poineme)."
It was merely an experiment, but to his surprise, the water droplet in his palm pointed in a specific direction.
John followed the direction indicated by the orb, noticing that the underbrush thickened as he progressed.
asionally, strange magical creatures scurried away, either from the sides or from the trees above.
"Damn. If Hagrid were here, he''d be thrilled," John thought with amusement.
At one point, a Red Cap attempted to ambush him, aiming for his knees, but John swiftly kicked it away.
After some time, the orb in his hand suddenly exploded.
"Out of magic?" he remarked.
Picking up the next orb, he repeated the process.
By the time thest orb had also burst, John had been walking for nearly another hour.
Finally, he saw an exit ahead a small wooden cabin.
Noticing the absence of any light inside, John paused for a moment before casting a Disillusionment Charm on himself.
As he approached the cabin, he heard faint noisesing from within.
It sounded like arge snake hissing and flicking its tongue, apanied by a chilling, sucking noise that made John''s skin crawl.
"Nagini!"
The voice made John pause.
Thest time he''d heard it was in his first year, in the Chamber of the Philosopher''s Stone.
Hoarse, cold, like the feeling of a stone slipping down your spine in the dead of winter.
John instinctively gripped his wand tighter and crept closer to the wooden cabin.
The cabin, once someone''s home, had likely now be a tomb for its previous owner, reduced to little more than bones.
Through a crack, John saw himVoldemort, the Dark Lord who once terrorized the magical world.
But now, he was grotesque, an unnatural monstrosity, lying weakly on top of a twelve-foot-long serpent, Nagini.
Voldemort was surviving on venom, barely clinging to life.
He was so weak, so vulnerable, that a single thought crossed John''s mind.
''Kill him.''
The thought, once there, surged like a flood, unstoppable and overwhelming.
He had once defeated Voldemort when he possessed Quirrell. He had beaten Tom Riddle, the student form of the Dark Lord.
John thought to himself: perhaps he could kill Voldemort now.
Now, perhaps he could alter the entire course of historychange the future of Hogwarts and prevent the many battles toe.
''Kill him.''
''Kill himKill himKill himKill himKill himKill himKill himKill him''
The thought became unstoppable, flooding John''s mind.
His eyes locked onto the grotesque figure that was Voldemort.
The wand in his hand was ready to unleash a Killing Curse or Fiendfyre, to erase the Dark Lord from existence forever.
Merlin''s First-ss Order, future White Wizard, the esteemed Johnny Silverhand, savior of the magical world.
These visions of the future flickered through his mind.
John''s heartbeat quickened as he raised his wand, pointing directly at the abomination.
Just as he was about to strike, John''s vision shed with colors.
...
"Fiendfyre!"
John cast the spell decisively, and crimson mes instantly engulfed the entire wooden cabin form outside.
He saw Voldemort''s angry roar, and the big snake wanted to get out but the outside was surrounded by Fiendfyre.
Fiendfyre turned into a fire dragon and entered the cabin window.
The moment it entered, Fiendfyre touched a barrier and turned into a green me snake to devour John.
...
Beads of sweat covered his forehead as John realized his fate. The thoughts flooding his mind vanished instantly.
"There''s an incredibly advanced rebound curse on it."
John was filled with fear. If he had actually attacked, the rebound curse would have severely harmed him.
At the same time, he realized that his state of mind earlier had been off, much like when Harry had been influenced by the diary.
Without making a sound, John retreated, realizing he had almost fallen into the Dark Lord''s trap.
Luckily, his ability to foresee the future saved him. Otherwise, he might not have walked away from this.
Once he had retreated far enough, John fixed his gaze on the small cabin.
His pupils darkened as he saw the cabin was flowing with chaotic particles.
''Could these be rted to Voldemort?''
John couldn''t recall Voldemort ever using ancient magic, but given the Dark Lord''s talent, it wouldn''t be surprising if he had mastered it.
As he observed further, he noticed that the chaotic particles were noting from Voldemort but were instead emanating from the snake.
"Nagini" After muttering the snake''s name, some fog cleared from his mind.
"..I somehow remember it was destroyed by Neville as a Horcruxter."
Staring at the giant snake, John suddenly heard a voice in his ear.
~~"I''m here, save me."~~
The voice was sorrowful, filled with pain and sadness. John looked in surprise at therge snake, which showed no signs of anything unusual.
The voice seemed to being from inside the snake, as if someone was trapped within.
"Voldemort''s magic, or..."
John recalled that it was after touching the book on the Blood Curse that he first heard the call. He nced at the giant snake.
Could it be that this was a victim of the Blood Curse, transformed into a cursed serpent?
The Blood Curse could turn a person into a snake, granting them a power simr to that of an Animagus, but with the risk of being consumed by that very power.
If his guess was correct, the snake''s original form should be human.
The Blood Curse was ancient, and it seemed to align with the characteristics of ancient magic.
"So, you were the one calling me here."
John gazed at the serpent, falling deep into thought.
This snake was destined to be one of Voldemort''s Horcruxesor perhaps it already was?
Under such circumstances, taking the snake away seemed to be filled with challenges.
"Hmm, Should I go back and get help?"
As soon as the thought urred, John immediately dismissed it. He had no idea where he was, and if he left, it would likely be difficult to return.
Right now, he was all alone, and across from him was the formidable Voldemort.
The chances looked slim.
"It''s not my style to let such a rare piece of ancient magic material slip through my fingers."
John was torn. The system hadn''t issued any specific task, and he wasn''t sure whether to take the risk or not.
"Ok! Judging from the earlier magical summons, this giant snake probably goes out to hunt or to carry out tasks for Voldemort. Once it leaves, things will be much easier."
In a word, he decided to wait.
Since he couldn''t make a move against Voldemort, his only option was to bide his timewaiting until Nagini left the hut.
"If it doesn''t leave within a week, I''ll just bail."
Setting himself a time limit, John began his long wait.
Fortunately, he had brought along his small pouch, packed with snacks like dried fishoriginally meant for feeding owls but now doubling as his rations.
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109: Capturing the Big Snake and Conversation
109: Capturing the Big Snake and Conversation
Time is a strange thingit slips away unnoticed, yet sometimes, it feels incredibly slow.
After three days, John was starting to lose patience.
During these days, he constantly had the urge to rush over to the small hut and cast Fiendfyre or a sting Curse. It was as if something had crawled into his brain, persistently pushing him to go in and cast a spell.
"This is really getting annoying."
Annoyed, John pouted and distracted himself with studying to stave off the restlessness.
He pulled out his book on runes, asionally casting a Disillusionment Charm on himself.
"Ah!?!"
Finally, on the sixth day, he saw the giant snake slither out.
His eyes locked onto the snake as it left the small hut.
"This distance isn''t enough."
Estimating the distance, John needed to be within ten steps of the snake tounch an attack.
He also had to make sure he was far enough from the hut to avoid triggering the rebound curse inside.
Tapping his wand against a tree trunk, John cast a supersensory charm, expanding his awareness to a hundred meters.
Nothing, not even the slightest rustle, would escape his attention now.
Silently, he waited for the snake to move far enough from the hut''s range.
Chaotic-colored particles fell wherever the snake passed, but these particles didn''tst long, most of them staying within the snake''s body.
"Mist."
John opened his right hand, puffed up his cheeks, and blew out a breath.
A thin, misty fog, like the haze after rain, silently rose in the forest. This was mist magic.
Hidden within the fog, John used his supersensory charm, allowing him to track the snake''s position clearly, even without sight.
He took to the air, silently flying above the snake.
Even in the mist, the snake was quite familiar with the path it had traveled hundreds of times.
It snapped up a lost rabbit, swallowing it whole, fur and all.
"Um.. So brutal, nothing like that delicate, sorrowful voice I heard before."
Seeing the snake''s savage behavior, John couldn''t connect it with the soft, weak, and pitiful voice from earlier.
Continuing to follow the snake, they arrived at the three-pronged tree where John had firste. Along the way, the snake devoured small animals, and even a Red Cap wasn''t spared.
It asionally let out hissing sounds, but without Parseltongue, John had no idea what it was saying.
"This spot should do."
John calcted the distance. Even if Voldemort noticed and rushed over, he wouldn''t make it in time.
John silently took out a pair of anti-curse gloves from his small pouch and put them on. Then, he retrieved a bottle of ck powder.
This powder, as it happened, had been a gift from Quirrell, back when he had tried to convince John to fully be a Death Eater, by sawing off the horn of a unicorn.
For a pure creature like a unicorn, any persecution would trigger a powerful curse throughout its body. Drinking the blood of a unicorn could help one cling to life, while its horn could put anything into a deep sleep.
Carefully, John sprinkled a bit of the powder onto the snake, using wind magic to direct it gently over Nagini.
The ck powder was nearly invisible. Without the benefit of enhanced perception, it would have gone unnoticed.
As the wind-borne powder touched the snake, inside the wooden cabin, the deformed Voldemort suddenly opened his eyes.
"Someone has discovered Nagini."
"No!!!"
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Voldemort realized that Nagini had fallen into a deep sleep and immediately used what little magic he had left to cast a curse.
John nced in the direction of the wooden cabin. The curse shot toward him like aser, sending a chill down his spine.
In the blink of an eye, he dove down to the now-sleeping snake. Grabbing Nagini by the tail, John swiftly performed Apparition.
The two figures, tangled together, vanished with a loud crack, disappearing just before the deadly curse struck.
The forest ground cracked open, and Voldemort''s strikepletely altered thendscape in that area.
Yet, despite his power, Voldemort still failed to stop John.
Inside the cabin, Voldemort let out a furious roar, and any animal that heard the sound instantly had its life snuffed out.
...
Outside the Belby Manor.
Crack!
With a loud bang, arge snake was tossed to the ground.
John looked pale. His Apparition skill was only at level 2, and making such a long-distance trip while carrying a snake had thoroughly exhausted him.
As he escaped, he also heard Voldemort''s scream. That voice struck his very soul, as if it was trying to crush his mind.
"Haah.. motherfucker.."
"No wonder he''s the second-generation Dark Lord. Even without a wand, he''s still incredibly dangerous."
John''s expression was full of apprehension as he thought about Tom Riddle. Even as a fifth-year student, the young Voldemort had already disyed the power of an Auror.
It was hard for him to imagine just how powerful Voldemort had been at his peak.
Perhaps, if not for Dumbledore, Voldemort might have already taken over the magical world.
After narrowly escaping death, John''s heart was racing, despite having faced Voldemort a few times before.
Grabbing the snake by the tail, he dragged it toward the Belby Manor.
Damocles Belby was still a bit frustrated. He had only taken a nap, and when he woke up, John had disappeared.
They were supposed to achieve sess togetherwhat if John took all the credit and ran off?
The thought made Damocles panic a little. To him, losing honor was worse than death.
"Better act fast, get the results out there first, so he can''t steal the spotlight."
Damocles''s blood magic potion hadn''t been tested yet, but to protect his own glory, he began writing letters.
After several revisions, just as he was about to send out his results, John returned.
"Mr. Belby, is there a dungeon or something around here? Preferably one with warding spells."
"AhJohn! Oh Merlin, you nearly killed me!"
John looked quite strange at the moment.
His hair was tangled with grass and leaves, and although it hadn''t rained, his clothes were damp with dew.
But most of all, the odd thing was what he was dragginga twelve-foot-long snake, its condition unknown, being hauled into the manor.
"Wait, John, what''s going on?"
Belby was so surprised he forgot all about the letter in his hand. He watched as John, who had abruptly left, returned, and he wanted to question him about where he had been.
But John gave him no chance, so Damocles swallowed his curiosity and led him to the Belby family dungeon.
John tossed the massive snake inside and reinforced the dungeon with protective barrier magic.
Damocles was utterly confused by what he was seeing.
"Phew... finally done. Now we have the material for our experiment," John said, wiping nonexistent sweat from his forehead.
He nced at Damocles, who was dressed in a cloak, holding a fancy cane, and apparently about to head out. "Are you going somewhere?" John asked, puzzled.
"Uh... it''s not urgent," Damocles mumbled nervously as he tucked the letter away.
Suddenly, what John had said earlier dawned on him. "Wait, did you just say... experiment material?"
"Un-ha" John casually nodded while asking a house-elf to prepare a cup of thick, sweet hot chocte. "It''s a victim of the Blood Curse."
"What?!"
Damocles''s initial n to question John was immediately forgotten. His eyes lit up as if he had just struck gold. Without any fear of the slumbering snake, he rushed into the dungeon.
He began eagerly examining the snake from head to tail, as if trying to uncover all the secrets of this rare Blood Curse victim.
"I suspect that this blood-cursed wereperson has already transformed, but it seems that some part of her soul still remains intact. We might be able to start from there," John exined.
Taking the steaming cup of hot chocte from the respectful house-elf, John took a sip. The overly sweet taste would have been unappealing to him before, but now he drank it inrge gulps without hesitation.
As the warm hot chocte flowed down his throat, John''s paleplexion finally began to improve.
"Why is this snake still asleep?" Damocles Belby noticed something odd. Despite all the noise andmotion, the snake showed no signs of waking up.
"Gulp~ Ahh~ mutch better~ Ehm!"
John quickly finished the rich, sweet chocte and nonchntly replied, "Oh, I used a method simr to the Sleeping Charm. It''ll probably stay asleep for a few months."
"A few months?" Damocles asked suspiciously.
John coughed awkwardly. "Well... maybe two or three months."
"You must have cast the Sleeping Charm on it dozens of times!" Damocles eximed in shock.
Even a dragon would fall into an eternal slumber with that many Sleeping Charms cast on it.
This was John''s first time using ck Unicorn powder, so it was understandable that he hadn''t been able to control the dosage perfectly.
He defended himself, saying, "It works out perfectly. This way, we can test it thoroughly."
Damocles thought about it and agreed. Considering the size of this snake, it was certainly no docile creature. Testing it while it was unconscious would likely be much easier.
Seeing that Damocles was convinced, John let out a small sigh of relief.
''Hmm?''
At that moment, a thin strand of silver light floated in front of John''s eyes. He was momentarily stunned, noticing that the strand was connected to the snake''s body.
As he reached out to touch it, that same sorrowful, gentle voice echoed in his mind once again.
~~"Help me... end my suffering."~~
The sorrowful voice seemed filled with despair.
John paused, thinking for a moment before trying to respond in his mind, ~~''I''m working on it.''~~
His voice traveled through the silver thread and into the snake''s body. The owner of the voice seemed to hear him.
Her voice trembled with disbelief. ~~"You... can hear me?"~~
~~''Yes, I can. So please, don''t give up. I''m trying to help you break free from this curse.''~~
John''s voice softened, realizing that the snake''s deep sleep must have allowed this voice to emerge.
Each blood-cursed creature was a tragedya victim of fate, burdened with a destiny they hadn''t deserved.
With a solemn tone, John said, ~~"Trust me."~~
Those two words, though spoken by a young voice, carried an innate sense of trustworthiness.
Nagini''s nearly shattered soul seemed to stir with a new-found strength, and she spoke again.
~~"Who are you?"~~
~~'''' They call me Wick, John Wick.''''~~
As soon as the words left his lips, the silver thread in his hand disintegrated and drifted back toward the snake, ending their conversation.
John stared at the scattered silver light in his hand, like a fragment of a broken soul.
Ethereal, beautiful, and tragic.
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110: The Road to Redemption
110: The Road to Redemption
[Ding, task triggered: Path of Redemption. Reward: +1 AP, Blessing: Soul Walker]
The system triggered a redemption task for breaking this blood curse.
This made John even more invested in the matter.
August 21st.
"Add in some fire ash snake eggs, let''s test the blood curse potion this time."
Although John knew breaking an ancient curse wouldn''t be easy, he hadn''t expected it to be this difficult.
John casually tossed his coat to a house-elf, while Belby downed a stimnt potion, smokeing out of his ears, turning ck in color.
The two of them administered the modified blood curse potion to the slumbering giant snake. Under their hopeful gazes, nothing changed.
"Failed again."
Belby, exhausted, slumped into a chair, his usual sense of etiquette and grace nowhere to be seen.
Scratching his ever-diminishing hair, he pulled out a quill and crossed off this form from his parchment.
John took arge swig of thick, sweet hot chocte, the fatigue on his face evident. "It''s not just the physical body. The patient''s soul has been eroded as well."
"Targeting the soul, huh? John, dealing with the soul is taboo."
Hearing John''s spection, Belby lifted his head and stared intently at him, his expression serious and solemn. "Throughout history, those mad dark wizards who pursued soul researchevery single one of them was utterly evil, and none of them met a good end."
"I know, Mr. Belby. You should understand that this isn''t something easy," John replied, rubbing his tired brow. He calmly said, "I''ve always believed there''s no such thing as evil magic, only evil wizards."
"I just don''t want you to take the wrong path. We''re partners, and we''re friends," Democles Belby said, struggling to stand. His already thin frame now looked even more emaciated, as if only skin and bones were left.
He took the key down from the wall, and the barrier in the dungeon reappeared.
John left the dungeon as the sun was setting, marking the end of another day.
"Haah.. I think from now on, I won''t be able to apany you anymore, my friend," John said.
The start of the school term was fast approaching, and aside from the books Hagrid had sent him, John hadn''t bought anything else.
These past few days, he kept seeing the silver thread, which only he could see.
He had asked Belby about it, but thetter said he saw nothing. He even tried to touch it, but the silver light simply passed through his hand.
This led Damocles to suspect that John might be deceiving him.
"Hmm.. It seems that only those who have learned ancient magic can see it," John mused.
He had beenmunicating with the soul within the snake and had learned her name.
"What a vicious curse... changing the body, transforming the species, eroding the soul."
A chill ran down his spine. The person who invented this curse was both a genius and utterly evil.
It felt as if he were ying a game of chess, with an ancient entity on the other side, and defeating this unsolvable curse seemed nearly impossible.
"Nagini won''tst much longer. I should find something to strengthen her soul."
Nagini''s soul was bing more and more fragmented, and John wasn''t sure if she could make it through the year. He needed something that could heal her soul.
When it came to the soul, John thought of the unicorn''s horn. Perhaps the unicorn, which could also unleash powerful curses, might be of help.
"I''ll give it a try."
He sighed deeply.
John had grown more and more familiar with Nagini.
He hade to learn about Nagini''s tragic background. She was indeed a pitiful soul.
The blood curse had been inherited from her mother, and she had grown up in a circus.
After leaving Belby Manor, John returned home and copsed into bed.
Even just two hours of sleep would suffice due to his skill, but mentally, John still chose to stay in bed a little longer.
The next day, John woke up unusuallyte, nearly at noon.
He habitually picked up a copy of The Daily Prophet, which reported that Sirius ck was still on the run.
Rita Skeeter had used her usual ir, writing extensively about the matter. She criticized the Azkaban guards for their negligence and inefficiency, then praised the Aurors for their tireless efforts.
"Her writing... every time I read it, it''s like drinking the most bitter coffee. Instantly wakes you up," John remarked, admiring her skill.
Rita wasn''t just making noise for no reason. Only by being loud enough would people recognize your achievements.
Since Rufus Scrimgeour was now part of hiswork, John wasn''t stingy about offering support.
This situation had indeed given Rufus Scrimgeour a chance to shine. He had done multiple interviews, stating that he would capture Sirius ck as quickly as possible, and in critical moments, wouldn''t hesitate to take more severe actions.
Scrimgeour''s tough stance had quickly earned him public favor. Compared to the ever-ineffective Fudge, people preferred to see this hardened Auror''s interviews.
After tidying up his appearance, John nced at his wand. Thinking it over, he decided to change his mode of travel for the day.
Stepping out of his house, he raised his wand toward the street.
Soon, a bright purple triple-decker bus zoomed to a stop in front of John.
After paying the fare, John boarded the bus.
The bus weaved rapidly through the streets, both wide avenues and narrow alleyways. As long as it was a road, the bus could squeeze through.
"This creation has more features than Mr. Weasley''s car," John mused as he habitually inspected the vehicle, figuring it had been enchanted with quite a few spells.
"But.. Ug.."
The only problem was that the ride wasn''t very stable.
Brass bed frames wobbled everywhere, and a wizard trying to drink water ended up getting sshed in the face.
At least it wasn''t piping hot sweet chocte, or his face might''ve gotten a free mask treatment.
Arriving at the Leaky Cauldron, John made his way into Diagon Alley.
As usual, it was bustling with activity. The long cobblestone streets were lined with wizard shops.
Some of the buildings were crooked, and in the Muggle world, they''d definitely be considered dangerous structures.
Florean Fortescue''s Ice Cream Parlour was booming with business, and they had justunched a new mysterious vortomato and scrambled eggs ice cream.
John pondered for a moment but didn''t dare to try it.
However, it seemed the customers trying it were mostly older wizards. Perhaps younger people weren''t fans of the taste?
There were a few young wizards, though, and John noticed a few of them sporting Hufflepuff ties.
Passing by the Quality Quidditch Supplies shop, John noticed a brand new broom on disythe Firebolt.
It was currently the fastest flying broom avable, with no price listed, only offering negotiation.
With next year''s Quidditch World Cup approaching, the timing of the Firebolt''s release was cunning, to say the least.
The shopkeeper was proudly announcing that Irnd''s national team had already ced an order for seven of them.
John couldn''t help but consider getting into the broom-selling business himselfit seemed absurdly profitable.
In the crowd, he spotted a familiar head, but before he could approach, the person disappeared again.
Upon reaching Flourish and Blotts, John saw arge banner advertising a new book titled Swinging a Great Sword at Hogwarts, prominently disyed in the most eye-catching spot.
A note was stuck to the bookshelf.
Anyone who purchased the entire set of Gilderoy Lockhart''s books would receive an additional signed photograph.
Some witches, who already owned the earlier books in the series, immediately pulled out their money again upon hearing about the photojust for the signed picture.
John grinned at the sight. "Buy, buy, the more you buy, the happier I am."
After watching the frenzy for a bit, he stepped inside to purchase his schoolbooks.
Through the ss near the entrance, he noticed a shop assistant standing next to arge iron cage, looking utterly dejected.
The shop assistant red viciously at every wizard passing by. Whenever a young student approached, he would let out a pained groan, "NoNot again!"
John nced at the cage where copies of The Monster Book of Monsters were biting and tearing into each other. He gave the unfortunate assistant a sympathetic look.
Hagrid had certainly chosen a bizarre book. The shop assistant probably never wanted to see these books again.
Thankfully, Hagrid had already sent John a copy, so he purchased the rest of his required schoolbooks.
The textbook for Divination was one he''d conveniently picked up when he bought his crystal ball earlier.
After gathering all the necessary materials, John stepped outside and once again spotted that familiar head being jostled around in the crowd.
"Poor Harry, hopefully, he grows taller someday," John thought sympathetically, watching Harry get pushed around. By sheer bad luck, Harry stumbled into the event taking ce at Flourish and Blotts.
John still needed to order new robes since his current ones had be a bit shorthe had grown quite a bit recently.
After picking up his robes, he passed by a shop window disying arge ss sphere with a beautifully crafted, moving model of a gxy inside.
He stared at it for a moment, rubbing his chin. "Hermione''s birthday ising up soon. She might like this as a gift."
ncing at the price tag, John sighed, "Expensive."
Even though he was ''Johny Silverhand'' and wasn''t short on money at all, he still felt the need to grumble.
"Hello, pack this one for me."
After purchasing it, he left Diagon Alley and used Apparition to return home.
There were still 10 days left until school started.
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111: Ice Cream and the Kidnapping
111: Ice Cream and the Kidnapping
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The powdered unicorn horn, known for its ability to heal the soul, was made into a potion by John and given to therge snake.
When he connected with Nagini again, she sounded much better.
~~"Thank you, I feel so much better!"~~
Nagini said, her voice no longer filled with sorrow. For the first time, she wasn''t crying out with no one to respond.
John nodded and said, ~~"Hearing that you''re okay puts my mind at ease."~~
Nagini, now lively again, chatted with John, her tone much more cheerful.
~~"I can''t believe I''m able to talk to someone normally again. Usually, it takes control."~~
"''It''?" John caught onto the key detail and asked, ~~"Who is ''it''?"~~
"The blood curse. It controls my body and pushes my soul into a corner."
''The blood curse had its own consciousness?''
John felt puzzled but continued talking with Nagini.
Gradually, he learned more about the blood curse.
It was like an infantinitially, it couldn''t affect the host much. But over time, the curse would gradually grow stronger.
And it was during this period that the host would begin to transform into a blood-cursed beast.
Once the blood curse fully matures, itpletely takes over the host''s body, leaving the host''s original soul pushed so far into the corner that it no longer has any control.
''This blood curse... it has a soul of its own.''
John frowned. This soul wasn''t ordinary; it was intricately linked to Nagini''s, almost as if they were the same being.
Or, more urately, it could be called an evil spirit.
"A spell that targets the soul."
Muttering to himself, John looked at the snake''s body.
By treating Nagini, he had also inadvertently treated the blood curse.
"So break it to rebuild!"
A gleam appeared in John''s eyes. Since the curse was attached to the soul, he would have to sever the soul itself.
The process would be excruciatingly painful. Even John wasn''t sure if he could endure it.
If removing Fenrir''s arm was like cutting, then Nagini''s case would be more akin to ripping the soul apart.
The pain would be unbearable, and any slight mistake could result in the soul disintegrating.
"I need to be fully prepared."
Taking a deep breath, John had found a breakthrough, but the process ahead was no less daunting.
To break the blood curse, John needed both the blood curse potion and his soul surgery to happen simultaneously.
"The blood curse is like a permanent transfiguration... if I use the Animagus method"
A light began to flicker in John''s eyes as he thought of another form of transformationAnimagus.
Although it was a form of transfiguration, it required a specific ritualbined with potions.
~~"I''ll need to look through the records at Hogwarts to see if there''s anything about it."~~
~~"Ok!"~~
The silver thread in his hand shattered, ending the conversation once again.
John began to look forward to the start of the school year.
...
August 31st.
There was only one day left until the new school term.
John made his way to Diagon Alley. He couldn''t handle his dad any longer.
Watson Wick had been pestering John to transfigure a cooking rat for him, clearly having watched *Ratatouille* one too many times.
He even attempted to make Tom the cooking "Dog King," never mind the fact that Tom''s paws were barely capable of holding anything, let alone cooking. That would be a medical miracle.
In order to ensure Tom could grow into a proper dog, John chose to leave a day earlier.
To avoid any more outrageous requests from his dad, John decided to leave.
He really wanted to tell Watson: I''m just a wizard. Some of these requests you''re makingGod himself would want to smack you!
"Haah~ " Taking the Knight Bus again, John arrived at the Leaky Cauldron.
After paying for his stay, he noticed Tom, his dog, looking a bit downcast.
"What''s wrong buddy? Are you missing ckie?"
Seeing his dog, John knew instantly it was missing the ck dog of the street.
Patting Tom''s head, Johnforted her, "You''re still too young. Those stray dogs out there are street-smart. Aside from bossing around Fang, you''re not much of anything yet."
Tom: "..." ...'' Are you sure this is supposed to beforting?''
Depressed and questioning her life as a dog, Tom perked up the moment Basil the Owl flew out of its cage and eagerly chased after it, trying to lick its feathers off.
"Ah, ssic simp behavior," John sighed.
With that, he decided to head out for a strollnot for any other reason but to try the tomato-and-scrambled-egg-vored ice cream and see if it was the real deal.
"I heard there''s even a Mapo tofu vor," John mused, curious about how in the world they turned such asian things into ice cream.
He headed towards Diagon Alley.
Last time, Florean Fortescue''s Ice Cream Parlour was booming with customers, but today it was much quieter.
Most likely, the crowd had been scared off by those... "experimental" vors.
As John approached, he noticed a dark-skinned girl who looked vaguely familiar.
The girl saw him and shouted in delight, "John!"
"Uh... this voice...?"
Blinking, John watched as the girl smiled, revealing two prominent front teeth.
"Eh? Hermione? Why are you so tanned?"
The trio was all there, and they''d already bought their school supplies.
John greeted them, then noticed how effortlessly Hermione was carrying an enormous stack of books. He couldn''t help but wonder if she''d been secretly working out.
Hermione lifted her chin proudly and said, "I went to France too."
"I know, but did you go for a tanning session? Even Ron, who just came back from Egypt, isn''t as chocty as you."
This earned him a sharp re from Hermione. Scratching his head, John turned to Ron.
Ron was still carrying Scabbers. Even though Mr. Weasley had nned to use his lottery winnings to buy Ron a new wand, they realized that the one John had made suited him perfectly.
Not only that, even Ollivander himself had high praise for the wand John made. This saved the Weasley family quite a bit of money.
As the group gathered, they inevitably started discussing Harry''stest achievement. Ronughed heartily about the incident with Aunt Marge inting like a balloon, while Hermione was more aware of the seriousness of it.
Harry, too, realized how lucky he was not to be expelled.
At the same time, he silently grumbled to himself, thinking how John had made it sound like no big deal, leaving him to believe it wasn''t anything serious.
Hermione''s birthday wasing up, and her parents had given her ten Galleons as a birthday gift. She nned to use it to buy an owl, just like Harry''s Hedwig, Ron''s Errol, and John''s Basil.
Ron also needed to get some medicine for Scabbers, who had been looking unwell.
The trio quickly agreed they could all go to the magical creatures shop together.
Meanwhile, John shrugged and said, "I''m still waiting for my ice cream."
Harry swallowed nervously, his entire body practically screaming, "No!" as he asked, "John, are you really going to try it?"
John nodded confidently. "You''ve got to be brave enough to try new things."
"Ug.. yeah.." The trio exchanged nces, hoping John would survive the ordeal, and then they headed off to the magical creatures shop.
John waited for a while, and soon, three different vors of ice cream were brought to him.
He took a bite of the tomato and scrambled egg vor, which had a tangy kick, and his expression showed surprise.
"Oh!"
"It seems... not as bad as I thought."
Unconvinced, he took another bite. John found that the taste wasn''t entirely unbearable.
Next, he turned his attention to the mapo tofu vor. With the previous ice cream setting his expectations higher, John was now full of confidence. He took a big spoonful and popped it into his mouth.
Then...
"Fuck you, Strawberry Mapo Tofu, (?? ?)?ߩ die!"
He threw away the Mapo Tofu vor with a constipated look on his face, and he was very disappointed.
The final vor, honeydew melon, was John''sst hope of salvation.
After finishing the "battle," John decided that he couldn''t suffer alone. In a fit of frustration, he bought ten of each vorno one was escaping this madness!
Stuffing the cursed ice cream into his small bag with a freezing charm to keep them cold, John returned to the Leaky Cauldron, only to be immediately blocked by two people.
"John, you''re just in time."
"We''ve got a deal for you."
"A very lucrative one."
"You''reing with us."
The way they spoke in tandem made it clear without needing to thinkit was the Weasley twins, Fred and George.
John had barely left Diagon Alley when he was kidnapped by the two and brought back.
He felt his feet lift off the ground, and his IQ seemed to have taken a nosedive. John naturally didn''t use his strength to fight.
"Wait, where are you taking me?"
He noticed the twins were passing by Gringotts, heading further into the depths.
If they kept going, they''d end up in Knockturn Alley. ''Treating me like this, you''re not exactly respecting the King of Knockturn Alley here.''
Fred and George said nothing, just carried John all the way to a familiar shopfront.
They wore mischievous grins.
"We received a letter."
"Angel investor from Silverhand."
"A brilliant idea."
"A product."
"And a qualified little genius."
Their intentions were now clear. Fred and George spoke in unison: "And that genius is you."
John understood. They wanted him to interview with Silverhand Angel Investment. The Weasley twins knew of John''s high level of alchemical skills, so they thought of him.
This made John feel very strange. ''An interview with Silverhand Angel Investment? Interviewing myself?''
You two are only in your fifth year, and you''re already thinking of starting a business?
So, Hogwarts'' fifth year is a threshold, huh?
''Voldemort made a Horcrux in his fifth year, and now you two are starting your first business venture.''
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112: Flat-faced Cat and the Start of School
112: t-faced Cat and the Start of School
Mundungus, ever since being warned, no longer dared to act as cocky as before.
Having witnessed the extreme and wicked magical methods of "Mr. Johnny Silverhand," Mundungus felt no desire to resist.
The person in charge of the Little Werewolf Wizards'' Fund had also changed from Mundungus to Tommy. John felt quite helpless about this arrangementhe really needed to find someone with a business mind. For now, Tommie would have to do.
The Johnny Silverhand''s Speciality Shop added a service window for Silverhand Angel Investments.
Tommy sat at the window, his head aching from dealing with wizards who were constantlying and going, iming to have brilliant ideas.
Tommy felt like he was nothing more than a disy piece at an exhibition, being ogled by everyone.
John was forcibly seated at the window by the Weasley twins. Seeing this, Tommy immediately knew that yet another wizard with big dreams hade.
He casually nced up, but couldn''t stop his jaw from dropping. ''How can bosse here in his real identity?! What if someone sees his face''
"We''re here to apply for Silverhand Angel Investment."
"All we need is one hundred Galleons."
The Weasley twins, standing on either side of John, proudly patted his shoulders. John''s face was full of awkwardness.
Tommy snapped out of his shock, his expression turning strange as he asked, "One hundred Galleons?"
The Weasley twins, thinking Silverhand Angel Investments found the sum too high, were blissfully unaware that Tommy was already questioning his very existence.
''You came here with my boss like this, and you''re ONLY asking for a hundred Galleons?''
"Do you look down on my boss, or are youpletely unaware of Johnny Silverhand''s assets?"
Seeing Tommy''s expression, John quickly chimed in, "As you can see, we''re just Hogwarts students with big dreams. We''ll have to attend school soon, so our deliveries will be made through owl post."
John frantically gave Tommy looks, desperate to shake off the twins.
Gulp! "E-Ehm*" Tommy understood immediately and, with a serious face, cleared his throat and said, "In that case, this amount seems quite reasonable."
"Owl post?"
"John, you''re a genius!"
"I knew bringing you along was the right choice!"
"We could coborate and sell at school!"
The Weasley twins lit up with excitement at John''s idea.
Right, why hadn''t they thought of that?
John Wick, the undisputed top student in his year, always had the best ideas, whether it was power or clever strategies.
John shot another nce at Tommy. Understanding the signal, Tommy nodded discreetly, pulled out a form, and with a friendly smile said, "Alright then, let''s n out your future business model in detail. We''ll give you an answer as soon as possible."
The Weasley twins cheered and immediately handed the form over to John.
John was momentarily stunnedWait, who''s opening the store here, me or you?
The form was his own design, detailing the future business n with short-term goals for one year, long-term objectives for three years, projected revenue, and a focus on core products and target markets.
It was aprehensive strategy that every shop should have, and also served to weed out wizards trying to scam investors.
Now, with the form shoved into his hands, John''s face darkenedAre they really treating me like a workhorse?
He stuffed the parchment back into Fred''s hands, saying meaningfully, "This is your idea. No one knows it better than you two."
Checking the time, John realized he still hadn''t fed Tom.
The Weasley twins agreed with John''s point and thanked him, carefully storing the form. Their mother, Mrs. Weasley, had always wanted them to work at the Ministry like their father. But for the energetic pair, that would be a living hell.
That''s why they wanted to open a joke shop. The hundred Galleons was just the startup money, and after graduation, they nned to reallyunch the business.
"Really! This was possible because of your thinking at the time! I''ve heard there are some new ice creams! Let''s go!"
Listening to them, the unpleasant memory resurfaced making him shudder. "N-New Ice creams... No No NO.. ehm* I mean, Tom is hungry and you two don''t need to thank me for this."
Politely declining the twins'' offer to treat him to some new-vored ice cream, John returned to the Leaky Cauldron.
...
Tom, the dog, was munching away at her food, while Basil, the owl, still perched on a high spot, half-asleepor at least pretending to be.
Suddenly, a loud shout came from the room next door.
It was probably some unfortunate Hogwarts student who had opened The Monster Book of Monsters.
The entire Weasley family was staying at the Leaky Cauldron.
Initially, John had been quite dismissive of the ce, thinking it was dirty and chaotic. But to his surprise, the rooms inside were actually quite clean.
As he walked out, intending to grab a bite to eat, he bumped into Mr. Weasley.
"John Wick, thank you for helping Harry and the others," Mr. Weasley said, shaking John''s hand. He was referring to the events of their second year. Before John could reply, Molly Weasley, with her motherly warmth, came over and hugged him.
One tall and thin, the other short and plumpthis perfect "strict mother, kind father" duo managed to keep all seven Weasley children in line.
"Dear, you must be hungry. We''ve got freshly baked piesing right up," Molly said affectionately.
John, feeling a bit ttered by their warmth, realized he was now getting the same treatment Harry always received from the Weasleys.
Sitting at the dining table, John noticed Hermione and Ron arguing. The cause? Hermione''s new pet, Crookshanks, had been eyeing Scabbers in a way that made Ron furious. The two were bickering like an old married couple.
John''s attention shifted to Crookshanks, who was nestled in Hermione''s arms.
The cat''s face looked squished, like a squashed persimmon, with a fierce and gloomy expression. Its ginger fur was fluffy and soft, making it look oddly pinchable.
John and Crookshanks stared at each other for a moment.
Hmm..
Quietly, John took out a dried fish snack and tossed it toward Crookshanks.
The cat skillfully caught it in mid-air with its mouth.
Damn!
John pulled out another snack and threw it again.
Heh~
Crookshanks, clearly no ordinary cat, caught it with the same precision. John suspected there was some magical creature lineage in the cat, given how clever it seemed.
At dinner, John noticed Percy Weasley, proudly wearing his Head Boy badge everywhere he went since being appointed. The Weasley twins loved to tease him, and even Harry and Ron thought Percy was starting to resemble a typical Ministry official.
"Ahh! John, it''s great to see you here," Percy greeted him with a wide smile.
EH?
The Weasley twins were bbergasted. Percy, who was usually so stiff and formal, was smiling at a Slytherin? It felt like they''d seen a ghost.
John nodded, taking a bite of his meat pie. He smiled and said, "Congrattions on bing Head Boy."
"It wouldn''t have been possible without your help," Percy replied.
The two exchanged a knowing nce, hinting at some hidden secret.
The twins murmured among themselves, while Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged confused looks.
None of them knew what kind of help John had provided Percy.
After dinner, John returned to his room.
From outside, he heard angry voices. Listening closely, he realized it was Percy shouting.
John stepped outside and saw Harrying out as well.
Percy''s Head Boy badge was missing, and he was loudly interrogating Ron about it.
Ron, looking aggrieved, insisted he had no idea who took it, and now the medicine he bought for Scabbers had also disappeared.
Seeing themotion, Harry quickly offered to go downstairs to fetch more medicine.
John watched the scene unfold, and he figured it was most likely the twins'' doing.
''After all, who else but Fred and George would dare mess with Percy?''
The ss ball he bought was forgotten downstairs, and John went downstairs to get it.
When he reached the lower floor, he noticed Harry standing suspiciously outside a private room, leaning close as if eavesdropping.
"Oh? Who would''ve thought the famous savior had such a hobby?" John remarked quietly to himself.
''You really can''t judge a book by its cover,'' he thought.
Who knew that someone as seemingly upright as Harry would be listening to the noises of the married couple?
John grabbed his ss ball, and just as he turned around, he saw Harry darting behind the bar, trying to hide.
The Weasley couple emerged from the room, and when they saw John, Arthur Weasley looked a bit uneasy as he greeted him.
After they left, John nced at the bar and said nonchntly, "Harry, what are you doing?"
Harry looked conflicted, torn about what he had just overheard. He had been listening in on the Weasleys'' conversation, and from what he gathered, the escaped prisoner Sirius ck seemed to have a targethim!
The Weasleys were worried Harry would be terrified if he found out.
Harry clenched his fist defiantly, refusing to be afraid of Sirius ck.
At the same time, he finally understood why the Ministry of Magic hadn''t punished him. On the contrary, Minister Fudge had personallye to check on him. It turns out the Minister was just relieved Harry was still alive.
Sitting on the barstool, Harry muttered gloomily, "John, do people really see me as that much of a coward?"
Mrs. Weasley was worried the truth would scare him, and Mr. Weasley feared he''d act impulsively.
"Eh?" John looked at the moody "Savior of the Wizarding World" and couldn''t help but feel a bit speechless. However, he patiently replied, "Alright, if you''re willing to tell me what gave you that impression, I can give you an answer."
Harry exined that Sirius ck had gone missing from Azkaban and might have broken out specifically toe after him.
John stroked his chin thoughtfully. With Harry''s luck, it wouldn''t be surprising if he did cross paths with Sirius at some point.
Still, Mrs. Weasley wasn''t entirely wrong. With Dumbledore at Hogwarts, even Voldemort would have to think twice before making a move.
Looking at the worried Harry, John calmly said, "Stop scaring yourself. Whether you know about this or not, it won''t change anything."
Harry considered this and realized John was right. The important thing now was that Sirius needed to be caught. The Ministry had sent out Aurors, and Azkaban had dispatched guards.
With so many people after him, there was no way Sirius ck could reach Hogwarts.
Feeling a little more at ease, Harry went into the room where the Weasleys had been earlier and retrieved the medicine for Scabbers.
The two went upstairs and saw the twins once again pranking Percy, turning his Head Boy badge into a giant head.
Since this wasn''t the first time the twins had done something like this, John just returned to his room to rest.
The next morning, they prepared to head to the station.
John originally wanted to Apparate there, but it wasn''t convenient with so many people around. He reluctantly epted Mr. Weasley''s invitation to join them.
John saw at a nce that the wizard driving the car was an Auror.
The other party was capable and always alert.
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113- Dementors and Albatross
113- Dementors and Albatross
Many Thanks to ana carolina hernandez for bing a Patron!??
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These Ministry people were there to protect Harry, and for once, John got to enjoy the privilege of having a Ministry escort clear the way.
Upon arriving at the station, Mr. Weasley didn''t rx. He stayed close to Harry as they entered tform Nine and Three-Quarters.
John walked in with Percy, chatting along the way.
"This year feels like another unsettled one," Percy said, now speaking with an official tone befitting his new Head Boy status. He lowered his voice and added, "And somehow, all of this always seems to involve Harry."
Percy had hit the nail on the head. John nodded in agreement and nced at the visible Ministry personnel stationed around the tform. He calmly replied, "We can''t let our guard down, not even on the train."
Great minds think alike.
Percy and John got on the train and walked in different directions.
Prefects and Head Boy have special carriages, and they need to move around frequently to maintain order.
Just as John was about to head to hispartment, the Weasley twins approached from behind. George dramatically asked, "What did His Excellency Percy say to you?"
Fred pointed to his head, shaking it as if to suggest Percy had lost it. "Maybe he''s trying to recruit John to his little empire."
John, looking at the two troublemakers clearly plotting something, sighed helplessly. "Looks like you guys need something from me again."
Without hesitation, the twins each took one of John''s arms and carried him off to apartment with practiced ease.
Inside, they found Gryffindor''s Lee Jordan, who had a pet tarant with him.
"Hey, we can''t just prank Slytherins here!"
Lee Jordan, seeing the twins dragging someone into thepartment, shouted in protest.
"Shut up, Lee Jordan," the twins snapped, squeezing John between them, one on each side.
John was confused.
After returningst night, the twins had already sent their future business n to Johnny Silverhand, and he had approved it. So why were theying to him now, looking like they needed help again?
With excited gleams in their eyes, George stared at John and grinned, "John, the idea of owl delivery is really pure genius."
Fred, with a mischievous smile, added, "If you could give us the specifics on how to execute it, you''d truly be the smartest Slytherin."
Ah, so the two were still hung up on the owl delivery n. John smirked and said, "What''s in it for me?"
He wasn''t about to give away his ideas for free.
Honestly, with the Weasley twins'' intelligence, just hearing the name should have been enough for them to figure out how to run it at school. But the two hade to John because they wanted to offer something in return.
"What''s in it for you?" Fred raised an eyebrow.
"We can share the profits with you," George continued.
"Whether it''s the funds..."
"Or pranks," the twins said, this time with uncharacteristic seriousness. Their mischievous smiles remained, but there was a sense of earnestness behind them.
John thought about it. While the twins weren''t top students, their alchemy skills were very good. Maybe they inherited it from their father who made the flying car, too bad he didn''t pursue that area and became a Ministry employee.
The twins'' endless stream of joke products proved that their heads were full of inventive ideas.
"Alright, forget about the money. But I''m nning to create a club, and you two might want to join," John said, shrugging.
Money? He didn''t need it.
Pranks? Not really his thing.
While he might wander around at night, he never indulged in practical jokes.
What truly interested him was talent. The twins had potential in alchemy.
In the future, they could very well be suppliers for Johnny Silverhand''s speciality store.
"Deal," the twins replied in unison.
Feeling left out, Lee Jordan immediately protested, "What kind of club? I want in too!"
"As long as you don''t mind Slytherins being part of it," John shrugged nonchntly.
Hearing there would be Slytherins, the Gryffindor-loyal Lee Jordan suddenly lost interest.
The train slowly started to move.
After some time, Percy walked by outside thepartment.
The twins immediately started mocking their older brother again, and John pushed Fred to sit across from him. Having three people squeezed into one seat was just too ufortable.
The four of them continued chatting, and the atmosphere was quite pleasant. The twins talked about their ns to open a joke shop, while Lee Jordan mentioned his desire to be a full-time Quidditchmentator after graduation.
John wanted to say, with your biasedmentary that leans all the way to oblivion, I doubt many people would want you as their announcer.
Though John and Lee Jordan weren''t particrly close before, Lee''s humor quickly helped him bond with John.
As they continued chatting, the train gradually came to a halt.
John frowned, looking outside. They hadn''t yet arrived at Hogwarts.
Some students stepped out of theirpartments to see what was going on.
At that moment, John noticed the windows.
Ayer of frost was forming on the ss, as if cold air was blowing directly onto it.
"Why is it suddenly so cold?"
George rubbed his arms to stay warm, while Fred noticed Draco Malfoy strutting by outside, followed by his usual entourage.
The lights on the train began to flicker and go out, and terrified screams echoed from outside thepartment.
The door to the carriage creaked open, as if something was boarding the train.
"George, switch seats with me," John said, noticing something strange passing by the window. He spoke up, requesting to switch ces.
The cold grew more intense.
Suddenly, a panicked Draco Malfoy stumbled into theirpartment without even looking who was inside.
He was followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle, who squeezed theirrge frames into the already cramped space.
John was shoved by someone''s rear, and with an irritated expression, he decided to leave thepartment altogether.
Walking along the corridor, John saw onepartment after another being opened.
He spotted the creatures responsible. They were draped in tattered cloaks, their bodies appearing as if they had been soaked and rotted in water, with scabbed, decaying hands.
Azkaban guards. Dementors.
John watched as they openedpartment doors, causing the young wizards inside to recoil in terror, like cans of joy being drained by the Dementors.
His brow twitched at the sight, and one of the Dementors took notice of him.
Several Dementors drifted closer to John, and he could feel his happiness being drained away. Dementors had the ability to suck out a person''s joy, turning any ce they upied into a living hell.
"There''s no one here that you''re looking for," John said coldly, but the Dementors kept advancing.
In a panic, Malfoy shouted, "John, get back inside!"
As the Dementors closed in, John reacted swiftly.
"Expecto Patronum!"
A silver mist shot out of his wand, and the Dementors recoiled as if encountering their natural enemy.
John kept the Patronus spell flowing, and from the silvery glow, an albatross took shape. Its wings spread wide as it flew swiftly along the length of the train, passing by eachpartment.
The Dementors it touched emitted strange, unintelligible noises, retreating quickly as they were expelled from the train.
In apartment near the back of the train, another Patronus Charm had been cast. A silver mist had just begun to form when several Dementors were driven out, startled by the forceful expulsion.
Lupin stood there, momentarily stunned.
He hadn''t expected that someone else on the train knew how to cast a Patronus, especially one so advanced that it could take a corporeal form.
The Dementors were chased out of the train, and the young witches and wizards, having narrowly escaped, emerged from theirpartments, shaken but relieved.
They watched as the beautiful albatross circled back to John, flying gracefully around him.
"You did it, John, you''re a hero!" Lee Jordan cheered, leading the others.
John, however, remained frowning.
The Dementors had overstepped their bounds by entering the train. If Dumbledore had allowed these creatures into the school, it wasn''t just about Sirius ck; the students were also in danger.
"John, what just happened? Was that a?" Percy arrived with the prefects, just in time to witness the Patronus fading away.
"Dementors," John said seriously. "They suck out happiness. I need you to check if anyone''s been hurt."
Percy, understanding the gravity of the situation, quickly organized the prefects to inspect thepartments one by one.
The final report concluded that only Harry had fainted.
"Pfft, stupid and cowardly Potter," Malfoy jeered, taking the opportunity to mock Harry without mercy.
John shot him a nce. Just moments ago, Malfoy had scrambled into someone else''spartment, panicked and terrified. It was a case of the pot calling the kettle ck.
Tapping his wand against thepartment door, John activated the supersensory spell.
John noticed that the Dementors hadn''tpletely left. Instead, they had gathered in the sky above the train, forming a dense and terrifying mass of darkness.
Suddenly, a phoenix-shaped Patronus appeared, driving all the Dementors away.
It was Dumbledore who had acted. The train soon resumed its journey.
Meanwhile, Malfoy and his two cronies were unceremoniously shoved out of thepartment by the Weasley twins. Feeling uneasy, John decided to join the prefects on their patrol rounds.
No one objected. In fact, John''s presence gave the prefects a sense of security.
When the train arrived at Hogsmeade Station, John spotted Hagrid looking unusually serious.
Clearly, he was also aware of the Dementors nearby. Noticing his vignt stance, John greeted him with a nod.
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114: Two New Professors and an Exchange Student
114: Two New Professors and an Exchange Student
On the Thestral-drawn carriage, the ride was a bit bumpy as they headed toward Hogwarts.
As soon as Daphne saw John, she squeezed over to him, the awkwardness fromst term finally gone.
Malfoy brought his two cronies with him, and this time he dragged the Weasley twins down and sat in the Thestrals with a proud look on his face. Thesmug look made the twins gnashing their teeth.
When they arrived at Hogwarts, they all got out of the carriage. John noticed that the Thestrals pulling the carriage looked a bit wearylikely from thebined weight of Goyle and Crabbe(?)
"You fainted, Potter? Did Longbottom really say the truth? You actually fainted?"
Turning his head, John saw Malfoy continuing his daily ritual of taunting Harry.
This had be Malfoy''s routine.
Endlessly bickering with Potter, exchanging curses with Weasley, and bullying Gryffindors.
From John''s perspective, Malfoy embodied everything Harry despised.
Harry had already been miserable enough, having fainted on the train, and now that Malfoy had found out, it was even worse.
But what really made it unbearable for Harry was that, as soon as he walked in, Professor McGonagall loudly called him away.
Now, everyone knew he had fainted on the train.
Harry and Hermione were called away.
John sat in the Great Hall and noticed a mysterious figure lurking in the shadows on one side.
"Hmm? A new professor?"
Puzzled, John looked up toward the staff table. Among the professors, a tall figure stood out the most.
Professor Kettleburn, who had been teaching Care of Magical Creatures, had retired, hoping to leave Hogwarts alive...
And so Hagrid had taken over his position.
This wasn''t news to John. What surprised him was another professor.
Because John had sent a set of clothes to each of the security team members, Remus Lupin, thankfully, wasn''t dressed in rags anymore.
With graying hair and noticeable wrinkles, even though Lupin had changed into a new outfit, it was clear that he hadn''t lived an easy life.
What made John even more curious was the look on his Head of House''s facelike he was harboring some deep-seated grudge.
"Did they know each other before?"
John rubbed his slightly hungry stomach. Using the Patronus Charm had drained his mind.
After all, most of his happiest memories involved food, and summoning a Patronus was like rewatching a livestream of his best culinary experiences.
With Professor McGonagall absent, the Sorting was handled by Professor Flitwick.
Professor Flitwick had to stand on a stool due to his short stature as he called out the names for Sorting. When thest student was sorted into Hufflepuff, John thought it was over. However, Professor Flitwick called out another name:
"Heinrich Edgar."
''Oh Shit....''
Everyone turned to see the figure in the shadows step forward.
Judging by his height and face, it was obvious he wasn''t a first-year student.
The students began murmuring among themselves. Dumbledore exined, "Heinrich Edgar is an exchange student from Durmstrang. He will be spending this year at Hogwarts."
Durmstrang?
As soon as the name of the school was mentioned, the whispers grew louder.
Durmstrang was a famous magical school, known for its teaching of the Dark Arts.
Some of the more timid students were frightened by Heinrich''s pale face.
When the Sorting Hat was ced on his head, it didn''t even take a second before it called out "Slytherin!"
While everyone was murmuring and whispering, John was frozen since he saw Edgar. He remembered the letter Heinrich had sent himso that''s what it meant.
Malfoy, meanwhile, was excitedly waving at Heinrich.
Eh? John noticed this and found it odd. He asked, "You know him?"
"Of course, Edgar is a rtive of the Malfoys."
Heinrich was two years older than Malfoy and had been ced in Slytherin''s fifth year.
"Heinrich, it''s nice to see you. We to Slyt"
Malfoy, thinking he had gained a new ally, stood up eagerly to greet Heinrich as he approached.
"Move aside!"
However, Heinrich frowned and ordered Malfoy to step aside immediately.
Without hesitation, Heinrich sat down in the spot where Malfoy had been sitting. His skin was unnaturally pale, like a vampire who hadn''t seen sunlight for years.
What the fuck just happened?
As they met again, Heinrich said, "I told you we would meet again."
"I didn''t expect you to be an exchange student," John replied with a wry smile, extending his hand. "Though we''ve met before, I still have to say, wee."
"Edgars follow the strong. I will be by your side," Heinrich Edgar stated bluntly.
The Edgars were known for their loyalty to power, serving as the right-hand men of those in control.
John smiled slightly and replied, "Then you''ll have to keep up with me."
Heinrich smiled back.
''...'' Only Malfoy was left sulking.
They were supposed to be close rtives, yet Heinrich hade in and taken his spot, not to mention, stolen his ally as well.
''This is... this is... Forget it, I can''t beat him anyway.''
With a sour expression, Malfoy pushed Goyle to the other side and sat down.
When Harry and the others returned, it was just as Dumbledore was introducing Heinrich Edgar.
Ron bet, "I''ll wager a Sickle that guy''s a vampire."
Harry nced over at the Slytherin table. He hadn''t expected an exchange student and had never even heard of Durmstrang before.
Ron exined that Durmstrang was a school known for teaching the Dark Arts, which made Harry instantly think that Heinrich must be a Dark wizard.
Dumbledore then introduced the two new professors: Remus Lupin and Rubeus Hagrid.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were stunned to learn that Hagrid had be a professor.
Of course, it made sensewho else would choose a textbook that bites?
"We have also weed a few Dementors from Azkaban to our school," Dumbledore announced. "They''ve been stationed here by the Ministry of Magic to carry out their duties. You''ve likely already encountered them, as they conducted a search on the Hogwarts Express."
As Dumbledore reached this point in his speech, he paused for a moment, his gaze shifting to John, who was still grumbling about how hungry he was.
"However, I must remind you all not to attack the Dementors lightly, as they are extremely dangerous," he continued.
"They are stationed at every entrance to the school. No one is allowed to leave the grounds without permission, and no tricks, disguises, or even invisibility cloaks will fool them."
Thatst line was clearly directed at Harry.
Dumbledore also emphasized that Dementors wouldn''t heed anyone''s pleas or exnations, so don''t even think about doing anything reckless.
Once the speech ended, it was finally time for John''s favorite partfood.
The golden tes filled with heaps of food, and John quickly speared a sausage with his fork, popping it into his mouth.
He ate fast.
''??!!'' Heinrich, determined to keep up with John now that he had pledged to follow him, set aside his aristocratic manners and tried to match John''s pace.
But after only a short while, Heinrich felt ufortably full.
Meanwhile, John was still devouring food as if it wasn''t going to his stomach but disappearing into thin air.
In the end, this Durmstrang exchange student, on his very first day at Hogwarts, ate so much that he had to be sent to the hospital wing.
This made everyone wonder just how awful the food at Durmstrang must be.
As the ttering of knives and forks gradually quieted down, John finished off thest bit of chicken leg and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
While everyone else had leftovers on their tes, John''s was spotless.
Daphne''s eyes sparkled with admiration.
''Even the way John ate was so... cool.''
John thought for a moment and decided it would be best to go congratte Hagrid.
The trioHarry, Ron, and Hermionewere also there, and Hagrid, overwhelmed with emotion, gave John a big hug.
"Thanks to John here, he gave me loads of advice for my sses!" Hagrid eximed excitedly.
"John, you knew about this all along? Why didn''t you tell us?" Ronined, feeling a bit betrayed. No wonder John hadn''t been surprised when he saw those strange books earlier.
John shrugged casually, "I wanted to give you guys a surprise."
"Fine," Ron said, grudgingly epting the exnation, though he still hadn''t forgiven the incident with his pants getting eaten by the book.
With that, the day came to an end, and John headed back to the dormitory.
Basil and Tom had already been sent up, and after hanging around for a bit, John decided to start his night patrols right on the first day.
He hadn''t forgotten the thing he was most concerned about. Leaving the dormitory, he headed for the Room of Requirement.
Inside the Gryffindor''s Secret Chamber, John searched for any research rted to souls.
Perhaps it was because Gryffindor wasn''t too interested in that kind of thing, but the chamber didn''t have much on the topic.
He had no choice but to venture into the Forbidden Forest and enter the Slytherin''s Secret Chamber, which contained numerous research manuscripts.
Among them were Horcruxes, but from the traces of ravage on them, it seemed that Slytherin was very dissatisfied with Horcruxes.
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115: John’s Death Prophecy
115: Johns Death Prophecy
It made sense, John thought.
As one of the four Hogwarts founders, Szar Slytherin would never be content living like a lowly worm.
His pride wouldn''t allow him to cling to life as a mere remnant, which was likely why he had disdainfully discarded his research on Horcruxes.
"Could Voldemort have learned about Horcruxes from here?" John mused. It was possible. The writings mentioned the existence of Horcruxes but didn''t provide any concrete instructions.
But that wasn''t John''s main concern. He needed to find a way to separate a soul.
In the Slytherin Chamber, he continued his search. There was a massive amount of information stored there. No wonder Szar Slytherin had fallen out with Gryffindor. The sheer volume of materials here far exceeded even what was in the Restricted Section of the library.
While knowledge doesn''t always get better with age, Szar Slytherin''s brilliance shone through, and much of what John found was not only still relevant but utterly astonishing.
John learned a great deal, particrly increasing his understanding of souls.
"Time and soulstwo untouchable taboos."
This saying had long circted in the wizarding world. Those who dared to research either of these subjects always met tragic ends.
John decided not to return to the dormitory and instead spent the night in the chamber, sleeping there.
Like a parched sponge, he greedily absorbed the knowledge.
The next day, John left the chamber and headed off to ss.
At this point, the downside of taking all the sses was bing clear.
At 9 a.m., Divination, Muggle Studies, and Arithmancy all shed.
John, though he had anticipated this, couldn''t help but feel a headacheing on.
"I wonder how Hermione is handling this."
He headed to the Great Hall and ran into Heinrich and Malfoy.
Coincidentally, Malfoy had chosen Arithmancy, and John, with a look of delight, handed him a Star Badge.
Malfoy was stunned for a moment, then ecstatic. The surprise was too suddenhe hadn''t expected to be acknowledged by John so quickly.
"Pfft~ Don''t get the wrong idea. I want you to wear it to ss so I can listen in," John interrupted his moment of joy, exining that he intended to use the nine interconnected badges to effectively attend multiple sses at once.
Malfoy deted a bit, while Heinrich, eyeing the badge, said, "Give me one."
John thought about it for a moment. It wasn''t unreasonable; after all, Heinrich hade all the way from Durmstrang to follow him, and his strength was well-known, making him one of the top students.
"Sure."
John took out a badge and personally pinned it on Heinrich.
Seeing this, Malfoy was ovee with jealousy and shouted, "Why does he get one so soon?"
''I was here first!''
Looking at Malfoy''s sour expression, John nced at him and said calmly, "Because he''s strong."
Short and to the point. Malfoy was left speechless.
It hadn''t been long since someonewho knows which foolmentioned that John had chosen Slytherin. Heinrich had immediately challenged the Slytherin students to a duel.
The result was predictable. While Heinrich wasn''t as casual about it as John, not a single Slytherin was his match.
Even Malfoy had stepped up, hoping to teach his rtive a lesson, only to end up petrified in themon room for several hours.
Now, everyone in Slytherin epted that Heinrich was second only to John in strength.
Thanks to John, Slytherin had be full of battle-hungry individuals, always ready to duel and settle things through strength.
"Strength above all."
That phrase had nearly reced the original mantra of "pureblood" within Slytherin.
After sorting out Arithmancy, John went in search of someone who could attend Muggle Studies in his ce.
Daphne eagerly volunteered, her beautiful eyes fixed on John''s badge.
John handed the badge to Daphne, and she shed a beautiful smile.
ss time was approaching, and John found himself interested in Divination. He had a prophet''s blessing that had yet to be triggered, and he wondered if Divination might awaken his potential.
There were a few minor incidents during breakfast.
Because Heinrich looked like a vampire, the Weasley twins had secretly added garlic extract to his milk.
After taking a sip, Heinrich spat it out immediately, drawing his wand, ready to settle the score.
The twins, familiar with the terrain, quickly bolted before he could catch them.
"Sigh, childish," John muttered, shaking his head. He pulled out some mapo tofu-vored ice cream from his small bag and offered it to Malfoy.
''Kekeke''
Malfoy took a bite, and his expression immediately turned as though he''d eaten something terribly disgusting.
Unfazed, John kept a straight face, telling them he was off to ss.
The Divination ssroom was in the Astronomy Tower, a ce John had never been before.
Luckily, he had the Marauder''s Map. Upon reaching the Astronomy Tower, he noticed a trapdoor above.
But just before he closed the map, he saw something curiousthree Hermiones had appeared on the map at the same time.
"What the fuck? How is she present at three different locations?"
The trapdoor lowered adder, and as John climbed up, he noticed a few people had already arrived.
"Ah? Neville, you''re early," John greeted, walking over to him.
The ssroom, if it could be called that, felt more like a mix between an attic and a teahouse. There were numerous small round tables, surrounded by armchairs draped in floral patterns, and overstuffed little cushions scattered around.
Everything in the room was bathed in a hazy red light. The curtains were drawn tightly, and most of themps were covered with deep red scarves, adding to the suffocatingly warm atmosphere that made it hard to breathe.
Arge copper kettle was boiling over a roaring fire in the firece, but the tea brewing inside didn''t smell particrly pleasant. In fact, the overly strong aroma was almost nauseating.
John found a seat, and his gaze immediately fell upon Professor Sybill Trwney, who was lurking in the shadows.
Her appearance was exactly what one might expect from a Divination professor, resembling a giant insect. She was gaunt, but her enormous spectacles magnified her eyes several times their normal size.
With her bizarre attire, adorned with beads, chains, bangles, and rings, she embodied the entric image of a scam fortune-teller in the muggle world.
John looked at her, but his thoughts were on Harry''s prophecy.
This woman might seem a bit unhinged, with the characteristics of a chatan, but in reality, she was incredibly urate.
Professor Trwney also noticed John. It was as if she sensed an inexplicable aura around him.
Suddenly, she stepped out of the shadows, her pace quickening as she hurried over to John.
Her enormous eyes locked onto his, and her voice carried a faint, ethereal tonelike the prelude to a fortune-teller''s scam.
"Child, I sense a gift within you," she said.
The students in the ssroom gasped as Professor Trwney made her appearance. None of them had even noticed her there before.
cing her hands gently over John''s eyelids, her voice grew even more mystical, almost otherworldly.
"Rx. Try to sense, to connect. Your aura is so bright. You can see far into the future."
The other students held their breath, captivated by the scene. Following Professor Trwney''s guidance, John rxed, and colorful visions swirled behind his closed eyes.
"Alright, child, tell mewhat do you see now?" Professor Trwney asked, releasing her hands.
With his eyes still closed, John tapped into his foresight.
"I see Hermione and the othersing in," he said.
No sooner had he spoken than the trio walked into the ssroom.
The scene before them was quite odd. Harry saw Professor Trwney, who looked like a giant beetle, standing beside John, staring at him with ...hunger?.
Professor Trwney eximed, "You truly have a remarkable gift!"
Harry, confused, sneaked over to Neville to ask what was going on.
Neville, full of admiration, whispered, "John just predicted you guys walking into the ssroom."
Hermione wrinkled her nose and said, "John already knew we wereing in. We ran into him in the Great Hall."
Hermione didn''t believe much in this ss. To her, abstract, intangible things like divination were far less reliable than what she could see with her own eyes. She thought maybe John was just ying along with Professor Trwney for fun.
Harry and Ron exchanged nces, agreeing it was likely the same.
Professor Trwney, however, was thrilled by John''s apparent "third eye" abilities. She herself was only sporadically urate with her predictions, and when she was, people often dismissed her as a fraud.
Even among the other professors, many thought she was nothing but a chatan.
But now, it seemed like a chance to prove herself had arrived. Eager to showcase John''s potential, she continued guiding him.
"Child, you can see even further. Rx your body, and let everything flow through your third eye," she urged.
Listening to her voice, John quickly entered a strange, ethereal state, as if sensing something beyond the present moment.
In that moment, it seemed as though John saw many things.
To the others, John suddenly snapped his eyes open.
His eyes were filled with an overwhelming, suffocating white, and a palpable sense of pressure radiated from him.
"Ha!"
He grabbed Professor Trwney''s hands, making her gasp.
"At the full moon, the howl of the wolf will echo with the wail of the dog, the rat will flee, an old acquaintance from afar will return, and an unwitting soul will lose a leg. Those who vite the forbidden will be drowned by a ck tide."
John''s words flowed from his mouth in a near-chant, his voice filled with eerie resonance.
Everyone in the room felt a chill down their spines. Professor Trwney hadn''t expected the effect to be so intense.
When John finished, he emerged from the strange trance, blinking as he looked at Professor Trwney, who was now breathing heavily.
"Oops! Sorry, Professor, I didn''t mean to," John quickly apologized, releasing her hands.
Forcing a smile, Professor Trwney shakily replied, "It''s... it''s alright, child. You did it."
The tension in the room dissipated, and the students exploded into excited murmurs.
"Being drowned by a ck tide... that sounds like a death prophecy."
"John Wick just gave a death prophecy!"
"Could all of this really be true? Are we sure we''re not being tricked?"
"Doesn''t matterthis is John Wick we''re talking about."
The chatter among the students grew louder, even drowning out Professor Trwney''s calls for order. They were unable to remain calm.
Even Hermione, who typically didn''t believe in Divination, was now unsure, torn between whether it was real or fake.
Harry, having heard the mention of the dog''s wail, furrowed his brow, thinking of the big ck dog he had seen.
Regardless, this ss had given the young wizards plenty to gossip about.
Soon enough, news of John''s death prophecy spread like wildfire.
_______
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116: Hagrid’s First Lesson and Buckbeak
116: Hagrids First Lesson and Buckbeak
After that prophecy, everyone in the Divination ss was suddenly bursting with unprecedented interest.
Unfortunately, John was still one of the few who had a true talent for it.
While the others tried their hand at tea leaf reading, John ced one of his badges in front of him. With a light tap of his finger, two holographic projections emerged from the badge.
Even though he was multitasking during ss, Professor Sybill Trwney pretended not to notice.
Hermione, meanwhile, looked both surprised and puzzled. She recalled the Time-Turner that Professor McGonagall had given her yesterdaydid John not have something simr?
As it turned out, John was projecting his image into two other ssrooms simultaneously, managing to attend multiple sses at once. The professors in those other sses were briefly stunned, clearly not expecting such a clever workaround.
Had it not been for John''s reputation for being studious, they might not have tolerated this high-pressure multitasking. But with his "Achemedic Schr mode" activated, John not only absorbed all the lessons but even managed to answer questions.
"Trouble?"
When it came to his tea leaf reading, John saw a sign of impending difficulties. He was perplexedwhat kind of trouble could he face at Hogwarts?
He shared his interpretation with Professor Trwney, and she immediately gave him extra points.
At this point, Trwney practically viewed John as her sessor. It was the first time she''d seen prophetic talent outside her own family.
However,pared to John''s smooth experience, Professor Trwney wasn''t as friendly toward Hermione.
Grabbing Hermione''s hand, she spoke with a deep sense of pity, telling her that her aura was pitifully small.
This made Hermione so angry she nearly wanted to punch someone. Meanwhile, Harry was told he had the grim omen of a ck dog, which made everyone think back to John''s earlier prophecy.
The way people looked at Harry was now filled with sympathy, which made him quite frustrated.
After Divination ss, their next lesson was Transfiguration.
When Professor McGonagall saw how gloomy the students looked, she quickly understood what had happened.
She reassured them that Divination was not a rigorous subject and that Sybill Trwney predicted a few student deaths every year.
This finally put the students'' minds at ease, but then Neville hesitantly said, "But John also made a prophecy."
"John?"
Professor McGonagall was taken abackhow did this involve John?
Neville then recounted John''s prophecy, which left McGonagall astonished.
"Could it be that John Wick has the gift of prophecy? That''s an extremely rare talent, and perhaps there''s only one person in the entire country with it."
Hearing her say this, the students'' previously calm nerves started to fray again.
McGonagall thought back to Dumbledore''s peculiar behavior. This term, two students had chosen all elective subjects, but Dumbledore was only willing to entrust "that item" to one of them.
Recalling Dumbledore''s exact words, Professor McGonagall fell into deep thought.
"Minerva, some overly curious students will inevitably touch upon forbidden knowledge," Dumbledore had said.
In the headmaster''s office, Dumbledore''s eyes were deep and thoughtful. Before him sat a rare magical artifacta golden hourss, one of the only ones left in the world, now kept in the office of the Silent Ones.
Professor McGonagall couldn''t quite understand. John Wick had the best grades across all subjects, so why did Dumbledore express doubts about whether he could handle the responsibilities?
"Don''t worry, Minerva. He''ll find his own way to manage the coursework," Dumbledore had reassured her when she''d questioned him.
Now, in retrospect, it seemed like Dumbledore knew something the rest of them didn''t. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have made such a decision.
Although it might seem unfair to the students, it was ultimately Dumbledore''s call.
Transfiguration ss ended.
As soon as the bell rang, the students, barely able to contain themselves, rushed out of the ssroom, spreading the news about the prophecy.
John quickly became the center of conversation once again.
Malfoy, proudly wearing his badge, approached John and asked him about the prophecy.
"I really don''t know," John replied. "At that moment, I just spoke ording to the instructions."
It was the first time John had triggered his Seer ability, and he wasn''t entirely sure if it was real.
However, the information in the prophecy felt oddly familiar, like something he''d seen before.
He rubbed his chin, wondering if these events were part of the original storyline.
Could it be that his "prophecy" was just him recalling the plot?
In his hand, a card spun between his fingers. This was something Professor Sybill Trwney had given him, iming it was a tool to enhance his Seer abilities.
John stared at the card, which had a symbol resembling an eye on it.
The symbol emitted a faint glow that only he could see.
"Trwney really does know her stuff(?)" John muttered.
Not only had she helped him make a prophecy, but she''d also given him this ancient magic Eye Card.
It seemed there was more to Professor Trwney than met the eye.
Tucking the card away, John prepared for the afternoon''s Care of Magical Creatures ss.
He felt confident about this ss. With him around, he was sure Hagrid wouldn''t get any wild ideas, like making them ride Thestrals into the sky.
ng
John heard a sounding from the direction of Gryffindor and turned to see Hermione storming off, clearly furious.
The instigator, Ron, still had a bewildered expression on his face, as if he had no idea how hurtful hisment about Hermionecking the talent for this ss was.
Ron''s focus was always strange. He furrowed his brows and said to Harry, "What''s she going on about? She hasn''t even taken Arithmancy yet."
Harry nodded in agreement, which made John want to facepalm.
Was whether she''d taken the ss really the point?
If you poured out the water in both their heads, it could probably flood the ck Lake.
"The focus should obviously be on why she mmed the table," John thought to himself, feeling quite wise.
...
That afternoon.
Care of Magical Creatures.
Draco Malfoy had also chosen the ss, and along with him were Daphne, Pansy, and his two henchmen, Crabbe and Goyle.
The whole "John''s Slytherin Squad" had basically gathered, walking across the damp grass toward Hagrid''s hut near the Forbidden Forest.
At first, they were walking in neat formation, but soon Malfoy spotted the trio Harry, Ron, and Hermione and immediatelyunched into full-on taunting mode.
Daphne couldn''t stand it and moved to John''s side,ining, "I just don''t understand how you can tolerate him."
"Don''t let Draco''s childishness fool you... He really is quite childish," John replied, deadpan.
Daphne rolled her eyes at John, unimpressed by his deadpan humor.
On the other side, Malfoy had already started mimicking a Dementor to provoke Harry, making Harry want to pull out his wand and shove it up Draco''s nose.
As they reached Hagrid''s hut, the half-giant was already waiting for the students, wearing his usual worn moleskin coat.
His massive dog, Fang, only looked somewhat less huge when standing next to him.
"Come on,e on, hurry up!" Hagrid bellowed, his loud voice booming. "I''ve got something really special to show yeh today! This lesson''s gonna be fantastic!"
Hearing the word "fantastic," John couldn''t help but feel a twinge of unease.
Given what he knew about Hagrid, it wasn''t likely that a simple creature like pixies or fairies would make him say "fantastic."
"Did he change the lesson n I gave him?" John thought, feeling more and more uneasy as Hagrid led the students toward the Forbidden Forest.
Harry, too, grew anxious, recalling some unpleasant memories of their ventures into the forest.
Fortunately, after five minutes, Hagrid stopped just at the edge of the forest.
They arrived at a small enclosure, but there was nothing inside.
"Gather ''round the fence, everyone!" Hagridmanded, brimming with confidence. "Right, first thing yeh need to do is open yer textbooks."
Malfoy, in his typicalzy and disdainful manner, drawled, "How exactly do you open it?"
The students had all suffered at the hands of The Monster Book of Monsters over the past few days, so most of them had tied their copies up securely with ropes.
Hagrid looked a bit embarrassed, realizing that none of the students had figured out how to handle the book properly. Desperate, he turned to John for help, his eyes pleading.
John, receiving the signal, took out his book and said calmly, "You just need to gently stroke the spine until it makes a contented sound."
He demonstrated, and the book immediately rxed, no longer thrashing about.
Hagrid, overjoyed, shouted, "Brilliant! Ten points to yeh!"
Thanks to John''s intervention, Hagrid managed to escape his awkward situation and regain hisposure. Now back in control, he instructed the students to wait for a moment.
They watched as Hagrid strode confidently toward the Forbidden Forest, as if he were merely walking into his own backyard.
Malfoy opened his mouth toin, but before he could say anything, John gave him a nce and said, exasperated, "Draco, just be quiet for once. Hagrid''s a professor nowhe can dock points from you."
Malfoy mped his mouth shut. The mere thought of having his points taken away by that "big oaf" was almost unbearable for him.
Given Hagrid''s usual demeanor, it was unlikely that he''d actually dock points. At most, he''d just award some extra points.
Unfortunately, Malfoy didn''t understand Hagrid''s nature, so he begrudgingly kept his mouth shut. He then turned his attention to mocking Harry again, pulling his usual Dementor scare tactic to provoke him.
After a short while, a dozen magical creatures with the bodies of horses, heads of eagles, and wings came running over.
''Fuck my life..'' John immediately covered his face in exasperation.
Hagrid was holding a bundle of long iron chains and yelled for the students to step back. He looked as happy as a childwell, a half-giant childas he shouted, "Hippogriffs! Aren''t they beautiful?"
Hagrid, always wanting to impress with his lessons, decided that the first ss needed to be spectacr. So, of course, he brought out a XXX-ss dangerous magical creature.
He pulled forward his favorite one and introduced it to the group. "This here is Buckbeak. Now, the first thing you need to know is that they''re very proud."
After exining how to approach these majestic creatures, Hagrid scanned the group, looking for a volunteer to go first.
He saw John cursing his life and face-palming himself and with a gulp, decided not to trouble him.
Harry volunteered toe out, because he didn''t want Hagrid to have no one respond in the first ss.
_________
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117: Well, He is my Employee
117: Well, He is my Employee
"Good job, Harry!"
Hagrid''s booming voice filled the air. "Now, let''s see how you handle Buckbeak."
He unsped Buckbeak''s leather cor, and the tension in the group skyrocketed.
Hagrid instructed Harry, "You''ve already made eye contact. Don''t blink. If you blink too much, the Hippogriff won''t trust you."
Harry was starting to regret volunteering, as his eyes began to water from the constant staring.
Buckbeak tilted its sharp, bird-like head, its fierce orange eyes locked on Harry.
"That''s it, Harry... Now, bow," Hagrid said, his voice cautious, as though afraid of startling the Hippogriff.
"Ehm*" Harry, despite his reluctance to expose the back of his neck to Buckbeak, followed Hagrid''s instructions.
He quickly bowed and raised his head, relieved to find that it was still attached to his shoulders.
Buckbeak continued to stare at him, arrogantly unmoving.
Hagrid, starting to get nervous, said, "Now step back, Harry. Slowly, just ease back."
He was worried Harry might retreat too fast, which could upset Buckbeak.
However, just as Harry took his first step back, Buckbeak suddenly bent its scaly front knees and returned the bow.
Hagrid, overjoyed, eximed, "Well done, Harry!"
The first lesson had gone so smoothly that Hagrid was convinced everyone would love the ss.
Students: Gasp!
In his excitement, he said to Harry, "Alright, you can pet him now, give him a pat on the beak."
For Harry, it would''ve been much easier to just step back.
John, watching this unfold, also let out a sigh of relief. It seemed that even with dangerous magical creatures, Hagrid''s knowledge was reliable enough.
Seeing Harry sessfully pat Buckbeak, Hagrid went a step further. He promptly hoisted Harry onto Buckbeak''s back.
"W.. Wha"
Harry was utterly bewildered by this sudden turn of events.
"aaAAHH!"
Before he could protest, Hagrid gave Buckbeak a pat on the backside, sending Harry soaring into the sky.
...
"Haah.. Haa.. That.. was.. something.." After a brief ride through the air, Harry returned to the ground, still visibly shaken.
Seeing that Harry had managed just fine, Hagrid became even more confident in his teaching.
He instructed the rest of the students to pick a Hippogriff and give it a try.
John selected a ck one and approached it, locking eyes with the creature.
''This is easy,'' he thought.
Feeling confident, Draco Malfoy, believing he was back on top of the world, strutted arrogantly towards Buckbeak,pletely forgetting all of Hagrid''s warnings.
John furrowed his brow. Malfoy was recklessly tempting fate.
Buckbeak, seeing that this person wasn''t bowing, immediately raised its sharp talons, ready to strike.
Hagrid let out a loud shout, trying to stop the attack, as it seemed Malfoy was about to meet his end any second.
But before the talons could make contact, a red spell hit Malfoy, sending him flying out of Buckbeak''s reach.
"Aah! Someone hit me! I''m dying" Malfoy screamed instinctively, clutching his hand.
Hagrid rushed over to calm Buckbeak, while John walked up to the still howling Malfoy and let out a long sigh.
"Tsk"
"Quit exaggerating. I used the Disarming Charm, not the Killing Curse."
"Oh? It was you John.. ehm.."
John pulled Malfoy up, who now realized that he wasn''t hurt at all.
Malfoy, suddenly feeling very embarrassed, especially under Daphne''s scornful gaze, wished he could disappear into the ground.
"Looks like your courage isn''t quite there yet. Maybe try a haunted house next time," John quipped, casting Malfoy a nce. If he had just paid attention in ss, none of this would have happened.
He then turned to the two dim-witted Goyle and Crabbe, who were contemting copying Malfoy''s actions, and sighed deeply.
Thanks to John''s quick intervention, Buckbeak, who would have otherwise injured Malfoy, avoided causing any harm.
John nced at Hagrid, who looked utterly mortified, but he chose not to say anything.
After all, it was the first ss. He decided to give Hagrid some face.
If something had gone wrong on the very first day, Hagrid would probably cry himself to sleep, especially since this was the position he had always dreamed of.
By the end of the ss, John hadn''t even ridden a Hippogriff himself, too busy keeping an eye on things for Hagrid.
This made Hagrid feel incredibly guilty, knowing it was all his spontaneous decision-making.
After dinner, John suggested to Hagrid that he should adjust his lesson n, as not every ss would have John around to supervise.
After today''s incident, Hagrid realized just how dangerous these creatures were for the little wizards and agreed to change the uing lessons.
With that sorted, John went to the Slytherin Chamber and took a few books with him.
He spent the night in the dorms, cramming as much knowledge as possible.
He threw the responsibility of walking Tom onto Daphne, who happilyplied.
On the third day of the term.
John heard shrieksing from the Great Hall.
Curious, he walked over to see what was going on. It turned out to be people reading the newspaper.
Sirius ck had been spotted near Hogwarts by Muggles!
Seeing this, John didn''t think much of it. After all, with Dementors stationed everywhere, even someone using Polyjuice Potion wouldn''t be able to get in.
No longer paying attention, John found that Heinrich became cautious when drinking after breakfast. It was probably because of the psychological trauma of garlic essence.
...
The morning was Potions ss.
Professor Snape seemed to be in an even worse mood than usual, though his attitude towards John had slightly improved.
At least now, John wasn''t treated the same as the Gryffindors, but rather as a proper Slytherin student.
It wasn''t clear what Snape had gone through to cause this change.
John sessfully brewed a Shrinking Solution, earning Slytherin 30 points from Snape.
In just three days since the start of the term, Slytherin had already pulled far ahead of the other three houses.
The afternoon ss, however, was one of the most dreaded over the past few years:
Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Given their past experiences, none of the students had high hopes for the new professor.
Professor Lupin entered the ssroom, cing his worn-out suitcase on the desk.
"Good afternoon. Please put your textbooks back in your bags. Today''s lesson will be a practical one. All you''ll need is your wand."
A practical lesson?!
The students all nced at John.
Aside from John who had acted as Lockhart''s apprentice, no other professor had ever held practical lessons before.
This piqued their interest, and they eagerly tossed aside their books, following Lupin out of the ssroom.
As they walked through the corridor, they saw Peeves the poltergeist mischievously stuffing chewing gum into a keyhole.
Just as Lupin was only two steps away, Peeves finally looked up.
Seeing Lupin, Peeves opened his mouth, ready to burst into song.
Lupin, being a gentleman, smiled kindly at Peeves. It brought back memorieshe had dealt with Peeves often during his own school years.
"Loon" Peeves began, about to call Lupin "Loony Lupin."
But the moment Peeves saw John, he shrieked in fear.
"No, no, no! J-John Wick is here! I''ve gotta get out of here, fast!"
Peeves bolted away as if his life depended on it, leaving Lupin astonished.
Back in his day, Peeves had never been that terrified.
Turning his head, Lupin looked at John''s innocent face.
"I remember youJohn Wick. It seems Peeves is quite scared of you."
John blinked.
He hadn''t done much, reallyjust caught Peeves a few times to test out some spells about souls.
Who would''ve thought Peeves had such a weak psychological tolerance? Seeing John was like seeing a ghostno, more like seeing the Dark Lord himself.
After that little interruption, Lupin remembered something Professor Flitwick had told him.
Flitwick had said, "If there''s anything you''re unsure about, you can consult John Wick. He was the assistant for Defense Against the Dark Artsst year."
A teacher consulting a student?
Now, it seemed that this assistant wasn''t so simple.
Lupin nced at John with a hint of curiosity but didn''t dwell on it too much.
After passing through another corridor, they arrived at the staff room.
Inside was another professorSnape.
John looked curiously at Professor Snape. He was sure their head of house had a ss this afternoon.
As soon as Lupin and Snape locked eyes, the lingering grudges from their youth filled the air with tension, thick like gunpowder.
Even Neville couldn''t escape Snape''s biting sarcasm, which left Harry fuming, ready to throw a punch.
Scoff~
Snape shot a cold nce at Lupin before leaving the room, but not without pausing briefly by John''s side.
"You might want to take note of something, certain people, certain identities," Snape muttered cryptically.
His words were vague, but they almost directly implied that Lupin had some kind of problem.
John had a peculiar expression. He suspected that Professor Snape was trying to hint that Lupin was a werewolf.
As if John didn''t already know.
After all, he was technically Lupin''s boss and had even generously supplied the Wolfsbane Potion.
Snape nced at John, as if unsure whether he understood or not, then gave him a look before leaving.
Soon enough, Lupin''s first lesson began. At the far end of the room stood a familiar old wardrobe.
Inside it was the Boggart John had capturedst year from the Shrieking Shack.
Their first lesson: how to deal with a Boggart.
_______
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118: A vivid lesson and thoughts
118: A vivid lesson and thoughts
Suddenly, the old wardrobe began to shake.
Lupin, expecting this familiar scene to frighten the students, was surprised to see them all remain calm. This puzzled him.
With aposed tone, he exined, "There''s no need to be afraid. Inside is a Boggart."
After speaking, he looked around the room and asked, "Can anyone tell me what a Boggart is?"
The chance to earn points had arrived. Two hands shot up simultaneously.
Lupin nced over. Naturally, one was the ever-knowledgeable Hermione, and the other was John.
After a brief moment of thought, Lupin called on, "Miss Granger."
Hermione beamed with delight and quickly responded, "Boggarts like dark and confined spaces. They usually hide in wardrobes, gaps under beds, or cupboards under sinks."
"A Boggart is a shape-shifter," she continued confidently, "It transforms into whatever it thinks will frighten us the most."
"I couldn''t have exined it better myself," Professor Lupin praised, which made Hermione, who always worked hard in ss, positively glow with pride.
Lupin then approached the trembling wardrobe and continued, "So the Boggart inside this dark cab doesn''t have a fixed shape yet. It doesn''t know what the people outside fear, and no one knows what a Boggart looks like when it''s alone."
At this point, John couldn''t help but smirk.
He had some authority on the subject because he knew exactly what a Boggart looked like. Through his own research, John had learned that if you used lumency to shield your mind, the Boggart wouldn''t be able to see into it. If you also used a Disillusionment Charm, the Boggart wouldn''t even know you were there.
Once, he''d spent time with a Boggart in a wardrobe, observing the formless ck cloud it resembled when it couldn''t figure out what to transform intojust a mass of swirling ck smoke.
Meanwhile, Professor Lupin continued his exnation.
He tapped the wardrobe with his wand and said, "The moment I let it out, it will immediately turn into the thing each of us fears the most."
"But that means we have a significant advantage over the Boggart," Lupin added, looking around.
Hermione, standing on her tiptoes, raised her hand high, and John also raised his. But Lupin nced at a pair of familiar green eyes and decided to call on Harry instead. "Harry, have you realized what that advantage is?" Lupin asked.
"Ah!" Harry, caught off guard like a student who''d been daydreaming and suddenly called on in math ss, hesitated. ncing nervously at Hermione, he tentatively answered, "Uh... because there are so many of us, it won''t know what shape to take?"
You had to hand it to Harryhe had the instincts of a born Auror.
His intuition was spot-on, and he nailed the key point right away.
"Exactly right!" Lupin praised loudly.
Hermione, looking a little disappointed, lowered her hand. John also lowered his, quietly observing Lupin.
''You cheeky boy, I''ll dock your pay when you get back,'' John thought to himself.
Of course, that was assuming Lupin would ever go back to work. Lupin, clearly pleased with his old friend''s son''s performance, gave the wardrobe a casual pat and said, "I once encountered a Boggart that tried to scare two people at once. It ended up turning into half a slugnot scary at all."
"The spell to repel a Boggart is quite simple, but it requires strong willpower," Lupin exined, his face breaking into a smile as he added, "Remember, the real way to defeat a Boggart isughter. What we need is to force it into a form you find hrious."
Raising his wand, Lupin stepped forward to begin teaching. "Now, pick up your wands, and let''s practice the incantation. Repeat after me... ''Riddikulus!''"
The students quickly realized this professor was a vast improvement over thest two Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers. Their enthusiasm surged as they shouted, "Riddikulus!"
"Excellent, very good! Now, that was the easy part. But remember, just saying the spell won''t be enough. Laughterthat''s what will truly defeat the Boggart. Neville, it''s your turn."
Suddenly hearing his name, Neville, with his pointy chin and bewildered expression, stepped forward. He looked nervous, though not outright scared.
"Very good, Neville." Lupin had initially expected the boy to be scared, but now it seemed the son of the Longbottoms wasn''t as much of a coward as he''d thought.
Standing beside Neville, Lupin asked gently, "Neville, what are you most afraid of in this world?"
Neville''s lips quivered slightly as he nced toward John''s direction, before whispering, "Professor Snape."
Professor Lupin couldn''t help but chuckle. Snape''s poprity really was that bad.
Actually, Neville had wanted to say "John" too, but seeing John staring directly at him, he wisely chose to only mention one person. If John ever found out that the boy was scared of him, he''d undoubtedly double his training sessions.
Just imagineJohn stepping out of the wardrobe. The sheer embarrassment of that moment would be enough to get Neville thoroughly beaten.
The rest of the students burst intoughter when they heard Neville was afraid of Snape. After all, Snape''s reputation wasn''t exactly ster.
John noticed a few Slytherin studentsughing too, and he thought to himself, ''You lot really have a death wish.''
Lupin, meanwhile, told Neville to imagine his grandmother''s entric attire. He, too, had a bit of a mischievous streak. As a former member of the Marauders, Lupin might not have been as wild as the other three, but he certainly had the typical Gryffindor spirit that thrived on daring.
With a flick of his wand, Lupin remotely opened the wardrobe. The rattling ceased, and soon after, a hand pushed open the door.
John, watching this unfold, couldn''t help but think to himself, Good grief, Professor Snape hase out of the closet.
"..."
Out stepped a figure that wasn''t just close to Snapeit practically was Snape. He loomed like a bat, ring menacingly at Neville.
Gulp!
Despite his training and newfound courage, Neville couldn''t help but feel a twinge of fear. Still, he raised his wand and pointed it at the figure.
"Riddikulus!"
The moment the Boggart-turned-Snape took a step, his clothing transformed into an outrageously bright red-and-green dress. The sight was enough to make the entire ss erupt intoughter. John even caught Draco Malfoy snickering.
Professor Lupinughed the loudest.
Seizing the opportunity while the Boggart was momentarily disoriented, he waved his hand and called out, "Parvati, you''re up next!"
With the first transformation setting the tone, everyone felt more confident. They eagerly stepped forward one by one to test themselves against the Boggart, which kept shifting into different forms.
The poor creature became the subject of endless ridicule.
Each student took a turn. When it was Ron''s turn, predictably, the Boggart turned into a massive spider. With a quick incantation, Ron made the spider''s legs vanish, leaving it to roll around on the floor helplessly. Eventually, it tumbled over to Harry''s feet.
Harry was about to deal with it when the Boggart began to change again. Just as it was about to take shape, Lupin dashed forward in an instant, intercepting it.
"Harry!"
The Boggart immediately transformed into a silvery-white orb that floated in front of him.
But shortly after, the silver ball that Lupin had turned into a balloon floated toward John.
When it reached John, the balloon hesitated, and the Boggart quickly began to shift. As everyone wondered what John might fear, they were stunned to see the Boggart spiraling out of control, changing frantically.
It cycled through all the forms it had previously taken before finally settling into something unrecognizable.
"This..."
Everyone, including Professor Lupin, was left speechless. Lupin, in particr, had never seen a Boggart react like this.
A sudden thought popped into John''s mind: What would happen if he imagined the Boggart''s true form? Even Lupin had never seen its original shape. John didn''t mind giving everyone a glimpse.
He began to visualize the Boggart''s true form in his mind. The Boggart''s chaotic shifting stilled for a moment.
Then, in a sh, it darted back into the old wardrobe and mmed the door shut, locking itself inside.
The entire room was left dumbfounded. Why had the Boggart retreated on its own?
John, was in deep in thought ''Looks like even a Boggart, capable of probing others'' fears, can''t bear to face its true self.''
He looked up at Lupin, silently asking, So, how do we score that?
Lupin was equally puzzled. How could they call that a failure when the Boggart had scared itself and fled?
But if they were to call it a sess, John hadn''t even used his wand.
Lupin was stuck in a dilemma, though the ss soon ended, sparing him from having to decide. He awarded Gryffindor five points, with Hermione, Harry, and Neville all receiving additional points.
After assigning homeworkan essay on BoggartsMalfoy loudly began to conspire with his fellow Slytherins, iming that Lupin was tantly biased toward Gryffindor. He grumbled that even when John raised his hand, Lupin deliberately ignored him, giving all the credit to the Gryffindors.
This sparked agreement among the Slytherins, who felt that John had clearly been the most outstanding in the ss.
While they were busy being indignant on his behalf, John''s mind was elsewhere.
"Boggarts peer into the depths of one''s heart, while Dementors suck out souls and happiness. What if Ibined the two...?"
His eyes gleamed with excitement, as if he had stumbled upon a new idea. He felt he might have found a method worth trying.
___________
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119: Capturing Dementors
119: Capturing Dementors
A week into the school year, Professor Lupin''s exceptional teaching had earned unanimous praise from the entire school.
The incident where Neville forced the Boggart version of Professor Snape into women''s clothing had be a secret favorite among the students.
However, this came at a price.
Neville now found himself being scolded multiple times more than usual in Potions ss, with Professor Snape always watching him with a dark, ''malicious'' gaze.
Whatever points Neville earned in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Snape deducted almost all of them in Potions.
John, on the other hand, consistentlypleted his assignments with excellence, earning Slytherin a hefty amount of points.
His talent was undeniable, and Snape''s attitude toward him improved significantly.
Heinrich also performed excellently in all subjects, though his poprity wascking.
He looked down on everyone except for John.
Surrounded by an aura that warned people to keep their distance, his pale, sicklyplexion made him seem like a vampire.
And he never hesitated to cast nasty curses on those who bad-mouthed him.
As a result, Slytherin lost a few points because of him, but in secret, many Slytherins found it oddly satisfying.
When only one person is bullied, they might feel resentful. But when a whole group is bullied, they start to think it''s normal.
Behind his back, Heinrich was nicknamed "Slytherin''s Vampire." The Weasley twins often found creative ways to sneak garlic extract into his food.
The tension between them intensified, and one time, they ended up fighting in Charms ss.
It was two against one, but Heinrich held his own. Eventually, Professor Flitwick had to step in to break up the three-way conflict.
Night fell.
John quietly slipped out of the dormitory, not heading to the Room of Requirement as usual. Instead, he stealthily left the castle.
Outside the castle, Dementors patrolled the grounds.
John cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself. Though Dumbledore had mentioned that such spells were ineffective against Dementors, John knew they only sensed emotionsespecially joy, which was their most delectable food.
''Let''s see~''
Using lumency, John sealed his mind tightly, like an imprable steel wall, without letting a single emotion leak out.
He set his sights on a lone Dementor roaming the area. John carefully calcted its path and set a trap along the way.
The Dementor hadn''t noticed anything,zily floating nearby.
''Now!''
John then slightly rxed his mental defenses, allowing just a sliver of emotion to slip through. The Dementor paused in its tracks.
It had sensed something. Since leaving Azkaban, it hadn''t feasted properly in a long time. Instantly, it drifted toward where John was hiding.
As the Dementor approached, John quickly sealed his mind again.
The delightful taste it had sensed vanished, leaving the Dementor confused.
Dementor: Eh?
It lingered, unwilling to give up, continuing to float around the area in search of the source.
Soon, the Dementor reached the trap John had set.
It was a box, intricate andplex in design, seemingly left there casually.
The Dementor approached, somewhat suspicious, as if expecting someone to be hiding inside.
The moment it reached out to touch the box, it sprang open.
An empty, dark space within emitted a powerful suction force, and the Dementor was pulled in like it was being vacuumed, its body dragged into the box.
John stepped forward and shut the box. The sound of locks clicking and nking filled the air as a dozen locks secured themselves in ce, leaving no chance for the Dementor to escape!
"Fuck Yes!"
John''s face lit up with satisfaction as he cast a Levitation Charm on the box.
With the box floating behind him, he made his way back to the castle.
This box was something he had specially crafted to capture Dementors.
Havingpleted his mission, John headed toward the Forbidden Forest and tossed the box into the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets.
The chamber had already been transformed, with books on souls floating in the air. John reached out and brushed against one of them.
The pages rapidly flipped, stopping at a passage about Dementors.
"Dementors exist in a state between the soul and the body. They resemble ghosts, but they are far more powerful than any ghost."
Staring at the section about Dementors in the book, John absentmindedly touched the silver skull in the room, deep in thought.
ng.
A noise broke his concentration. He looked over and saw an old wardrobe standing next to the box.
A sudden idea shed in his mindwhat would happen if a Boggart encountered a Dementor? What would it turn into?
Wasting no time, John cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself, then used lumency to block his mind. With a wave of his hand, the locks on both the box and the wardrobe clicked open.
Almost simultaneously, the Dementor emerged from the box, while inside the wardrobe, a swirling mass of ck smoke quickly twisted and contorted. After a few twitching movements, it transformed into a bizarre-looking ck albatross.
Both the Dementor and the Boggart seemed to pause, as if confused. Despite having no eyes, they gave off the strange feeling of a stare-down.
The Dementor floated around the room, while the Boggart pped its wings as if mimicking something.
"Is it... trying to copy my Patronus?"
John''s mouth twitched as he watched the Boggart''s awkward imitation of an albatross, a distorted version of his Patronus.
Ironically, the Dementor John had captured was one of the very ones he had driven away from the train earlier. Judging by the Boggart''s vague form, it seemed that even Dementors had some capacity for thought.
Swoosh!
John didn''t feel like watching the bizarre performance any longer. With a wave of his wand, both the Dementor and the Boggart were forced back into their respective containers.
After locking up the box and wardrobe again, John sat on top of the box, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "It''s all very unclear. This suggests that the Dementor''s mind isn''t fully coherent," he mused.
It felt almost as if the Dementor was mentally impaired, or perhaps its soul was damaged in some way.
The only thing he could confirm was that both the Dementor and the Boggart had abilities simr to Legilimency, the power to delve into minds.
The more John thought about it, the moreplicated it seemed. He sighed heavily.
"Damn... there''s still a long way to go."
If he wanted to solve the issue with Nagini''s soul, he''d need to keep pushing forward in his research.
Climbing off the box, John left the chamber.
In the following days, he continued to visit the chamber regrly to study the two creatures.
...
Days passed.
September 19th.
That day, Hermione, who was eating in the Great Hall, an owl hooted to her.
"Hmm?" The owl that delivered it was familiar to her, and she eximed, "Oh! Basil!"
Harry and Ron looked up as well, watching as Basil fluttered its wings and expertlynded between the tes on the table.
Ron couldn''t help but think about his family''s old owl, which always caused chaos whenever it came bysometimes even crashing headfirst into a bowl.
Reaching out to pet Basil, Hermione noticed that the owl had brought a gift.
When she unwrapped it, inside was a beautifully crafted ss ball that contained a miniature starry sky.
A card fell out, and Ron picked it up. It was from John.
"Happy Birthday."
Ron didn''t know why, but he felt a bit irked, and muttered with a hint of jealousy, "Wow, he actually remembered your birthday."
Hermione shot him a sharp look, replying, "I mentioned my birthday when the term started. You just weren''t listening."
Well, Harry and Ron felt a little embarrassedthey vaguely recalled that she had indeed said something.
Harry stared at the ss ball, puzzled. "That thing looks expensive. How does John afford something like that?"
From what Harry knew, John came from a Muggle family.
He suddenly remembered the hundred Galleons John had lent him. Could someone from a non-magical family have that much wizarding money?
Harry began to feel a bit suspicious, but Ron was more interested in whether he could borrow Hermione''s ss ball to copy for future Astronomy homework.
Later, Hermione found John to thank him personally for the gift. John waved it off, saying there was no need for formalities between them.
"Oh, by the way, where''s your cat? Why didn''t you bring him out today?"
John thought that the t-faced cat was quite interesting, at least smarter than Tom, with its fluffy and soft fur.
When Hermione mentioned the situation, she seemed a bit upset.
It turned out that Crookshanks was always trying to catch Scabbers, which had made Ron very angry. As a result, she had to leave Crookshanks in the dormitory.
Hermione exined, "He keeps trying to catch Scabbers, and that makes Ron furious. So I have to keep him in the dormitory."
"Oh, I see. Well, it''s natural for a cat to want to chase a rat. You can''t really me Crookshanks for that."
John nodded in understanding, and just then, he noticed Tom happily darting past his feet.
At Hogwarts, apart from Filch''s cat, Mrs. Norris, Tom was the freest pet around.
Hermione looked enviously at Tom. John thought for a moment and said, "Since you''re often at the library, if you don''t mind, I could help feed your cat."
Of course, he wouldn''t admit that he was just eager to pet Crookshanksthe round, pudgy body seemed incredibly satisfying to touch.
"Umm," Hermione hesitated a bit, uncertain whether Crookshanks would like spending time in the Slytherinmon room.
In the afternoon, Hermione found John again, a little embarrassed. "Crookshanks doesn''t like leaving the Gryffindormon room."
"Huh? Oh, alright then. I''ve got some cat treats here. You can take them to him."
John was a bit disappointed that he wouldn''t get to pet the adorably ugly Crookshanks. He pulled out the cat treats and dried fish he had prepared.
Hermione nced at his small bag, noticing how much stuff he seemed to have packed in there. "That''s... quite a lot."
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120: Encounters and Experiments
120: Encounters and Experiments
Filch''s Office.
Filch was eating ice cream, his face unusually lit up with a rare smile of happiness.
Mrs. Norris meowed softly, nibbling on a cat treat from Filch''s hand.
One hand held the ice cream, the other a cat treatit seemed Filch had reached the pinnacle of his life.
What was even more surprising was that his favorite vor turned out to be mapo tofu ice cream, which left John astonished.
"If this existed in India, Gandhi would have been reincarnated yelling, ''This ice cream go back''." John thought.
All he could conclude was that European tastes were odd, and European wizards'' tastes even odder.
While on his usual visit to groom Mrs. Norris, John noticed a bit of purple paper sticking out from one of the drawers. Curiosity piqued, he reached out and pulled it out.
Filch, preupied with his ice cream, didn''t notice at first. By the time he realized, John had already seen the letter.
"Quick Spell Course?"
John stared at the envelope, and Filch''s face shifted between shades of green and purple.
John wasn''t feeling any particr disdain, just curious about why Filch, working in a magic school, would go out of his way to find a course like this.
"Give that back!" Filch suddenly snapped, angry.
He screamed and yelled, driving John out of the office. Ever since Harry discoveredst year that Filch was a Squib, Filch had be a bit more self-destructive.
As a Squib, no one desired magic more than Filch.
"I can endure the darkness, as long as no beam of light shines into my world."
Seeing his siblings using magic had always been a deep torment for Filch. He was even kicked out of his family home, losing his ce there.
Hogwarts took him in, and he desperately wanted to belong, but his inability to perform magic made him feel inferior. This also developed his habit of obsessively watching students for mistakes.
John was one of the few students Filch didn''tpletely despise, mostly because John never showed off magic in front of him. More importantly, Mrs. Norris liked John.
After being kicked out of the office, John had no choice but to head elsewhere.
Once again, John saw Tom trotting off happily.
"Don''t go too far, be careful not to get caught by a Dementor," John warned, sounding like an overprotective father.
He figured Tom was just going to find Fang and wouldn''t wander too far.
Indeed, distance erases all feelings over time. Now, Tom didn''t even seem to care about that big ck dog anymore.
As long as Tom didn''t encounter any Dementors outside, everything should be fine.
John headed to the library, casually handing Madam Pince a signed note from a professor along with two small boxes of ice cream.
Madam Pince nced at the ice cream indifferently, then at John''s handsome face. She said coolly, "No food allowed in the library."
"I know, that''s why it''s for you," John grinned, looking both charming and elegant.
It had to be said that John''s appearance was quite strikingreminiscent of a young Dark Lord, with the same deceptive allure.
Madam Pince let out a soft hum through her nose, quickly ncing around before snatching the ice cream.
The ice cream had a spell on it, so it wouldn''t melt even after three days.
Looking at the note, Madam Pince said dryly, "It''s expired."
"What?"
John was taken aback, only to see Madam Pince pointing at the signature with a sneer. "Gilderoy Lockhart''s name doesn''t count."
At that moment, John suddenly rememberedhis time of unlimited influence was over.
For the second time, he was kicked out, even though he had brought a gift.
John left feeling frustrated. It seemed he''d have to return at night.
As John passed by the staff room, he overheard Professor Snape''s mocking voice and Professor Lupin''s calm,posed response.
"Lupin, it seems that Johnny Silverhand''s appearance has made things easier for you," Snape sneered.
"Thank you for your concern, Sir Johnny Silverhand is indeed... quite the man," Lupin replied evenly.
Snape almost choked on his own words. Concern? He was clearly mocking Lupina werewolf who could hardly find a job!
Lupin, recalling Silverhand''s ruthless methods, found it impossible to call him a "good man."
Seeing his former enemy doing well made Snape more miserable than if Lupin had been killed. His face grew so dark it could practically drip water.
"Lupin, don''t think I don''t know why you''re here," Snape hissed, stepping closer, his face almost touching Lupin''s.
Gritting his teeth, he lowered his voice, "The moment that man escaped Azkaban, you show up at Hogwarts. Don''t tell me that''s a coincidence!"
Lupin''s eyes darkened, but he replied firmly, "It''s just a coincidence, Severus."
"Don''t call me by my name!" Snape snapped coldly. "I''ll be watching you. You''ve learned a lot from Johnny Silverhand, haven''t you? That ruthless manmaybe he helped you rescue your ''good friend.''"
The way Snape spat out "good friend" was dripping with mockery, causing Lupin''s eyes to redden with emotion.
"Enough, don''t say any more... it was my mistake," Lupin''s already pale face turned even whiter.
Snape forced words out through gritted teeth, "He was never a good person, neither then nor now. He once..."
An unpleasant memory resurfaced in Snape''s mind, causing him to take a deep breath as the chill in his eyes grew sharper.
Lupin knew exactly what incident Snape was referring toit was indeed Sirius ck''s fault, and it was an outrageous mistake. If not for James Potter, Snape might not even be alive today.
Knowing that he was in the wrong, Lupin chose to remain silent.
Seeing this as a victory, Snape clicked his tongue in satisfaction, then turned away, walking off like a giant bat.
But as soon as he opened the door, he was met with John. Snape''s triumphant expression instantly turned sour.
"Mr. Wick, I believe you know eavesdropping is inappropriate," Snape said coldly.
John replied sincerely, "Professor Snape, I actually came to talk to you about something."
Snape stared at John''s face for a moment before responding icily, "Somewhere else."
Following Snape out, John nced back at Lupin.
Lupin smiled at him, appearing unfazed by the earlier argument.
Once they reached Snape''s office, John exined that he wanted to borrow books from the Restricted Section.
Snape, with his usual sarcastic tone, said coldly, "I don''t think a third-year student is capable of handling books from the Restricted Section."
And then John was kicked out.
For the third time!
John clenched his fists, feeling as if the whole world was against him today.
Taking a deep breath, he turned to leave.
Bah! It''s just the Restricted Sectionit''s not like I haven''t snuck in before. Who cares!
...
Meanwhile, Tom had obediently stayed nearby, just as John had told him.
Carrying her dog food, Tom ran all the way to the Whomping Willow.
Her short legs moved with an agility that didn''t match his size, managing to avoid spilling even a bit of the dog food as she slipped into the tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow.
It seemed to validate what John often teased Malfoy about: "Even my dog behaves better than you."
Once inside the passageway, Tom trotted happily into the Shrieking Shack.
Arge ck dog was resting inside, its fur a little patchy in ces. When it saw Tom approach, a look of joy crossed its face.
Tom set down the dog food and tore open the package.
The big ck dog eagerly dug into the meal, while Tom wagged her tail so furiously it looked like a helicopter rotor.
After finishing the meal, therge ck dog "talked" to Tom.
Tom asionally nodded, as if she was responding.
...
Having been rejected three times today, John decided to head to the Slytherin Chamber and focus on studying the Dementor.
Treating the Dementor like an experiment, John opened the box.
As soon as the Dementor emerged, John extended his wand, twisting it as if turning a key.
"Redi ad animam tuam," he muttered.
The Specter Charm activated. The Dementor, which had just crawled out, suddenly froze, and beneath its tattered, ragged body, something seemed to stir as if it were about to emerge.
"Redi ad animam tuam!!"
John pushed harder.
The Dementor let out a high-pitched scream.
The piercing sound was almost unbearable for John, and with a flick of his wand, he shoved the Dementor back into the box.
"The Dementor''s body and soul are tightly bound. To pull the soul out, you''d have to tear it apart forcefully," John mused, recalling the sensation from earlier. It was as if the soul was glued together with powerful adhesive.
His expression remained calm. Since that was the case, he decided to try again.
Releasing the Dementor once more, John plugged his ears this time and cast the Specter Charm again.
The Dementor''s body was gradually being torn apart by an unseen force, and just as John was about to seed, his hand trembled. The Dementor stopped screaming, and its body dissolved into thick smoke and vanished.
"Dead?"
John stared at the spot where the Dementor had disappeared, rubbing his temples, which ached from the piercing noise. He hadn''t expected to identally kill it, meaning he''d have to capture another one.
"A soul-like entity, but it seems more like it''s pieced together," he noted.
With no one else around, John pulled out some parchment and jotted down his observations, realizing he''d need to catch another Dementor for further experiments.
The Boggart in the nearby chest had also gone still, as if sensing the terrifying events that had just unfolded outside.
After all, a Boggart is naturally timid, only taking on scary forms to frighten others.
Carrying the chest, John repeated his process, heading outside the castle to capture another Dementor for his experiments.
Some timeter, the Ministry of Magic noticed that a few Dementors had gone missing.
_______
Read 12 Chapters ahead at:
121: The Case of the Missing Dementors and Jealousy
121: The Case of the Missing Dementors and Jealousy
"Cornelius, I''ve told you, I haven''t done anything to the Dementors."
Inside the headmaster''s office.
Dumbledore looked rather weary as he faced the rotund Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge.
Fudge, wearing his trademark bowler hat, raised his voice a bit, demanding, "Then who? I mean, apart from you, who else could possibly make three Dementors vanish into thin air?"
The moment the Dementors went missing, the Ministry''s first suspect was, naturally, Dumbledore.
After all, the headmaster had made his disdain for Dementors known on more than one asion. And besides Dumbledore, Fudge couldn''t think of anyone else capable of pulling off such a feat.
Strictly speaking, the Dementors of Azkaban weren''t directly subordinate to the Ministry of Magic.
They had a cooperative rtionshipthe Ministry supplied prisoners for the Dementors to feed on, while the Dementors fulfilled their duty of guarding the prisoners.
So, when Fudge found out about the missing Dementors, he stormed straight to Dumbledore.
If this issue wasn''t handled properly, the Dementors might go on strike, and that could lead to mass prison breaks at Azkaban.
Under no circumstances could Azkaban fall apart, especially not while Fudge was Minister. The Dementors could not be allowed to fail.
Dumbledore sighed, waving a hand tiredly. "Cornelius, aside from me, there may be others capable of such a thing. Besides the Patronus Charm, it''s possible there are other spells that can kill Dementors."
Fudge suddenly thought of a possibility, a terrifying and self-deluding one. He shouted, "Impossible! We all know hehe can''te back!"
The first figure to appear in his mind was that man. Then, another thought struck him, and he spoke with conviction, as if to reassure himself, "I know now! It''s Sirius ck, it must be him!"
Fudge''s eyes lit up, his body swaying with excitement.
"It has to be him! He''s hiding nearby and killed the Dementors!"
His voice grew louder, as if convincing himself, until he was nearly shouting. He stormed out of the room, mming the door behind him.
Dumbledore watched him leave, sighing quietly to himself. ''Everything has changed.''
Fudge hadn''t always been like this. Back then, Dumbledore had lent him his own influence to help him be Minister of Magic. It was power andfort that had turned him into this fearful man.
At the time, there were better candidates for Minister, but Dumbledore had believed that stability was what the wizarding world needed most.
In hindsight, it might have been the wrong choice.
Fudge had been running from the truth that Voldemort could return. Even if Dumbledore himself told him, he wouldn''t believe it.
"Power... should never be used as a personal tool."
If Dumbledore wanted it, all he had to do was show the slightest interest. His old friends, his former students, the Ministry, the Wizengamot, and even the entire wizarding world would dly make him Minister of Magic without hesitation.
But Dumbledore knew his own heart.
He was pure, strong, brave, and righteousbut he could never touch power. It was a fatal poison, one that would cause him to lose himself.
The younger version of himself had once been with that man, who would go on to be the first Dark Lord after the breaking of the Statute of Secrecy.
And Dumbledore knewit was his own ideas that had influenced him.
So, even in the darkest times under both Dark Lords, Dumbledore had never sought power. In fact, he avoided it at all costs.
On the desky a small golden hourss. He gently touched it with his fingertips, as if speaking to himself, or perhaps to someone else.
"I hope you won''t be like that."
In his mind''s eye, two figures appeared. One was a young, vibrant man full of ambition; the other, a student in a Hogwarts uniform, equally handsome but hiding behind a mask.
Their images ovepped, and a third figure began to take shape.
Dumbledore tried to see it more clearly, but his old eyes failed him. All he could make out was the back of that person.
"Infinite possibilities," he whispered.
Withdrawing his hand, Dumbledore''s gaze shifted toward the Sorting Hat and the Sword of Gryffindor.
''He is so different, yet so simr,'' Dumbledore thought.
''He is flourishing, while I am withering.
Can an old phoenix still rise from the ashes?''
...
This was John''s second encounter with Minister Fudge.
The man''s face was sour, as if he''d just eaten one of the Weasley twins'' new Canary Creams.
Fudge looked unpleasant, muttering words like "Sirius ck" under his breath.
John shrugged at the sight, guessing that the Minister of Magic had likely been rebuffed by Dumbledore.
Back in the Slytherinmon room, John found another sour face waiting for him.
Daphne''s usually lovely features were scrunched up in a frown, as if she were just a step away from announcing, "I am very, very angry."
As someone who relied on Daphne to help him with sswork, John sidled up to her and asked, "What''s wrong? Did Tom mess up your notes again?"
Thest time she had been this upset, it was because Tom had ruined the notes Daphne had painstakingly organized.
Daphne had chased Tom around the room, while Tomthinking it was a gamehad gleefully pranced ahead.
In the end, John had to step in, figuring out the whole story after catching Tom mid-sprint.
Since it was his dog that had caused the mess, John had been left to clean up after it, and had solemnly promised, "I''ll have Tom do a backflip for you. Don''t stay mad at a dog."
Daphne nced sideways at John, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she mimicked, "Thank you so much, John!"
Her tone was exaggerated, as if she was intentionally making her voice higher-pitched, and it sent shivers down John''s spine.
"Uh... you''re wee?" John muttered awkwardly, rubbing his arms.
The next second, Daphne''s face fell again, and she gave a cold huff before turning and storming off. "Humph!"
John was left standing there,pletely bewildered. So... no backflip from Tom?
He remembered that Tom could even do a headstand while eating the food.
The next day, John figured he might as well have Tom perform her headstand-eating trick for Daphne. Maybe that would cheer her up.
In the Great Hall, Daphne arrived and sat a few seats away from John.
John leaned over and whispered, "Come with me, I want to show you something."
Daphne''s expression brightened with a hint of excitement, thinking that John had finally gotten the message.
After whispering something to her friend Pansy, she followed John, her heart filled with anticipation.
Pansy gave her a knowing look before casting a nce at Malfoy, who was loudly scheming with his two goons about how to handle a younger Gryffindor student.
She resisted the urge to throw the te of unpeeled potatoes in front of her at his head.
Daphne followed John out of the Great Hall, brimming with expectation, as they walked all the way to the covered bridge.
This spot was rarely visited, with its long stretch of stone and wood. The morning breeze brushed against their faces, tousling John''s slightly long ck hair.
The sunlight caught his perfectly sculpted features, making him look even more striking. The tips of his hair danced in the wind, framing his fire-smander-like brown eyes, and Daphne found herself momentarily lost in them.
She stared at John, her heart pounding, trying to keep herposure.
Despite her nervousness, she managed to stutter, "J-John, what do you want to show me?"
She pretended to be nonchnt, remembering what her mother had told herthat women who were too forward were not cherished.
John gazed directly into her pale gray-blue eyes, a smile curling at the corner of his lips. Daphne''s heartbeat seemed to skip for a moment.
"I know you''ve always cared, and I understand what you''ve been feeling..."
Perhaps it was the intensity of John''s gaze that made Daphne instinctively look away.
Seeing her shy and expectant demeanor, John''s smile grew even more pronouncedhe knew he had guessed correctly!
Raising his hand, he snapped his fingers.
Out of nowhere, music began to y, catching Daphne off guard.
Eh?
"Watch closely! To apologize, Tom has specially trained for thiswatch our Tom eat dog food upside down!"
John''s voice brimmed with pride and excitement as he pointed to his begrudgingly performing dog.
Tom trotted over with her bowl in her mouth, tore open a bag of dog food, and dumped it into the bowl. With a forceful push of her front paws and a loud grunt, she lifted her hind legs into the air, bncing perfectly on her front legs. Her floppy ears dangled down as she enthusiastically devoured the food.
The atmosphere grew eerily quiet, with John still enthusiastically cheering Tom on from the side.
"Come on, Tom! Keep eating!"
"You got this, Tom! Believe in yourself!"
"Go for it! You''re going to be the kingehm*Queen of all dogs!"
John''s motivational shouts echoed in Daphne''s ears, transforming her previously shy expression into one of cold indifference.
She stared at the hard-working Tom, and the corners of her mouth curled into a sarcastic smirk, letting out two cold chuckles.
"How was that? Impressive, right?"
John looked at Tom with satisfaction as the dog had polished off every bit of food.
"Heh."
Daphne let out a coldugh, once again using that sarcastic, high-pitched tone as she said, "Thank you, John!"
Why did that sound so off?
John scratched his head, feeling something strange, and cautiously offered, "Actually, Tom can also do a one-pawed handstand while eating dog food."
"Thank you, John!!"
It was the same sentence again. After saying it, Daphne turned and walked away, not giving John a chance to understand what was happening.
John nced down at Tom, who was happily wagging her tail at his feet. With a raised eyebrow, John shouted, "Something''s wrong with you!"
Daphne''s footsteps pausedwas he finally realizing it? But soon, she realized she was overthinking it.
John was pulling on Tom''s face, scolding, "You''ve been eating double the dog food these days, so howe you haven''t put on any weight?!"
Tom''s fawning expression froze, and she lowered his head guiltily.
"Hmph!" Meanwhile, Daphne stomped harder as she walked away, as if the floor were John under her feet.
This idiot notices how much dog food Tom eats but can''t figure out why I''m upset!
_________
Read 12 Chapters ahead at-
122: Quidditch Training Week and Borrowing Books
122: Quidditch Training Week and Borrowing Books
John had always been someone who swung back and forth between being meticulous and careless.
Take Daphne, for example.
She had been acting snarky around him for three days straight, and it was only now that John vaguely remembered hearing that tone somewhere before.
"Isn''t this what Hermione said to me on her birthday?"
He was a bit stunned. It felt so familiar because, well, Hermione had said the same thing.
"Could it be that she''s upset I gave a gift to someone from Gryffindor?"
After thinking it over carefully, John thought this was highly likely.
After all, as the leader of the little Slytherin team, even though, thanks to him, Slytherin''s attitude toward Muggle-borns and half-bloods had changed significantly, their attitude toward Gryffindor had not. Slytherin and Gryffindor had always been rivals, one rising by stepping on the other.
It was practically ingrained in their bones. Even John had a bit of that sentiment.
If that''s the case... then I didn''t do anything wrong!
After all, when they became friends, there was no house division to consider. He was a loyal Slytherin, definitely not a traitor to his house.
I need to report this to the organizationI''m innocent!
After wrestling with this for a while, John finally decided that he should apologize to Daphne.
After all, this little rift had caused him to miss a Muggle Studies lesson.
John found Daphne and said earnestly, "Daphne, I know I''ve been a bit offtely. I''m sorry."
His serious tone made Daphne start to feel a bit awkward for her own petty behavior.
Blushing, Daphne replied, "I was wrong too. I shouldn''t have spoken to you like that."
Thinking about how she''d been acting snarky these past few days, she couldn''t help but rub her face, feeling like her constant cold smirks had made her face stiff.
"Yeah! That sarcastic tone"John nodded knowingly and said, "It felt just like Professor Snape was right next to me."
As soon as he finished, he noticed Daphne''s mouth open wide in shock.
John didn''t understandwasn''t he justparing it to Professor Snape? Why such a big reaction?
"Well then, Mr. Wick, you can ask someone else for your permission slip," came a cold, chilling voice from behind.
John felt a shiver run down his spine. Slowly turning around, he saw Professor Snape himself, dressed in his usual ck robes, smirking at him.
A drop of sweat trickled down John''s face. Snape rarely sought him out, but today of all days...
Awkwardly swallowing, John forced a smile and said, "Good day, Professor. I was just saying how handsome you are."
The lie was so painfully obvious that even Daphne couldn''t bear to watch.
Snape''s mouth twitched slightly in response, then he coldly nced at John before tossing a note in his direction and walking off.
"Well, I''m doomed," John muttered.
The goodwill John had worked so hard to build up was gone in an instant.
With a look of frustration, John noticed the note out of the corner of his eye. He picked it up and saw Professor Snape''s signature on it.
"Uh... what does this even mean?" John muttered, puzzled. A few days ago, Snape wouldn''t give him the note, and now suddenly, he delivers it.
Was Snape ying hard to get?
John chuckled at the absurdity.
''You''re not a girl, Professor, so what''s the point of this game?''
But regardless of the reasoning, he had finally gotten the permission slip.
Having been too busy experimenting on Dementors for the past few days, John hadn''t had the chance to visit the Restricted Section of the library.
Now that he had time, he took off running.
Daphne reached out as if to stop him but ended up stomping her foot angrily when he bolted away.
...
October.
Defense Against the Dark Arts continued to be a ster ss. In terms of teaching skills, John had to admit that he couldn''t quite match up to Lupin.
"Who would''ve thought he''s actually cut out to be a teacher? Maybe the young wizards in the werewolfmunity could use him someday," John mused, watching Lupin''s confident and kind teaching style.
He was teaching in such a way that made learning enjoyable, helping the students not only gain knowledge but also have fun in the process. John admired that about him.
John habitually ran his fingers over his wand, amon gesture for him.
He always needed something in his hands to fidget with. If he had a ring on, he''d fiddle with the ring. If not, it was his wand.
He figured by the time he graduated, his wand would probably have a permanent polish from all the handling.
In Divination ss, John racked up points like running water.
His performance was so outstanding that Professor Trwney''s address for him shifted from "child" to "my dear."
Care of Magical Creatures was also going smoothly. Despite a bit of chaos in the first lesson, John had handled it all well.
Thanks to John''s training, even Draco Malfoy wasn''t acting as pampered as usual and didn''t go running to his father toin.
Hagrid had started bringing in charming fairies, which were a huge hit with the girls.
He also introduced some magical creatures that, in Hagrid''s opinion, were quite boring but were surprisingly popr with the students.
Hagrid had evenined to John about it, to which John, exasperated, replied, "What, do you want to bring in a dragon for the students?"
The suggestion made Hagrid''s eyes light up, but he hesitated and said, "Well, one dragon would be fine, but if I brought too many, I wouldn''t be able to manage them all."
Good grief, you''re really something.
He was sure that if Hagrid brought a dragon to Hogwarts, he''d be kicked out immediately after.
"Even adult wizards wouldn''t dare get close to such dangerous creatures, yet you want to use them for a lesson with young wizards," John remarked, putting an end to Hagrid''s unrealistic ideas.
Afterward, John made his way to the Quidditch pitch.
It was Quidditch training season, and the pitch was fully booked by the four houses every day. No matter the weatherbe it wind or rainthe sight of students flying on broomsticks, darting after various balls, was a constant.
Today, it wasn''t Gryffindor in the air but Hufflepuff.
Hufflepuff had a new captain. Cedric Diggory, who had once sparred with John in a duel practice sessionst year, had taken over the position.
While Cedric might not have Harry''s exceptional instincts and raw talent, his technique was impressive, particrly his fluid and seamless turns, which seemed contradictory to his tall and strong build.
As Cedric practiced, he spotted John from a distance and waved in greeting.
John nodded back and gave him a thumbs-up for encouragement before heading off to the library''s Restricted Section, where he scoured through the books.
He ended up checking out a book titled The Origins and Theories of Dementors.
It was such an obscure book that when Madam Pince saw it, she was momentarily taken aback.
"You shouldn''t be interested in Dementors," she said, frowning slightly, "even though they''re lurking outside."
Madam Pince typically didn''t say much to students, but she offered John a few extra words this time.
John shed a toothy grin and said, "It never hurts to learn more, right?"
After that, Madam Pince didn''t press the issue further. As he was leaving, she mentioned, "The ice cream you broughtst time was quite nice, especially ..the red one."
''Motherfuc!''
John stumbled slightly at her words, casting a suspicious nce at Madam Pince. He couldn''t believe she had the same strange taste as Filch, enjoying the mapo tofu vored ice cream.
Passing by the Quidditch pitch again, John noticed that the yellow-d figures from before had been reced by red ones.
It was Oliver Wood''s final year, and he seemed as pumped up as ever, while Harry tirelessly practiced spotting the Golden Snitch over and over again.
The Weasley twins were perfecting a "sandwich" strategy, where they would nk an opponent from both sides and send them flying right off their broom.
John stopped to watch for a while, only to be shooed away by Wood.
Though Wood knew John wasn''t the type to leak secrets, he still didn''t like having a Slytherin watching their practice.
John just shrugged and left the pitch.
He had thought about joining the Quidditch team before, but with how busy he''d beentely, he decided against it.
"If only I could control time," he mused, imagining how much easier life would be with something like that.
But he quickly dismissed the thought.
Time was a forbidden subject in the wizarding world, as dangerous as meddling with souls.
There was no way an object like that would be easily avable... right?
John returned to the castle and hurried to the Gryffindormon room, eager to open The Origins and Spections of Dementors.
"Dementors are a fusion of soul and matter."
The first sentence immediately caught John''s attention. During his experiments with Dementors, he had suspected something along these lines. It seemed the author was onto something.
He quickly settled in to keep reading.
"They are an artificially created, wicked, cruel, and pitiful entity. Their intelligence is pitifully low, and they cannot reproduce to increase their numbers."
John stared at the book in shock.
Dementors were artificial?
A sudden thought popped into his mindBasilisks were also a man-made creation.
But unlike Dementors, Basilisks were the result of human intervention, using natural selection and gics to bring them into existence.
Dementors, on the other hand, were different. The book spected that they were entirely man-made. They had no gender, no concept of reproduction.
They were like malevolent spirits, spreading from dark, decayed ces, growing like fungi.
John felt a shiver run down his spine.
What kind of person would create something as horrifying as a Dementor?
Forcing himself to keep reading, he uncovered more unsettling truths.
The creator of Dementors was an extremely evil being and also the very first prisoner of Azkaban.
Ekrizdis.
____________
Read 12 Chapters ahead at-
123: Strange Hermione and Level 5 Alchemy
123: Strange Hermione and Level 5 Alchemy
The process of creating Dementors could be summarized in two steps: soul and curse.
Ekrizdis was an exceptionally cruel individual, murdering countless Muggles. Any Muggles who crossed his path were brutally tortured and killed by his dark magic.
Even in death, their souls found no peace, cursed to a state of eternal torment, trapped between reality and a nightmarish limboneither dead nor truly alive.
Over time, these cursed souls would transform into Dementors, feeding on the souls of others.
"If evil had a ranking, Ekrizdis would unquestionably be at the top," the author remarked, a sentiment John deeply agreed with.
Using tortured souls to create Dementors was something so vile that even John couldn''t imagine doing it.
As the thought crossed his mind, John froze and suspiciously wondered, "Wait, why am I even considering this?"
After all, he was a good person, wasn''t he? Even if he became powerful in the future, he''d be a White Wizard, never a Dark Lord!
Right!?
He was definitely on the side of good, without a doubt.
Closing the book, John exhaled deeply.
The book not only detailed the creation of Dementors but also recounted some of Ekrizdis'' deeds and history.
If Voldemort killed to dominate the magical world, then Ekrizdis was evil for no reason at all.
He didn''t care what others thought of him. He was purely a self-absorbed, deranged madman.
"Good thing he died early, or even Voldemort would''ve had to step aside," John thought, feeling grateful that Ekrizdis was long gone.
...
By October, the third-year students were getting restless.
Halloween wasing, and that meant they could finally visit Hogsmeade Vige.
It was the only vige in the country entirely popted by witches and wizards, full of magical folk and many shops to explore.
ces like Honeydukes sweet shop and Zonko''s Joke Shop were highly rmended.
As John listened to the others excitedly exining these ces, he debated whether he should go.
To be honest, he was mildly interested, but his mind was more focused onpleting his ''surgery''.
How much longer could Nagini hold on? It could be a month from now, or it could be tomorrow.
Nagini''s soul was like a candle in the wind, and even the unicorn horn couldn''t extend her life much further.
"I need to finish the surgery as soon as possible," John decided.
He was determined to save Nagininot just for the reward, but also for his academic pursuits and the promise he had made to a friend.
Entering the Slytherinmon room, John opened the door just in time to see Tom sneaking out.
"This girl... could she be seeing another dog outside?"
John watched as Tom left again with a bowl of dog food, feeling suspicious.
However, no matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn''t think of anyone else who might have a dog besides himself.
"Maybe Fang''s been extra friendly, making the ''big boss'' Tom feel extra pleased," he mused.
sses were manageable on their own, but when several of them ovepped, John started feeling the strain.
He had to be intensely focused to absorb the lessons from three different subjects simultaneously, because if he missed something, he''d lose a chance to earn points.
This year, as usual, he had a series of tasks, as well as the goal of maintaining first ce in his studies.
John wasn''t sure if this "first ce" applied to every single subject, but if it did, dropping even one subject would be a huge loss.
The pressure was mounting, and he was on the verge of wanting to just give up entirely.
While others were finishing up their sses, John was already heading off to his next one.
One day, he woke up a littlete and bumped into Hermione on their way to ss. He greeted her.
"You''re off to ss too? Oh, right, I forgot you''re taking all the subjects as well."
"Sorry, John, I''m runningte!"
With that, Hermione rushed off, leaving John standing there.
Staring in the direction Hermione had rushed off, John felt a bit confused. ss hadn''t even started yet, so why was she in such a hurry?
Also, it looked like she was headed toward Arithmancywas she nning to skip Divination?
John walked into the Divination ssroom, and the moment he sat down, he saw Hermione already there.
"The fuck..?"
His eyes widened, and he nced around, bewildered. He was sure he hadn''t seen here in.
"What is going on?"
Even John was starting to feel a little baffled.
After ss, as soon as it ended, John watched Hermione leave in a hurry again.
A little whileter, he ran into her at a corner.
"Uh..."
Hermione looked exhausted, and her pace had quickened noticeably.
John rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "Why does Hermione seem so odd?"
Watching her walk away, John realized it wasn''t the first time he''d felt this way. Every time it was ss time, Hermione always seemed... strange.
The weirdest part? John was intensely curious how Hermione managed to attend three different sses at the same time!
"Unless she''s got some remote surveince like I do, or she''s mastered duplication spells."
"I''ll keep an eye on her from now on," John thought, nodding to himself as he headed to his next ss.
...
Soon, it was time for another lesson.
And there she was againHermione.
John was starting to seriously question if someone had taken Polyjuice Potion to impersonate her. If not, maybe she was secretly Apparating around the castle?
To figure out if it was really her, John discreetly pulled out the Marauder''s Map.
"Motherfuc!"
The moment he opened it, he almost blurted out a curse.
"For the love of GodorMerlin, whatever. Why are there three Hermiones?"
John stared at the map in disbelief.
He was really not just hallucinating due to frustration, was he?
It clearly showed three Hermiones: one in the Divination ssroom, another in Arithmancy, and a third in Muggle Studies.
John was stunned.
So, Hermione had actually mastered duplication magic?
"You could''ve at least mentioned it!"
"Here I am struggling to juggle three sses at once, and you''re pulling this off like it''s nothing."
After ss, John blocked Hermione''s path.
"Hermione, can you do duplication spells?"
John stared at Hermione, noticing the confusion on her face.
Did I guess wrong?
Unwilling to give up, John asked again, "How are you managing to attend three sses at the same time?"
At the mention of this question, Hermione opened her mouth to speak but suddenly remembered that Professor McGonagall had specifically told her not to tell anyone.
She quickly shut her mouth, pursing her lips, and said, "I have my own way, John. Please don''t ask anymore."
"What do you mean!?"
"Please John.. I.. I can''t tell." Hermione''s face was bing paler by the moment.
John, still suspicious, looked at her before reluctantly replying, "Tch* Alright, seems like it''s some kind of secret you can''t share."
As he left, John couldn''t help but think, So the fool here turns out to be me.
He figured that Hermione must have some secret she wasn''t allowed to reveal, likely because Dumbledore or Professor McGonagall had forbidden her from sharing it.
Whatever it is, it''s probably something they don''t want me to see, he thought.
"Hey, we''re all students here. The professors sure are ying favorites," John muttered, slightly annoyed. But then he shrugged, Whatever. I don''t need it anyway.
With my alchemy skills, what can''t I figure out on my own?
After ss, he rushed into the Chamber of Secrets and focused on his alchemy, his fingers moving as he leveled up.
Alchemy Level 5.
...
The alchemy panel dimmed, signaling to John that he''d need to umte more knowledge if he wanted to level up further.
At this point, John could easily be called a master. He surveyed the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets once more and nodded in satisfaction. Everything looked clean.
"Maybe I should renovate it a bit? Running in and out of the Forbidden Forest all the time is kind of a hassle."
With his current level of alchemy, John figured he could attempt some modifications. Installing a door seemed like a good ideait would save him from having to sneak into the Forbidden Forest every time.
Last time, he was almost spotted by a centaur, and only managed to avoid trouble because his Disillusionment Charm was high-level.
Once he made up his mind, John immediately began modifying the entrance.
Slytherin''s alchemy skills were remarkable, far superior to John''s current level. But he didn''t need to dismantle everythingjust creating a new exit would be simple enough!
...
"Haah~ And done!"
After some work, a brand-new door stood before him.
John added a passcode to control ess, so he wouldn''t have to crawl through the pipes anymore.
He also made sure to modify the girls'' bathroom entrance as well, setting up a special incantation that only he would know.
"The stars are eternal," he said, and the door swung open.
John exited from the inside and reappeared in the girls'' bathroom.
Thankfully, no one was around at this time, likely due to Moaning Myrtle often haunting the ce.
As if on cue, Myrtle emerged from a broken toilet, her head still adorned with the hairpin John had given her.
"John!" She beamed with excitement, "You came to see me?"
"Uh... you could say that," John replied awkwardly, ncing at the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. He couldn''t exactly admit he was just passing through.
Remembering his manners, he turned to Myrtle and said politely, "It''s been a while."
Myrtle was overjoyed, telling John that she had shown the hairpin to the other ghosts, though they had been skeptical, which made her furious.
Nearly Headless Nick, in particr, had been quite envious, even suggesting that John help sever the remaining skin on his neck so he could finally join the Headless Hunt.
Listening to this, John thought that these ghosts, unchanged for so long, got overly excited by even the smallest novelty.
Myrtle hinted again that she wouldn''t mind receiving a ne or some thinner sses. John, trying to dodge the request, exined that the materials were difficult toe by.
This seemed to make Myrtle give up on the idea of asking for a new, fashionable outfit.
___________
Read 12 Chapters ahead at-
124: Astoria
124: Astoria
John walked into the Room of Requirement, snapped his fingers, and entered the Gryffindor''s secret chamber once again, deep in thought.
"Shouldn''t I have my own secret chamber too?" he wondered aloud.
He mused about how the four founders of Hogwarts each had their own secret chambers. If he was going to establish the Constetion Society in the future, wouldn''t it be strange if they didn''t have a base of operations?
Surely he can use this or the Slytherin''s chamber but with his current level of alchemy, and if he upgraded his knowledge of runes a bit more, creating a secret chamber of his own wouldn''t be difficult.
There are only two formal members of the Constetion Society, including those who are not in school. The first is Fleur and the second is Heinrich.
In his ns, John had already identified three more candidates.
Percy from Gryffindor, Malfoy from Slytherin, and Neville Longbottom.
First, there was Percy Weasley from Gryffindor. Percy was an ambitious person seeking glory and sess. He was a super schr with twelve certificates, and John saw him as a key yer in infiltrating the Ministry of Magic.
Next was Draco Malfoy from Slytherin. As a pure-blood and one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, Malfoy''s family connections and reputation, though not great, were still valuable. He could be a potential bargaining chip to undermine Voldemortter on.
Finally, there was Neville Longbottom, the future Gryffindor''s Sword''s chosen one. If you considered the entirety of the story, aside from Dumbledore, Neville was one of the only two people capable of wielding the Sword of Gryffindor.
All three had incredible potential, and John had already reserved spots for them in his Constetion Society.
Daphne and Hermione were also in his consideration, but after thinking it through, John felt Hermione''s chances of joining were slim.
Let''s not even talk about the trio, who are undoubtedly aligned with Dumbledore''s side. Even Hermione herself wouldn''t abandon Harry to join the Constetion Society.
"Cedric is also a decent option, but unfortunately, I haven''t really interacted with him much," John mused, rubbing his chin.
He had seen Cedric''s abilities firsthand, and the Hufflepuff was quite popr within his house.
He wondered if inviting Cedric would even work.
After running through his list of potential candidates, John still couldn''t decide on the remaining members.
"For now, I''ll stick with the initial group. Once the Wick''s Secret Chamber is built, I''ll start sending out invitations."
With this resolution, John left the Room of Requirement. He needed some materials to construct the chamber.
As the future headquarters for the Constetion Society, he didn''t want it to look too shabby.
John headed to Hagrid''s hut and asked for help in finding some materials, mainly wood. Hagrid enthusiastically pounded his massive chest, promising to gather everything John needed.
After some more conversation, Hagrid quickly urged John to leave.
His eagerness to get rid of him struck John as odd, so he nced curiously inside, spotting Fang.
"Eh? If Fang''s in there, who''s Tom ying with?" John thought, puzzled as he made his way back to Slytherin.
In the days that followed, John was frequently absent, disappearing without a trace. Even Draco Malfoy struggled to find him at times.
Meanwhile, Professor Lupin''s exceptional teaching skills filled in the gaps from the previous two years of Defense Against the Dark Arts sses.
By October 15th, Halloween was drawing closer, and the air seemed filled with a sense of joy.
It was as though Sirius ck lurking outside didn''t concern anyone inside the castle.
The Dementors greedily sniffed the happy emotions emanating from the castle, and they were a little restless.
In the Gryffindormon room.
Hermione''s pet, Crookshanks, once again attacked Scabbers, Ron''s pet rat, which infuriated Ron.
He angrily grabbed his bag and tried to toss Crookshanks out, leading to a heated argument with Hermione.
Hermione stormed off in anger, while Ron sulked over the incident, leaving Harry awkwardly stuck in the middle, unsure of what to say or how to fix things.
Over at the Quidditch pitch.
It was business as usual, buzzing with activity.
Oliver Wood once again warned Harry about Cedric Diggory from Hufflepuff, telling him to be cautious of that guy.
Harry, however, was still distracted, preupied with his friends'' ongoing feud.
The next day, Lavender Brown was found sobbing, her face filled with sorrow.
Someone asked Lavender what had happened, and she tearfully exined that her rabbit had died.
It had died today, October 16th.
While some people were confused, the students who had taken Divination ss provided an exnation.
"It was John," one of them said. "During ss, he predicted that the thing Lavender Brown feared the most would happen on October 16th."
A chill ran down everyone''s spine.
The uracy of this prediction sent a clear message: John''s prophecy hade true!
John had fallen into a prophetic trance twice during Divination ss.
Once, he predicted something happening during the full moon, and the other time he mentioned October 16th.
Now that one of the predictions hade true, did that mean the other would as well?
"He said, ''The ignorant will lose a leg, and those who break the taboo will be drowned by a ck tide.''"
Ernie Macmin, discussing the prophecy with an air of mystery, added, "It sounds like a death prophecy. I think it might be about Harry Potter."
Hannah Abbott, puzzled, asked, "Why Harry Potter?"
Ernie, as if it were obvious, replied, "Don''t you remember? Every time something bad happens, it''s always tied to Harry. He''s like a ma for disasterstrouble just finds him."
Even Seamus nodded in agreement, which made Harry feel deeply ufortable.
''Ugh..''
What did they mean by calling him a ma for disasters?
Hermione''s expression shifted. If Professor Trwney had said it, she might have dismissed it as coincidence, but since it was her friend, she found it somewhat credible.
In an attempt tofort Lavender Brown, she said, "These are all just coincidences, right? I mean, you''ve always been afraid that your rabbit would be eaten by a fox?"
Hearing the mention of her rabbit again, Lavender teared up and shook her head. "No, I was just afraid it would die."
Hermione asked skeptically, "Was your rabbit very old?"
"No, it was just a baby bunny."
"..."
Alright, Hermione was at a loss for words.
Afraid of a baby bunny dying?
She had intended to console Lavender, and maybe even Harry, but instead, it seemed like she had only reinforced the uracy of John''s prediction.
Even Harry started to wonder if the other prophecy was really about him, especially since he had already seen the ominous ck dog.
While Gryffindor was filled with unease, Slytherin was in a great mood.
Even the younger wizards from wizarding families were eagerly looking forward to Hogsmeade.
Malfoy was telling John, for the third time, the story of how his parents fell in love in Hogsmeade, and John felt like his ears were going to fall off from hearing it so much.
As the bell rang, Professor Snape entered to remind everyone to turn in their signed permission slips for the Hogsmeade trip before Halloween.
Daphne approached John, no longer upset, and curiously asked, "Hi John, are you going to Hogsmeade?"
''Oh? So she is not acting angry today?''
''Girls.. truly unpredictable creatures..''
"John?"
"Oh! I think I will," John replied.
"Hmm?" Noticing the little girl next to Daphne, John asked, puzzled, "Who''s this?"
"Hehe!" Daphne proudly said, "This is my sister, Astoria. She''s a first-year Slytherin student."
John looked at the first-year girl, who was wearing the Slytherin uniform, her delicate features already starting to show.
Like her sister Daphne, she had blonde hair. However, while Daphne exuded pride and arrogance, Astoria seemed much more gentle and well-behaved.
She blinked at John, her eyes full of curiosity. "You''re John Wick, right? My sister talks about you a lot!"
"Astoria!"
Hearing her younger sister say this, Daphne''s face showed a mix of panic and embarrassment. She quickly covered Astoria''s mouth to stop her from saying anything more.
John nced at Daphne, wondering what she had been saying about him at home.
In a fluster, Daphne hurriedly led her sister away, clearly afraid that Astoria might reveal more.
John shook his head and thought, ''I''d better speed up the construction of that secret room.''
Malfoy sidled up to him, looking a bit dazzled. He asked, "Who was that little girl just now?"
Hearing this, John turned to see Malfoy''s astonished expression. It was true, the girl was quite pretty.
He responded casually, "Daphne''s sister. Oh, and by the way, give me back the badge."
"I just took a couple of nces, is that really necessary?" Malfoy clutched the badge on his chest, full of regret.
If he''d known this would happen, he wouldn''t have asked. Who would''ve thought a single question would cost him his badge?
John gave him a sidelong nce. ''Do I really seem that petty?''
"I''m just worried you''ll lose the badge in Hogsmeade, so I''m keeping it safe for now."
"Alright..." Malfoy replied, still somewhat doubtful.
John pocketed the badge; he was nning to add a function that allowed ess to the Constetion Society.
In other words, a system upgrade.
Heinrich approached. His pale, handsome face now bore an unsightly boil.
"Did you get into another fight with the twins?"
"Don''t worry! I can live with this!" Heinrich said nonchntly.
"Sigh~ This guy. Stop acting so stoic, will ya''?"
Staring at the boil, John raised his hand and gently brushed it. The once hideous boil gradually shrank, eventually disappearing.
A cool sensation passed over Heinrich''s face.
"Ah, thank you, my friend."
"Those twins are indeed many steps ahead of me with things like this. But!" His eyes shed with a sinister glint as he muttered, "One day, I''ll make them suffer a thousand times worse."
''What a grudge,'' John thought, raising an eyebrow. He could only hope the twins would take care of themselves.
____________
Read 12 Chapters ahead:
125: The Establishment of the Constellation Society
125: The Establishment of the Constetion Society
Time passed quickly, and John gazed up at the starry dome he had constructed with immense satisfaction.
The initial Wick''s Constetion Society chamber was almostplete. He had to admit, magic made everything easierif Muggles had to build this, it would''ve taken at least several months, if not a year.
"Adding magic is key," John muttered to himself as he meticulously carved magical circuits bit by bit.
For the chamber''s power source, he embedded thirty-six magical crystals, resembling thirty-six stars twinkling in the night sky.
By his rough estimation, unless Voldemort or Dumbledore showed up, no one could breach the chamber thanks to the power of those thirty-six crystals.
The circuits he was engraving weren''t just ordinary spells; they were rooted in ancient magic and runes he had painstakingly researched.
As the ritual waspleted, the entire chamber radiated a powerful magical glow.
"Haa~ So damn beautiful.."
Only John was there to witness this breathtaking sight.
One by one, the circuits lit up, and the runes seemed to float like ethereal sprites within the chamber.
The Constetion Society''s interior was incrediblyvishbeneath the starry dome was a round table with nine seats.
Mystical violet tapestries and silver artifacts adorned the space, while the dome projected the insignia of each seat.
Floating objects resembling gxies revolved endlessly within the room.
It was a masterpiece.
Johnpleted the construction of the Star Society''s chamber and now needed to find a ce to install it.
"I remember the room that used to house the Philosopher''s Stone is currently vacant, nice! It''ll be perfect for this."
Without wasting any time, John set up the teleportation device formed by the circuits.
The wooden door in front of him quickly transformed. On the surface, it still looked like an ordinary door.
In reality, the room had been split into two spacesone being the original room, and the other leading to the Constetion Society''s chamber.
As for the chamber itself, John ced it within the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets.
Now, John no longer had to enter through the girls'' bathroom, which was a win-win for him.
Once the chamber was sessfullypleted, John summoned the people he had chosen for his society.
To his surprise, Cedric showed up.
"I''m curious too about what kind of society you''ve created," Cedric said with a smile. He had heard quite a lot about John Wick''s exploits.
John''s impressive dueling skills had also shown Cedric the strength he possessed.
"John, what do you need from me?" Malfoy asked, unusually without his two usual sidekicks.
In addition to them, Heinrich was there too, lurking like a shadow.
Neville seemed a bit out of ce, wondering if he should even be there.
Percy frowned, not quite understanding what John was up to.
Daphne had eventually been invited too. After all, she was one of the top students. If John was first, then the second spot was always a contest between Daphne and Hermione.
Including John, there were seven people in total, and the ragtag group of the Constetion Society had assembled.
John ced his right hand on the badge on his chest, smiling lightly. "Wee, everyone, to the Constetion Society."
Constetion Society?
Hearing the name, Malfoy was the most excited. After being beaten down for a whole semester, he had finally earned his ce!
Slowly pushing open the wooden door, they stepped into a room with a starry ceiling, luxurious and dazzling.
""Wow~~""
Daphne gently covered her mouth, amazed by how beautiful it was.
Percy was puzzledsince when did Hogwarts have such a ce?
John invited everyone inside, where stars sparkled all around. With a sincere expression, he said, "The Constetion Society wees all friends. We pursue glory, help each other. We are not family, but we are closer than family. We seek strength and share strength."
His gaze slowly swept over everyone, his voice rising, "The Constetion are eternal, forever unchanging."
"So! My friends!"
"Do you wish to join the Constetion Society?!!"
As soon as John finished speaking, Heinrich stepped forward without hesitation, lowering his proud head. With a fanatical expression, he dered, "Heinrich Edgar, willing to join."
Following him, Daphne walked forward gracefully, her voice serious andposed. "Daphne Greengrass, willing to join."
Not to be outdone, Malfoy strode forward, cing his right hand over his chest and solemnly stating, "Draco Malfoy, willing to join!"
Among the remaining three were two Gryffindors and a Hufflepuff.
Percy finally understood John''s purpose. The ambition in John''s words made Percy''s eyes gleam with recognition. He stepped forward, his prized Head Boy badge gleaming on his chest. After a moment, he removed it, imitating Malfoy''s gesture as he said, "Percy Weasley, willing to join."
"I knew you weren''t so simple," Cedric muttered under his breath. He stepped forward with a smile and dered, "Cedric Diggory, willing to join."
Now, only Neville was left. John turned his gaze toward him, not forcing anything, and gently asked, "Neville, I won''t pressure you."
Neville hesitated for a moment.
After some thought, he stepped forward. With his now slimmer face and taller frame, thanks to his training, he announced loudly, "Neville Longbottom, willing to join!"
The six bowed their heads, and John raised his hand, pointing toward the ceiling.
Six stars descended from the starry sky, transforming into six shining badges. Each badge contained a piece of the night sky within it, with purple crystals embedded in the design.
John ced a badge on each of them,pleting the official initiation ceremony.
Looking at the six before him, John silently thought, ''Atst, we''ve taken the first step.''
Once these six grew stronger, even if the Constetion Society couldn''t match the size and influence of the Order of the Phoenix, it would still be a formidable force that could shake the wizarding world.
With a tap on the table, seven golden goblets appeared.
Each flew towards one of the members.
John picked his up, feeling a surge of boldness and camaraderie.
It felt like something straight out of Water Margin, where heroes swore oaths of brotherhood, eating and drinking heartily.
He was about to down his drink in one go, maybe even smash the cup afterward in a show of dramatic ir, when Percy frowned and said, "Students aren''t allowed to drink alcohol."
Cough, cough... "This is pumpkin juice," John said, almost choking in embarrassment. "I couldn''t get alcohol in school. The house-elves in the kitchen refused to give me any."
"Pfft~"
Everyone, who had been caught up in the solemn atmosphere, burst intoughter at this moment.
The seven clinked sses and drank in unison. The Constetion Society was officially established.
In this unassuming corner of Hogwarts, John''s own faction was officially born.
It was a pity that Fleur wasn''t here; otherwise, the Constetion Society would beplete.
...
The school had various clubs, most of which were created by professors. But John''s self-created Constetion Society remained limited to just the seven members.
After joining, Malfoy started walking with even more swagger than usual.
He adopted a gait that practically screamed "I''m better than everyone," and even began to look at Neville more favorably.
John had said that once someone joined the Constetion Society, it didn''t matter what their past was or where they came from; the Society was their closest family.
Previously, Malfoy had been a bit resistant to Weasley and Longbottom, but after hearing John''s words, he had no further objections.
"Percy is the Head Boy, and don''t underestimate Nevillehe could easily beat you down if he wanted."
Malfoy didn''t believe it, but after nearly getting himself cut in half by Neville swinging a sword at him, he was convinced.
Power is power.
In the past, Malfoy would never have acknowledged either of them, but now he couldn''t deny that both of them were stronger than him.
He had thought he would at least be in the top three, or at worst, the top five.
But reality hit him hardhe was at the bottom.
Even Daphne and Neville were stronger than him, not to mention Heinrich and the others.
"Phew, at least I''m seventh,"
Malfoy said with relief, but John nced at him and scoffed, "What are you thinking? You''re ranked eighth."
This left Malfoy dumbfounded. John exined that there was another member in Beauxbatons.
So, Malfoy was officially ranked eighth. If new members joined, who knows where he wouldnd?
"Work hard, kid."
John patted the stunned Malfoy on the shoulder with a meaningful look. What Malfoy didn''t know was that John had almost be his godfather.
If Malfoy didn''t put in the effort, how could his "father" rest easy?
John had praised him endlessly when he was persuading Lucius back then, but now, if Malfoy couldn''t live up to it, wouldn''t that be like pping his own face?
"From now on, your training is doubled. When you can finally beat Neville, you can stop."
Painting grand visions was an essential leadership skill.
John said seriously, "I have great hopes for you."
These words left Malfoy fired up, like he had just taken an energy boost, unaware that almost everyone had heard this same speech.
Except Percy.
John had told Percy that Barty Crouch was looking for an assistant, and Percy was so excited he nearly jumped for joy on the spot.
____________
Read 12 Chapters ahead:
126: Paw Meeting
126: Paw Meeting
The shrill scream pierced through the eardrums, and the Dementor''s body, covered in a thin, smoky substance, seemed to be torn apart by an invisible, forceful hand.
John was more focused than ever before. His wand, like a surgeon''s scalpel, precisely peeled awayyer byyer of the Dementor bit by bit.
The magical crystal hanging around his neck emitted a faint glow. But with one careless movement, John applied too much force, and the third Dementor died.
Wiping the sweat off his forehead, John''s frown remained.
He didn''t understand. He had been controlling every strand of magic with pinpoint uracy, so why wasn''t it working?
"Unable to read the Dementor''s thoughts... I can only rely on the intensity of its screams to gauge things."
Tsk
Expressionless, John removed his earplugs and tapped his fingers absentmindedly on the cab.
The Boggart inside didn''t dare make a sound. It shrank within the cab, pretending to be dead.
John nced over at the newly added shelf for reagents, where a vial containing a ck, smoke-like substance sat.
It was the result of his painstaking efforts to extract what could be considered the "blood" from the Boggart.
The ck mist floated within the vial, moving erratically without direction.
This substance reminded John of another creature in the magical world.
An Obscurus.
Beside it, there were several other vials, each containing varying amounts of floating silver threads.
These things looked incredibly pure and sacred.
"Is this the soul the Dementor didn''t fully digest, or is it its own soul?"
Pondering for a moment, John put on his gloves and used his wand to pick up one of the silver threads.
It looked just like what hade out of Nagini, but when John grasped it this time, there was no familiar calling sensation.
He stared at the silver thread, a crazy idea forming in his mind.
"Anima, veni ad me."
Pointing his wand at his head, the silver thread slid into John''s ear.
Suddenly, everything before John''s eyes changed.
He was paralyzed, unable to move, and in front of him appeared a wizard with long ck hair.
The wizard''s face was cold, looking at John as if he were nothing more than an insect.
With a slight flick of the wizard''s wand, John felt his body being crushedlike his bones were being shattered, and his skin peeled off inch by inch.
A scream welled up in John''s throat, but all that came out was a whimper.
It turned out his tongue had already been cut off, and the veins around his eyes bulged grotesquely.
John couldn''t escape, his face contorted in agony. Around him, there were many others imprisoned just like him.
Resentment began to spread in John''s mind, eventually overflowing and filling the entire room.
After what felt like an eternity of torment, John''s eyes were wide open in terror"Aargh!"
Then, everything vanished, and he found himself back in the chamber.
"Huff.. haah.. Haah..."
Breathing heavily, everything he had just experienced felt all too real. Checking the time, he realized half an hour had passed.
"nting a soul fragment into my body is far too dangerous," John muttered, still shaken.
He copsed into a chair, his eyes tightly shut, needing a moment to recover.
The edge of the table bore the clear imprints of his fingers, a testament to the agony he''d just endured.
"I''ll need to find a different method next time," he thought.
John noticed his fingers were bleeding and cast a spell to stop the bleeding.
Yet, it seemed there were some benefits. After a good night''s sleep, he woke up feeling much more refreshed than usual.
"What''s going on?" he murmured, puzzled, as he looked at a book.
Without even engaging his usual focus, he could now skim through the pages at lightning speed.
This surprised him greatly. Then, a thought struck him. "Could it be because of that soul fragment?" he muttered.
cing a soul fragment into one''s brain could enhance mental strength?
Damn!
John felt that this was something only dark wizards would do, and after all, he considered himself a good person.
The heightened state onlysted for about an hour, so there seemed to be a time limit.
"If I could turn this effect into a potion, it''d probably be the magical world''s equivalent of a stimnt," he mused.
As he walked out of the ssroom after his lesson, John found himself missing that powerful sensation.
...
On the eve of Halloween.
The Slytherinmon room erupted in cheerfulughter.
Daphne reluctantly bid farewell to her younger sister, Astoria, while Malfoy confidently announced to his followers that they would go drink some firewhisky.
Handing his permission slip for Hogsmeade to Filch, John noticed Harry pleading with Professor McGonagall.
"Please, Professor McGonagall, my aunt and uncle just... um... forgot to sign the form,"
Harry was very desperate.
McGonagall, with her usual strict and businesslike demeanor, sternly replied, "I''m afraid not, Potter. You heard mewithout a signed form, you cannot go to Hogsmeade."
McGonagall had no intention of letting Harry leave. While the other students were unaware, she knew that Sirius ck was out there, searching for Harry.
Though Hogsmeade was a wizard-only vige, Sirius was a dangerous figure, the kind of man who had blown up an entire street with a single spell.
There was no room for leniency in McGonagall''s decision, leaving Harry utterly crestfallen.
John raised an eyebrow.
Wait a minute, did the Dursleys just ignore what he saidst time?
It seemed like good advice was wasted on the wrong people.
''If Harry ever turned dark, the first to go would be the Dursleys.''
Seeing Harry looking dejected, Hermione and Ron hurried over tofort him.
"We still have the feast, right?" Ron tried to cheer Harry up. "You know, the Halloween feast is tonight."
In the past, Harry might have been excited for the feast. Butpared to spending the whole day out with his friends, it just didn''t seem as fun anymore.
In truth, the Dursleys really had forgotten about the permission slip. After Harry left, he hadn''t contacted them, and since he had left in anger, it wasn''t surprising that the Dursleys hadn''t bothered to sign anything.
So, in the end, Harry hadn''t gotten the signature.
Seeing how down Harry was, John walked over and patted him on the shoulder.
"It''s okay. It''s just a bunch of joke products and tasty candies, right? You can always drink butterbeerter."
Hearing John''s fort" only made Harry think even more about Hogsmeade, causing his face to fall even more.
Hermione couldn''t stand it anymore and scolded, "That''s not how you cheer someone up!"
"Eh? I should go.." John didn''t think he said anything strange. He patted Harry''s shoulder again and then turned and walked away.
A dog strolling with a cat outsidea peculiar sight that made Ron instinctively clutch his pocket, only to remember that he hadn''t brought his rat.
He breathed a sigh of relief.
Hermione called out, "Crookshanks!"
Crookshanks stopped and turned to look at Hermione, holding a paper bag full of dried fish in his mouth.
Tom, the dog, was also carrying a bag of dog food, loaded up like they were on their way to visit rtives.
"Aw~ They are so cute~ Letting Tom take care of Crookshanks was a good idea!" Hermionemented with excitement.
As the cat and dog wandered around Hogwarts together, the tension between Hermione and Ron began to ease.
Tom was the reigning ruler of Hogwarts pets, and Crookshanks was clever. Surprisingly, the two got along without any fighting.
After briefly telling Harry they''d bring him back gifts, Ron and Hermione hurried to catch up with the others heading to Hogsmeade.
Harry watched everyone leave, feeling dejected.
"Sigh~"
Alone, he turned and started to walk back.
Filch red at Harry sideways, as if worried he might try to sneak away.
Mrs. Norris meowed, and Filch quickly pulled out some dried fish from his pocket to feed her.
Meanwhile, the cat and dog duo ran all the way to the Whomping Willow.
There was no need for Tom to show off its quick moves like when she had outmaneuvered Malfoy; instead, Crookshanks simply reached out with a paw and pressed the knot on the Whomping Willow.
The tree immediately froze, and Tom excitedly scampered into the tunnel below, with Crookshanks following close behind.
Inside the Shrieking Shack, Sirius ck had almost fully recovered. On his way to Hogwarts, he had been spotted by Muggles, which led to Aurors chasing him down. He had been hit a few times during the pursuit.
Fortunately, being an unregistered Animagus, he managed to escape by transforming into a big ck dog.
When he saw the cat and dog approaching, Sirius grinned. These two little creatures were familiar friends of his, always willing to lend a paw.
If only John knew that Tom acted as a food delivery guy for some other dog behind his back....
"Woof! Woof!"
"Meow~ meow~"
It was unclear how theymunicated, but the barks and meows filled the air, somehow exchanging one clear message: Sirius was ready to take action, and it was time to catch that wretched rat and finish him off.
As for leading the way, there was no need to bother anyone else.
After all, Sirius was a Hogwarts graduatehe knew the way around perfectly well!
___________
Read 12 chapters ahead:
127: Forbidden Magic and the Stripped Soul
127: Forbidden Magic and the Stripped Soul
Hogsmeade Vige, the only all-wizarding vige in the country.
John walked into Honeydukes Sweetshop, a favorite among young wizards.
Even grown-up wizards frequented the shop, though the pile of cockroach-like candies crawling around made John wonder if the person who invented them had a bit of a twisted mind.
Grabbing one of the cockroach-shaped sweets, he put it in his mouth and could actually feel it wriggling around.
Oh!
Sweet. Really sweet.
It was like pouring syrup straight down his throatso sweet it was almost overwhelming.
"Hi, I''ll take some of these," John said, unfazed as he crunched down on the cockroach-shaped candy and swallowed it. He spent ten Galleons and stuffed a huge pile of candy into his little bag.
Though it was called a vige, no one expected Hogsmeade to be veryrge.
John wandered around and spotted Hagriding out to grab a drink.
Following him into the Three Broomsticks, John ordered a butterbeer.
After taking a sip, he found it quite nice. It would have been even better cold.
Unfortunately, cold butterbeer would clump up and be far too thick to enjoy.
"Aye John? What are you doing here?"
Hagrid often drank at the Three Broomsticks, and seeing John, he instinctively called out to him.
John pointed to a seat, inviting Hagrid to sit down. ncing at the increasing number of enforcers outside, he casually remarked, "There really are a lot of Ministry people in Hogsmeade."
Hagrid, whose one mug of beer was about the equivalent of a bucket for John, took a big gulp and whispered, "Well, you know... S-Sirius ck is near Hogwarts."
His face showed hesitation, and if it weren''t for John sitting in front of him, Hagrid wouldn''t have revealed this so easily. He leaned in, speaking in what he thought was a low voice, "That guy''s after Harry. You don''t knowback in the day, he..."
Several times, he opened his mouth but couldn''t bring himself to finish, clearly struggling with what to say.
Seeing Hagrid in such distress, John waved a hand and said, "Don''t force yourself to tell me, Hagrid. You''re asking for my help, right?"
Taking a sip of butterbeer, John could already tell from Hagrid''s expression that he needed a favor. He instinctively adopted a wise and knowing posture, cing his right hand on his left as if he were a sage.
Too bad he didn''t have his magic ring with him. If he did, he''d look every bit the powerful wizard godfather.
Leaning back in his chair, John gave Hagrid an appraising look.
Gulp!
That gaze made Hagrid feel as though he was in front of Dumbledore, causing him to sit up straight, subconsciously more respectful.
With hesitation on his face, Hagrid stammered, "John, I know you''re powerful. You''re the most talented student I''ve ever met. That Sirius ck is definitely going to go after Harry. I was hoping that maybe you could..."
"You want me to protect Harry?"
John looked at Hagrid with a calm expression and said, "Hagrid, you''re not the first person to say this to me. Back in second year, someone else told me the same thing."
Hagrid looked a bit embarrassed. After all, John was still a student, and he was a professor. Asking a student to protect another student felt a bit strange.
"Harry isn''t a child, Hagrid. He can take care of himself," John replied, not agreeing to the request. Back in second year, he had protected Harry and was suspected for it, and now this year, he was focused on studying soul magic, so he didn''t have the time.
Hagrid, clearly anxious, raised his voice a bit, saying, "You don''t know how cruel Sirius ck is!"
"He betrayed James, his best friend, and on top of that, he''s still..."
The words caught in his throat, and Hagrid slumped a bit, finishing quietly, "He''s still Harry''s godfather. I can''t imagine what Harry would think if he found out."
What would he think?
John figured that if Harry found out, he''d probably want to run out and kill Sirius ck on the spot.
Suddenly, everything clicked for John.
No wonder the Weasleys were worried about Harry acting impulsivelyit was because of this.
The murder of his parents was, for Harry, the beginning of all his misfortunes.
Not just Harry; if it were John in that position, he couldn''t imagine being able to hold back either.
Hagrid took a sullen swig of his drink, finishing off a mug that was more like a barrel of beer.
"John, promise me you''ll stop him," Hagrid pleaded.
Hagrid might look clumsy, but he cared about Harry more than anyone.
He was like an awkward father, doing his best to protect his child.
"I''ll keep an eye on him for you, but please understand, Hagrid, Harry isn''t a puppy."
"I can''t just leash him up and stop him from leaving," John said, nodding slightly, but without giving a full promise.
If he ran into something, he wouldn''t stand by and do nothingthat much was certain.
Hagrid was pleased to hear this. To him, John was the most powerful student he''d ever known, even better than some of the professors.
"How about another Butterbeer? My treat," Hagrid said, noticing John''s empty ss and getting him another drink.
After finishing the drink, John stood up and left.
Hogsmeade was even duller than he''d imagined.
But his real reason foring wasn''t just to explore.
Heh~
He donned a mask, shrouding himself in a cloak, and headed to another pub.
The Hog''s Head.
Inside, the Hog''s Head really did have a hog''s head mounted on the wall. The head even moved, drool hanging from its tusks, dripping down in a slimy trail.
The atmosphere here was far from the cozy warmth of the Three Broomsticks. All kinds of shady characters filled the ce, and unsavory deals were constantly being made.
John found a seat, his entire figure cloaked, his appearance concealed.
Not long after, a figure wearing a white mask sat across from him.
"Master."
The voice that spoke was familiar to John.
In a calm, low tone, John said, "Do you have what I asked for?"
"Right here," the masked figure replied, cing an ornate silver box on the table. "It was taken from an old witch in Knockturn Alley. She was using children for her experiments. We''ve dealt with her, naturally."
Inside the box was a bookmore precisely, a book carefully stored within the silver, intricately designed casing.
John took the box, verified its contents, and nodded, his voice still raspy. "Go back. Keep me informed about the shop. There shouldn''t be any movement from the Ministry, right?"
The masked man, named Tommy Shelby, replied with admiration, "None. The Ministry still holds us in good regard. Cornelius Fudge even wanted to visit you, but I declined, saying you were away."
"Visit me? Looks like Dumbledore is losing patience with him, and Fudge is getting desperate," John mused, shaking his head. "Fudge is not fit to be a proper Minister. We''ll just wait and watch. When the time is right, we''ll step in."
"Understood," Tommy nodded before quietly leaving the Hog''s Head.
As soon as Tommy left, John picked up the book and made his way out.
This book couldn''t be stuffed into his small bagit was no ordinary book.
Titled Forbidden Magic, this was an ancient tome, so old that John had to handle it with extreme care.
Powerful enchantments had been cast on it, and John had only stumbled upon its description by chance in the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets.
The book should have been locked away in the Chamber, but somehow it had ended up in Knockturn Alley.
There had been a time when Voldemort spent some time in Knockturn Alley.
John figured that''s how the book got lost and found its way there.
John, while building up his persona of "Johnny Silverhand," had been clearing out dark wizards in Knockturn Alley who preyed on children.
By sheer luck, he hade across this book during one of those missions.
The contents included research on souls, particrly methods of soul separation.
John didn''t stay long in Hogsmeade.
In a secluded spot, he used Apparition to leave immediately.
Meanwhile, Daphne was still looking for John.
She had finally caught a glimpse of him, but after he turned a corner, he vanished.
...
He appeared in the forbidden forest and then made his way to the castle.
Back at Hogwarts, John hurried straight to the Chamber of Secrets.
Filch saw John return and looked at him strangely.
Harry also noticed John, curiosity welling up in him, but John was too fast, disappearing before Harry could approach him.
"Why did Johne back?" Harry stared in the direction where John had disappeared, lost in thought.
Meanwhile, John had already arrived in the Chamber of Secrets. He opened the intricately carved silver box, revealing a book with a mysterious red leather cover.
The moment he touched it, a piercing scream echoed in his ears.
The sound was sharp and grating, reminiscent of a Dementor''s wail.
"Urrgh..."
John gritted his teeth, fighting off the difort, and used lumency to drive the noise away.
"Haah~ A curse that strikes directly at the soul... wow." Once the sound disappeared, John''s face looked much better.
Opening the book, he found it filled with beautifully written calligraphy, recording numerous arcane details.
John read quietly, his eyes asionally widening in surprise.
After closing the book and processing the information within, John packed up the box and once again set out to capture a Dementor.
Returning with the Dementor, John began his experiment.
"Curses belong to curses"
"souls to souls."
"Unravel carefully, gently..."
John muttered in understanding while the Dementor was slowly disassembled piece by piece.
"Not too quick.. not too slow.. "
"Gently and carefully.."
Before he knew it, three hours had passed.
John maintained his position, witnessing an unbelievable scene before him.
A figure glowing with a silvery white light was being extracted by John, with the ck and white aspects clearly separated.
"It worked." He muttered softly.
"It really fucking worked!!" This time he shouted.
The figure quickly shrank into a mass, and John used his wand to separate the ck and whiteponents.
A look of joy was unmistakable on his face.
As he ced thest fragment of the soul into a vial, John couldn''t help but clench his fist in triumph.
"He.. hehe.. hehahahahahahahahahah HELL YES!"
Cough! Cough!
He had sessfullypleted the operation. The Dementor wasn''t killed, but rather split apart.
"Ehm! Using another soul as the scalpel."
Staring at the now-depleted collection of soul fragments, John''s expression gradually became moreposed. He sighed and said, "What a cruel procedure...."
However, thanks to the presence of Dementors, John could easily capture a few more as backups.
_________
Read 12 Chapters ahead:
128: Lupin’s Discovery and Attack
128: Lupins Discovery and Attack
Harry returned to the Gryffindormon room, but Colin''s relentless questioning made him decide to leave.
He didn''t dare tell Colin that he couldn''t go out because he didn''t have the signed permission form.
"What''s wrong, Harry?"
Professor Lupin, looking pale and unwell, encountered Harry and invited him into his office.
With a smile, Professor Lupin asked if Harry would like some tea.
Harry, feeling a bit out of it, responded absentmindedly.
They started chatting, and the topic of their first ss came up.
Harry was puzzled as to why Lupin didn''t let him face the Boggart.
"I naturally assumed that if the Boggart faced you, it would turn into Voldemort," Lupin exined.
Harry suddenly understood; Lupin must have been worried that Voldemort''s appearance would scare the other students.
Harry rified that while Voldemort was the first thing that came to his mind, the Dementors appeared afterward.
Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the doorSnape. He stared at Lupin, as if challenging him with his gaze, before producing a dark, murky potion.
Harry even thought that Snape was trying to harm Lupin.
"It''s nothing, I just have a condition," Lupin exined to Harry, and only then did Harry reluctantly believe him.
However, the Wolfsbane Potion Snape brewed was terribly bitter, making Lupin''s face twist in pain.
Lupin had worked at Johnny Silverhand''s specialty shop, where he had managed to stockpile quite a bit of Wolfsbane Potion. But before leaving, he felt pity for the werewolfmunity and gave away several bottles.
Now he only had two left, and he had no choice but to seek help from Dumbledore, who instructed Snape to make more Wolfsbane Potion for him.
Harry watched as Lupin took a sip, half expecting him to keel over from poison. Luckily, that didn''t happen.
"Well then, I''ll go look for John." Seeing how much Lupin was suffering, Harry thought it best to leave.
Hearing John''s name, Lupin curiously asked, "John Wick? Didn''t he go to Hogsmeade?"
"I saw him return, but I don''t know where he went, Professor," Harry said, ncing outside, unsure of John''s whereabouts.
Lupin pondered for a moment. It seemed like one of the students had returned.
He raised his hand in the air but stopped short of patting Harry''s head, instead opting to tap his shoulder.
"Perhaps John Wick has his own matters to attend to," he said, gazing into Harry''s eyes.
They were just too simrjust like Lily''s eyes.
In a daze, Lupin felt as if he had traveled back to his student days, back to that smart, beautiful, and brave witch.
Lily Evans.
As Harry left, Lupin shook his head, feeling a deep mncholy upon seeing the son of an old friend.
The Marauders, once a group of fourtwo dead, one a traitor, leaving only him behind.
Lupin sighed, aplex expression crossing his face as he thought of Sirius ck.
James and Siriusthe two pranksters of the group. Their bond was the closest of all.
No matter how many sleepless nights Lupin spent thinking about it, he couldn''t fathom why Sirius had betrayed them.
"I hope I never see you again," he muttered, clenching his fists as an unnatural flush appeared on his pale face.
That evening, the students returned from their trip, but Lupin noticed that John Wick was nowhere to be seen throughout the entire feast.
When the feast ended, Lupin headed back to his office.
On the way, he ran into John.
John, by now, had grown ustomed to returning from the chamber after the feasts ended, often avoiding running into other students.
Upon seeing Lupin, John instinctively said, "Good evening, RemProfessor Lupin."
John almost let it slip, having gotten used to calling Lupin by his first name, Remus, but he quickly caught himself.
Lupin paused, looking at John with a hint of suspicion in his eyes, but he still smiled and said, "John, it''s a pity you missed the feast."
"Thanks for your concern. I was studying earlier and lost track of time," John replied, his tone impable as he absentmindedly rubbed the spot where he usually wore his ring.
"I''m heading there now. Hopefully, there''s still some food left," John shrugged, bidding Lupin farewell.
Lupin stared at John''s retreating figure, his pupils shrinking.
That motionrubbing the ringit reminded him of someone.
He stood there, mumbling to himself, "A coincidence?"
...
After hastily grabbing a bite to eat from the kitchen, John returned to the Slytherinmon room. Students were streaming back in, excitedly discussing their trip to Hogsmeade.
Daphne stormed up to John, demanding, "Why did youe back?"
"Something came up," John replied nonchntly as he sat down and pulled out a bag of Cockroach Clusters, offering it to Heinrich, who was lounging on the sofa. "Want some?"
Heinrich nced at the pile of cockroach-shaped candy in silence. Though he didn''t say anything, John could easily tell that his face was screaming a firm no.
"Alright, it''s actually not that bad," John said casually, putting the Cockroach Clusters away.
Meeting Heinrich''s gaze, John asked indifferently, "Do you need help with something?"
Heinrich''s pale face lit up with a fervor as he suppressed his voice, "I want to get stronger."
John said that the Constetion society would help each other and share power.
John looked at his pale yet handsome face and smiled.
"Ambition is never a bad thing. I''ll make sure you get stronger."
Standing up, John added, "Come find me anytime."
Behind him, Heinrich gave a slight bow as a gesture of respect.
...
John had nned to finally get a good night''s sleep, but something forced him out of his cozy bed.
Sirius ck had arrived.
The news spread like wildfire, quickly infecting the entire school with fear and panic.
Headmaster Dumbledore ordered all students to gather in the Great Hall, and John was no exception.
He had just seeded in performing a soul separation spell and was utterly exhausted, barely able to keep his eyes open.
Called into the Great Hall, John could barely keep his eyes open.
His casual demeanor made it seem like he had anticipated all of this.
Harry noticed and felt a bit puzzled by John''s nonchnce.
Meanwhile, the Gryffindor students were discussing the recent events with others.
The Fat Lady had been attacked. Sirius ck had tried to force his way in, and when he failed, he shed the painting.
The professors had gone to search the entire school, and Percy was put in charge of maintaining order.
Magically conjured sleeping bags were handed out, and John immediately crawled into one in the corner.
All he needed was two hours, and he''d be as good as new.
Nearby, John overheard conversations.
"Do you think ck is still in the castle?" Hermione asked, clearly worried.
"Dumbledore seems to think so," Ron replied.
The rustling sound of the trio getting into their sleeping bags filled the air.
"Good thing he tried tonight when we weren''t in the tower," Hermione said, still shaken by the thought of what could''ve happened if it had been the night before.
"I think he''s been on the run so long he''s lost track of time," Ron muttered, his own exhaustion evident after a day full of activities.
Hearing this, Harry''s mind raced. He considered a possibility.
Perhaps Sirius ck had chosen this particr time on purpose.
Other students were still specting about how Sirius had managed to enter Hogwarts. Some said it was through Transfiguration; others suggested he had clung to the roof of the Hogwarts Express.
Harry didn''t think any of these theories made sense. It was more likely that someone had helped Sirius from the inside.
Opening a door from within would certainly be faster than forcing it open from the outside.
With these thoughts swirling in his head, Harry soon felt his own eyelids growing heavy. After closing his eyes for a while, he was startled by a creaking sound.
The door had opened. It was Dumbledore, apanied by Snape and Percy.
They were talkingwell, it was mostly Dumbledore and Snape, while Percy trailed behind silently.
One of Snape''s remarks made Harry perk up and listen closely.
"Have you considered how he got in, Professor?" Snape suddenly asked.
"Many ideas, Severus, but none of them seem usible," Dumbledore replied, casting a nce at Snape.
Snape shifted slightly and said in a low, suggestive voice, "Do you remember our conversation, Headmaster? The one just before... just before the start of term?"
"I remember, Severus," Dumbledore said, his tone carrying a hint of warning.
"Sirius ck breaking into the school without inside help seems... impossible," Snape drawled, stretching out his words. "I have expressed my concerns, especially when you..."
"I do not believe there is anyone within this castle who would aid ck in getting inside," Dumbledore concluded firmly, cutting off any further discussion.
Realizing he couldn''t sway Dumbledore, Snape remained silent.
Dumbledore continued, "I need to inform the Dementors now. I promised them that once we finished our search, we would let them know."
Gathering the students together wasn''t just to guard against Sirius ck; more importantly, it was to ensure the students didn''t encounter the Dementors.
Several Dementors had gone missing recently, and both the Ministry of Magic and the Dementors themselves were eager to search the grounds. If it were up to Dumbledore, he wouldn''t let them in at all.
Hearing all of this, the trioHarry, Ron, and Hermionefound it impossible to sleep, while John was still soundly asleep nearby.
_________
Read 12 Chapters ahead-
129: Preparation for Transformation
129: Preparation for Transformation
The Dementors entered the castle to search, and their chilling presence made it hard for the young wizards to sleep peacefully.
Right on the dot, two hourster, John''s eyes opened, not a second too soon.
"It seems Tom hasn''t returned," he thought.
The first thing John noticed after waking up was that his dog wasn''t in the dormitory. Casually ncing at the trio beside him, he confirmed they hadn''t noticed that he was awake.
cing his hand on the ground, John silently cast the Sensory Charm.
An invisible ripple spread out from him as the center. By now, he could control the range of the charm to extend beyond 300 meters.
"Dementors have entered?" John muttered to himself, surprised that Dumbledore allowed them inside.
As long as the Dementors weren''t directly encountered, animals wouldn''t be harmed. Tom surely wasn''t that foolish.
Now fully rested, John felt wide awake. Normally, he''d be doing experiments at this hour, but since he couldn''t leave now, he sighed and said, "Well, I guess I''ll read instead."
Fortunately, John had the habit of carrying a small handbag with him. He pulled out a book on Transfiguration and started reading.
Since he could see perfectly well in the dark, there was no need to turn on a light.
Meanwhile, the trio had finally wrapped up their brainstorming session. Harry turned his head and, through the blur, saw that John seemed to be flipping through something.
He tried to get a clearer view but,cking John''s night vision, couldn''t make anything out.
As the night passed, the Dementors retreated from the castle.
They hadn''t found Sirius ck, and the young wizards were abuzz with chatter.
The topic of everyone''s discussion was Sirius ck, that dangerous man who had somehow managed to enter the school.
Hannah Abbott was telling anyone who would listen that Sirius had transformed into a blooming shrub.
For the time being, Gryffindor''s portrait had been reced by Sir Cadogan, much to the students'' dismay.
Sir Cadogan had a habit of changing his passwords to the most bizarre things.
After freshening up, John walked past the girls'' bathroom and stumbled upon Peeves bullying Moaning Myrtle.
Myrtle was sobbing, while Peeves wasughing hysterically.
John''s expression shifted, and he called out, "Peeves,e here."
"Ah" At the sound of John''s voice, Peeves'' grin froze. Reluctantly, he floated over.
"Honorable John Wick, what can I do for you?" Peeves put on an uncharacteristically ugly smile, a far cry from his usual demeanor.
It wasn''t surprising. Once, Moaning Myrtle had bragged about her hairpin to the other ghosts, which had immediately irked Peeves. So, he had gone to John, hoping to get one for himself.
The result?
John had promptly caught and locked him up to test ghost-rted spells on him!
That incident had cemented John as the person Peeves feared most, even surpassing the Bloody Baron, who now held second ce.
John, unconcerned with how Peeves was undoubtedly cursing him internally, feigned curiosity and asked, "The Fat Lady was attackedwhat do you know about it?"
Peeves, being his usual restless self, bent down and poked his head through his legs, grinning cheekily. "Oh, I know alright! His temper was terrifyingnone other than Sirius ck!"
"What did he look like when you saw him?" John fixed his gaze on Peeves.
After studying Dementors for so long, John had learned that Dementors only consume the souls of beings with clear, rational thoughts.
Animals, for example, don''t register on their radar, as they can''tprehend or feed on animal emotions.
This led John to consider another possibility. In the wizarding world, there was one particr type of person who could transform into an animal.
Animagi.
This was an advanced form of Transfiguration, allowing a person to fully transform into an animal, possessing both the characteristics of the creature and the intelligence of a wizard.
Peeves said, "ck, you''ve no idea how terrifying he islooked like a giant bear!"
ck?
Like a bear?
John raised an eyebrow. It seemed his guess had been right.
"Wait."
Just as Peeves was about to leave, relieved, John called him back.
"Peeves, what was it you wanted from mest time?"
Peeves, grinning ear to ear, paused in confusion. John shrugged and said, "You''ve helped me, so I''ll help you."
"Brilliant! If you could give me some dungbombs, I''d be happy to call you sir."
"Deal," John agreed without hesitation.
But he added, "Just so you know, you can''t use them during ss. Anytime else, go wild."
Peeves burst into gleeful cackles, darting through the air. "Of course, Sir John Wick!"
Watching Peeves zoom off with such joy, John shook his head, knowing that many were about to have a bad day.
Dungbombs, huh? Those could easily be gotten from the twins.
The Weasley twins had set up an owl delivery service at Hogwarts, using the school''s owls to send products to students who ced orders.
John quickly penned a letter and had it delivered by his owl, Basil. By evening, the goods would arrive.
Today was Monday, another busy day.
In the afternoon during Care of Magical Creatures, John once again saw the Hippogriffs.
Upon asking, he found out that Hagrid''s restless heart had started acting up again.
Hagrid felt terrible that the other students hadn''t gotten a chance to ride the Hippogriffs during the first lesson. He thought it was quite unfair.
John, exasperated, rubbed his forehead. "Professor Hagrid, I need to take a leave of absence today. I won''t be able to help you manage the ss."
Hagrid looked shocked. "You''re taking a leave? Are you feeling unwell?"
"Not exactly. It''s more of a personal matter," John replied, though in truth, he was preparing for something quite significant.
Yes, he was preparing for a transformation.
Animagus!
With his Transfiguration skills at level 4, John was ready to attempt the Animagus transformation.
The process would take a long time, from one full moon to the next.
During this period, John wouldn''t be able to speak, as he would need to keep a Mandrake leaf in his mouth at all times, without removing it even for a second.
He needed to gather all the necessary materials. John had a feeling that now was the right time to begin.
Naturally, Hagrid didn''t hesitate to approve John''s request for leave.
Hagrid was confident that even without John''s help, he could still manage the situation well.
After teaching for two months, Hagrid had grown more self-assured.
Once John had said goodbye to Hagrid, he left.
"John''s leaving?" Harry noticed, and Ron was surprised. "Is he dropping this ss because it''s too much work?"
Hermione shot him an angry look and said, "Don''t be ridiculous. If anyone''s dropping a ss, it''d be Divination."
Despite her words, Hermione knew that John had indeed been very tiredtely.
He didn''t have something like her.
Hermione had the Time-Turner, which allowed her to take extra sses by rewinding time. But John had been attending all his sses without any such aid.
Hermione couldn''t shake a strange feeling. Why hadn''t the school given John a Time-Turner as well? Or was there only one avable?
Feeling a bit down, Hermione had a nagging sense of guilt, as if she had taken something that rightfully belonged to John.
In her view, John was clearly more outstanding, yet he hadn''t received any help.
As Hagrid brought out the Hippogriffs again, Harry noticed Buckbeak, the one he had riddenst time.
Just then, a curious young wizard approached Buckbeak a bit too closely.
Buckbeak, with a single swipe of his w, knocked the oblivious young wizard to the ground.
Buckbeak: Bow to me, fool.
A scream echoed, and Hagrid''s mind went nk as he realized something had gone wrong.
He quickly scooped up the unlucky student and rushed to end the ss early, heading straight to the hospital wing.
Everything was back on track...
John sought out Professor Sprout to get a Mandrake leaf. Based on his observation of the weather, he calcted that in about a week, the full moon would rise, and that would be the perfect time for him to begin.
Bing an Animagus required more than just the Mandrake leaf. On the second full moon, John would need a cocoon of a Death''s-head Hawk Moth.
With everything ready, all that remained was waitingfor a storm.
When the storm arrived, and lightning cracked the sky, only then would his transformation truly begin.
"So troublesome no wonder so few people manage to seed."
Even John found the Animagus transformation process tedious. To seed, one needed more than just talent and determination; luck yed a big role too.
There were many factors involved, and any misstep in the process could render all previous efforts futile.
In fact, if he had an experienced Animagus to help, it would be much easier. Professor McGonagall was a prime candidate for such assistance.
Even though he wasn''t a student from her house, Professor McGonagall would likely not refuse if he asked for help.
But John didn''t want to seek her out.
He knew his transformation would be... unique.
If he turned into a dragon in front of Professor McGonagall, she might very well be shocked out of her wits.
It wasmon knowledge that Animagi couldn''t turn into magical creatures.
John''s special form came from having various magical blood in his veins, so the fewer people who knew about it, the better.
__________
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130: Snape’s Hint and the Soul-Devouring Curse
130: Snapes Hint and the Soul-Devouring Curse
Money isn''t everything, but for most people, money is pretty persuasive.
Even in the magical world, this principle still holds true.
John quickly gathered all the necessary materials. In a delicate boxy the leaves of the Mandrake.
Once the first full moon arrived, John could begin his Animagus transformation.
"Speaking of which, Remus will also transform during the full moon."
Remembering Lupin''s condition, John figured that despite the Wolfsbane Potion, Lupin probably wouldn''t be showing up to ss in his werewolf form.
Sure enough, during Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Snape took Lupin''s ce.
"Sorry, I''mte, Professor Lupin, I"
John noticed Harry arrivingte, with confusion written all over his face.
"This ss started ten minutes ago, Potter, so I believe Gryffindor deserves to lose 10 points. Sit down."
Snape, standing at the podium, lifted his eyes slightly, his tone calm yet dripping with sarcasm.
Harry didn''t move. He stared at Snape and asked, "Where''s Professor Lupin?"
"He said he''s feeling unwell and won''t be able to teach today," Snape sneered.
No student had ever dared to challenge his authority before. Fixing Harry with a cold re, he added, "Didn''t I tell you to sit down?"
Harry''s mind raced after that statement.
He thought about how Snape had always coveted the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and remembered the dark, murky potion Snape had given Lupin the other day.
It was almost as if Snape had poisoned Lupin. Harry didn''t move, continuing to stare daggers at Snape as he asked again, "What happened to him?"
Snape''s patience was running thin. His eyes widened slightly as he replied, "He''s not in any danger."
Though Snape said this, his expression suggested that he wouldn''t mind if something had happened.
In a calm yet icy tone, he added, "Gryffindor loses another 5 points. If I have to tell you to sit down a third time, it''ll be 50 points."
Finally, Harry slowly made his way to his seat. John smirked slightly. Snape might act tough, but he had answered every one of Harry''s questions.
Snape nced coldly around the room. "Before Potter interrupted me, I was discussing the material you''ve already covered. Professor Lupin left no records"
"Excuse me, sir, we''ve learned about Boggarts, Red Caps, Kappas, and Grindylows."
Seeing Snape''s frustration, Hermione quickly recited everything they''d covered in ss so far, even reminding him, "We were about to start learning"
"Quiet. I didn''t ask."
Hermione''s disy of knowledge only made Snape''s attitude even colder. He was clearly displeased with Lupin''s teaching methods. "I was merely criticizing Lupin for hisck of structure in this ss."
"He did teach us"
Dean Thomas, seeing both Harry and Hermione speak up, decided to follow suit and chime in as well.
However, as soon as Dean opened his mouth, he was met with Snape''s deadly re.
John was speechless. Does your mother''s name happen to be Lily too? You''re that brave, huh?
It wasn''t hard to notice how dark Snape''s expression had be.
Sensing that the ssroom was on the verge of descending into chaos, John gave a light cough.
It wasn''t loud, but the ssroom gradually quieted down.
John looked up at Professor Snape with a polite smile and said, "Please, continue."
Snape stared at John for a moment, then flicked his wand.
"Today, we''ll be discussing... werewolves."
He stretched out thest word, drawing attention. Hermione, on the other side of the room, was about to speak again, but Snape had already turned his gaze to John and said, "Mr. Wick, perhaps you could enlighten us?"
John looked down to see the textbook had been flipped open to page 394, the chapter on werewolves.
Snape crossed his arms, his voice dripping withziness as he asked, "How do you distinguish between a werewolf and an ordinary wolf?"
Snape calling on John specifically was a rare urrence, especially with Lupin absentwho just so happened to be a werewolf.
The whole situation seemed loaded with hidden implications.
John couldn''t let the opportunity for extra points slip away, so he responded, "There are several small differences between werewolves and regr wolves, such as their pupils, nose, and tail..."
He answered with ease, earning Gryffindor 10 points from Snape.
Snape continued firing questions about werewolves, all directed at John. Every single one.
Hermione, sitting not far away, had her hand raised the entire time but waspletely ignored.
Ron, growing increasingly irritated, blurted out, "You''ve asked so many questions, and she knows the answers! If you''re just going to ask John, why not just give him the full 50 points already!"
Snape turned dangerously, striding over to Ron and leaning in close, his face almost touching Ron''s.
The entire ss held its breathRon was being incredibly bold.
Snape spoke softly, almost as if he were soothing a child to sleep, "Detention, Weasley."
Malfoy: pfft~
Straightening up, Snape nced around the room, his gaze making everyone shrink back into their seats.
No one dared offer another word of protest. This lesson seemed tailored just for John and Snape, like a two-man show.
With each question, John noticed Snape had a particr fondness for him today. It was as though Snape''s eyes were saying, Hurry up and realize that Lupin is a werewolf.
John had to fight the urge to rub his forehead in exasperation.
As if I didn''t already know. With how obvious you''re being, you might as well juste out and tell me.
After the barrage of questions, the ss was assigned to copy down information about werewolves.
Snape ced another piece of parchment in front of John, who stared at the one he''d just finished copying, lost in thought.
"John Wick, your handwriting is atrocious. Do it again," Snape said slowly, his tone unhurried.
You''ve got to be kidding me. Say that again!
My handwriting is cursivedo you even know what cursive is?
John''s mouth twitched in frustration. I get it, you''re trying to hint at something, but do you really need to go this far?
With a resigned sigh and feeling a bit bitter, John started copying it all over again.
Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of ss. Snape nced at John, his wand casually resting on a page with the word "werewolf" written on it.
"Each of you will write me an essay on how to identify and kill a werewolf. I expect it to be two scrolls of parchment long," Snape said.
Then he paused, lowered his head, and enunciated every word as he addressed John, "John Wick, you will submit four scrolls."
You''ve got to be...
John nearly snapped.
I already know!
You don''t need to keep hinting! I know Lupin''s a werewolf!
Who reminds someone like this?
Unfortunately, Snape didn''t catch John''s exasperated expression. Instead, with a hint of displeasure, he added, "Due Monday morning. This ss clearly needs better discipline. Weasley, stay behind."
Ron had been fuming about Snape''s deliberate disregard for Gryffindor, but after seeing John receive double the homework, he began to count his blessings as a mere unnoticed student.
Just as he was about to blend into the crowd and slip away, Snape called him out directly.
His legs wobbled a bit as he looked at Snape''s pale face, which now bore a smile that was anything but reassuring.
"Harry, Hermione, help me!" he pleaded to his two friends, but all he got in return were helpless looks.
In the end, Ron was punished by being made to clean the hospital wing''s toiletswithout magic.
Frustrated, he muttered about how it would be great if Sirius ck could sneak into Snape''s office and take care of him once and for all.
...
That night, John looked up at the sky.
Tomorrow would be the full moon. He made his way to the Chamber of Secrets.
Last time, when the Dementors had searched the grounds, they hadn''t found the Chamber.
Now, a new Dementor was cornered against the wall, with John holding his wand in one hand, casting the Patronus Charm. His albatross Patronus pinned the Dementor in ce.
Before him were two bottles: one containing a silver-white essence, the other, a ck one.
After a moment of hesitation, John picked up the ck one.
"Let''s see if this can be used for soul separation."
If Dementors had physical bodies, then the ck mass in front of John could be considered as such.
The essence was a mixture of curses and dust. John pressed his right hand over the ck mass.
It began to absorb onto his hand, slowly forming into a ck sphere.
Strands of darkness were drawn out, and John blew them toward the Dementor.
"Fuu~"
The ck threads, like spider silk, gradually spread over the Dementor''s form.
Its tattered cloak started to unravel, being devoured by the ck sphere.
Seeing this, John narrowed his eyes.
"A case of simr entities devouring each other, huh."
Staring at the ck sphere in his hand, he took out a ring.
"Come here."
Holding a ring adorned with a bright green gemstone in his palm, the darkness was drawn toward it.
The ckness slowly tainted the green gem, with spiderweb-like cracks appearing on its once-pristine surface.
"I''ll call this the Soul-Devouring Curse."
He ced the ring on his right ring finger, clenched his fist, and turned back to the now weakened Dementor. With his hand open, he began strippingyers of ckness off the Dementor, which flew into the ring.
The Dementor screeched sharply as its body was gradually stripped of its cursed physical form, leaving behind only a mindless soul.
__________
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131: Attack of the Dementors
131: Attack of the Dementors
Saturday, a stormy day.
It seemed that the heavens were not on Gryffindor''s side.
Wood had a grim expression as he watched the storm outside. The wind was so fierce it was about to blow the umbres away.
Originally, today they were supposed to have a match against Slytherin, but the Slytherins had dodged it, iming a teammate was injured.
Yes, that unlucky guy who got swatted down by Buckbeak.
That was Slytherin''s new Chaser.
"Those despicable Slytherins!" Wood gritted his teeth, saying, "They''re definitely trying to sit back and watch us and Hufflepuff tear each other apart!"
Harry was fuming too, especially after his friend got punished by the Slytherin Head of House to clean the hospital wing toilets.
They all held in their frustration, looking up at the downpour outside. The rain wasing down like bullets, and just hitting their faces felt like being pelted by small stones.
The gale was strong enough to blow any young witch or wizard off their broom; just flying was going to be a challenge.
Harry went to change into his scarlet Quidditch robes. Before he entered the locker room, he spotted Malfoy sulking, his face looking like someone owed him thousands of Galleons.
In the stands
Goyle and Crabbe were holding up a sun umbre, while Malfoy, in a foul mood, sat beneath it.
Nearby, John had cast a waterproofing charm, and the rain slid right off him before it could even touch.
Daphne also asked John to cast a waterproofing charm for her.
"Looks like you''re not in the best mood," Johnmented after ncing at Malfoy, already knowing why he was upset.
Malfoy sat down angrily and said, "Damn it! They think I''ll lose to Potter."
Originally, Malfoy had been determined to restore his honor, but the Slytherin team captain, Flint, refused the match due to an injured yer.
This made Malfoy feel humiliated. He had prepared for everything, and now they were doubting his abilities.
The current Malfoy wasn''t someone who backed down from a fight. On the contrary, he was eager to face Harry.
John calmly remarked, "Once you''re the captain, you''ll be in control of everything."
"But... it''s frustrating," Malfoy grumbled, thoroughly annoyed. If Potter found out about this, he''d think Malfoy was scared to lose.
The match was about to begin, with red and yellow blurring together in the rain.
But that wasn''t a problem for John. He chuckled softly and said, "Since you can''t be on the field, let''s cheer for our friends."
He looked over at Cedric, who, as both captain and Seeker for Hufflepuff, wasn''t fazed by the downpour.
Cedric smiled kindly at Wood and said, "This will be an exciting match."
Wood shook hands with Cedric, who had a character so likable that even his enemies couldn''t help but respect him.
With a sharp whistle, the game began.
Harry shot into the sky like a bolt of lightning, with Cedric right on his tail. They moved like predators hunting in the air, both intensely searching for the Golden Snitch.
Bludgers zoomed dangerously across the field, and Harry barely avoided getting knocked off his broom several times. The rain was relentless, making it hard for anyone to see. For Harry, it was even worsehis sses were soaked, leaving his visionpletely blurred.
It was hard enough just to see people, let alone a walnut-sized Golden Snitch.
The match had gone on for what felt like an eternity. At one point, Harry barely dodged what he couldn''t even tell was either a teammate or an opponent.
A sh of lightning split the sky, and Madam Hooch blew her whistle for a time-out.
Taking advantage of the break, Harry gathered some understanding of the situation.
Wood''s brutal training had given them a 50-point lead despite the harsh weather, but unless they caught the Golden Snitch, the match could go on until midnight.
Harry took the chance to wipe his sses, but it was futilewithin five seconds of being back out in the rain, he wouldn''t be able to see a thing.
In desperation, Harry muttered, "With these sses, there''s no hope for me."
And just like in every tough moment, when a son is struggling, a mother''s help always seems to appear.
Hermione appeared at just the right moment, tapping Harry''s sses with her wand and saying, "Impervius!"
"There, now they''re waterproof!" Hermione handed the sses back to Harry.
Wood was overjoyed at this and for a moment felt an overwhelming urge to kiss Hermione in gratitude. Of course, he held backhe wasn''t that impulsive, or at least he hoped not.
Even though Harry would still get drenched by rain, battered by wind, and frozen stiff in the air, he could see clearly now.
Riding his broom through the storm, Harry scanned the field for the Golden Snitch.
Bludgers, unaffected by the downpour, zipped through the air. Harry narrowly dodged one that nearly smashed into his head and skillfully maneuvered underneath Cedric with a sharp, evasive move.
A loud rumble echoed through the sky as lightning zigzagged across the clouds, making the already dangerous weather even worse. Nature seemed full of hidden threats.
Harry knew he needed to catch the Snitch quickly.
He turned around, looking for a spot with a better vantage point.
Suddenly, another bolt of lightning lit up the stands as if it were daytime.
John squinted, gazing up at the sky, the rain pelting him without any effect.
Noticing his concentration, Daphne asked, "What''s going on?"
"There''s something up there," John replied.
"Is that so?"
John responded with a hum, his eyes fixed on the sky, scanning intently.
At that exact moment, Harry saw it too.
The outline of arge, shaggy ck dog appeared, stark against the stormy sky, perched on the highest row of empty seats in the stands. Its fur was matted, and the figure was eerily clear amidst the dark clouds.
Harry''s frozen hands slipped slightly on his broomstick, causing him to drop a few feet in the air. He quickly pushed his wet hair out of his eyes and looked again, but the ck dog had vanished.
"Harry, behind you!" Wood shouted at the top of his lungs.
Harry whipped around, his heart racing. Cedric was already chasing the tiny golden dotthe Golden Snitch.
Panic surged through Harry. If Cedric caught it, they would lose the match.
Forgetting about the ck dog, he urged his broom to go faster.
"Come on! Faster!" he growled, as if shouting could make his broom speed up.
Maybe he yelled too loudly, because suddenly there was no other sound around him. Just an eerie silence.
Then, creeping in, came a familiar coldness. He recognized it immediatelythe same chill that had caused him to faint on the train.
Horrified, Harry realized what it was.
Dementors!
At least a hundred of them had stormed into the Quidditch stadium.
Up in the stands, John finally saw what was happening clearly.
When heid eyes on the swarm of Dementors, ck as storm clouds, his expression darkened immediately.
"If the Ministry can''t control their hands, I''ll break them myself!"
Without hesitation, John stood up, drawing his wand before Daphne could even grasp the situation.
"Expecto Patronum!"
The professors had also realized something was terribly wrong, but by the time they noticed, the Dementors had already descended onto the field.
Dumbledore''s face was grim as he prepared to act, but before he could, a bright light pierced through the darkness.
"A Patronus?" Professor Flitwick''s high-pitched voice rang out, almost as if he were giving a lecture.
Amid the silver-white glow, a petrel resembling an albatross swooped through the sky, heading straight for the mass of Dementors.
Wherever the petrel soared, the Dementors recoiled, as if encountering something utterly terrifying, and fled swiftly.
Professor Flitwick, ovee with excitement, shouted, "An extraordinary Patronus!"
He looked as if he might faint from excitement as the albatross weaved in and out of the swarming Dementors.
John narrowed his eyes, his right hand extended as if holding something invisible.
The rain within a hundred-meter radius began to change direction, gathering toward his right hand.
Soon, a massive water sphere, ten meters in diameter, formed in John''s hand.
Everyone was stunned by this sight.
John inserted his wand into the water sphere and softly chanted once more, "Expecto Patronum."
The albatross rushed towards the water ball, and after entering, the water ball changed.
Like a newborn bird unfurling its wings, the water sphere expanded and morphed into a gigantic albatross, glowing with white light.
It soared through the air, swallowing the Dementors it encountered.
The creatures it devoured disappeared, unable to escape from within.
The albatross moved as though it was hunting, consuming every Dementor that had entered the Quidditch pitch, and even chasing down those attempting to flee.
Sweat, or perhaps rain, dripped from John''s forehead, while his magic crystal rapidly depleted.
Out of the hundred Dementors that had arrived, more than twenty were devoured!
The giant albatross rushed towards the water ball, and after entering, the water ball changed.
finallynded, losing its form and reverting to a water sphere.
"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!" Professor Flitwick pped his hands so hard they turned red. His voice grew even more excited. "Combining a Patronus Charm with the Water Prison Spellif this were in ss, I''d award 100 points without hesitation!"
This voice shattered the stillness that had settled over the pitch, as all eyes turned to John in the stands.
With his right hand ced on his chest, John smiled and bowed slightly toward Professor Flitwick. "You''re too kind," he said.
Powerful!
Graceful!
Two words came to everyone''s mind: powerful and graceful.
""S-So Cool!!""
As they realized that John had driven away the Dementors, the young wizards erupted in deafening cheers.
John was smiling, but then he suddenly remembered somethinghe had forgotten about someone.
He looked up.
A figure was rapidly falling from the sky, and John, already toote to act, could only watch.
"Arresto Momentum!"
A loud voice rang out, and Harry''s body, just moments from crashing into the ground, was suddenly halted in mid-air.
John turned toward the source of the voiceDumbledore, who hadn''t used a wand, but merely extended a hand.
Wandless magic!
John knew well the strength of this old wizard and respectfully bowed toward him.
Dumbledore smiled warmly, his gaze shifting to the giant Patronus-water prison, surprise glinting in his eyes.
It was an exceptional variation of a spell. Even Dumbledore had to admit that Voldemort would have stood no chance against John in his third year.
However, Harry wasn''t as lucky. He had fainted, and unsurprisingly, Hufflepuff won the match.
Upon hearing that Harry had passed out, Cedric suddenly felt as if he had taken advantage of the situation.
In a gesture of sportsmanship, he proposed a rematch.
His graciousness impressed even Gryffindor, and if Wood had been a girl, he might have rushed over to confess his love to Cedric on the spot.
___________
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132: Ministry of Magic’s apology
132: Ministry of Magics apology
Harry was sent to the hospital wing, but the matter wasn''t over yet.
Dumbledore hurried down, staring at the Dementors trapped in the Patronus water prison. In his eyes, John saw an anger he had never seen before.
The "White Lord" was truly furious.
One hundred Dementors charging into the Quidditch pitchwhat a terrifying disaster that could have been.
"I need to find Cornelius Fudge. John, please keep these Dementors under control," Dumbledore said to John.
John nodded, though some of the more daring students were trying to approach.
Feeling a bit of a headache, John used his wand to control the water prison, attempting to move it elsewhere.
Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall joined in to help. Their eyes were filled with both fear and angerhow dare the Ministry gamble with the safety of the students?
"I will definitely be filing aint against those people!" Professor McGonagall''s face was pale as she spoke fiercely. "Mr. Wick, thank you for stepping in and spotting the danger in time."
Professor Flitwick, his voice thin but trembling with excitement, praised John greatly. "Absolutely brilliant, John Wick! A Patronusbined with a water prisonwhat a genius idea."
As the Charms professor, Flitwick was immensely proud.
"Where should we move this thing to?" John asked, somewhat concerned. "I mean, I might not be able to move it very far."
John''s magic crystal was continuously depleting, and this thing wasn''t a Philosopher''s Stoneonce used up, it would be useless. The materials for one magic crystal alone cost hundreds of Galleons, which made John feel a sharp pain in his wallet.
Professor McGonagall suggested cing the Dementors in the dungeonsnot the Slytherin one, but Hogwarts'' own underground chambers.
The Dementors struggled, trying to escape, but the three of them managed to subdue them and send them to the dungeon.
After everything was done, John''s arm felt a bit sore.
He nced at the ring on his right hand.
Earlier, he had secretly absorbed quite a bit of the curses from the twenty or so Dementors. The ck patterns on the ring were now even more pronounced.
Without drawing attention, he silently retracted the ck threads that had been attached to the water prison. The Dementors all appeared listless.
Professor McGonagall simply assumed it was the result of the suppression from the Patronus Charm.
Later that evening, people from the Ministry of Magic rushed over, led by none other than Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic.
An old acquaintance was also presentRufus Scrimgeour, the head of the Auror Office.
They hurried in, and John could tell from Fudge''s pale face that he wasn''t doing well. A trembling handkerchief was wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.
Fudge was clearly terrified.
The Dementors were not to enter the School borders. He had never expected the Dementors to invade Hogwartsa school backed by every wizarding family in Britain.
If the wizarding families found out about this incident, they would likely unite to protest against Cornelius Fudge as the Minister for Magic.
Fudge was scared. He had grown ustomed to the power he had worked so hard to obtain.
John watched as Fudge hurried into the headmaster''s office, and shortly after, John received a notice asking him toe to the office as well.
Upon entering the office, John saw Dumbledore''s facethis was the angriest and most serious he had ever seen the headmaster.
When Fudge spotted John, his eyes lit up, and he moved surprisingly fast for someone of his size, rushing over and excitedly grabbing John''s hand, shaking it vigorously.
"You must be John Wick, the one who stopped the Dementors?"
"I cannot thank you enough! You prevented a tragedy and, at the same time, saved the reputation of the Ministry of Magic. The Ministry will not forget your service," Fudge said, extending an olive branch with a beaming smile, though the sweat on the tip of his nose was close to dripping off.
"If you''re willing, I can send you an invitation after you graduate. The Ministry needs talents like you," he added, all the while sneaking nces at Dumbledore.
It seemed that recruiting John might not be the real goalwinning over Dumbledore was likely the true aim.
Rufus Scrimgeour, standing nearby, remained calm, ignoring Fudge''s maneuverings.
John nced at Dumbledore, and on the headmaster''s face, he saw a deep look of disappointment directed at Fudge.
Fudge had made a mistake. If he truly cared about the wizarding world, Dumbledore would have been his greatest ally.
Unfortunately, everything Fudge did was only to preserve his own power. His attempts to evade responsibility were enough to warrant Dumbledore''s disappointment.
"I''m sorry, Minister, but the Headmaster wanted to speak with me," John said with a perfect fake smile, pulling his hand away from Fudge''s grasp.
He walked over to Dumbledore, who shifted his gaze to John with a look of approval. "John, we need you to describe everything that happened," Dumbledore said.
John nodded and calmly recounted the eventsfrom when he first noticed the Dementors storming the Quidditch pitch, to how he subdued them. His expression remainedposed throughout, as though what he did wasn''t anything extraordinary.
Fudge''s face darkened with each word, and John didn''t mind adding one final blow.
"I think the Dementors might have been drawn to the joyful atmosphere of the Quidditch match and were unable to suppress their natural instincts," he said in a calm tone.
Leaving the students'' safety to Dementors was like leaving a hungry cat to guard fish.
Dumbledore nodded slightly and turned his gaze toward Fudge.
At this point, John''s involvement was over. What followed was practically a scolding from Dumbledore, leaving Fudge humiliated and at a loss for words.
In the end, the meeting ended on a sour note, with both sides parting in frustration. John took in everything with sharp eyes, and a gleam appeared in his gaze.
''This is an opportunity.''
Fudge was far too ipetent, even a hindrance, especially after Voldemort''s resurrection, where he made things worse at every turn.
Given this, John began to wonder if he could find a way to bring the Minister down ahead of time.
Rufus Scrimgeour didn''t face any me for the incident. His stance had always been clearusing Aurors to control the Dementors. Unfortunately, Fudge saw this as a threat to his authority, so he never gave Scrimgeour the chance.
After this incident, John knew his opportunity had arrived.
He sent out over a dozen letters, each one reaching someone from a prominent pure-blood family or an influential figure. Once they all spoke out in unison, even if the Minister hadn''t made any mistakes, he would still have a headache. And now, Fudge was clearly at fault.
...
The next day.
The Dementors were taken away, though the twenty-some Dementors seemed far less lively than before. Some even appeared to be wearing smaller robes, as if they had shrunk.
Rufus Scrimgeour coordinated their removal with Professor McGonagall. He assured her that the Dementors would be punished ordingly.
His words carried confidence, as Lord Johnny Silverhand had promised to help him.
That night, after leaving Hogwarts with Fudge, they soon saw Fudge being urgently called back to his office.
Not long after, the sound of Fudge''s furious outburst and things being smashed echoed from his office.
It must have been Lord Johnny Silverhand making his move.
Scrimgeour was quite pleased. He had been fed up with Fudge for a long time. After all, who wouldn''t want to be in charge, rather than constantly being overshadowed by someone else?
Harry hadn''t woken up yet. He had fallen from a height of at least 50 feet. Even though he didn''t hit the ground, falling that much can mess up your brain.
That evening, John looked up at the sky.
After the storm, the sky was clear, with a full moon hanging like a jade te above.
The time hade.
John took out a mandrake leaf and ced it in his mouth.
Thus began his journey to be an Animagus!
Though he couldn''t speak during this process, John had a solution.
He pulled out his wand and waved it through the air, leaving behind red sparks that hovered in ce.
A symbol appeared.
He could use this tomunicate with others.
As for why he couldn''t speak, he could simply im that he overexerted his magic the day before, causing his throat to swell.
In the magical world, there were all sorts of odd conditionsthis exnation wouldn''t raise too much suspicion.
After the full moon passed, Harry finally woke up.
He was heartbroken, feeling guilty that the team had lost because of him.
This wasn''t the first time something like this had happened, especially for Wood. He stood in the rain, feeling like he wanted to drown himself.
It was Wood''s final year, and despite his passion for Quidditch, he had never managed to lift the championship cup.
Harry thought this was bad enough, but life always had a way of getting worse.
His Nimbus 2000 had been blown into the Whomping Willow, which promptly smashed the broom to pieces.
Thepanion that had been with him for three years was now gone, leaving Harry in an even worse mood.
A steady stream of people came to visit Harry, and John also brought him a box of Cockroach Clusters.
"John, what''s wrong?" Hermione asked curiously, noticing that John hadn''t said a word the entire time.
John pointed to his throat, then used the hovering marks to reveal the excuse he had prepared.
Upon hearing that it was because he had overexerted himself while saving him that day, Harry felt even more guilty.
_________
Read 12 Chapters ahead:
133: Lupin’s Return
133: Lupins Return
Tsk.
Because John couldn''t speak, the number of points he earned in ss decreased.
Lupin returned after the full moon, though he still didn''t look well, he had a smile on his face.
The students, excited to see their beloved Professor Lupin back, all startedining about Snape''s behavior.
Malfoy, however, wasn''t impressed. He didn''t like Professor Lupin and insisted that only Professor Snape was the best.
The Defense Against the Dark Arts ss wasn''t dull at all, and John''s silent casting of spells made Lupin look at him in a different light.
Silent casting was typically taught in the sixth year, yet John, a third-year student, had already mastered it.
At the same time, Lupin''s gaze fell on John''s hand.
He stared at the ring John was wearing, as if trying to discern something.
''Could it be?''
The ring was indeed simr in design, but the color was different.
And there was another thingthe ring was on John''s right hand, not Johnny Silverhand''s left.
Lupin was filled with suspicion. After ss, he deliberately approached John and casually asked, "When did you start wearing that ring?"
John looked at Lupin in surprise, then quickly used his wand to write in the air.
"It''s a gift."
Lupin was stunned for a moment, then quickly realized Halloween had just passed.
The reason John gave seemed reasonable, but something still felt off to Lupin.
He had heard of John''s impressive feats, especially how he used a Patronus Charm to repel Dementorssomething Lupin had witnessed himself on the train.
''Am I overthinking this?'' Lupin furrowed his brow, lost in thought.
One of the defining traits of dark wizards was their inability to cast a Patronus Charm. This wasmon knowledge among wizards.
From what Lupin knew of Johnny Silverhand, that man was ruthless, with a repertoire of highly evil cursesdefinitely a dark wizard!
Being able to use the Patronus Charm, in some sense, was enough to prove John wasn''t one.
But Lupin couldn''t shake the suspicion that John might have some connection with Johnny Silverhand.
The mere thought of being connected to that man made Lupin uneasy.
''Perhaps Sirius ck''s escape has something to do with him.''
Recalling Snape''s words andbining them with what he had seen of Johnny Silverhand''s methods, Lupin started to believe it might actually be possible.
Johnny Silverhand... a man known as a phnthropist who created a foundation for cursed young wizards.
Everyone thought the same, except for Lupin and others who had witnessed such cruel methods firsthand.
That was a man whose ambition was obvioushe could be a great friend but also a terrifying enemy.
With concern in his voice, Lupin said in his heart, ''I hope you have no connection with that person, John.''
Whether as a teacher or just an ordinary passerby, Lupin sincerely didn''t want his students getting involved with that man.
...
Potions ss.
For the third time, John received a cold re from Professor Snape.
He could feel the resentment in Snape''s eyes, making him sigh inwardly, ''You''re the professor, right? Keep your act together! What''s with this sulky attitude?''
Well, Snape had his reasons to feel frustrated.
He had tried to give a hint, but in the end, John ended up losing his voice.
And Snape couldn''t even me himJohn lost his voice after fending off Dementors, protecting those eyes that were the same as Lily''s.
That''s exactly why Snape felt so frustrated.
From John''s observational skills, it wouldn''t be hard for him to figure out that Lupin was a werewolf.
That would have given Snape the perfect excuse to have Lupin expelled from Hogwarts for being a werewolf, while also eliminating a possible aplice of Sirius cka perfect two-in-one n.
But s, everything fell apart.
Under Snape''s resentful gaze, John managed to get through the Potions ss.
Daphne was extremely worried.
She noticed that John''s usual appetitewhere he could easily eat three bowls of ricehad shrunk to just half a bowl, making her even more anxious.
Because he was afraid of identally swallowing the Mandrake leaf, John was only consuming mushy food.
The Constetion Society also sent their support.
Cedric approached with both concern and admiration, saying, "John, thank you. You saved the entire school. I hope this will help you."
He left behind a bottle of swelling solution. After Cedric left, Percy also came over.
Although he maintained a formal demeanor, his eyes showed concern.
''God! I''m not a pregnantdy! Stop treating me like one!!!''
John waved his hand, signaling that he was fine, and then Neville showed up, suggesting that John should visit the hospital wing.
"No need, but thank you for your concern." He wrote.
John didn''t want to go to the hospital. He epted Neville''s concernand promptly doubled Neville''s training regimen!
Draco was in the same boat, with Heinrich bing his drill sergeant from hell.
Time passed, and John still had no intention of speaking. He was waiting for the next full moon.
However, he noticed that Lupin seemed to be onto something regarding his identity, so he simply decided to take some time off.
Previously, John had never realized that Lupin had such a sharp eye, so he decided to simply hide away for a while.
Snape, for once, didn''t have the chance to corner John and use him of being a werewolf.
After taking his leave, John holed up in the Chamber of Secrets, asionally emerging to check the weather.
Everyone thought he had left school and gone home, but in reality, John was still around.
His schedule was different from everyone else''s, so when some little kid asionally caught a glimpse of him, they assumed it was just their imagination.
...
Finally, John got his second full moon.
He was luckyit wasn''t cloudy this time.
If it had been, he would''ve had to find another leaf and repeat the entire process all over again.
He carefully took the saliva-soaked leaf from his mouth and ced it in a transparent bottle, allowing it to bask in the pure moonlight.
Plucking a strand of his own hair, he added it to the mixture, along with some dew and the chrysalis of a Death''s-head hawkmoth.
After mixing everything, he hid the transparent bottle in the Forbidden Forest, where Aragog''sir once stood.
Since it had been burned by Fiendfyre, the area was now deserted and empty.
Havingpleted this step, John now only had two things left to do: wait for a storm to arrive and cast a spell on himself at every sunrise and sunset.
At sunrise the next day, John pointed the tip of his wand at his heart and recited the spell: "Amato, Animo, Animato, Animagus."
Now that he could speak again, John returned to attending sses.
His return was met with cheers from Slytherin House. Surprisingly, despite his absence, Slytherin was still leading in points.
This was thanks to Daphne, Malfoy, and Heinrich, who had been racking up points like mad.
The other Slytherin students hadn''t cked off either. Even without John, they remained the strongest house.
They were still ahead of Ravenw, firmly holding first ce.
December.
With Christmas approaching, John had to stay at Hogwarts as he waited for the storm he needed.
He couldn''t help but wonder if Mrs. Wick would show up at school to hunt him down.
The trio (Harry, Ron, and Hermione) wished John well as he recovered, though Ron''s smile seemed strangely forced.
John found this odd.
He didn''t know that Ron had been hoping Slytherin''s lead would slip while he was gone, giving Gryffindor a chance to overtake them.
Now that John had returned, Ron''s hopes were dashed.
During ss that day, John received an owl.
A long-eared, ck owl pped its wings as it approached John, with Basil, the snowy white owl, hopping alongside it, nuzzling its head against the ck owl.
John quickly took the letter brought by Riddle, his shop''s owl, scanned through it, and his expression darkened.
"Fudge! This motherfucker! Still trying to cling to that position and do nothing, huh?"
The letter was from Shelby. He informed John that, after all the pressure from various parties, Fudge had started to manufacture public opinion. He was trying to create an enemy, someone he could me to rally public support back to his side.
And who could make a better enemy than Knockturn Alley''s new king, the infamous Johnny Silverhand?
The Daily Prophet hadpletely shifted its tone, now painting Knockturn Alley as a ce of tyranny, and portraying Johnny Silverhand as a dictator instead of the benevolent figure he was once seen as.
One bloody crime after another was being attributed to Knockturn Alley.
Whether the usations were true or not didn''t matter. As long as it came from there, it was pinned on Johnny Silverhand.
In the letter, Tommy asked if John wanted to impose the infamous "Silverhand sanction" on Fudge.
"Sanction? Ha!"
John let out a coldugh. To deal with Fudge, he didn''t need to just punish him.
This Asshole!
No, he would make sure Fudge lost everything.
If Fudge was going to call him a dictator, then John would show him exactly what a dictator could do.
Taking out his silver connections ledger, John began writing letters with a silver hand crest, one by one.
Tempting them with promises of profit.
Engaging in power deals.
Coercion through force.
John employed all sorts of tactics, with only one goal in mind: to pressure the Ministry of Magic and make them realize that their current Minister wasn''t just ipetent but also severely mental and unfit for the position.
"Tsk, Sometimes, certain bloody measures are simply unavoidable."
After sending off thest letter, a sly smile crept across John''s face.
He stroked the gemstone on his ring, a dangerous aura emanating from him. The sensation was like a predator awakening, baring its blood-soaked fangs, eager to strike.
Within three days, conflict erupted within the Ministry of Magic.
____________
Read 12 Advance chapters:
134: Accountability and Resignation
134: ountability and Resignation
Ministry of Magic.
Fudge was inplete disarray.
It wasn''t just ordinary witches and wizards anymorenow even the Sacred Twenty-Eight families were stepping in.
Lucius Malfoy had a smirk on his face, equal parts mocking and cold indifference, with a casual, detached airpleting the expression.
His tinum blond hair was perfectly groomed, and his cane lightly tapped the floorjust loud enough to stand out amid the chaos of the Ministry of Magic.
Thud, thud.
The sound caught the attention of the Ministry officials, who shifted their gazes toward him.
Lucius was no longer the man he once was. He had reimed his position as a Hogwarts Board of Governors member, and now he was also the curator of the Dark Arts Museum.
Fudge''s lips twitched slightly as he red at Lucius. "Lucius, what are you doing here?"
"Minister Fudge, I''m here on behalf of the Hogwarts Board, of course."
Lucius smoothly navigated through the noisy crowd and found a seat.
This was a press conference Fudge had specifically organized to shift the me, but now it felt like a bed of nails.
Rita Skeeter, the top reporter from The Daily Prophet, sat among the audience.
Fudge had made arrangements with her superiorswhen the press conference started, she was to ask pointed questions about Knockturn Alley, directing the me toward Johnny Silverhand.
As long as the topic was explosive enough, even the matter of Dementors invading Hogwarts could be overshadowed.
''It''s just a Malfoy,'' Fudge thought bitterly, ring at Lucius. Once this was over, he would definitely settle the score with this former Death Eater.
More and more people arrived, and a burst of chatter filled the air.
Fudge looked over and his face darkened.
"Damocles Alex Belby," he ground his teeth, his round face contorting with rage.
This recipient of the Order of Merlin, First ss, Damocles Alex Belby, was unusually active.
Last time with Hagrid''s case, it was Damocles Alex who had applied the pressure.
And if that wasn''t enough, the sound of camera shutters clicking echoed.
Dressed in an extravagant turquoise wizard''s robe, the popr bestselling author Gilderoy Lockhart also appeared. He had just won Witch Weekly''s Most Charming Smile Award for the sixth time.
This top celebrity in the magical world had actually shown up at a Ministry meeting.
Fudge couldn''t stop him, even if he wanted to, because Lockhart was also a recipient of the Order of Merlin, which meant he held influence in the wizarding world.
Moreover, he was a member of the Anti-Dark Magic League, which was no small organizationit was founded by pureblood wizards and mostly consisted of influential figures or officials from various magical ministries around the world.
Lockhart''s ability to join was due to his immense influence.
Fudge''s lips curled into a cold smile.
Others might not know, but over the years as Minister of Magic, he hadn''t just been sitting idle. Gilderoy Lockhart was a fraud, and there was no way that could escape his notice.
If Lockhart didn''t know his ce, Fudge didn''t mind exposing him as a fraud in public and sending him to Azkaban to deflect the public outcry.
Confident that he had the upper hand, Fudge instructed his assistant to send a message to Lockhart.
From a distance, Lockhart nodded, and Fudge thought he had finallye to his senses.
When the crowd had mostly gathered, Fudge straightened his clothes and walked toward the podium.
He gave a signal to Rita Skeeter, who lowered her head, scribbling something unknown.
"Ahem, I would like to thank all my fellow members of the wizardingmunity foring here today."
His formal demeanor made it seem, to those unaware, as though he had already captured Sirius ck.
A long-winded introduction slowly drained the patience of the audience.
Lucius Malfoyzily raised his hand, his voice neither loud nor soft, but dripping with sarcasm. "Minister Fudge, if you may, I suggest getting to the point."
He smirked, his tone mocking as he added, "No one is particrly interested in how many pups your family dog has had."
A stifledughter rippled through the room, and Fudge felt his face flush with embarrassment. Reluctantly, he moved on to the main issue.
Signaling to Rita again, he cleared his throat. "Feel free to ask your questions."
Rita stood up right on cue. Fudge smiled and said, "You first."
He was expecting to hear questions about the dark tyrant of Knockturn Alley, Johnny Silverhand, but what Rita Skeeter opened with was far sharper.
"What is your opinion on the Dementors entering Hogwarts while performing their duties, especially since you advocated for using Dementors?"
Sharp!
Fudge''s eyes widened in disbelief. He stared at Rita as if doubting whether she was an imposter in disguise.
"Was the Ministry''s inability to control the Dementors a failure on your part?"
"Sirius ck is still a threat to the wizarding worlddo you take responsibility for that?"
"I''ve heard that ten pureblood families have already submittedints against you. What''s your response to that?"
"Auror Office Head Rufus Scrimgeour suggested that the Aurors should manage the Dementors, but you refusedwas there some personal motive behind that?"
Each question was like a sharp de, piercing Fudge''s already fragileposure.
He was breathing heavily, his small eyes reddening with anger.
He never expected Rita Skeeter to be the first person to betray him. Was The Daily Prophet nning a rebellion? What were they trying to pull?!
"Ahem." Lucius Malfoy rose gracefully, all eyes in the room shifting to him.
With a smirk on his face, he said, "On behalf of the Hogwarts Board of Governors, I wish to hold the Ministry ountable for its negligence."
Damn!
His words set off a wave ofmotion, and the reporters'' eyes lit up with excitement.
At that moment, Damocles Alex Belby struck his cane heavily on the ground and said coldly, "The Potion Masters'' Guild questions whether Cornelius Fudge is still capable of leading the Ministry of Magic. We want a wise leader, not a clown who can''t even maintain his dignity."
A truly vicious blow!
The Potion Masters'' Guild mentioned by Damocles was an elite organizationprised of the top figures in potion-making. Though its membership was fewer than ten, each was a highly influential Potions Master.
Seeing that all the big names were stepping forward, Gilderoy Lockhart decided to stop hiding like an ostrich.
With the same charming smile that had earned him Witch Weekly''s Most Charming Smile Award six times in a row, he stood up and spoke pompously, "I, too, question Cornelius Fudge''spetence. If it were up to me, there''s no way something like Dementors storming into the school would ever have happened!"
The moment he spoke, Fudge''s already reddened eyes turned even darker with rage.
He could tolerate the others, but this fraudthis chatandaring to join in the chaos was too much.
He pointed angrily at Lockhart and shouted, "You''re a fraud! Everything you''ve done is a lie! He doesn''t know how to do anything!"
Blinded by the betrayals that had piled up, Fudge yelled at his enforcers nearby, "Arrest him! Throw him into Azkaban!"
These enforcers were loyal to Fudge, and at hismand, they immediately sprang into action.
A sh of red light from a Stupefy spell shot toward Lockhart.
A trace of malicious satisfaction crossed Fudge''s twisted face.
He was already imagining how the massive news of exposing Lockhart as a fraud would overshadow everything that had happened today.
"Protego!"
Lockhart shouted dramatically, and a shimmering shield charm appeared around him, deflecting the iing attacks.
He then drew his wand, looking calm and collected as he said with ir, "It seems you wish to attack me, a recipient of the Order of Merlin, Third ss, and an honorary member of the Anti-Dark Magic League."
Eh? Fudge was confused.
The Lockhart he knew shouldn''t have been capable of casting such a powerful shield charm.
Magical energy flowed from a ring on Lockhart''s finger into his wand. He smiled confidently before casting a Disarming Charm, sending one of Fudge''s enforcers flying.
Several red Stunning Spells shot towards him, but Lockhart''s Protego blocked them effortlessly, as if he had eyes in the back of his head.
Each time he cast a spell, another enforcer was thrown aside.
There were five enforcers present, and now three of them joined forces to attack Lockhart from the front.
"Heh~"
But Lockhart moved with ease, as if taking a casual stroll, his left hand behind his back. With only one hand, he effortlessly deflected spells andunched counterattacks.
"Oh Merlin! Mr. Lockhart is so cool!"
"Ahh~ My heart is racing up. Can''t believe I''m witnessing Sir Lockhart''s glory firsthand!"
"Naturally. This is Lockhart we are talking about. How can Fudge be so foolish to challenge him like this." Lucius thought Fudge''s brain was eaten by a troll.
"Heh~" He gave a yful wink to his admirers present and then pushed the three enforcers back steadily, and soon he wasn''t even speaking incantations anymorehis mastery of nonverbal spells left everyone watching in shock!
"Reducto!"
A powerful st of white light formed into a sphere, hitting the three enforcers and scattering them across the room.
Lockhart lowered his wand with a look of mncholy, saying, "Why force me to take action? Was it really necessary?"
Now things hadpletely backfired.
"Ah.. this.. this.." Fudge, who had hoped to expose Lockhart and turn the situation around, copsed into his seat.
Anyone with eyes could now see how powerful Lockhart truly was, and there was no need to rely on lies to uphold his reputation.
No one noticed, but Lockhart''s palms were sweating nervously at that moment.
The rings that adorned all ten of his fingers were down to just one.
The grand spectacle hade to an end.
...
The next day, The Daily Prophet published the news:
Cornelius Fudge, due to multiple usations and scandals, was forced to step down early!
Rufus Scrimgeour, the Head of the Auror Office, temporarily assumed the position of Minister for Magic, vowing to do everything in his power to ensure the safety of the students at Hogwarts.
"We will spare no effort to capture Sirius ck. No matter where he is, if we find him in a bathroom, we''ll drown him in the toilet."
His iron-fisted approach marked a stark contrast to the Ministry''s previous weakness.
Aurors were dispatched to Hogwarts to oversee security and manage the situation with the Dementors.
...
"That''s so awesome!"
Ron''s face flushed with excitement as he mimicked Scrimgeour''s tone, saying, "If we find him in a bathroom, we''ll drown him in the toilet! Now that''s a real hardcore Auror!"
Harry, equally thrilled, stabbed his fork into a potato. They both felt that this was what an Auror should be like.
Still, Harry felt a bit sorry for Fudge. After all, Fudge had been rather kind to him at the start of the school year.
At the Slytherin table...
"Draco, that''s your father," one of the Slytherin students said, looking at Malfoy with envy.
Malfoy proudly puffed out his chest.
In The Daily Prophet, Lucius Malfoy was pictured chatting andughing, a symbol of the Malfoy family''s long-awaited return to the upper echelons of the magical world.
John was reading the newspaper.
Fudge had stepped down, and although Rufus Scrimgeour was just a temporary Minister, if they managed to capture Sirius ck, the "temporary" tag would surely be removed.
"Nice~"
___________
Read 12 Chapters ahead:
135: Poor Dementors and Map
135: Poor Dementors and Map
John put down the newspaper and looked over at the Gryffindor table.
Ron and Hermione were arguing. Again.
"How do they manage to argue every single day and still stay so close?" John mused.
The reason for the argument was once again their pets. Crookshanks had been running around as usual, but still hadn''t given up on trying to catch Scabbers. This had be a constant source of tension, and Ron had long been fed up with the ugly cat.
On one side was a pet Ron had had for twelve years, and on the other was a hideous cat Hermione had only bought less than six months ago.
He couldn''t understand why Hermione couldn''t see things from his perspective.
At least from Ron''s point of view, he wasn''t in the wrong.
John was also curious why Crookshanks was so fixated on Scabbers. From what he knew, Crookshanks was a smart cat; it should have realized that the rat was a pet belonging to its owner''s friend.
"Peter Pettigrew, huh," John thought to himself.
The Marauder''s Map showed all the people within Hogwarts, and the rat by Ron''s side wasn''t listed as "Scabbers."
John had known this for a while, but he couldn''t exactly walk up to Ron and say, "Hey, your rat isn''t really Scabbers, you know?"
"That rat''s been hiding a lottely, barely evening out of the dormitory," John reflected.
He had originally wanted to confirm whether the rat was really an Animagus, but unfortunately, Scabbers wasn''t giving him the opportunity.
John had no choice but to put this matter aside for now.
After eating the sausage on his fork, he sensed someone standing behind him.
Turning around, he saw Professor Snape deliberately slowing his steps.
"Well, I guess I have to deal with this," John muttered to himself, then called out to Snape.
"Professor."
It was as if Snape had been waiting for this moment. He stopped, turning around slowly.
John noticed that Snape''s face showed an unusual expression of expectation. Wiping his mouth, John said, "I know."
Without any context, Snape''s face broke into an unexpected smile.
He stretched out his words, "Oh?"
John said the key phrase: "Full moon."
Snape replied in a low voice, "Mr. Wick, you''re a smart man."
''Great, now I''m smart,'' John thought sarcastically.
He couldn''t help but wonder if Snape was cursing him for being stupid behind his back.
Grumbling internally, John forced a smile and said, "Thanks for thepliment."
One big and one small, like two sly foxes.
Snape''s footsteps sped up as he left, clearly in a good mood.
The two of them had spoken in riddles, leaving Daphne wide-eyed and confused, her face filled with curiosity.
Meanwhile, Heinrich quietly continued eating, carefully lifting his juice and sipping it cautiously.
''Hmm, garlic essence!''
Without hesitation, he walked over to the Gryffindor table. The twin pranksters saw himing and made a quick escape.
Harry was in high spirits; Lupin had agreed to teach him the Patronus Charm.
After this Christmas break, he wouldn''t have to keep being mocked by Malfoy and his gang anymore.
Speaking of Malfoy, Draco arrived.
Despite the fact that the tables of the two houses were separated by Hufflepuff, Draco Malfoy deliberately walked all the way around just to get Harry''s attention.
"The Dementors areing"
He put on a mock terrified face, causing Pansy and the others to burst intoughter.
Harry scowled, and even Ron and Hermione, who had been giving each other the cold shoulder, immediately jumped into defense mode.
"Shut up, Malfoy!"
Ron was already in a bad mood, and after being provoked like that, he immediately stood up, staring right back at Malfoy.
"Weasley, you should be thankful this is the Great Hall," Malfoy threatened openly, lowering his voice. "If you dare,e duel me."
Ron''s face darkened. It wasn''t the first time he''d shed with Malfoy.
Malfoy had gotten much strongertely, and if they really fought, Ron wasn''t sure he could win.
What Ron didn''t realize was that Malfoy had stopped mocking his family''s backgroundthanks to Percy being part of the Constetion Society. If not, with Malfoy''s venomous mouth, he wouldn''t have been so "civil."
"I''ll duel you, Malfoy," Harry said, stepping in to defend his friend.
"Enough, Malfoy. Do you want to get detention?" Hermione intervened, stopping the two hotheads from rushing into a duel. She red at Malfoy, not backing down.
Every time someone cast a curse, they''d lose house points. Gryffindor was already trailing behind Ravenw.
Malfoy shrugged, sneering at Harry, "Oh, dear baby Potter, always hiding behind your friends."
Then, he made a mock baby-crying face before turning and leaving with his group.
Ron mmed his fist on the table in frustration, and Hermioneforted Harry, saying, "He only talks big."
Harry mumbled, "I know, thanks, you guys."
After what had just happened, the trio''s friendship was restored once again.
...
Time passed quickly.
Every day, John made sure to perform his incantation at sunrise and sunset, like clockwork.
The storm, however, didn''t seem like it wasing anytime soon, which left John a little frustrated.
In the meantime, he could only catch some Dementors to practice on.
He''d go to the forest, close off his thoughts, and head out for a bit. By the time he returned, one unfortunate Dementor would be missing.
Due to the Aurors'' involvement, the Dementors had been mostly confined to one specific area.
But Dementors often tried to escape, so whenever a few went missing, the Aurors just assumed they had fled. After a fruitless search, they''d leave it at that.
What they didn''t know was that the reason Dementors kept trying to flee was because they had noticed some of their kind disappearing mysteriously.
It was like they had encountered a natural predatorwanting to escape but constantly being held back.
Pretty tragic, really.
John didn''t care about their plight.
His soul extraction skills had be more and more proficient, and he stuffed the extracted souls into bottles.
An entire shelf was now filled with bottles containing the remnants of at least a dozen Dementors.
The ring on his finger grew darker and darker, and he no longer even needed bait to lure Dementors. He simply used the Soul-Sucking Curse to pull them in directly.
"Nice! That should be enough."
John carefully stored away the glowing bottles of souls on the shelf. With these soul fragments, it would be enough for the surgery on Nagini.
He stretched out his left hand toward an idle box, clenched his fist, and murmured, "Crush."
The box crumpled as if squeezed by an enormous invisible hand, copsing inward under an unfamiliar force.
This wasn''t the typical Crushing Charmit was ancient magic.
To be precise, it was a variant of ancient magic, one that could manipte objects.
It sounded simr to the Levitation Charm, but in reality, it was quite different.
The Levitation Charm lifts objects, and its damagees from the object''s weight falling back down.
However, this spell was for graspinggrabbing an object with one hand, then elerating it to smash downwards.
John had found this spell in Forbidden Magic.
With a snap of his fingers, the crushed box ignited in mes, burning away until there was nothing left.
"Now there''s no evidence," John chuckled softly. With enough materials in hand, there was no longer a need to torment the Dementors.
After putting away the soul fragments, John nced at the Boggart that had been quiet for a while and decided to let it be for now.
...
December 18th.
A group of students had gathered at the castle gates, ready to head off to Hogsmeade. John spotted Harry again.
He was standing all alone at the entrance, looking utterly pitiful.
With a sigh, Harry began to turn back.
"How unfortunate," John thought.
Seeing the "Chosen One" in such a sad state, John figured that since he had two Marauder''s Maps, he might as well give one to Harry.
After all, the map originally belonged to James Potter anyway.
So, John called out to Harry. Confused, Harry looked over as John approached.
"John? What are you doing...?"
John pulled out a piece of parchment. Harry''s eyebrows furrowedwas this guy about to give him homework?
Wait, that didn''t make sense. John wasn''t a professor. What homework could he possibly assign?
Still puzzled, Harry watched as John smiled slightly, then said mysteriously, "There''s more than one way out of Hogwarts~"
With that, John gently tapped the nk parchment with his wand.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!"
Ink lines spread across the nk parchment, and Harry''s eyes widened in surprise.
"This is the Marauder''s Map," John said with a light chuckle. "I''m sure you can see how it works."
Harry''s mouth hung slightly open. He hadn''t expected John to hand over something so important.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Harry asked, "Is this... for me?"
"Of course," John nodded, a deep meaning in his tone. "It was always meant to be yours."
Harry was overjoyed, his eyes scanning the map, spotting several secret routes out of Hogwarts that piqued his interest.
"Thank you, John," Harry said sincerely.
"The closing spell is: ''Mischief managed,''" John added, waving him off before turning to leave the castle.
Not long after John left, Harry was already nning to use one of the secret passages to sneak out.
In the end, Harry was caught by the Weasley twins, who dragged him to one of the floors.
They winked at him mysteriously and said, "Before we leave, let''s give you a bit of holiday spirit."
With that, they pushed Harry into a nearby ssroom.
The twins began introducing him to a secret passageway that led out of Hogwarts. Harry''s expression turned odd as he tried to say something. But Fred, who had sharp eyes, noticed the Marauder''s Map in Harry''s hand.
"So that''s where it went! We thought we lost it."
Harry stood there dumbfounded, watching as the twins casually took the Marauder''s Map from him and used it without hesitation.
Seeing how familiar they were with it, Harry''s expression grew stranger, and so did the twins''.
Regardless, Harry was finally able to make his way to Hogsmeade. Full of excitement, he crawled into the secret passage hidden inside the statue of the hunchbacked one-eyed witch, followed it, and eventually emerged in Honeydukes'' candy shop.
_________
Read 12 Chapters ahead of SH-
136: Leaving School and Soul Surgery
136: Leaving School and Soul Surgery
While the other students went off to Hogsmeade, John did not.
After arriving at Hogsmeade, he used Apparition to head to the Belby Manor.
With a sharp CRACK, John appeared outside the gates of Belby Manor.
Striding inside, John found Damocles Alex Belby casually mixing potions.
Seeing John approach, Damocles smiled.
"You''ve finally arrived. That big snake is about to wake up."
Damocles, who had just returned from the Ministry of Magic, couldn''t hide his grin. Overthrowing a Minister of Magic had greatly satisfied his vanity!
The Blood Potion had gone through several new versions, and with John''s suggestion, they had added mandrake leaves into the mix.
The crimson potion turned green, and then John pulled out a bottle.
Initially, Damocles didn''t think much of it. But when he got a clear look at what was inside, he suddenly grabbed John''s hand in shock, eximing, "What have you done?!"
His voice was filled with both usation and a touch of fear.
It was a bottle containing a soul, glowing white. The soul was tattered and fragmented, with no consciousness at all.
But the mere presence of the soul was enough to make him tremble in terror.
"The soul is taboo. You''ve crossed a line," Damocles Alex stared at John.
John smiled calmly and said, "Rx, I didn''t kill anyone."
Didn''t kill anyone?
Damocles didn''t believe it. But seeing the calm expression on John''s face, he slowly released his grip.
"I''ll exin it to youter, Damocles. Trust me, I''m not doing anything like that."
Understanding what the other was concerned about, John made a promise.
After a moment of silence, Damocles finally said, "Alright."
As John poured the soul into the mixture, the once-green potion turned ck, and then shifted to white.
John was surethis Blood Potion had finally seeded.
The pure white potion glowed faintly in the dim dungeon.
Now, only the surgery remained. He turned to the sleeping snake.
John opened the cell door and walked in.
Using water-element magic, he manipted the Blood Potion into a floating mass and guided it into the snake''s mouth.
Silver threads began to emerge, and soon, the entire snake was surrounded by countless floating silver strands.
"It worked."
With enhanced insight, John could clearly see the serpent undergoing gradual changes.
Damocles Alex was also staring intently, afraid to miss even a single detail. His quill scratched quickly across the parchment, recording everything.
More and more silver threads appeared, and John heard Nagini''s voice in his ear.
~"John?"~
"Yup, It''s me."
A simple response, yet it seemed to bring boundless reassurance.
John stood at attention in front of the countless silver threads, his hand reaching out to grasp one of them.
In an instant, his consciousness traveled through numerous tunnels beforending in a nk space.
A hazy illusion.
This was the ce where souls lingered between life and death, a realm with no fixed form.
Currently, John found himself in a pure white space, an endless expanse of white.
He saw a figure and walked toward it.
It was a woman in a blue dress, with the beautiful features of East Asian descent, long ck hair, and clear, autumn-like eyes.
She was curled up in a corner, shrouded in an ominous aura of blood-green mist.
"Nagini?" John spoke softly.
The woman''s body trembled slightly. She raised her head and stared nkly at the boy who had appeared here.
With disbelief in her eyes, she murmured, "You.. John..?"
Her face was delicate, her figure graceful, though it would have been better without the ever-present blood-green curse that was eating away at her.
She looked like a shattered porcin doll, with horrifying cracks spreading densely across her body.
Nearly half of her body was missing, and an ominous blood-green aura seeped from the gaps.
In her hand, she carefully held a small silver figure.
That was the blood magic potionor more precisely, the soul contained within the potion.
The tiny soul figure was desperately trying to piece together the fragments that were falling apart, while Nagini looked as if she was on the verge of shatteringpletely.
John walked toward Nagini, the ominous blood-green aura continually swirling around her,pletely intertwined with her. It was as if they had fused togetherpart of her, and her part of it.
Seeing this, John took a deep breath. The situation was even more challenging than dealing with a Dementor.
His face grew serious as he said, "Nagini, I will heal you now."
He raised his hand, and outside, his physical body mirrored the gesture.
This process was happening in sync, allowing a direct view of the soul''s changes.
"If you can''t bear it, just say something," John said, more serious than ever before.
Hope shed in Nagini''s eyes, and she nodded firmly.
With the tiny soul figure temporarily protecting Nagini, John could focus on the treatment with more confidence.
He opened all the soul bottles from his bag, and the sacred white orbs of light began to swirl around him.
John thrust his wand into one of the orbs and recited an incantation.
"Anima reditus et sana."
The orb extended and transformed into a hundred soul scalpels, which then plunged into the body of the giant snake.
In the hazy realm, Nagini felt it too.
A hundred soul scalpels pierced her body, and the excruciating pain was evident on her delicate face.
John meticulously manipted the soul scalpels, slowly pulling out the blood curse and dragging it away.
The blood curse took on the form of a snake,unching attacks against the soul scalpels. John''s face remained cold, his hand moving steadily without pause.
When one soul waspletely used up, John crafted another soul into scalpels.
Time passed slowly, second by second. Nagini''s soul was tattered, and from the gaping holes in it, the soul scalpels reached in to pull out the blood curse.
John was already drenched in sweat. His focus was razor-sharp, switching into "schr mode" to increase his precision.
Even the tiniest strands of blood curse, hidden in the smallest details, were carefully removed.
...
Outside.
Damocles stared intently in the direction of the giant snake. The snake was enveloped in a silver-white radiance, and its body was slowly undergoing a transformation.
"Can this really work?!"
He forcibly suppressed his anxious emotions, not daring to make even the slightest sound.
This was a miracle, an unprecedented one.
Even Merlin himself wouldn''t dare im he could achieve this.
John was like a conductor of a grand orchestra. With every wave of his wand, a piece of the blood curse was taken away.
Under Belby''s intense gaze, the snake''s body gradually began to take on more human characteristics.
The body of a snake, but now with human limbs.
Half-human, half-snake, the sight was grotesque and unsettling.
John remainedpletely unaffected, maintaining his unwavering focus. His eyes reflected the situation in the hazy realm.
The blood curse, most of which had already been removed, still refused to give up. It transformed into a massive serpent, with ominous blood-green energy surging into the sky.
The giant serpent opened its massive maw, lunging toward John to swallow him whole.
John''s brow twitched, and his wand pierced into a cluster of souls with pinpoint uracy, then he swiftly flung it out.
As soon as the soul left his hand, it transformed into a dazzling burst of white light that struck the blood curse.
Soul Shatter Curse!
The giant serpent was hit, bing disoriented. In John''s hand, the soul morphed into arge sword, and he shed down hard on the serpent''s head.
The blood curse let out a wail, its body swiftly retreating, trying to merge back into Nagini.
"Yeah, fuck off."
But John wasn''t about to let it seed. The tiny soul being inted like a balloon, expanding to envelop Nagini.
The retreating blood curse mmed into the soul barrier, shaking it dangerously.
Seizing the opportunity, John swung the soul sword down at the root of the serpent.
The serpent''s body erupted in white light, thrashing about as it tried in vain to escape.
"Trying to flee? Sorry, but its toote."
John let out a cold chuckle, grabbing another soul.
That soul ignited, transforming into white mes.
The mes became a dragon, which bit down on the giant serpent.
The blood curse serpent couldn''t escape, and in the end, amidst endless echoes of its wailing, it waspletely consumed by the soul fire.
John kept his eyes fixed on it, not rxing until the veryst trace of the blood curse vanished.
Turning to look at Nagini, the tiny soul figure protecting her could no longer hold on, quickly shrinking as if deting.
Nagini''s broken soul stared nkly at John, seemingly unable to believe that the blood curse had disappeared just like that.
"It''s over now," John said with a soft smile. Though his face betrayed signs of exhaustion, his smile was sincere and full of joy.
He approached Nagini and used thest remaining soul to repair her damaged soul.
These souls, refined by the Dementors after devouring countless others over hundreds of years, began to merge into her body as soon as they touched her.
"Wee back, Nagini," John said, offering her a gentlemanly hand.
Nagini looked at the boy, and slowly reached out her hand.
Suddenly!
Something unexpected happened!
__________
Read 12 Chapters ahead:
137: Blurred Illusions and Hidden Souls
137: Blurred Illusions and Hidden Souls
John was sent flying!
Just as he was about to touch Nagini, his heart skipped a beat.
Suddenly, a force hit him, sending him flying. After rolling a few times on the ground, John adjusted himself and stopped.
Looking up, he saw a figure appear in the blurry dreamlike realm.
The moment John saw that face, his pupils constricted.
His pale and aged features had only made him more handsome, and his eyes asionally shed red.
Dressed in a simple suit, his face carried a cold smile.
John was all too familiar with that face.
Clenching his teeth, he spat out those three words: "Voldemort..."
Voldemortthis version of him looked older than his student days, and much more handsome as well.
John stood up. Voldemort wasn''t holding a wand; he just looked at John with indifference.
"So, it was you who intruded into my world."
When he spoke, Voldemort''s tone was filled with a faint disdain.
John let out a coldugh, saying, "Yours? Voldemort, it seems you''ve turned Nagini into a Horcrux."
What was entwined around Nagini wasn''t just the blood curseit was also Voldemort''s soul.
John should have figured it out earlier.
In the original storyline, Nagini was indeed one of Voldemort''s Horcruxes.
Voldemort was ruthless toward others, but even more so toward himself, splitting his soul and embedding it into Nagini.
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, John could feel that his own body had been injured.
The soul is the most vital part of a person. If the soul is wounded or destroyed, the body suffers the same fate.
Nagini wanted to help, but Voldemort raised his hand.
"Don''t hurt himUGH!"
An invisible force gripped Nagini''s neck, lifting her into the air.
With domineering authority, Voldemort dered his ownership, "Nagini, you are mine."
"Joh...n," Nagini struggled to speak.
John made his move.
With a swift gesture, Voldemort was flung into the air, and the force that had gripped Nagini vanished. She fell to the ground.
John coldly stated, "You''re not the only one who knows these kinds of spells."
Voldemort looked surprised but quickly steadied himself in midair, slowly descending.
"Oh?"
Voldemortughed, his bloodthirsty gaze locked onto John, and said in a chilling voice, "A weak soul dares to make a move in this realm of illusions."
John frowned, looking down at his left hand, where the silver-white glow on his fingers had faded.
"Fuck.."
His heart sank. Using magic here seemed to consume his soul.
He murmured, "No wonder, you need to use a soul to cut through a soul."
At this moment, he found himself in a difficult position. Without magical support, defeating Voldemort in this ce was almost impossible.
He nced at Nagini. John knew that if he left, Nagini would be doomed.
With Voldemort eyeing him like a tiger ready to pounce, retreat was not an option for John.
In that case...
Let''s fight!
Striking first, John waved his hand, and mes ignited in the empty realm of illusions.
At the same time, his soul''s depletion elerated.
A small me flickered in his right hand, quickly growing into a massive fireball.
Voldemort''s expression darkened. Perhaps he hadn''t expected John to be capable of such ancient magic.
A water serpent appeared in front of Voldemort. As the fire and water shed, thick mist filled the illusionary realm.
John seized the moment and blew out a breath, causing the mist to envelop Voldemort.
The fog, created from the sh of souls, was imprable. John took advantage and slipped into the mist.
His left hand brushed over his right hand, and a dagger formed from his very soul appeared in his grasp.
The cost was that his right hand became ghostly, nearly transparent.
A cold, ruthless smile curled on his lips.
Magic?
Don''t forget, I''m a Level 7 short weapon master!
Within the mist, John was like a relentless, ever-present shadow.
Voldemort, though shrouded in mist, remained calm. A terrifying aura radiated from him.
Suddenly, a green light pierced through the fog, striking the spot where John had stood moments before.
Confident in his strike, Voldemort frowned when he didn''t see John.
"???"
Then, a sudden sense of danger crept over him, his brow twitching wildly. In a split second, Voldemort spun around just in time.
But it was toote.
Seven bloody punctures appeared on his back.
Voldemort''s expression changed drastically as John materialized like a ghost, his movements swift and deadly.
"Crucio!"
A red lightning bolt hit John.
He grunted in pain as the dagger he held to his chest burned arge hole through it.
Without hesitation, he threw the dagger and immediately cast a Summoning Charm to control it.
The dagger flew as fast as lightning, but before it could strike, a shield resembling the Protego Charm formed in front of Voldemort.
The moment the dagger touched the shield, it shattered into countless bubbles.
Voldemort hesitated, and John seized the opportunity to rush forward.
John''s eyes turned into vertical slits, and he tore off his right hand, transforming it into a sword shimmering with silver light.
He muttered in Dragon Tongue: "Edu Sum Draco."
mes ignited along the de. Despite the pain, John let out a fierce roar and thrust the sword with all his strength, piercing through Voldemort''s body.
The mes exploded into a sea of fire, and Voldemort could no longer maintain his previous calm expression.
Grabbing the sword with his hands, his eyes burned with fury, and he snarled, "You think you can escape? Avada"
It was ssic Voldemorttrading injury for the chance to kill.
The green light was aimed directly at John''s face. Just as it was about to hit, John''s mind went nk.
John had miscalcted. He thought he could deliver a fatal blow but had still underestimated Voldemort.
Just as the green light was about to hit him, a woman leaped out, her nearly shattered body crashing into Voldemort.
The green light veered off course, grazing John''s cheek as it passed.
Voldemort, enraged, grabbed Nagini by the throat and hurled her away.
"Avada Kedavra!"
The green light rushed toward Nagini.
Nagini closed her eyes in resignation. She felt that saving John was enough.
Time seemed to stop.
The green light slowed down to a crawl before her eyes, as did Nagini''s resolute expression and Voldemort''s savage face, all so vividly clear.
John let go of the sword in his hand and slowly reached out toward Nagini, his lips moving.
"Anima, revertere ad me."
The green light illuminated the entire space.
...
Nagini opened her eyes once more, confused, gazing around the dim dungeon.
Before her stood two peopleone was an old bald man frozen in shock, and the other was...
"John!"
John''s eyes were tightly shut, and his body gradually became ashen.
Nagini felt as if her heart had been mercilessly wrenched. She wanted to go to him but passed right through John''s body.
Looking at her own now silver-white, translucent form, she nced back to see her fully restored human body lying quietly on the ground.
"No, no! Don''t!" Images of another person she had failed to save flooded her mind.
Nagini had never panicked in the face of death, but now, she felt like a helpless young girl.
Damocles finally snapped back to reality and, with great difficulty, spoke. "Is this...sess?"
Without even pausing to feel joy, Damocles Alex Belby rushed over. John had just used the Soul Extraction Charm to pull Nagini''s soul out.
"Where''s John? What happened?" Damocles, losing his usualposure, roared furiously at Nagini.
John''s bodyplexion grew grayer. Dharma Alex took out a potion, forcefully pried John''s mouth open, and poured it in.
...
In the illusory realm.
Voldemort''s expression froze, as Nagini vanished into thin air.
For a brief moment, he was bewildered, and Johnughed.
"Looks like even you don''t fully understand all of this."
John chuckled softly, and Voldemort''s fury grew even more intense.
"Where did you take my PET?!"
Voldemort shouted furiously, striking John with a wave of his hand. John''s phantom-like body flickered, as if a candle in the wind.
Voldemort turned into ck smoke and appeared in front of John, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him up.
The silver sword embedded in John''s chest shattered, and his eyes dimmed. Yet, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Want to know? Why don''t you go ask her?"
John nced behind Voldemort. Voldemort paused, turning his head to look.
Was there...nothing?
Realizing he had been tricked, Voldemort quickly spun around.
"Avada Kedavra!"
This was John''s first time using the Killing Curse, and he did so without a wand.
Boom!
The green light struck Voldemort squarely in the face, and cracks appeared on his once-handsome visage.
He screamed in terror, momentarily forgetting about John.
Clutching his face, he shrieked in madness, but unfortunately for him, this was the Killing Curse.
One of the Unforgivable Curses.
Amidst the agonizing screams, Voldemort''s face shattered, his body breaking apart inch by inch, emitting green light from the inside out.
The fragment of Voldemort''s Horcrux had died.
"Haah.. Haah.. Huff.."
John sat on the ground, looking in the direction where Voldemort had nced before.
He wasn''t lying.
In that direction stood a figure in a ck cloak, their face obscured, but John could feel itthis figure was quietly watching him.
John''s soul was growing more transparent, as if it was about to dissipate.
"Can you at least let me die knowing who you are..?"
John spread his hands and stared at the ck-cloaked figure. "Are you another soul, or... the Grim Reaper?"
The illusionary realm was silent, and John felt as if the ck cloak was smiling.
"Interesting. You are the most amusing person I''ve ever encountered."
The ck-cloaked figure moved closer to John.
John, now unable to do anything, just watched as the figure approached.
Even just standing there, the ck-cloaked figure radiated an overwhelming sense of deathly stillness.
And then, they spoke, revealing their identity.
"You people call me"
"Death."
__________
Read 12 Chapters ahead:
138: The Legend of the Three Brothers
138: The Legend of the Three Brothers
The Tales of Beedle the Bard recorded a particr story.
The Tale of the Three Brothers.
Once upon a time, there were three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at dawn.
The three brothers eventually reached a river, one that was deep and treacherous, impossible to cross by foot or by swimming.
But these three brothers were skilled in magic, so with just a wave of their wands, they created a bridge to cross the river.
However, when they reached the middle of the bridge, they found a hooded figure blocking their path.
That figure was Death.
Death spoke to them.
He was angry that he had been outwitted by these three new victims, for travelers usually drowned in that river.
But Death was cunning.
He pretended to congratte the three brothers on their magical skills and, because they had cleverly avoided him, he said each of them would receive a reward.
The eldest of the brothers, who was abative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any other, a wand that could win any duel.
So Death broke a branch from an elder tree and fashioned it into a wand, giving it to the eldest brother. That wand was the Elder Wand.
The second brother, who was an arrogant man, wanted to humiliate Death, so he asked for the power to bring others back from Death.
Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and handed it to the second brother, telling him that this stone had the power to bring the dead back to life.
That stone was the Resurrection Stone.
Finally, the youngest of the three brothers, who was humble and wise, did not trust Death. He asked for something that would allow him to escape Death''s grasp.
Reluctantly, Death handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility.
The Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Invisibility Cloak.
These were the Deathly Hallows.
Later, the eldest brother was murdered for showing off his power, and the second brother, driven mad by the cold indifference of his resurrected lover, took his own life in despair.
Only the youngest brother lived a long life, using the Cloak of Invisibility until he was old, and finally, he met Death as an equal and left with him willingly.
The figure standing before John now imed to be Death, and John felt a bit dazed.
"So... I''m going to die...?"
John asked, staring at Death''s hood, trying to see the face beneath.
Death seemed to be in a good mood and smiled. "Yes."
"Well then, it seems I traded my life to save someone else....
"Suddenly, I feel really foolish."
John was not someone who easily epted death. He had just taken his first steps on the path to bing a White Dark Lord, and now, it seemed like it was all about to end.
But even though he didn''t want to die, there was no way out. Death stood before him, and he had no power left.
So, John acted nonchnt, which surprised Death even more.
"You''re not afraid of death?" Death asked.
John shrugged, spreading his hands with an indifferent expression. "What do you think I can do? Kill you and then make a run for it?"
He made no effort to hide his thoughts, because it seemed pointless now.
Death paused, then let out a low chuckle.
"You really are quite interesting."
As if amused, Death raised his hand, and John''s nearly fading soul began to solidify again.
John was stunned, eyeing Death suspiciously.
Death smirked. "There was once someone like yousomeone who epted death calmly."
"You''re not quite at the end of your time yet. In fact, if not for you, I wouldn''t have been able toe here."
With another gesture, John felt a force pulling him away from the ce.
"The liminal realm or the Limbo is where the wandering souls dwell. Those who toy with death cannot be tolerated. You helped me deal with one. As thanks, I''ll send you back."
Everything before John turned nk, the white light stabbing his eyes, forcing them shut.
When John opened his eyes again, he was greeted by a face full of snot and tears, almost dripping onto him.
"Whoa! Whoa! Fuck Off!!!"
He shoved Damocles aside forcefully, horrified, checking to make sure none of it had stuck to him.
His face twisted in disgust, as if he hadn''t just had a near-death experience moments ago.
Damocles was frozen in shock. Just a second ago, John had clearly stopped breathing. But without thinking too much, he suddenly erupted with joy, rushing toward John.
"Hey! Stop right there! I know you''re excited, but calm down for now!"
John, revolted by how gross it all was, quickly stopped him in his tracks.
Damocles halted just in time, while John conducted a full body inspection on himself.
"Am I... really back?"
A moment ago, he had been facing Death himself, and now he was back?
p!
"Ow!"
Still feeling uncertain, he hesitantly pped his own handsome face, hard.
John sucked in a sharp breath, his cheek swelling up.
"Looks like it''s real."
After confirming he was truly back, he let out a sigh of relief, finally starting to feel the soreness all over his body.
ncing at the ground littered with potion bottles, John could taste the overwhelming vor of potions the moment he opened his mouth.
God knows how many potions Damo Alex had forced him to drink. His stomach felt bloated, and he was on the verge of throwing up.
He lifted his head and looked toward Nagini. The beautiful womany on the ground, her soul-filled eyes brimming with joy.
"I''m back, Nagini."
John greeted her casually, "And wee back to you too."
He gently ced Nagini''s soul back into her body. The sleeping beauty let out a soft moan, and when she opened her eyes, she blinked a few times, adjusting to the light.
The more she blinked, the more tears began to fall.
A smile spread across her face as tears rolled down her delicate cheeks.
"Thank you, John."
...
Life is truly precious, and love... love is precious too.
But for the sake of freedom, can''t you have all three?
As someone who nearly died, John was filled with many emotions. He had transmigrated and had blurred memories of his past. It can be said that he had never seen death until nowMetaphorically and literally.
Phew~
Though there had been quite a few twists and turns, the result was good in the end.
However, Nagini''s soul was still iplete, so for now, she wouldn''t be able to walk.
John made a wheelchair for Nagini, so she could rest and recuperate well at the Bellby Manor.
He wasn''t sure if the blood curse had some sort of preservation effect. When John asked, he found out that Nagini was old enough to be a grandmother, yet she still looked like she was in her twenties.
If this function didn''t turn you into a snake with little to no chance of cure, women in the magic world would probably beg to be cursed.
Rubbing his shoulders, John instructed Damocles to take good care of Nagini before preparing to return to school.
John didn''t need to say much; Damocles was already ready to treat Nagini like his own mother.
After all, it was the blood curse.
The blood curse, which the wizarding world unanimously recognized as unbreakable, had been undone by John. The second Merlin First ss Medal seemed to be practically waving at Damocles.
If anyone dared to touch Nagini, even if it were Voldemort, Belby would be willing to fight back with an Avada Kedavra.
...
[Ding! Taskpleted. You have gained +1 Arbitrary Point]
[Soul Walker: Able to wander in the realm between life and death. With the Death Token, you can enter and exit the Limbo Realm.]
John Apparated back to Hogsmeade.
He had left in the morning, but by the time he returned, it was nearing sunset.
There was still some time to stroll around, but John wasn''t in the mood for it.
He went to Honeydukes and bought a dozen pieces of chocte. After eating the chocte, the pale, bloodless look on his face finally improved a bit.
Earlier, John''s face had been so pale that the shopkeeper at Honeydukes almost mistook him for a vampire.
''My hands aren''t working properly. Is it because my soul is weakened?''
Looking at his trembling right hand, which was shaking even as it held a piece of chocte, John sighed. It seemed like he''d need some time to recover.
After finishing his usual spell practice at sunset, John returned to Hogwarts by apparating in the middle of the Forbidden Forest, and cast a dissulment.
The trembling in his hand wasn''t going to go away anytime soon, but fortunately, John used his left hand for his wand.
Once back in the Hogwarts castle, he headed straight to themon room.
He needed to sleep well; if he didn''t, it would be a real problem.
By the time John woke up, dinner was already over.
Without hurrying, he made his way to the kitchen, where the house-elves were already used to his visits.
"Sir, Wick! What can I make for you?" one of the house-elves asked.
"Meat, preferably steak," John replied.
After a brief wait, a house-elf proudly presented him with a steak.
John ate slowly and calmly, letting the steak''s nourishment restore his strength.
But as John savored each bite, his expression shifted from confusion to outright horror.
After finishing the steak, he asked for a slice of apple pie.
John took a bite of the apple pie, and his face turned ashen.
NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo!
No!
He had lost his sense of taste.
Earlier, when he had eaten the chocte, he had been too distracted to notice. But now, as he put food into his mouth, there was nothingno vor at all, just texture.
It was like chewing wax.
"At least.. it looks good..?" He looked at the house elves'' expectant gazes and sighed.
Mechanically, he finished the apple pie, his face devoid of life as he left the kitchen.
The cost of saving someone this time had been too high.
He sat in themon room for a long while before finally epting the reality.
"To take away a food lover''s sense of taste... Death, you motherfucker.. you''re cruel," John muttered through clenched fists, a dark storm swirling in his eyes.
In that moment, a new thought began to form in his mind: Why not collect the Deathly Hallows himself and drag Death up here for a beating?
________
Read 12 Chapters ahead:
139: Murder and Talent
139: Murder and Talent
The Great Hall.
John held a piece of bread in one hand and put it into his mouth.
It was dry and tasteless. Other than the slightly stiff texture, there was nothing to it.
Malfoy had gone home, and Daphne had also been called back by Mr. Greengrass.
With fewer Slytherins around, the ce felt a lot more empty.
Heinrich spread some jam on a piece of bread and ced it next to John''s left hand.
"Aren''t you going to ask?" John nced at Heinrich, surprised that he didn''t even seem curious about what had happened to his hand.
"At Durmstrang, it''s not umon for wizards to identally disable themselves without realizing it."
Heinrich''s golden eyes, peeking out from under his ck, tousled hair, remained calm. His pale, handsome face looked sickly.
He seemed used to this sort of thing, and after sitting down, he instinctively began tending to John.
John frowned and said, "We''re friends, Heinrich."
Heinrich paused, and his eyes, hidden beneath his messy hair, darkened. Shaking his head, he replied, "To me, you are the brilliant light that Edgar spent his life pursuing."
He said it with such sincerity that John was silent for a moment.
John had thought Heinrich''s loyalty was just about joining the Constetion Society, but now, it seemed there was more to it than that.
"Then I''ll leave my back in your hands."
John lifted his head, his face serious.
A smile appeared on Heinrich''s sickly face. cing his right hand over his chest, he spoke as if making an oath, "Behind you, there will always be a shadow named Heinrich Edgar."
A shadow named after the pursuit of light.
John chuckled lightly, "Even so, it doesn''t stop us from being friends, does it?"
Heinrich was momentarily stunned, feeling a warmth in his heart.
...
Touching the forbidden alwayses with a price.
An eye, an arm, a leg, or even... life.
Inparison, John''s loss of taste didn''t seem so severe.
At least his handsome face and nose were still intact. Right, Voldemort?
Professor Lupin was going to enjoy a well-deserved vacation this holiday, which gave John some relief.
Because Lupin''s sharp eyes and intuition told John that the professor had noticed something.
After a breakfast that tasted like chewing wax, John made his way to Snape''s office.
Since Snape believed John had identified the werewolf, it wouldn''t sit right if he didn''t give him some sort of exnation.
At the same time, John was quite curious why Professor Snape harbored such deep hatred toward Lupin.
Even without knowing their history, anyone could feel the intense animosity.
It was almost as if Lupin had stolen his wife.
Stopping in front of Professor Snape''s office, John knocked on the door.
Soon, the door was yanked open.
Professor Snape stepped out, his face dark and gloomy. Upon seeing John, he let out a cold sneer.
This left Johnpletely puzzled.
Smart people don''t need excessive words. Snape stepped aside, giving John space to enter.
John walked in, and the door was mmed shut behind him.
With a stiff face, Snape strode across the room and spat out a single word, "Sit."
John''s head of house seemed to be in a foul mood. After thinking for a moment, John figured he hadn''t lost any house points recently...
Sitting obediently, John watched as Professor Snape, looking like a walking bat, opened a drawer andid out a bag.
Inside were various potion tools, but the most attention-grabbing item was a bottle of Veritaserum.
John''s body tensed as he gave a sheepish grin, "Professor, isn''t this a bit much?"
Snape nced at him, sneering, "You have quite a tight mouth, or else by now I should have heard at least a bit of gossip."
So, you''re going to make me gargle with Veritaserum?
Thisment made John realize why Snape was upset. Awkwardly scratching his head, John asked, "Is it because of Professor Lupin?"
That one sentence turned the atmosphere even colder.
John had suspected there might have been some grudge between his head of house and Lupin, but now it seemed like it wasn''t just a small grudgeit was a mountain of resentment.
Swallowing hard, John quietly reached out his hand, trying to roll up the tool bag.
Snape noticed, pping his hand away. John winced in pain, grimacing.
"Professor, do you have a personal vendetta against Professor Lupin?" John asked, trying to sound curious. Feeling like he was being too blunt, he quickly added, "Ahem, the students seem to have a pretty good impression of him."
"Good impression? That hypocritical, disgusting guy!"
Snape practically spat the words through clenched teeth.
He recalled the pastthose obnoxious Gryffindors.
James Potter, Sirius ck, Peter Pettigrew, and Remus Lupin.
The four of them formed a group that shed most frequently with Snape.
Throwing curses back and forth was amon urrence. There was even one time when Snape had almost died at the hands of Lupin.
At that time, werewolves didn''t have the Wolfsbane Potion, so Lupin could only hide in a remote ce to endure the agony of transforming every full moon.
But once, Sirius ck deliberately led Snape into that very ce.
Though James Potter saved him at thest minute, Snape didn''t see it as a rescue.
He believed James did it out of fear of being expelled.
Faced with John''s inquiry, Snape''s face twitched slightly, and he stared coldly into John''s eyes, saying, "What if your so-called ''good professor'' was once involved in a murder?"
Murder?!
John was stunned.
Remus Lupin?
The Lupin he knew, whether in Johnny Silverhand''s world or at Hogwarts, seemed to have nothing to do with murder.
Judging by Snape''s expression, it was clear he didn''t want to talk about this old incident.
"He''s a dangerous man, John Wick," Snape said.
John remained silent for a while, meeting Snape''s scrutinizing gaze without flinching. He finally responded, "If that''s the case, I''ll know what to do. But before that, I''ll investigate it myself."
With that, John stood up, maintaining the respect one should have for their head of house.
Snape watched John''s retreating figure, his gaze drawn to that right hand hanging limply by his side.
He seemed to have noticed something.
His expression was full of thought, suspicion, and scrutiny, but he said nothing, simply watching John leave.
...
After the confrontation with Snape, John hadn''t expected to uncover such secrets.
"Did Lupin really participate in a murder?"
John rubbed his chin, deep in thought.
On one hand, there was the Lupin who dared to raise his wand against Johnny Silverhand for such a thing, and on the other, the professor involved in a murder.
The stark contrast left John puzzled about Lupin.
"Not remembering the original plot is a real pain."
At that moment, he deeply regretted not rewatching Harry Potter more times.
Since crossing over to this world, he hadn''t thought too much about magic, so he never deliberately tried to recall the details.
By the time he realized, eleven years had passed, and it was toote to remember.
Feeling a headacheing on, John grumbled, "Can''t even catch a proper break during the holidays."
The Azkaban escapee.
Animagus.
Soul surgery.
Dementors.
Death.
And now, murder.
"And my fucking hand and delicious food!"
John hadn''t had a moment of rest this entire year.
He made his way to the Room of Requirement and entered the Gryffindor chamber.
His right hand still needed treatment. Although Gryffindor''s collection had few books on souls, there were plenty on healing magic.
He brewed a potion using a unicorn horn.
The milky liquid swirled in the silver goblet, and John drank it without hesitation.
With his sense of taste gone, potions, or even Veritaserumwell, no, he wouldn''t go that far.
After drinking the special potion, John''s right hand finally stopped shaking as much.
However, the unicorn horn was nearly used up. He had been using it to brew potions for Nagini too, and now there was barely a finger-length piece left.
"I need to get more."
Unicorns were rare, and even in Knockturn Alley''s ck market, they were hard toe by.
Fortunately, John had a friend who was a reliable supplierHagrid.
With the Forbidden Forest as his backyard, Hagrid''s chances of acquiring unicorn horns depended mostly on luck.
John was ready to try his luck. If Hagrid happened to have some unicorn horn, he wouldn''t have to wait for Johnny Silverhand''s shop to acquire it from the ck market.
...
The sky was overcast with dark clouds, hinting that it might drizzle soon.
As John approached Hagrid''s hut, he saw a cat and a dog walking toward him.
It was Tom and Crookshanks.
"So they''re just here to y with Fang."
Knowing that these two often roamed around, John wasn''t surprised.
But before he even entered the door, he heard the sound of sobbinging from inside.
A deep, resonant voiceno doubt it was Hagrid''s.
John was puzzled. "What''s Hagrid crying about this time?"
"Wait, why did I say ''this time''?"
"Come to think of it, it seems like Hagrid cries a few times every year."
First year, it was for the dragon Norbert. Second year, for the Acromant Aragog. Who''s he crying for this year?
Curious, John moved closer and knocked on the wooden door.
Heavy footsteps quickly approached, and the door creaked open.
Hagrid stood there, holding a pink handkerchief that was covered with snot and tears.
A tough guy''s face, but a soft heart.
"John, have you heard?"
As soon as Hagrid saw John, he became even more upset and gave him a bear hug.
John felt like his ribs were protesting loudly.
"Hagrid... let... me... go."
Three years. It had been three whole years!
John had a look of despair on his face. He had trained hard for years, yet when faced with Hagrid, his body was still so fragile.
Could it be that hard work was truly worthless in the face of sheer talent?
__________________
Read 12 Chapters ahead:
140: Angry Harry and Weeping Hagrid
140: Angry Harry and Weeping Hagrid
Gryffindor Common Room.
Harry was having trouble sleeping.
Yesterday, he had finally gotten the chance to go to Hogsmeade.
But unlike the good mood he had when going there, he was hit by a shocking piece of news.
His parents....
They had been betrayed!
And the one who betrayed them was none other than Sirius ck.
What he couldn''t believe the most was that Sirius ck had another identity.
Godfather!
That title, both strange and familiar, threw Harry into a daze.
Sirius ck was his godfather.
He was his father''s best friend, his most trusted brother.
But he had betrayed thembetrayed hisrades, betrayed his good friend, betrayed... his parents....
In that moment, Harry knew, he clearly knew, that he couldn''t remain calm.
It was like drinking poisoncold and piercing, yet boiling with ragethat coursed through him, twisting and entwining inside.
He was furious. It was that man who made him lose his parents.
He resented, his father had trusted that man so deeply, yet was still betrayed.
He feared, that man had escaped from Azkaban,ing to eliminate thest obstacle for Voldemort.
He grieved, the fortress his parents had built was torn down by someone they trusted. How heartbroken they must have been.
Anger, resentment, fear, sorrow... all these emotions fused together like a pot of boiling water filled with random spices and mud, bubbling and steaming, creating a foul and overwhelming stench...
Hatred!
He saw Sirius ckughing at him in the dark, like someone had pasted a picture from a photo album right in front of his face.
It was like watching a moviehe saw how Sirius ck brutally murdered his father''s other best friend, Peter Pettigrew.
In his ears, a voice echoed, filled with fawning and excitement: "I did it, Master! The Potters made me their Secret-Keeper!"
Screams intertwined with high-pitched, maniacalughter, just as it had sounded when a Dementor drew near.
His father''s resistance, his mother''s pleading.
The green light shed before his eyes, causing the two people he loved most to vanish.
Revenge!
Those two words appeared in his mind without warning, yet they felt so fitting.
The mes of vengeance began burning from his toes, and by the time an entire night had passed, even the tips of Harry''s hair were screaming for revenge.
A person the same age as him appeared in his mindstrong and graceful.
If it were John, he would definitely do the same!
Though he didn''t have John''s power, he had the same fearless heart!
When morning came, Harry wasn''t sure if he had slept at all.
His eyes were filled with gloom, and the aura he exuded made others wary of approaching him.
Leaving the dormitory, he sat on the soft couch.
Ron and Hermione exchanged nces.
"Harry, youyou don''t look well," Hermione stammered, unsure of what to say.
Since she had known Harry, she had never seen him like this.
At the same time, she understood how terrifying it must be to realize your enemy is your godfather.
Hearing his friends call out to him, Harry snapped back to reality a little. He asked, "Where is everyone?"
"They''ve gone out. Today''s the first day of the break, remember?" Ron said, studying Harry carefully. "It''s almost lunchtime. I was about to wake you up."
The drizzle outside had turned into snowkes.
"Stop right there! Duel me, you yellow-bellied red-headed freckled-faced bastards!" Heinrich was chasing the Twins outside.
The fire in the hearth brought warmth, and as Crookshanks saw someone leave, he padded out behind them.
"Harry, listen to me."
Hermione knew her dear friend all too well. That expressionclearly, he was thinking of revenge.
She exchanged a look with Ron and said, "What we heard yesterday must have been really hard for you, but the important thing isyou can''t do anything foolish."
Her concern was written all over her face. Harry looked up and asked, "Like what?"
What else? Of course, it was going after Sirius ck!
"Like going after ck," Ron chimed in, as if they had rehearsed, cutting straight to the point.
Harry''s state was deeply worrying, but he said nothing.
Hermione, still anxious, asked, "You wouldn''t do that, would you, Harry?"
Ron followed up quickly, "It''s not worth dying for ck."
Even if they could defeat Sirius ck,mitting murder would be inescapable, and Harry would be sent straight to Azkaban.
Harry understood all of this, but the thought of letting the person who caused his parents'' deaths roam free gnawed at him like insects crawling over his heart, their jagged mouths tearing at him viciously.
"Do you know what I see, what I hear, every time the Dementors get too close to me?"
The youthful voice carried a newfound depth and hoarseness as Harry spoke, "I hear my mother screaming, begging Voldemort for mercy. If you heard your own mother screaming like that before she was killed, you wouldn''t forget it either."
"You can''t do anything!" Hermione eximed in panic.
"I know!"
Harry snapped, "But what do you expect me to do, nothing?!"
The room fell into an uneasy silence. Harry looked at Hermione, his lips moving slightly, but then his eyes dimmed as he finally muttered, "I''m sorry, Hermione, I... I just can''t stop thinking about him."
"And when you find him, what do you want to do?" Ron swallowed hard, visibly tense, his voice trembling, "Do you want... to kill ck or something?"
Harry didn''t answer, but Hermione quickly cut in, "Don''t say such stupid things! Harry doesn''t want to kill anyone, right, Harry?"
She desperately hoped for some sense to prevail, but unfortunately, Harry wasn''t capable of that right now.
No matter how hard Hermione tried to reason with him, he remained silent.
In an attempt to lighten the mood, Ron suggested they go visit Hagridit was Christmas, and surely Hagrid would be happy to have somepany.
Hermione shot him a furious re, like he was an idiot who just didn''t get it. Of all the things to bring up! What if Harry got caught by ck out there?
In the end, Harry agreed immediately. Unable to argue with him and hoping that the outing might improve his mood, Ron and Hermione had no choice but to reluctantly apany him, full of concern.
...
The snowfall, which had started lightly, quickly became heavier, nketing the grass with ayer of fine, powdery snow.
Inside Hagrid''s hut, John was staring at the investigation letter that had just arrived, deep in thought.
"Why does it feel like Buckbeak''s head is on the chopping block?" He muttered, remembering a simr scene from the movie, just saying what came to mind.
Hagrid heard him, and it was as if he could already see Buckbeak''s execution. A deafening wail erupted from him, practically exploding in John''s ears.
John covered his ears, casting an envious nce at Hagrid.
The physique, the strength, that voice.
He was practically the perfect warrior temte.
All the abs John had worked so hard to build were nothing in the face of Hagrid''s raw, natural strength.
"Alright, Hagrid, there''s still time, isn''t there?"
John made an effort to stand on his tiptoes so he could reach Hagrid''s shoulder, but he ended up patting his belly instead.
"..."
Just as John was trying tofort Hagrid, there was a knock at the door.
He paused, about to open the door, but Hagrid had already made his way over.
When he opened the door, three familiar heads appeared.
The moment John saw the three of them, his face changed drastically, and he shouted in rm, "Hagrid, hold off the hug!"
He was genuinely afraid that Hagrid, with just one careless move, might identally crush all three of them in a deadly embrace.
Fortunately, John had yelled just in time. Hagrid didn''t use as much strength, but it was still enough to make the three of them cry out in pain.
After closing the door, Hagrid threw himself onto the table, sobbing uncontrobly.
John had originally nned to take a sip of tea to calm his nerves, but with Hagrid''s copse, the table almost buckled, and the teacups jumped into the air.
"John, what''s going on with Hagrid?" Harry asked, confused as to why Hagrid was so upset.
Just yesterday at the Three Broomsticks, he hadn''t been like this.
John pointed to the letter on the table, and Harry suspiciously picked it up.
"We ept Professor Dumbledore''s assurance and believe that you are not at fault in this unfortunate incident," Harry read aloud.
"I don''t understand, isn''t this good news?" Harry asked, puzzled.
John motioned for him to keep reading, and when Harry saw the Ministry''s decision about Buckbeak''s case, his confusion deepened.
"It''s just a hearing at the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, right? What''s there to cry about?"
Hagrid, choking back sobs, said, "You don''t understand, those people on the Committee, they''re always against cute creatures."
Just as he finished speaking, a noise came from the corner of the hut.
Everyone turned to look and saw Buckbeak noisily chewing on some bloody food, the blood sttered all over the ground in stark contrast to Hagrid''s words.
John was speechless. In Hagrid''s eyes, as long as something is deadly, it probably counted as "Cute."
The trio had the same expression. Hermione started offering suggestions to Hagrid, saying they could help defend Buckbeak.
Harry, too, shifted his focus. His mind had been full of thoughts of revenge, but after Hagrid''s loud wail, it transformed into how he could help.
Ron and Hermione had expected Harry to me Hagrid for not telling him the truth about ck, but Harry couldn''t bring himself to do that.
In a way, Hagrid had always taken care of Harry like a father figure, and there was no way he could say anything harsh to him.
Hagrid, however, didn''t believe that a defense would help. He seemed already convinced that Buckbeak''s "lovely" head was destined to be separated from his body.
Sadness and fear clung to the big man like a shadow.
John, meanwhile, attempted to bite into a rock cake, feeling like he was chewing on tasteless stone. He frowned in frustration.
"What did Dumbledore say, Hagrid?"
At John''s words, Hagrid finally stopped burying his face in his hands and replied through sniffles, "He''s already done so much for me. He''s got so many things on his teDementors, Aurors, and Sirius ck..."
At the mention of ck, Hagrid got even more upset and howled again, "My poor Buckbeak"
"Alright, maybe there''s another way," John interjected.
Everyone immediately turned to look at him.
Just as he was about to sh a confident smile, a sudden realization hit him.
His right hand was still injured. Normally, it wouldn''t be that big of a deal.
But the embarrassing part wasJohnny Silverhand always wrote with his right hand.
___________
Read 12 Chapters ahead
141: Firebolt and Meteor Shoes
141: Firebolt and Meteor Shoes
For the time being, John couldn''t use his alias. His handwriting with his left and right hands was different, a precaution to avoid anyone linking Johnny Silverhand with John Wick.
John Wick had connections that could resolve this, but Damocles Alex wouldn''t bother with the Ministry of Magic for a mere Hippogriffthat was beneath his pride.
Tommy, the head of security at Johnny Silverhand''s Specialty Store, had the strength for it, but it would take someone with more pull to make the Ministry give face.
"Forget it, there''s still time. No rush."
Buckbeak''s trial date wasn''t until April 24th, so there were still a few months left.
John left Hagrid''s hut; Hagrid''s crying was simply too loud.
Outside in the snow, three little onesone big and two smallwere buried in a snowbank, with only their butts sticking out.
Fang got up first and pulled the other two out one by one, like pulling up carrots.
John had no idea what kind of game involved burying your head in the snow.
Brushing the snow off his clothes, John looked up at the sky and said, "It seems I won''t be able toplete the Animagus transformation in these two months."
As expected, John left a trail of footprints in the snow.
The next day...
The trio enthusiastically threw themselves into gathering defense materials. They were practically living in the library.
Just like back in their first year, when they were searching for Nichs mel, they were full of energy.
John didn''t go out either.
He managed to get two unicorn horns from Hagrid, which were part of Hagrid''s old stock. Hagrid wasn''t in the mood to venture into the Forbidden Forest.
John had considered going to the Forbidden Forest himself to find a unicorn, but unicorns are extremely sensitive creatures. ording to many legends, unicorns only allow pure maidens to touch them.
Any hint of malice would alert the unicorns. They are holy and delicate creatures, and wands made from unicorn hair are the leastpatible with Dark Magic.
John ground the unicorn horns into powder and added them to a cauldron. The bubbling liquid shifted from green to a milky white.
He took a sip, swallowing without expression.
On the table sat a pair of shoesJohn''s flying shoes.
He had grown quickly, and the shoes, which he had deliberately made a bit bigger, were now ufortable.
He also wanted to upgrade the flying shoes, so he decided to retire the old pair altogether.
The upgraded flying shoes were named "Meteor Shoes," enhanced from the original to go faster, higher, and to be stronger.
He put the shoes on, noticing they were now much bigger. John clicked his heels together, and the shoes shrunk to fit snugly against his skin.
It was as if he wasn''t wearing shoes at allsoft yet tough.
Even a standard sting Curse wouldn''t be able to destroy them, and John was very satisfied with his craftsmanship.
He had also inscribed the shoes with runes, including the rune Ehwaz, which symbolized the horse of transportation.
This allowed John to traverse even the most rugged terrain withplete ease.
He raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
The scene inside the Room of Requirement quickly shifted, and a racing track appeared.
John bounced in ce twice, preparing himself.
With one powerful step, heunched forward like an arrow from a bowstring.
His speed was incredible. As his steps increased, the meteor patterns on the surface of the shoes gradually lit up. When all of them were glowing, he reached his maximum speed, making it look like he was gliding across the ground.
Out in the open, it would have beenparable to the speed of a supercar!
Afterpleting onep, John was slightly out of breath.
"Let''s test the flight."
Small fluttering wings appeared on the sides of the shoes, and with a gentle leap, John flew into the air.
Adjusting his body''s direction, he elerated in flight. Afterpleting ap, he tidied his wind-tossed hair.
Based on his estimation, the speed of the Meteor Shoes was already faster than most flying brooms on the marketprobably only the Firebolt couldpare.
"I wonder just how fast the Firebolt is."
Afternding, the cute little wings on the shoes disappeared, and John snapped his fingers again.
The racetrack melted away like snow, revealing the Chamber of Gryffindor.
After bing Gryffindor''s heir, John had also learned the magic to alter the Room of Requirement.
Although he didn''t have the Sword of Gryffindor, the Room of Requirement was more than enough to satisfy John.
If you were to name the greatest magic within Hogwarts, it would undoubtedly be the Room of Requirement.
It was the masterpiece of the four founders.
...
Christmas.
Tom yfully struggled as she was nearly buried under a pile of gifts, barely managing to crawl out.
The presents were stacked like a small mountain, and that was just for John Wick. There were even more for Johnny Silverhand.
A bunch of Slytherin students had sent gifts to John, and there were also packages from his uncle.
His parents sent him gifts too.
Watson Wick had sent a chirping toy bird, while Mrs. Wick gifted him a finely crafted pocket watch.
After reading through his father''s thousand-word lettermostly filled with day-to-day chatterthere was a clear message: he wanted John to make him a wand, even if it didn''t have a core.
John rolled his eyes.
His dad was always asking for something.
Then there were the gifts from his uncle''s side.
On his mother''s side, including Mrs. Wick, there were twelve children in total.
You could only say that being physically strong pays offstill so full of energy in old age, it just doesn''t make sense.
Three daughters, nine sons, which means John has nine uncles and two aunts.
Last time, it was his eldest uncle who sent gifts, but this time, all nine uncles and two aunts had sent something.
Luckily, none of it was dangerous.
At most, there were things like nesting dolls, and, well, a few knives and brass knuckles.
Butpared to guns, those seemed pretty normal.
The most practical gift came from Uncle Andre, the one who took John hunting.
He sent a big box of meat, and it was fortunate the weather was cold, so John didn''t have to worry about it spoiling.
After opening his uncles'' gifts, the aunts'' gifts were much less wild.
They sent gloves and scarves.
Dressed warmly, John continued opening the remaining presents.
The Slytherin students were pretty practical. Most of their gifts were sweets or small tokens.
Malfoy sent some fancy pastries, which happened to ovep with Daphne''s gift.
Heinrich sent a book about dark magic of the Edgar family, which John quietly tucked away and hid.
Since word had gotten around that John loved food, most of the gifts he received were edible.
If it werest year, John would have been thrilled, but now these things didn''t bring him any joy.
...
Noon.
John saw the trioHarry and Ron wereughing foolishly, leaving Hermione neglected on her own.
No need to guessthey''d had a fight.
Due to the smaller crowd, Dumbledore suggested everyone dine together.
Aside from Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and a few other professors, there was also Filch.
A fifth-year Slytherin student and two first-years.
Adding in the trio, there were exactly twelve people.
John didn''t dare go over, afraid that Dumbledore might notice something.
That was the White Dark Lord after all! Voldemort knew ancient magic, so who''s to say Dumbledore wouldn''t as well?
With his soul still injured, getting found out would be a disaster.
So, he made up an excuse and avoided staying.
Dumbledore noticed John''s absence and turned to Filch.
For once, Filch had shed his usual brown coat and was wearing a brand-new tailcoat.
Noticing Filch''s wide grin, Dumbledore asked, "Filch, did you buy new clothes?"
Filch puffed out his chest, trying to sound casual but clearly wanting to boast, "It was a Christmas gift."
"Oh?"
This surprised DumbledoreFilch, with his reputation, had actually received a Christmas present from someone?
"It was from John Wick, Headmaster Dumbledore."
"Ahh~" At the mention of John, a smile spread across Dumbledore''s face. He asked curiously, "Where has John gone?"
A fifth-year Slytherin student replied, "He and Edgar stepped out. They had something to attend to."
"Alright then."
Trwney hade out, breaking her usual routine, but she had something ominous to say.
She told everyone about the curse of thirteen people dining togetherthat the first one to stand would die.
Naturally, no one took her seriously.
After lunch, Harry couldn''t wait to get back to themon room.
He had received a Firebolt, and both he and Ron were ecstatic, not caring at all who had sent it.
Hermione, however, was concerned that this mysterious gift might be dangerous, but the two boyspletely ignored her.
All they cared about was the Firebolt. And when Crookshanks tried to catch Scabbers again, Ron, irritated, snapped at Hermione.
Harry felt that Ron''s behavior was a bit out of line, but with his mind consumed by the Firebolt, he didn''t say anything.
When they returned to the Gryffindormon room and were admiring the Firebolt from every possible angle, the portrait hole opened.
Hermione came inalong with Professor McGonagall.
"Miss Granger just informed me that someone has sent you a broomstick, Potter," Professor McGonagall said, her sharp eyes instantly spotting the Firebolt.
Harry instinctively wanted to hide it, but unfortunately, Professor McGonagall was already there, and there was no way to conceal it.
After questioning, it was clear that the gift came with no note, no senderpletely untraceable.
Professor McGonagall said she would have to take it for inspection. Harry''s voice trembled as he said, "There''s nothing wrong with it! Really, Professor."
"You can''t be sure, Potter," McGonagall replied, her tone kind but slightly resigned.
With Sirius ck still atrge, during such a sensitive time, Harry wanted to ride a mysterious Firebolt? Even if it was a Firebolt, this was not eptable.
"I''ll let you know as soon as we find anything," she assured him.
She then prepared to take the Firebolt to be thoroughly checked, of course, by the professionals.
Harry stood there, staring nkly as she took the Firebolt away.
Ron, furious, vented his anger at Hermione, shouting, "Why did you go to Professor McGonagall?"
Hermione was upset too, her face flushed, either from shame or anger.
Defiantly, she said to Ron, "Because I thoughtand Professor McGonagall thought so toothat the broomstick might have been sent by Sirius ck for Harry!"
Her intentions were good, but even Harry couldn''t help feeling a little angry.
Hermione was deeply hurt.
She had only been trying to help both of them, but now she was being med. Fighting back tears, she turned and walked out of the portrait hole.
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Read 12 Chapters ahead:
142: Vehicle Killer and Password
142: Vehicle Killer and Password
Hermione was a smart girl, which is why she understood the seriousness of the situation and decided to inform Professor McGonagall.
But being misunderstood felt really unpleasant.
Because of this, her two friends were angry with her.
She ran out, initially heading for the library, but as she walked, she spotted Crookshanks.
Crookshanks was trotting along with his little wiggling butt, and behind him was Tom, ears drooping, its short legs working hard to keep up.
Watching the bond between the two little creatures made Hermione feel envious. She no longer felt like going to the library and decided to follow them instead.
Despite their short legs, the two little ones ran surprisingly fast.
Hermione, panting, chased them all the way to the Quidditch pitch.
She spotted John there, frowning at a gift box wrapped tightly in paper.
Hermione, without suspicion, walked over curiously and asked, "John, what are you doing here?"
John wasn''t a Quidditch yer, so his presence puzzled her.
During the Christmas break, the Quidditch pitch was rarely this quiet.
In the empty stadium, John was staring at his newly purchased item, looking troubled.
Hearing her voice, he turned his head and an idea suddenly popped into his mind.
John waved excitedly, "Hermione, you''re just in time! Help me test something."
Hermione was stunned for a moment, and then she saw John tearing the wrapping off the gift box. A brand-new Firebolt appeared in front of her.
She waspletely dumbfounded but certain she wasn''t seeing things.
This Firebolt was identical, even down to the packaging, to the one Harry had received that morning.
The broomstick gleamed, with its golden registration number, and its sleek tail made from fine birch twigs looked absolutely stunning.
It was practically a work of art.
John lifted it effortlessly with one hand. The Firebolt trembled slightly in his grasp, and once he let go, it hovered in midair, at the perfect height for someone to hop on.
"A Firebolt? Where did you get this?" Hermione was shocked. She worried that, like Harry, John had no idea who sent him such a gift.
"Eh?" John froze at her question, looking puzzled. "Of course, I bought it."
Bought it?
Did she really think someone had just sent it to him?
His expression turned a bit strange. Looking at the Firebolt, he winced slightlyit was outrageously expensive.
It had cost him a whopping 5,000 Galleons, which made John well, let''s say it made his heart ache quite a bit.
Even though his family was wealthy, John had to maintain rtionships, exchange gifts, and take care of the usual social obligations each month.
Alchemy was also a massive expense, and then there were books to buy and sries to pay.
Apart from all these expenses, John only had a few thousand Galleons left to spend each day.
"That''s just my daily ie."
He had ordered the Firebolt before Christmas, thinking he could have some fun with it. But then his hand got injured.
Now, it seemed like the perfect time to test the speed of his Meteor Shoes.
Buying a flying broom was like buying a sports car in the Muggle world. Even if you didn''t n on using it, you''d still buy one just to admire it.
He figured it also had some collectible valueperhaps he could gift it to a Quidditch yer someday and use it to win them over.
This was a Firebolt, after all. If he gave it to Wood, John reckoned the guy would probably let him ride on his head for a month.
But after purchasing it, John was faced with another problem.
With his right hand injured, controlling the Firebolt would be difficult. And if he fell off, that wouldn''t be any fun.
His heart aching from the cost, John handed the Firebolt to Hermione. Seeing her confused expression, he said, "Could you help me fly ap and check the speed? My hand''s injured."
Hermione was stunned again.
John was so rich that he had actually bought a Firebolt.
She didn''t know the exact price, but she knew it couldn''t be cheapotherwise, Harry wouldn''t have just stood there staring at it through the ss.
Something this expensive, and John, someone from a Muggle-born family, could afford it?
She couldn''t tell if the world had gone mad or if she had.
John saw Hermione''s many expressions and thought she was too scared to fly.
Thinking it over, it made sense. The Firebolt was known as the fastest flying broom, and not everyone could handle it.
"Should I get Heinrich? But I don''t think I''ve ever seen him use a broom."
John frowned in thought, weighing his options. Either he could go ask Harry, or he could drag Malfoy over here.
"If it''s just onep, I can do it!"
Hermione responded, snapping back to reality. She nervously looked at John and asked, "Which hand did you injure?"
John raised his right hand, which was trembling as if he had Parkinson''s.
With a wry smile, he said, "I had a little mishap while researching magic. It won''t get better for a while, but it''s no big deal."
Even though he sounded rxed, Hermione couldn''t help but worry.
Finally, John reassured her that he''d be fully healed in no more than two months, and she sighed in relief.
Feeling awkward as she mounted the Firebolt, Hermione was filled with tension.
Saying she wasn''t nervous would''ve been a lieher flying skills were nowhere near Harry''s level.
If John wasn''t standing there watching, she probably would''ve chickened out.
At the same time, a strange thought popped into her head. If Harry and Ron knew she was using the Firebolt, what would their reactions be?
They''d definitely be jumping with envy!
Closing her eyes and pushing off with her feet, Hermione decided to go for it.
The Firebolt shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.
Swoosh!
"Ah!"
Hermione screamed as the speed blurred her vision.
A doorway appeared in front of her, and she screamed louder, yanking the broom upward just in time.
"AHHHHHhhhhhh...."
The Firebolt shot into the air.
John saw that she couldn''t control it and, with a burst of wind beneath his feet, dashed a few steps forward before leaping into the air.
Wings sprouted from the sides of his shoes.
Hermione was flying ahead, and John was chasing from behind.
While pursuing, John quickly calcted the speed150 miles per hour in 10 seconds. As expected of the world''s fastest broom.
The wings on the sides of his shoes grewrger, pping quickly, and John increased his speed, closing in on the Firebolt.
The distance between them shrank. John noticed the Quidditch goalposts ahead of Hermione and, without hesitation, cast a Shattering Charm to obliterate them.
In the blink of an eye, the goalposts shattered into pieces, disintegrating before any debris could fall. Instead, the splinters flew straight into Hermione''s face.
Luckily, it was only tiny fragmentsif she had crashed into the goalposts at that speed, she''d have been ready for cremation on the spot.
"elerate!"
John sped up again.
The patterns on his shoes began to glow, and his speed surged, leaving a contrail behind him as he overtook Hermione.
John reached out and grabbed the back of Hermione''s cor, shouting, "Let go!"
Hermione clung to the Firebolt like a sloth, making John roll his eyes in frustration.
He had no choice but to pull harder and shout louder, "Hermione, let go!"
Hermione finally heard him and, seeing John beside her, didn''t even question why he was there. Trusting himpletely, she let go without hesitation. The Firebolt shot out from beneath her, and Hermione was left dangling by her cor in John''s grip, like a kitten being carried by the scruff.
Once the Firebolt lost its rider, it didn''t fly far before starting to fall. John raised his trembling right hand.
As magic flowed through his hand, it shook even more violently, causing him to grunt in pain.
Using the Summoning Charm, he caught the falling Firebolt and gently guided it to the ground.
John then slowly lowered Hermione as well. The wings on his meteor shoes seemed exhausted,zily pping as they descended.
Once her feet touched the ground, Hermione''s legs were weak, but she managed not to copse. Feeling guilty, she said, "I''m sorry, John, I thought..."
"It''s fine, as long as you''re okay," John replied, wiping sweat from his forehead.
He swore never to let Hermione near a Firebolt again; she was practically a vehicle destroyer.
At least he had gotten some useful data from the testhis meteor shoes, in eleration mode, could keep pace with the Firebolt.
There was also a hyper-eleration mode that John hadn''t dared to use. That mode consumed too much power, draining a fifth of a magic crystal in one go.
The magic crystal installed in John''s meteor shoes could only handle about five uses.
After this incident, Hermione''s previously gloomy mood had significantly improved.
But then, after a dyed realization, she suddenly screamed. John rubbed his ear, confused by her sudden outburst.
"Firebolt!"
Hermione dashed toward where the Firebolt had fallen.
She had already upset Harry and Ron by letting Professor McGonagall take his Firebolt for inspection. If John''s Firebolt had gotten damaged, she couldn''t even imagine how angry he would be.
Worried, she ran to the spot where the Firebolty. The broom, which Harry had been so obsessed with, was lying there peacefully. There wasn''t even a scratch on itstill as pristine as if it were brand new, which, of course, it was.
As she calmed down, Hermione began to realize something wasn''t right. How had John managed to fly right beside her? And why was the Fireboltpletely undamaged?
She nced at John, who was holding Crookshanks by the hind legs, preventing the cat from wandering off.
Seeing this, Hermione decided to push her questions aside.
She thought to herself that John had always been quite mysterious, and she shouldn''t interfere too much.
Then, thinking about how Ron didn''t like Crookshanks and how she was busy with Buckbeak''s case, she asked, "John, could you help take care of Crookshanks for a while?"
Take care of Crookshanks?
"Of course!"
John lifted Crookshanks, just as he had done with Hermione earlier.
He scratched Crookshanks'' belly and chuckled, "Of course I can."
Hearing this, Hermione was delighted, but she remembered that Crookshanks didn''t like leaving the Gryffindormon room, so she added, "I''ll write down the Gryffindor password for you."
John''s smile widenedfree ess to pet a cat! That was like winning the jackpot.
Hermione handed him the password.
Taking care of Crookshanks wasn''t a big dealit just meant taking him out for walks and bringing him back. Crookshanks would still sleep in the Gryffindormon room.
When Hermione returned, she found Ron still fuming.
Harry, however, had mostly cooled off.
"Hi, hermione, I''m sorrPfft~ What.." When he saw Hermionee back, he followed her and asked, "Ehm.. Hermione, what happened to your hair?"
After flying around the Quidditch pitch, Hermione''s already bushy hair had been swept back, giving her the look of a full-blown explosion.
Realizing what Harry was talking about, she rushed to her dormitory and looked at herself in the mirror.
At once, she remembered John trying to hold back hisughter earlier. Gritting her teeth in frustration, she looked like an angry lion.
"John Wick! You could have told me!"
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Read 12 Chapters ahead:
143: Dementors In Fear
143: Dementors In Fear
Ever since the Dementors were taken over by the Aurors, they had lived in constant fear.
Oz Hild, the Auror in charge, was listening to their eerie howls and couldn''t help but feel the veins in her forehead throbbing.
"What are these ghostly things wailing about?"
Her colleague, Lipi Corbell, wore the same frustrated expression. They both wished they could just send all the Dementors back to the nightmare that was Azkaban.
Oz took a deep breath to calm herself down.
She was a veteran Auror, experienced enough to lead a team of enforcers.
With her raspy voice, she said, "These Dementors haven''t fed for too long. Sirius ck is nearby, and we can''t just send them back to Azkaban."
Hearing the name Sirius, Lipi''s face twitched slightly.
The Ministry of Magic''s wanted notice for Sirius described him as extremely dangerous, and even Aurors weren''t guaranteed to be a match for him.
The thought that someone this dangerous had been hiding at Hogwarts for nearly half a year made even Lipi want to curse out the now-dismissed Fudge for being utterly useless.
At the same time, Lipi''s mind was racing. He looked at Oz and asked, "Don''t you have any thoughts about this?"
"Thoughts?" Oz nced at Lipi.
Lipi grinned and took out a cigarette from his pocket, tossing one to Oz, while lighting one up for himself.
Both were heavy smokers. As a thick puff of smoke left his mouth, Lipi said meaningfully, "The Ministry of Magic is going through a power shift right now. Don''t you think it''s time for you to make a move up?"
Others might not know, but as Oz''s long-time partner, Lipi knew her well.
Oz was certainly capable. She had been an Auror for ten years, and in terms of both experience and skill, she was one of the leading figures in the Auror ranks.
However, Oz had made a mistake in the pastshe once let a werewolf go, and that incident became a stain on her record.
Couple that with the Ministry''s previous efforts to suppress the Auror office, and she had been stuck in her position for years, unable to even earn the title of Elite Auror.
Instead, she was relegated to working with strike teams, doing things like tracking down contraband items.
Lipi shook his head in sympathy. "If Tommy were still around, you will definitely be with him..."
Seeing the sudden dimness in Oz''s eyes, Lipi quickly changed the subject. "We can''t aim for the head of the Auror office, but at least we can hope to get away from this contraband-hunting work."
Lipi was a sharp guy. He knew that neither he nor Oz, who had no connections, stood a chance for that vacant head position.
All he wanted was to stop being so sidelined and at least get himself into the main Auror office.
Oz, with her red lips curving as she exhaled a puff of smoke, stubbed out her cigarette with a couple of hard stomps. Her voice was t as she said, "You know as well as I do, we don''t stand a chance. Those spots are for the purebloods."
She was a half-blood, and Lipi came from a Muggle family. Although they became Aurors after Voldemort''s downfall, the internal pureblood biases still affected them.
The positions in the Auror office weren''t for people like them; only purebloods or those with connections were qualified.
Lipi chuckled, a strange look in his eyes as he said, "That''s not necessarily true. We all know Tommynded himself a great position beside the king of Knockturn ally, right? Rumor has it, he''s the one who pushed Fudge out..."
Before he could finish, he noticed the murderous re in Oz''s eyes. Quickly raising his hands in surrender, he said, "Alright, alright, I won''t mention him."
The two of them continued their idle chat outside.
Meanwhile, things weren''t looking good for the Dementors...
...
The Dementors huddled together, retreating like a wave.
A figure walked among them as if picking out livestock.
Suddenly, a slower-moving Dementor became locked in his gaze.
ck threads snaked around it, and the Dementor let out a wretched screech as the tentacle-like threads dragged it away.
The rest of the Dementors were petrified, desperately trying to flee.
The Aurors didn''t notice anything, since no one would ever expect someone to voluntarily seek out Dementors.
"Why are you running?"
"I''m not going to kill all of you," John muttered after capturing a Dementor. Seeing how terrified the others were, he rolled his eyes.
"These are the ones supposed to be guarding Azkaban?"
He clicked his tongue twice and left a parting remark, "I''ll be back tomorrow," which nearly scared the remaining Dementors out of their ragged cloaks.
Lol:)
With the captured Dementor, John returned to the Slytherin Chamber.
The Dementor was thoroughly stripped apart by the Soul-Devouring Curse. The ck threads retracted into the ring, leaving a mass of soul glowing with a pure, silver-white light in John''s hand.
He tore the soul into thin strands, tossing them into a cauldron to mix with a potion.
After adding powdered unicorn horn, a potion to fortify souls was ready.
He downed it in one gulp, his body shuddering.
In his mind, the same man he''d seen several times before appeared, and the vision stretched on for a long half-hour.
When it finally ended, John slumped over the table, drenched in sweat.
"Fuu~ My soul''s recovered a little."
He closed his eyes to feel it for a moment. His right-hand''s soul had restored a bit, and he realized that with each torment he endured, his soul seemed to undergo a kind of refining.
Opening his right hand, dark, malevolent ck threads swirled and shifted in his palm.
John''s gaze deepened. This power, which he had only ever used on Dementors, made him wonder: what would happen if he used it on other living beings?
A terrifying thought surfaced in his mind, and even John was startled by it.
Forcing the idea away, he looked down at the now darker ring. He knew this object was beginning to affect him.
"To wear the crown, one must bear its weight."
Fully aware of the terrifying power he possessed, John repeatedly warned himself not to cross any moral lines.
When he opened his eyes again, his gaze returned to rity.
...
In another room within the chamber, waves of heat radiated outward, and just standing near the door made the intense temperature obvious.
Arge chunk of mithril was slowly melting in the furnace, though the process was rather slow.
"At this rate, it''ll take a while to meltpletely."
John moved to another area and started working on a mold.
This mold was different from the ones he''d made beforeit wasn''t for a sword, but rather for something shaped like a hand.
Using a small knife, he meticulously carved out every groove in the mold, perfecting the details. John was preparing to craft something worthy of the name "Johnny Silverhand."
After all, how could the esteemed Silverhand go without a silver hand?
Once the finer details were in ce, all that remained was to pour the molten mithril into the mold.
The hand had six slots left empty, specifically designed to hold gemstones.
Hmm, it looked suspiciously like a certain purple titan''s Infinity Gauntlet.
While waiting for the mithril to melt, John finished refining the intricate details of the silver hand.
This object, which John called the "Limited Gauntlet," was no simple creation. It could be said to be the most powerful alchemical item John was capable of making at the time.
As the mithril melted, John poured it into the mold.
At the same time, he stretched out one hand, casting some spells to imbue the creation with magic.
The liquid solidified and cooled, and the mold was cracked open, revealing an exquisite silver arm before him.
John embedded magical crystals and the gemstones from the rings of enchantment into the six slots on the arm.
Grabbing the silver arm with his right hand, the entire thing immediately shattered.
But instead of falling apart, the fragments adhered to John''s right arm, piece by piece. By the end, John''s entire right hand had transformed into silver.
The intricate patterns on the arm were both delicate and luxurious, with the gemstones emphasizing its regal quality.
He flexed his hand, finding no sense of obstruction.
Clenching and unclenching his fist, he stared at the burning furnace and, without hesitation, plunged his hand into the mes.
The scorching heat was enough to melt steel, but John''s brow didn''t furrow even a little.
As the mes burned, the silver hand not only failed to melt but also gave John a pleasantly cool sensation.
"Ha.. Hahaha.."
"Flesh is weak, but through machinery, we ascend!" John nodded to himself.
Raising an eyebrow, John pulled his hand out and snapped his fingers. Instantly, the objects around him began to levitate.
"Even though it''s just a basic Levitation Charm and Shield Charm, practicality is what matters."
A white ball of light appeared in John''s palm, and he aimed it at a nearby table.
The light ball instantly shattered the table into pieces, and John nodded in satisfaction.
Lowering his hand, the silver material on it rapidly flowed toward his fingers, finally condensing into a silver ring on his middle finger.
One silver, one cktwo rings on his right hand stood out conspicuously.
John removed the silver ring and slipped it into his pocket.
He imagined that if he could one day create a Philosopher''s Stone, this thing would truly be a magical version of the Infinity Gauntlet.
Leaving the chamber, John passed by the Constetion Society''s secret room.
Heinrich looked up at John and asked, "Finished?"
"Yup."
John wasn''t wearing wizard robes; instead, he was dressed in a vest suit with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
Catching sight of Heinrich eyeing the Firebolt in the chamber, John smirked and said, "Like it? You can have it."
Heinrich shifted his gaze away, lowering his head and saying, "No need."
With Edgar''s wealth, buying a Firebolt wouldn''t be a problem.
John, feeling a bit of a headache, put on his wizard robes and said, "Come with me."
Heinrich didn''t ask any questions and followed him.
After arriving at the Room of Requirement, John opened the door that appeared out of nowhere and led Heinrich inside.
Inside was a dueling tform. Heinrich''s golden eyes flickered slightly.
John was the first to step onto the tform, and Heinrich followed closely behind.
"You don''t need the Firebolt, so let''s train to make you stronger instead."
John smiled and bowed like a gentleman.
Heinrich''s gaze grew increasingly fervent.
Indeed, only battle could bring an Edgar joy.
John smiled faintly. How convenient, since strength was something he didn''tck.
_________
Read 12 Advance Chapters:
144: Burning Money
144: Burning Money
"Come on! John Wick! I''m not done yet!!!"
On thest day of Christmas, Heinrich''s fighting style resembled that of a mad dog.
He had a natural talent for fire magic. His wand spewed ming bats that flew toward John.
John pressed his lips together and raised his hand, transforming a stone block into tworge dogs to block the attack.
Seizing the moment, he pointed his wand at Heinrich''s feet.
The ground caved in beneath Heinrich, and just before he fell, he grabbed the edge.
"Ugh.."
Jagged wooden spikes dug into his palms, and blood trickled down Heinrich''s hand.
"Ugh.. This is nothing! You asked me to help you duel! I will naturally go all in!!" Heinrich climbed with his bloody hands whileughing maniacally.
As he climbed back up, John had already conjured a ball of water and mmed it into Heinrich.
"Ok, just give up now!"
A Water Prison Charm trapped Heinrich, and the water reced the air in his mouth and nose.
Just before he cked out, John lifted the spell.
Heinrich copsed, drenched, onto the ground.
John walked over and pulled him up.
"Haah.. Your strength has improved quite a bit," Johnplimented.
It wasn''t just ttery.
Compared to his time at Durmstrang, Heinrich had made great progress.
Thanks to John as his opponent, Heinrich''s reaction speed and spellcasting had both advanced.
"Naturally, heh!"
With fanatical fervor in his eyes, Heinrich smiled at John.
Paired with his pale, sickly face, it gave off a certain "yandere" vibe.
Gulp!John subconsciously shivered.
After finishing their day of training, the two parted ways.
John headed toward the Gryffindormon room.
After speaking the password, John walked straight into the Gryffindormon room.
What was once a quiet room was now filled with people, all sharing stories about their holidays.
The moment John entered, the room fell silent.
Crookshanks, however, waspletely unfazed, having already been waiting by the firece.
Upon seeing John, Crookshanks ran over.
John scooped up the cat and stroked its fluffy fur.
With a smile, he said, "Carry on."
After speaking, he turned and left.
The Gryffindors exchanged puzzled nces.
Once outside, John released Crookshanks, who immediately jumped down and walked off without a second nce.
"Not even a shred of gratitude," John muttered to himself, shaking his head. He thought about all the cat treats that had gone to waste.
Just then, Basil flew over, carrying a package.
John opened it, revealing a book bound in dragonhide.
"Tommy really knows how to get things done," John praised as he looked at the old book.
He had been searching for traces of ancient magic, and aside from the Blood Magic Curse, he had finally found a second one.
The Record of Ancient Goblin Magic
The book had been brought back from Egypt by Tommy Shelby, and it was over a thousand years old.
It contained records of goblin magic.
In John''s eyes, there was a glowing symbol on the book''s cover.
The emerald glow was only visible to himit was an ancient magic mark.
Goblin magic was primarily based on primitive elements. John reached out and touched the mark.
A memory, belonging to a goblin, surged into his mind.
John stood still for three seconds, processing it.
"Coin Charm?"
His expression turned a little strange as he recalled the scene he had just witnessed.
A goblin held a Galleon, and as the Galleon disappeared into thin air, a broken vase before him automatically repaired itself.
This wasn''t elemental magic; it was more like a type of rule-based magic.
"The more money you give, the more you get in return, huh?" After pondering for a moment, John understood the nature of this magic.
The reason ancient magic was considered ancient wasrgely due to some strange rules attached to it.
This mary exchange magic was quite interestingit couldn''t involve self-made coins, and it had to be actual circting currency.
John spent the entire afternoon studying the spell, and after several attempts, he finally seeded once.
Holding a Galleon, he looked at a broken cup and cast the Coin Charm.
The Galleon disappeared into thin air, and the cup in front of him began repairing itself right before his eyes.
"Why does this feel like a rip-off?"
He stared at the cup, which he had bought for 10 Knuts at Diagon Alley, realizing he''d just spent 1 Galleon to fix it.
It seemed like he had gotten the short end of the deal.
It had to be saidgoblins really knew how to hide sneaky traps, even in their magic.
Remembering that he had once smashed a Quidditch goalpost, John grabbed a bag of Galleons and headed out.
That day, John had tried to repair the damage, but unfortunately, after hitting it with a Level 4 Shattering Charm, the destruction was nearly beyond repair.
Taking advantage of the fact that no one had noticed yet, John headed to the Quidditch pitch.
On both sides of the Quidditch pitch, there were originally three goalposts, resembling forks standing tall on the field.
Now, on the right side, one of the three goalposts was reduced to just a single pole.
John walked over, grabbed a handful of Galleons, and cast the Coin Charm.
The Galleons in his hand disappeared one by one, and as they did, the shattered remains of the goalpost, destroyed by his Shattering Charm, began to piece themselves back together.
Splinters of wood flew towards him, and after using up five Galleons, the goalpost was only halfway restored.
John added another ten Galleons, and finally, the goalpost was fully repaired.
"The restoration level is higher than the Repairing Charm," John remarked, surprised as he looked at the goalpost, which appeared as good as new, just like before it had been shattered.
This got him thinkingdid this mean that if he encountered magical damage that couldn''t be healed by regr spells, he could use the Coin Charm to heal it?
Suppressing his excitement, John knew he would need to conduct more experiments to be sure.
However, this Coin Charm really was a money-drainerit had cost him 15 Galleons just to fix a goalpost.
If he didn''t have deep pockets, he wouldn''t even be able to afford it.
He had also tried substituting other items for currency, like using gold made from magical crystals, but those couldn''t be used for the spell.
"You must first assign value to create value."
Understanding this, John opened the Ancient Goblin Magic Record and skimmed through it. Besides the Coin Charm, it also documented a lightning magic spell.
John had tested it, and its power was quite considerable, but most importantly, it looked incredibly cool.
Closing the book, John carried his now-empty money pouch, frowning as he walked back to the dormitory.
He had tried using the Coin Charm to restore his right hand, but the money was gone, and his right hand showed no signs of repair.
"The soul can''t be repaired, huh?"
"Fuck you Death!"
John nced at the empty pouch again, cursing under his breath about how tricky the goblins were.
Not only did the spell fail to repair him, but they took the money without getting the job donewhat kind of nonsense was that?
No wonder goblins got beaten by wizards; with this kind of deceitful magic, they deserved it.
...
The new term began.
In the Great Hall, students gathered in small groups, chatting amongst themselves. John noticed Daphne staring at him. He was puzzled, touched his face, and found nothing unusual.
"John, did did something happen to you?"
Daphne hesitated for a moment but finally asked the question.
Eh?
This made John even more puzzledwhat could have happened to him?
"I feel like you''re not enjoying your food as much anymore," Daphne was a keen observer.
She had clearly noticed that John wasn''t as happy while eating as he used to be.
She thought something must have happened to John. Could something major have urred during the Christmas break?
John suddenly understoodit was just that the food tasted like chewing wax, and he couldn''t find any joy in eating.
"Nothing''s wrong, I just haven''t had much of an appetitetely."
Hearing the words "no appetite"e out of John''s mouth, Daphne was as shocked as if she had just seen a Gryffindor being honest and well-behaved.
She nced at the food, thinking that it must not suit John''s taste.
She made up her mind to create something that would lift John''s spirits.
If John knew what she was thinking, he would definitely tell her, "Youngdy, your thoughts are dangerous. Please stop acting like a Hufflepuff."
The first ss after the new term was Divination. By now, John had already begun to master his foresight abilities.
cing both hands on the crystal ball, John stared at it, trying to peer through the mist within.
Professor Trwney was teaching others, but it seemed she had already given John a perfect score in advance.
John didn''t forget to actively participate in the other sses as well, always answering questions eagerly.
From the higher points of the castle, one could sometimes see Aurors patrolling outside with Dementors in tow.
Sirius ck seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth. There had been no sightings in either Hogsmeade or outside of Hogwarts.
With no second attack, some spected that Sirius had drowned after falling into theke during his escape.
Pfft~
John could only think that these young people''s imaginations were quite vivid.
Hagrid brought in a bunch of fire smanders, so the cold wasn''t too bad during ss.
John picked up one of the fire smanders and stared into its eyes. Did its eyes look like his?
After examining it closely, he couldn''t find anything simr, so he put the fire smander back down.
That evening, John went to grab a Dementor for a meal.
Peeling away its essenceyer byyer, the curse had almost turned the entire ring ck. After drinking the potion to repair his soul, John endured the familiar pain, which had now be bearable enough for him to stand still through it.
Sweat beaded and dripped down his forehead, but John had gotten used to it.
Pulling out the Marauder''s Map, John was also bing ustomed to asionally seeing multiple versions of Hermione running around on it.
He noticed that Peter Pettigrew was tossing and turning on Ron''s bed, and saw Dumbledore walking back and forth in the office.
Lupin usually stayed in the office, and seemed to be busy with something.
__________
Read 12 Chapters ahead:
145: Daphne’s Food and Patronus Charm
145: Daphnes Food and Patronus Charm
Harry was in a much better mood and was feeling a bit excited.
Lupin had agreed to teach him the Patronus Charm on Thursday, which left him so thrilled that he tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.
Since he couldn''t sleep, Harry decided to go for a walk.
Throwing on his Invisibility Cloak, he stepped out of the Gryffindormon room.
Because of that one time Sirius ck broke in, the number of students sneaking around at night had decreased.
Harry didn''t have any particr destination in mind; he just wanted to wander around.
With the Invisibility Cloak, he wasn''t worried about getting caught.
As he passed the room where the three-headed dog had once been kept, he saw a figure slip by.
It was John!
John moved like a ghosthis footsteps made no sound, and even his outline was blurred and hard to discern.
If Harry weren''t a Seeker, he probably wouldn''t have been able to spot him.
In the moonlight, John swiftly entered that room, and as the door closed behind him, Harry crept closer.
"What''s John doing in there?"
Harry''s curiosity was piqued, and he cautiously, quietly opened the door to peek inside.
There was no light inside, and Harry felt PTSD, as though he was back in his first year.
It was as if, at any moment, Fluffy, the three-headed dog, woulde charging out.
His breathing became rapid as he pushed the door open just a crack.
It was dim and shadowy inside, so he pushed the door open a bit more.
At that moment, he saw that there didn''t seem to be anything inside.
But he had just seen John go in, so Harry opened the door fully.
The room waspletely emptythere was no trace of John.
Harry was confused. Could he have imagined it?
"Lumos."
Lighting his wand, Harry carefully searched the room, confirming that there was no way for John to have left through any other exit.
Eh?
He was puzzled.
"John''s always been so mysterious," Harry thought to himself.
As he left the room, he found himself lost in thought.
From the moment they had started at Hogwarts, John had always been someone who was difficult to understand.
He wasn''t like Ron, who was simple and easy to understand, nor like Malfoy, who made his hostility obvious.
Harry made a mental note of the room before turning to leave.
Not long after he left, John emerged from the secret room of the Constetion Society.
"A few more Dementors, and that should be enough."
His right hand had stopped trembling, but there was still little strength in it.
John opened the door and stepped out, smacking his lips togetherit was frustrating not having any sense of taste.
Just as he was about to leave, he paused.
Turning back to look at the wooden door, he moved closer.
"Someone''s been here?"
In the corner of the wooden door, a hidden eye symbol seemed toe to life.
This was a detection spell John had set up. Whenever someone outside of the Constation Society came here, the eye would spin rapidly.
He reached out and tapped it lightly, causing the eye to return to normal.
...
The next day.
John stared at the strange object in front of him, lost in thought.
Daphne''s nose had a bit of flour on it, and when her eyes met John''s, she nervously exined, "I was trying to make waffles."
Waffles?
Are you telling me these burnt lumps that look like charred mud are waffles?
John looked at Daphne again, his tone sincere, "I don''t think I''ve done anything to wrong you, have I?"
Daphne lowered her head. It was her first time making them, and she didn''t expect them to turn out this badly.
"I.. I''m sorry.."
Feeling downhearted, Daphne picked up the te, ready to throw it away.
John gently pressed her slender, pale wrist.
Daphne''s heart fluttered slightly, and a quick blush spread across her cheeks, giving her a shy, delicate beauty.
Thinking about how inedible her creation was, she awkwardly shifted her hand and said, "They''re all ruined, don''t eat them."
Despite her words, her heart felt sweet. Her mother had told her that if a man truly liked you, he would enjoy anything you made, no matter how bad.
Daphne shyly looked back, only to see John''s facepletely expressionless, with his face and clothes covered in an excessive amount of maple syrup she wanted to cover up the burnt waffles.
"I was just going to warn you the maple syrup was about to spill. Why did you twist like that?"
Without needing to see a mirror, John knew he looked a mess. His lips twitched as he said, "It was not going to pour out, but you twisted your hand and put it on my face."
"Ah! Sorry, John!"
Daphne hurried over to wipe it off, but when she took out a towel to wipe it, the maple syrup, which had cooled down, stuck to John''s face.
John clearly saw Heinrich''s mouth twitch. He probably wanted tough, but he held it back.
Taking a deep breath, John wondered if today was just an unlucky day to be out and about.
As Daphne was about to help again, John quickly stopped her, "No, don''t! Just stay still, I''ll handle it myself."
Pulling out his wand, John cast a cleaning spell on himself, and the syrup was whisked away, though there was still a sticky feeling that made him ufortable.
He decided to just run to the washroom and take a proper shower.
Daphne buried her head in Pansy''s arms, too embarrassed to show her face, "I''m doomed."
"Aw~ There there~" Pansy patted her back andforted her kindly, "It''s okay, you see, John wasn''t even mad."
Hearing this, Daphne, feeling a surge of confidence, perked up, "You''re right, I''ll keep trying next time!"
Pansy muttered: "John wouldn''t kill me for encouraging her, would he?"
Heinrich: "Pfft~ Bahahaha."
...
After that, John was repeatedly "tortured" by Daphne''s various failed attempts at cooking, making him suspect that this might be revenge for Tom stepping on her homework with its dirty feetst time.
Pulling out the Marauder''s Map, John noticed that Lupin seemed to be looking for something.
"At this hour, going to the kitchen surely he''s not just hungry?"
Watching as Lupin moved from the staff office and wandered around to another location, John still had no idea what he was doing, but that didn''t stop him from heading out to hunt Dementors.
Using the Disillusionment Charm, John boldly and openly left the castle, skillfully making his way to the Dementor gathering site.
The number of Dementors had noticeably decreased. The Aurors had already been sent to investigate, but they hadn''t found any evidence of Dementors escaping.
This led the Ministry of Magic to suspect that Sirius ck might be behind it, seeking revenge on the Dementors who had tormented him in Azkaban.
Entering the gathering site, John began to search for a target.
Catching a Dementor that was too slow to escape, John turned to leave.
"Who''s there?!"
A loud shout startled Johnhe''d been discovered.
Without hesitation, John activated his Meteor Shoes and used the Disillusionment Charm to make a swift getaway.
Behind him, Oz and Lippi rushed to the spot where John had just been. With a grave expression, Oz said, "It was Sirius ck."
"Sirius ck?" Lippin was taken aback.
Oz nodded seriously.
"I saw that ck hair. There''s no one else it could have been but Sirius."
Lippi was surprised by the news. This was a major lead.
They quickly contacted the other Aurors to search the area.
They even suspected that Sirius had mastered a terrifying form of dark magicone that could silently capture Dementors.
The Ministry of Magic took the matter very seriously and initiated a search overnight.
Meanwhile, the person involved had already escaped back to Hogwarts.
...
Thursday night.
Harry arrived at the History of Magic ssroom, feeling somewhat heavy-hearted.
His previously good mood had evaporated after reading that morning''s Daily Prophet. It reported that Sirius ck had appeared and, in front of witnesses, had captured the Dementors who had once tormented him.
That cruel naturehe didn''t even leave any Dementors alive.
"Such a terrifying person.."
Harry thought, he must bring him to justice with his own hands.
Clenching his fist, Harry looked up at Lupin, speaking earnestly, "Professor, I want to learn the Patronus Charm!"
Lupin smiled, a look of approval in his eyes. It hadn''t been in vain that he had spent several days searching for a Boggart.
The Patronus Charm was an advanced spell, one that even many fully graduated wizards could not master.
Lupin was one of the few who could.
Due to his sensitive nature, he could conjure a Patronus although without fully manifesting it, but able to control it at will.
He gave Harry a demonstration, and a silver-white light emerged from the tip of his wand, causing Harry to marvel in awe.
"John Wick is a master of the Patronus Charm. Originally, I wanted you to learn from him, but..."
At this point, Lupin hesitated, stopping mid-sentence.
This pause left Harry itching with curiosity. He wanted to know more, but Lupin showed no intention of continuing.
Only Lupin knew that he held suspicions about John.
As one of Harry''s elders, Lupin didn''t want Harry getting too close to John.
It was a werewolf''s instinctsomething about that person felt dangerous.
Ignoring the inquisitive look in Harry''s eyes, Lupin opened the crate he had brought with him.
The Boggart, sensing Harry''s deepest fear, transformed into the shape of a Dementor and flew out.
Harry tried hard to shout "Expecto Patronum," but it was no use.
Once again, his mother''s voice echoed in his mind, and he fainted.
Lupin quickly contained the Boggart back into the crate.
_____
Read 12 Chapters ahead:
146: Lupin’s Test and Level 5 Runes
146: Lupins Test and Level 5 Runes
John recently noticed something off with his dog.
Not only Tom, but even Crookshanks seemed strange.
Watching as Tom happily scampered out of themon room, John stared at the now-empty bag of dog food, lost in thought.
"Three dogs'' worth of food, but no weight gain. Are you taking advantage of my kindness?"
Tom needed the dog food to maintain her "top dog" status in front of Fang, so John had always made sure to bring triple the usual amount.
But the dog food, which should havested until the end of the term, was already gone.
With such an appetite, even someone as slow as Longbottom would have realized something was wrong by now.
To figure out where all that food was going, John cast an Invisibility Charm on himself and followed Tom.
Tom didn''t notice John, but instead met up with a sneaky Crookshanks, and the two headed off together.
The cat and dog were surprisingly harmonious, with Crookshanks clearly being the brains of the operation, and Tom serving as the loyal sidekick.
John tailed them all the way to the Whomping Willow.
With an expression that screamed disbelief, John watched as Crookshanks expertly ced a paw on the knot at the base of the tree, freezing it in ce.
"Is this cat turning into some kind of magical being?"
John had needed an entire month to figure out that weakness, yet this cat knew it too.
Taking advantage of the frozen Whomping Willow, Tom dashed inside.
Then something even more absurd happenedCrookshanks stayed behind, seemingly standing guard.
John wanted to follow, but unfortunately, Crookshanks was sitting right at the entrance of the tunnel.
After a while, Tom came back out.
The dog food on her had disappeared, and John''s eyes narrowed.
Were these two little creatures secretly keeping something in the Shrieking Shack?
How did they even know about this tunnel?
Questions filled John''s mind, and he decided to investigate the situation himself.
Crookshanks was incredibly clever. Before leaving, it even doubled back, as if to make sure no one was following.
"Is this what they mean by pets resembling their owners?" John thought, impressed by the cat''s intelligence.
He guessed Crookshanks must have inherited Hermione''s smartsbasically a "Hermione of cats."
But as the saying goes, the higher the road, the more cunning the magic. Using a heightened sensory spell, John confirmed that Crookshanks was really gone, and he proceeded to the tunnel under the Whomping Willow.
Following the passage, John once again entered the Shrieking Shack.
Now that he thought about it, it had been a while since hest came here.
Ever since testing Malfoy, he had gradually forgotten about this ce.
The eerie atmosphere of the Shrieking Shack remained the same as ever. John walked further inside.
A single piece of dog food on the floor caught his attention. He leaned down to inspect it.
His hand instinctively moved to his wand as he nced around cautiously.
"Who''s there? You think you can hide?" he muttered, tapping the furniture in the room with his wand, looking for any hidden presence.
"Yeah! I can see you! Get out! Tsk. Always worked while ying hide and seek."
"Revealio!"
Nothing unusual appeared.
"Strange," he mumbled.
After another thorough search, there was nothing else but that piece of dog food.
John turned and left.
Not long after he departed, under the tree outside the Shrieking Shack, a head popped out from a hole resembling a dog den.
"What a clever little wizard. If it weren''t for my keen sense of smell, I might have been caught."
On Sirius ck''s dog-like face appeared a very human expression of lingering fear. After bing an Animagus, one inherits certain abilities.
His gift was an extraordinary sense of smell, far beyond that of an ordinary dog. While the Disillusionment Charm could hide a body, it couldn''t conceal scent.
For Sirius, this heightened sense of smell was what gave him the confidence to evade the many Aurors hunting him.
The Shrieking Shack was no longer a safe spot for nowSirius needed to relocate.
Last time Sirius had snuck to the Quidditch pitch to watch Harry, it ended with Dementors chasing him. Since then, Sirius didn''t dare risk approaching Harry again.
Luckily, he had two friends willing to help. Once they found the right moment to capture that person, Sirius could finally take action.
A sh of anger and hatred crossed the face of therge ck dog as Sirius dug the hole a little deeper.
This would help him avoid being caught during the search.
...
John, in fact, had doubled back to the Shrieking Shack, but unfortunately, he didn''t find anything.
Since the Shrieking Shack wasn''t within the range of the Marauder''s Map, he couldn''t rely on it to track what was happening there.
Upon returning to Hogwarts, John bumped into Lupin.
He gave a nod of greeting, intending to move on.
But just as he turned around, a gust of wind whooshed past his ears.
John quickly turned his head, only to find a wand pointed right at his face.
"Professor Lupin, are you nning to murder a student at Hogwarts?"
There were only the two of them in the corridor, and Lupin''s eyes carried a look of inquiry as he asked, "Why didn''t you dodge?"
John had been unnervingly calm, a reaction quite unlike that of a third-year student.
Even seasoned Aurors wouldn''t stay thisposed with a wand aimed directly at their forehead.
Hearing the question, John smiled faintly and said, "Because I''m not afraid."
Lupin seemed a bit surprised. "Oh?"
John shrugged and replied, "No one would be foolish enough tomit murder inside the castle~"
It was a confident and logical reason.
Lupin lowered his wand, offering an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I mistook you for Sirius ck in disguise. You know, after ck broke into the castlest time..."
"I understand. I just came back from outside the castle," John responded, seemingly unsurprised by the situation.
He then added, with a meaningful tone, "As long as it''s not about murder, everything''s fine, right?"
Lupin looked at John with confusion. Murder?
Switching gears, John asked, "I heard that you were also a student at Hogwarts, Professor Lupin. You must know a lot about this ce, right?"
Lupin nodded modestly. "I know a few things."
"Well then, Professor, do you happen to know about any murders that urred within Hogwarts?" John asked, staring directly into Lupin''s eyes.
"You.. You are talking about Moaning Myr"
"No, professor. In my second year, we already know that Myrtle was killed by the Basilisk. What I''m talking about is a murder~ You surely can understand what I mean."
Lupin''s pupils contracted for a split second, as he recalled an absurd incident from his own past.
If James hadn''t intervened that day, he might havemitted a terrible mistake.
But within that brief moment, Lupin quickly regained hisposure, pretending to ask casually, "Why are you asking about such things?"
Catching that fleeting change, John smiled and said, "I''ve been looking into the history of Hogwarts, hoping topile it into a collection of stories. There''s nothing more gripping than tales of murder."
His words were wless, but Lupin had a vague feeling that John might know something more.
Watching John closely, Lupin nodded and turned to leave.
As the two walked away from each other, the same thought crossed their minds simultaneously.
"This guy is suspicious."
...
Lupin''s words had hidden probing intentions. Though he couldn''t figure out what connection John might have with Johnny Silverhand, he could tell John wasn''t as simple as he appeared on the surface.
John''s calmness in the face of a wand pointed at him, along with his subtly pointed remarks, all seemed to hint at something extraordinary.
Meanwhile, John also confirmed one thing: there indeed had been a murder attempt at Hogwarts rted to Lupin.
Whether that murder was sessful or not, it was somehow connected to Lupin.
Both of them had their own thoughts, and after that round of testing each other, neither had gained the upper hand.
Later, John went to the Constetion Society''s secret chamber.
John''s Runes had leveled up.
Level 5 Runes, which he had upgraded on his own, saving him from using an ability point.
With two level 5 skills, John felt his understanding of magic had deepened even further.
The long-unused Silver Wick Swordy on the table as John worked to strengthen its enchantments.
"Wounds caused by the Silver Wick Sword are difficult to heal."
He added a Severing Curse to it, a curse that regr magic wouldn''t be able to undo.
John also inscribed some Runes, establishing a connection between himself and the Silver Wick Sword.
"In times of danger, this sword wille to my aid."
He held the sword in his right hand, extending it forward. However, less than half a minuteter, he had to put it down.
The defect in his right hand still remained, leaving him with no choice but to wield the sword with his left hand.
After sheathing the sword and stowing it back into his small satchel, John resumed brewing the potion to repair his soul.
One Dementor''s soul was only enough for three doses. Once he finished this batch, he would need to catch more Dementors.
Last time, he had rmed the Aurors, and it would likely be more difficult to make a return trip there.
Fortunately, John had an idea: if he couldn''t capture Dementors outside of Hogwarts, perhaps those in Hogsmeade Vige would be an easier target.
The Ministry of Magic was on high alert, heavily guarding against Sirius ck. Hogsmeade was under constant surveince, and there was no escaping it.
With a n in mind, John used the secret passage through the One-Eyed Hunchback Witch to leave.
After arriving at Honeydukes, he used a Disillusionment Charm to sneak out.
Hogsmeade at night was deserted, save for the Dementors roaming around like lost souls.
There were also a few Aurors, but they wouldn''t be much of a problem.
John quickly set his sights on a lone Dementor.
_________
Read 12 Chapters ahead of SH:
147: The Sour Stink of Love
147: The Sour Stink of Love
Quidditch is an intense and thrilling game.
Maybe it''s due to wizards having different physical traits than Muggles, but this game has no time limit.
As long as the Golden Snitch isn''t caught, the game will continue. It''s said that the longest Quidditch match oncested three months.
John understood this as: in Quidditch, the match won''t end as long as nobody dies on the team due to over-exertion, much like how he was watching the green and blue figures shing in the sky.
Slytherin vs. Ravenw.
Although Ravenw doesn''t have much of a presence, their team is consistently strong.
The Eagles are known for their clever minds, and they have excellent strategies and technique.
But against the Slytherins with their high-end equipment, they still fall a bit short.
Ravenw''s Seeker is a fourth-year, Cho Chang. Her skills are quite good, but she still has some gap to close with Malfoy.
The main issue is that she can''t catch up to Malfoy, although her refined flying technique keeps her from falling behind.
But none of that really mattered.
John looked at Cho Chang''s face, both unfamiliar and friendly. She had talent but the Slytherin team''s brooms were outstanding, not to mention that Malfoy was more mature after bing a member of the Constetion Soci!
"Watch out!"
Cedric''s heart nearly leaped into his throat.
Earlier, Malfoy had rather unsportingly crashed into Cho Chang, almost making her lose control and fall.
John nced at Cedric, he had initially thought Cedric was just there to cheer of Draco as a member of the Constettion Society, but it turned out he was actually pining for her!
Tsk, shameless!
This guy''s eyes were practically glued to her.
But to be fair, Cho Chang was quite pretty. When she was still, she had the typical elegance of an Easterndygentle and charming.
On a broomstick, though, she was a little eagle soaring through the sky, valiant and graceful.
No wonder Cedric was utterly captivated.
From the way he looked, as if he wished he could jump in himself to save her, John figured that once the match was over, Malfoy would likely receive a good beating?
The Quidditch styles of the four houses were distinct, too.
Gryffindor''s was the bold, adaptable style.
Hufflepuff''s was all about skill and endurance.
Ravenw''s focused on meticulous tactics.
Slytherin, though, was different; they specialized in pay-to-win and dirty tricks!
As a Slytherin yer, it seemed every one of them had a trick or two up their sleeve.
Like Flint with his sneaky trick, smacking down opponents one by one.
And then there''s Malfoy with his reckless chargesif you didn''t know better, you''d think he was a Beater.
This team could be described as a squad of rogues.
Ravenw was like a group of schrs facing off against unruly thugs; no matter how fine their tactics, they couldn''t match the constant fouls.
In the end, Slytherin narrowly defeated Ravenw.
"John! Didn''t I told you we would win! Oh Diggory is also hereEh?"
Malfoy strutted over proudly, but Cedric went right past him, heading over tofort Cho Chang.
What exactly he said, John didn''t know, but he definitely overheard "Draco Malfoy" at least three times, and words like "dirty" and "despicable" more than ten times.
"What the.."
Malfoy''s face darkened.
They were all part of the Constetion Society; if Cedric wasn''t going to congratte him, he could at least avoid putting him down.
John stepped forward, patted Malfoy on the shoulder, and said with a hint of amusement, "Does your father know you y this dirty?"
He had a feeling that if Malfoy brought a saw to the game, he wouldn''t hesitate to saw off his opponent''s broomstick.
"?" Malfoy was baffled.
ying dirty?
Wasn''t this the Slytherin way?
His father had even bragged about putting a Gryffindor in the hospital wing back in his day.
As they say, the apple doesn''t fall far from the tree.
...
February was fast approaching.
John was still waiting for the storm, but in the meantime, he wrote a letter to Nagini.
Because she''d been a snake for so long, Nagini needed time to recuperate. Her left hand and right leg had both been affected by the transformation, and it would likely take over a year to fully heal.
From her words, John could tell how relieved she was to finally be able to return to human form.
When John first discovered her, Nagini was nearly fully consumed by the transformation.
John was also considering how to arrange Nagini''s life moving forward. She wasn''t a Muggle, but she wasn''t exactly a witch, either.
She''d fought before, but always by using blood magic to turn into a snake.
She hadn''t received any systematic training in magic.
She wouldn''t be suited for security roles, but another idea came to John''s mind that might be a better fit.
"Come to think of it, Johnny Silverhand could use a secretary~"
After taking over the Knockturn Alley business from the Shafiq family, John''s operations had expanded significantly.
He''d even opened a bookstore in Diagon Alley, so managing everything on his own was impossible.
Eventually, he would need to delegate some of the business, and Nagini seemed like a good option.
One regret was that Kim Ladiy was only working as a seasonal hire and had left before the school term began.
He was a great guy, and John had been interested in helping him develop.
The security team had expanded, now reaching a strength of twenty members.
Tommy was still the captain, with two sub-captains appointed to assist in management.
John also nned to establish a Knockturn Alley Strike Squad specifically to deal with unruly dark wizards.
This project hadn''t started yet.
Thest crackdown by Fudge on Johnny Silverhand''s exclusive shops did have some impact, with several Ministry officials now viewing Sir Johnny Silverhand with an addedyer of caution.
At this critical juncture, forming a Knockturn Alley Strike Squad might be too much for the Ministry to handle.
Since Rufus Scrimgeour temporarily took over as Acting Minister for Magic, he had maintained respect toward John, though it was slightly less reverent than before.
John understood this, but it was no concern; that''s just how alliances work.
Those you help to power tend to fear your influence the most.
Just as Dumbledore held sway over Fudge, Johnny Silverhand upied a simr ce in Rufus Scrimgeour''s mind.
"As long as he does his job well, I don''t mind either."
John nced at the Daily Prophet; Rufus Scrimgeour had been active in the press.
He was working to solidify his position and win public support.
Until he dealt with Sirius ck, he couldn''t fully secure the role of Minister for Magic and therefore wouldn''t dare show any disrespect to Johnny Silverhand.
"Hmm.. If Sirius ck''s target is Harry, where would he be hiding?"
After some thought, John suspected that Sirius ck might still be hiding within Hogwarts.
He had once been a student at Hogwarts, which meant he might know about secret passages the Marauder''s Map couldn''t disy.
The Marauder''s Map wasn''t omnipotent; some locations couldn''t be detected on it.
For example, the Room of Requirement and the Chamber of Secrets, as well as John''s Constetion Society''s secret room, which he had magically shielded to keep off the map.
Excluding those areas, there was also the Shrieking Shack.
John had visited it before and had gone a few more times since, but still hadn''t found anything.
However, he stayed cautious, cing a spell on the Shrieking Shack so that if anyone entered, he''d be notified.
Time quickly passed, and February arrived.
It had be more challenging for John to capture Dementors, as the Ministry had caught on to someone deliberately targeting them, so they had Aurors leading patrols now.
This was the first time John hade back empty-handed.
In the castle, even before Valentine''s Day, there was already an unmistakable smell of romance in the air.
Daphne casually moved closer to John, her cheeks tinged with a delicate blush, looking especially lovely.
Her looks weren''t of the sweet variety but more of a highborn elegance, with a sharp chin and finely shaped features befitting a youngdy of distinction.
She was already beautiful and captivating, even without her features fully matured. When she grew up, who knew how many hearts she''d break?
"John, Valentine''s Day ising up," she murmured, her earlobes turning red as she tried to sound casual. "I wonder how many people will confess to you this time."
At the mention of Valentine''s Day, John''s expression darkened.
Last year''s Valentine''s Day had left him with no fond memories.
Lockhart''s ridiculous stunts were chaotic enough to be considered outrageous even at Hogwarts.
The thought gave him a bit of a psychological shadow, as he wondered whether Lupin would pull any of Lockhart''s shy stunts this year.
Daphne, too nervous to look John in the face, missed the strange expression on his face.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she continued, "I''ve been learning how to make choctes recently, so if you''d like, I could"
Before she could finish, she caught a glimpse of John''s horrified expression out of the corner of her eye.
She nearly choked, holding back the words, and stomped angrily on John''s foot before storming off in a huff.
John rubbed his now sore right foot, feeling even more relieved that he wouldn''t have to eat Daphne''s homemade choctes.
After all, too much of that sort of thing was hard on the stomach.
Even a stomach of iron wouldn''t survive Daphne''s relentless culinary assaults.
Daphne''s cooking had three prominent features: color, aroma, and taste
The color was.. charcoal.
John couldn''t tasteProbably a good thing in this case.
And the smell was like cow dungit was the kind of horror that made one''s skin crawl.
Watching Daphne''s retreating figure, John sighed, "Daphne''s a great girl"
"As long as she doesn''t cook that is."
He turned his gaze to the courtyard, where Cedric and Cho Chang were chatting andughing, their rtionship seemingly progressing quickly. The atmosphere was thick with the stench of young love.
On the other side, it was the same storyDraco Malfoy was relentlessly pursuing (?), or rather antagonizing, Harry, constantly provoking him with ghostly antics and throwing in jabs about Ron being a guy who only knew how to munch on chicken legs.
"That kid''s definitely crushing on him."
Taking it all in, Johnmented with a nk expression.
Whether Harry owed him money or had somehow tricked him emotionally, the level of dedication Draco showed by provoking him every single day was almost admirable in its persistence.
Harry, having just gotten his Firebolt back, didn''t even want to bother with Malfoy''s taunts.
He just red coldly.
The next day.
Harry, riding his Firebolt, gave a stunning performance and crushed Ravenw.
He was hoisted up and cheered on by the crowd.
Meanwhile, Cedric ran over tofort Cho Chang.
________
Read 12 Chapters ahead:
148: Cold War and Weiwei
148: Cold War and Weiwei
Some things are indeed strangelike a Gryffindor slipping into the ranks of Slytherin.
John didn''t understand it. The Golden Trio was bickering yet again.
This time it was Ron and Hermione. Ron had found a bloodstain on his bed.
Furiously, he used Crookshanks of having eaten Scabbers, yelling at Hermione until she stormed off, clearly upset. In private, Harry also suspected Crookshanks, especially since they''d found ginger cat hair in the room.
"So... you ended up here?"
John nced to his right, where Hermione''s eyes were tinged with sadness, then to his left, where Daphne''s re could''ve set something on fire.
"..."
He was at a loss.
Instinct told him he might be better off sitting somewhere else.
Draco Malfoy, who usually had a distaste for Hermione, pretended not to notice and drank his pumpkin juice like it was the finest delicacy in the world.
Even the usually oblivious Goyle and Crabbe were silent, heads down, munching away at their bread.
The atmosphere was intensely awkward.
Daphne''s te of smoked meat had been stabbed so many times it looked like Swiss cheese, while Hermione, lost in her own sorrow, seemed oblivious to the tension.
John felt a headacheing on and sighed. "I''ll try to help you sort this out, Hermione. Don''t be sad."
Snap.
A crisp sound echoed.
Malfoy buried his head even lower. Goyle had choked on his bread, while Crabbe, oblivious, kept shoveling food into his mouth.
Turning slowly, John looked at the te that had broken clean in two. He thought to himself, With strength like that, it''d be a shame if she didn''t take up sword fighting.
"I''m full," Daphne said nkly, then walked away.
John had a feeling she might be angry.
It seemed the prejudice between Slytherin and Gryffindor was as immovable as a mountain.
"Scabbers I don''t think he''s dead," John said as he took a sip of water.
He knew that rat wouldn''t die so easily. But finding it might be a challenge; maybe he could check the Marauder''s Mapter.
Hearing his words, Hermione looked up with hopeful, red-rimmed eyes.
"Some things aren''t as simple as they appear," John said vaguely. "You should know by nowthat rat of his is different."
What exactly was different, only John knew.
ss time arrived, and when John turned around, he found Hermione had already disappeared, so fast he hadn''t even noticed her leave.
Finishing his food in a few quick bites, John saw that Malfoy had finally lifted his head from his pumpkin juice.
Malfoy looked hesitant, as if he had something to ask.
After hesitating a few times, Malfoy finally spoke up. "John, I heard from Heinrich that you have a Firebolt?"
He quickly added, "It''s not for meit''s because of Flint. That Potter guy''s got a Firebolt, and he said I might not be able to keep up."
But even with that excuse, Malfoy, the resident "big spender," was pretty frustrated to be outssed by someone else''s gear.
Hearing this, John raised an eyebrow. "So, you want me to give it to you?"
"No, just lend it to me."
Malfoy wasn''t that greedyhe just wanted to borrow it for the final match.
John chuckled, stood up, and said, "Come by the Constetion Society this afternoon; you know where it is. The broom''s there."
Malfoy looked thrilled; he knew John would help him out.
But John wasn''t offering this for free. In a low voice, he added, "Tell Flint to start showing a bit more respect to Seekers who ride Firebolts."
After all, it was just a collectible to him anywaylending it to Malfoy was no big deal.
Thinking that Flint would show some respect, if only for the Firebolt''s sake
Hermione seemed busier than evertely, while John sat staring into the crystal ball.
Inside, swirling mists seemed to be parting under invisible hands, revealing Hermione urgently talking to him, looking anxious.
Then he saw Professor Snape, unconscious, as if he had crashed into a wall.
Dementors filled the air, far more terrifying than the time at the Quidditch field.
The vision suddenly ended.
John pulled his gaze away, noticing that Professor Trwney had appeared beside him at some point. With a look of intense interest, she asked, "John, what did you see?"
Around him, the students held their breath, faces tense with fear, as if bracing for another ominous prophecy from him.
John thought for a moment before saying, "I saw someone lying unconscious, with blood trickling down their cheek from their hair."
"Aah! Stop, stop!" shrieked Lavender, the same girl who''d lost her rabbit after hisst vision, her voice trembling as if fearing the prophecy was about her.
Others looked just as uneasy, while Harry and Ron exchanged nces, silently questioning if they believed any of it.
"John''s just trying to scare everyone," Ron spected confidently. "You know, he just happened to get one right by sheer luck."
Harry was just about to nod when John, still gazing into the crystal ball, added, "A ck dog and a dark-haired man."
He froze mid-movement, turning to John stiffly.
Without acknowledging Harry''s difort, John continued, "That''s all there was."
"Wonderful, Johnny Boy!!!"
Sybill Trwney sped John''s hand, her usual mystical manner reced with genuine admiration.
"You''re the most gifted person I''ve ever met," she dered. "One day, you''ll be a true Seer."
John responded humbly, but it didn''t deter Trwney''s enthusiasm. She promptly awarded Slytherin 50 points.
John felt a little like he''d cheated.
After ss, he ran into Harry, who hesitantly asked, "John, what did you mean by a ck dog?"
"Obviously, a ck dog," John replied, looking at him like he was missing the obvious. He''d seen a ck dog in the crystal ball, so he''d simply mentioned it.
Harry, however, immediately thought back to the ck dog he''d seen earlier, looking unsettled.
Ron came over to join them, and John turned to him, saying, "Ron, you shouldn''t have argued with Hermione."
"She told you, didn''t she?" Ron said angrily. "Her cat ate Scabbers and she won''t even admit it. She''s always so full of herself!"
He went on, "And don''t forgetst timeshe''s the one who got the Firebolt taken away!"
Hermione, who had been approaching them, heard this and her eyes darkened as she walked away, visibly hurt.
John''s face turned serious, and his intensity made Ron flinch a little.
"Ron, that was too harsh. The Firebolt''s origin was unknowndo you want Harry to fall to his death from the sky?"
John''s usual smile vanished as he continued coldly, "Sometimes, you need to think before you speak. You know Sirius ck is after Harry. It wouldn''t hurt to think things through a few times before jumping to conclusions."
Ron was left speechless, muttering something unintelligible as he looked over to Harry, seeking support.
Harry started to speak up, but John raised a hand to stop him.
Not letting it go, John added, "Is trust really that hard for you?"
Some students stopped to watch, and the Slytherins, seeing John chastising a Gryffindor, quietly cheered him on.
John''s admonishing tone made Harry ufortable.
"Think about it," John said. "You''ve known Hermione for ages. Do you really believe she''s jealous of your Firebolt?"
John couldn''t help but feel exasperated with Gryffindor''s strange sense of certainty.
In their first year, Harry thought Snape was out to get him; in their second, he thought it was him, and now in the third, it was Hermione''s "interference."
''Creating danger even when there isn''t any,'' John thought.
Malfoy saw the scene unfold and was thrilled.
"See? I told you John''s a Slytherin!" he said excitedly to Flint, who''d previously argued that John leaned more towards Gryffindor.
Although the conversation with Harry and Ron had been unpleasant, John knew they''d understand once they calmed down.
John headed over to Hagrid''s hut.
Hagrid had told him someone wanted to meet him.
When he arrived, he saw Hagrid there, dressed awkwardly in a suit, as if he were trying it on.
A few other oversized clothesy on the table, looking big enough to be someone else''s nkets.
"You''re here, John. I told Weiwei you were looking for a unicorn horn, and she''s willing to give you one," Hagrid said, looking a bit embarrassed as he took off the beige suit.
John nced at the suit and remembered who Weiwei wasthe unicorn he''d deliberately released. He''d almost forgotten about it.
Unicorns shed their horns, and she had gifted him one before.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I''ll head over now."
As he waved goodbye, John pointed at Hagrid''s beard and suggested, "Maybe tidy up your beard a bit. It''ll make you look sharper."
Hagrid thought about it, nodded, and waved back.
By now, Hagrid was used to John going into the Forbidden Forestafter all, John was strong enough to handle it.
After walking a while through the forest, a white unicorn appeared.
John instantly recognized her as the one he had saved before.
As he approached, the unicorn nuzzled against his palm.
John stiffened a little; honestly, he didn''t consider himself all that "pure."
Weiwei walked ahead, looking back to motion for John to follow.
Unbothered by any potential danger, John followed the trail she left deeper into the forest.
_______
Read 12 Chapters ahead:
149: The Unicorns and the Second Intrusion
149: The Unicorns and the Second Intrusion
There are many majestic unicorns in the Forbidden Forest.
The Forbidden Forest existed long before Hogwarts was established, and it''s home to many magical creatures.
As certain centuries began, legends of magical creatures started spreading, attracting many who fancied themselves brave knights or those eager to please the king.
It was said that dragons hoarded treasures, so the king would send knights to y them.
Elves and fairies had beautiful voices, and this would draw in a whole bunch of circus ve traders.
The unicorn''s situation was a bit better because of their impressive appearance and holy aura.
Throughout history, people have sought unicorns, just to catch a glimpse of whether the legends were true.
Although it wasn''t like in the legends where only a maiden could tame them, unicorns truly had a distaste for dark magic.
John had once used Fiendfyre in front of one, which theoretically made him not the most weed guest for unicorns.
Following Weiwei, he arrived at a ce where trees and grass grew together. Large fruits hung from the tree trunks, and a clear stream flowed gently. Beautiful unicorns appeared in herds.
John even saw centaurs watching from a distance, which made him wonder.
''Do centaurs like humans or horses more?''
One unicorn had a thick horn, its body was pure white, and it looked a sizerger than the others.
Seeing that unicorn, Weiwei happily went over, touching horns with it in a spiral motion, like a little girl yfully seeking affection from her father.
Don''t ask how John could read so much emotion from a horse''s face, because after thatrge unicorn came over, he heard a deep male voice.
"You''re the student who saved Weiwei?"
The tall unicorn looked strong enough to break a tree with one charge. His voice was like a baritone in an orchestra. "I''m rk. Thank you for saving my daughter."
With that, the tall unicorn lowered his head.
John was stunned for a moment before realizing what was happening.
He understood that it wasn''t the unicorn speaking, but some kind of magic.
In his vision, he saw golden markings on rk''s bodyancient magic.
Then again, it wasn''t surprising that magical creatures knew magic.
John nodded, bowing gracefully, and with a polite smile, he said, "My name is John Wick. It''s an honor to be invited to the unicorn''s sanctuary."
Unicorns rarely appeared in groups, usually showing up alone, which made them symbols of beauty and purity, and also made them feel rare.
Here, however, there were easily over a hundred unicorns in view, and the ce was extremely secluded, hidden behind a waterfall.
If Weiwei hadn''t led him, John would never have found this ce.
rk inspected John for a moment and noticed something was wrong with his right hand, so he lowered his head.
His spiral horn emitted a silvery-white glow, like moonlight, and the light enveloped John''s arm.
"This.."
John could feel the missing essence in his arm slowly restoring, though the process wasn''t fast.
After finishing the treatment, rk said with some difficulty, "Your soul has been wounded before. This is as much as I can do."
"T.. Thank you."
John sincerely appreciated it; his right hand was much steadier now.
This healing effect was several times stronger than drinking a soul-restoring potion. Truly, the ancient and sacred unicorns lived up to their reputation.
Seeing her father''s friendliness toward John, Weiwei nudged him with her head.
Not understanding, John nced at rk, who chuckled and said, "She''s inviting you in. There''s something there you''ll need."
''Something I need?''
With a sudden realization, John followed Weiwei''s gentle pushes and walked through a hollowed tree tunnel lush with greenery.
Inside, a dazzling array of unicorn horns was piled up, glowing in various hues.
Weiwei gently touched John''s head with her horn, and a sweet feminine voice sounded, "This is the unicorns'' horn-changing ce. You may take a horn from here."
John swallowed hard.
The number of horns here must be in the tens of thousands.
This unicorn n had lived here since before Hogwarts was established, so the collection of horns was truly staggering.
The hollowed-out tree, towering like a giant, sheltered the n. What amazed John even more was that although the tree was hollow, it was full of vitality.
The vegetation at its roots was covered in leaves that shimmered and sparkled.
John said, "In that case, thank you, Weiwei."
Since he needed a horn, and he was never one to be overly polite, John began selecting from the mountain of unicorn horns. Some of them had aged over a thousand years and had crystalized, looking like precious jade.
It was like stepping into a treasure troveone that, if released, could shake the entire magical economy.
After some picking and choosing, he took ten horns.
John then pulled out a ne made of gold and gemstones, lengthened it enough to fit, and ced it around Weiwei''s neck.
"I hope you''ll ept my friendship."
The ne was actually a new product, enchanted with an Iron Armor Charm that could automatically recharge its magic power.
The beautiful, gleaming gemstone ne made Weiwei very happy.
She touched John gently with her horn, and her voice came softly, "Then we''re friends, John."
From a distance, rk watched with satisfaction. A smaller unicorn approached him with concern, saying, "rk, that child has touched souls..."
rk knew this already, but he didn''t mind. He replied, "But he is good, isn''t he?"
rk was not only Weiwei''s father but also the king of the unicorn herd.
He could see the wound on John''s soul and could also glimpse the chaotic magic within him.
Weiwei escorted John back to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Through his questions, John also learned from Weiwei the secrets of thatmunication magic.
It was a type of mental magic, the predecessor of Legilimency.
Or rather, Legilimency was created by drawing from this type of magic.
The origins of wizards are untraceable, but their abilities originated from magical creatures.
They learned fire control from dragons, mind-reading from unicorns, and Apparition from Fwoopers.
The rise of wizards came from constant learning. ording to legend, even Merlin once studied with magical creatures.
From such foundations, it''s no surprise that abilities like Parseltongue and Draconic Speakers emerged.
"Could it be that ancient magic is the origin of bloodline magic?"
Thinking about Parseltongue, a talent passed down purely through inheritance rather than learning, John spected that ancient magic differed from wizarding magic; it arose from the pursuit of magic, where exposure to it left a mark.
In the magical world, there are also natural-born Legilimens and natural-born Metamorphmagi, among others.
They don''t need to learnthe talents are etched into their bodies.
After bidding farewell to Weiwei, John left the Forbidden Forest as night fell.
He noticed that the light was bright in Hagrid''s hut.
When he looked closer, he saw Hagrid seriously reciting a stack of notes.
These were all materials Hermione had gathered for him from previous cases, and Hagrid was very grateful. If only Hermione, Harry and Ron weren''t still in their cold war, it would be even better.
Fang seemed to sense something and lifted his head.
John motioned for him to stay quiet, and Fang lowered his head, wagging his tail.
Waving goodbye, John headed toward the castle.
The moment he stepped inside, John''s eyes darkened.
The surveince magic set up within the castle had been triggereda spell that activated after curfew.
He reached into his pocket, and the Marauder''s Map appeared in his hand.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!"
Ink lines spread across the parchment, sketching out a map.
John saw a ck dot with footsteps hurrying toward Gryffindor Tower.
The name above it read:
Sirius ck!
"So, he''s still here!"
John rushed in the direction of Gryffindor Tower.
He nned to take a shortcut, but Sirius ck was even more familiar with the castle, using every shortest path avable.
Before John could arrive, he saw that Sirius ck had already entered the Gryffindormon room.
"How is that possible?!"
John was shocked. Did this guy somehow get past Sir Cadogan?
It didn''t seem that way; it looked like he simply walked right in.
No time to think further, John dashed toward Gryffindor Tower without even using the Disillusionment Charm.
"Meaw~??"
Mrs. Norris spotted John on the staircase but just watched him run past without making a sound.
Filch, hearing hurried footsteps, rushed out and saw only John''s figure disappearing down the corridor.
Thinking it was a student out after curfew, he hurriedly tried to follow.
But John was too fast, and Filch couldn''t keep up.
Soon, as John neared Gryffindor Tower, Sir Cadogan''s door swung open again.
A ragged man with ck hair dashed out.
As he ran, his body began to change, transforming into arge, thick (referring to his girth) ck dog.
At the same time, in the Gryffindor boys'' dormitory, Ron let out terrified screams.
"ck! Sirius ck! He has a knife!"
__________
Read 12 Chapters Ahead:
150: Pursuit
150: Pursuit
The Gryffindormon room was in chaos, and the Weasley twins seemed ready to keep the party going.
Professor McGonagall looked displeased as she mmed the door shut. She''d assumed it was just a celebration after Gryffindor''s victory over Ravenw.
Though she was happy herself, order still needed to be maintained within the school.
Percy became the target of her scolding, with the reason being that he should have maintained order in themon room instead of using his Head Boy authority to approve the festivities.
"It wasn''t me who approved it, Professor!"
Percy looked both wronged and furious, his chest puffing out like an offended pufferfish. "I was about to tell them all to go to bed! It was my brother Ron who had a nightmare."
"It wasn''t a nightmare!" Ron protested, outraged at this nder. "Professor, I woke up and saw Sirius ck standing next to my bed, holding a knife!"
He looked genuinely terrified, as if he were about to die from the memory alone.
He also felt a bit resentful toward Percy; he was his brother, so how could he nder him like that?
Professor McGonagall stared at him in surprise, as if looking at a child muddled from sleep.
A bit irritated by the disturbance, she snapped, "Stop making a spectacle, Weasley!"
She pointed toward the portrait hole and asked, "How could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?"
"Ask him!" Ron insisted, certain he hadn''t been mistaken. He pointed to the back of Sir Cadogan''s portrait and said, "Ask if he saw him!"
Still somewhat doubtful, Professor McGonagall opened the door and stepped out to inquire.
"Sir Cadogan, did you let a man into Gryffindor Tower just now?"
Sir Cadogan responded as if he were receiving a glorious medal of honor. "Why, of course, nobledy!"
"I strictly followed my orders while guarding the entrancethat''s what makes a true knight."
His voice echoed through themon room and beyond, leaving everyone in stunned silence, as if to confirm Ron''s words.
Professor McGonagall, wide-eyed, stammered, "You you really did that?"
Was it intentional or a mistake?
"He had the password!" Sir Cadogan dered proudly, lifting his head high. "He had the whole week''s worth of passwords, mydy! He read them off a little slip of paper!"
Intentional!
Professor McGonagall dabbed her mouth with a tissue (?), her eyes wide, ring at him with a gritted-teeth expression as if she were staring down something extremely unpleasant.
Her face pale, she stormed back into themon room.
"Who," she asked in a trembling voice, "which absolute fool wrote down this week''s password and left it lying around?"
As she finished speaking, two faces suddenly lost all color.
Neville timidly raised his hand and, in a tiny voice, said, "I''m sorry, Professor. I I can''t remember the passwords after all."
He looked as if he wanted to crawl into the floor, his entire body shaking.
Professor McGonagall shot Neville a furious re, clearly exasperated with his poor memory.
She had to organize a castle-wide search right away, so she didn''t deal with him just yet.
In the crowd, Hermione''s hands tightened around her books, her eyes wide in disbelief.
Her face quickly lost color as if she''d heard something horrifying.
Neville wasn''t the only one who had written down the password on a piece of paperHermione had too.
She had personally handed that paper to John.
...
John held the Marauder''s Map, focusing solely on following the ck dot as it moved quickly ahead of him.
"This guy''s really fast."
As someone who trained regrly, John was frustrated that he couldn''t keep up with Sirius ck.
They both had two legs, didn''t they? Or did he have a couple of extras?
Activating his speed-boosting shoes, John suddenly gained a burst of speed.
Earlier, the stairway''syout had made it difficult to elerate, but now that he was on level ground, he didn''t hold back.
With his "physical cheat mode" activated, John''s speed skyrocketed, closing the distance between him and the ck dot in mere seconds.
Reaching a section of the rotating staircase, John decided to take a leap down.
As John reached the ground floor, he felt a gentle force lift him up.
It was Hogwarts'' safety measure to prevent anyone from falling down the stairs, bringing him even closer to Sirius ck.
A chase through the castle ensued, with both runners being extremely familiar with itsyout.
John was gaining ground, and the exit was getting closer.
Arge ck dog darted out of Hogwarts'' doors, with a blurred figure right behind it.
Filch,gging behind, tripped over his own feet, practically falling over himself as he chased them, cursing under his breath. He watched the blurring figure disappear and thought to himself that he must be too old to keep up with young people.
John, oblivious to the fact that Filch had tried to intercept him on the first floor, had eyes only for Sirius ck.
As they neared the edge of the Marauder''s Map''s range, John made a quick decision and released the stored energy from his enchanted shoes.
A glow burst from the shoes, elerating him rapidly and leaving a shadowy trail behind.
Ahead, therge ck dog began to slow, seemingly out of breath.
Big, shaggy, and almost bear-like.
No doubt about itthat was Sirius ck.
Without hesitation, John pushed harder, and with just ten meters between them, he leapt forward with all his strength.
The force of his jump left a small crater in the ground, his pose reminiscent of a certain green-suited character aiming a mighty kick at a centenarian dancer in the town square.
Wind gusted around him as his kick aimed squarely for the dog''s midsection.
"AAwoo!!"
Whether or not it was really Sirius, he was taking it down first and asking questionster!
Sirius ck had failed to locate the traitor he was hunting.
He sped out of the castle, knowing he couldn''t risk staying longer or he''d be caught by Aurors.
As the former king of mischief at school, there was no one better acquainted with the castle''s secret passages.
Taking advantage of these shortcuts, he had escaped effortlessly.
The Shrieking Shack was no longer an option, so he turned toward the Forbidden Forest.
Thanks to a new friend he''d made, he''d set up a hideout in the forest.
Only problem was, he''d been eating a lot of dog foodtely and had put on a bit of weight...
Once, he could swim the ocean in one breath, but now he was feeling winded.
Just as he was about to slow down, his nose caught a familiar scent.
Before he could fully process the scent, the sound of rushing wind forced Sirius to turn his headand he nearly wet himself in terror.
John was flying toward him, foot outstretched in a powerful kick thatnded squarely on Sirius''s midsection.
"AAwoo!!"
He was sure his ribs had definitely broken.
The impactunched Sirius into the air, sending him tumbling across the ground for at least a dozen rolls before mming into the fence at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
When he finally managed to stand, he was coughing up blood in gasps, with bits of what felt like ruptured spleen tissueing up, too.
He stared in disbelief at John, who had skidded to anding, his crouched form leaving two deep gouges in the ground.
Is this guy even a little wizard?!
Where''s his wand?
Where''s his magic?!
The blow left Sirius''s vision hazy. He bit his tongue hard, the pain snapping him back to alertness.
With a massive internal bleed, it was fortunate he was an Animagus; his physique was tougher than that of most other wizards.
"Grr!"
With trembling legs, the big ck dog red intently at John.
John raised an eyebrow, surprised. He withstood that kick?
As expected from an Animagus.
John was now certain: this dog was indeed Sirius ck.
Thanks to Tom and Crookshanks feeding him tirelessly, he hadn''t immediately connected this round, plump dog to the scraggly, thin one he''d seen earlier by the gate.
Drawing his wand, John aimed it squarely at Sirius and said coldly, "Sirius ck. Are you going to show yourself, or do I have to make you?"
He kept his eyes fixed on Sirius;pared to Rita Skeeter, Sirius''s transformation skills were clearly far more refined.
So refined that John had to activate his Insight ability just to see faint traces of magical energy.
The big ck dog was silent for a moment. Then, with John watching, it slowly rose on its hind legs, its body beginning to shift and morph.
In seconds, Sirius''s real, ghastly form stood before him, looking as if he''d just risen from the grave.
He wasn''t quite as emaciated as the stories imed; his skin was deathly pale, and his long hair, tangled and greasy, looked like a curlier, messier version of Snape''s.
John figured he probably hadn''t touched Potter-brand shampoo in years.
Sirius sneered at the sight of John''s Slytherin robes, shing yellowed teeth that made John wince.
Yeah, it was nauseating. The guy clearly hadn''t brushed in ages.
Even from a distance, John could catch a whiff of his breath.
"John Wick," Sirius rasped, ring at him with one hand clutched over his left side, which was badly dented from the earlier kick.
He coughed up blood, clearly in terrible shape.
John sized up Sirius from head to toe. "Good. Now, you don''t need to run."
"You''re a very skilled wizard, I''ll admit that," Sirius sneered, a strange glint in his eyes. "But you shouldn''t underestimate a fully grown wizard."
With that, Sirius pulled out a wand and pointed it at John.
John''s brow furrowed. Where on earth did Sirius get that wand? And why did it look somewhat familiar?
T-That.. Is that my spare wand from home..?
He hadn''t anticipated having a thief right under his roof.
At the same time, John wasn''t one to let his guard down; he always believed in striking first.
Without hesitation, a sh of white light shot from his wand, and Sirius cast a spell in return.
The two of them shed on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
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151: The Truth of ‘Murder’
151: The Truth of Murder
As a former core member in the fight against Death Eaters, Sirius ck was certainly no weakling.
Even after twelve years without a wand, he regained his instincts the instant he picked it up.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
The noble ck bloodline, dormant but potent, manifested itself inbat.
If you ignored Sirius''s ragged clothing, he could have passed for a gant nobleman in this moment.
John dodged the attack and raised his wand to counter.
A white sh exploded on the ground, leaving a small crater.
The two exchanged spells back and forth, like a proper duel.
But this wasn''t a duel.
John transformed the fence into a snake that coiled around Sirius''s ankle, almost causing him to fall. Sirius fired a spell that hit the ground beneath John, transforming it into a swamp that began to pull him down.
"Incendio!"
Using a fire spell to dry out the swamp, John braced his legs and yanked himself free.
mes circled the area, and with a flick of his wand, John transformed them into a zing wall of fire surrounding Sirius.
Sirius wasn''t about to give up easily. In an instant, he broke free of the restraints, raising his wand high and shouting, "Finite Incantatem!"
But the mes didn''t stopinstead, they continued to close in tighter and tighter.
John''s fire spell wasn''t something to be taken lightly; he summoned wind elements to fuel the ze.
The mes swirled into a tornado, roaring upward with fierce intensity.
Sirius''s expression shifted. He transformed a section of the fence into a shield, using it to cover himself.
The fiery tornadopressed and, when it extinguished, left only a few scorched shield fragments behind.
John''s gaze sharpened as he noticed an opening created in the fence.
Without hesitation, he dashed forward.
Just as he entered, arge ck dog hidden in the shadows lunged and bit down hard on his leg.
The powerful jaws seemed like they might crush his leg entirely, but John gritted his teeth and punched the dog square in the face, sending it flying.
In an instant, Sirius transformed back, wand aimed at John, ready to strike.
But John was faster.
"Levicorpus!"
The spell hit Sirius, who went flying backward, his entire body suspended upside down, dangling from a tree.
"Expelliarmus!"
A red light hit Sirius, who had been about to make another move, sending his wand flying into John''s hand.
John casually pocketed it, his own wand steadily aimed at Sirius.
"You''reing with me."
He approached Sirius, step by step, wand unwavering.
Sirius let out augh. "Your spellwork is impressive."
"Thank you," John replied, his expression unchanged, vignce never wavering.
But the upside-down Sirius seemed to have found his voice, asking, "Who taught you your spells?"
"Is it that important?" John almost wanted to silence himwhy so chatty?
"Of course," Sirius chuckled darkly. "That one was invented by that Sevear Rusty Snake Ape."
"You mean Severus Snape?" John wrinkled his nose.
"Haha! So you know him, right?"
"He''s a teacher at schoolmy Head of House."
John''s expression cooled, and Sirius looked surprised. "Him? He actually became the Head of Slytherin."
"If you know Professor Snape well, I wouldn''t mind delivering you to him."
An idea sparked in John''s mind as he remembered something his Head of House had mentioned about a plot. "What''s your rtionship with Remus Lupin?"
The mention of an old friend''s name made Sirius pause, his expression unreadable. "Remus? He was a friend of mine once... but that was a long time ago."
John scrutinized his eyes. "Professor Snape once brought up an attempted murder. I think you know what he''s talking about."
"Murder? He actually called it that?" Sirius quickly understood,unching into a tirade. "That Snake Ape! He followed us there on his own! James was the one who saved him!"
"Oh?"
So Sirius was involved, then. John raised his eyebrows, signaling him to continue.
"It was a prank. Severus Snape was insufferable, even back in school. We didn''t get along," Sirius admitted grudgingly, seeming to stall for time. "One day, Remus was going... well, I decided to y a little joke. It might have been dangerous, but nothing happened."
When Sirius mentioned Remus''s destination, his voice trailed off in a mumble.
John, picking up on the connection to Remus, made a guess. "A prank? If you mean Remus transforming into a werewolf on the full moon, that''s more than a simple joke."
Sirius''s eyes widenedhe hadn''t expected John to know about Remus''s secret.
But John didn''t give him time to linger on his surprise.
With a slight lift of his wand, he signaled for Sirius to go on.
With a sigh, Sirius continued, "Alright, alright. Remus goes to the Shrieking Shack during the full moon. Severus was always trying to catch us breaking the rules, so I purposely let it slip that pressing the knot on the Whomping Willow would make it stop moving."
Sirius left the rest unsaid.
John could guess the rest: Snape, eager to catch them breaking the rules, would''ve rushed straight thereonly to find himself facing a frenzied, uncontroble werewolf.
Even if Professor Snape had managed to survive, his fate would have been to be a werewolf, shunned by the entire wizarding world.
John narrowed his eyes and sneered. "That ''prank'' doesn''t seem very funny."
Sirius was ready. He sneered back, "What, you''re going to avenge your Head of House?"
He assumed John wouldn''t have the guts, but John replied coldly, "Why not?"
In the next second, John''s wand emitted a bright white light, a deadly warning ringing through Sirius''s mind.
He would die!
Without hesitation, Sirius dropped low, transforming into arge dog and bolting away.
The tree hit by John''s sting Curse exploded violently from the inside out. John hadn''t anticipated that Sirius knew the counter-curse for Levicorpus, but he was ready to chase him down.
Just then, he heard a loud shoutit was Hagrid.
"Who''s there!"
They were close to Hagrid''s hut, and the noise had alerted him.
Hagrid approached with his crossbow, and John, momentarily distracted, turned back only to find that Sirius had already disappeared into the night.
"Fuck! He was waiting for that exact moment!"
Looking up, he saw Aurors arriving with Dementors, their dark forms sweeping the area. John''s expression turned cold; he had underestimated the strength of someone capable of escaping Azkaban.
Making himself invisible like a Demiguise, John slipped into the Forbidden Forest without hesitation.
The signs of their skirmish also attracted the Aurors, who began inspecting the area. Following the secret passage from Slytherin''s chamber, John made his way back into the castle.
By the time he emerged, professors were rushing about in search.
Instead of returning to the dormitory, John spent the night in the Constttion Society''s hidden chamber.
At dawn, he came out, pretending as if nothing had happened.
...
What happened the previous night had terrified Ron. A female Auror spoke quietly with Professor McGonagall while a male Auror scanned the surroundings.
Filch was there, swearing he had seen Sirius ck and describing how he had bolted like the wind.
Sir Cadogan was unsurprisingly dismissed from the Gryffindor Tower, and the Fat Lady had returned to her post, now with a squad of burly troll guards patrolling the corridors.
Harry and Ron were walking together and reached the third floor, where a passage led from Honeydukes Sweetshop into the castle.
Harry felt uneasy, suspecting that Sirius ck may have entered that way.
Ron, however, dismissed it.
"We know he wouldn''te in through Honeydukes."
Ron said, feeling clever, "If he broke into Honeydukes, we''d definitely hear about it."
Ron''s logic helped ease Harry''s mind, and he was d Ron had said it. This way, he didn''t need to report anything to the professors and could still visit Hogsmeade.
With this reassurance, they kept walkinguntil Harry suddenly stopped. Ron looked at him in confusion.
Following Harry''s gaze, he saw the door close behind John, who was now leaving.
Harry didn''t know why he instinctively hid, but he felt strongly that he didn''t want John to notice him.
Ron gave him a strange look. "John? What''s he doing there? Searching for Sirius ck, maybe?"
Harry replied, "Maybe he stayed there all night."
Once John walked away, the two quickly approached the door.
Carefully, they opened it, finding it just as empty asst time.
Ron was puzzled, but Harry seemed to suspect something.
"Let''s check around."
"There''s nothing here," Ron grumbled. "We might as well go fly on the Firebolt."
Ignoring him, Harry continued searching, though they found nothing.
''What is John hiding?'' Harry wondered. Was there treasure in here, or maybe something or someone?
He asked Ron if ck was rich, and Ron confirmed that he was very wealthy.
This made Harry think of how generously John always spent his money, like well, like he had an endless supply....
_________
Heya Guys! I''m also working on a new story called Subus System At Hogwarts.
You can check it out by searching the name or through my profile. I''m sure you guys will love it?
__________
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152: The Upside-Down Dog
152: The Upside-Down Dog
Ron had suddenly be famousand maybe he didn''t mind being scared out of his wits if it meant all this attention.
For the first time in his life, he was getting more attention than the Harry Potter.
Though the lingering shock wasn''t pleasant, he was already enthusiastically recounting his "Adventures of Ron" to the crowd.
"I was sleeping, then I heard this tearing sound. I thought I was dreaming, you know?"
Ron spoke like an old-fashioned storyteller, and the young wizards around him couldn''t help but feel a thrill of suspense.
"But then this cold wind hit me, and I woke up, and one side of my bed curtains had been ripped off" He was going into great detail when suddenly someone shouted.
"Look, there''s a dog doing a handstand outside!"
In a sh, all the young wizards rushed out to see.
Tom, the beagle, was bncing on her front paws, looking forlorn in the corner, his cute appearance making some of the girls want to go over and help him.
But when they nced at the Slytherin student standing nearby with a frosty look on his face, they didn''t quite have the courage to step forward.
The Weasley twins came over, looking stunned. "Blimey, is that John?"
"He loves that dog. What happened?"
As the school''s most well-known dog lover, John was actually punishing Tom.
The twins thought this was even scarier than hearing Filch had fallen in love.
Some even spected that this John might actually be someone else in disguise.
Among those with this theory was Malfoy, who didn''t hesitate to step up and "rescue" his friend''s dog.
And then...
Malfoy, clutching his bruised eye, snapped at Goyle and Crabbe, "You both knew he was real, didn''t you?"
The two quickly shook their heads, and Goyle, unable to hold it in, burst outughing.
Malfoy pulled out his wand, which sent Goyle sprinting away in fear.
Daphne hurried over, taking in John''s intimidating expression and asking with concern for Tom, "What''s going on?"
"What''s going on? Huh." With a cold smirk, John looked unmoved by Tom''s pleading, nearly tearful expression.
What was going on?
This dog had actually stolen his spare wand and given it to Sirius ck.
He should''ve figuredever since Fang starteding around begging for extra treats, he should''ve known.
Tom here had another dog on the side. And not just any doga wanted criminal.
"Don''t plead for it," John said firmly.
His rare sternness made Daphne stop in her tracks, exchanging a bewildered look with Pansy.
Pansy: "Did you feed him something strange?"
Daphne: "Nope, I haven''t even tried out the strawberry mapo tofu recipe from the Ice Creame shop yet."
A quick exchange of looks between them made it clear they were both thinking the same thing. If it wasn''t something he ate, then what could''ve made John so angry?
They had no idea that John was still sore about getting bitten by the ck Dog.
If Crookshanks hadn''t been hiding out in Gryffindor, there would probably be a cat doing handstands here as well.
John shifted his foot, a twitch at the corner of his mouth betraying the sharp pain.
Damn, that fucker really bit hard.
If John weren''t as tough as he was, that bite might''ve taken a chunk out of his leg.
Leaving Tom to do the handstand until the end of ss, John turned, a sh of annoyance in his eyes.
Thest time he''d looked this rough was after being chased by those spiders in the web-filled forest.
With that look on his face, no one dared to approach him.
Ron, still a bit sour about losing the spotlight, muttered as he nced over at John, "Do you think he found out about what we were doing this morning?"
He was referring to the room he went to in the morning. Harry, eyeing John carefully, said, "No wayhe didn''te over there."
...
Walking with a bit of a limp to ss, John headed to the infirmary to get his leg treated after it was over.
Simple.
Gold.
With 100 Galleons, his leg waspletely healed.
The coin spell had simply activated, and the healing magic restored his leg.
John rubbed the spot of his former injury, now showing no trace of harm.
The price was still absurdly high, though.
John couldn''t help but wonder if goblin magic had middlemen driving up the costs.
With a spring in his step, he headed back to the edge of the Forbidden Forest fromst night, staring at the tree he''d shattered.
"It seems he held back."
John recalled the battle from the night beforeSirius hadn''t used any offensive spells on him. Instead, he''d chosen spells to restrain and disarm.
That final bite might have just been ast resort.
Thinking this, John started walking toward the deeper forest.
Just as he was about to step in, he stopped, catching Luna''s gaze as she looked right at him.
"Luna, what are you doing here?"
John walked over, and Luna seemed to drift along in a daze. Her voice was ethereal, almost like a song: "I''m looking for the Crumple-Horned Snorkack. Longbottom has a lot of Wrackspurts around him, so I came out."
"?"
John''s mind practically sprouted a question mark. Luna pointed at his face and said, "Now you have a lot of Wrackspurts around you, too."
Wrackspurts?
He activated his insight spell but couldn''t see anything.
"They''re invisible," Luna sang gently. "They float into your ears and muddle up your thoughts. But now they''re flying away."
John raised an eyebrow; his thoughts had indeed been a bit jumbled just now.
ncing at Luna, who seemed ready to move deeper into the forest, John said, "It''s dangerous over there. When I have time, I''ll help you look for the Crumple-Horned Snorkack."
That bite from the night before had thrown him off bnce, but Luna''s appearance grounded him.
He smiled warmly, feeling a protective, almost sibling-like fondnessthough he didn''t actually have a sister.
Luna nodded and skipped over to him, her bare, muddy feet moving freely. John frowned and asked, "Did someone hide your shoes again?"
He knew Luna wasn''t exactly popr in Ravenw, and it seemed like those "little eagles" had been a bit cruel.
"My shoes are magical," Luna replied without concern. "They y hide-and-seek when I fall asleep."
John thought for a moment, then nodded. "Then I''ll give you a pair of shoes that won''t y hide-and-seek," he said.
Luna smiled, a rare expression for her; she usually looked as if she were daydreaming.
John drew his wand and conjured a stream of water to wash the dirt off her feet, then took off his own shoes and ced them on her feet. A tap of his wand, and the oversized shoes shrank to fit.
Standing barefoot, he shrugged and said, "Now these shoes won''t y hide-and-seek. You can rest easy."
Luna gazed at the charmed shoes and seemed genuinely happy.
John walked ahead barefoot, asking, "Can you tell me what exactly the Crumple-Horned Snorkack is?"
Luna followed, her steps leisurely and dreamlike, and answered in her airy voice, "It lives in Sweden, can''t fly, has curved horns, and looks like a little calf"
Her voice, like a gentle melody, drifted through the quiet forest.
Several people saw John walking Luna back to Ravenw Tower barefoot, and some Ravenw students fell silent as they noticed. Their lips moved, and John caught the words "Loony girl."
He looked up, and a silent pressure fell over the Ravenws who had been whispering. With a scream, a few of them scattered. When Luna turned her head, John simply waved with a smile.
Leaving Ravenw Tower, John headed to Professor Snape''s office.
As John opened the door, he couldn''t help but take a good look at Snape''s hair.
Hmm, not much better than Sirius ck''s.
Snape''s gaze was icy, and his eyes lowered, noting John''s muddy, bare feet.
They stood in silence for a moment until John finally asked, "So, Professor Lupin wasn''t the only one involved in that attempted murder, was he?"
Snape''s eyes narrowed, his tone dripping with irritation. "I told you already, John Wick, that werewolf is no saint."
"He and Sirius ck"
John paused, fixing his gaze on Snape, and continued, "and Harry''s father."
"If this is all you''ve found after all this effort, then, Mr. Wick, I must say I''m disappointed," Snape sneered with an edge, as if mocking the simplicity of John''s findings.
Ignoring the barb, John stepped closer to Snape. "So the one who was almost killedwas you, wasn''t it, Professor?"
At this, Snape''s face darkenedpletely, and John could see a slight twitch in his expression.
"...Mr. Wick, you''ve learned far more than you should. Perhaps Lupin was quite pleased to recount those days to you."
In the end, Snape held his temper, his upper lip stiffened, clearly on the razor''s edge of losing patience.
"No," John shook his head, watching Snape''s nearly furious expression, and said calmly, "It was Sirius ck who told me."
"What!?" Snape shot to his feet, his eyes locked on John with a piercing re.
His face trembled, and he squeezed out the words from his teeth one by one: "You met him, the damned Azkaban fugitive, Sirius ck."
His face was angry and embarrassed, and even mixed with murderous intent that people could see.
"Tell me... where is that damned guy!"
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153: Snape’s Past and Alliance
153: Snapes Past and Alliance
It was the first time John had ever seen his Head of House lose hisposure.
Normally, no matter how many points Snape deducted, he''d at most be sarcastic and spiteful. But now, there he was, gritting his teeth, his eyes showing a glint of something close to murderous intent.
Realizing he had slipped up, Snape quickly adjusted his expression.
But memories of his younger self kept surfacingmemories of those four Gryffindor idiots, especially James Potter and Sirius ck.
Those two were the worst, and from the very first day he boarded the train to Hogwarts, he''d been fated to sh with them.
Not to mention the events that followed, which left him with a scar that would never fully heal.
John watched as a kaleidoscope of emotions yed across Snape''s face, like a colorful dye factory spilling over: fury, sorrow, then back to a vengeful, teeth-gritting expression as though he''d like to murder someone.
John was stunned.
Was his Head of House having a personality breakdown?
Finally, all of that transformed into an icy stare as Snape fixed his gaze on John and said, "Where did you encounter him?"
Reason won out over impulse. Although Snape wanted nothing more than to pin Sirius ck down and introduce him to a Dementor, he couldn''t ignore John''s words.
"He''s a dangerous man."
"The Forbidden Forest," John replied. "He''s hiding in there, though I don''t want to tell the Aurors."
"Oh?" Snape''s eyes narrowed dangerously,ced with sarcasm. "John Wick, perhaps you should know just how dangerous that man is. No one in this school is eager to join you in some hero act."
He assumed John intended to capture Sirius ck on his own and bask in the glory of bing a school hero.
John shook his head with a smallugh. "Isn''t that what professors are for?"
Staring directly at Snape, he continued, "Don''t you find it suspicious that Sirius ck went straight to Ron Weasley''s bedst night?"
Without waiting for a response, John added,"He was able to enter the Gryffindor Tower, obviously there is an insider. How could he not know the location of the savior Harry Potter?"
Snape was not a fool. A thoughtful expression appeared on his face. He sneered, "Then do you think the Muggles he blew to death are innocent?"
"He went to great lengths to escape from Azkaban just to kill Harry Potter. So, even if the insider didn''t knew or didn''t told him Harry''s bed,
"If he is the vicious man everyone says, would he just -Oops wrong kid- after seeing Ron and go back when he is capable of sting the whole dormitory with one spell?"
Snape''s disgust for Sirius ck was clearly written on his face.
"All the more reason to capture him and get answers, don''t you think?" John pressed, as if fully expecting Snape''s reaction. "You should know, Professor, the man was the most loyal of the Dark Lord, he tricked his best friends and even Dumbledore to betray them in the end. Based on the rumors, Sirius ck is not the type to mix up bed locations and then go back."
Though he would love nothing more than to have the Aurors throw Sirius to the Dementors, Snape admitted he was curious. With a long look at John, he sneered, "You really think I''m going to help you?"
"That would be helping the school, too. I believe the professor won''t refuse."
Knowing his own influence might not be enough, John added with a smile, "And there''s Harry."
Snape''s expression immediately darkened, and he promptly showed John the door.
John shrugged.
Typical, ying hard to get. When has Harry been in danger and Snape wasn''t the first to appear?
Now he''s here acting reserved?
Ah, ssic Snape. Love so deep and broodingno wonder he''s the most devoted character in the Harry Potter series.
Even though the girl he loved married his most detested rival, he''d still go to any lengths to protect her child. Honestly, I''m about to cry over this.
Snape hadn''t said it outright, but John knew he''d help. If only for the chance tond a blow on his old nemesis, Snape would be on board.
With his head of house''s assistance, John was confident that the next time he encountered Sirius, he''d catch him for sure.
The Great Hall.
John was eating less and less these days.
He used to practically clean every dish in sight, but now it was just in water and bread.
Anyone watching might think he was on some sort of monk-like retreat.
Because of his new diet, John''s cheeks had be hollow, and he looked thinner overall, almost like he was dealing with anorexia.
After finishing his meal of in water and bread, arge flock of owls flew into the Great Hall. One owlnded in front of Neville. Aside from his usual timid personality, Neville had undergone quite the transformation.
His formerly round face had slimmed down, and he''d gained significant muscle. His arms had bulked up, noticeably more than those around him.
Now, Neville looked like he could take down any kid with just a punch, even without a wand!
But the moment he received the red letter from the owl, he reverted to his old self. Even though he ran out of the hall with the Howler in hand, the dreadful sound still tore through the silence.
Lady Longbottom''s skill at scolding was on par with Molly Weasley''s.
John noticed Malfoy''s schadenfreude-filled expression and thoughtfully assigned him extra weighted running exercises. Malfoy''s expression quickly turned to one of pain, but he didn''t refuse.
John''s training program genuinely helped people feel stronger. Despite the suffering, Malfoy was secretly starting to like the feeling of getting stronger.
Meanwhile, the bulletin board announced that students would be able to visit Hogsmeade next week.
John happened to run into Filch, who was astonishingly covered in sandbags.
"What''s this all about?"
Filch sighed, "The other night, I lost to a student who was turning corners using his momentum. He was so fastall I saw was ck hair and his uniform."
John: "..."
How do I politely tell him that upgrading his "hardware" has limits and that I was basically using a cheat mode?
The fact that he''d been left so far behind that he couldn''t even see the student''s house crest had deeply affected Filch.
As the object of the whole school''s disdain, there was no way he could let himself be beaten in speed.
Without saying more, Filch ignored John and began jogging back and forth down the hallway.
John shook his head and headed toward the Forbidden Forest.
At the forest''s edge, he spotted Professor Snape. Like a giant bat, Snape strode forward with impressive speed, his cloak billowing dramatically behind him.
He walked quickly up to John and said in his usual icy tone, "I hope we can find him before nightfall."
John thought, It''s not exactly something I can control, but one look at Snape''s face convinced him to swallow his response.
He nodded, and the two of them entered the forest in silence, moving in perfect sync.
Meanwhile, not long after they''d gone, Hagrid invited Harry and Ron over to his hut, where he was awkwardly trying to y peacemaker, just like he''d seen John do.
Hermione had been helping Hagrid organize Buckbeak''s casetely, and he had be aware of the rift forming among the trio.
But Hagrid underestimated Ron''s stubbornness. Ron was furious and insisted that Hermione get rid of Crookshanks before there could be any chance of reconciliation.
Being an animal lover himself, Hagrid could empathize with Hermione. He understood that certain instincts were just ingrained in an animal''s nature.
...
This wasn''t John''s first time in the Forbidden Forest, but it was the first time he''de with the Head of House.
The two walked in silence, almost like strangers, not saying a word along the way.
Yet, John could still feel Snape''s gaze on him from time to time.
Crouching down to examine a pool of blood, John realized that Sirius ck had been here.
"He''s injured," Snape said, his gaze shifting from the bloodstain to John, his expression dark and inscrutable. "You wounded him?"
A student who hadn''t even graduated yet, managing to injure an Azkaban escapee Death Eater.
As Snape''s long-standing rival, he knew Sirius''s abilities all too well.
Annoying as he was, ck, like James Potter, was an exceptional talent.
By the time he graduated, he was already at Auror level and was recruited into the Order of the Phoenix.
Even after spending over a decade in Azkaban, his skills might''ve dulled somewhat, but he was still absolutely Auror caliber.
A whirlwind of thoughts surged in Snape''s mind, and he found himself wondering just what went on inside John''s head.
If he were aiming to be the next Dark Lord... then he, Snape should ki...
Dangerous thoughts passed through his mind, but John suddenly turned, meeting Snape''s gaze.
Both were momentarily startled, but John quickly regained hisposure, saying calmly, "He held back. He didn''t use any Unforgivable Curses or harmful spells."
Snape nodded with a calm expression, as though the surge of emotions he''d just experienced had never existed.
John stood and continued his search, following the blood trail. It disappeared at the entrance of a tree hollow.
"He''s gone."
John picked up a piece of dried chicken breast that had fallen inside the hollow. Looks like he''d made a hasty retreat, with a snack along the way.
But John was certain Sirius hadn''t left the Forbidden Forest, which made things simpler.
For the rest of the time, John and Snape tacitly continued their search through the forest.
A few times, they found signs of a makeshift shelter or traces of recent activity, but each time, the person had left just before they arrived.
With those tracking skills, no wonder the Aurors couldn''t catch him.
_________
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154: Sentient Silver Wick Sword
154: Sentient Silver Wick Sword
Today was the day to go to Hogsmeade, so Snape put the search on hold for now.
Seeing Snape hurriedly walking through the school, John could guess he was off to catch someone.
Folding up the Marauder''s Map, John made his way to the Constetion Society''s secret chamber.
Come to think of it, he hadn''t been in there all week, and the Firebolt that was originally ced in the Constetion Society was borrowed by Malfoy.
He said that he wanted to use it as a secret weapon, so he did not advertise it.
However, John saw Malfoy returning to the dormitory with injuries several times, probably from falling.
Standing at the round table of the Constetion Society, the ceiling above shone with the light of thirty-six purple stars, casting a star map onto the table.
With a snap of his fingers, the table split open from the center, revealing a hidden entrance.
This was the armory, and a pair of half-finished shoes rested there.
John hadn''t had the time to finish them. Several enchanted rings were ced on the counter, and the Silver Wick Sword hung on the wall in the center.
Raising his hand, the Silver Wick Sword trembled briefly before flying into John''s grasp.
Taking a bottle of prepared soul potion, John drank it downhe was about to attempt a bold experiment.
He called it "Soul Infusion."
He waited for the effects of the soul potion to take hold.
He took a purified, extracted soul from the cab. Raising his right hand, John watched as a silver ring spread over his entire arm like liquid.
His silver, gleaming hand moved slightly, momentarily suppressing the injury on his right hand.
Opening the bottle containing the soul, he ced it on the table. John''s mouth moved, and ancient, cryptic sybles filled the air.
The soul responded to his incantation, unraveling strand by strand, gradually entwining around the Silver Wick Sword.
In an instant, the chamber burst into light.
Magic drained rapidly, and John''s gaze fixed unwaveringly on the Silver Wick Sword.
The next second, the soul was fully infused into the sword.
The sword''s mithril-crafted de shook violently, and John felt his own soul being tugged apart.
"Ug, Anima, veni."
With the spell cast, John forcefully suppressed the sensation of his soul being pulled away. Inside the Silver Wick Sword, the infused soul was restless.
In that moment, it felt as if an invisible pressure was descending upon him.
Gritting his teeth, John held steady as the soul within the Silver Wick Sword resisted fiercely.
Even when he had once torn souls apart and ingested them, he had never encountered resistance like this.
"Is this the rebellion against touching the forbidden?"
A glint of determination shed in John''s eyes as the Silver Wick Sword flew out of his hand, hovering in mid-air.
He hadn''t used a Levitation Charmthis was the sword acting on its own.
With his now-free left hand, he drew his wand. Overhead, the thirty-six magical crystals embedded in the dome erupted with light, shooting beams directly downward.
The concentrated beams transformed into an immense force pressing onto his wand.
Under the strain, his arm lowered bit by bit, absorbing all the energy until the wand shimmered with an intense purple glow, nearly overflowing. His left arm bore thunder-like marks as the energy began to invade, carving patterns into his skin.
He adjusted the wand with forceful control, aiming it at the Silver Wick Sword.
A dazzling whiteser burst from the wand''s tip,nding on the de, engraving intricate designs across its surface.
This immense power coursed through his body like a conduit, forcibly infusing itself into the sword.
The process went on for over ten minutes, with the Silver Wick Sword nearly breaking free several times, restrained only by the specialized silver gauntlet he wore.
Finally, as the wand expelled itsst bit of energy, a wisp of ck smoke curled from its tip.
John''s left sleeve was shredded, with only a few scraps hanging, though he paid it no mind.
His eyes remained fixed on the Silver Wick Sword, which was now aglow with silver light, mes, and crackling arcs of electricity rippling along its de.
Ancient, mysterious patterns adorned the de, chaotic yet uniquely beautiful.
The most notable part was the hilt, where a magical crystal had formed cracks but, miraculously, had not shattered.
It was both a sess and not quite a sess.
John stepped forward, tentatively reaching out to grasp the hilt.
An immense surge of power erupted from within, but the six magic crystals on his gauntlet activated, containing the sword''s resistance.
No matter how hard the sword struggled, it ultimately couldn''t break free.
In the end, the Silver Wick Sword relented.
Yes, it surrendered.
John could sense the sword''s emotionsutterly chaotic, like a child babbling while having its candy taken away and unable to reim it.
He aimed the sword at a human-shaped target in the chamber and swung. Though he didn''t touch it, the target was sliced cleanly in two.
The cut was sharp and clean, with a charred edge.
"It''ll do, though I wonder how long that supercharged magic crystal will hold out."
Returning the Silver Wick Sword to its original spot, John lifted his hand.
This time, he didn''t use magicthe Silver Wick Sword flew directly back into his hand.
After infusing the Silver Wick Sword with a soul, John had forcibly created a consciousness within it. Initially resistant, that consciousness gradually yielded.
Or rather, it was the soul itself.
The supercharged magic crystalformed by merging the energy of thirty-six magic crystalsshaped the soul into a conscious entity with intense magic.
In a way, John''s actions had already ventured into an unforgivable realm.
But with no one else knowing, it was as good as nonexistent.
Magic itself is rooted in belief, and John, equally at ease, relied on that belief.
Returning to the upper level of the secret chamber, he noticed that the thirty-six magical crystals in the ceiling had dimmed somewhat.
There was no need to recharge them; the chamber itself, designed as a massive alchemy furnace, would continuously replenish the magic crystals as long as a tiny bit of magic acted as a catalyst.
If the magic crystals became fully charged, the excess magic would simply contribute to forming additional crystals.
When constructing the Constetion Society''s secret chamber, John had modeled it on the Room of Requirement.
He held a handful of Galleons, and as they dwindled, the brokenponents of the chamber quickly regenerated.
John looked down at his left hand, where fierce, lightning-like patterns remained, almost like a tattoo. In one brief shback, he even glimpsed a thunderbird.
It seemed that the intense magical impact had transferred the damage to his left hand, leaving a mark.
Once he''d finished restoring what had been damaged by the magical shock, John stepped out of the chamber.
As soon as he stepped out, John saw Harry, sweating profusely, caught red-handed by Professor Snape near the statue of the one-eyed, hunchbacked witch.
Despite Harry''s frantic exnations that he hadn''t gone to Hogsmeade, it was futileSnape was dragging him off to his office.
John watched for a moment but didn''t linger; he continued on his way.
Soon he ran into Hermione, looking flustered, her hair sticking to her forehead from urgency.
"John."
She halted abruptly upon seeing him.
After hesitating for a while, she finally spoke up, "John, there''s something I want to ask you."
Seeing her anxious expression, John paused and asked, "What''s up?"
Hermione''s clear eyes darted over to the giant troll security statue in the corridor. She bit her lip and said, "Let''s go somewhere more private."
John scratched his head and nodded in agreement.
Around the corner, Daphne, who had been about to greet John, stopped in her tracks.
Her expression shifted, the initial joy on her face fading away. The pineapple pizza she''d painstakingly made slipped from her hand onto the floor.
Hermione led the way, with John following behind her.
Every so often, he nced down at the lightning-like pattern on the back of his hand, thinking to himself that it actually looked pretty cool.
Unlike the scar on Harry''s forehead, John''s mark was both intimidating and strangely beautiful.
When they reached the covered bridge, Hermione, who had been silent the entire way, finally spoke.
She stared at John for a moment, then asked, hopefully, "John, do you still have the password note I gave you?"
John was taken aback, thinking back to when he''d fought Sirius.
He''d used a fire spell to dry out the swamp, and the note had turned to ash.
So he replied honestly, "It''s gone. Burned up."
Burned up?
Hermione hadn''t expected that answer; it seemed absurd to her.
After a long pause, she walked away without saying another word.
John, puzzled, rubbed his chin and guessed, "Does she not want me feeding the cat anymore?"
Well, that was fine. He still had to track down Sirius ck, so his time was limited.
Turning away from the bridge, he bumped into Daphne.
From this angle, he could see the bridge clearly and wondered why she was here.
With a victorious smile, clearly in a good mood, Daphne walked over and tugged on his sleeve.
"I''ve mastered Italian pineapple pizza and Chinese strawberry dumplings!"
She looked very happy.
John took a breath of cold air when he heard the names of these dishes.
P-Pineapple Pizza.. Strawberry Dumplings...
How could anyonee up with this?
Didn''t you sayst time that you studied cooking for two and a half years? I liked you very much (smiley face)...
Why do you have to pick on fruits? You should be banned from the kitchen!!
_________
Read 12 chapters ahead:
155: Aftermath and Valentine’s Day
155: Aftermath and Valentines Day
John had underestimated the cost of dabbling in forbidden magic. He''d started to grow feathers.
Yes, feathers.
Golden feathers had first appeared on his arms, and at first, he thought he''d identally brushed against something. But when they wouldn''t shake off, he reached to pluck one out, yelping in pain as he did.
He realized they were real.
Within a day, feathers had started spreading rapidly over his body.
John brewed a potion to fix it, but after drinking it, nothing happened.
He suspected the massive surge of magic that had flowed through his wand into his body had caused this transformation.
And considering his wand''s core was a thunderbird feather, John was starting to feel uneasy.
"Am I turning into a bird?"
His mouth twitched slightly, but thankfully, the transformation wasn''t entirely disadvantageous.
He''d discovered he could control the weather within a small radius. Just moments ago, a bolt of lightning had struck right at Malfoy''s feet, making him jump.
Johnzily raised an eyebrow, saying calmly, "Two moreps."
An exhausted Malfoy nced at Neville, who was now only a figure in the distance, and a surge of stubbornness sparked within him.
Gritting his teeth, he dragged his weary legs forward, lugging a rock nearly as big as his head, which looked like it might snap his spine at any moment.
Heavy footsteps left two lines of marks by the ck Lake. John nced down at his own hands.
They were thinner than before; his long fingers moved slightly, and arcs of electricity danced between them.
"Guess it''s a good thing?" he muttered.
Even he wasn''t sure if this was a blessing or a curse.
With this power, it felt as though he''d been given a free infusion of magical blood.
The side effects, however, were more than he''d bargained for; John had no desire to turn into a thunderbird.
Rolling up his sleeve, he saw more golden feathers growing under his clothes.
...fuck.
Expressionless, he rolled the sleeve back down. Two options for a cure came to mind.
One was using Animagus transformationa stronger transfiguration spell to reshape his body.
The other was to wait until the end of term and reset it with a magical blood infusion surge.
Either way, what he needed now was to wait.
After flushing out the thunderbird bloodline, he might lose this power, but John wasn''t about to live with a bird face.
No No No. I like my face very much!
Not everyone has the courage to go around noseless, right? Looking at you, Voldemort.
He felt despair.
p!
This isn''t a time to go into depression, John! He pped himself and then tried to cheer himself up.
Let me tell you a joke. If Voldemort made his nose into a Horcrux, I would never be able to find it in my lifetime.
Voldemort snorted, his nose held high, arrogant of his genius. Oh, by the way, he has no nose.
Valentine''s Day was here.
With Lockhart gone this year, there was finally no fear of some chubby little dwarf dressed as Cupid leaping out to cling to one''s leg with a love confession.
In the Great Hall, a few Slytherins who were fairly familiar with John started whistling.
Rememberingst year''s events, the Slytherins figured they could do the same.
It seemed everyone had quietly decided that this was John''s day to be embarrassed.
Malfoy, even more eager than usual, stood up and shouted, "Anyone who wants to send John a love note, I can deliver it for you!"
His words sparkedughter across the hall, and the Weasley twins exchanged whispers, clearly plotting some light-hearted prank for the asion.
John thought it was just casual banteruntil an origami crane drifted over from who knows where.
Itnded directly in front of him, with Malfoy leading the chorus of whistles.
The way they looked, it was as if they were saying, ''Let''s see who sent a love letter to our Slytherin Dark Lord.''
John nced around and figured it wouldn''t hurt to entertain the little snakes a bit on this holiday.
He unfolded the paper crane, revealing graceful handwriting in emerald-green ink.
The familiar scriptJohn recognized it immediately as the same person fromst year.
That love letter was still stashed in his drawer; he just hoped his dad wouldn''t find it.
This time, at least, there was no mention of his eyes being like smanders or his hair like oil-slicked silk.
Before Malfoy could peek over, John smoothly tucked the note away.
Malfoy, disappointed, slumped back into his seat and raised an eyebrow in Harry''s direction, almost tauntingly.
"Potter, didn''t your little admirer fromst year send you a note?"
Harry, catching on, couldn''t resist ring back.
Admirer?
It was a prank, pure and simple!
He fumed while Hermione, ever the calming influence, tried to soothe him.
Yes, they''d made up yet again.
Their rtionship was like puttycut it into pieces, knead it together, and it would form a lump all over again.
Ron''s eyes were wide as saucers, as if sheer force of will alone could knock Malfoy t.
The day Snape caught Harry was a truly grim one.
Snape had torn into his father''s name and had nearly burned the Marauder''s Map, only for Professor Lupin to step in and save both Harry and the map.
...
Back in themon room, Hermione arrived with a letter from Hagrid.
Buckbeak had lost the case.
This meant he was sentenced to be beheaded.
One piece of bad news after another, and Hagrid was crying his heart out.
Just then, Malfoy came back, still bitter from being pranked by Harry in the Invisibility Cloak, and retaliated with some venomous insults.
Ron pulled out his wand, ready to curse him, and Malfoy wasn''t one to back down.
The two faced off, and it was Harry''s intervention that calmed things down.
Harry noticed that Crabbe and Goyle were itching for a fightSlytherins had gotten quite the reputation for being scrappytely.
If a brawl started, Ron would definitely get the worst of it.
Harry''s intuition was spot-on; he could see the eager gleam in Malfoy''s eyes.
In the end, neither side cast a curse, though Hermione seemed distracted, only reacting after they''d all returned to themon room.
What the ACTUAL fuck..?
Today, John managed to receive a chocte spiked with a love potion.
He got a lot of choctesgirls just tended to like his type.
Tossing the suspicious chocte aside, John, with his Level 5 alchemy skills, could spot an added potion a mile away.
He gave Goyle, who was eyeing it hungrily, a warning. He genuinely feared that the big lug, who''d eat any random cake, might pick up the chocte and eat it too.
Without a sense of taste, John had no interest in choctes anymore.
After all, chocte without vor felt like wax. Without taste, it was just a block of ck wax.
Not being in the habit of eating wax, he stashed the choctes in his drawer.
Maybe one day, if his taste returned, he could try a sample of these Hogwarts witches'' handiwork.
Since getting punished, Tom had be incredibly subduedlike a dejected dog, leaving John disappointed.
"A love-struck fool never has a happy ending, Tom," he muttered.
All you could say was that the poor little girl, naive and inexperienced, had been deceived by a big ck dog.
John had three wands in total: one with a thunderbird tail feather core in red oak, one with a unicorn hair core in cherry wood, and a yew wand with a dragon heartstring core.
The one taken out was the unicorn hair wand, and John scolded it sternly: "Look at youthree-legged toads are hard to find, but four-legged dogs are everywhere, and yet you fancy an Animagus!"
Tom lowered her head onto her paws, his big eyes ncing up with a look of sheer grievance.
Seeing this expression, John sighed in resignation.
Fortunately, he found out Sirius ck and uncovered the secret. It''s good that ck met John since John is powerful. If it was some other student in ce of John? Even if Sirius hadn''t gone for a kill shot, the student would''ve been seriously injured.
Ignoring Tom''s pitiful expression, he confined her to his room, cing her under Basil''s watch.
The snowy owl, Basil, sat atop a cab, his eyes fixed on Tom. Should the dog dare to leave, Basil would be within his rights to give him a good swatting!
In themon room, some young witches were eyeing him hopefully.
John had just walked in when someone tugged on his sleeve.
Turning, he saw Daphne''s beautiful face, raised with a prideful and slightly haughty expression, as if to stake her im.
Ever since she''d seen Hermione bite her lip and leave that day, Daphne had maintained this demeanor.
The young witches around took this in and quietly gave up on their ns.
Pansy''s eyes shone, seeing her friend finally find the courage to step forward.
Daphne immediately stood up and scanned the room, as if silently daring anyone to approach her ''friend Wick''.
She didn''t need to say a wordafter all, she was Daphne Greengrass, the "Flower of Slytherin."
John looked at the hesitant young witches, then at Daphne''s proud little expression.
He suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
Got it.
He bent down slightly, as he was a bit taller than Daphne, and leaned close to her fair ear, whispering, "Did you make some more food?"
His warm breath tickled her ear, making it feel slightly itchy.
Daphne''s proud expression nearly slipped as a blush crept up her face.
John noticed, confirming his suspicion.
Of course, she had made a new dish.
With a knowing look, he then hesitated, gritting his teeth.
"As long as it''s not fruit-based, I''m good."
He was truly scarred by creations like strawberry mapo tofu and strawberry dumplings and pineapple pizza.
Can''t you let go of the fruit?
"Right!" Daphne''s face lit up, and immediately asked in surprise: "How did you know I made Wellington Beef Chocte today?"
Ah, Beef and Chocte! Hmm Hmm! It''s good that she didn''t put any fruit this timeWait! ???
Do you yourself listen to what you are talking about?
Beef and chocte.
How can you put them together? ? ?
_____________
Read 12 Chapters Ahead at:
156: Storm and Green Dragon
156: Storm and Green Dragon
After forcing down a Valentine''s Day "Wellington Beef Chocte," John feltpletely numb.
He couldn''t imagine who had taught Daphne to cook like this. Most people aimed for bnced nutrition and vor.
Not her. No taste, no smell, no colorand forget about bnced nutrition; it was aplete mess.
Who pairs beef with chocte? Both high-calorie on their own, thisbination went off the charts.
Only John, without a sense of taste, could manage to choke it down. Heinrich looked on with a rare hint of admiration.
Incidentally, Heinrich received choctes too.
For once, his pale face had some color as he opened one and took a bite.
Hmm. Garlic-vored.
Rumor had it that afterward, the Weasley twins got cornered at Gryffindor Tower. If Professor McGonagall hadn''t shown up, at least one of them would probably have ended up in the hospital wing.
Time passed day by day.
Sirius ck continued to evade capture, and John even began to wonder if he was hiding in the Forbidden Forest.
March 6.
Under the gray sky, winter had passed, and all dormant life waited for a signal to emerge.
An oppressive atmosphere spread through the castle, and the students disliked this kind of weather.
Outside the castle, John looked up at the sky. He knew the time hade.
Grabbing his small satchel, he headed to the Forbidden Forest.
This time, he wasn''t searching for Sirius ck; he was waiting for a storm.
Under the influence of the Thunderbird, John could feel a powerful rainstorm brewing within the dark clouds.
He needed to reach the spot where he had buried the mixed potion ahead of time.
After a year, the burned spider nest, scorched by cursed fire, still remained barren.
Standing at the entrance of the nest, he waited for the lightning to strike.
Taking out his pocket watch, he checked the time. Thirty degrees past the hour, the first raindrop fell.
Arge dropnded in his palm, and in the next second, a torrential downpour began.
Mist cloaked Hogwarts in a gray veil as lightning tore across the sky.
Boom!
It was Jingzhe, the day when all life awakens.
The time had arrived. John dashed to the spot where he''d buried the mixture, dug through the soil, and uncovered a bottle of blood-red potion.
He had seeded.
Grabbing the bottle, John dashed through the storm to another chosen location as quickly as possible.
The transformation required a spacious, safe area. While the Forbidden Forest was filled with magical creatures, it was free from human presence.
Upon arrival, John exhaled forcefully into his palms, and a mist rapidly spread, obscuring the surroundings.
Pointing his wand at his heart, John recited the incantation he knew by heart.
"Amato Animo Animato Animagus."
With the wordsplete, he downed the blood-red potion in one gulp.
"Hmm..."
"Is that it? Did I fail? Why isn''t anything happeNNNNNNnnnnNNNNNNNAaaaAAAhHHhhHhHHhHh!!!!!!!!"
Intense pain surged through him, and a second heartbeat echoed in his ears.
"uGHuGGHUGHUGHUGHUGH!!!!"
John hunched over, bracing his hands on his knees as the pain traveled through his body, feeling as if it were splitting his bones open to cleanse the marrow within.
A chaotic consciousness flooded his mind, battering against his brain, but John forced it down.
The transformation started with his hands, as sharp ws extended from his fingernails.
His school robes turned into scales, his pupils narrowed into slits, and fangs pierced through his lips.
John''s body was growing taller, and his heavy breathing no longer sounded human.
The clothes fully merged into his skin as an itch spread across his back, and something began to push through.
Spiny ridges emerged one by one, forming wings that resembled those of a bat.
Horns sprouted, and his tail brushed against trees, snapping them effortlessly.
Grrr
Through the dense mist, a pair of brown eyes opened.
"Huff"
John exhaled, and a flicker of me shot out, startling him.
He was now a massive creature reaching fifty feet in length, likely thergest Animagus ever recorded.
Dark green scales shimmered like jade, and with a gentle beat of his wings, the mist in front of him blew away.
He had transformed into a dragon, green yet so dark it appeared ck, not the native Welsh Green of Britain.
Judging by his size, he was at least on par with the ferocity of a Hungarian Horntail.
"Roar!!" boom!
Feeling an intense heat welling up in his throat, John opened his mouth, and a huge fireball crashed into the ground, vaporizing the rain into swirling steam.
He could see farther, hisntern-sized eyes blinking and catching sight of things hundreds of meters away.
Rain pattered on his scales as the dragon, solitary and majestic, looked down upon everything, his innate draconic aura making nearby animals cower in fear.
"Grrr"
After spending some time adjusting to his Animagus form, John closed his eyes and pictured his original self.
His body began to shrink, the scales gradually receding.
"Fuu~"
When he opened his eyes again, John had returned to human form.
"So I.. I am really a fucking Dragon! Wicked!"
Rain fell on him as he picked up his fallen wand.
John rolled up his sleeve, and the Thunderbird feathers on his left arm had disappeared.
This was good news; the Thunderbird''s weather-control ability was still his!
With a gentle flick of his wand, John summoned a lightning strike, which hit a tree nearby.
boom!
mes red up instantly, only to be doused by the rain momentster.
"Ha.. haha.. Bahaha! Those annoying feathers! A blessing in disguise, indeed!!"
Heughed like a crazy madman and then exhaled, controlling his inner feelings.
A proud smile appeared on his face as John used Transfiguration to conjure an umbre.
With a tap, the rain slid off him, leaving him dry save for a few damp strands of hair.
...
Walking out of the Forbidden Forest in the rain, John noticed the Quidditch yers in red flying across the field, undeterred by the downpour.
Not long after he left, a soaked ck dog came scrambling through, looking thoroughly bedraggled.
The dog stared at the area, which looked as if some monstrous creature had plowed through it, a hint of terror in his eyes.
"What sort of beast is that terrifying? Just now, all the animals nearby were paralyzed in fear."
Sirius had no idea what terrifying creature lurked within the Forbidden Forest, but from the signs, it had to be at least a dragon to exert such intimidation.
There were many magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest, but dragons were not among them.
He fell into deep thought.
The Slytherin versus Gryffindor showdown was set for April.
Right now, the teams from both houses were training like mad. Gryffindor''s practice ended abruptly when Wood was struck by a lightning bolt.
A group of them hurriedly carried Wood to the hospital wing.
John ran into Harry, who was in such a rush he didn''t even notice him.
The Weasley twins joked that if Harry was a ma for school disasters, then Wood was a ma for Quidditch disasters.
Every game, something had to happen to Wood.
None of these mishaps could dim Wood''s passiontrue love, you could say.
John lingered a moment as the Slytherin team swiftly took over the Quidditch field.
Goyle and Crabbe stood like gatekeepers, blocking the entrance to keep others out, while Draco Malfoy, under the gaze of all, strutted in with his Firebolt.
The team now revolved entirely around Malfoy; even Flint couldn''tpete with his authority.
"John, remember to cheer for us," Malfoy called out.
John waved and walked off, squinting as he thought to himself that this weather was perfect for a grand spectacle.
The Ministry of Magic was in trouble yet again.
Three Dementors had disappeared almost overnight, and even the Aurors couldn''t find any clues.
They were nearly losing their minds, with Dawlish angrily ming Sirius ck for it.
John returned to the castle with the three Dementors he''d captured.
Skillfully, he dismantled the Dementors, their remaining souls providing enough power for John to fully heal his arm, and the ring turnedpletely ck.
With one month until the match, Malfoy was obsessively focused on training, which wasn''t helping his ssroom performance.
John, on the other hand, continued to perform perfectly, impressing Professor Flitwick enough in Charms that he added 20 points to Slytherin.
Hermione looked exhausted, and John hadn''t seen her during morning sses.
This only made Daphne happier.
By afternoon, John''s Divination ss had be a free period.
Hermione, however, seemed unusually irritable and, for the first time, spoke rudely to a professor, outright quitting Divination.
John was a bit surprised; it didn''t seem like her usual character.
Of course, Professor Trwney''sment about herck of talent had hurt Hermione.
It also fulfilled Professor Trwney''s earlier prediction that someone would leave the ssroom.
Four days remained until Easter, and John kept up with his daily dose of soul elixir.
By the time Easter arrived, his hand had stopped shaking, though his fingers were still a bit stiff.
But that didn''t matter much; the remaining soul elixir would be enough to fully heal his hand.
He hadn''t forgotten about searching for Sirius ck either, asionally shifting into his Animagus form to look for him.
Once, he nearly startled a centaur in the Forbidden Forest, and his presence filled Sirius ck with apprehension wherever he went.
In the wild, scent is a key factor in marking territory, and as John roamed, Sirius was convinced a big dangerous dragon was imingnd all around him.
John didn''t realize he hadn''t actually found Sirius yet but had certainly frightened him several times.
Eventually, he gave up the search, instead carrying the Marauder''s Map with him each day. Since ck was bound to be the one looking for someone, John decided that lying in wait was more efficient than aimless searching.
_________
Read 12 Advance Chapters:
157: Firebolt and Firebolt
157: Firebolt and Firebolt
In April, the diligent students had already started preparing for their exams.
Tom was chewing on a wand-shaped teething stick, a defective product from one of John''s failed attempts at crafting.
He figured it would be a waste to throw it out, so he repurposed it as a chewing toy for Tom.
It had to be said, the quality was impressiveTom had been gnawing on it for over a year, and it was still as sturdy as ever.
John nced at the dog, grounded for two months, then picked up his book and left.
Tom wagged her tail, wanting to follow, but Basil unfurled his wings dramatically, making Tom retreat.
When Daphne saw Johning out, she naturally joined him and asked with some concern, "Still not letting Tom out?"
John used to let the dog run around freely, but it had been locked up for two months now, which showed just how upset he was.
"It lost a wand.."
''And gave it to ck without even thinking about me'' he added in his mind.
''''so it needs to take responsibility."
When they reached the Great Hall, John sat down, and Daphne eagerly took out hertest creation.
This time, she had tried her hand at Eastern cuisine and had even asked a wizard from overseas to get her a proper setup.
"This is called cheung fun, a type of breakfast dish from China," Daphne announced proudly. This time, she hadn''t failed; in fact, she had done exceptionally well.
John looked intrigued. After trying things like strawberry pizza recently, surely this cheung fun couldn''t have fruit in it, right?
Though John couldn''t taste, experiencing a spicy dish''s smell was still enjoyable for a foodie like him.
As he looked expectantly at the covered dish, Daphne confidently lifted the lid.
"...Daphne, be honest with mewho exactly taught you how to cook?"
John stared nkly at the te of chocte-filled Rice noodle roll, feeling a mix of emotions.
Daphne looked puzzled; she had tasted it herself and thought it was sweet and delicious.
"It''s from a recipe I bought from a wizard with thest name Chen. Why?"
John sincerely replied, "Could you tell me his address? I''d like to send him a gift."
He was set on it: as soon as he had the address, he''d send Tommy and his people to finish that scoundrel off.
Daphne tilted her head, looking adorably confused. "I actually don''t know where he lives."
Well, what a pity.
He could have rid China of a maniac, but the guy had escaped in advance.
Judging by her skill level, she''d clearly been practicing this for quite a while.
Just then, Malfoy came running over, looking a bit guilty, as if he''d done something to let John down.
"John, I heard Tom lost your wand before?" Malfoy looked uncharacteristically awkward, fidgeting like a bashful debutante. "It''s not that serious, right? Maybe you could let him off?"
John was surprisedsince when did Malfoy care about his dog?
Could it be that after walking the dog a few times while he''d been too busy, Malfoy had developed a soft spot?
John''s expression turned cold. "If she made a mistake, she has to face the consequences. Surely, I don''t need to exin that again, do I?"
Malfoy forced a smile and hurried off to another table.
"What''s up with him?" John turned to ask Heinrich, who had been quietly observing the scene.
Heinrich paused, looking off in another direction, and said, "Today is the Slytherin vs. Gryffindor Quidditch final."
John suddenly understoodno wonder Malfoy was rushing over to discuss tactics with his teammates.
Heinrich''s gaze was still fixed intently in one direction.
Following his line of sight, John saw the Weasley twins quickly duck their heads.
"You''re not seriously thinking about putting them in the hospital wing before the game, are you?"
Seeing the violent glint in Heinrich''s eyes, John knew exactly what he was contemting.
Heinrich nodded without hesitation, a hint of madness shing in his eyes. "Honor cannot bepromised."
With that ruthless expression, he could easily be mistaken for a Death Eater.
John massaged his temples and said, "They''re Percy''s brothers. You shouldn''t do that."
In the end, it was the united front of the Constttion Society that managed to curb Heinrich''s reckless idea. If Percy found out about such tactics, the two might end up at odds.
It seemed even fate favored this match.
The weather was clear with a light breeze, though it was nothing serious. Both teams gathered in the locker rooms to strategize.
John noticed Cedric approaching, looking slightly ufortable.
"Cho Chang is going to cheer for Gryffindor," he said, a bit embarrassed.
John thought it made sense. During Slytherin''sst match, Cho had been bumped by Malfoy at least eight times and tugged on three times.
After that many fouls, anyone would feel reluctant to cheer for Slytherin.
"We respect her choice; it''s just a game. It won''t affect your ''friendship,''" John said, emphasizing the word "friendship" with a smirk. Cedric nodded, though his ears turned red.
Right before the match, Daphne and Pansy arrived.
Pansy had just dragged her friend to the locker room to cheer on Malfoy.
Daphne naturally took a seat beside John, while Pansy leaned over, fuming, "Thementator''s a Gryffindor! It''s going to kill the team''s morale."
Pansy was fuming, and John noticed Lee Jordanthe notorious anti-Slytherinmentatorwas already in thementator''s seat.
Thinking quickly, John turned to a Slytherin student behind him. "ise, could you do me a favor and fetch Ernie? I need to talk to him."
ise Zabini, clearly thrilled to be addressed by John, nodded eagerly and hurried off. A few momentster, Ernie Macmin from Hufflepuff arrived.
John brought them both over to Professor Snape.
"Wick, not sitting with others to cheer your friend Draco?"
"Hello to you too Professor. And about the match, I believe that there are several factors that could unfairly influence a match," he stated with conviction. "If thementator is biased, it would be unfair to the other team. I suggest that another house takes over thementary."
With that, he nudged Ernie forward.
Ernie swallowed nervously, clearly surprised to find himself thrown into the spotlight by John.
"Your words..." Snape looked impassively at Ernie Macmin which made Ernie nearly piss his pants, but then, with a hint of approval, said, "..have a point! I''ll discuss this with Professor McGonagall."
....
"Tsk!" Snape was now slightly frustrated.
"Gulp.." Ernie was left sitting behind thementary area, while Snape directed a death re at Lee Jordan, causing him to shiver involuntarily.
Both teams emerged from the locker rooms, with all eyes on Harry and his Firebolt.
After the match with Ravenw, the entire school was well aware of this high-quality broomstick. Harry''s tiny spark of pride was satisfied, though he remained fully focused on the match.
Ron eximed, "We''ve got thisthere''s no way Malfoy''s Nimbus 2001 can keep up with a Firebolt."
He sounded incredibly proud, as if he were the one riding the broom himself.
Hearing his words, Hermione instinctively looked over toward John.
The next second, an earth-shaking cheer erupted from the Slytherin side.
Hermione, a bit bewildered, turned to the pitch, where the Slytherin yers were emerging from their locker room. Most eye-catching of all was the brand-new Firebolt in Malfoy''s hand.
Malfoy led the team, with even Marcus Flint naturally falling in line behind him.
It was like watching a prince with his entourage.
Six Nimbus 2001s and the Firebolt in Malfoy''s hand instantly became the center of attention.
Malfoy smirked, raising an eyebrow at Harry, as if to say, You''re not the only one with a Firebolt.
Ron yelled, "Impossible! How did he get one?"
It was hard to ept, and silence fell over the Gryffindor side.
The Firebolt they had considered their secret weapon had lost its advantage. It was now one king against another.
This match''s oue would rest entirely on Harry.
Gryffindor''s gear was far inferior to those six Nimbus 2001s, and they could only hope Harry would catch the Golden Snitch.
The match began.
Brooms soared into the sky.
Malfoy hovered close to Harry, sneering with a mocking glint in his eyes. "Potter, you''re not the only one who can get special help."
At this, Malfoy nearly ground his teeth.
Why did Harry Potter get every privilege?
He joined the Quidditch team as a first-year, had a broom gifted to him by Professor McGonagall, and the moment he joined, he became the team''s shining star and center of attention.
Malfoy, on the other hand, had to rely on his father''s sponsorship to join the team, and when they lost a match, he had to put up with all kinds of criticism.
Was it simply because Harry was the "Chosen One"?
Or just because Dumbledore liked him?
Points flowed his way effortlessly; if it hadn''t been for John, Slytherin''s glorious nine-year winning streak would''ve already been shattered.
Slytherin didn''t have Dumbledore.
But...
We have John Wick!
Recalling his own relentless daily training and the grueling practice even during holidays, Malfoy took a deep breath, and his gaze turned resolute.
Harry sensed something different about Malfoy.
Or perhaps, Malfoy had been changing all along, but Harry had simply never paid much attention to him.
His body had grown stronger, his flying skills improved, and his grades went up.
Unknowingly, Malfoy had changed so much.
Without another word, both of them grew more focused than ever.
The game itself was intenseSlytherin''s dirty moves met with the Weasley Bludger counterattacks, and the teams nearly came to blows.
Wood guarded Gryffindor''s goalposts; his skill was so good that even with Nimbus 2001 brooms, Slytherin found it hard to score.
Slytherin Chaser Montague fouled Katie, blocking her from intercepting the Quaffle.
Lee Jordan''smentary was filled with excitement; he even forgot that Slytherin''s Head of House was right behind him, letting words like "dirty" and "shameless" fly out of his mouth.
Professor McGonagall looked displeased, while Snape, stone-faced, pulled Lee Jordan away and sat Ernie Macmin in his ce.
"If you can''t provide fair and impartialmentary, then we''ll rece you," Snape''s razor-sharp re made Lee suddenly remember he was there.
Professor McGonagall couldn''t argue since Lee was clearly biased.
Lee tried to get back to thementary, but Goyle and Crabbe nked him, towering over him on either side. With his slight frame, there was no way he could escape.
Ernie was a little dazed at first, but his talkative nature and love of attention soon took over.
He quickly got into the role, speaking without bias toward either Gryffindor or Slytherin.
Then, in the heat of the game, the Golden Snitch appeared.
Two pairs of eyes locked onto it simultaneously.
___________
Read 12 chapters ahead:
158: A King and A King
158: A King and A King
By Muggle standards, it was like two top-tier race cars revving their engines.
As their eyes met, they became like red and green arrows in the sky.
Without hesitation, they pressed forward on their broomsticks, and the Firebolts shot out.
They had only one target: the glimmering Golden Snitch.
The current score was 30 to 80, with Slytherin in the lead.
Even though Wood seemed to have the spirit of a gatekeeper, the six Nimbus 2001s,bined with training as rigorous as Gryffindor''s, had transformed Slytherin.
They had one focus in their eyes: victory!
Slytherin Beater Derrick aimed the Bludger and smashed it in Harry''s direction.
The Bludger, under his control, flew straight toward Harry.
Harry spun his broom, dodging the hit, and in his peripheral vision, he caught a glimpse of the figure chasing him.
Refusing to be outdone, he picked up speed, trying to put some distance between himself and Malfoy.
The Golden Snitch was the key. In this intense game, if he caught it, Gryffindor would win.
Wood, now in his seventh year, loved Quidditch so much. Harry didn''t want him to leave with any regretshe had to win the cup for Gryffindor.
With this thought, Harry elerated and maneuvered deftly in the sky.
Increased speed also meant increased control difficulty.
The Golden Snitch darted through the Gryffindor stands, and Harry pulled up sharply to keep his momentum.
''Almost got it.''
He thought, eyes fixed intensely on the Snitch.
As he closed in, a split secondter, his body was struck by brute force.
"Urk.."
His face darkened, about to shout at Malfoy for ying dirty, but then he saw that Malfoy hadn''t even looked his way.
Malfoy''s eyes were locked solely on the Golden Snitch.
His hair was stered back by the fierce wind, but he didn''t care.
He urged his Firebolt forward, recklessly elerating, and Harry matched him.
The two left blurred trails in the air, and the Snitch suddenly dived downward.
Chasing beneath the familiar stands, both of them held their breath.
The rickety wooden structures loomed as obstacles, but Harry, with his exceptional talent, managed to avoid each one at thest possible moment with his incredible flying skills.
Sweat beaded on Malfoy''s forehead, but he didn''t dare let go of the broom handle to wipe it away.
Now the sweat beads, slowly shifting in the wind, edged ever closer to Malfoy''s eyes.
Flying at this speed beneath the stand filled with obstacles, the sight drew gasps from the watching students.
They couldn''t see the riders, but they could see the cloth panels below billowing as the two streaked by.
Two figures, one right behind the other, separated by barely half a body length.
Harry realized he was slowing down. He grew furious, convinced Malfoy was pulling some trick again.
But in the next instant, tinum blonde shed into his view.
He hadn''t slowed downMalfoy had sped up!
Malfoy was still elerating, racing through this perilous course.
Refusing to be outdone, Harry sped up too.
Neither of them slowed; instead, they kept gaining speed as they flew beneath the stands.
The Golden Snitch shot out, with only the faintest blurs trailing in pursuit.
Marcus Flint saw this and remembered the countless hours of training.
In those moments, it was as if Malfoy had turned into someone else, utterly relentless. No matter how grueling or exhausting, while others groaned, he never gave up.
Gradually, Malfoy had taken on the responsibilities of captain, inspiring the entire team to persevere.
Seeing Malfoy like this, how could Flint possibly lose?
With reddened eyes and a shout that tore through his throat, Marcus Flint roared, "We are Slytherin!!!"
It was rare for him to act this way in a match; usually, he relied on sly tactics.
But that shout jolted every yer awake.
They yelled back, "Noble Slytherin, sworn to defend our honor to the death!"
The six of them let out a fierce battle cry, embodying a fearlessness far from the Gryffindors'' usual view of Slytherins as cunning and underhanded.
Katie, caught off guard, lost control of the Quaffle, allowing Montague to steal it and score.
The Slytherin stands erupted in cheers.
John watched this unfold.
"We rise from the mire,
We crave power,
We are full of ambition,
We are strong andposed,
We are graceful and poised,
We have no regrets,
We are Slytherin."
The voice echoed clearly across the Quidditch pitch, and the once-boisterous stands fell silent.
He continued:
"We pursue glory,
We defend glory,
We witness glory,
We are glory."
In that moment, every Slytherin''s eyes shone with a fervor.
As if witnessing a king, they clenched their fists.
No one knew who started it, but soon a single word was on every Slytherin''s lips.
"Glory!"
"Glory!"
"Glory!"
...
It was madness, as if everything had spiraled into a frenzy.
The unified chant of "Glory" from one house alone drowned out the noise of the other three housesbined.
The Quidditch pitch was engulfed in glory, that sea of green gathered into a terrifying force.
Every Slytherin felt as if an endless power surged within them, making the six Slytherin yers seem even stronger.
The score gap widened quickly, and Wood grew anxious as he dared not nce toward Harry''s side of the field.
Since that first chant of "glory," the Slytherin team seemed as if they''d been injected with pure adrenaline.
He even saw Warringtonusually a bit of a wimptake a Bludger to the nose without so much as a whimper. They looked like fervent devotees, with "glory" as their creed.
Malfoy, still chasing the Golden Snitch, heard that rallying call, and scenes of grueling training shed through his mind.
What was all that for?
For glory!
So why wait?
Malfoy cranked his speed to the max as the Snitch suddenly plummeted toward the ground.
How familiar this scene was, and without hesitation, Malfoy dove after it.
"Ugh.. gotta keep up.." Harry aligned himself with Malfoy, plunging rapidly toward the earth.
Everyone''s hearts leaped to their throats; Hermione and Ron stood up, watching with intense anxiety.
The old Malfoy had once given up. The Malfoy of today would not!
Malfoy roared, "Get over here you slimy snitch!"
Both hands lunged for the Golden Snitch almost simultaneously.
Boom!
Gasp!
They crashed off their broomsticks, skidding across the ground in two parallel drag marks, forming a "V" shape.
Everyone stood up, watching with bated breath. Ron, nervously muttering under his breath, whispered, "Please let it be Harry please let it be Harry"
Hermione watched anxiously; she could tell from Harry''s fall that it must''ve hurt badly.
All the students from the four Houses fixed their gaze on the tightly clenched handsHarry''s right hand and Malfoy''s left.
Harry, finally shaking off the dizziness from the fall, clenched his fist.
In the next moment
A smile broke out on Harry''s face as he opened his right hand and raised it high; the Golden Snitch rested in his palm.
"I caught it!"
The Gryffindor stands erupted in deafening cheers, while Slytherin''s spirits dropped as if in mourning.
Madam Hooch blew the final whistle.
"The match is over."
"Slytherin wins!"
The smiles froze, and the Gryffindor students were stunned. Ron red furiously at Ernie Macmin, who had made the announcement.
Professor McGonagall looked shocked, her face pale, while Snape''s lips curved in a smile.
"Heh~"
The scoreboard locked in ce.
180 to 190.
That ten-point difference hade from Montague, who''d thrown the Quaffle through the hoop, breaking his nose in the process from a Bludger hit. Blood streamed steadily from his nose.
No one had anticipated such a dramatic turn.
Harry had caught the Golden Snitch, yet Gryffindor had lost the match.
Malfoy sat on the ground, his gaze dazed, but upon hearing the announcement, a light rekindled in his eyes.
Stumbling to his feet, he looked at Harry, opened his mouth as if to say something, his expressionplex.
Finally, he said, "You beat me, but you''ll never beat Slytherin."
ording to thew of conservation of energy, smiles don''t disappear; they merely transfer to someone else.
In the Slytherin stands, the cheers were deafening.
The yers rushed to Montague, each one leaping onto him in jubnt celebration.
Malfoy looked momentarily forlorn, but in the next instant, he was pressed to the ground under the weight of five or six teammates celebrating on top of him.
"We did it, Draco, we defended our honor!"
"You flew incredibly!"
"When you dropped from the Firebolt, I was terrified."
Unlike thest time they''d lost to Gryffindor, this time Malfoy was buried under cheers.
"Yes.. we .. we won," Malfoy murmured, slowly realizing it.
A grin stretched uncontrobly across his face, growing into a triumphantugh.
Gryffindor''s king was Harry Potter.
Then Slytherin was the king among all the houses.
The new king failed to rise; Slytherin had defended its honor.
We are honor!
Honor to Slytherin!
Dumbledore was responsible for the award ceremony. This was Slytherin''s eighth championship.
But this time, aplex look shed in Dumbledore''s eyes.
He watched the boy standing and cheering with the others, the one who had forged Slytherin from sand into a green ss.
And he would be Slytherin''s king.
John Wick.
__________
Read 12 Chapters ahead:
159: The Dog Catchers and Snape’s Revenge
159: The Dog Catchers and Snapes Revenge
The cheers of Slytherin echoed through the stadium.
From the field to the Great Hall, then back to themon room.
All of Hogwarts was filled with that hint of green, with the words "Glory" and "honor" restored.
This was Slytherin''s eighth championship; aside from the canceled Quidditch season in their second year, they had held the title for seven years.
Strangely, it had never felt like this before.
Winning the championship filled them with such joy.
Malfoy became the center of attention, the badge on his chest shining like a star.
"John, did you see it, ah? John? We''re the champions! Where is John?"
Holding the trophy, Malfoy looked around for John.
Daphne said, "John had something to take care of, so he left early. He wanted me to tell you that right now, you''re shining like a star."
She felt a bit annoyed, really. She''d hoped to take advantage of the excitement to hold John''s hand and take a big step forward, but John had nced at a piece of paper and left immediately.
Though John wasn''t there, the celebration continued.
Malfoy''s relentless one-on-one with Harry in that intense chase left no one thinking that failing to catch the Golden Snitch was anything less than honorable.
It was precisely the pressure Malfoy ced on Harry that ignited the fighting spirit in Slytherin''s yers.
He and Montague, as the team''s star yers, were tossed into the air with cries of excitement.
John had left the field early, not joining in the celebration.
Watching the Marauder''s Map, he saw Crookshanks moving and arrived at a conclusion.
"The Forbidden Forest. Leaving Crookshanks here was definitely the right call. Heh Heh Heh~"
With Tom shut away, John had left Crookshanks to make contact with Sirius ck.
Writing a brief message on his badge, John cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself.
He didn''t get too close, as he realized Sirius had sharp anti-tracking skills.
Even with the Disillusionment Charm as a backup, Sirius would still sense him nearby.
To avoid alerting him, John kept his distance, hiding about 200 meters from the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
With a blink, John''s eyes shifted to slitted pupils, allowing him to see Crookshanks approaching the forest.
Under his watch, a shadowy figure seemed to form in the dark of the Forbidden Forest.
As Crookshanks arrived, the shadowy figure stood up.
He was highly cautious, his eyes darting around and asionally sniffing the air.
"..Sirius ck," John murmured, watching the cat and dog meet up.
Sirius looked thinner than he had during theirst encounter in the Forbidden Forest; his fur was aplete mess.
"Too bad I can''t understand dog speech."
John knew some mental magic, but it was at a low level, requiring direct contact to work.
At this distance, he couldn''t hear their conversation.
After a moment, Crookshanks seemed to have received the message and started running back.
John quietly began moving toward Sirius, noting that Sirius seemed to rely on scent for tracking.
The meteor shoes he''d given to Luna were still being remade, so John temporarilycked flying ability, but it didn''t affect his stealth.
Following behind Sirius at a safe distance, John kept to the shadows, remainingpletely invisible.
Sirius weaved his way through the Forbidden Forest, eventually returning to its edge.
There was no denying how clever he was knowing that the most dangerous ce could also be the safest.
Neither John nor Snape had even thought to check the perimeter.
They all naturally assumed that the deeper the hiding spot, the better.
At the edge of the forest, Sirius found a tree and climbed up.
The thick canopy provided perfect cover.
Mother fucker is a strategist...
John almost felt like apuding. No wonder Sirius had managed to escape Azkaban he was impressive.
As time ticked by, John decided to act.
Writing a line in the emblem once more, he quietly moved closer.
With Sirius''s sharp nose, first things first take away that advantage.
John released a mist from his palm, which spread through the trees like natural forest fog.
Sirius didn''t suspect anything, though soon, a small, dark sphere rolled to the base of his tree.
In the mist, he could only see its outline.
Puff!
Suddenly, the sphere exploded.
A suffocating stench burst out, and Sirius was hit so hard he started tearing up, sniffling as he reeled from the foul odor.
With his sharp sense of smell, he now had only one overwhelming scent manure.
"Not good!"
Realizing things had taken a bad turn, Sirius hurried to escape.
But the dense fog obscured every path, making it hard to see even two meters ahead.
He suspected this was some kind of magic.
"Damn it, when did this happen?"
Sirius transformed into a ck dog, bounded forward, and elerated to burst out of the mist.
But John wasn''t going to let him get away so easily.
Just as Sirius dodged a tree, he felt a powerful force strike his waist.
"Awo?!"
The familiar sensation made him think of something, and as he tumbled forward, he looked up to see that it was indeed that Slytherin student.
John wasn''t about to let him escape. His wand shot out beams of light in various colors.
Sirius struggled to dodge, but his injured waist slowed him down considerably.
"Grr.."
Gritting his teeth, Sirius transformed back into human form, deflecting the iing Stupefy spell with his wand and firing back at John.
John paid no heed and sent a trio of spells barreling his way.
A Shield Charm, Stupefy, and Expelliarmus.
The three spells came one after another, and amidst the sh of offense and defense, a voice sounded, barely containing excitement, hatred, and a hint of strain.
"Avada ehm.. Expelliarmus!"
The voice seemed to skid to a stop, quickly switching to Expelliarmus.
A burst of red light exploded like a fireball against Sirius''s back.
Though it was only a Disarming Charm, it erupted with explosive force.
Sirius''s wand flew from his hand, and he was sent sprawling, colliding with a tree, blood streaming down his forehead.
John looked over to see Snape standing there nonchntly, wand raised.
If it weren''t for that near slip with "Avada," John would have thought it was just an honest mistake by his Head of House.
"Well, well, look who we have here?" Snape didn''t even bother acknowledging John''s stunned expression.
He sneered at Sirius, tone dripping with disdain. "Sirius ck, a filthy, despicable, shameless"
After what seemed like an entire essay of insults, Snape sneered darkly. "Just give me one good reason to kill you right now."
John watched his Head of House deliver every possible insult to Sirius. After a moment of hesitation, he interjected, "Um he''s already knocked out."
"Ah.."
Snape''s expression stiffened, clearly not expecting Sirius to be so easily taken down.
John offered a friendly reminder, "Your Disarming Charm back there might''ve been a tad too powerful."
He was being polite, really.
If it hadn''t been for John''s presence, that spell might not have been a Disarming Charm at allit could well have been the Killing Curse.
Snape''s expression didn''t change. He had done it on purpose; every memory of Sirius''s past misdeeds made him want to beat him to death right here.
"I know a ce where we can hide him," John said, calcting his own moves. He had questions for Sirius, and he knew that Sirius could y a key role in whether Rufus Scrimgeour, the Acting Minister, managed to secure his position permanently.
Recently, Scrimgeour had been getting rather full of himself. John saw this as a good opportunity to remind him of the reach and influence of "Johnny Silverhand."
With that thought, John added sincerely, "Professor, you wouldn''t want him to just slip away, would you?"
Snape wouldn''t kill Sirius outright, not while his favoriteemhJohn was watching. But the chance had passed anyway. With a calm tone, Snape replied, "Very well. Though, I am curious, Mr. Wickwho exactly do you intend to turn him over to?"
He gave John a scrutinizing look, but John''s face remained rxed as he smiled. "Why, to the ce he belongs, of course."
Snape regarded him intently, then used a spell to levitate the unconscious Sirius in a zombie-like float.
As Sirius trailed behind them, John noted to himself that this spell would be pretty handy for transporting things around.
As the dense fog cleared, John and Snape led Sirius into the spider nest in the Forbidden Forest.
This spot waspletely isted, far outside the range of the Marauder''s Map, making it the perfect ce to hide someone.
With Sirius secured, John retrieved his spare wand, pretending not to notice the half-amused look Snape was giving him.
Using a Transfiguration spell, he created a makeshift prisonmagic made this all too convenient.
Sirius was locked inside, fully cut off from any contact with the outside world.
To prevent any escape attempts, John also cast a monitoring spell on the door; if anyone tried to open it, the spell would trigger an alert.
"Now."
Once everything was in ce, John conjured a stream of water with the Aguamenti Charm, dousing Sirius to wake him up.
__________
Read 12 chapters ahead:
160: A Truth and The Truth
160: A Truth and The Truth
The wizarding world may live like it''s stuck in thest century, but some things really are convenient.
For example, right now, Sirius was groggily waking up after being doused with cold water.
With his sense of smell ruined by John''s dung bomb earlier, he hadn''t noticed Snape sneaking up on him and was caughtpletely off guard.
He heard a vaguely familiar voice, though his brain hadn''t fully caught up.
"Come on, dear, time to drink your medicine."
Half-conscious, he felt a cup pressed to his lips, and, without thinking, he gulped down the liquid. It was only after swallowing that he jolted to his senses.
Looking up, he saw John cheerfully holding a water cup, looking unsettlingly caring, like he was doting on a patient.
Then he noticed a pale, sallow face hovering beside John. Instinctively, Sirius muttered, "Snivellus Snake-Ape?"
".."
John observed that Snape''s face somehow grew even darker.
"Wait!" Realizing the situation, Sirius flew into a rage. "What did you make me drink?!"
"Veritaserum, of course. Didn''t I just say it was medicine?" John replied innocently.
Sirius felt a chill run down his spine; from his perspective, this duo was the ultimate nefarious tag team.
This was his old school-days nemesis, the one he shed with constantly, and now being at his mercy felt no different than being back in Azkaban.
Seeing the effects of the Veritaserum kick in, John was very satisfied. He conjured a chair, sat down, and smiled. "So, this isn''t exactly our first meeting, is it, Sirius ck?"
"You''re pretty skilled; that mist was your work, wasn''t it?"
Unable to resist, Sirius sat on the damp ground and said, "But before I answer, I have something to say."
"Please, go on." John noticed Snape still wore an icy expression, as though he might whip out his wand and fire a Killing Curse any moment.
John, for his part, wanted to dig up more secrets, especially any rted to Voldemort. After all, he and Voldemort were sworn enemies, and John had already destroyed two of his Horcruxes.
While Sirius had been unconscious, John had learned a lot.
Snape had revealed that Sirius was responsible for the deaths of the Potters.
This made John all the more eager for any secrets. As a double agent, Sirius surely knew more than the average Death Eater, right?
After twelve years in Azkaban, Sirius''s mental state was a little unhinged. He looked at John, his expression heavy. "I''m not a murderer. It was himthe one hiding!"
As he spoke, he broke into a shout, bordering on hysteria.
Out of reflex, John pped Sirius across the face, and, being a swordsman by trade, he didn''t hold back. Sirius''s face swelled immediately and hesnapped back to his senses after the p, mumbling, "It was him that coward. He betrayed James he betrayed James!"
John nced at Snape, wondering if the hit had jarred something loose in Sirius''s head. Snape, however, looked at Sirius''s swollen face with something close to eager anticipation.
"Alright, so you''re saying you''re not the murderer. Then who is?"
John had intended to ask about Voldemort, but seeing Sirius in this state, he decided to follow along.
"Peter Pettigrew!" Sirius''s bloodshot eyes were wild with fury.
Snape sneered mockingly. "Peter Pettigrew? You might''ve forgotten, but that man was killed by you twelve years ago."
His face twisted with derision, and he turned to John with a note of impatience. "Alright, Wick, turn him over to the Aurors. The Dementors will make him remember."
At the mention of Dementors, fear shed across Sirius''s face.
John, hearing Pettigrew''s name, thought back to Ron''s pet rat. Something clicked.
Snape had agreed to assist John, but he had his own reasons for wanting answers too.
Moving closer to Sirius, Snape''s expression turned menacing as he asked, "Tell me, who helped you escape Azkaban and get into Hogwarts? Who was your inside man? Was it Remus Lupin?"
He looked at Sirius expectantly, eager to hear him say Lupin''s name.
But things didn''t go as expected.
"No, it wasn''t Moony. I only had two friends helping me," Sirius forced out, not wanting to answer his old nemesis''s questions, but unable to resist the effects of the truth serum.
After a moment, he managed to say, "Crookshanks and Tom. They helped me catch Peter Pettigrew."
At the mention of Tom, John''s face fell. Twirling his cherry wood wand in his hand, he said coolly, "So this wand was really Tom''s idea too, wasn''t it?"
A pang of disappointment hit him. Tom wasn''t just any dog; Tom understood human speech and knew full well the significance of a wand to a wizard.
As he mulled over this betrayal, Sirius spoke up again.
"No, it wasn''t," he said. "I found this wand near the Whomping Willow."
"What the?"
John froze. It hadn''t been a gift from Tom?
He fixed Sirius with a hard stare and asked, enunciating each word, "Then who gave it to you?"
It seemed impossible that his wand had just sprouted legs and walked off on its own. John questioned Sirius again, but the answer remained the sameit had been found near the Whomping Willow.
Frowning, he turned to Snape and said, "Professor, is it possible the truth serum is wearing off? Should we add a bit more?"
Hearing this, Snape gave a cruel smile, took out the truth serum, and, gripping Sirius''s mouth, poured an entire small bottle down his throat.
Sirius tried to resist in rage and shock, but Snape, thrilled at the chance to drown his old enemy in truth serum, looked as if he would have used a cauldron if possible.
With the whole bottle in him, Sirius began revealing even the most trivial truths, like the age he stopped wetting the bed.
At the same time, John learned the "truth"that Sirius was not responsible for the death of the Potters.
The Potters had used the Fidelius Charm, which requires a Secret-Keeper. As long as the Secret-Keeper remained silent, even if Voldemort stood at their doorstep, he wouldn''t be able to find them.
James Potter had trusted only Sirius, his brother from another mother and father; even Dumbledore wasn''t considered as an option.
But Sirius, feeling he''d be an obvious target for the Death Eaters, convinced James to switch the Secret-Keeper to Peter Pettigrew.
"We trusted himpletely, didn''t even consider Remus," Sirius howled, voice full of grief.
For twelve years, he had lived with overwhelming remorse.
He med himself for the death of his best friend. This guilt had destroyed him after Peter Pettigrew faked his death; he lost all will, allowing himself to be captured by the Aurors and sent to Azkaban.
Then, seeing the newspaper and realizing that the traitor who had destroyed the Potters was still free, he escaped from Azkaban, swam across the sea, and came to Hogwarts.
Snape and John listened in silence.
Barring the possibility that Sirius was a master of lumency or that the truth serum had failed, his words exposed a tremendous scandal within the Ministry of Magic.
"Professor, how do you n to handle him?"
Breaking the silence, John was the first to speak.
Snape nced at him, as if not quite understanding what he meant.
John gave a slight smile, revealing eight teeth, and said, "I mean, don''t you think it''s time to settle your old grudge with him?"
"Ah.."
Sirius also looked up at John, who, in his Slytherin uniform, spoke in a calm, harmless tone.
"No one knows he''s here, not even the Aurors. We could just say he attacked a student, eliminate him on the spot, or hand him over to the Dementors to have his soul sucked out."
A chill ran through the hearts of the two adult wizards, who looked at John, shock and horror in their eyes.
Snape''s reaction was one of astonishmenthe hadn''t expected John to say something like that.
Sirius''s reaction was one of terror; John knew the truth, yet could calmly speak such words.
This meant John didn''t care in the least about the life of an innocent person.
Terrifying.
Both wizards felt a deeply unsettling fear creep over them.
Snape, his expression stern, reprimanded him, "Mr. John Wick!"
John shrugged and said, "Alright, the professor is being generous. If possible, I''d like to keep him locked up for now. After all, we still need to verify what''s true."
Snape''s expression softened a bit, as John refrained from voicing any more disturbing ideas.
In fact, John nned to use Sirius as leverage in discussions with the Ministry of Magic. Now, knowing the truth of this twelve-year-old case made things even juicier.
Peter Pettigrew had been awarded the Order of Merlin, First ss, for his so-called "heroic sacrifice" and was celebrated as a hero.
But now, the fate of this "hero" was solely in John''s hands.
If Rufus Scrimgeour continued with his current stance, John wouldn''t mind making the truth public, letting people see the Ministry''s scandalthe real truth of the wrongful conviction and their honoring of a Death Eater as a hero.
But if Scrimgeour continued to be a reliable partner to "Johnny Silverhand," John could keep the truth buried, giving Scrimgeour a big favor and letting the Ministry''s reputation remain intact.
With Professor Snape present, however, John chose not to speak so bluntly.
After securing Sirius, John and Snape left the Forbidden Forest side by side.
Snape''s steps were brisk, and John watched as he departed.
Regardless of the choices ahead, tracking down Peter Pettigrew was essential.
With a deep gaze, John ran his fingers over his ringa pitch-ck ring, cursed with a terrible spell. Through the dark gemstone, it looked like a pool of shadowy water swirling within.
______________
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161: Saitama Training!
161: Saitama Training!
The celebratory mood over the victorysted into the next morning, though the tasks in ss began to temper the excitement a bit.
In the Slytherinmon room, John was still mulling over how his wand had managed to disappear.
Malfoy shuffled over awkwardly. Under John''s gaze, he finally spoke up, looking embarrassed. "John, I have to tell you something."
John tilted his head, signaling for him to continue.
Taking a deep breath, Malfoy nervously admitted, "Actually I was the one who lost your wand."
"?"
A question mark practically popped over John''s head as he stared, dumbfounded.
"You''re saying you took my wand from my room?"
John looked at him, trying to piece together how Malfoy might be connected to Sirius.
Malfoy scratched his head, then fiddled with his fingers. Unable to hold back anymore, he confessed, "That day, you asked me to walk your dog, so I thought I''d bring Tom a toy to y with. You know she only has one the.. the chew toy wand..."
The more he talked, the quieter his voice became.
"So I yed fetch with Tom, and I sort of used your ... actual wand as a chew toy. I might have thrown it a little too hard."
After he finished, he looked up and saw John''s murderous re. Shivering, he quickly added, "It''s not entirely my fault! You only said the chew toy was in the drawer. How was I supposed to know it was an actual wand?"
John raised his voice, gritting his teeth, "I said it was in the lower drawer!"
The truth hade to light.
Malfoy had taken the real wand out, mistaking it for a chew toy, and thrown it too hard,unching it near the Whomping Willow and failing to retrieve it when he couldn''t find it.
No wonder Tom had looked so aggrievedit was all Malfoy''s doing.
This kid was clearly taking advantage of a dog''s inability to speak, wasn''t he?
John''s gaze turned dangerous as he red at Malfoy.
Malfoy shuddered, swallowing nervously and chuckling, "Could you, uh, maybe forgive me? You know, for helping Slytherin win the championship?"
John smiled. "Didn''t you fail to catch the Golden Snitch, though?"
Malfoy: "???"
John: "Now, there is no hope. Tsk Tsk"
"What do you mean..?" Malfoy gulped.
John: "Kekeke~"
"J-John?"
In the end, Malfoy''s training workload rose significantly, with John assigning Heinrich to supervise him.
"Heinrich! He''s not allowed to go to the dormitory unless he does 100 squats, 100 situps, 100 pushups, and 10 km run!"
"For how many days he''ll follow that?" Heinrich asked with a crazy smile while Malfoy was on the verge of copsing.
"Until he goes bald!"
...
Back in his dorm, John saw Tom lying in her dog bed, tail tucked and eyes full of pure, silent misery.
John crouched down and, for the first time in days, patted Tom''s head, sighing, "You really went through a lot, didn''t you, buddy?"
Tom perked up as his owner finally petted her again, her tail wagging once more.
His eyes brightened, and he licked John''s hand in a show of affection.
John chuckled, looking over at the bag of dog food. "You didn''t take my wand, but cutting Fang''s dog food to give it to ckwell, I haven''t forgotten that."
Tom''s wagging tail froze, and she immediately flopped back down, once again assuming the appearance of a dog with no hope left in life.
"Aww~ Poor baby~ I''m just messing with you. You''re free to y, but only within themon room," John said while petting Tom, deciding to lift her confinement.
After all, Sirius had used human-level intelligence to befriend her, which was a bit unfair to the dog.
John had gained a lot of information from Sirius, including tidbits about both a cat and a dog.
Crookshanks had dutifully chased rats, while Tom was simply captivated by the big ck dog''s charm.
In fact, Tom''s only "contribution" had been offering dog food to keep the big ck dog around; aside from that, he hadn''t done anything useful.
What''s more, from what Sirius imed, he was innocent, so this whole situation hardly seemed to matter.
With that in mind, John rubbed his chin, thinking aloud, "If Sirius ck is really innocent and from what Hagrid said, he''s Harry''s godfather should I tell Harry?"
After a moment''s consideration, John decided against it for now.
Setting aside everything else, there was Ron, that stubborn asshole. Without any concrete proof, he''d probably refuse to believe it.
He might even think John had taken money from Sirius and was intentionally luring him in to harm Harry.
After all, in Ron''s eyes, his Scabbers was dead, and he certainly wouldn''t want to shoulder that me.
"But the fucker isn''t even showing on the map anymore!! Did Crookshanks really ateNope!"
There was no way John believed Peter Pettigrew was dead.
An Animagus, dead from a cat bite? No wayhe was definitely hiding.
ording to what Sirius had spilled under Veritaserum, Peter had faked his death by cutting off a finger years ago. No doubt he''d just pulled the same trick again.
"If Sirius ck didn''t catch him, and he''s not in the castle who knows, maybe he''ll try to get back to Ron."
After working it all out, John felt a pang of exhaustion.
Ron was the type who constantly felt like dead weight.
For now, John was tentatively aligned with Professor Snape. Snape hadn''t mentioned that they''d captured Sirius, suggesting he was waiting to see how John handled things.
With this in mind, John decided to write a letter to Rufus Scrimgeour.
Heading to the Chamber of Secrets, he drank the final vial of soul potion.
Just as he''d hoped, his right hand was finally healed.
Moving his fingers, John picked up a quill with his right hand.
If he was going to test Rufus Scrimgeour''s stance, he needed a reason to reach out.
An idea struck himBuckbeak.
Hagrid had taken Buckbeak to London, where his appeal had failed. This matter wasn''t particrly big, but it wasn''t small either.
The case had already been decided. Whether or not Scrimgeour would step in on this issue would reveal his stance.
With a n in mind, John wrote a letter with his newly-healed right hand, stamping it with the Johnny Silverhand insignia.
Since owls couldn''t enter the Chamber of Secrets, John left to return to his dormitory.
Turning a corner, he identally bumped into someone, and the letter almost slipped from his pocket.
John quickly reached out to catch it, looking up to see who it was.
"Ah, Mr. Wick, are you alright?"
The gentle voice belonged to Lupin, who was watching him with concern.
John assured him he was fine, shoved the letter back into his pocket, and continued on his way.
Lupin smiled, his eyes holding a glint of something deeper.
Near the end of term, in Divination ss, John stared at a crystal ball, speaking out predictions.
Professor Trwney was thrilled, and as ss was about to end, John nced over at the trio''s corner.
Hermione hadn''t attended; she''d likely given up on Divination after getting frustratedst time.
With all the academic pressure, even John was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed.
John had thinned out considerably. He used to have a bit of flesh on his cheeksnot quite a round face, but certainly nothing like this gaunt look now.
Daphne felt a pang of sympathy and promptly made him a bowl of colorful creamy fried rice.
"..."
John wanted to say it wasn''t necessary, but seeing her eager expression, he forced himself to finish it, despite not tasting a thing.
"So? How was it!?"
"..."
"John?"
"..Your cooking is .. improving"
"Really!!? Thankyou! I''ll try to improve more!"
''Not like I have any taste left anyway,'' he thought.
Complimenting Daphne''s improving cooking skills was not a bad decision, right?
He couldn''t taste it, but just from the look of it, her skills were indeed getting better. Girls probably liked the bright red and green colors, though the ingredients were still somewhat questionable.
...
The members of the Astronomy Club were each busy with their own tasks: Percy was preparing for his N.E.W.T.s, the Weasley twins were sitting for their O.W.L.s, and Heinrich hadn''t had his usual garlic extracttely.
Since he was an exchange student, Heinrich would take his O.W.L.s at Hogwarts. Judging by his demeanor, he wasn''t the least bit worried.
His confidence came from his own strength and John''s guidance, so he didn''t fear the exams at all.
Hagrid, sensing the pressure of exam season, had shifted his ss content to Puffskeinsgentle, fluffy creatures meant to soothe the students'' stress.
John was grateful. Puffskeins had an incredibly soft, squishy feel.
But Hagrid was quite down; his Buckbeak was still facing execution.
John reassured Hagrid, "It''ll be okay."
Yet, a heaviness settled in his hearthis letter had sunk without a trace.
It seemed Rufus Scrimgeour truly didn''t appreciate being restrained.
John was willing to offer equality, but equality required respect for Johnny Silverhand. Being Acting Minister of Magic didn''t mean Scrimgeour could disregard his words.
Afterforting Hagrid, John, expressionless, headed to the Room of Requirement.
In the training area, a sh of silver swept through.
Human-shaped targets split apart like paper as John wielded the Silver Wicksword with his fully healed right hand.
"Ego Sum Draco," he whispered.
mes erupted along the de, fueled by the supercharged magic crystal.
Then the mes transformed into a sea of fire, spreading instantly across the entire training area.
Targets disintegrated into ashes the moment they touched the mes.
The scorching fire gathered into the shape of a dragon, and with a swing of his sword, silver light glinted within the fire as he shed downward.
The unfortunate targets couldn''tst three seconds; they all vanished.
Lowering the silver sword, John drew the mes back into the de as the surrounding fire gradually dissipated.
"The power is even stronger than a Fire Charm. So, this is the strength infused by a soul, huh."
John was pleasedalmost turning into a Thunderbird hadn''t been in vain.
He nced at the super magic crystal at the end of the sword, where purple energy pulsed and jumped, with cracks appearing dangerously close to breaking.
"I still have to be careful with this."
After all, it was an enhanced boost from the magic crystal.
The super magic crystal couldn''t handle such a surge for long. Unleashing this force was like detonating a massive bomb in a confined spacewho knew if his hand would survive it.
___________
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162: Rebellion and Examination
162: Rebellion and Examination
The Minister of Magic, who was supported to take office, is a little rebellious. What should I do?
A week before exams, John received a letter from Rufus Scrimgeour.
In it, Scrimgeour imed he''d been busy with ministerial duties and had only just seen John''s letter.
At that, a cold smirk appeared on John''s face.
What nonsense. Letting it sit for days only to send a response like this?
Between the lines, the message was clear: being newly appointed, he couldn''t afford to let anyone catch him slipping and had to handle matters strictly by the book.
And what did that mean?
Basically, Buckbeak''s head was as good as chopped offeven Merlin himself couldn''t save it, or so Scrimgeour implied.
Was he throwing this in John''s face, thinking the title of acting Minister was some kind of honor?
John didn''t bother replying or writing to anyone else. He simply filed the letter away with a nk expression.
If Rufus wanted to "fly solo," John would let him fly as high as he dared.
He wouldn''t humor him any further, so John ramped up his search for Peter Pettigrew.
The Marauder''s Map was now running 24/7, and if Peter showed up, John would hunt him down.
Feeling slightly better, John tossed the chew-toy wand for Tom to fetch.
Sitting on thewn, John appeared unusually rxed.
Daphne was too busy to cook now, which meant John could avoid her "dark cuisine" for a while.
Since exams wereing up, sses had less going on, giving everyone plenty of time to review.
John was fiddling with a badge in his hand;st time, he''d used it to contact Professor Snape.
As a result, Snape learned about the Constttion Society.
Not that it matteredJohn hadn''t been trying to hide it.
The badges allowed for mutualmunication, though the ninth one still hadn''t been assigned.
Judging from Snape''s reluctance to wear the badge, it seemed he had no interest in joining the Star Society.
And fair enoughwhat professor would join a student club?
Besides, Snape had always been Dumbledore''s man. If he were to join anything, it would be the Order of the Phoenix.
So, for now, the ninth badge had no owner, and John put it away.
He wasn''t sure if Snape would tell Dumbledore about all this. Sirius ck remained hidden in the Forbidden Forest, and John checked on him every few days.
For someone in confinement, Sirius was behaving quite well.
Compared to Azkaban, anywhere else was paradise, I guess.
Meanwhile, Hagrid was still fighting for Buckbeak, with Hermione helping by gathering information to aid in Buckbeak''s case.
It was a mystery where Hermione found all that time. Given her studious nature, shouldn''t she be entirely buried in exam prep by now?
John headed to the library, where students were already packed in, reviewing for exams.
Only a few seats were left, and John nced over at the restricted section but decided not to go there.
He was just there to return books. He''d borrowed several restricted books for quite a while and had already gone through all their contents.
As he ced the stack of books down, he noticed Madam Pince''s eyebrows knotting up.
Apparently, she hadn''t expected him to have borrowed so many restricted books.
With the books returned, John settled into prepping for exam week.
A week passed.
June 3rd.
The first subject was Transfiguration, with tasks like turning a teapot into a turtle.
Since John had an Arithmancy test after Transfiguration, he was scheduled to take the first slot.
Entering the exam room, he saw Professor McGonagall overseeing the test.
John took out his wand and, with a practiced flick, transformed the orange teapot before him into a slow-moving turtle.
"Excellent work, Mr. Wick," Professor McGonagall praised with a smile.
John nodded and proceeded to the next exam room.
The Arithmancy professor, Septima Vector, was there.
Embarrassingly, this was John''s first time meeting her in person.
Professor Vector looked curiously at the student who had missed her ss for nearly the entire year. The exam consisted of a single piece of parchment and a quill.
John passed the Arithmancy test.
At lunchtime, he just grabbed some bread and water, but Daphne swapped his meal out for a te of mango pasta, so he reluctantly finished the yellowish dish.
"Transfiguration this morning was so hard," Malfoy groaned, looking defeated. Transfiguration wasn''t his strength.
Hearing this, John nced at Daphne. She was a top student and skilled at Transfiguration, so she had no trouble.
In the afternoon came the Charms exam.
Professor Flitwick looked eager, seemingly waiting to see if John would modify the Cheering Charm.
John was paired with Goyle, and as soon as John cast the charm, Goyle startedughing uncontrobly while tears came out of his eyes.
''He won''t dieughing, right?''
Goyle''s performance managed to bring John to tears.
"Well done, Mr. Wick, excellent Cheering Charm. Goyle, you still need practice; at the very least, try to avoid turning it into a Crying Charm."
Despite failing, Goyle walked out grinning as if he''d aced the test.
After finishing his Charms exam, John headed to Ancient Runes, by far the easiest subject for him.
Professor Bathsheba Babbling stared in shock, her mouth agape, as if doubting the difficulty of her own exam.
With his level 5 proficiency in Runes, John was practically qualified to teach the subject himself.
As he tranted the final passage, John wrapped up his first day of exams.
He wasn''t nervousjust aimed to perform at his usual level.
During dinner, Daphne leaned over, talking about how hard the exams were. But her expression barely hid that she was either the second or third highest scorer.
Malfoy, on the other hand, lookedpletely defeated, knowing he still had training after exams.
For concealing the missing wand''s truth, his punishment was the Sitama training sessions until the end of the term. Let''s see if he goes bald by then.
...
The next day.
John couldn''t quite understand Hagrid''s logic.
After studying so many magical creatures, Hagrid''s final Care of Magical Creatures exam involved caring for a Flobberworm, with the goal being that it was still alive an hourter.
John gave Hagrid a look, thinking: Could you make it any more obvious you''re going easy on us?
Even left alone, a Flobberworm wouldn''t die in an hour.
This could be considered the only exam of the week where he didn''t need to think or do much.
He even noticed Hagrid chatting with the trio while casually checking on the Flobberworms to see if they were still alive.
In the afternoon, it was time for the Potions exam, and cries of despair echoed through the ssroom.
At this moment, Malfoy seemed to perk up, casting smug nces at the whining Gryffindorsthis was his home turf.
The task was to brew a Confusing Concoction.
This potion causes confusion in whoever drinks it. The biggest challenge was achieving the right thickness, but for John, it was straightforward and simple.
He was the first to finish, handing his potion to Snape for inspection. Snape''s expression remained unreadable as he awarded John full marks without a word.
John nced at Harry, who was still scratching his head, and wondered if he should give him a hint.
Hmm, maybe not.
He is the Chosen One, after allgetting a hint might hurt his pride.
Feeling quite pleased, John left the ssroom.
Later that evening, Astronomy ss was held on the rooftop of the tallest tower.
It wasn''t far from the Divination ssroom.
...
Day three of exams.
History of Magic was as dull as ever, and John even began to suspect that Professor Binns had some sort of hypnotic spell.
Despite his sleepless endurance, why did he feel so sleepy just from looking at that ancient, lifeless face?
The exam content was just as boring as the lectures. He wrote down things about medieval witch hunts and called it a day.
In the stifling ssroom, he couldn''t help but crave a scoop of nutty ice cream. Students hunched over, the scratching of quills filling the air.
When it was time to hand in the parchment, Professor Binns had the same lifeless look, though technically, he was dead.
The heat persisted through the afternoon Herbology exam. The greenhouse baked under the sun, and a Slytherin student nearly fainted.
Once it was over, everyone fled the greenhouse, desperate for fresh air.
...
Thursday, thest day of exams.
Professor Lupin was still everyone''s favorite teacher, and his exam was the most enjoyable.
An outdoor obstacle course.
John passed through a pond with Grindylows lurking within, but they were so intimidated by him that they hid.
In a pit full of Red Caps, not one dared to pop up.
In the marshy ground, the Hinkypunk had already curled up into a ball, seemingly hoping John wouldn''t notice it.
Finally, it was a battered old chest, and inside was a Boggart, which transformed into a chocte rice noodle roll that got swiftly pped back into the chest.
"Keep Fruits And Choctes Out Of The Fucking Food!!"
Thest two exams were Divination and Muggle Studies, and John didn''t even need any real prophecies; he aced them effortlessly.
It was a rare, satisfying experience to be given a leg up like that.
Before he left, Professor Trwney gave John a cryptic message: the prophecy was nearing.
John paused, recalling the prediction he''d made at the start of term.
After answering what a rubber duck is used for, Muggle Studies was also over.
As John left the exam room, an owlnded on his arm with a letter from Hagrid.
Buckbeak''s appeal had failed.
"Looks like Scrimgeour is dead set on doing this."
John stared at the note. Buckbeak''s incident was neither too serious nor trivial, and his attempt to get that Slytherin student to withdraw the im hadn''t worked.
It was probably Rufus Scrimgeour''s doingst time, John had asked him to help save Hagrid; this time, he wanted to use Buckbeak to test "Johnny Silverhand" and n his next steps.
"Heh, well-yed, he probably thinks Johnny Silverhand wouldn''t turn on him over a hippogriff."
John chuckled coldly.
In one phrase: it doesn''t hurt, but it''s disgustingly annoying.
So....
____________
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163: Execution
163: Execution
Rufus Scrimgeour was panicking.
He had dispatched additional Dementors to Hogwarts.
During his tenure, he had boasted with great confidence, but now, nearly an entire term had passed, and there was still no sign of Sirius ck.
In fact, due to Sirius ck, a dozen Dementors had gone missing.
The Ministry of Magic''s reputation was in shambles, and the only way Scrimgeour could remove the "acting" from his title and restore the Ministry''s face was by capturing Sirius ck.
John encountered a grim-faced Rufus Scrimgeour in the castle and figured he was having a rough day.
Scrimgeour had graced Hogwarts with his presence, apanied by members of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures and an executioner.
For a magical creature to warrant the personal attention of the Minister?
If it were Fudge, perhaps it would make some sense.
But Scrimgeour, with his Auror background and tough stance, shouldn''t concern himself with such trivial matters.
His arrival clearly had ulterior motives.
"Is he thinking Johnny Silverhand is unreliable and wants to find a new backer?"
Squinting slightly, John watched Scrimgeour head toward the headmaster''s office. Clearly, there was a conversation to be had.
What a pity.
If Scrimgeour were the actual Minister of Magic, perhaps he''d have some leverage.
But as of now, Scrimgeour was merely an acting minister, and his personality wasn''t one to win over Dumbledore.
"Execution at sunset, huh? Buckbeak has be a pawn in this game."
Thinking about Hagrid''s letter, John felt a pang of guilt.
"I''ll gofort himter."
With a sigh, John headed to the Constetion Society''s secret room.
The holidays were approaching, and there were still some things in the room that needed attention.
Arriving on the fourth floor, John nced at the magic he''d left behind. Aside from Constetion Society members, someone else had tried to enter.
However, the intruder hadn''t discerned the enchantments on the wooden door, so John decided to let it slide for now.
Opening the door and stepping inside, he noticed that the Firebolt had been cleaned and carefully ced back in its spot.
It was obvious who had done itMalfoy.
John then opened the passage to the armory.
Entering the armory, John raised his hand and summoned the Silverwick Sword.
There was now an additional crack on the Super Magic Crystal. His gaze shifted to the new pair of shoes on the table, and hepleted the final adjustments.
Slipping on the new shoes, he turned his attention to the Enchantment Ring.
The ring on his right hand had turned pitch ck, the gemstone now entirely dark, like a bottomless abyss.
"The Soul-Devouring Curse shouldn''t be overused," he muttered.
After inspecting it for a while, John noticed a barely visible crack.
The ring, after all, wasn''t a particrly powerful vessel. Even magical crystals shattered under the strain of too much magic, let alone this ring.
He packed the Heart of Silence and the Enchantment Ring he had crafted recently into a small briefcase. Items like these weren''t casually sold in Johnny Silverhand''s boutique.
The shop carefully selected its clienteleonly those who passed the vetting process could make a purchase.
Of course, some dark wizards could also buy them. After all, what''s Knockturn Alley without a little gray-market trade?
However, the prices for such items were anything but friendly.
Once both items were packed, the small briefcase grew significantly heavier.
Though it had an Undetectable Extension Charm, it didn''t make the contents weightless.
This particr alchemical creation by Nics mel had also been enchanted with a Levitation Charm, ensuring it always felt lightweight.
Originally, it seemed to have been designed for Madame mel. But when the couple decided to leave this world, they gifted it to John as a parting gift.
With everything packedincluding ten magical crystals, five from the Constetion Society''s secret room and five he had crafted himselfJohn was finally ready.
Feeling unusually punctual, he headed to dinner.
As soon as he entered, he saw Malfoy, fresh out of exams, bragging loudly about how effortless everything had been.
It almost gave people the illusion that anyone with hands could seed.
John sat quietly after finishing his meal, watching Malfoy put on his little show.
Perhaps his "watching an idiot" expression was too tant, as Malfoy gave an awkwardugh and sat down.
The moment his seat touched the bench, John asked, "Have you finished your training tasks?"
Malfoy froze and touched his hair. He clearly didn''t expect that he''d still have to train even during final exams.
Meeting John''s gaze, he shivered and hurriedly said, "I''ll go right now!"
With that, he bolted from the Great Hall.
Goyle and Crabbe stuffed a couple of pieces of bread into their mouths and rushed after Malfoy.
Daphne, surprised to see John dining at a regr time, hadn''t even prepared one of her infamous dishes yet.
When John saw her preparing to unleash her culinary "talents," he panicked, quickly stuffed bread into his mouth, and imed he was full.
As he finished, he noticed the Golden Trio finishing their meal, their faces filled with worry as they discussed Hagrid while heading out.
John decided to follow them but stayed unnoticed as they exited the hall.
As he passed a broom closet, John paused in his tracks.
"Which couple''s being this brazen?" he muttered.
With a peculiar expression, John nced at the closet and muttered again, "Not even nighttime yet, and they''re already sneaking around for a date? In a ce like this?"
Shaking his head, he continued on his way.
Not long after he left, two heavy sighs of relief came from inside the closet.
A boy''s voice, tinged with rm, whispered, "Did he see us?"
A girl''s uncertain voice responded, "Probably not. After all, we just walked past him earlier."
...
On his way, John spotted Rufus Scrimgeour, the acting Minister of Magic, descending the stairs with a sour expression.
Two members of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures followed closely behind.
This brief encounter dyed John a little.
By the time he reached Hagrid''s hut, he saw Buckbeak tethered in the pumpkin patch outside.
''Looks like Harry and the others are insideforting Hagrid,'' John thought.
The sound of a jar smashing came from inside, a clear sign that Hagrid was not in a good mood.
Locking eyes with Buckbeak, John suddenly remembered he''d never ridden the creature before.
He stepped forward and bowed. Buckbeak, tied to a wooden stake, bowed back in return.
John approached to gently stroke its feathers, considering the possibility of taking Buckbeak away right now. But doing so would undoubtedly implicate Hagrid.
"Go in peace," John whispered softly beside Buckbeak''s head. His gaze turned cold as he added, "Broken pieces must be removed."
He patted Buckbeak''s head lightly before turning to leave.
He decided against entering the hut. Having been of little help in this matter, John didn''t feel like facing Hagrid.
Just as he turned away, he stopped again.
With a faintly puzzled expression, he turned toward the forest behind the pumpkin patch.
The forest was eerily quiet, but John had a vague feeling he''d seen something.
To confirm, his eyes narrowed into vertical slits.
The presence within the forest seemed startled and quickly retreated.
John frowned, fixing his gaze on that direction, debating whether to investigate.
Tick, Tick...
In the silence, John heard a faint sound.
Taking out a golden pocket watch from his pocket, he nced at the time and then looked up at the setting sun.
The sun was descending toward the Forbidden Forest, and in the distance, a group of figures appeared, silhouetted against the light, heading toward the castle.
It was the team from the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, Rufus Scrimgeour, and Dumbledore.
With such a formidable lineup, John knew he couldn''t pull the wool over Dumbledore''s eyes.
Reluctantly, he gave up his n and ran in another direction.
Not long after John left, the trio slipped out of Hagrid''s hut, cloaked in the Invisibility Cloak, sneaking away through the back door.
Once everyone had gone, heavy breathing could be heard from the forest behind the pumpkin patch.
"Bloody hell, why does it feel like John always manages to spot us?"
A voice echoed in the quiet, as the sunset''s golden light filtered through the trees, revealing two familiar facesHarry and Hermione.
Both had bandages on their faces.
Harry hadn''t expected that, apart from their own group, John had also nned to rescue Buckbeak.
Hermione, meanwhile, had a gleam in her eyes that was almost rming. Around her slender neck hung a gold chain with a shimmering hourss.
As if struck by inspiration, she whispered, "Do you remember what Professor Dumbledore said?"
Harry was puzzled. "What did Dumbledore say?"
Seeing his confusion, Hermione gave him a look of exasperation, like a mother frustrated with her child''s slow understanding. She reminded him in a hushed voice, "If all goes well tonight, you might save more than one innocent life. If things get difficult, perhaps seek out help."
Hermione took a deep breath and said, "We need help, Harry."
...
Meanwhile, inside Hagrid''s hut, the death sentence for Buckbeak was being read aloud.
"The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures has ruled that the hippogriff Buckbeak, hereafter referred to as the guilty creature, shall be executed on June 6th at sunset"
"Sentenced to decapitation, to be carried out by the executioner appointed by themittee, Walden Mair"
Rufus Scrimgeour wore a grim expression, while Dumbledore remained exceptionally cheerful, engaging Scrimgeour in conversation as though he hadn''t just refused to intervene in the headmaster''s office earlier.
During the sentencing, no one noticed a shadowy figure sneaking into the pumpkin patch from the forest.
When Buckbeak saw the person, it bowed in greeting. The figure returned the gesture with a bow of their own.
Buckbeak: This person bowedsafe to approach!
Harry: "Buckbeak,e on, let''s go!"
__________
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164: The fire transformed into a dragon
164: The fire transformed into a dragon
Now that he was here, John was going to check on Sirius.
That guy had his uses, so John needed to confirm whether he was alive or not.
The weather today was quite nice, and the evening would likely follow suit.
Upon reaching the spiderir where Sirius was being held, John immediately sensed that something was off.
Quiet.
Too quiet!
Normally, Sirius would at least howl a bit to vent his frustration, even when there was nothing to do. Now, however, there wasplete silence.
Feeling uneasy, John quickly approached the door and opened it. Inside, the room was empty, and in one corner, a pile of dirt was heaped up.
Stepping closer, John''s face darkened.
"How is he so skilled at digging tunnels?" he muttered angrily.
At the spot where the dirt was piled, there was a tunnel leading straight outside.
Using a detection charm, John determined that the tunnel had been dug through nearly ten meters of solid ground.
Sirius had escaped.
John''s expression grew grim. Although Sirius had already spilled plenty of information under the influence of Veritaserum, this was crucial leverage in his dealings with the Ministry of Magic.
Without hesitation, John left the spiderir to track down Sirius.
Harry''s perspective with the Time-Turner.
"Where is it?" themittee member shrieked, his voice sharp and grating. "Where is that beast?!"
It was of no use. Buckbeak had already been whisked away by Harry ahead of time.
Hagrid was ovee with joy, tears streaming down his face as though a miracle had just urred.
Dumbledore wore a knowing smile, ushering Rufus Scrimgeour to join him for tea.
Meanwhile, after leading Buckbeak away, Harry and Hermione dashed to a thicket near the Whomping Willow, where they waited.
Before long
"Get away get away Scabbers,e here!"
Harry spotted his best friend, Ron, chasing after Scabbersor rather, Peter Pettigrew.
Harry''s eyes burned with hatred as he locked onto the rat, his fury bubbling over. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to end him right then and there.
Hermione grabbed Harry''s arm, stopping him. "Don''t do anything rash," she whispered.
This scene unfolded after the trio had left Hagrid''s hut. Crookshanks had appeared, scaring Scabbers off.
Harry begrudgingly admitted that he had disliked Crookshanks for quite some time.
But now, all he could think was why the cat couldn''t run faster.
Ron, in his chase, ended up outside the range of the Invisibility Cloak. From Harry''s perspective, Ron suddenly appeared out of thin air, followed shortly by himself and Hermione as they stepped into view.
Because Ron tackled Scabbers, Harry and Hermione almost fell onto him.
At that exact moment, the big ck dogor rather, Sirius ck, his godfatherappeared.
With his paws lightly tapping the ground, Sirius moved so quickly he seemed like a shadow darting over. He mmed into Harry, knocking him aside.
From an observer''s perspective, Sirius''s eyes never left Scabbers for even a second.
His massive jaws mped down on Ron''s right leg, and the sharp sound of bones cracking echoed clearly.
Harry, one of the trio, rushed forward to rescue Ron,nding a kick squarely on Sirius''s left nk, causing him to let out a muffled groan.
But this didn''t stop Sirius at all. He dragged Ron, along with Scabbers, into the tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow. On his way in, one of the Willow''s branches struck Harry hard.
That hit hurta lot. Even now, Harry shuddered at the memory.
The trio eventually entered the tunnel after Crookshanks pressed the knot that froze the Whomping Willow.
As they waited for events to unfold, they noticed Snape rushing over. He picked up the Invisibility Cloak and, clearly aware of the Willow''s weakness, easily entered the tunnel.
Harry couldn''t help but pout. "Hermione, is the helper you mentioned supposed to be John?"
There was still some time left, and Harry wasn''t about to sit idle. He blinked his "brilliantly wise" eyes and asked Hermione.
Hermione nodded and said, "John doesn''t know about what we''re doing. He''s an outsider, which makes him our final key."
"But how do we find him? I mean, he already left," Harry hesitated before voicing his concern.
Hermione didn''t know the answer either, so she asked Harry what had happened at the end.
"I''m not sure," Harry replied hesitantly, "but I think I saw my father."
Recalling the events involving the Dementors, Harry''s face showed a mix of fear and longing as he continued:
"There were at least a hundred Dementors. When one of them leaned in close to me, this big silver thing came rushing from across theke and drove them away."
Harry paused before adding, "It was a Patronusa real, powerful Patronus."
"Who cast it?" Hermione wondered aloud, falling into deep thought. "Could it have been John? From what I know, only he and Professor Lupin can use a Patronus."
Hermione immediately thought of John. She had seen him repel and capture Dementors at the Quidditch pitch with her own eyes.
She had previously suspected that John might have been helping Sirius ck.
However, during their confrontation in the Shrieking Shack, Sirius, despite his swollen face, had firmly denied it. He even imed that John had captured him and locked him up.
Hermione felt a pang of guilt for ever doubting her friend.
The two continued discussing the matter while Hagrid, beaming with joy, stepped outside with an empty tankard. He was clearly over the moon.
Harry remained convinced that it was his father who had intervened.
Hermione decided not to challenge him for now since they were about to leave.
Meanwhile, Buckbeak grew restless. He pecked Harry''s hand, causing him to let go with a yelp, and then trotted off into the forest.
Harry wanted to chase after Buckbeak, but Hermione held him back.
Inside the tunnel leading to the Whomping Willow, Lupin was the first to climb out. He brought along Peter Pettigrew, now back in human form, and Ron, followed by Sirius, Harry, and Hermione.
Seeing this scene, Harry almost rushed out but was stopped in time.
"Are we just going to watch Pettigrew escape again?" Harry said bitterly, his voice full of frustration.
Hermione knew that trying to catch a rat in the dark was nearly impossible. The priority now was to ensure everyone''s safety.
Harry reluctantly agreed, leaving them no choice but to watch what unfolded next.
The moon emerged from behind the clouds.
Lupin nced at the bright full moon and froze in realization.
But it was toote. Tonight was a full moon.
His limbs stiffened, and he began transforming into a werewolf.
Underneath the Whomping Willow, a chorus of panicked screams erupted. Harry instinctively wanted to intervene again, only for Hermione to grab hold of him.
Without Hermione, this group would probably fall apart entirely.
Hermione took a deep breath, resisting the urge to punch her impulsive "son."
Sirius, his swollen face now turning into his Animagus dog form, leaped forward to fight the werewolf Lupin, buying time for the others to escape.
However, amidst the chaos, no one noticed Peter Pettigrew picking up Lupin''s fallen wand.
By the time they realized, it was toote. Ron had been struck by a spell from Peter Pettigrew, who then transformed into a rat and escaped.
From afar, Harry and Hermione anxiously watched as the werewolf Lupin and Sirius disappeared from sight.
Howls and barks echoed in the distance, only for the barking to eventually turn into a mournful cry.
The werewolf Lupin began heading back toward the Whomping Willow. Harry grew even more worriedwhy hadn''t the wolf''s howl that was supposed to lure Lupin away happened?
Hermione, however, had a sudden idea and mimicked a wolf''s howl from their hiding spot.
The werewolf heard it, turned his head toward the woods where they were hiding, and seemed puzzled.
Werewolf Lupin: Whose cub is this, howling with such terrible grammar?
Determined to correct this wolf cub''s atrocious howling skills, werewolf Lupin abandoned the three near the Whomping Willow and headed toward the woods.
Seeing Lupin heading their way, Harry and Hermione panicked and ran off as quickly as they could.
But then, an even worse scene unfolded.
Through the gaps in the trees, they saw a swarm of Dementors filling the sky, blocking out the moonlight.
After much scrambling, they eventually found Buckbeak in the woods. Buckbeak, unimpressed by Lupin''s refusal to bow,unched himself at the werewolf, swiping at him with his ws and sessfully driving him away.
"Quick, we have to go!" Hermione, barely catching her breath, urged.
Harry, however, was filled with excitement. He grabbed Hermione''s hand and started running.
They rushed to thekeside. From a distance, they saw the countless Dementors obscuring the moonlight.
"This is where my dad appeared," Harry said, his eyes wide with determination, unwilling to miss the moment his father showed up.
However, he was disappointedhis father never appeared.
On the other side, his past self was struggling desperately but ultimately copsed under the pressure.
If they kept waiting, both he and his godfather would die.
Harry stepped forward, raising his wand high on thekeshore. "Expecto Patronum!"
A silver stag materialized, galloping into the swarm of Dementors, driving them away from his godfather and his past self.
The scene was identical to what Harry had seen before passing out earlier. His emotions wereplicatedafter all, it wasn''t his father who had saved him.
Hermione screamed, "Harry!"
Snapping out of his thoughts, Harry noticed the overwhelming number of Dementors. While the Patronus was powerful, it couldn''t fend off so many at once.
Panic overtook them as they watched the Dementors close in on Sirius, ready to suck out his soul.
Some of the Dementors also turned their attention toward the two of them. Harry struggled to maintain control of the Patronus, barely holding them back.
In her desperation, Hermione came up with an idea. Gritting her teeth, she raised her wand and flung it upward with all her strength.
"Lumos Maxima!"
A glowing orb of light erupted from the tip of her wand, soaring high into the sky before bursting into a blinding brilliance.
"Hermione, what are you doing? The Patronus Charm is the only thing that works against Dementors!" Harry shouted, thinking she didn''t know.
But Hermione kept her gaze fixed on the sky, muttering a silent prayer. "John, you have to see this."
More Dementors gathered, blotting out the sky and far exceeding a hundred in number.
Just as the silver stag Patronus began to falter, a streak of silver light appeared in the sky.
Momentster, a swift albatross flew into the swarm of Dementors, carving a path through their ranks.
"John!" Hermione eximed in delight.
The albatross tore through the Dementors, clearing a route. Down that pathway, another radiant light descended at incredible speed, crashing into the center of theke.
Boom!
A wave of force rippled outward from the impact, sending water surging onto the shore. From theke''s surface emerged a sword.
In the next instant, the hilt of the sword was grasped by a handlong fingers, distinct knuckles, with silver and ck rings adorning the middle and ring fingers.
A voice, low and enigmatic, resonated in a strangenguage that seemed part ancient script, part dragon tongue.
||"Ego Sum Draco."||
The silver sword ignited with mes, its violet crystal emitting a continuous stream of magical energy. As the de swung, mes erupted.
The fire transformed into a dragon, spreading its wings and soaring, melting the frozenke as it passed.
The Dementors fled in fear, unable to resist the fiery onught.
Harry and Hermione stared in awe at the figure''s dramatic arrival.
He descended beneath the stars and moon, walking atop theke''s surface, mes coiling around him like a dragon.
With a single swing of his sword, he ignited the battlefield.
And burned everything to ash....
So.. Cool...!
__________
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165: Shattering and Time Vortex
165: Shattering and Time Vortex
How did John realize something had happened to Harry and the others?
It''s a long story, so let''s cut to the chase.
After leaving the spider''s nest, he heard a wolf howling.
Following the sound, he ran into a werewolf.
Just as the werewolf was about to attack, Buckbeakwho was supposed to be deadsuddenly came charging in.
Buckbeak: Don''t mess with anyone who''s bowed to me, you punk.
"Ack! Awoo!"
The werewolf was pped silly with one swipe and fled before John even had to lift a finger.
Puzzled about why Buckbeak was still alive, John then spotted a sky full of Dementors swarming about.
Realizing something was wrong, he noticed a glowing light ball exploding in the sky.
Honestly, this kind of "throwing a massive re into the heavens" strategy is pretty hard to miss.
John promptly rode Buckbeak over.
At first, he wanted to assess who was behind it. But when he saw a sea of Dementors closing in on Hermione, he didn''t think twicehe jumped into action.
As for why he used a sword?
With a mount already under him, how could John not use a sword and honor his knightly ir?
Thus, the epic descent from the heavens scene urred.
...
[Ding! Challenge mission triggered: Repel the Dementors. Reward: +2 arbitrary points.]
"So stingycouldn''t even toss in a blessing?"
Standing on theke''s surface in his new boots, John tilted his head to the sky andined.
This year''s system had been absurdly tightfisted. Aside from the Hogwarts series of tasks and maintaining his rank at the top, there had been nothing else.
Now, finally, a challenge mission appeared, and it didn''t evene with a buff.
John clicked his tongue silently. The system was getting more and more miserly.
He shifted his focus back to the fight.
The mes only forced the Dementors to avoid himthey couldn''t actually deal damage.
The albatross zipped around within the swarm, and John began to wonder if Rufus Scrimgeour had brought every single Dementor from Azkaban to this spot.
He nced lefttwo people were sprawled out on the shore.
He nced rightoh, Harry and Hermione.
John was momentarily dumbfounded. Wasn''t Harry supposed to be lying unconscious over there? Did he have a stand-in now?
Wait is this one the real Harry or the double?
The relentless Dementors snapped John out of his idle musings, forcing him to focus as he directed his Patronus Charm to fend them off.
The silver stag vanished before Harry''s eyes, leaving his jaw hanging open as he watched John''s shy entrance.
"John, watch out!"
Seeing a Dementor creep up on John, Hermione shouted in rm.
But the albatross Patronus swooped in, snapping its beak to drive the Dementor away.
Realizing John was a difficult target, the Dementors turned their attention to Sirius, preparing to extract his soul.
John noticed immediately, his expression darkening. Oh, so that''s your game? As if I''d let you seed!
The albatross swiftly shielded both Sirius and the Harry-who-might-be-real-or-a-stand-in, while John dashed toward Hermione.
The Dementors, sensing his move, swarmed toward John, forcing Hermione and Harry to try intervening.
But Harry, having used the Patronus Charm earlier, was barely holding himself upright.
"There are too many Dementors. This isn''t good," Harry muttered, his voice faint.
As Johnnded near theke''s edge, the Dementors surrounded himpletely. Some of them seemed to recognize him and were particrly eager to extract his soul.
Fine, John thought grimly. If that''s how you want it, then I won''t hold back.
He raised his right hand, and from the ck ring on his fourth finger, countless threads shot forth like living tendrils.
||"Soul Devouring Curse~"||
Swoosh!
*Kriiii!* *Krr!*
The approaching Dementors were ensnared by the ck threads, immediately emitting bone-chilling screams.
Realizing they faced a natural nemesis, the Dementors didn''t flee. Instead, they doubled down, determined to destroy John at all costs.
They knew the threads were a mortal threat to their kindif they didn''t eliminate them now, this would be the greatest fear for Dementors in the future.
Relentlessly, they charged forward, only to be devoured by the curse''s ck tendrils.
Hermione watched in disbelief as every single Dementor was restrained by the writhing threads.
John looked like a weaver at a loom, pulling strands of the dark curse together into a growing, shadowy ball.
Souls began to float up around him, glowing faintly, but John had no time to pay them any attention.
Snap.
The sharp sound echoed. John''s expression changed dramatically.
The ck ring on his finger was fracturing, the cracks spreading wider and wider.
In the next instant, the entire ring was covered in fissures.
As the cursed energy poured in, the ring shatteredpletely, exploding in a burst of ck energy.
Fuck!
The ck gemstone in the center continued absorbing the energy, and John instantly knew something had gone terribly wrong.
Without hesitation, the silver ring on his other hand transformed into a gleaming silver arm and seized the ck gemstone tightly.
The six magical crystals operated at full capacity, their surging power forming a cage to contain the growing curse.
With the original container shattered, John had no choice but to temporarily transfer the curse into the limited gauntlet.
ck threads, as thin and fragile as nerves, extended from the silver arm, seeping from his palm as the curse pushed back uncontrobly.
"Damn it! Breaking down at a time like this!" John cursed under his breath, increasing the power of the gauntlet to trap the curse. The six magical crystals emitted an ominous purple glow.
The sudden turn of events caught him off guard. The curse now seemed almost sentient, thrashing violently and resisting his control.
The Dementors, sensing danger, had stopped their attacks.
The fuckers were fleeing!
The ck threads tore through their shadowy forms relentlessly. The Dementors were utterly terrified, retreating rapidly toward the sky.
Even as they escaped, nearly twenty were devoured by the curse.
"T-That''s amazing!"
Hermione was ted, seeing John still standing amidst the chaos. She called out, "John, let''s get out of here!"
John remained motionless.
Time was slipping away.
Hermione grew anxious. If they didn''t leave soon, someone else might show up.
They still needed to save Sirius. There was no room for dy.
So she rushed over to pull John away.
As she approached, John let out a low growl, "Get out of here, now!"
Hermione froze in her tracks. From John''s hand, the ck threads surged straight toward her.
Her eyes widened in shock, and as she dodged, the Time-Turner she wore was struck.
In an instant, a crack appeared in the hourss of the Time-Turner.
Sand began to spill out, and John felt a wrenching sensation, as though he were being forcibly ejected from this dimension.
Without thinking, he grabbed the hourss with his left hand.
Now his left hand held the Time-Turner, while his right hand struggled to contain the Soul-Eating Curse.
John''s face twisted as he snarled, "Get out of here! I''ll be fine!"
Even someone as clever as Hermione waspletely thrown off at this moment.
She could see that John was in terrible shape.
Harry grabbed her arm firmly, his expression serious. "Hermione, listen to John!"
Although known for his asional recklessness, Harry never faltered in critical moments.
Pulling Hermione along, he ran quickly away.
He believed John would be fineafter all, earlier he had seen himself safely back in the hospital wing.
Moreover, since Dumbledore had told them to find John, it meant that John must not havee to any harm afterward.
Harry nced toward the opposite side, where someone was emerging from the bushes. Gritting his teeth, he tugged Hermione along and left.
One John could still be exined, but two Harry Potters? Absolutely not.
Worried but determined, Harry half-pulled, half-dragged Hermione away.
Once they had gone, John finally had his hands free and no more distractions.
The sense of separation grew stronger and stronger.
The sand leaking from the hourss began to merge into his body, and John saw the scenery before him constantly shifting.
One moment it was daytime, the next it was night.
"Time magic!?"
Two major taboos of the wizarding world: time and soul magic.
And, as luck would have it, John now held both in his hands.
The Soul-Eating Curse wriggled and slithered toward the hourss, attempting to consume the Time-Turner.
Woosh!
Unable to suppress it any longer, the Soul-Eating Curse erupted, transforming into an overwhelming tide of darkness that enveloped John entirely.
Golden sand poured out, and John was drawn into a temporal bacsh, the scenes before his eyes shifting and jumping chaotically.
He glimpsed a dark-haired boy being hoisted into the air by four Gryffindor students, the leader mocking him cruelly and threatening to pull down his trousers.
The scene shifted again, showing a young girl running over to stop the ck-haired boy. However, the boy didn''t appreciate her intervention. He said something curt, causing the girl to leave in tears.
Before John could contemte why the ck-haired boy seemed so familiar, a strong pulling force swept him away once more, and the scenery changed again.
This time, it was a handsome youth angrily confronting arge student. "Hagrid, I can''t just stand by and let you endanger the school!"
The scene shifted once more.
The handsome youth was now stroking an ancient-looking book, his eyes filled with greed and desire. The book''s cover read, "Advanced Dark Magic Unveiled."
The imagery jumped again, and this time John saw a male professor conducting a lesson.
It was a Defense Against the Dark Arts ss.
The session involved a Boggart.
A freckled boy faced the Boggart, which transformed into an office desk, eliciting roars ofughter from the ss.
The professor chuckled good-naturedly, but hisugh suddenly faltered. He turned to look back.
John saw those eyes meet his own for a brief moment.
The professor seemed about to say something, but John was pulled away again.
This time, he found himself back by theke, where a bunch of biting cabbages rolled toward him.
Startled, John jumped back, but thankfully, this stop was even shorter than the others.
The jumps continued, one after another, as if John were caught in an endless vortex.
Meanwhile, the Soul-Eating Curse intertwined persistently with the Time-Turner, creeping through the gaps in his fingers.
John watched it stubbornly press forward, realizing with a sinking feeling that he had no way to escape this chaotic loop.
"I need a massive explosion, one powerful enough to generate the immense magical energy required to free me from this endless jumping," John muttered to himself.
Such power, however, was beyond John''s own capabilities.
But...
His gaze shifted to the silver sword, which had been drawn into this chaotic time vortex with him due to its proximity.
John''s expression hardened. Resolute, he made his decision.
"Fred!"
After yet another disorienting leap, John suddenly heard George''s voice echoing in his ears amidst the chaotic mix of other voices.
Fred turned his head toward the shattered wall, perhaps sensing death''s imminent arrival. Everything before his eyes became unusually vivid.
Shards of stone flew through the air alongside a dark curse, hurtling straight toward Fred. Was this it?
Was he about to die?
At that very moment, Fred saw someone entirely unexpected.
John stood before him, his face filled with urgency. Fred, shocked and uncertain, barely managed to mouth two words:
"John?"
There was no time to exin. Gritting his teeth, John let go of both his hands.
In an instant, the Soul-Eating Curse consumed the hourss, morphing into a grotesque human face.
Without hesitation, John grabbed the nearby Sword of Silverwick.
Both hands gripping the hilt tightly, he drove the de with all his might straight into the face.
The moment they made contact, the overwhelming magical energy suppressed by the supercharged magic crystals was unleashed in full force.
The crystals shattered, and cracks rapidly spread across the de, its silver fragments scattering like glittering sparks.
Centered around John, a massive surge of magical energy erupted, radiating outward in waves of purple, ck, white, and gold.
If not for the containment of the temporal field, the explosion might have consumed the entire castle.
Fred could only watch as John was engulfed by the explosion, his form vanishing entirely in the blinding burst.
The curse that had been aimed at Fred was obliterated by the st, leaving him to be thrown violently through the air by the magical shockwave.
_________
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166: Time Flash and the Door
166: Time sh and the Door
Time, frozen.
Sound, silenced.
Space, shrouded in darkness.
A crack appeared in the void ahead, barely wide enough for one person to pass through.
John raised the Sword of Silverwick, now reduced to a third of its original length.
The supercharged magic crystal at the hilt was gone, leaving only the intense purple hue of residual magic.
He stepped forward, expecting that the massive explosion would have left him severely injuredif not dismembered.
But it seemed the magical force hadn''t inflicted as much damage as he feared.
The magic crystals on his limited gauntlet had been destroyed. Tentatively, he extended the Sword of Silverwick into the crack.
The moment it entered, the sword vanished.
John stared nkly at his right handgone.
No warning, no signjust as if the Sword of Silverwick had never existed.
The space remained unchanged. If he didn''t step through, he would be trapped here forever.
Taking a deep breath, John gripped his wand tightly.
ncing at his arm, he noticed golden markings glowing faintly beneath the skin of his left hand.
No matter how hard he tried to wipe it away, the ck mark remained on his other hand as well.
"Guess I have no choice but to go in..."
John had lingered in the space for what felt like an eternity. He took out his pocket watch and nced at it.
It had stopped. Time itself was frozen.
Summoning his courage, he stepped toward the crack once more.
Beyond the fissurey a void.
There was no up or downjust countless shattered mirrors scattered in every direction.
If the shiftingbyrinth was minimalist art, then this ce was aplex, dazzling masterpiece.
John ced his foot on one of the mirror shards.
Crunch.
The fragment creaked as if it might shatter at any moment, but it held steady beneath his weight.
Standing fully on the surface, John found it surprisingly intact.
With no idea where the exit might be, he could only press forward.
He also realized that his sword was nowhere to be found.
"Did it fall into a different ce?"
After some thought, John chose a direction and began walking.
He wasn''t sure how long he had been moving when he suddenly came face to face with a mirror.
The moment John touched the mirror, the reflection within began to shift.
He saw a disheveled man frantically adding ingredients into a cauldron. The man''s expression was wild, almost deranged.
A woman, presumably his wife, approached and berated him viciously.
In response, the man cut off his own hand and threw it into the cauldron.
The wife fled in terror, but the man didn''t care. He continued his alchemy, day after day, year after year, for a decade.
Yet, as death approached, he still hadn''t achieved the thing he had been seeking.
John stared at the mirror, thoughtful, then moved on to touch another.
In this one, another alchemist appeared, but he was quite different from the first.
This man was elegant in demeanor, affectionate toward his wife, loving to his son, and kind to his friends.
He seemed like the perfect persona good husband, a caring father, a loyal friend.
But every night, under the cover of darkness, the man would slip away to a hidden workshop filled with alchemical materials.
His life appeared idyllic at first. However, as time passed, his wife died, his son grew up and left home, and his best friend lost a leg in an adventure.
With each loss, the man''s obsession with his goal deepened.
He spent every waking moment submerged in his experiments.
By the age of fifty, he died alone in his secret workshop, his life''s purpose unfulfilled.
John moved to yet another mirror, and then another.
Each one told a simr story.
Some alchemists were happy, others sorrowful. Some were wealthy, others destitute.
But without exception, they were all alchemiststravelers on an unending quest for something just out of reach.
Suddenly, in the next mirror, the reflection changed to show a man.
He was looking at John with a faint, enigmatic smile.
"John Wick, I''m pleased you''ve made it here," the man said.
''!!?'' John realized this wasn''t a mere reflectionit was a living being.
No, calling him a "living being" didn''t seem entirely urate either.
John stayed vignt as the man stepped out of the mirror. He wore a robe made of feathers, resembling arge white bird.
The man appeared to be in his twenties, holding a staff carved from oak.
"You know me?" John asked cautiously.
The man chuckled, stepping fully out of the mirror and replying, "Of course, I know you. I know every alchemist. You''re the most unique one, having arrived here through time shes."
"Time shes?" John echoed, following the man instinctively.
"Yes, random leaps through time. Thest person I saw arrive here ended up as nothing but bones. You''re the first to survive it in quite a while."
The man''s eyes were an unusual pink, as though they could peer straight into John''s soul.
Ahead of them appeared a door. It seemed entirely ordinary, yet in this peculiar space, it felt both harmonious and out of ce.
The man stopped in front of it, turning to John with a broad smile.
"You''re one of the rare few to make it here over the years. You can call me the Zero Alchemist, Alchemist Zero, or Number 0, whatever you like. And this"
The Zero Alchemist gestured toward the door, his tone imbued with reverence and solemnity as he proimed:
"This is the Gate of Matter or the Gate of Things, call it whatever you want. The only thing you need to know is that this gate is the ultimate boundary that only those who have reached the pinnacle of alchemy can cross."
John looked at the door. It appeared simple, unremarkable, giving no hints of anything extraordinary.
Unwilling to ept it at face value, John used Insight, and at this moment, the door in front of him changed, and countless chaotic garbled codes rushed into his brain.
John''s face turned pale as he staggered back two steps, gasping for breath. He dared not look again.
"You''re even more remarkable than I imagined, being able to perceive the uniqueness of the Gate of Matter," said the Zero Alchemist with an approving expression.
He patted John on the shoulder, his tone kind and encouraging.
"Go ahead. That door holds your reward. Push open the Gate of Matter, and you''ll gain everything you desirebe it magic, wealth, or power."
His voice wasden with temptation, but John raised his head to meet the man''s gaze. His own eyes were sharp, prating, and unyielding as he asked coldly,
"And what''s the price?"
The Zero Alchemist seemed taken aback by the question, momentarily stunned.
John straightened himself, his demeanor calm as he spoke.
"The fundamentalw of alchemynothing cane from nothing."
"Haha~ You''re clever," the Zero Alchemist said, his smile fading into a neutral expression. "Most alchemists who make it here tend to forget that simple truth."
He didn''t bother to conceal anything further, exining openly:
"The price? Any price. It might be your arm, your eyes, your body or even your soul."
When he uttered thest two words, his smile returned, faint yetced with an unnerving undertone.
"But you seem to have plenty to spare, don''t you? The Gate of Matter is the ultimate reward for any alchemistits significance surpasses even the Philosopher''s Stone. Surely, you wouldn''t want to give up such an opportunity."
Having said his piece, the Zero Alchemist fell silent.
John stood quietly, staring at the door.
The Gate of Matter represented the pinnacle of alchemical achievement, capable of realizing any transmutationeven the most forbidden one: the maniption of souls.
As long as he pushed it open, any wish could be fulfilled.
Correspondingly, he would have to pay the pricethis was equivalent exchange.
From the moment he entered this strange space, John had been contemting how to get back. The Gate of Matter seemed like a viable option.
John walked toward the door.
As he passed the Zero Alchemist, thetter''s eyes glimmered with a faint, mocking smile.
Reaching out, just as his fingers were about to touch the door, John paused and turned around.
"The highest reward for an alchemist?"
"Of course," the Zero Alchemist replied without hesitation.
But John smiled, tilting his head slightly as he asked, "Have you ever heard of someone named Nics mel?"
"Nics mel?"
The Zero Alchemist froze in confusion.
Seizing that moment, John suddenly lunged forward, elerating at full speed.
His wand, gripped in reverse, struck like a viper.
Before the Zero Alchemist could react, a sharp tearing sound came from his neck.
The tip of John''s wand pierced cleanly through.
"Huh?Uck!"
As John pulled it out, the Zero Alchemist finally realized what had happened.
His body copsed to the ground, disbelief stered across his face.
"You do you know what you''re doing?"
Clutching his neck, his voice rasped, each word escaping through the leaking wound in faint, gasping breaths.
John sneered disdainfully, his coldugh cutting through the tense atmosphere. "Did you forget we just met outside?"
"Ekrizdis."
A droplet formed at the tip of John''s wandnot blood, but something as ck as ink.
Before being dragged into this strange space, John had seen that cursed face solidify.
It wasn''t unfamiliar to him; after all, the owner of that face had tormented him every time he consumed a dementor''s soul using the soul potions.
Ekrizdisthe creator of Dementors.
That young face now appeared in this realm. When John tried casting a spell with his wand, nothing happened.
Well, that''s reassuring.
If no one could use magic here, wasn''t this essentially John''s happy ce?
"Nics mel created the Philosopher''s Stone. He is, without question, the greatest alchemist ever."
"You don''t even know his name means he never came here. So tell mehow much of what you''ve said can I believe?"
John''s expression was dripping with mockery. Ekrizdis, likely unprepared for the revtion of Nics mel, had faltered visibly upon hearing the name.
Now that his identity was exposed, Ekrizdis''s face darkened ominously.
But then he smiled.
"John Wick," he said, his tone unsettlingly cheerful. "Thanks to you, I was able toe to this ce. And because of you, I can awaken once again."
Ekrizdis''s arms unraveled like strands of silk, each ck thread floating eerily around him. With a mocking smirk, he raised an eyebrow and sneered, "As gratitude, I''ll turn you into my newest masterpiece."
"That won''t be necessary," John replied coldly, his grip tightening on his wand.
This scheming old snake had actually pretended to be an NPC to trick him into opening the Gate of Matter.
Damn it!
Let''s see if I can wipe the floor with you!
__________
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167: Sacrifice
167: Sacrifice
Ekrizdis could wield curses because he himself was essentially a curse, though his abilities were limited to manipting flesh.
He had already died long ago, but due to the curse left on the Dementorsbined with the time-turner, he regained his consciousness.
Initially, John had wondered why Ekrizdis would go to the trouble of torturing people to create Dementors.
That kind of purely malicious, self-sabotaging evil seemed like the work of a lunatic.
Now it all made sense: lunatic, yesbut not entirely without purpose.
An idental creation had birthed an immortal Ekrizdis.
If he could escape this space, Ekrizdis would achieveplete immortality.
What a bargain. John couldn''t help but want tough.
In fact, he didugh.
"Fantastic."
John covered his face as heughed, his chuckles rising from a low rumble to a wild cackle.
Through the gaps in his fingers, his eyes glinted with unrestrained greedso much so that even Ekrizdis looked puzzled.
"It seems you''re quite confident," Ekrizdis sneered, clearly unsettled by John''s expression. He had always been the one in control, and even now, he believed that to be the case.
But John''s gaze, as if appraising a mere object, threw him off.
"What are youughing at?" Ekrizdis asked coldly.
"Me? I just remembered something delightful," John said, his voice light as he struggled to suppress the grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Still smiling, he added, "You want me to open the Gate of Matter so you can use it to return to the world, right?"
Ekrizdis, caught off guard, let out a maniacalugh. "You figured it out? No matterI''ll send you through myself."
"Oh no, no, no," John quickly waved his hands, his tone yful. "What I mean to say is... isn''t it possible that I had the same idea?"
A mirror floated between the two of them, and by the time it drifted away, John had vanished.
Ekrizdis'' eyes widened in disbelief.
He hadn''t detected any magical fluctuationhow had this happened?
Suddenly, a whisper tickled his ear:
"Tell me, how much do you think a man who''s lived for centuries would be worth?"
Ekrizdis whirled around, his ck threads smashing into a nearby mirror, shattering it into pieces. But there was no one there.
"Come out!" he roared.
The white feathers adorning him darkened, turning pitch-ck as unease crept into his heart.
The feathers scattered outward, morphing into curses that shot through the space like bullets.
Meanwhile, John flitted ghost-like between the mirrors, weaving in and out of reflections as if he belonged to them.
In the fleeting moment when Ekrizdis paused his onught, a silver hand silently reached out and mped over his nose and mouth.
"Wa!!"
Before Ekrizdis could react, John''s left hand, holding his wand, pierced through Ekrizdis'' neck.
For an ordinary person, such an injury would have been fatal. But Ekrizdis, a body formed of curses, could only stare wide-eyed, nearly popping his eyeballs from their sockets.
His body erupted into a ck tide, surging forward to engulf John. But John brushed against a nearby mirrorand in the next moment, he emerged from behind another drifting mirror.
"How!!?"
Ekrizdis quickly reformed his humanoid shape, his pink eyes ring menacingly at John.
John, casually twirling his wand between his fingers like a serpent, remarked, "A wizard without magic? You think that makes me powerless?"
He tilted his head with a mocking smile. "You only managed toe here by hitching a ride with me. Looks like you weren''t much in life either."
Ekrizdis'' rage boiled over, hisposure utterly shattered.
"When two great taboos meet, the Gate of Matter will open to the ultimate path," Ekrizdis growled, his voice low and menacing. "Beyond the gate lies everything you''ve ever longed foryour regrets, your desires, fulfilled."
"Ah! No wonder you created Dementors," John said, his expression one of sudden realization.
Dementors were a twisted form of soul research.
Ekrizdis must have intended to purify enough souls to unlock the Gate of Matter. When that failed, he turned his attention to the Dementors themselves, aiming to achieve his goal through them.
No wonder John had always thought of Dementors as walking soul distilleriesit turned out he was right.
Unfortunately for Ekrizdis, his opponent was John: someone who, apart from his magical prowess, was also a grandmaster ofbat strategy.
Ekrizdisunched another attack, but John casually sidestepped, avoiding it with minimal effort.
Then, crouching low, John dashed behind a mirror and disappeared from sight once more.
Ekrizdis, driven mad with rage,unched a frenzied assault.
Mirrors shattered one after another, yet he still couldn''t find John.
Suddenly, a massive force struck his lower back, sending him sprawling forward.
"Ack! I! I will kill you!"
He rolled straight to the Gate of Matter. As he looked up, his face twisted from anger to sheer terror as he saw John standing there, cheerfully opening the gate.
"Ah?"
"Heh~" John grinned and addressed the Gate of Matter, "I offer you this creaturea fusion of soul and curse, an abomination beyond the realm of the livingas payment. Send me back."
The Gate of Matter operated like the Coin Exchange Curse of Ancient Goblin magic, but on a far grander scale: instead of trading with gold, it demanded anything and everything of value.
By sheer worth alone, John knew he couldn''tpete with the cursed body Ekrizdis had crafted and refined over centuries.
The moment John spoke, a shadowy, ck arm reached out from within the gate.
"This-THIS CAN''T BE!"
Ekrizdis turned to flee, but the hand seized his leg before he could escape.
More shadowy arms emerged from the gate, pulling Ekrizdis closer to the abyss.
"Ugh! No! Leave me alone! It should have been you who got tricked by me! No!!"
Desperate, Ekrizdis clung to the doorframe, his once pink eyes now entirely ck. Fixating on John with utter malice, he screamed, "No! Please! John, y-you are a good person right? Help me! Help me or I won''t let you get away with this!!!"
His roars were wild and feral, like a trapped beast, hisposure utterly shattered.
John stepped forward, calmly crouching beside Ekrizdis. With a smile that was almost too friendly, he began prying Ekrizdis'' fingers off the doorframe, one by one.
"Rest assured, I''ll live well with the conditions you''ve created for me," John said with mock sympathy.
"No!"
"Please No!!"
"I-I will do anything!"
With only one finger left clutching the frame, John waved a reluctant farewell, though his actions betrayed no hesitation.
"Nooo!"
"Yes~"
"Nooooo!!"
"YES!!~"
He pried off the final finger.
"Ah?AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"
Ekrizdis was pulledpletely into the Gate of Matter, which mmed shut with a resounding boom.
On the surface of the gate, a design emerged: a tree made of interwoven lines and circles.
When the gate opened again, it revealed a space of pure white.
Much like the once-disorienting illusionary realm, this one also had three doors standing upright.
One was a white door representing life and death.
Another was a golden door representing the past and future.
Thest was a silver door representing creation.
Don''t ask how John knew this. The moment he stepped in, the knowledge of the doors simply appeared in his mind.
At the same time, the system chimed in again.
[Ding! Task triggered: Choice. Reward: +1 to any stat, bonus determined by the chosen door.]
This was the first time John had encountered such a task, one offering no fixed path but letting him decide instead.
Walking to the golden door, John realized that opening it would return him to the exact moment he''d disappeared.
"Huh doesn''t look like there''s a rule saying I can only open one door, right?"
Just as he was about to push the golden door open, John paused, an intriguing idea forming in his mind.
What would happen if I opened all of them?
The greedy thought shed through John''s mind, and he almost lost control, his feet veering toward the silver door.
Quickly regaining rity, cold sweat trickled down his face.
Because etched above the silver door was a line of words:
-"Those tainted by greed, selfishness, or humanity''s myriad vices shall never approach."-
John shuddered, realizing just how close he''de to falling for it.
Abandoning the silver door, he moved to the golden door, cing his hand on its handle.
Just as he was about to push it open, he felt a gaze on his back.
Turning around, he saw the kind, charitable old man with his wife on his arm.
The golden door swung open, and as John was fully pulled into its radiance, he saw a sword hurtling through the air.
He also caught a glimpse of the old man''s gratified expression as he waved goodbye.
...
John awoke beneath a vast, starry night sky.
A meteor streaked across the heavens.
He turned his head and raised his left hand, gripping his wand. Softly, he murmured:
"Lumos."
The tip of the wand glowed with white light, a reassuring sign.
It meant he was back in his world.
The effects of the time ripple brought by the Time-Snap left John feeling unsettled. He propped himself up and sat by thekeside for a long while.
Today had been a lot.
First, the Dementors. Then the curse outbreak. After that, the chaotic Time-Snap, and finally, Ekrizdis.
He had even glimpsed The Gate of Things or Matter, the pinnacle of alchemy.
Closing his eyes, John took his time to process it all.
By thekeside, the Dementors had long since fled.
The two Harrys were nowhere to be found either.
Rising unsteadily to his feet, John was about to leave when something caught his eye.
From the corner of his vision, he spotted something in theke watera sword, its de embedded in thekebed.
Half of the sword was submerged, emanating a faint, otherworldly glow.
"Teacher..."
Inside the Gate of Things, John had seen his mentor, Nics mel.
He remembered the moment when mel had thrown the sword outward.
John approached the ce where the sword stood and reached out to grasp it.
It was the Silver Wick Sword.
The once-shattered de had been restored, and as John held it, he felt an aura both familiar and unfamiliar coursing through it.
John ran his hand gently along the de.
The Silver Wick Sword seemed to radiate a sense of excitement.
A sudden realization struck him, and his eyes widened.
Equivalent exchange.
Sacrifice one soul, and you receive another in return.
"Truly deserving of the title of the most evil wizard in history. Worth every bit," John thought gleefully.
Ding!
Taskplete: Decision. You have earned +1 task point and the Blessing: Rewinder.
[Rewinder: Allows the user to revert events within a scene or reverse the state of objects.]
Seeing this enhancement, John''s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
This ability seemed... borderline overpowered.
As he turned his head, he locked eyes with a pair of small, beady eyes.
And instantly, he knew.
Target acquired!
It was that rat.
Peter Pettigrew had been careless. Drawn to the faint golden light shimmering in theke, he''d made a critical mistake.
Now, caught under John''s piercing gaze, he panicked!
__________
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168: Furious Temporary Minister
168: Furious Temporary Minister
"We have thirty minutes before Dumbledore seals it off; we need to hurry!"
Hermione and Harry quickened their pace, but time was running too short.
At the castle gates, they spotted the executioner heading off to notify the Dementors. It seemed they wouldn''t make it in time.
Buckbeak descended with a ferret mped in his beakwho knows where he caught itand was enthusiastically devouring his prize.
Seeing this, Harry''s eyes lit up. Quickly, he signaled Hermione to climb aboard.
Riding Buckbeak, they soared towards the eighth floor, where they spotted Sirius ck at the window.
Harry was overjoyed at first but immediately noticed something off. There was someone else present.
Both he and Hermione''s expressions shifted.
Hermione eximed in shock, "It''s the Acting Minister of Magic!"
Rufus Scrimgeour stood at Sirius''s door, a smug smile stered on his face as he dered, "We''ve been searching for you for quite some time. You should know that."
Sirius stared at him in silence.
Scrimgeour didn''t seem to careafter all, capturing Sirius meant his victory.
Soon, he would be officially promoted to the Minister of Magic.
At that point, even Johnny Silverhand would have to tone down his arrogance.
People were fickle like that.
Back when he was just the Head of the Auror Office, Scrimgeour thought Johnny Silverhand was a great ally.
As soon as Scrimgeour envisioned himself in the Minister''s chair, he suddenly found Johnny Silverhand an eyesore.
Especially since Silverhand had pulled the strings to bring Fudge down, which posed an even greater threat to Scrimgeour''s ambitions.
"If you''re willing to name the person who helped you escape Azkaban, I can promise you a better oue," Scrimgeour said, giving Sirius a prating look.
His meaning was clear: if Sirius was willing to implicate Johnny Silverhand, Scrimgeour would ensure the Dementors didn''t suck out his soul.
But Sirius ck was no ordinary man. He sneered, unmoved by the offer.
Harry and Hermione, hidden nearby, were growing increasingly anxious. With Scrimgeour lingering, there was no chance of getting Sirius out.
Just as time was about to run out, the executioner who had left earlier rushed back, whispering something urgently into Scrimgeour''s ear.
Scrimgeour''s face shifted drastically, and he quickly left the scene.
Harry and Hermione wasted no time. They swooped down on Buckbeak,nding at the cell.
In her haste, Hermione didn''t even bother with an unlocking spell. Instead, she sted the lock off with an Explosion Charm.
Even Sirius was momentarily stunned by her ferocity. Without wasting any more time, they freed him.
There was barely enough time for goodbyes. Harry and Hermione hastily told Sirius to escape on Buckbeak.
Once Sirius was airborne, the two sprinted through the castle at breakneck speed.
With less than five minutes left, they raced up the spiral staircase, only to hear Scrimgeour''s voice echoing down the corridor.
"Johnny Silverhand is at Hogwarts?"
"Without any warning."
Scrimgeour''s footsteps echoed as he moved away, leaving Harry and Hermione to quicken their pace.
They narrowly avoided running into Peeves, sparing themselves unnecessary trouble.
Just as Dumbledore was closing the hospital wing''s door, the two of them came skidding in at thest second.
Dumbledore, unsurprised, turned around. A wide smile spread beneath his silver beard as he softly asked, "How did it go?"
"We did it!" Harry and Hermione leaned heavily against the wall, one clutching their shoulder, both panting and pale.
Harry felt his stomach churn as if his insides were tying themselves into knots.
"You both look a bit tired," Dumbledore remarked, his ears keenly listening for any sounds from the hospital wing. "Oh, and since you''ve also managed to ''escape,'' go inside. I''ll have to lock you in."
Clever as ever, Dumbledore was ensuring an alibi for the trio''s absence.
As they were about to enter, Hermione tugged on Dumbledore''s sleeve and whispered, "Professor, something happened to John."
Dumbledore paused for a moment before replying with a kind expression, "I know. You go in first."
Once the door was locked, Dumbledore turned and walked away, his steps noticeably more hurried than before.
A few minutester, distant roars echoed through the corridors.
The iron-fisted Auror turned acting Minister of Magic was uncharacteristically furious. Harry and Hermione exchanged puzzled nces.
"Is it because of Sirius?" Harry asked.
They strained their ears and realized the shouting wasn''t just about Sirius; they distinctly caught the name "Silverhand" amidst the chaos.
...
"Pleasure to meet you, Sir Johnny Silverhand."
Dumbledore greeted the legendary figure, his wise eyes glinting behind half-moon sses.
Standing before him was a man in a silver mask and emerald robes.
"Likewise, Headmaster." Johnny Silverhand''s voice was low and raspy as he shook hands with the headmaster.
Before Dumbledore entered the room, someone else had already arrived.
Rufus Scrimgeour''s expression was stormy, as if Johnny Silverhand had just told him something particrly unpleasant.
"Apologies, but I must take my leave. That damned Sirius ck must face justice."
Scrimgeour shot a dark nce at Johnny Silverhand before striding away with the executioner and Snape in tow.
Left alone in the room with Dumbledore, Johnny let out a soft chuckle.
"Headmaster Dumbledore," he began, "I''ve heard rumors that Hogwarts intends to reinstate the Triwizard Tournament. I''d like to offer a sum as sponsorship for the prize."
"Oh?"
Dumbledore grew even more curious about how Johnny Silverhand had learned of this. The Triwizard Tournament revival was still in the nning stages, and fewer than four people were aware of it.
"Sponsorship? May I ask how Sir Johnny Silverhand ns to sponsor this?" Dumbledore asked calmly, his expression unreadable.
Johnny tapped the table lightly with his fingers. "I''ve always beenmitted to nurturing young witches and wizards. This event presents an excellent opportunity for outreach. If Headmaster Dumbledore agrees, I''m willing to provide 5,000 Galleons as the prize."
The amount, several times higher than the 1,000 Galleons they were going to give, seemed to give Dumbledore pause.
Noticing Dumbledore''s deliberation, Johnny added, "Additionally, the Johnny Silverhand Exclusive Shop will offer aplete set of the ''Zenith'' series products and will also cover maintenance and upkeep."
The "Zenith" series.
Dumbledore''s interest visibly piqued. The Zenith series from the Johnny Silverhand Exclusive Shop was highly covetedeven Aurors found it difficult to obtain.
The value of this equipment was nearly equivalent to the Galleon prize itself.
The most significant offer, however, was the ongoing maintenance. Someponents of the Zenith series required periodic magical recharging, and this included maintenance, which could save substantial effort.
For the student fortunate enough to win this prize, it would undoubtedly be a fast track to excellence.
After a moment of contemtion, Dumbledore nodded in agreement.
Just then, Scrimgeour stormed back into the room, his face thunderous.
"You! It has to be you!" he roared at Johnny Silverhand.
"What happened?"
Dumbledore feigned ignorance, while Scrimgeour, like an enraged lion, roared and fixed his bloodshot eyes on Johnny Silverhand.
Johnny responded indifferently, "I''m not sure what the temporary Minister is using me of."
The word temporary hit a nerve, causing Scrimgeour''s face to turn even redder as he red at Johnny. "You helped Sirius ck escape, Johnny Silverhand. I know it was you."
Johnny let out a coldugh. "Since setting foot in Hogwarts, I haven''t left this room. That''s a very serious usation, temporary~~ Minister."
Scrimgeour''s face darkened with rage. Just then, Snape returned, his expression as grim as ever, and said, "Perhaps it was Potter? His antics have caused simr troubles before."
Scrimgeour immediately led a group to storm into the hospital wing.
Unfortunately for him, Dumbledore, the ever-prepared "old bee," had already set everything up perfectly.
Harry, with award-worthy acting skills, convincingly insisted he knew nothing. Left with nowhere to vent his anger, Scrimgeour could only leave in frustration, ordering his Aurors to search the area.
Both Johnny Silverhand and Dumbledore remainedpletely unbothered.
Adding insult to injury, a reporter from The Daily Prophet arrived, demanding an interview. Scrimgeour, humiliated, stormed off in a fury.
Johnny also prepared to leave, but before departing, he nced at Harry and asked, "So this is the famous savior, Harry Potter?"
Harry, nervous and about to respond, was cut off as Johnny shook his head and muttered, "Doesn''t look like much."
...
Johnny Silverhand had arrived at Hogwarts in a carriage drawn by three flying horses.
Once inside the carriage again, he removed his silver mask, revealing the face of a mature man.
"Haah~ I should win an award for this performance."
Facing the boy across from him, heined, "Sir, could you please not make me handle these situations in the future?"
John, with a cheerful smile, asked, "So, how did it feel to face Dumbledore?"
Tonny grimaced. "Terrible. My instincts as a former Auror tell me that man is extremely dangerous. In front of him, it feels like I have no secrets at all."
"I feel the same way," Johnughed heartily.
Once the carriage left the boundaries of Hogwarts, he stepped out.
"Barty Crouch is someone worth building a rtionship with. He''s extended goodwill, and we should reciprocate."
"The sponsorship spot for the Triwizard Tournament is secured. Let Rita do a good job with the publicity. As for our temporary Minister"
John paused mid-sentence, his gaze falling on the seemingly lifeless rat inside a cage. With a meaningful smile, he added, "Let''s hope he appreciates this gift."
Tommy nodded knowingly, closed the carriage door, and drove the flying horses away.
John made his way from the Shrieking Shack back to the castle.
__________
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169: Constellation Society Gathering and Stars
169: Constetion Society Gathering and Stars
The Secret Chamber of the Constetion Society.
John picked up an apple, took a bite, and ced it on the table.
Extending his left hand, a golden magical ring appeared, resembling the branching patterns of a tree on the Gate of Objects.
The magical ring encircled the apple.
With a gentle twist of John''s hand, the apple that had been bitten into grew back to its original form.
"Reversion, huh? This is quite interesting."
John stared at the reversion effect. This ability consumed the golden sand within his body.
Each reversion consumed half of it, meaning John could only use it twice in a single day.
By the next day, the golden sand would regenerate and emerge from the golden mark.
This enhancement was incredibly practical. If used correctly, it could be considered a divine artifact.
Lowering his gaze to his right hand, he noticed the ck mark emanating an aura of malevolence.
He opened his hand, and ck threads extended from his fingers, wrapping around the apple.
Before long, the apple withered rapidly, crumbling into dust.
It was reminiscent of the Soul-Devouring Curse from before, except this time, there was no trace of Ekrizdis'' consciousness.
"Golden time, ck soul."
Two types of magic were now etched into John''s body. He withdrew the Soul-Devouring Curse.
On the tabley a finely crafted hourss.
Unfortunately, there was a crack on the hourss, causing all the sand within to vanish.
"A machine capable of manipting time, and Dumbledore handed it to a student?"
John fell into thought. Was this because of the protagonist group''s plot armor?
He had every reason to suspect that the many Hermiones he had seen on the map previously were the result of this very machine.
Yet, he felt a tinge of dissatisfactionapparently, Dumbledore didn''t find him trustworthy enough.
An idea formed in his mind: he could use the power of reversion to repair the hourss. This way, he would essentially possess a device capable of controlling time.
However, he needed to ensure that Dumbledore was aware the hourss was broken first. Otherwise, if he repaired it and Dumbledore took it back, it would all be for nothing.
As these thoughts ran through his mind, members of the Constetion Society began to trickle into the chamber.
John was the person who spent the most time in the Constetion Society''s secret chamber. With the holidays approaching in a few days, the other members had arrived of their own ord.
Upon entering, they didn''t disturb John and instead took their seats at the round table.
Sitting closest to John was Heinrich, who took the seat to his left. Beside Heinrich sat Daphne.
To John''s right, the seat was empty. Further to the right sat Cedric, followed by Neville.
When Malfoy arrived, hisck of tact was on full disy. He tried to take the empty seat to John''s right, only to be forced into sitting next to Daphne by the sheer intensity of Heinrich''s re.
Percy arrivedte as usual and naturally took the empty seat to John''s right.
Unbeknownst to them, the members had already silently established their seating hierarchy.
John snapped out of his thoughts as Percy apologized, "Sorry, I''ve been swamped with things."
As the Head Boy and a soon-to-be graduate, Percy had a lot on his te.
John nodded in acknowledgment. Percy nced at the hourss, his usually stiff expression betraying a hint of surprise as he asked, "A Time-Turner?"
"You recognize it?" John looked at Percy. Startled, Percy replied, "Isn''t this yours? Any student taking twelve subjects is eligible to get one."
"This was something Professor Dumbledore applied for from the Department of Mysteries."
In Percy''s mind, John, as one of the top students and someone taking twelve courses, naturally deserved to have a Time-Turner.
Hearing this, John''s face darkened. So, the clown was himself all along.
It was one thing for the protagonist group to have one, but Percy too?
Was it just because he wasn''t a Gryffindor that he wasn''t deemed worthy?
Taking a deep breath, John suppressed his annoyance.
Right now, he was living under someone else''s roof. Dumbledore likely had his reasons for not entrusting him with one.
Looking at the nearly full seats around the table, John calmed his emotions and smiled. "I''m very d that everyone hase together here in the Constetion Society. A lot has happened this year, and it has made us more united than ever."
"Neville, I''m genuinely impressed by your discipline. Your transformation has truly surprised me."
He nced at Neville, who was on the verge of bing a fitness coach.
It had to be saidswordmaster talent really hit differently. Those arms were growing bulkier day by day. If it weren''t for Neville''s face, John might not have recognized him anymore.
At this rate, if Neville kept training, forget being a swordmasterhe might just be a boxing king, capable of tearing Death Eaters apart with his bare hands.
"A..haha.. thanks.."
Neville, flustered by thepliment, scratched his head awkwardly.
John turned his gaze to Cedric. Lately, this big-hearted boy had showcased a charm that transcended both Slytherin and Gryffindor stereotypes.
Even the usually standoffish Heinrich had taken a liking to Cedric, which left John feeling very satisfied with his own eye for recruiting members into the team.
As for Malfoy, he had gone from "skinny in clothes" to "muscr without."
Beneath his unassuming robey a set of eight-pack abs capable of withstanding some serious hits. Oh, and his tinum blond hair was still intact.
Daphne, abination of bookworm and enchantment queen, handled spells with effortless masterybut her cooking was aplete descent into darkness.
Heinrich remained second in power only to John himself.
And Percy was about to head to the Ministry of Magic as an assistant to Bartemius Crouch, a key figure for John''s future cultivation of connections within the Ministry.
The Constetion Society''swork was already beginning to take shape, and John felt deeply gratified.
In front of everyone, a golden goblet appeared. John gently tapped his own goblet.
Above the dome, starlight cascaded down into the goblets.
A sweet aroma wafted from the golden cups as they filled with a golden, fragrant liquid.
John raised his goblet. "To the Constetion Society."
The others followed suit, raising their sses. Percy hesitated, his lips parting as if to speak, but upon seeing the joyful expressions around him and catching the scent of what was definitely not pumpkin juice, he decided against citing the school rules.
One sip in, Neville''s face flushed bright red, and Malfoy burst intoughter before taking a single step and promptly copsing.
Heinrich remained stoic as ever, while Daphne gazed at John with a dreamy smile stered across her face.
Cedric and Percy exchanged nces, bewildered. Seven people in total, and three were already down after just one drink.
The drink was indeed extraordinary. After consuming it, a pleasant sensation filled them, along with a small boost in magical power.
Cedric and Percy looked at each other again, this time noticing the astonishment reflected in each other''s faces.
"This drink doesn''t have a name yet. How about we call it ''Constetion''?"
John,cking a sense of taste, didn''t feel much after drinking it.
The drink was actually created from the surplus magical energy stored in the Constetion Society. Every drop of the golden liquid contained pure magical essence, making it immensely beneficial to consume.
Cedric tended to the flushed and tipsy Neville, while Heinrich calmly subdued Malfoy, pinning him to the ground with ease.
Daphne didn''t need any special attention; she was simply sitting there, letting out asional silly giggles. The dignified image of the "youngdy" she usually maintained hadpletely copsed!
John pulled a ring from his pocketa spellcaster''s ring set with a magic crystal. "Once you start working with Bartemius Crouch, you''ll be his assistant."
"John, does this have something to do with you?" Percy asked, fixing his gaze on John as he voiced his suspicion.
John didn''t hide it and nodded. "Yes, it does."
"You" Percy hesitated, then asked gravely, "I know I probably shouldn''t ask, but how exactly did you get involved with the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation?"
"Ah, naturally, through certain means," John replied with a mysterious smile. "Once you be Crouch''s assistant, you''ll see the real me."
Percy frowned instinctively at John''s words, a habitual expression of his. Noticing this, John paused mid-sip and looked at Percy intently. "Percy, you can be modest, but never humble. Remember, you are a member of the Constetion Society. Your posture should not be one of groveling."
John''sment was prompted by observing Percy''s habitual slight stoop when dealing with authority figures.
It was likely a result of Percy''s deeply ingrained sense of hierarchy, but John calmly added, "Humility doesn''t make people remember you. Your brilliance should never be hidden."
Percy lowered his gaze, as if lost in thought.
The gathering of the Constetion Society continued into the evening.
Even Percy, who normally followed the rules so strictly, didn''t dampen the atmosphere. They had only had one drink each, but it was enough to make everyone highly energetic.
By the end of the night, Neville and Malfoy had gotten into a fightMalfoy refused to ept being ranked behind Neville.
One of them had astonishing arm strength, while the other had incredible resilience to blows.
When the two wizards fought, they somehow shared an unspoken agreement not to use their wands.
The final oue was Neville sitting squarely on top of Malfoy, dering his victory.
Both of them were thoroughly drunk, and when they returned to their dorms, it left others wildly specting about what had happened.
In Gryffindor, a rumor spread that Neville had gone out and fought a troll, leaving it battered and bruised. If this had been said back in their first year, everyone would have burst intoughter.
But now, seeing Neville''s arms, which had begun to resemble tree trunks, the story seemed oddly believable.
Over in Slytherin, the rumor was even more absurdsomeone started saying that Malfoy had spent the night with a banshee.
As expected, the person who started this rumor became the target of a full-blown manhunt organized by Malfoy himself across the entire school.
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Read 12 Adv Chapters:
170: Lupin’s Speculations and Hermione’s Apology
170: Lupins Spections and Hermiones Apology
After returning, John essentially stayed holed up in the Constetion Society.
Whenever someone wanted to find him, they couldn''t.
Skipping the rest of his sses withplete confidenceonly he could pull that off.
Naturally, this had Snape fuming, his temple veins throbbing with rage.
When Snape finally saw John, his expression was far from pleasant.
"Mr. Wick, if your brain isn''t entirely made of pumpkin juice, you might recall what you''ve neglected," Snape said in his usual sarcastic tone.
John, long ustomed to this attitude, shrugged it off. His head of house had always been a professional at passive-aggression.
He thought for a moment, realizing there was indeed one thing he hadn''t addressed yet. "The werewolf?"
Snape gave him a cold nce, which was all the confirmation John needed.
Knowing the truth made no differenceSnape was simply bitter about Lupin being allowed to serve as a professor.
John wanted to point out that the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor was practically cursed to begin withwhy would he need to lift a finger?
But seeing Snape''s expression, John could piece together some of the subtext.
From Snape''s perspective, the so-called "heroic" Gryffindors must seem unbearably hypocritical and repugnant.
"I understand," John nodded, and as he stepped out of the room, Snape called him back.
"John Wick, you left something here," Snape said coldly.
Following the reminder, John noticed the badge lying on the desk.
His expression flickered momentarily, but he managed a smile. "Almost forgot."
He pocketed the badge and left the room with a nk expression.
Earlier, he had intentionally left the badge behind to gauge Snape''s attitude.
Now it was clearthe man genuinely wanted nothing to do with him.
"Tsk.. Is the Constetion Society really so beneath notice?"
John''s face twitched slightly. It was impossible not to feel disappointed.
If Snape had joined the Constetion Society, John could have avoided a lot of trouble.
But it seemed Snape was firmly in Dumbledore''s camp.
Smoothing out his emotions, John headed toward the Defense Against the Dark Arts office.
He knocked on the door, and Lupin''s voice called out, "Come in."
Opening the door, John found Lupin grading assignments.
Lupin''s expression sharpened when he noticed John entering.
John sat down without hesitation, his face calm, and said with a pointed tone, "Professor, you seem to be quite wary of me."
From suspicion to cautious probing, Lupin was gradually confirming his assumptions.
Lupin put down his quill, looked at John seriously, and said, "Johnny Silverhand.."
John froze.
What the helldid I just get exposed?
"John, you''re a follower of Johnny Silverhand..."
"...aren''t you?"
The rest of the sentencended, and Lupin saw John''s momentarily stiff expression, further solidifying his suspicion.
With a bitter smile, Lupin said, "I knew it. From the first time we met, I noticed there was something different about you."
Lupin took a deep breath, recalling his encounter at Johnny Silverhand specialty shop. He advised earnestly, "John, that person is very dangerous. You shouldn''t get too deeply involved. Idolizing someone like that will only lead you down a dark path."
Idolize?
A dark path?
John fell into deep thought.Am I idolizing myself?
Lupin, however, took his silence as contemtion, his expression growing more somber.
From John''s subtle mimicking of Johnny Silverhand''s gestures, Lupin had long since deduced John''s admiration for the man.
If Lupin hadn''t witnessed a gruesome and horrifying scene firsthand, he might have admired the all-controlling "Mr. Johnny Silverhand" himself.
But there were noifs. ying with souls was a forbidden art, and not even someone like Johnny Silverhand could change that.
John finally realized what was going onclearly, Lupin thought he was just a diehard fan of Johnny Silverhand.
John was more than happy to let this misunderstanding persist. With a faintly embarrassed look, as though his secret had just been uncovered, he steeled himself and said, "You''re a werewolf, aren''t you, Professor?"
Lupin nodded, as if he already knew what John was going to say, and preemptively responded, "I know. Werewolves have benefited from Mr. Johnny Silverhand''s efforts, and I respect him, but I can''t be like him."
Despite being indebted to Johnny Silverhand''s actions, Lupin had no intention of exposing the man for breaking taboos.
"A werewolf bing a professorisn''t that all thanks to him?" John pressed, his tone sharp.
Lupin didn''t deny it and nodded.
Only someone like him, who had faced severe discrimination, could truly understand the value of equality.
He said with a conflicted expression, "I admit all of this is true. That''s why I''ve decided I won''t continue in this position. I don''t want to stay, even though Professor Dumbledore has promised I can."
"John," Lupin said, gazing at Hogwart''s brightest student with a sigh, "I sincerely hope you don''t be like him."
"I won''t."
Because I already am him!
John replied with a straight face while internally rolling his eyes.
Lupin seemed reassured by John''s earnest tone, even looking a bit relieved. He then revealed John''s scores ahead of schedule: unsurprisingly, they were perfect.
As John left, he nced at the now neatly packed office, a clear sign that Lupin hadn''t been lying about his departure.
Still, Lupin''s words left John feeling irked.What do you mean by ''someone like Johnny Silverhand'' anyway?
John silently scoffed to himself.I''ve done nothing but good things for the wizarding world. Aren''t I the model citizen?
Judging from Lupin''s attitude, the odds of him revisiting the Johnny Silverhand Exclusive Shop anytime soon seemed slim. With a twinge of regret, John decided to let it go.
When he arrived at the Great Hall and had just taken a seat, Hermione pulled him aside in a hurry.
Assuming she wanted the Time-Turner back, John immediately produced the broken hourss and began reciting the apology he had prepared in advance.
"Sorry, this thing broke"
"John, I want to apologize to you."
They spoke at the same time and froze mid-sentence.
Hermione was the first to recover. She nced at the damaged Time-Turner and quickly shook her head.
"It''s fine. I''ll turn it in to the professor and say I identally broke it."
Rushing through her exnation, she then fixed her gaze on John, her expression heavy with guilt.
"I''m sorry, John. I doubted you."
"Eh?"
Doubted me?
When did that happen?
John was baffled. He hadn''t noticed anything out of the ordinary.
But Hermione, still looking deeply apologetic, seemed determined to get her feelings out. She considered her suspicion of a friend a grave insult.
Even though her suspicion had never been voiced, Hermione still chose to apologize.
"That time Sirius ck got into the Gryffindormon roomI suspected it was you who gave him the password."
As she spoke, Hermione''s face was tense with worry. She was afraid of losing this friend.
She could have hidden this doubt, kept it to herself, and no one would have known. John would have remained her friend as if nothing had happened.
But Hermione couldn''t ept that.
To her, friendship required honesty, not suspicion or concealment.
John listened, silent for a moment.
Hermione''s palms grew mmy, and the color drained from her face.Is he angry after all?
Suddenly, John chuckled softly. Seeing Hermione''s cheeks regain some color, he said seriously, "Hermione, I ept your apology."
That one sentence made Hermione let out a deep breath of relief, her pale face finally brightening.
"Maybe it''s because I have too many secrets, making it hard for me to bepletely honest with others," John said, looking directly at Hermionehis very first friend since stepping into Hogwarts.
Their time together had grown shorter and shorter, but their friendship had withstood the test of time.
"But, Hermione, I would never hurt a friend."
When John spoke those words, he meant every one of them.
Hermione nodded; she believed him.
She swallowed back the question lingering on her lips about what had happened by theke that day. She knew whatever had transpired must have been full of danger.
Seeing John return as if nothing had happened, Hermione chose not to press the matter.
Instead, the two of them focused on the broken Time-Turner. After some discussion, they decided to exin the situation together to Dumbledore.
For this, John put on an extra long-sleeved shirt under his robe.
Although his right hand had healed, he still felt a little tense as they headed to the Headmaster''s office.
"Treacle tart."
Having learned the password from Professor McGonagall, the two ascended the spiral staircase.
Upon entering, they were greeted by the familiar sight of the Sorting Hat and an assortment of peculiar silver instruments.
However, this time, there was something new.
John''s gaze fell on the wand resting on the desk, and his pupils contracted.
The Elder Wand.
In the office, the kind and benevolent silver-haired old man seemed unsurprised by their visit.
"Miss Granger, Mr. Wick," Dumbledore greeted them warmly.
Two chairs were already ced there. After John sat down, he looked up and met those wise, piercing eyes.
He immediately stiffened, activating lumency.
"I''m sorry, Professor, the Time-Turner broke because of me," Hermione was the first to speak.
She was a bold witch, speaking loudly, "It''s all because I was so careless."
Dumbledore''s reaction was unexpectedly calm. He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Miss Granger, it''s merely an object, and like all things, it was bound to break one day."
"I''m simply relieved that its damage did not harm you," Dumbledore said, his tone that of a kind, doting grandfather.
Then, Dumbledore shifted his gaze to John and said, "Mr. Wick, I''m d you chose to apany Hermione here."
After a brief pause, Dumbledore''s expression turned contemtive. "I will exin everything to the Ministry of Magic, though it may take some time. Their interim minister is dealing with a bit of trouble."
John blocked out any attempts at reading his thoughts, focusing his mind and showing no reaction.
Hermione, however, couldn''t contain her curiosity. "What happened at the Ministry?"
Dumbledore smiled gently. "It concerns a grave miscarriage of justice from twelve years ago. I believe today''sDaily Prophetwill provide a detailed report."
He winked, and Hermione, being the clever witch she was, immediately thought of Sirius ck.
She couldn''t sit still any longer and quickly stood to excuse herself.
John was about to leave as well when Dumbledore stopped him.
"John, I hope you can let go of certain things. On the path of magic, not everything is just." Dumbledore said, his tone unconsciously carrying a mix of seriousness, gravity, and even a hint of reprimand.
John stopped and turned back to ask doubtfully, "Professor Dumbledore, did you only apply for one time-turner?"
With that, John briskly walked away.
Dumbledore opened the drawer and looked at the intact time-turner lying quietly inside. He sighed.
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