A Professor of Magic at Hogwarts

Chapter 161: The Contemplation of a Magician

Chapter 161: The Contemplation of a Magician

Felix Harp strolled along the streets of Paris, with the Seine River's southern bank just a few hundred meters ahead. The shoreline was adorned with various meticulously decorated shops, many exuding an exotic flair.

Among them was a paper-cutting shop, its entrance adorned with all sorts of paper decorations. From colorful animals to intricate indoor ornaments, it was a dazzling sight.

The shopkeeper, a young lady with colorful headgear, warmly engaged Felix as he stepped inside.

In the end, Felix chose a colorful handheld windmill.

With a week remaining before the conference officially commenced, Felix spent two days enjoying himself to the fullest. From the Musée d'Orsay to the Louvre, and even the world-renowned Notre Dame Cathedral, he immersed himself as a pure tourist, relishing in the local culture and exquisite cuisine of Paris.

After all, his scheduled itinerary for the French Ministry of Magic was to arrive in Paris three days later.

On a grand and splendid avenue, a crowd surged with tourists from various nations converging. Upon looking up, the landmark of Paris's 7th arrondissement, the Eiffel Tower, stood tall against the sky.

A young couple, each holding a child and half an ice cream in hand, caught Felix's attention.

"Mommy, mommy, I want flowers, I want flowers," the young boy pointed excitedly to a spot not far away.

The couple followed his gaze, about ten meters away, where several children with their families encircled a young man. He appeared quite handsome, with a tall and slender figure and a gentle smile adorning his face.

His black hair and light blue eyes, reminiscent of a clear sky, emanated a sense of purity.

Felix raised his left hand behind his back and gently snapped his fingers. A bright yellow tulip suddenly materialized in his hand, which he handed to one of the children in front of him.

"He's a street magician," the child's father remarked.

"Seems quite impressive," the child's mother remarked, scrutinizing Felix's hand without detecting any trickery.

The couple, along with their child, moved closer to the spectacle. Felix showcased his empty hands to the crowd, except for a green gemstone ring adorning his left hand.

Amidst curious gazes, he clasped his hands together and made a praying gesture, producing a chorus of "chirps and tweets" from within his closed palms.

"Wow!"

Several children widened their eyes in exaggeration, even their parents wore expressions of incredulity.

Felix slowly opened his palms, revealing a small bird with colorful feathers. The bird turned its head agilely, curiously observing its surroundings. Its small black eyes emitted an irresistible charm.

As the bird preened its feathers, it took flight at the approach of a child attempting to touch it.

All eyes followed its flight, tracing its path until it vanished into the sky.

Felix bowed in acknowledgment, declined some coins and bills with a light-hearted smile, and departed gracefully.

...

In the heart of Paris, Felix Harp wandered amidst the picturesque grounds of France's renowned institute of higher learning. The scenery was idyllic, with many students of his age leisurely sitting on the grass, engaged in carefree conversations.

Two young girls observed him with curiosity. One, with grape-purple hair, leaned in to whisper to her friend, "Look, that person is remarkably handsome. Which college do you think he's from?"

Her friend responded affirmatively, "Definitely not from our school."

"So, he's probably from another school or perhaps a tourist?"

"Why not ask him yourself?"

"Sure, why not?" The girl with the purple hair stood up and approached Felix's side. In somewhat casual French, she greeted him, "Hello, I'm Amandine Zoé."

Felix turned to her and spoke kindly, "Hello, Miss Zoé. You can call me Felix, Felix Harp."

Amandine paused for a moment, then replied, "Your eyes are quite beautiful, and by the way, you can call me Amandine."

"Very well, Amandine."

The girl named Amandine was extremely talkative, exuding warmth and cheerfulness. She assumed the role of a guide, introducing Felix Harp to her university.

"Here is the history lecture hall... This is the humanities section... Oh, I remember now, there's a very famous public lecture by a philosophy professor today!"

Amandine widened her eyes, her expression hesitant, as if she was weighing between Felix and the public lecture.

"May I go and take a look?" Felix said with a smile.

"Of course! I thought you wouldn't be interested in philosophy," she said with a sigh of relief.

"I indeed don't know much about it, but occasionally listening in can be quite enjoyable."

Amandine led Felix into a spacious lecture hall. Out of the corner of his eye, Felix noticed her friend looking at her with irritation. She chuckled awkwardly and guided Felix to take a seat.

The public lecture began soon after. The light in the lecture hall dimmed, leaving a single beam of light illuminating the center.

A formally dressed middle-aged man stood at the podium, his gaze profound, his tone measured, "What is existence? What is the meaning of human existence?"

"Before you were born, we experienced an age of crisis of faith. In Nietzsche's words, it was a time when we came to realize, like never before, that 'God is dead.'"

"We underwent a shift in thought, as wars made us contemplate the meaning of life. From Kierkegaard and Dostoevsky to the peak of Sartre and Camus after WWII, and to their quiet decline up to the present day."

"Some coined the term 'existentialism,' but it can't be considered a systematic philosophical category; there's no academic discipline of existentialist philosophy, at most it's a label."

"Let me share some common reflections on 'existence' with you—"

"For instance, you are the result of your choices."

"Or, for example, time is the sole measure of existence."

...

"Many believe that existentialism was born in the Left Bank cafés of Paris, the concoction of a group of decadents. However, this is a gross oversimplification. Many silently practice commendable existentialist viewpoints in their lives."

"Suffering and adversity breed despair, which in turn prompts contemplation of the meaning of existence, leading to rejuvenation."

Unbeknownst to them, two hours had passed.

A student raised their hand to ask, "Under normal circumstances, we wouldn't contemplate the 'meaning of existence.' This thought only emerges in times of pessimism and despair. Does this indicate that existentialism is inherently pessimistic?"

"Are we studying existentialism just to prevent others from studying it?"

The professor responded with humor, "Interesting perspective. You can sign up for my graduate program."

"I must emphasize that existentialism is an optimism supported by reason and logic. Imagine your life plunged into darkness, wars, famine, the substitution of technology... In short, you can't find the meaning of existence."

"At this point, existentialism would tell you that despite the tragedy in your life, we must still strive to live, to choose our own meaning in life. You'll discover that your existence itself introduces variables to the world, both good and bad, constantly fluctuating."

Many hands shot up.

The professor pointed to Felix.

Felix stood up, "Professor, I'm Felix Harp. Among the viewpoints you mentioned in your speech, you propose that existence is about seeing, perceiving, and experiencing. But what about things distant or even those that may never appear in reality, like magic in movies? How can we perceive and experience them?"

His question elicited suppressed laughter from some students—combining rational philosophical discourse with irrational magical topics seemed to challenge the classroom's decorum.

One or two students even whistled, expressing their agreement with Felix's 'audacity.'

The professor chuckled, then replied thoughtfully, "Magic is a product of our imagination, existing currently only in imaginative mediums like films and novels. So, do they truly exist? Or are they merely products of thought, with our brains tricking us into believing they exist?"

"But what if, someday, magic were to truly manifest in reality?" Felix pressed on.

The professor was amused, "That's an intriguing hypothesis. Whether magic truly exists? Many philosophers have expressed their views, directly or indirectly. However, delving into each explanation would be quite complex. We can discuss this outside of class—alongside the student who just expressed a pessimistic perspective."

"But I mean, if you'll forgive me, let's say we make a hypothetical scenario: there's a group of wizards who conceal their existence using various magical means, but one day, you discover them—"

Felix paused briefly, "What would you do?"

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