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Chapter 264: The Room Behind the Curtain
Chapter 264: The Room Behind the Curtain
Chapter 264: The Room Behind the Curtain
Seventh-year wizarding students streamed out of the classroom, their faces still bearing a dazed look, as if they hadn't fully returned to reality. As they reached the corner of the corridor, a Ravenclaw girl with brown skin announced loudly, "I've already reserved an Outstanding in the N.E.W.T. exam for Ancient Runes!"
Her words acted as a switch, igniting a torrent of discussion among them.
"Ha, I thought the same!"
"This class was truly spectacular. I can't believe the next one is scheduled for Friday..."
"Yeah, compared to Professor Harp, my mind feels like it's overrun with weeds."
"Do you think Professor Harp's words make sense?"
"Well, I had plans to join the Ministry of Magic, but now I'm wavering. My parents both work there, and their lives aren't as good as outsiders might think."
"Really? Care to share..."
Penelope leaned in to Percy and asked in a hushed tone, "Is your goal still the Ministry of Magic?"
Percy hesitated for a moment or two, then grew resolute. "Yes, I also yearn for the future Professor Harp envisions, but I have to seize the reachable opportunities right in front of me."
"But you won't miss Professor's classes, will you?"
"What a joke," Percy said, "I will give it my all!"
Over the next day, these seventh-year students appeared in other classrooms, their heightened excitement and detached state catching the attention of other professors. Felix's actions and his words spread among the faculty.
Felix thought someone would approach him for a conversation, but everything remained calm.
In the evening, he sat in his office, jotting down his thoughts —
"The Room of Thought's magic is growing stronger, to the point where even I find it somewhat unfamiliar. Without resistance or obvious defense, I can instantly pull the surface consciousness of a dozen or more people into the Room of Thought. This was the basis of today's lesson. Two branches can extend from here —"
"First branch, the offensive direction; however, the Room of Thought can't truly harm the opponent. After all, what's brought over is just an external mapping of true consciousness. If the opponent resists, the attempt fails. It's challenging to use in actual combat in the short term."
He paused, heavily underlining the phrase "challenging to use in actual combat." The faintly terrifying prospect presented by this direction alone made it impossible for him to give up.
Imagine, at some point in the future, him toppling an array of wizards with just a glance...
"Second branch, the auxiliary direction, used for accelerating thought and teaching Ancient Runes. The former is incredibly useful for both combat and learning, while the latter—"
Felix stopped to contemplate. "Combining the Room of Thought with Memory Charms yields equally astonishing results. I have a real chance to become one of the greatest teachers in history."
He thought again: "Whether it's a cause for celebration or regret, knowledge can't be forcibly infused. A person's memories are intricate, and hasty alterations can lead to unforeseen consequences. Even with my 'Obliviate All' spell, it only minimizes the side effects, not eliminates them."
"Most Memory Charm operatives at the Ministry of Magic usually erase memories from the past few hours, but those whose memories are erased generally suffer from a day or two of forgetfulness and sluggish reactions... I've tested this firsthand on a dark wizard."
"And to instill knowledge isn't a slight, subtle change. Its impact on a person is immense..."
"For now, I've barely maneuvered around this limitation. Its true effect is in expediting learning."
A series of names flashed through Felix's mind: Severus, Dumbledore, Lockhart, Professor Vector, the Longbottoms... whether active or passive, they all contributed to improving and advancing the Room of Thought. This was why, in just a year and a half, Felix had transitioned it from a reluctant use to one of utmost fluidity and mastery.
Not to mention, he had undergone a major upgrade in Memory Magic and received substantial support from the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library...
Felix delicately picked up the parchment and silently watched as they turned into ash without a sound, only to reform within the Room of Thought.
Rolling them into a cylindrical parchment tube, Felix secured it with a thin, silver-green cord drawn from thin air.
Skillfully navigating a stack of books piled upon a deep chestnut carpet, he stood before emerald-green curtains. The curtains, devoid of any breeze, rolled up high to reveal the towering portal behind them.
Touching the door's handleless surface, Felix gently pushed, and the door opened soundlessly.
Beyond the door lay his true inner world, harboring his deepest secrets and memories.
Stretching out before him was a lengthy room with a central aisle extending straight ahead, seemingly without an end. On either side of the aisle stood tall bookshelves, filled with books of various shapes and styles, each cover depicting different stages of himself.
In the corners of the shelves, various letters, photographs, memory orbs, and similar odds and ends were on display.
Taking strides forward, Felix found the room brightening gradually. He stood before one of the bookshelves and, aided by the gentle glow, patiently counted the labels: "Memory Magic – Room of Thought – Theoretical Deductions – Got it!"
He placed the small parchment tube on the shelf, muttering with a hint of frustration, "Hmm, this room keeps changing. It takes forever to find things every time..."
Exiting from the room behind the curtains, Felix watched the deep-green curtains descend once more, obscuring the heavy door, before turning back to the real world.
In the Ancient Runes office, he checked the time and waited in silence—
"Knock, knock!"
"Come in—"
The office door swung open, and Hermione entered with an almost conspiratorial air.
"No one saw you, Miss Granger?"
"No, Professor. You told me to keep it a secret." Hermione said lightly. She had been at dinner when Professor Harp's guardian spirit suddenly appeared, clutching a blank card in its beak.
As her magic touched the card, it filled with tiny words: "Time Turner, tonight at eight, keep it secret."
Hermione had anxiously waited until past nine, then used the Time Turner to travel two hours back, arriving at this point.
Felix nodded, beginning with a question, "What are your thoughts on yesterday's attack by Sirius Black?"
He intended to use this question to lead into his suspicion about Scabbers, but Hermione surprised him by going straight to the point, or rather, to the shock.
"Professor, we suspect—Ron's rat might be a problem!" Hermione whispered, her voice trembling with excitement.
"How... did you figure it out?"
"It was Harry," Hermione said, "the night before our third year started, he overheard a conversation between Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Mr. Weasley said, and I quote, 'He's at Hogwarts, he's at Hogwarts...'"
Hermione's voice sharpened, "We thought Black's target was Harry initially, but yesterday's attack proved otherwise, at least not the primary target. And when we combine Black's odd behavior, which occurred right after Scabbers was given a newspaper by Percy—that's what Fudge said, during the time when he gave the three broomsticks and the teachers speech—when we add all this to Black's attack on Ron, we speculate it's the article about the Weasleys winning the Daily Prophet's prize..."
Hermione was still sharing her thoughts, but Felix had already sighed in admiration. It was an appreciation for Hermione's sharp mind but also a sigh of disappointment towards Fudge's negligence. After all, all of this traced back to him.
Though, to be fair, Harry and his friends had acquired these pieces of information earlier, it was only yesterday that they truly connected the dots. Felix hadn't been that fortunate; he had linked these clues based on Sirius's Animagus form and his abnormal attack on Ron.
The most crucial lead in all of this was Animagus, and following that thread, many things could be deduced.
"...Harry and I haven't told Ron yet, Merlin, if this is true, he'll be so devastated."
"Miss Granger," Felix sighed, "there is indeed a possibility, which is why I brought you here. I originally thought—"
He shook his head lightly, "I need to change my approach."
"Since you've reached this point in your investigation, I hope you realize the potential danger and prioritize your safety."
Felix summoned three coins that could transform into serpent-fighting rings and placed them in Hermione's hand. "I prepared these for the Runes Club, a few days ahead of time shouldn't be an issue."
"You can use these to contact me in case Harry forgets to carry his Sneakoscope again... Three of you are more reliable than just one.
Also, keep your bead pouch on you at all times. It can momentarily ward off a snake—under sudden provocation, an ordinary dark wizard wouldn't stand a chance against you.
If you spot Scabbers, knock him out immediately, no hesitations. Then find a nearby professor to alert them, or contact me directly."
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