Chapter 604: End of Fifth Year
The following days were quite fulfilling for Felix.
"Anything else, Harry?"
"...No."
Felix stroked his chin, watching Harry's figure, sensing that sothing was off with his emotions.
"Do you think overusing the Patronus charm affects your mood?" he asked the Peek-a-Boo Ghost, who had just peeked out from the wall to observe the commotion. Awkwardly, the ghost stopped in its tracks upon Felix's question. "I don't know, sir."
"I thought you knew a bit," Felix shrugged. "While grading final papers, I noticed so students analyzing the similarities and differences between you and the Patronus construct. Professor Flitwick seed quite amused..."
The Peek-a-Boo Ghost jumped, almost falling from mid-air. Indignantly, he crossed his arms. "I have nothing in common with Patronuses, sir! Completely different—those wretched little rascals! They must be plotting against Peek-a-Boo Lord!" With that, he dramatically vanished into the solid stone wall, seemingly on a quest to confront soone. Felix wasn't sure if the ghost's outrage was genuine.
"Anyway, we have plenty to do, Valen."
Felix entered the room, closing the door. Valen, perched on the couch, was engrossed in a comic book with a small red bird on its head.
This item was an alchemical creation Felix had made for alert purposes, more flexible than the Howler, triggered under specific conditions. When Crabbe and Goyle attempted to break into his office, he received a notification, but the bird turned itself into a black chocolatey ash after the warning.
Felix made another one.
Unexpectedly, Valen liked it, thinking the little bird resembled Fawkes. Hence, a birdcage was added to the office, and the alchemical red bird pretended to be a real bird.
"Are you coming with , Valen?" Felix asked while getting ready.
"Chirp."
"Alright, rember to take the bird and the snake for a walk. Your weight has increased again... Snacks in the cabinet. If there's a visitor, use the wand to knock on the handle three tis..." Felix continued his detailed instructions, and Valen waved a dismissive paw, indicating understanding.
Felix pushed open the bedroom door, passed through a shimring mbrane, and entered Classroom 7.
Standing at a crossroads, it looked like a complete path split in half and rearranged. Felix turned around, catching a glimpse of Valen amusing itself with a little bird on the couch. He closed the door, leaving a ghostly image of the door in place, and proceeded forward.
The path was not long, with various defense and alert enchantnts along the way. At the end of the road, a fog awaited. Felix extended his hand, feeling sothing within the air. Then, with a tug, he pulled out a padlock from the air.
From his pocket, Felix took out a shimring key, inserted it into the lock, turned it, and dispelled the fog, revealing a two-story building.
Inside was a modern-looking office, with seamless white walls and a smooth floor. Though lacking visible light fixtures, the room was well-lit. In the center of the office, a giant entwined serpent floated about three to four feet above the ground, slowly rotating.
"Let
think about today's tasks, starting with..."
Felix shook his erald ring, summoning a parchnt that categorized tasks. More blank spaces indicated additional content to be added later.
"Let's begin with a cup of high-quality Ghost Coffee."
A cup materialized in the air.
"Good," Felix sipped. "Next is the emotional test." He raised his head, lightly tapping the opaque erald scales on the serpent's body, turning them transparent silver, revealing the insides.
Voldemort's body floated in the air, limbs and head hanging lifelessly. A jade-green, luminous snake tail pierced his chest, appearing as if he was impaled. Aside from the chest tail, nurous small magical conduits connected to him, layering and confining his magical power.
If an outsider entered, they would undoubtedly think an evil dark wizard was dwelling here.
Felix's eyes shimred strangely as he seed to talk to himself. "I wonder if you ever thought you'd end up like this, Tom. But I believe you can understand, right? After all, this is the perfect embodint of your ideology—"
"Magic is Power."
Felix extended his hand, wisps of modern-looking smoke erging from a corner of the room, converging into a blue glass-like sphere. Felix held it, and his fingers passed through the silver-transparent entwined serpent, gently flicking. The blue sphere rged into Voldemort's body.
"So people get lost in sweet dreams, unwilling to wake up. Others, due to colossal failures, hide away and refuse to face the world. Which one will you be?"
At that mont, a knock sounded at the door.
"Professor Heap?" Hermione's voice ca. The door opened. "Oh, Professor, I was wondering if you need help grading papers—"
Hermione blinked, lowering her gaze to a yawning, furry Niffler.
"Valen?"
Hermione crouched down awkwardly, asking Valen, "Is the professor here?"
"Chirp!"
Valen pointed towards the room.
Hermione followed inside, finding an empty office. She felt a bit disappointed. "Can I wait here for the professor?" Upon receiving a positive response, she walked over, sat on the couch, and surveyed her surroundings.
It had been a while since she last ca, but the office seed unchanged. Spotting the potted plant she gifted, flourishing on a small table, lifted her spirits. Then, she noticed a reflection on the wall. Initially thinking it was a mirror, she realized there were multiple reflections.
Approaching the cabinet, Hermione was surprised to find a dozen wide-mouthed bottles behind the glass door. Each contained a silvery mist, resembling artwork. On closer inspection, occasional mist formations took the shape of a stag...
Harry's Patronus?
She stared for a while, then returned to the couch. The stack of partially graded papers caught her eye.
Itching to know what was wrong, Hermione picked up a paper, intent on helping Professor Heap. Though the Ancient Runes final exam papers were straightforward for her, she deliberately left subjective questions for Heap, flipping through the rest. Soon, she furrowed her brows. "How can there be mistakes here? It must be carelessness... and another one... and another. Goodness, who is this person? I need to see their na."
After finishing the comic, Valen slipped off the couch to check on the birdcage. It housed the greedy snake to prevent it from wandering. Staring at each other through the bars, Valen and the snake exchanged glances before Valen, satisfied, retrieved a bottle of dandelion juice from the cabinet. He then grabbed an extra one, trotting over to Hermione.
He handed her one of the bottles, nestled into her arms. Together, they looked at the papers.
"Chirp!" Valen exclaid.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, eyes still on the papers. Valen took out his wand from his pocket, pointing at a spot.
"Um
, indeed, this part is incorrect," Hermione admitted.
Valen nodded, sipping his juice contentedly. Ti passed, and Hermione reached out to snatch the paper, only to miss. She had finished grading. Massaging her slightly sore neck, she looked around.
"The professor hasn't returned?"
Valen pointed to the bedroom door again. Hermione, puzzled, followed Valen. Jumping down, he reached for the doorknob with his wand.
"Are you going in?"
Hermione approached, not expecting to find a professor lounging in bed, in pajamas, with disheveled hair. Yet, with her peripheral vision, she caught a glint of silver.
She stared at the bedroom door, behind which a transparent film blocked their way. The inside view was blurry, preventing a clear sight. Extending her hand—
"It's better not to touch."
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