"Utter nonsense!"
Professor Flitwick was practically hopping with indignation, waving the newspaper in his hand so vigorously that his eyebrows seemed to bristle with fury.
"Magical gaming devices are a brilliant invention! Peter Pettigrew and Rita Skeeter are just making things up!"
He gestured toward his prized pupil, Ravenclaw prefect Penelope Clearwater, directing her attention to his own gaming console.
"Look at this! The game 'Wizard Duel'—it covers at least 70% of the spells taught at Hogwarts!"
"It provides students with an excellent understanding of spells and counter-spells, while effectively sparking their interest!"
Penelope leaned in for a closer look, only to find that her head of house had already completed the game.
—And in record time, no less, clearly capable of outperforming 99% of the students.
"They simply fail to recognize the value of gaming devices."
Professor Flitwick shook his head, wearing an expression of someone who saw the truth while others remained blind.
"People are naturally skeptical and fearful of the unknown. When faced with creations that transcend their time, some people's first reaction is rejection and resistance."
"Calling it a dark magic artifact? That's nothing but slander against Jane Yu."
"Although I mean no disrespect, I must say Albus's decision to ban gaming devices from the school was rather shortsighted."
Penelope nodded in agreement. She was already aware that Jane Yu was caught in a storm of parental criticism and might even face expulsion.
Thus, she had specifically come to seek Professor Flitwick's help, hoping he could expedite her thesis so it could be published in a journal to support Jane Yu.
"Sir, I completely agree with you. In fact, my thesis is also related to magical gaming devices."
This immediately piqued Professor Flitwick's interest. He looked at Penelope with a mix of surprise and admiration, asking, "Embracing change, very commendable! What is your research focus?"
Prepared in advance, Penelope pulled out several thick rolls of parchment from her robes.
"It's about the impact of magical gaming devices on users' magical power."
She handed the thesis to Professor Flitwick, supplementing it with explanations as he read through it.
"After using this magical device for a month, I noticed a slight increase in my magical power."
"And many of my friends who used it felt the same way. They believed their ability to control magic had also improved."
She pointed to a lengthy section of text on the parchment, elaborating on her viewpoint.
"I think this might be related to the fact that using the gaming device requires wizards to channel magic steadily for extended periods."
"Among seventh-year students like me, there has been a noticeable increase in magical power... but this data is difficult to measure. Variables could include duration of use, frequency, and the user's age..."
As Professor Flitwick read, his eyes grew brighter and brighter, and he began murmuring to himself as if lost in thought.
"Yes, yes, this is particularly evident in first- and second-year students..."
"Unstable magic becoming stable... Some students have progressed exceptionally quickly this year... They've used gaming devices..."
"The measurement method... Perhaps by counting the number of times a standard spell can be cast consecutively... We'll need experiments... Experimental groups and control groups..."
"Sir? Sir?" Penelope had to call out several times to bring Professor Flitwick back to reality.
"We must start experiments immediately!" The professor's hair seemed to bristle with urgency. "Given the current trend in public opinion, there's no telling if the Ministry of Magic might intervene. This paper must be published before that happens!"
While Professor Flitwick and Penelope threw themselves into rigorous experimentation, Slughorn and Gemma were equally busy.
Slughorn was doing his utmost to persuade Barnabas Cuffe, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Prophet.
He hoped his former student would not block articles and reports defending magical gaming devices and Jane Yu.
"Ah, I understand, Rita's personality..." Slughorn sighed, feigning exasperation. "But I believe that factual accuracy should not be absent from news reporting..."
Cuffe found his mentor's request somewhat difficult, as he worried that contradictory reports might undermine the paper's credibility.
"That was merely Rita's personal opinion. I think individual viewpoints cannot represent the entire publication."
Slughorn, ever the smooth talker, responded in kind.
He was well aware of what Cuffe cared about most—
And that was the newspaper's sales.
"You know, compelling debates are highly engaging for readers and can significantly boost sales."
Slughorn, with his round belly and a kindly, concerned expression, continued:
"I've received many articles written by students about magical gaming devices. Their insights are sharp and thought-provoking."
"Although they are inclined to publish in papers like The Quibbler, you were the first person I thought of!"
"After all, you are my most outstanding student! Of course, I want to support your career and help more wizards become your loyal readers!"
Cuffe beamed with delight, and the former teacher and student quickly reached an agreement.
Meanwhile, the student Slughorn had mentioned—Gemma Farley—was burning the midnight oil, passionately penning articles on parchment in defense of Jane Yu.
This was already her fifth completed piece:
"On the Role of Magical Gaming Devices in Practicing the Patronus Charm... They bring joy, and the pleasant memories they create help improve the success rate of casting the charm..."
"There is every reason to hypothesize that they have remarkable effects in combating negative emotions and dark creatures..."
What Gemma didn't know was that her views aligned perfectly with those of the healers at St. Mungo's!
Ever since Sirius Black, a patient tormented by Dementors, had been admitted to the magical hospital, his ward had become a popular spot for observation.
Nearly all the healers had come to study this rare case, even holding multidisciplinary consultations.
And upon discovering that his recovery was astonishingly swift, appearing no different from an ordinary person—
Sirius had become the subject of their academic papers.
This attracted wave after wave of healers, including some from as far away as Europe.
They marveled at the phenomenon.
And the magical gaming device, as a variable, was considered by the healers to be a particularly significant factor in the patient's recovery.
But before they could write to Jane Yu to purchase one for research, Rita Skeeter's article had preemptively dismissed the value of magical gaming devices, labeling them as dark magic artifacts.
This infuriated the healers.
"What kind of dark magic artifact can cure the aftereffects of Dementors?"
"This is hindering our research and delaying patient treatment!"
"This is a stumbling block on the path of great medical advancements!"
They decided to issue a joint statement to refute Rita Skeeter's false report—
And emphasize the potential role of magical gaming devices in treating Dementor-induced aftereffects.
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