Chapter 231:
Summary and Transition
Though Puff was deeply concerned about Phineas's condition, she obeyed his instructions and quietly left the Room of Requirement.
Phineas then endured the fourth, fifth, sixth—up to the ninth wave—of unrelenting torment.
Each time the effect paused, he summoned Puff to replenish his strength before bracing himself for the next onslaught. This brutal cycle continued until the process was complete.
Phineas no longer wished to move, nor even breathe. All he wanted was to sleep—deeply and undisturbed.
With that thought, his eyes slowly closed.
Seeing this, Puff gently conjured a protective dome over Phineas and silently exited the room.
Phineas slept for three days and nights.
On Saturday evening, Harry and the others were finally caught and penalized—each docked fifty house points. What surprised Phineas most was that Hermione was among those punished.
Originally, Hermione had been Sorted into Ravenclaw thanks to Phineas's suggestion aboard the Hogwarts Express. Though she maintained a decent friendship with Harry and the others, they had never bonded over shared dangers—like the troll incident from the original timeline—so their connection remained casual.
Normally, Hermione kept her distance from risky ventures. Even during the Philosopher's Stone incident, once she uncovered information about Nicolas Flamel, she chose not to involve herself further. But this time, despite it being a clear violation of school rules, she got involved.
More surprising still: although the group received detention as punishment, no one seemed to know how or when it would be enforced.
After hearing this, Phineas gave a small smile. Whether or not Quirrell attacked the unicorn was irrelevant to him. What truly mattered was whether Harry would be sent into the Forbidden Forest. Since the detentions hadn't taken place, it meant Harry hadn't entered the forest—yet. That alone brought Phineas some relief.
He hadn't expected the potion's effects to be so potent, allowing him to sleep for three full days. He had feared missing Harry's crucial moment in the forest—but fortunately, there was still time.
Only then did he turn inward to assess the results of the potion.
Something had clearly changed.
Not only did he possess more magical reserves, but he was also far more sensitive to ambient magic. He could hear the faint fluttering of insect wings and feel the tremors of footsteps in the corridor outside.
It was as though the entire world had become more vivid.
Whether this newfound sensitivity was temporary or permanent, he didn't yet know. But despite the headache from the overwhelming sensory input, there seemed to be no harmful side effects.
While others would need time and research to assess the effects of bloodline purification, Phineas had no such need. His system could scan his body and generate a character card.
Opening the interface, Phineas reviewed the updated stats:
---
Name: Phineas Walburga Black Jr.
House: Slytherin
Date of Admission: September 1, 1989
Exploration Attributes: 30%
Bloodline Purity: 70%
Equipment: Magic Gloves
Talents: Magical Vision, Magical Body, Third Eye (Sight), Parseltongue, Magical Perception
Spells Known: Common Spells, Animagus (Cat), Shadowless Blade, Unforgivable Curses, Patronus Charm, Evocation Magic (Soul Stone)
---
His bloodline purity had risen from 50% to 70%. Alongside his existing talents—Magical Vision, Magical Body, and the Third Eye—two new abilities had been added: Parseltongue and Magical Perception.
This last ability likely explained his heightened awareness of his surroundings.
Satisfied with these gains, Phineas turned his attention to a long-overdue mission reward.
Opening the task list, he saw one completed the previous week:
> Side Quest: Legacy of the Founders
"The difference between modern magic and ancient magic is vast. As the creators of Hogwarts, the four Founders were unquestionably powerful. Did they leave behind legacies of their ancient magic? Complete the third stage by mastering Apparition. Reward: Apparition (Proficiency Level). The fourth stage begins: Reward – Legilimency and Occlumency."
Apparition mastery was a welcome gain. Though risky in combat, it now gave Phineas a useful tool for rapid movement. But what truly excited him were the next rewards—Legilimency and Occlumency, powerful branches of mind magic.
These weren't just desirable—they were essential for becoming a great wizard.
Though many adult wizards existed, truly great ones were rare. The key difference? Mastery over memory spells. And to become legendary, one needed spells that affected the soul itself. (The Killing Curse, while technically soul-affecting, didn't qualify—it lacked depth or nuance.)
Eager to pursue Slytherin's legacy further, Phineas recalled a dangerous complication: the thousand-year-old basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets. Though Parseltongue granted some influence, even Harry—also a Parselmouth—couldn't control the creature.
There was no guarantee the basilisk would allow Phineas to inherit Slytherin's power peacefully.
And then there was Dumbledore. Though Phineas had altered his identity in the castle's control system, the Headmaster might still sense his presence once he entered the Chamber.
Phineas needed a plan—and backup contingencies.
But before moving forward, another long-forgotten mission surfaced in his mind. He opened the task list again—and there it was:
> Academic Contribution Quest
"How can a wizard striving for greatness not contribute to magical academia? Publish five academic papers and earn recognition from esteemed magical scholars. Reward: Legilimency and Occlumency."
The same rewards again.
He frowned.
"System?"
"I am here."
"Why are the rewards for two different missions the same?"
"Host has detected a duplication in reward paths. No task error found. System release procedure within parameters. No vulnerabilities detected."
Phineas growled in frustration. "So I'm being cheated out of a reward? Is the system skimming off my gains?"
Ding~ "System has no authority to alter or withhold rewards. Host frustration detected. Emotional fluctuation exceeds safe threshold. System entering clarification mode…"
"...Accumulated rewards will grant complete mastery over Legilimency and Occlumency. No duplication. No loss."
Ding~ "Future repeated reward inquiries will not be addressed. Energy levels critical. System entering low-power mode… shutting down…"
The system's mechanical voice vanished.
Though Phineas had only been testing the waters, he hadn't expected the upgraded system to include a true AI. And in the magical world, intelligent, self-aware artifacts were almost always dark or cursed.
Still, the explanation was reassuring: by completing both missions, his mastery over Legilimency and Occlumency would be total. No loss after all—perhaps even a greater reward.
Since the system update removed the knowledge library function, Phineas could no longer earn gems from reading and studying. Only direct spell use now granted experience.
Worse still, his spells were all near mastery level already. Advancing them further required thousands of experience points.
Currently, the only way to earn general experience points was through reading—which now offered minimal returns.
And with no one likely to cast Legilimency on him, developing Occlumency under normal circumstances was nearly impossible.
That made these two missions his best—and perhaps only—shot at mastering both arts.
Fortunately, academic contribution wasn't difficult for Phineas.
He now possessed the magical knowledge of three Hogwarts Founders: Ravenclaw's spell scripts, Gryffindor's transfiguration techniques, and Hufflepuff's potion expertise. With these foundations, and a bit of innovation, publishing five recognized papers would be simple.
His own invention—energy-shaping magic—could be split into multiple papers, each with its own focus. So long as he withheld details about the soul stone and final empowerment mechanism, there would be no risk.
Evocation magic was, after all, a method of directly manipulating elemental energy. Many high-level wizards already did this informally—but Phineas would be the first to document it clearly.
This knowledge, if shared, could significantly benefit young witches and wizards, especially in dueling scenarios. Imagine using earth magic to create melee weapons—an advantage few wizards could counter. Or transforming fire into a serpent form—not as destructive as Fiendfyre, but still formidable.
These theories and practical techniques alone could fill several well-respected academic journals.
Two papers in transfiguration. One in core magic. Additional topics could include battle formations, alchemy, rare potions, or extinct herbs.
Phineas was finally ready—not just to inherit the past—but to shape the future.