Chapter 132. Ravenclaw's Wisdom
Adrian Wesson stroked the blue gemstone in his hand, its glow a ghostly azure.
Although he wasn't clear on its exact use, the Tree of Wisdom's description—"the crystallisation of wisdom"—made it obvious this was no simple object.
After returning to his office, Adrian immediately stepped through the portal to the Plantation and rummaged out Ravenclaw's Diadem.
"Eldra."
[Name: Ravenclaw's Diadem]
[Description: Put it on, and you will gain wisdom.]
With the Tree of Wisdom's confirmation, Adrian nodded.
As expected, after he delivered the letter to the Grey Lady, the obsession lingering on Ravenclaw's Diadem had vanished.
Now, the diadem had recovered its original function.
Adrian drew a deep breath and, unable to wait, set Ravenclaw's Diadem upon his head.
A cool sensation spread from the point where metal touched brow; Adrian felt as if something had slipped into his mind.
His thoughts suddenly became unusually lucid—much the same feeling as after drinking Baruffio's Brain Elixir and Wit-Sharpening Potion. "So that's how it is..."
Adrian murmured without meaning to.
He found he could think about three completely different things at once—the potion recipe he'd read yesterday, this morning's issue of the Daily Prophet, and the lesson plans he needed to prepare for next week.
All three ran in parallel in his head without disturbing one another.
More wondrous still, when he recalled those abstruse, knotty theories of magic he had read, the concepts that had once given him headaches suddenly became straightforward and clear.
It seemed this was precisely the diadem's function: greatly enhancing his capacity for thought.
After experiencing the diadem's marvellous power for a while, Adrian took it off.
A strong wave of dizziness hit at once; the scene before his eyes warped and blurred like water violently stirred.
The clarity of thought grew turbid, like a car racing along that suddenly slammed on the brakes.
For a moment, Adrian could scarcely adapt; his hand reached out at once to pick up the diadem, intending to set it back on his head.
However, just as he was about to don it again, Adrian stopped.
"Wait!" He set the diadem on the table to the side, a fine sheen of sweat beading on his brow. "Something's not right."
Bracing himself on the desk, Adrian slowly sat, enduring the discomfort of his thoughts plummeting from the clouds back to earth.
He had realised it: the diadem was a dangerous thing—or rather—wisdom was a dangerous thing.
Just as a potion addict craves more draughts, once you use the diadem, the sensation brands itself into your mind.
That would not end well.
After returning the diadem to the warehouse, Adrian let out a small sigh of relief.
When the time was right, he would return the diadem to Hogwarts.
With the diadem settled, Adrian turned to study the blue gem.
He still had no idea what function the gem possessed.
At that moment, a message from the Tree of Wisdom appeared in his mind.
[Could you give me that gem, sir?]
"No problem."
Of late, the Tree of Wisdom seemed more and more like a person, occasionally conversing with Adrian like this.
Since the Tree of Wisdom needed the gem, Adrian would hardly be stingy.
Carrying Ravenclaw's gem, Adrian made his way to the Tree of Wisdom.
He gently set the gem upon the Tree's trunk.
The instant gem touched bark, countless fine, phantom rootlets coiled round and enveloped it.
In that instant, the Tree of Wisdom suddenly blazed with golden light.
The whole tree seemed bathed in sunset, glittering.
[One moment, sir...]
Just then, a message flowed into Adrian's mind, enough to set him somewhat at ease.
Moments later, the golden radiance waned and at last went out altogether.
Adrian regarded the Tree of Wisdom with anticipation.
However... it seemed there was no difference at all?
"Eldra?"
Adrian probed, cautious.
At last, the Tree of Wisdom's message came through.
[Name: Eldra (Tree of Wisdom)]
[Species: Oak]
[Level: 5]
[Traits: Analysis of Things, Soul Link, Soul Purification, Energy Amplification, Ravenclaw's Wisdom]
[Status: Growing (0%)]
After absorbing Ravenclaw's gem, the Tree of Wisdom had advanced by one level and gained a new trait: "Ravenclaw's Wisdom."
So then, what precisely did this "Ravenclaw's Wisdom" do?
Adrian's fingertips brushed the bark.
At that moment, the scene before his eyes shifted abruptly.
His consciousness seemed to be pulled into a space of pure white, a soft silver light suffusing all around.
At the very centre of this strange space stood a graceful, silver-white silhouette.
It appeared to be a woman clad in old-fashioned wizarding robes, her whole form radiating white light. Although her features were indistinct, judging by her bearing, that must be Rowena Ravenclaw.
Just as Adrian stood there, puzzled, an explanation from the Tree of Wisdom surfaced in his mind.
[This is Rowena Ravenclaw's knowledge imprint. If there is anything you wish to know, you might try asking her...]
So that was it. Adrian understood: this manifestation of Rowena Ravenclaw was roughly equivalent to an encyclopaedia.
Tentatively, he put a question to her: "If someone has created many Horcruxes, how am I to find those Horcruxes?"
Just as Adrian thought the Ravenclaw manifestation would open her mouth to answer, she slowly extended her hand.
White light gathered in her palm; before long, a book with a white cover appeared in her grasp.
Then, she walked unhurriedly up to Adrian and handed the book to him.
Adrian, thoroughly perplexed, had no choice but to accept it.
After that, his vision flickered.
When he came back to himself, he discovered he had already left that strange space and returned to the real world.
However, the book he had taken from Ravenclaw's hand still rested in his own.
He wondered what reply Ravenclaw had given him...
With curiosity, Adrian opened the book.
After leafing through for a while, he found it contained an ancient magic concerning the tracking of souls.
It read:
If you wish to track a person's soul, you will need the following: a strand of the target's hair or a personal effect; a living being connected to the target; a compass; and a witch or wizard gifted in ancient magic.
Detailed ritual method: ...
It seemed this was the Tree of Wisdom's new ability.
In the tests Adrian conducted thereafter, he found that for most questions, the Ravenclaw manifestation was able to provide an answer.
The pity was that she seemed able to answer only one question at a time. In other words, only one book could exist at any given moment.
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