Chapter 85 The Beating Willow? Let's get one.
Charlie looked at the blue car in the distance, regretting it in his heart.
Why wasn't he in that car?
Those were tyrant points!
He missed a perfect opportunity to earn points.
Professor McGonagall's face was incredibly grim, her lips pressed into a thin line.
But she maintained her basic professional composure, waving her hand to signal the students to enter the Great Hall.
"Everyone inside, don't stand here gawking."
The students walked towards the Great Hall, discussing animatedly, occasionally looking back at the Whomping Willow, whose branches and leaves were scattered everywhere from the impact.
Charlie followed the crowd into the Great Hall and found a seat.
His gaze swept across the teachers' table, and he keenly noticed that one person was missing.
Snape wasn't there.
Charlie understood instantly.
Snape must have gone to catch Harry and Ron.
Good luck, Harry.
He hoped they wouldn't be tormented too badly by Snape.
Lockhart, dressed in a green robe, flashed his pearly white teeth at the students below, very showily.
He was showing off his smile again.
Professor McGonagall walked to the front of the teachers' table and cleared her throat.
Despite the incident that had just occurred, the Sorting Ceremony still had to proceed.
"The Sorting Ceremony will now begin."
Professor McGonagall's voice echoed through the Great Hall.
The first-year students stood in a nervous line, awaiting the Sorting Hat's judgment.
The Sorting Hat was placed on the first student's head.
That student looked quite nervous.
"Hufflepuff!"
The first student was sorted into Hufflepuff, and the Hufflepuff table erupted in enthusiastic applause.
Charlie also clapped, welcoming his new junior.
The sorting continued.
"Chris Bett!"
"Gryffindor!"
"Levi's Batty!"
"Ravenclaw!"
"John Teach!"
"Slytherin!"
Charlie noticed that a particularly large number of students, more than ten, were sorted into Hufflepuffthis term.
Finally, a familiar name was called.
"Ginny Weasley!"
When Professor McGonagall called out this name, the Weasley Brothers at the Gryffindor table nervously watched their sister.
The Sorting Hat remained on Ginny's head for a few seconds.
"Gryffindor!"
The Gryffindor table erupted in thunderous applause.
Fred and George also put aside the car incident and excitedly stood up, cheering for their sister.
Percy also showed a satisfied smile.
The tradition of the weasley family was continued.
The Sorting Ceremony finally ended.
Dumbledore stood up and walked to the podium.
He hadn't been seen for a long time, and Dumbledore seemed unchanged; his eyes were still sparkling as he scanned the Great Hall.
"Welcome back to Hogwarts, everyone," Dumbledore's voice was gentle yet powerful.
"Before we begin our feast, I have a few things to say."
He paused, his expression becoming serious.
"Firstly, I must emphasize some school rules. Night wandering is forbidden, and I hope certain students will bear this in mind."
His gaze swept over the Hufflepuff table, clearly hinting at certain students.
"No sleeping in class."
Charlie touched his nose, pretending not to see.
"The Forbidden Forest outside the school is very dangerous, and unauthorized entry is forbidden. It contains many dangerous creatures, including Werewolves, Acromantulas, and so on."
Dumbledore continued, "Also, keep an eye on your Owls, and don't let them always spend the night in the Owlery."
"Now all the little female Owls in the Owlery are pregnant."
A burst of laughter erupted in the Great Hall.
Students whispered and chattered amongst themselves.
Professor McGonagall's face darkened even further; she walked over to Dumbledore and said in a low voice, "Albus, don't say such things."
Dumbledore smiled and nodded, raising his hands to signal for quiet.
"Alright, now let us enjoy the feast."
He clapped his hands, and a lavish dinner instantly appeared on the long tables.
Charlie picked up a piece of American slow-smoked beef brisket with his fork.
Rich gravy dripped down the fork, and the smoke ring on the surface glowed an inviting red.
Charlie took a bite; it was tender, flavorful, and juicy.
Hogwarts' food was as delicious as ever.
Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall left the Great Hall, apparently to deal with Harry and Ron's matter.
The surrounding students ate and discussed what had just happened.
"Did you see that car? It was absolutely insane," Ernie said excitedly.
"I heard Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were driving it," Justin whispered.
"Really? How could they drive a car to school?"
"Who knows, but they're in big trouble this time," Ernie shook his head.
"They crashed into the Whomping Willow, which is a very precious magical plant."
Charlie's ears perked up.
"Is the Whomping Willow very precious?"
"Of course," Ernie nodded. "The Whomping Willow is a very rare magical plant; there are only a few in the whole world."
"If it's broken, the loss would be huge."
"Even if it's not broken, there are still many snapped branches."
Charlie's mind stirred.
Willow branches can be re-rooted and propagated, right?
If he could get some Whomping Willow branches and plant a Whomping Willow as a guard at the entrance of his box, that would be a great idea... In Snape's office, the air was suffocatingly heavy.
Harry and Ron sat on chairs, their bodies tense.
Ron's right hand was tightly tucked into his pocket, where his wand, broken by the Whomping Willow, lay.
Snape paced around the office, his black robes billowing behind him.
His lips wore that characteristic sneer, and his eyes were full of malice.
"Truly remarkable."
"Two Gryffindor heroes, arriving at school in a flying car."
He stopped, looking down at the two of them.
"Tell me, Potter, Weasley, do you think yourselves quite extraordinary?"
Harry opened his mouth, wanting to explain something, but Snape gave him no chance.
"Silence!" Snape snapped.
"You'd best remain quiet when I'm speaking."
Ron's face was pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
He had never been so scared; Snape, in his eyes, was more terrifying than an Acromantula at that moment.
Snape walked to his desk and picked up a newspaper.
"Look at this."
He spread out the newspaper, the headline emblazoned: "London Elder Witnesses Flying Car, Causes Uproar at Mental Hospital."
"A seventy-three-year-old man claimed to have seen a flying car, thought he was insane, and caused a scene at the clinic."
Snape read the contents of the newspaper, his voice full of sarcasm.
"And here, at least seven Muggles witnessed this magical flying car."
Harry felt his heart stop.
They had really caused a huge disaster.
"Even more interesting..." Snape put down the newspaper, his eyes fixed maliciously on Ron.
"I recall Mr. Weasley still works in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, doesn't he?"
Ron's face instantly turned ashen.
His father's job, his father's future, could all be ruined by his foolish actions.
"You also damaged a precious Whomping Willow. That is one of Hogwarts' most precious magical plants."
"Honestly."
"If you were Slytherin students, I would have expelled you long ago."
Just then, the office door was pushed open.
Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall walked in.
Dumbledore's face was expressionless, which made Harry feel a little sad.
He would have rather Dumbledore scolded him a bit.
"Harry, tell me what happened."
Dumbledore's voice was calm, but Harry could feel the authority within it.
Harry took a deep breath and recounted the entire incident.
"We really had no other choice."
"The wall suddenly became impassable, the train was about to leave, and we..."
"Then, Harry," Dumbledore continued to ask.
"Why didn't you write to the Professors?"
Harry was stumped by the question. Oh right, why didn't I write a letter?
"I... I didn't think of it," Harry's voice was barely audible.
"Will we be expelled?"
Dumbledore was silent for a moment, thinking about why the platform had suddenly become impassable, then he said.
"Not now, but it's hard to say about the future."
This sentence made the two of them sigh in relief, as if reborn after a disaster.
Snape's face became even more grim.
He was clearly very displeased that Harry had not been expelled.
Professor McGonagall stepped forward, looking at the two dusty, disheveled students.
"You two, come with me." Her voice was stern but her words were full of care.
"Go to the Hospital Wing first to get checked out."
Harry and Ron, as if granted a great pardon, quickly stood up and followed behind Professor McGonagall.
"Although the school hadn't officially started when you were driving, so you won't lose points."
The two of them breathed a sigh of relief again.
"But," Professor McGonagall's tone became strict.
"Both of you will receive detention."
"Yes, Professor," Harry and Ron said in unison.
As long as they weren't expelled, what was detention?
Chapter 86 Soul-Stealing Curse
After the feast, the prefects began organizing students to return to their respective dormitories.
Charlie followed the Hufflepuff crowd, leisurely making his way to the basement.
Charlie's and his two roommates' dormitory was still the same as last semester; if nothing unexpected happened, it wouldn't change for the next six years.
Only the sign at the door had changed from 'First Year' to 'Second Year'.
Charlie walked to his bed and silently recited in his mind: "System, open panel."
[Your Majesty: Charlie White]
[Age: 12 years old]
[magic Talent Rating: (Max Level 10)]
[Transfiguration: 10]
[Charms: 10]
[Potions: 9]
[Defense Against the Dark Arts: 7]
[Herbology: 4]
[Astronomy: 4]
[History of Magic: 5]
[tyrant points: 5269]
[Free Talent Points: 0]
[Spells Mastered: Transfiguration (Level Three: 50 / 1000), Incendio (Level Three: 960 / 1000), Stupefy (Level Three: 910 / 1000), Expelliarmus (Level Three: 120 / 1000), Expecto Patronum (Level Two: 0 / 500), Sectumsempra (Level Two: 10 / 500) ...]
Looking at the numbers, Charlie nodded in satisfaction.
Today was the day for a big round of draws.
"Draw!"
[Congratulations, Your Majesty, you have gained: Stupefy proficiency + 50]
[Congratulations, Your Majesty, you have gained: Transfiguration proficiency + 30]
[Congratulations, Your Majesty, you have gained: Incendio proficiency + 40]
A series of proficiency prompts flashed across the screen.
Charlie frowned:
"System, can you block these proficiency prompts? Only new Spells and items drawn should be displayed."
[Yes, Your Majesty!]
Charlie continued drawing, and this time the interface was much cleaner.
[Congratulations, Your Majesty, you have gained a new Spell: Obliviate]
[Obliviate can erase specific memories]
Charlie fell into thought.
The system continued drawing.
[Congratulations, Your Majesty, you have gained: Talent Point + 1]
[Congratulations, Your Majesty, you have gained: Imperio]
[Imperio can completely control another's will, making them obey every command.]
Charlie's thoughts deepened.
Disillusionment Charm for stealthy infiltration, Imperio to make the target obey, Memory Charm to erase memories afterwards—am I learning proper magic?
[Congratulations, Your Majesty, you have gained: Talent Point + 1]
[Congratulations, Your Majesty, you have gained: Talent Point + 1]
Two more talent points were drawn consecutively, emptying his accumulated tyrant points.
Charlie felt a sense of emptiness after the expenditure.
He opened the talent panel, contemplating how to use the talent points.
Charlie stared at Herbology for a moment, deciding to add all three talent points to it.
After all, Professor Sprout was his Dean, so he had to show some respect.
Moreover, if he were to plant a Whomping Willow later, he would definitely need knowledge of Herbology.
[Congratulations, Your Majesty, Herbology level increased: Level 4 → Level 7]
Instantly, a vast amount of knowledge about Herbology interconnected in Charlie's mind.
Content he had never realized before was understood in an instant.
The habits of various magical plants, cultivation methods, medicinal values, and so on, were clearly imprinted in his memory.
Charlie nodded in satisfaction, then checked the system panel.
The panel had undergone another major upgrade at this point.
[Your Majesty: Charlie White]
[Age: 12 years old]
[magic Talent Rating: (Max Level 10)]
[Transfiguration: 10]
[Charms: 10]
[Potions: 9]
[Defense Against the Dark Arts: 7]
[Herbology: 7]
[Astronomy: 4]
[History of Magic: 5]
[tyrant points: 9]
[Free Talent Points: 0]
[Spells Mastered: Transfiguration (Level Three: 550 / 1000), Incendio (Level Four: 140 / 5000), Stupefy (Level Four: 210 / 5000), Protego (Level Four: (90 / 5000)), Expecto Patronum (Level Three: 0 / 1000), Sectumsempra (Level Three: 10 / 1000) ...]
Transfiguration was already at the mid-point of Level Three, while Incendio, Stupefy, and Protego, his old companions, had reached Level Four.
Most other Spells had reached mid-Level Three proficiency, and Sectumsempra and Expecto Patronumhad successfully advanced to Level Three.
Charlie took out his wand and whispered:
"Expecto Patronum!"
A silvery-white divine dragon flew from the tip of his wand, circling in the dormitory.
At this moment, the divine dragon's form was solid and lifelike, with every scale clearly visible.
Its whiskers swayed, its dragon eyes gleamed with spirit, and it exuded immense majesty.
"Merlin!" Ernie's eyes widened.
"What is that?" Justin was also stunned.
"Charlie, what Spell is that?"
Charlie put away his wand, and the divine dragon dissipated.
"That's my Patronus," he said casually.
Ernie was very envious: "When will I be able to learn a Spell of that caliber?"
After experimenting with the Spell, Charlie greeted Ernie and Justin.
"I'm going for a walk; you two should get some rest early."
Ernie and Justin weren't interested in sneaking out at night, and they were worried about not being able to wake up for class tomorrow, so they didn't go with Charlie.
Charlie carried his undetectable extension trunk, walked out of the dormitory, and into the corridor.
He pulled out his wand and cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself.
His body instantly became transparent, blending with the surrounding environment.
Filch was definitely on patrol now, and it was better to avoid trouble.
Charlie quietly passed through the Castle corridors, heading towards the Whomping Willow.
On the way, he indeed encountered Filch, and his cat, Madam Norris, twitched her nose as if she smelled something.
But when she looked up, she saw nothing.
Soon, Charlie arrived outside the Castle.
Moonlight spilled onto the grass, and in the distance was the Whomping Willow.
At this moment, the Whomping Willow looked quite miserable.
Thick branches were scattered all over the ground.
There were obvious impact marks on the trunk, and a large piece of bark had been scraped off.
Charlie cautiously approached, collecting the scattered branches.
These branches looked quite vital; they would definitely be suitable for cuttings and propagation.
Just as he bent down to pick up a branch, the Whomping Willow suddenly sensed something.
Its massive trunk began to sway, and the remaining branches adopted an attacking posture.
"Swish, swish, swish!"
Several thick branches lashed out towards Charlie.
Charlie quickly retreated a few steps, moving out of the Whomping Willow's attack range.
"This guy's perception is quite strong," Charlie thought to himself.
Even with the Disillusionment Charm, the Whomping Willow could still sense his presence.
This was exactly what Charlie needed for security.
If it could be passed easily, what was the point of it being there?
Charlie had no choice but to stand at a distance and use his wand to control the scattered branches to fly towards him.
"Branches, come!"
One by one, the branches obediently flew to Charlie.
He stuffed all the branches on the ground into the trunk.
In fact, most of the branches were severely damaged and likely couldn't be propagated, but he didn't care.
You cast a wide net to catch more fish; what if they sprouted? He'd believe it first.
Just then, Charlie's peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a small figure in the distance.
The figure looked particularly slender in the moonlight, wandering around outside.
Chapter 87 A Pervert Entered the Castle
Ginny had been feeling very happy lately.
Her family didn't have money to buy brand new textbooks.
But before school started, she found a diary in a second-hand copy of 'A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration'.
It had a black cover, with some wear and tear at the corners, but the paper was still as white as new.
She could write anything she wanted in it.
The diary would absorb the ink and respond to her thoughtfully.
The handwriting was neat and elegant, as if a gentle friend was conversing with her on the paper.
This feeling was so wonderful, like having an extra best friend with whom she could talk about anything.
She learned from the diary that its owner was named Tom, a former Hogwarts student from many years ago.
Although Ginny's family doted on her and her brothers were very good to her, she was a girl after all.
Her brothers might not understand her thoughts, but the diary could.
Tom always listened patiently to her confide, gave her advice, and made her feel understood like never before.
After the sorting ceremony, she took out the diary in her dormitory, intending to chat with Tom about the start of school.
"Tom, I was sorted into Gryffindor today..."
As Ginny wrote this line, she suddenly felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her.
Her eyelids grew heavy, and her consciousness began to blur.
She wanted to resist the sleepiness, but her body wouldn't obey.
The quill slipped from her hand, and a small blot of ink spread on the parchment.
Moments later, Ginny awoke.
But her eyes were utterly cold, completely different from her previous gentle innocence.
She looked at the words written in the diary, a hint of disgust in her eyes.
"Tom..."
She waved her hand, crossing out the word "Tom" and changing it to "Lord Voldemort."
The handwriting became sharp, imbued with malice.
Then the writing was slowly absorbed by the diary.
She looked around; her roommates were all fast asleep.
Moonlight streamed through the window onto the beds, and the entire dormitory was so quiet that only the steady breathing could be heard.
Ginny, or rather, the entity now controlling this body, rose silently.
Her movements were light, each step avoiding any floorboard that might creak.
Leaving the dormitory, passing through the common room, her steps grew faster and faster.
She left the Gryffindor Tower, walked through the empty corridors, and pushed open the Castle doors.
The night wind ruffled her red hair, but she didn't feel cold at all.
Moving away from the Castle, she came to a deserted spot.
There was only moonlight and her.
Tom no longer suppressed himself and burst into laughter.
"Heh heh heh heh heh!!"
The laughter echoed in the night sky, sharp and maniacal.
It was a little girl's voice, yet it carried an adult's malice and arrogance.
He was finally seeing the light of day again!
Although he was only borrowing this little girl's body, and his power was still very weak, it was enough.
He had all the time in the world, all the patience.
Soon, he would regain his true power... Charlie saw someone in the distance, likely a fellow night-traveler.
Charlie didn't intend to approach, as everyone had their own business to attend to.
Then the person suddenly threw her head back and laughed loudly.
Her movements were unrestrained, but her voice was that of a small loli.
"Wahahahahahahaha!!"
Charlie was startled.
Are little girls these days all so chuunibyou?
But it was that laugh that made Charlie recognize the person as Ginny.
Charlie clicked his tongue.
The last time he saw Ginny, she was quiet and demure, timidly hiding behind Mrs. Molly.
Now she was so brazen?
Coming out for a night stroll on the very first day, quite daring.
This reminded him of himself last year.
Back then, Fred and George had taken him on night excursions, teaching him various prank techniques and showing him the secret passages in the Castle.
Now it was his turn to 'train' Ginny.
This was the legacy of their Night Roaming Squad!
After laughing, Ginny continued to walk, her steps very light.
Charlie followed, wanting to see if the youngest Weasley had learned the essence of her brothers.
Ginny wandered outside the Castle, seemingly familiarizing herself with the surroundings.
One after the other, they soon reached the vicinity of Hagrid's Hut.
Under the moonlight, Hagrid's Hut appeared exceptionally peaceful.
The fence outside housed many livestock, including several goats and a flock of Roosters.
All were sound asleep at this moment.
Ginny suddenly stopped, her gaze fixed on the Roosters.
Her eyes became cold.
She silently climbed over the fence, her movements light and agile, completely unlike someone doing this for the first time.
The Roosters sensed danger and began to stir uneasily.
Ginny reached out and grabbed one of the largest Roosters.
"Cluck cluck cluck!"
The Rooster, startled, flapped its wings frantically, letting out a piercing cry.
"Woof woof woof!"
Fang's barks came from inside the Hut, followed by Hagrid's groggy voice.
"What's going on?"
Hagrid's voice came from inside, accompanied by the creaking of his bed.
Ginny's movements paused, a look of unwillingness flashing across her face.
But she still quickly grabbed the Rooster and flipped back over the fence.
Charlie raised an eyebrow; this little girl's agility was too good, did Fred give her special training during the summer?
Hagrid emerged from the Hut, wrapped in a coat, his hair disheveled, clearly just woken up.
"Fang, what is it?"
Fang barked wildly in the direction Ginny had left, but Hagrid looked in the direction of Fang's gaze and saw nothing.
There was only an empty grassy field under the moonlight.
Hagrid yawned, casually glancing at the fence.
The Roosters had already quieted down again, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
"Probably just the Roosters fighting again."
Hagrid mumbled.
"These guys are always making a fuss in the middle of the night."
Careless as he was, he didn't notice that one Rooster was missing and turned back into the Hut.
Charlie frowned, looking in Ginny's direction.
An eleven-year-old girl, sneaking out in the middle of the night to steal a Rooster?
That was too strange, wasn't it?
Charlie quickly followed Ginny's footsteps.
Ginny walked very fast, holding the Rooster, heading straight into the depths of the forest.
Soon, Ginny stopped under a large tree.
Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
Ginny placed the Rooster on the ground, then pulled something out from her embrace.
The moonlight reflected off the metal, emitting a cold gleam.
It was a small knife!
Ginny raised the knife, its blade gleaming in the moonlight.
The Rooster seemed to sense the threat of death, struggling desperately to escape.
But Ginny's hand was steady, firmly holding down the Rooster's body.
"Cluck cluck cluck!"
The Rooster let out a desperate cry.
"Thud!"
Blood splattered everywhere.
The Rooster's head rolled onto the ground, its body still twitching.
Charlie's eyes widened.
Holy cow, so she wasn't chuunibyou, she was a psychopath!
Chapter 88 Characteristics of the Man-Beating Willow
The next day, Charlie woke up early. He hadn't shown up in front of Ginny yesterday.
Normal people, good or bad, always have a logic to their actions, and when you interact with them, you can tell whether they pose a threat to you.
But psychopaths and lunatics are different; they might bite you for no reason at all.
One second they might be chatting amiably with you, the next they could have a mental breakdown.
Although Charlie wasn't afraid, getting entangled in such matters was disgusting enough, so the best approach was to minimize interaction with psychopathic lunatics.
After breakfast, Charlie walked towards the faculty table.
He planned to ask Professor Sprout about the habits of the Whomping Willow.
"Good morning, Professor Sprout," Charlie greeted politely.
Professor Sprout was spreading jam on her toast, and hearing the voice, she looked up, a surprised expression on her face.
"Charlie, what brings you here?"
"Professor, yesterday I saw that Whomping Willow damage a car."
"I'm very interested in it and would like to learn about its habits," Charlie said directly.
Professor Sprout's joy was evident.
This was the first time Charlie had actively inquired about Herbology knowledge.
As the Dean of Hufflepuff, she had a love-hate relationship with Charlie, this genius student.
She loved that Charlie was indeed clever, but hated that the boy wasn't serious about Herbology.
Professor Sprout excitedly put down her toast.
"After I finish eating, I'm going to treat the Whomping Willow; you can come with me."
Just then, Lockhart suddenly leaned over.
"Oh, the Whomping Willow?" Lockhart flashed his signature brilliant smile.
"When I was traveling in France, I once helped a Whomping Willow as well; I have a lot of experience with this."
Professor Sprout's smile instantly froze.
Lockhart was completely oblivious to the change in atmosphere and continued to babble:
"I can demonstrate for the Professor. Of course, I'm not saying my Herbology skills surpass the Professor's, it's just that I've encountered this situation during my travels."
Professor Sprout's face turned very unpleasant.
She gripped the dining knife in her hand, her knuckles turning white.
Charlie's mouth twitched.
This guy's emotional intelligence is truly negative. To tell a professional Professor that he has more experience, do you think you're Huang Xiaochu?
The surrounding Professors all ate their meals, ignoring Lockhart.
Professor Flitwick even rolled his eyes.
Charlie felt embarrassed for him, but Lockhart didn't seem to notice that everyone was annoyed with him and was still trying to chat with other Professors.
"Professor Flitwick, what do you think of my suggestion?"
Professor Flitwick didn't even lift his head:
"I think you should focus on your breakfast."
Lockhart's smile was a bit forced, but he still stubbornly turned to Snape.
"Severus, what do you think..."
"Shut up," Snape said coldly.
"Your rambling is even more boring than your books."
Lockhart's face instantly flushed red.
"Alright, alright, it seems everyone isn't in the mood for talking this morning."
Just as the atmosphere reached its most awkward point, Owls flew in.
A large flock of Owls flapped their wings, circling above the Great Hall.
Students eagerly held out their hands, awaiting their letters.
Charlie noticed that one Owl flew directly to the Gryffindor table.
It clutched a bright red envelope in its talons.
"Oh no," Professor Sprout's expression changed.
"It's a Howler."
She quickly pulled out her wand and cast a spell on herself and Charlie.
Instantly, the sounds from the students' side became muffled.
Charlie felt as if his ears were stuffed with cotton, and all the surrounding sounds became distant.
"This way we won't hear it," Professor Sprout explained.
"A Howler's sound can deafen a person."
The red Owl landed in front of Ron, dropped the red letter, and hastily flew away.
Ron looked at the red letter on the table, his face pale.
His hands trembled, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
Harry, sitting beside him, was equally nervous.
"Open it quickly," Neville whispered.
"The longer you drag it out, the worse it gets."
"How do you know?"
"I'd rather not answer you."
Ron took a deep breath and tremblingly opened the envelope.
The envelope instantly opened its mouth, and Mrs. Molly's voice boomed like thunder.
Although Charlie couldn't make out the specific content, he could see Ron frantically covering his ears, his entire body trembling.
The surrounding students all covered their ears, their faces filled with agony.
The Howler lasted a full three minutes, finally turning into ashes and scattering.
The Great Hall was in dead silence.
Ron's face was as red as a tomato, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into.
Professor Sprout lifted the spell, and sounds became clear again.
"I hope he learns his lesson this time," she shook her head.
"Don't do such absurd things again."
Charlie nodded vigorously.
"Exactly, exactly, how could it be so absurd?"
"Let's go, we'll go look at the Whomping Willow," Professor Sprout stood up.
The two walked along the path outside the Castle and soon arrived in front of the injured Whomping Willow.
Professor Sprout stopped, frowning as she surveyed the scene before her.
"That's strange," she muttered, circling the Whomping Willow.
"Yesterday there were clearly many broken branches scattered on the ground, but now there isn't a single one?"
Charlie's expression remained unchanged; he pretended to have just noticed the problem.
"Could Professor Snape have taken them?" he said nonchalantly.
"I heard that Whomping Willow branches are very valuable Potion ingredients."
Professor Sprout nodded, accepting this answer.
"Severus indeed often needs these rare materials. Usually, only the two of us collect Whomping Willow branches."
As the two approached the Whomping Willow, it immediately reacted.
Its thick trunk began to sway, its remaining branches adopted an attacking posture, and its leaves rustled, as if threatening intruders.
Professor Sprout raised her wand, and a precise point of light emanated from its tip.
The light point accurately struck an inconspicuous small knot at the base of the trunk.
Instantly, the Whomping Willow quieted, its branches drooped, and the entire tree fell into a static state.
Professor Sprout pulled a roll of bandages from her pocket and stepped forward to bandage the Whomping Willow's broken areas.
"The Whomping Willow's magic is very special," she explained while bandaging.
"It repels all approaching external magic; this is its nature."
"This small knot is the Whomping Willow's weakness. Touching it interrupts the flow of magic within the tree, causing it to lose its sensory abilities."
Charlie observed the location of the knot, silently committing it to memory.
Charlie nodded thoughtfully.
"Then why are Whomping Willows so rare? Logically, such a powerful plant should be easy to propagate."
Professor Sprout sighed.
"It's precisely because of this characteristic," she shook her head.
"Whomping Willows are already on the verge of extinction, and their characteristic of repelling external magic means that many Potions containing Wizard magic cannot be used."
"Artificial cultivation is extremely difficult, with a success rate of less than one percent."
Charlie fell into contemplation.
Is it hard to get in? I don't believe it, I'm going to try to get in tonight.
Just then, a familiar voice came from behind them.
"Oh, my dear Professor Sprout!"
Lockhart, dressed in a bright green robe, strode over.
His hair gleamed in the sunlight, and his teeth were dazzlingly white.
"I've come to help!" He flashed his signature brilliant smile.
"As I mentioned in 'Wandering with Yetis,' I once treated an injured Whomping Willow in the mountains of France."
Professor Sprout's face instantly darkened.
Chapter 89 The Underestimated Herbalism
Lockhart, however, acted as if he hadn't seen it, and upon seeing the bandages, he wore the expression of a know-it-all.
"Oh, my dear Professor Sprout, your method might be effective, but it's far too ancient." Lockhartwaved his hand, his tone full of superiority.
"In Chapter Three of 'Wandering with Yetis,' I meticulously documented a more efficient healing method."
Professor Sprout was expressionless.
"It seems Professor Lockhart is already more professional than I am; I've never heard of a new way to treat the Whomping Willow."
"No, no, no, of course you are more professional," Lockhart said, feigning modesty.
"It's just that I once encountered such a situation, with injuries even more severe than this, and I healed them in three minutes using this spell."
Professor Sprout only suffered because she couldn't curse, otherwise she would have long since cursed Lockhart.
Charlie narrowed his eyes, quite skeptical of his claim.
So far, he hadn't personally witnessed Lockhart do anything impressive.
Lockhart raised his wand, pointed its tip at the Whomping Willow, and began to mumble incantations.
"Abracadabra... uh, what comes next?"
"Professor Lockhart, please stop!" Professor Sprout cried out urgently.
"You can't just cast spells on the Whomping Willow!"
Lockhart turned back, grinning widely.
"Please trust me, Professor, I can handle it."
He frowned, trying hard to recall a spell.
"That's right! It's... um... what was it again...?"
"Never mind, it's all pretty much the same anyway."
Professor Sprout's face turned green, and she quickly pulled Charlie back.
"Come on!" she whispered to Charlie.
"Although the Whomping Willow's magical flow is temporarily blocked, if someone casts a spell on it, its magic will flow again."
As soon as the two retreated to a safe distance, Lockhart's triumphant voice came from his direction.
"Ha, look, the spell worked."
A blinding white light shot from his wand tip, hitting the Whomping Willow's trunk directly.
The Whomping Willow began to tremble.
First, a slight sway, then it became increasingly violent.
"Haha! See? I've revitalized this Whomping Willow!"
Lockhart turned to look at Professor Sprout and Charlie.
He saw them standing very far away, looking bewildered.
"Why are you two running so far?"
The next second, a thick branch whistled through the air.
"Whack!"
Lockhart was directly knocked flying, tracing a perfect parabola in the air, finally crashing heavily onto the grass five meters away.
"Ah!"
Lockhart's scream echoed across the open field.
The Whomping Willow was fully awake, all its branches began to swing wildly, emitting angry rustling sounds.
It was clearly not very satisfied with the recent treatment.
Professor Sprout turned her head away, unable to bear watching the cruel scene.
"I knew this would happen."
Charlie, however, watched with relish. As expected of the great Professor Lockhart, he easily helped me test the strength of future security.
Charlie was very satisfied with this strength.
"Help... help me..."
Lockhart called for help weakly from a distance, his voice tinged with a sob.
His magnificent robes had turned into rags, his hair was a bird's nest, and his face had several red marks left by branches.
Professor Sprout pulled out her wand and pointed it at the Whomping Willow's knot.
The Whomping Willow quieted down again, its branches drooping, returning to a static state.
"Charlie, you go to class now." The Professor's tone suddenly became cheerful.
"The first class is Herbology Class, don't be late."
"I'll take Professor Lockhart to the Hospital Wing."
She hummed a tune and walked towards Lockhart.
Charlie also strolled leisurely towards the Greenhouse.
The first class was Herbology, taken with Gryffindor.
As he reached the Greenhouse entrance, he saw Harry and Ron standing there dejectedly.
Clearly, the power of the Howler had left them still reeling.
"Hi, Charlie." Harry greeted him weakly.
Ron was even worse, completely wilted, not even wanting to speak.
"Morning." Charlie nodded.
Hermione was beside them, not sad that her friends had been scolded; she just felt they deserved it.
The class bell rang, and Professor Sprout pushed open the Greenhouse door and walked in.
She had dropped Lockhart off at the Hospital Wing and returned.
She had no intention of looking after her colleague.
"Students, please sit down."
Professor Sprout clapped her hands, signaling everyone to quiet down.
Charlie walked and sat next to Ernie, who had specifically saved a spot for him.
Harry and Ron still sat dejectedly in the corner.
Hermione had already prepared her quill and parchment, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the Professor, awaiting new knowledge.
Neville nervously rubbed his hands; he had performed well in Herbology Class last year, which made him both excited and worried about the subject.
"Last year, we learned the basics of Herbology," Professor Sprout began.
"Starting this year, we will begin practical work."
She looked around, her gaze lingering on each student's face for a moment.
"I believe many people think Herbology is just an auxiliary subject, and studying Herbology is merely to better brew Potions."
Ron muttered softly, "It is, though."
Professor Sprout heard him, but she just smiled, not angry.
"But if that were the case, why would Herbology be listed as one of the four major subjects?"
"Next, I will show you the true charm of Herbology."
She pulled her wand from her robes.
"When you understand the characteristics of each plant, you can freely change and manipulate them."
Professor Sprout raised her wand and began to wave it gently.
The wand tip traced elegant arcs, and something seemed to flow in the air.
Charlie felt the fluctuations of magic, but this fluctuation was very special, not sharp and formed like a spell, but rather uncertain like water, yet carrying the warmth of life.
The deep red plants in several pots behind the Professor began to change.
The plants, which had been quietly nestled in their pots, suddenly began to grow wildly.
"Merlin!" Ron exclaimed.
The stems thickened at a visible rate, instantly swelling from finger-thin to arm-thick.
Branches extended wildly, twisting in the air, covered with dense, sharp thorns.
Each thorn glowed with a dim light, looking very poisonous.
The plants waved their tentacles menacingly, but they always remained attached behind the Professor, not attacking anyone.
Neville stared at the plants with shining eyes.
Hermione began to furiously take notes: Herbology can make plants grow large.
"These are Venomous Tentaculas," Professor Sprout introduced.
"They can not only be used in Potions but are also good helpers for Wizards."
As she spoke, one of the tentacles wrapped around a pair of dragon-hide gloves placed on a shelf, carefully handing them to the Professor.
Charlie blinked; weren't those the gloves he had given her?
"See?" Professor Sprout put on the gloves, nodding with satisfaction.
"They are very intelligent and know what is useful to their master."
The students were completely stunned by this display.
"Professor, this is so cool!" Seamus said excitedly.
He was already eager to learn this.
Hmm... bigger plants should have greater explosive power, right?
Charlie also sighed, admitting he had indeed underestimated Herbology before.
Transfiguration could also conjure vines and various plants, but those plants required one's own energy and magic to sustain.
Once the supply of magic stopped, the effect of the Transfiguration would disappear.
But the magical plants cultivated through Herbology were not only stronger than regular plants but could also exist indefinitely.
Most importantly, after receiving an attack command, they would act on their own.
The ability to move on their own was a huge bonus.
This was equivalent to having several extra enforcers, and the kind that were tireless and absolutely loyal.
Wizards were essentially becoming summoners.
Chapter 90 Herbalism Class: Drowsy Gryffindor
Professor Sprout saw that everyone's interest had been piqued by the Venomous Tentacula, and a satisfied smile appeared on her face.
"Of course, achieving that level is still too early for you," she said, waving her wand. The Venomous Tentaculas quieted down again, obediently returning to their pots.
"Your task now is to repot the Mandrakes."
She turned and walked deeper into the Greenhouse, gesturing for the students to follow.
"Follow me, and watch out for the puddles on the floor."
Everyone followed the Professor to a round table, on which a circle of small flowerpots was neatly arranged, each containing a plant that was green with purple hues.
"These are Mandrakes," Professor Sprout clapped her hands, signaling for everyone to gather in a circle.
"They are a vital ingredient in most antidotes, but they are also very dangerous. Does anyone know why?"
Hermione's hand shot up instantly, almost knocking Harry's glasses off.
"Miss Granger."
"Because the Mandrake's cry is fatal!"
Professor Sprout nodded with satisfaction.
"Very good, Gryffindor gets ten points."
"Exactly. The cry of a mature Mandrake can kill anyone who hears it." The Professor took a pile of pink earmuffs from a shelf.
"So we must protect ourselves."
She handed each student a pair of earmuffs and put on a pair herself.
"Oh, blast it, these earmuffs are pinching my ears, it hurts so much."
Ron cried out in pain after putting on the earmuffs.
"Mr. Weasley, just bear with it. The tighter they are, the better the sound insulation."
"Now I will demonstrate how to repot."
Professor Sprout picked up an empty flowerpot, filled with fresh dragon dung fertilizer.
Then she carefully grasped the stem of a Mandrake and pulled it hard.
She pulled out a very ugly infant, which was the Mandrake's root.
"Ah ah ah ah!"
Even with the earmuffs on, everyone could vaguely hear the Mandrake's sharp cry.
Professor Sprout's expression didn't change as she skillfully stuffed the Mandrake into the new pot and buried it with soil.
The Mandrake's cry immediately stopped.
"Did you see? You need to be quick and decisive." The Professor clapped the dirt off her hands.
"Now, you will work in groups of four, with each group responsible for one Mandrake."
"Remember, keep your earmuffs on," Professor Sprout reminded them.
"These Mandrakes are still in their infancy; they won't kill you, but they can make you faint for several hours. I imagine you don't want to miss the first day of school, do you?"
Charlie blinked. Faint? I could just skip class and sleep all day?
Such a good thing exists?
"You guys stand back, let me do it."
Charlie rolled up his sleeves.
He grabbed the Mandrake's leaves and pulled hard.
The Mandrake was pulled out by its roots, immediately emitting a deafening cry.
Professor Sprout was somewhat surprised to see Charlie pull out the Mandrake so smoothly.
She hadn't expected Charlie's Herbology talent to be so good.
The Mandrake in his hand didn't resist as violently as it did with the other Little Wizards.
Just then, Charlie suddenly reached out and pulled off his earmuffs.
"Charlie!" Ernie exclaimed.
The piercing cry instantly flooded Charlie's ears, but he didn't feel any discomfort, only that the sound was terribly unpleasant.
["Your Majesty disregarded your teacher and acted recklessly, gaining: tyrant points + 3"]
Professor Sprout was startled by Charlie's actions.
No, if you want to sleep, we can discuss it. Why be so impulsive?
The surrounding students saw Charlie take off his earmuffs and remain unharmed, thinking the Professor was just trying to scare them.
"Charlie is fine without earmuffs, I want to take mine off too."
Ron said, grimacing, feeling like his ears were about to be pinched off.
"My ears hurt too, but Professor said to keep the earmuffs on." Harry hesitated.
Ron, however, directly imitated Charlie and took off his earmuffs.
Seeing this, Harry and several other Gryffindor students no longer hesitated and took off their earmuffs as well.
"No!"
Professor Sprout wanted to stop them, but it was too late.
"Ah ah ah ah ah!" The Mandrake's cry rang out again.
The next second.
"Thump thump thump!"
A series of falling sounds echoed in the Greenhouse.
Except for Hermione, who hadn't taken off her earmuffs, the young Gryffindors collapsed and fell asleep.
["Well done, Your Majesty, almost wiped out the whole group, tyrant points + 20"]
Charlie was still holding the Mandrake, looking at the people sleeping soundly on the ground, and said sheepishly:
"Professor, I really didn't mean to make them take off their earmuffs with me, do you believe me?"
Professor Sprout's face was flushed with anger; even with the best temper, she wanted to give Charliea piece of her mind.
She took a deep breath, trying to control her emotions.
My own house, I'll endure.
She turned her head and saw Ron sprawled on the ground, drooling at the corner of his mouth, sleeping soundly.
Harry had fallen next to a flowerpot, his glasses askew.
Seamus was even worse, face-down in the dragon dung fertilizer.
Can't endure it one bit!
She waved her wand, sending all the Mandrakes that had fallen to the ground back into their pots.
"Hufflepuff loses twenty points!"
"Gryffindor also loses twenty points!"
Hermione was on the verge of tears. My ten points I just earned!
She hadn't done anything wrong, had diligently kept her earmuffs on, yet she was still dragged into losing points.
She wished she could demonstrate a full set of Hogwarts women's self-defense techniques on Charlie.
Charlie had an extremely thick skin; Hermione's gaze couldn't penetrate it at all.
"Professor, I have a question."
"Speak!" Professor Sprout replied crossly.
"Why didn't I faint?"
Although Professor Sprout was angry, she still answered seriously.
"The Mandrake's cry has limited effect on Wizards with strong magic, especially since these are only juvenile Mandrakes."
"But!" She suddenly raised her voice.
"That is no reason for you to disregard safety regulations!"
"Got it, got it." Charlie nodded repeatedly, looking very obedient.
Professor Sprout looked at the students on the ground, her head aching terribly.
"Charlie, you go take the unconscious students to the Hospital Wing."
She still needed to continue teaching the Hufflepuff students who hadn't fainted, and she didn't particularly want to see Charlie right now.
Charlie shrugged: "No problem, Professor."
Not having to attend class, he couldn't have asked for more.
Charlie waved his wand and cast a Levitation Charm.
Ron, Harry, Seamus, and several other Gryffindor students floated up, forming a line behind Charlie.
Upon arriving at the Hospital Wing.
Madam Pomfrey had Charlie place them on the beds.
After an examination, Madam Pomfrey said:
"Nothing serious, they'll wake up after a few hours of sleep."
Charlie felt relieved after hearing this and left the Hospital Wing.
There was still some time before class ended.
Charlie now had two choices: one, go back to class; two, go wherever he pleased.
Hesitating for even a second would be a betrayal of this free time.
Charlie decisively chose option two.
Chapter 91 Breeding the Beating Willow
Charlie decided to return to his dorm first.
Walking into the Hufflepuff common room, Charlie skillfully slipped into his undetectable extension trunk.
Inside the cave in the hilly region.
Zhu Di was stealthily approaching Norbert.
While Norbert was sleeping, he stole two pieces of gold from the pile Norbert was pressing down on.
Then he quickly stuffed them into his large stomach pouch.
Satisfied, his eyes narrowed into two crescent moons.
But when he looked up, Norbert had opened his large eyes and was looking at him teasingly.
Zhu Di froze in place, then turned to run.
But his short legs were no match for Norbert, who grabbed him.
Holding him by his hind legs, Norbert shook him up and down.
All the supplies Zhu Di had painstakingly accumulated in his belly fell out.
Soon, Norbert saw that nothing more could be shaken out and gently tossed Zhu Di out of the cave.
Zhu Di landed with a splat at the cave entrance and began cursing at the cave.
"Chirp chirp chirp!"
His curses were quite foul.
Just then, Charlie entered the trunk, and Zhu Di, as if finding a patron, rushed towards Charlie.
Norbert had been proudly listening to Zhu Di's ranting, but then it suddenly stopped.
So he poked his head out of the cave, saw Charlie, and immediately dashed over.
Zhu Di had just reached Charlie and was chirping something.
Before Charlie could listen closely, he was pushed aside by Norbert's butt.
Looking at the two beasts, who seemed like a family, Charlie was very pleased.
"Norbert, Zhu Di, you two go play over there."
Charlie pointed to the other end of the trunk.
Norbert nodded in a human-like manner.
Zhu Di wanted to say something more but was covered by Norbert's paw and taken away.
With the two beasts no longer bothering him, Charlie found the large pile of Whomping Willowbranches he had picked up yesterday.
These branches varied in thickness; the thickest was as wide as an arm, and the thinnest was about thumb-thick.
Charlie chose a medium-thick branch and found a suitable spot near the trunk's entrance.
"This is it."
He stuck the branch into the ground, then squatted down and placed his palm on the branch.
Taking a deep breath, Charlie began to try injecting magic into the branch.
magic flowed from his palm, slowly permeating along the branch's grain.
Surprisingly, the magic entered very smoothly, without encountering any resistance.
"Huh?"
Charlie blinked, a bit puzzled.
"Didn't they say the Whomping Willow resists external magic? How did it go in so easily?"
"Under the heavens, there is no land that is not the King's; within the four seas, there are no subjects who are not the King's. The Whomping Willow naturally submits to Your Majesty."
The system's voice sounded in his mind, full of flattery.
Charlie rolled his eyes.
"Speak plainly, less flattery."
"Yes, Your Majesty! Your Majesty's magic, refined by the system, is the most righteous and peaceful magic in the world. This is the mark of an emperor, and even the Whomping Willow will not reject such magic."
Charlie nodded. A foolish monarch was still a monarch.
Continuing to inject magic, Charlie could feel the changes inside the branch.
The originally dry branch began to show vitality, and its internal magic channels were reactivated.
A few minutes later, tender green buds began to sprout from the tip of the branch.
"It worked!"
Charlie excitedly looked at the small bud; although it was only the size of a grain of rice, it was indeed alive.
However, the growth speed was not fast, far from Professor Sprout's technique of growing a thick vine in the blink of an eye.
Charlie stroked his chin, analyzing the reason.
He estimated that Professor Sprout's magic often entered the Venomous Tentacula, making her very familiar with its structure.
In fact, those Venomous Tentacula had long taken on the Professor's form.
As for him, it was his first time injecting magic into a Whomping Willow, and despite having a Herbology talent of Level 7, it was normal for the first attempt to be slow.
Understanding this, Charlie was no longer anxious.
He had plenty of time anyway; he could take it slowly.
He picked up a second branch, planted it nearby, and continued to inject magic.
Time passed by, minute by minute, and Charlie was completely immersed in the joy of gardening.
Watching dry branches regain vitality under the nourishment of his magic, the sense of accomplishment was overwhelming.
He even skipped lunch in the Great Hall, instead having Billy deliver a sandwich.
The sandwich was quick to eat; he finished it in a minute and continued gardening.
Charlie felt his dormant gardening genes were about to awaken.
Norbert lay on the ground, watching Charlie work, his dragon eyes full of curiosity.
Zhu Di lay on Norbert's head; he had given up struggling.
Occasionally, he would scratch Norbert's scales with his small paws, treating Norbert as a mobile massage chair, which was his last means of revenge.
One person and two beasts spent the entire afternoon like this.
As class time approached in the afternoon, Charlie looked at his results.
A row of tender green buds lined up neatly near the trunk's entrance, looking vibrant under the magical light.
However, he had only planted half of the branches; there was still a large pile waiting to be processed.
"Looks like I'll have to work overtime tonight."
Charlie stretched.
He stood up, brushed the dirt from his hands, then turned to look at Norbert and Zhu Di.
"You two listen carefully, do not approach this area."
Charlie pointed to the row of small buds.
"These little guys are still very fragile. If you step on them and break them, I'll confiscate all your gold."
Norbert nodded quickly, indicating he understood.
Zhu Di, however, remained motionless. Laughable, it was as if he had gold to be confiscated.
Charlie crawled out of the trunk and patted the dirt off his robes.
The time was just right; it was time for Defense Against the Dark Arts class.
He tidied his robes and walked towards the classroom.
Although Lockhart seemed unreliable, it wasn't a bad thing for Charlie.
Charlie wouldn't pay serious attention in class anyway, and the more unreliable he was, the easier it was for Charlie to slack off.
Many people were already seated in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
This class was shared by Hufflepuff and Slytherin.
As soon as Charlie entered, he saw Lockhart sitting at the podium.
The fellow was wrapped in bandages, with his left arm in a sling, but he seemed to be in good spirits.
Wizards' physical fitness was indeed formidable; after being so badly thrashed by the Whomping Willow in the morning, he could still teach class normally now.
Lockhart saw Charlie enter, and a hint of embarrassment flashed across his face.
Charlie had witnessed his embarrassing scene that morning, and even Lockhart's thick skin couldn't quite handle it.
"Cough, cough." Lockhart cleared his throat, trying to maintain an elegant posture.
Charlie scanned the classroom and sat down in the back row next to Ernie Justin.
These two had also been led by Charlie from the front row to the back row.
Just then, Malfoy suddenly stood up from the Slytherin side and quickly walked over to Charlie.
"Charlie, can I sit here?"
Malfoy pointed to the empty seat next to Charlie, a fawning smile on his face.
The person originally sitting next to Malfoy was a girl who looked like a poodle.
At this moment, she looked bewildered, with a hint of hostility towards Charlie.
Charlie nodded, allowing Malfoy to sit beside him.
Malfoy, having achieved his goal, sat upright next to Charlie.
This made Charlie very curious; when had Malfoy become so serious?
This diligent appearance was as if he had been possessed by Hermione.
Chapter 92 Defense Against the Dark Arts
Lockhart was covered in bandages, but still maintained his signature smile.
However, what was originally a charming smile now looked somewhat comical, and combined with the bandages, he looked exactly like a mummy.
"Class, welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts Class!" Lockhart began in his exaggerated tone.
"I am your Professor, Gilderoy Lockhart, recipient of the Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Arts Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award—though I don't often mention that, as I don't rely on my smile to drive away banshees."
The students below exchanged glances.
Charlie pouted, thinking, "You might as well write that award on your forehead."
"Of course, I imagine you've all previewed my works." Lockhart proudly surveyed the room.
"Voyages with Vampires, Holidays with Hags, Travels with Trolls, and so on."
Justin muttered, "I haven't read a single one."
"Well then, to test your understanding of my works, let's have a little quiz!"
Lockhart had the students in the front row distribute the test papers to everyone.
"Why isn't he using magic?" Ernie was a bit surprised; wasn't such a trivial matter something a Professor could do with a wave of his hand?
Charlie took the test paper, looked down, and was completely stunned.
Question 1: What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?
Question 2: What is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday?
Question 3: What does Gilderoy Lockhart consider his greatest achievement?
Charlie blinked, then blinked again.
What kind of quiz was this?
Was this Defense Against the Dark Arts Class or a Lockhart fan meeting?
If anyone could answer these questions, I'd eat the test paper.
Charlie was about to toss the paper aside when he suddenly heard the rustling sound of writing next to him.
He turned his head and saw Draco writing furiously.
Charlie was even more bewildered.
When did you, Young Master Malfoy, become a Lockhart fan?
This wasn't logical!
Whenever Harry showed off a little, Draco would sniff it out and immediately launch an attack on Harry.
And Lockhart was quite an authority when it came to showing off, yet Draco was his fan?
Something was wrong, very wrong.
In less than ten minutes, Draco had finished all the questions.
He noticed Charlie's surprised gaze, smiled apologetically, and then secretly handed his test paper to Charlie.
Was this for Charlie to copy?
But even if he copied these questions, he would feel ashamed.
Then, he saw the name "Charlie White" written at the top of the test paper.
It turned out this test paper was written by Draco for Charlie.
Well, that's fine then; it's practically spoon-fed. What do you say to that?
Charlie handed his blank paper to Draco, who took it and continued to write furiously.
Ernie and Justin watched, dumbfounded.
"Charlie, what's wrong with Draco?" Ernie asked in a low voice.
"Didn't he used to be at odds with you?"
Charlie frowned:
"What are you talking about! What is this, Draco is my dearest friend, my brother."
Justin rolled his eyes: "You have no shame."
"Are you going to copy or not?"
"Hehe, thank you, godfather."
Half an hour later, Lockhart told everyone to hand in their papers.
Charlie handed in the test paper filled with answers.
Then he returned to his seat and sat down.
"Draco."
"You're actually a fan of Lockhart?"
Draco quickly shook his head.
"I'm not his fan," he said with utter disdain.
"What's there to admire about that flashy, insubstantial fellow?"
Charlie raised an eyebrow: "Then why did you know how to do those questions? Did you really read his books?"
Draco leaned closer to Charlie and whispered:
"Lockhart handed out this set of papers when he taught this morning, and students with high scores got extra points."
"The Slytherin seniors compiled all the answers so we could come here and rack up points."
As Draco spoke, he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, densely covered with answers.
Charlie took the note and glanced at it; it contained the standard answers to all the questions.
It could only be said that they were worthy of Slytherin; they could come up with any trick for points.
However, this trick really worked on Lockhart. Soon, Lockhart finished reviewing all the papers, and a look of great surprise appeared on his face.
"Oh, this is absolutely marvelous!" Lockhart excitedly waved the papers.
"Almost all of Slytherin got full marks!"
"Charlie, Ernie, Justin, and Hannah, you all got full marks too!"
"You all know my secret desires are to eliminate evil in the world and make my series of hair care products bestsellers."
Lockhart announced triumphantly:
"Slytherin gets fifty points! Hufflepuff gets thirty points!"
"Alright, I have a profound understanding of your abilities. Now it's time for the official lesson."
Lockhart put away the test papers and laboriously dragged a large cage covered with a cloth from under the podium.
Lockhart looked at everyone mysteriously:
"Class, today I will show you the most terrifying thing in the magical world!"
Charlie was highly skeptical of this claim.
What terrifying thing could be put in such a small cage? Even Norbert at that size could only be flown like a kite.
"Are you ready?" Lockhart gripped a corner of the cloth.
"I'm going to uncover it."
He suddenly pulled off the cloth.
"Ta-da! Cornish Pixies!"
Inside the cage were a group of blue House-elves, about twenty or so, each only the size of a palm.
They had pointy ears and wings, and were chattering noisily in the cage.
Malfoy let out a scoff: "That's it?"
The other Slytherin students also started laughing.
These creatures certainly couldn't be called terrifying.
Lockhart shook his head, somewhat annoyed.
"It seems you all are quite confident in dealing with them."
"Well then, let's begin the practical exercise!"
With that, he directly opened the cage.
The House-elves instantly flew out, darting all over the classroom.
They let out shrill screams and began to wreak havoc.
Some grabbed ink bottles and splashed ink into the air, black ink falling like rain.
Some tore at students' quills and parchment, fragments flying everywhere.
Others directly rushed at students, opening their tiny mouths as if to bite.
"Ah!"
"Get out of the way!"
"They're going to bite me!"
The students scrambled in panic, and the classroom descended into chaos.
Lockhart stood on the podium, somewhat flustered.
The situation seemed to have exceeded his expectations.
"Ahem, everyone, don't panic!"
"Catch them, they're just a bunch of House-elves."
Before he could finish speaking, a House-elf flew towards him, grabbed his hair, and began to pull.
"Ah! Let go of my hair!" Lockhart shrieked.
At this moment, a House-elf flew towards Charlie with its mouth open, trying to bite his face.
Charlie frowned and simply slapped it.
"Whack!"
The House-elf was slapped away, hit the wall, slid down, and saw stars.
The surrounding chaos made Charlie very annoyed.
The students' screams, the House-elves' chattering, and Lockhart's exclamations.
Charlie stood up and took out his wand.
He didn't intend to target each House-elf individually; that would be too much trouble.
Charlie raised his wand and waved it gently.
The wand traced a complex path in the air, its tip glowing with red light.
"Trip Jinx!"
As the spell was cast, countless red light points spread indiscriminately from Charlie as the center.
Dense red light burst like fireworks, illuminating the entire classroom.
Charlie's face was lit by the red light, his eyes hidden beneath the shadows of his hair, like a monarch, awe-inspiring without anger.
Chapter 93 Lucius is looking for Charlie?
Charlie reduced the power of each Spell but greatly increased their number.
This was very effective against the House-elves.
All the House-elves flying in the air were hit and fell to the ground one after another.
"Bang, bang, bang!"
A continuous sound of falling echoed, and more than twenty House-elves were completely wiped out.
The students, by hiding under their desks, escaped unharmed.
Only a few unlucky ones peeked out to watch the commotion and were hit by stray attacks, falling to the ground as well.
Lockhart, standing on the podium, became the most obvious target.
Dense Spells hit his face, and he rolled his eyes, falling straight down.
"Bang!"
The classroom instantly fell silent.
Charlie waved his wand, sending all the unconscious House-elves into cages.
Then he cast a counter-Spell on those who had been hit.
"Revive quickly!"
Several flashes of white light appeared, and the students and Lockhart who had fallen to the ground woke up.
Lockhart groggily sat up, saw that the classroom had returned to calm, and quickly tried to act composed.
"Ahem, excellent!" He tidied his messy hair.
"I was just about to make my move, you know, I'm very good at dealing with these dark creatures."
"But Charlie's Spell was used beautifully."
He forced a smile: "Twenty points to Hufflepuff!"
The Hufflepuff students erupted in enthusiastic cheers.
"Charlie's Spell is a bit different from mine."
"Merlin above, I'd call him the GOAT of our second year."
"Lockhart is too useless, he can't even deal with a bunch of House-elves."
Clearly, anyone with eyes wouldn't believe Lockhart's explanation.
The little badgers excitedly discussed the exciting scene they had just witnessed.
Charlie made them feel proud.
The farce ended, and it was time for class to be dismissed.
Charlie planned to return to his undetectable extension trunk to continue his farming venture.
Half of those Whomping Willow saplings still needed to be planted.
Lockhart, however, began preparing for the next class.
Although Hogwarts students have a light course load, the teachers are truly busy.
After all, one teacher has to teach seven grades, working from morning till night.
Lockhart looked at the unconscious House-elves in the cage, deep in thought.
Since students can handle House-elves, releasing them in class is perfectly fine.
And the next class was for the second-year Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students.
Gryffindor had Harry, the savior.
If Charlie could handle it, then Harry should be able to as well, right?
Should he add more elves?
Charlie was unaware of these things; his mind was solely focused on planting.
Throughout the afternoon, Charlie was fully immersed in his planting endeavor.
Magic continuously flowed from his palm, nourishing each sapling.
Under his careful tending, the branches sprouted tender buds the size of rice grains.
Finally, he managed to plant all the branches before dinner.
Charlie looked at the ground covered in green sprouts and nodded with satisfaction.
Subsequently, he only needed to continuously infuse magic to obtain an entire forest of Whomping Willows.
Moreover, after Charlie's magic infusion, the magic within these Whomping Willows was of the same origin as Charlie's, ensuring they would never attack him.
Charlie exited the trunk and went to the Great Hall.
Having been busy all day without eating, Charlie was already starving.
He immediately switched to eating mode.
Roast beef, mashed potatoes, pumpkin juice, honey cake.
Charlie devoured the food in front of him like a whirlwind.
Just then, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were walking towards them.
"Good evening, Charlie."
Charlie looked up and was amused by their appearance.
"Were you guys licked by Fluffy or something?"
Ron and Harry looked utterly miserable.
Their school uniforms were tattered, their hair was a mess like a bird's nest, and it was stained with unknown substances.
Ron even had a bite mark on his nose.
Only Hermione looked relatively good; although her hair was a bit disheveled, at least her clothes were intact.
"Don't even ask," Ron said weakly.
"That idiot Lockhart released over forty House-elves."
"Over forty?" Charlie blinked.
"We only had twenty-something in our class."
"He said he wanted to give us a bigger challenge," Harry gritted his teeth.
"But then his own wand was snatched by a House-elf, and he was cowering under the podium, trembling."
Just then, Draco walked past from the Slytherin table.
Seeing Harry's miserable state, he immediately showed a gloating expression.
"Oh dear, no way, no way?" Draco exaggeratedly covered his mouth.
"Surely no one got pranked by a House-elf, did they?"
"Go away, Draco," Harry waved him off, annoyed.
Draco gave Harry a disdainful look, then sat down on Charlie's other side.
"I wasn't looking for you, Potter!"
Harry and his two friends looked at each other, surprised to see Draco sitting with Charlie.
Especially Harry, he blinked, wondering if he had seen wrong.
Merlin's ingrown toenail, if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, it would be hard to believe that the well-behaved Malfoy in front of him was the same person who had just mocked him.
This scene was too incongruous.
"Draco, is something wrong?" Charlie asked casually, stuffing roast beef into his mouth.
Draco seemed very unsure, his tone a bit cautious:
"Charlie, my father will be coming to school this weekend."
"He hopes to meet you."
Charlie looked up at Draco.
"What does your father want with me?"
"Well..." Draco scratched his head awkwardly.
"I'm not entirely sure what it's about."
"Father just asked me to convey his message, saying he has something important he wants to discuss with you."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged glances, a hint of worry flashing in their eyes.
Lucius Malfoy was no good; what good could come from that former Death Eater seeking Charlie?
Charlie nodded thoughtfully.
"Okay, no problem."
"I'll make time this weekend."
Draco's face immediately lit up with joy.
"That's great! I'll write to Father right away."
He stood up, and before leaving, he deliberately jutted out his chin at Harry, his smug look making Harry want to punch him.
After Draco walked away, Harry immediately leaned closer to Charlie and said in a low voice.
"Charlie, the House of Malfoy isn't good people."
"Don't you remember? His father used to be a Death Eater."
Ron also nodded.
"That's right, they must have some scheme."
"They might even be trying to harm you."
Charlie didn't care, continuing to bury his head in his food.
"I know what they want to do."
"The only thing I have that they'd be interested in now is the healing potion."
"Most likely they want to discuss business with me."
He swallowed the food in his mouth, picked up the pumpkin juice, and took a sip.
"Business is business, it doesn't matter who the other party is."
Actually, Charlie would rather cooperate with the Lupin Family than the House of Malfoy.
But the Lupin Family didn't seem very adept at business.
Harry opened his mouth, wanting to say something more.
It turned out Charlie already knew what the other party wanted, and his earlier warning was indeed a bit redundant.
He also knew that Charlie doing business with the House of Malfoy was reasonable; he had no right or reason to interfere.
But he couldn't help but feel a little sour inside.
He wasn't the only one feeling this way.
Harry and Ron ate their dinner without much enjoyment all evening.