Chapter 121 Lockhart is afflicted by the Soul-Stealing Curse
That evening, Charlie received a notice to report to Lockhart's office for detention.
He knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Lockhart's voice came from inside, tinged with a hint of weariness.
Charlie pushed the door open.
Harry was already seated at the desk, holding a quill, with a large stack of envelopes piled in front of him.
"Oh, Charlie."
Lockhart stood up, a smile on his face, though it looked somewhat forced.
He walked to a nearby cabinet and pulled out another large stack of letters.
"These are the fan letters you two need to help me reply to tonight."
"These are Harry's."
Lockhart placed the letters on the table and turned to fetch more.
A second stack.
A third stack.
A fourth stack.
Charlie watched the pile of envelopes grow higher and higher, raising an eyebrow.
Lockhart carried the fifth stack of letters towards Charlie.
"As for Charlie..."
Charlie felt a bad premonition and narrowed his eyes, staring at Lockhart.
Lockhart's steps faltered; he suddenly felt a chill down his spine, and the envelopes in his hands seemed to grow hot.
"Charlie, just sit and rest. I'll reply to these letters myself."
Harry looked up, his eyes wide.
What?
This damned world where only I get hurt!
Harry despised such preferential treatment, but he could only turn his indignation into strength and furiously reply to letters.
Charlie sat down to the side.
The office was quiet, with only the rustling sound of quills scratching across parchment.
Bored, Charlie reached out and picked up an envelope from the table.
The envelope was pink and sprayed with perfume, its scent sickeningly sweet.
He tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter inside.
"Dear Professor Lockhart, your smile keeps me awake every night. I dream of you standing under the moonlight in purple robes, reaching out to me..."
Charlie's expression changed.
He quickly stuffed the letter back into the envelope and threw it onto the table. The words from these fans were practically like whispers from ancient gods, the kind that would need to be censored in an adult novel.
Reading too many would drive one mad.
Harry was quick at opening letters; he was already numb to it. He'd open one, scan it, then reply.
Just then, Harry opened a letter.
The envelope was different from the others; it had no perfume scent and wasn't pink.
It was a plain parchment envelope, sealed with wax.
Harry paused. This didn't look like a fan letter. Had Professor Lockhart made a mistake?
He tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter inside.
There was only one sentence on the letter.
"The target for the new book has been confirmed."
Harry froze. The target for the new book? What did that mean?
Could it be... Harry's heart skipped a beat. Ever since their first class with Lockhart, they had been certain that the events in Lockhart's books weren't things he had experienced himself.
What seasoned adventurer couldn't even handle a few Cornish Pixies?
He looked up, signaling to Charlie with his eyes.
Charlie raised an eyebrow, stood up, and walked over.
He took the letter and glanced at it.
"The target for the new book has been confirmed."
Charlie frowned; he and Harry had thought of the same thing.
Lockhart, drawn by the commotion, turned his head.
He saw the letter in Harry's hand, and his entire body instantly stiffened, his pupils contracting sharply.
The next second, while Charlie had just seen the letter and hadn't yet reacted, Lockhart erupted.
He drew his wand and aimed it at Charlie.
"Obliviate!"
A faint light flashed, and the Spell struck Charlie's chest.
Harry was startled by the sudden event. He immediately plunged his left hand into his pocket, gripping a handful of sand, and raised his right hand, aiming his wand at Lockhart.
At the same time, he anxiously called out to Charlie.
"Charlie, how do you feel?"
Seeing Charlie hit, Lockhart relaxed completely and let out a soft sigh.
"I apologize, you've seen my deepest secret."
His tone became very calm.
"I had no choice but to do this."
Lockhart's gaze fell on Charlie's face. He felt a surge of satisfaction. What did it matter how excellent a student was? Struck by his signature move, they would still turn into a vacant-eyed idiot... Wait!
Lockhart suddenly noticed that Charlie's eyes were not vacant like those of people usually hit by the Spell, but filled with anger.
His heart constricted. The Spell didn't work? How was that possible?
Lockhart raised his wand, intending to cast the Spell again.
But Charlie was faster.
"Imperio!"
A green light burst forth, striking Lockhart's chest.
Lockhart froze in place, his eyes becoming vacant.
His wand clattered to the floor, making a crisp sound.
Charlie reached out and pulled open his collar, revealing a silver-grey vest underneath, its surface glowing faintly.
A troll hide vest.
The moment Lockhart's Memory Charm struck his chest, the Spell collided with the troll hide vest and was directly deflected.
Its extremely high magic resistance made most Spells ineffective.
Charlie secretly rejoiced. Good thing he always wore this thing, otherwise, if he had really been hit just now, he would have lost his memory.
His vigilance soared infinitely.
The world of Wizards was like this: high offense, low defense. Whoever struck first had the advantage.
Even a seemingly useless fellow couldn't be underestimated.
Harry breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Charlie was fine, but his hand still gripped his wandtightly. He had almost thought it was over just now.
Charlie stared at Lockhart's face.
"What does this letter mean?"
Lockhart, having been hit by Charlie's Imperio, was now completely under Charlie's control. Although he still possessed his own memories, he could only be manipulated by Charlie.
He began to speak.
"The letter was sent by my partner."
Charlie frowned.
"What are you collaborating on?"
"He helps me find material for new books, and I pay him."
"You mean the stories in your books?"
Lockhart nodded.
"All the stories in my books come from other Wizards."
"I go find those who have experienced adventures, listen to them tell their stories, then use the Memory Charm to erase their memories and claim the stories as my own."
Harry gasped when he heard this.
"What happens to those who lose their memories?"
Lockhart said expressionlessly: "That's none of my business. They can fend for themselves."
Harry gritted his teeth, wishing he could punch that hateful face.
Lockhart continued.
"Finding people with stories isn't easy; it takes a lot of time and effort."
"I don't have that much time now, so I found a partner."
"He helps me find targets in advance; I just have to go erase their memories and then write the stories into my books."
Harry opened his mouth, unable to speak for a long time.
Charlie stared at Lockhart, his mind racing, wondering how to deal with Lockhart.
Killing him would surely lead to a major investigation by Dumbledore and the Ministry of Magicafterwards, which would be too much trouble. It would be better to hand him over to Dumbledore and let Dumbledore handle it.
After all, Charlie was just a primary school student who couldn't carry much.
Just then, Lockhart suddenly bent down and pulled Tom's diary from under the table.
Lockhart held the diary with both hands, walked in front of Charlie, and stood respectfully.
"Master, this diary knows Dumbledore's dark secrets."
Charlie paused. What was this? Wasn't this Tom's diary?
What dark secrets did Tom know about Dumbledore? A love triangle from his youth?
Lockhart's eyes were full of eagerness.
"With this diary, Master will surely be able to overthrow Dumbledore and take control of Hogwarts."
Charlie's mouth twitched.
When did I ever say I wanted to take control of Hogwarts?
He looked at the diary in Lockhart's hand, a question forming in his mind.
How did the diary end up in Lockhart's hands?
"Where did you get this?" Charlie asked.
Lockhart immediately replied: "Dumbledore gave it to me. He entrusted me with investigating the Basilisk through the diary."
Well, that settled it. Dumbledore was using Lockhart. Who would believe Lockhart could investigate anything? I'd sooner believe I'm Qin Shi Huang.
He stared at the diary, weighing his options for a few seconds.
Since Dumbledore dared to give the diary to Lockhart, he must have had his own plans.
Charlie didn't want to get involved in this matter; the less trouble, the better.
He reached out and pushed the diary back.
"It's yours. Everything remains as it was."
Lockhart took the diary and nodded.
"Yes, Master."
Chapter 122 Valentine's Day: The Dwarf's Terrifying Confession
Charlie had thought the matter was over, but he didn't expect an unexpected bonus.
Lockhart's classes were incredibly boring.
Charlie directly manipulated him to teach students dirty tricks (crossed out), or rather, to teach them advanced dueling techniques for the Dueling Club.
This included, but was not limited to, groin kicks, monkey steals the peach, eye gouging, hair pulling, and ear biting.
He didn't gain any tyrant points when he cursed Lockhart because Lockhart made the first move; self-defense naturally doesn't count as being a foolish monarch.
However, by teaching students nonsense, Charlie's tyrant points shot up.
[Your Majesty is misleading the youth, tyrant points +5+5+5]
If Charlie had to say, how was he misleading the youth? This was far more useful than Lockhart's lectures.
When Snape passed the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class, he heard Lockhart's voice coming from inside.
"Remember, in a duel, nothing is off-limits."
"If your opponent is taller than you, kick him in the groin."
"If he's shorter than you, poke him in the eyes."
"Fighting isn't dancing; don't talk about grace."
Snape froze in place. What the hell was he teaching?
Dumbledore, this is the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor you found! You must give me a perfect explanation!
On February 14th, as Charlie walked into the Great Hall, he stopped dead in his tracks.
The four walls of the Great Hall were covered with large pink flowers.
Heart-shaped confetti floated down from the ceiling.
At first glance, Charlie thought it was the lobby of a magic-themed couples' hotel.
Lockhart stood at the teachers' table, wearing a pink robe and a brilliant smile.
"Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!"
His voice echoed through the Great Hall.
"So far, 46 people have sent me cards. I know you're envious, but don't worry, you'll get some too."
Ron rolled his eyes below and said to Harry beside him.
"I bet those 46 people are definitely not from our school; they haven't taken his class."
Charlie saw this and helplessly rubbed his forehead.
Imperio only made Lockhart's will submit to Charlie, obeying Charlie's words unconditionally, but it didn't change his inherent personality.
So Charlie wasn't surprised that Lockhart would do such a thing.
Lockhart clapped his hands.
"I want to thank everyone for their kindness and have taken the liberty of arranging a small surprise for you all."
Twelve gloomy-faced dwarfs walked in from the foyer.
Their faces were terribly grim, and their eyes were full of resentment.
Charlie guessed that their faces were so grim because Lockhart forced them to wear golden wings, carry harps, and cosplay as Cupids.
Lockhart spread his arms.
"Today, these friendly little Cupids will deliver Valentine's Day cards for everyone at school."
He paused, his smile growing brighter.
"If any of you need help, you can also consult a Professor."
"For example, asking Professor Snape how to brew a love potion."
"Asking Professor McGonagall how to transfigure exquisite gifts."
"Asking Professor Flitwick how to use illusion magic."
Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall turned their heads, too embarrassed to look at Lockhartanymore.
Professor Snape's fork was directly twisted out of shape in his hand; he looked like he wanted to pour a ton of poison down Lockhart's throat.
Charlie sat at the Hufflepuff long table and picked up a piece of bread.
He took a bite, mentally calculating how to avoid those dwarfs today. He absolutely couldn't get entangled in a public confession by these things; that would be too socially mortifying, what's the difference from being dragged on the ground?
However, before breakfast in the Great Hall was even over, a dwarf ran up to Charlie.
The dwarf was wearing pink clothes, with wings flapping behind him.
He held a card in his hand, but his face was very grim, and his attitude was aggressive, just like a worker driven mad by work.
"Mr. Charlie White, someone has sent you a card."
Charlie put down his bread and stared at the dwarf.
"No, thank you."
The dwarf seemed not to hear, and began to pluck his harp on his own.
"I have a heartfelt confession with musical accompaniment to deliver to you."
Charlie shook his head frantically and turned to leave.
"Thank you, no, I refuse."
The dwarf reached out and grabbed Charlie, not wanting him to leave.
Ernie and Justin nearby didn't offer to help; they were all holding back laughter, watching the show.
Charlie gritted his teeth, muttering, "Damn ungrateful jerks, just wait, I'll have these dwarfs deliver love letters to you all later, if I die, we all die together!"
Before he could get rid of this one dwarf, several more ran over.
They surrounded Charlie, chattering non-stop.
To the accompaniment of one dwarf's harp, they each began to recite their confessions of love.
"Charlie, your eyes sparkle like stars, your smile makes my heart race..."
"Charlie, I dream of you every night, your voice echoes in my ears..."
Charlie's forehead veins bulged. Can you imagine what it's like to have several demonic Boggarts saying sweet nothings in front of you?
Damn Lockhart, couldn't he have hired some quality Veela?
Charlie stood up and drew his wand.
"Enough."
The dwarfs froze.
Charlie waved his wand, and vines shot out from the ground.
The vines wrapped around the dwarfs' ankles, hanging them upside down in mid-air.
The dwarfs struggled, screaming.
"Put me down!"
"I haven't finished speaking yet."
Charlie ignored them and turned to leave.
He didn't think for a moment that any girl would actually confess in such a way.
Wait, it wouldn't be a guy, would it?
Charlie felt a chill.
Rather than a confession, he was more willing to believe it was the Weasley Twins messing with him.
To avoid these dwarfs, Charlie hid in his undetectable extension trunk.
At the same time, he frantically sent cards to the dwarfs, addressed to Ernie, Justin, Harry, Ron, George, Fred... The card content was as sappy and disgusting as possible, dragging everyone down with him.
Chapter 123 Forbidden Forest Ambush on Lockhart
Charlie didn't return to the Great Hall until dinner.
The dwarves had already been expelled from the school by Snape.
It was said that someone had anonymously commissioned the dwarves to deliver a small model of Snape wearing a skirt to him.
Snape immediately stuffed the dwarves into the fireplace and sent them away.
Charlie breathed a sigh of relief, and the students in the Great Hall were also relieved; Snape had finally done something humane.
But Ron's expression was very strange, grinning foolishly.
"What's wrong with you?" Harry asked.
Ron shook his head, still grinning.
"Nothing."
"You can't fool me, confess," Harry stared at him.
Ron's face flushed, and he pulled a greeting card from his pocket.
"Someone confessed to me."
Harry was stunned for a moment and took the greeting card.
The greeting card was pink, with a love confession written on it, so cheesy that Harry shivered.
Harry rolled his eyes.
"Looks like you really like the dwarves."
Ron quickly waved his hand.
"I also think Lockhart's dwarves are stupid."
He paused, his face redder.
"But this greeting card is innocent; it's the first time I've received a confession card."
As the youngest son in the family, with older brothers who were all excellent, he grew up under the pressure of his brothers and, because the family was poor, could only use their hand-me-downs.
This made Ron somewhat sensitive, lacking self-confidence, and he had never been cared for by anyone outside his family.
Charlie sat beside him, his expression odd.
After setting so many traps, you're the only silly boy who fell for it.
Fred snatched the greeting card from Ron's hand and exaggeratedly said:
"Ron actually has a girl who likes him; this is incredible."
He glanced at the greeting card, and his expression also became strange.
George leaned over for a look, exchanged glances with Fred, and finally said with reluctance:
"Ron, I'm sorry to tell you, but we all received such a greeting card, and the content is exactly the same."
"The person who sent the greeting card specifically instructed the dwarves to dance in public; it's clearly someone playing a prank, and we all saw through it."
Ron was stunned for a moment, his face flushing.
"You must be mistaken; it's different."
He turned to look at Harry, only to find Harry closing his eyes with reluctance, clearly, he had also received one.
Ron stood frozen in place.
He silently picked up a chicken leg and took a big bite.
"This chicken leg is so salty."
Fred added insult to injury without mercy.
"The chicken leg isn't salty at all; your tears fell on it."
"Oh, silly brother, how could any girl like a silly boy?"
...Lockhart was under the Imperio.
This was a good thing for Tom.
Lockhart's personal will was stripped away by the Imperio, and he no longer guarded against the diary's intrusion, allowing Tom to control him with ease.
There were Roosters everywhere in the Castle.
Tom guessed that the Basilisk must have escaped the Castle and was hiding in the Forbidden Forest.
Late at night, Tom controlled Lockhart's body, quietly left the Castle, and entered the Forbidden Forest.
At the same time, in a corridor of the Castle.
Charlie was squatting on the ground, holding paints and a brush, drawing a wild boar princess on the portrait of Sir Cadogan on the wall.
Sir Cadogan was so angry that he jumped around in the frame.
"This is an insult to a knight!"
Charlie ignored him, focusing on adjusting the wild boar princess's eyelashes.
Suddenly, he stopped his movements.
A strange sensation came from his brain, as if something was struggling, trying to break free from his control.
It was Lockhart.
Charlie frowned; the Imperio indeed had a chance of being broken by a strong will, but Lockhart was definitely not in that category.
That was clearly the diary's doing.
Damn Tom.
Daring to snatch his slave, he really hadn't seen a gangster before.
Charlie snorted coldly and stood up.
He followed the faint sensation of the Imperio, chasing it all the way to the edge of the Castle.
The sensation pointed to the Forbidden Forest.
Charlie turned into a nearby storeroom, where several Roosters were locked up.
These Roosters were specifically placed throughout the Castle to deal with the Basilisk.
Now they came in handy, to avoid encountering the Basilisk in the Forbidden Forest and being ambushed by it.
Charlie grabbed a Rooster and cast a Tongue-Tying Spell on it.
The Rooster struggled twice but couldn't make a sound.
He tucked the Rooster under his arm and turned to walk towards the Forbidden Forest.
The Forbidden Forest was very dark at night, with moonlight filtering through the tree canopy, casting dappled shadows all over the ground.
Charlie walked slowly, his wand in hand, the sensation of the Imperio growing stronger and stronger.
Charlie hid behind a thick oak tree and peeked out.
Lockhart stood in the center of the clearing.
Moonlight shone on his face, his expression cold.
He lowered his head, his gaze sweeping over the ground, as if searching for some trace.
Charlie stared at him, feeling that this person was definitely not Lockhart; his demeanor and expression were wrong, it must be Tom without a doubt.
Charlie's eyes turned cold.
After Lockhart was under the Imperio, Charlie had already regarded him as personal property. A very famous writer who was 100% loyal to him, Charlie did not want him to escape his control.
Previously, allowing the diary to stay with Lockhart was, firstly, because he didn't want to disrupt Dumbledore's plan, and secondly, he hadn't expected the diary to actually be able to free Lockhart from control.
Charlie raised his wand and aimed at his back.
"Stupefy."
The Spell shot out and hit Lockhart.
Lockhart flew out the moment he was hit, crashed into a tree, spat out a mouthful of blood, and then slid to the ground.
But just as the Spell was cast, Charlie felt a pair of hands on his shoulders.
Charlie froze completely.
The surrounding scene instantly changed.
Before Charlie could react, he was pulled away by a force; this familiar sensation was Apparition.
Trees blurred before his eyes, and the air twisted.
The next second, he was already standing in another clearing in the Forbidden Forest.
Charlie turned around and threw a punch straight at the person's face.
But his fist stopped in mid-air.
He saw the face clearly; it was Dumbledore.
Charlie's fist was only a few centimeters from Dumbledore's nose; a little further, Dumbledore's already crooked nose would probably be even more crooked.
Dumbledore blinked, a helpless smile on his face.
"Mr. White, night wandering is not good behavior," his tone was very calm.
"Especially not when attacking a Professor."
Charlie lowered his fist and rolled his eyes.
"Oh come on, that person was clearly Tom," he said, crossing his arms.
"I haven't even asked you yet, why did the diary end up in Professor Lockhart's hands?"
"I gave you the diary because I trusted you," Charlie stared at Dumbledore.
"As a result, the diary came out to harm people again. Are you even capable, Professor?"
Dumbledore's smile stiffened slightly.
He pushed up his glasses, a hint of awkwardness flashing across his face.
"I asked Professor Lockhart to help me," Dumbledore said.
"After all, Professor Lockhart is knowledgeable and has experienced many adventures. I thought he could find the Basilisk through the diary."
Charlie stared at Dumbledore, his eyes full of suspicion.
Do I look like an idiot to you?
Dumbledore felt a little uncomfortable under Charlie's gaze.
He coughed.
"Alright," he sighed. "Professor Lockhart is actually bait. He voluntarily allowed himself to be controlled by the diary, even sacrificing himself, to uncover where the Basilisk is."
Charlie frowned.
"No," he blurted out almost immediately.
Dumbledore was stunned for a moment.
"Why?"
Charlie opened his mouth, words caught in his throat.
He couldn't possibly tell Dumbledore that he had turned Lockhart into a slave using the Imperio, could he?
Wouldn't that be seeking death?
Charlie took a deep breath.
"Because I love Professor Lockhart and can't bear to see him in danger."
Dumbledore stared at Charlie, suspicion flashing in his eyes.
Do I look like an idiot to you?
Charlie gave an awkward laugh; even he found that reason far-fetched.
"Alright, alright, you're the Professors, so you call the shots. I should go back to sleep."
With that, Charlie turned and walked back to the Castle, giving up on Lockhart.
At most, after Lockhart was used up, he would just use the Imperio on him again.
Tsk tsk tsk, just thinking about it is tragic, the most tragic tool.
Dumbledore stood in place, watching Charlie's retreating figure.
His fingers gently caressed his wand.
Clearly, Charlie didn't want to tell him why Lockhart couldn't be bait.
At that moment, he almost couldn't resist using Legilimency on Charlie.
But he held back.
Given Charlie's magical skill, he would very likely detect that he was casting a Spell on him.
This would undoubtedly create a barrier between Charlie and him, and even push Charlie into the ranks of Dark Wizards.
This was not what Dumbledore wanted to see.
At the same time, he also believed that Charlie was very friendly with his companions in the Castle, proving that love existed in Charlie's heart and would not be eroded by Dark Arts.
That was enough.
Chapter 124 A Sudden Trouble in the Quidditch Match
Tom immediately retreated into the diary the moment he was struck by the Spell; he dared not come out again.
He had been hiding for a semester, finally managed to control a little girl, only to be discovered shortly after.
He tried controlling someone else; as soon as he made a move on a cat, he was captured on the spot and fell into Dumbledore's hands.
He was initially despairing, but then things took a turn, and he controlled Lockhart.
However, as soon as he showed his head, he was hit by a Spell from who knew where.
Tom was truly exhausted; just destroy him, quickly.
Lockhart consequently lay in the Forbidden Forest for a night.
The next morning, Lockhart woke up in the Forbidden Forest.
A scream pierced the sky.
"Ouch! How did I get here? It hurts so much!"
He clutched his chest, where he had hit a tree after being blasted by the Spell; the entire area of skin was bruised purple, and there was still blood at the corner of his mouth.
Lockhart limped towards the Castle, each step sending a piercing pain through the wound in his chest.
He gritted his teeth, his mind a mess, his memories of last night fragmented.
He remembered admiring his handsome appearance in his office and designing an exquisite evening gown for his master, Charlie.
Then he grew increasingly sleepy, suddenly lost consciousness, and woke up lying in the Forbidden Forest.
The Forbidden Forest?
Lockhart felt a pang of panic.
How did he end up in the Forbidden Forest? Was it the diary?
He touched the pocket of his robe; the diary was still there.
Lockhart breathed a sigh of relief, then felt something was off.
Since the diary was there, what exactly happened last night? Should he show the diary to his master?
After being hit by the Imperio, Lockhart was completely subservient to Charlie, viewing Charlie as the supreme being.
This was also the terrifying aspect of the Imperio: completely twisting a person's perception without altering their memory.
Only those with extremely strong wills could break free from the control of the Imperio.
Lockhart quickened his pace, wanting to find Madam Pomfrey to treat his injuries quickly.
In the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey's brow furrowed tightly when she saw Lockhart's appearance.
How many times had this happened this semester? He was a Professor, yet he got injured more frequently than students.
"Professor Lockhart, what happened to you?"
Lockhart opened his mouth, but couldn't manage to speak for a long time.
He couldn't very well say that he had inexplicably spent a night in the Forbidden Forest, that would be too embarrassing.
"Oh, it's a long story," Lockhart said dryly.
"I encountered a vicious Werewolf while preparing teaching materials for the students and engaged in a desperate struggle with him."
Madam Pomfrey clearly didn't believe him, but she didn't ask further, taking out a healing potion to treat Lockhart's injuries.
For a while after that, Charlie initially expected the Imperio to be completely broken.
But unexpectedly, Tom became very well-behaved and did not manipulate Lockhart again.
Charlie was a bit puzzled.
He could feel that the Imperio was still in effect, and his control over Lockhart remained stable.
Was Tom scared, and therefore didn't dare to act? It wasn't impossible.
That night, Charlie's Spell directly blasted Lockhart away, which must have scared Tom quite a bit.
Charlie decided to leave the matter alone for now; after all, Dumbledore would take care of everything.
Time flew by, and it was time for Hufflepuff's second Quidditch match, against Slytherin.
Although there was a Basilisk in the school, the Roosters spread everywhere kept the Basilisk from showing its head, so all school activities proceeded as usual.
Charlie sat in the stands, watching the match.
Hermione and Ron sat to his left, Ernie and Justin to his right.
The weather was beautiful.
Sunlight spilled onto the pitch, and the air was filled with excited shouts.
Hufflepuff students waved their yellow and black scarves, while Slytherin students held up silver and green banners.
The cheers from both sides rose and fell.
Charlie waved his wand, and a giant badger appeared above the Hufflepuff stands.
The giant badger, yellow and black all over, opened its huge mouth in mid-air and let out a deafening roar.
The surrounding Hufflepuff students shrieked wildly, their voices almost tearing through the sky.
Ernie jumped up, vigorously patting Charlie's shoulder.
"Charlie, you're amazing!"
Justin also shouted from beside him.
"Hufflepuff will win!"
The Slytherin students were not to be outdone; several older students also conjured a giant snake, hissing towards the Hufflepuff stands.
Seeing this, the Hufflepuff students also conjured badgers of various sizes, roaring towards Slytherin.
Charlie waved his wand, and the giant badger leaped up, tearing apart the swaggering giant snake in the sky.
The Quidditch match hadn't even begun, but a major battle had already erupted in the stands.
Badgers and snakes entangled in endless combat, but only Charlie's giant badger was unmatched.
Although Gryffindor was not participating in the match, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were still in the Hufflepuff stands.
Hermione also waved her wand, conjuring a badger.
She actually wanted to conjure a lion, but the current situation was clearly not suitable.
As for Harry and Ron, well, let's not make it difficult for them.
Hermione's badger soared into the air, accompanying the giant badger.
But compared to Charlie's badger, Hermione's badger's movements were a bit stiff, its fur not realistic enough, and it lacked a great deal in detail.
Hermione bit her lip, a flash of unwillingness on her face.
After a semester of trying to catch up, the gap between them had successfully widened.
On the pitch, the match began.
Cedric led the Hufflepuff team into the air, with Slytherin following close behind.
But Hufflepuff, relying on the excellent performance of the nimbus 2001 and their skilled techniques, steadily outclassed Slytherin.
Cheers erupted in the Hufflepuff stands.
But just then, Charlie felt a strange sensation in his mind.
The control of the Imperio began to loosen.
He suddenly looked towards the Professor's table.
Lockhart was at the Professor's table, staring at Harry in the stands with a strange smile.
Chapter 125 The Basilisk Appears, Then It Disappears
Tom had been lurking in the diary, waiting for an opportunity.
Last time in the Forbidden Forest, he didn't find any traces of the Basilisk. Hogwarts was vast, and he wasn't sure where the Basilisk was hiding.
Searching blindly would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, futile, and would alarm certain people—like the one who attacked him last time.
But soon, the opportunity arose.
The Quidditch match.
Many teachers and students would gather on the Pitch. With so many people, the concentrated human scent would be an excellent bait for the Basilisk.
Tom's consciousness emerged from the diary and once again invaded Lockhart's brain.
His hand quietly reached into his robe, grasping his wand.
On the Pitch, a Hufflepuff player had just caught the Quaffle and was rushing towards the Slytheringoal.
The cheers from the stands were deafening.
Lockhart stood up, his wand twirling in his sleeve.
He whispered a Spell, and magic surged from the tip of his wand, silently drifting towards the edges of the Pitch.
The scent emanating from the dense crowd on the Pitch, catalyzed by the magic, gradually drifted further and wider.
The scent was very faint, undetectable by humans, but for the Basilisk, it was the most deadly bait.
The scent passed through the Pitch, through the corridors, through the stone walls.
In the abandoned secret passage of the Castle, the Basilisk was originally coiled in the darkness.
Because this secret passage had long been abandoned, no one had ever discovered the Basilisk hiding within it.
It had been hiding for several months and was starving almost to madness.
Suddenly, it smelled the fresh scent of human flesh.
The scent made its mouth water.
The Basilisk's eyes snapped open, and its huge body twisted in the secret passage.
It slithered along the scent, moving faster and faster.
But the Roosters in the Castle instinctively made it afraid to get close, so it could only keep moving underground.
Gradually, it came near the Quidditch Pitch. The noisy human voices made the Roosters cower to the side, not daring to crow. Even if there were crows, they were completely drowned out by the Basilisk.
The Basilisk struggled frantically underground. The presence of its natural enemy and the hunger intertwined, making it difficult to choose.
Finally, the deadly hunger overcame its fear of the natural enemy, and the Basilisk broke through the earth, drilling upwards.
The ground began to shake.
The students in the stands hadn't reacted yet, only feeling a tremor under their feet.
"An earthquake?" Ernie grabbed the railing.
Justin also couldn't stand still, swaying to the side.
The grass in the center of the Pitch suddenly split open.
Dirt exploded, and a huge snake head emerged from underground.
The Basilisk's body was terrifyingly thick, its scales reflecting an eerie green light in the sunlight.
The stands instantly erupted.
Screams rose and fell.
"What is that thing!"
"A snake! A huge snake!"
"It's the Basilisk! It must be the heir's doing!"
Students frantically pushed towards the exits, the scene a chaotic mess.
The players on the Pitch were also stunned; the Quaffle in Cedric's hand dropped directly to the ground.
The Basilisk raised its head, flicking its tongue, its eyes sweeping across the stands.
Charlie's heart pounded.
Fortunately, the Pitch ground was some distance from the stands, so the students couldn't clearly see the Basilisk's eyes.
Otherwise, a large number of people would have already died.
But this didn't mean they were safe.
The Basilisk's target was clear: everyone around it.
In the Professor's stands, Professor Sprout suddenly stood up, her wand pointing at the Basilisk.
"All students, evacuate immediately!" Her voice echoed across the Pitch.
Snape also drew his wand, his face terrifyingly grim.
Charlie turned to look at the Professor's stands; Lockhart was already gone.
Damn it, he ran fast.
At the same time, the Roosters around the Pitch began to shriek.
But very quickly, all the Roosters' cries ceased abruptly.
Charlie's heart sank.
Tom had killed all the Roosters.
Without the Roosters' cries, the Basilisk would not be afraid.
The Basilisk's body rolled on the ground, its scales scraping the earth with a grating sound.
It twisted its enormous body, slithering towards the stands.
Snape's wand was already raised. He whispered a Spell, and a purple Spell shot towards the Basilisk.
The Spell hit the Basilisk's scales, erupting in a shower of sparks.
The Basilisk paused for a moment, then continued to crawl forward.
Snape's face grew even uglier.
"Damn it," he gritted his teeth.
The Basilisk's magic resistance was even higher than he had imagined. Spells hitting it caused no pain whatsoever.
Professor Sprout was also desperately casting Spells, vines emerging from the ground, trying to entangle the Basilisk's body.
But the Basilisk merely struggled slightly, and the vines were torn to shreds.
Sweat beaded on Professor Sprout's forehead.
Only she and Snape were the Professors present at today's match. She didn't know if they could hold out.
Both Professors knew their Spells were useless against the Basilisk, but they still cast them desperately, one after another.
Professor Sprout shouted to the students: "Everyone close your eyes! Don't look into the Basilisk's eyes!"
The students in the stands were already panicking, frantically pushing towards the exits.
Hermione gripped her wand, looking in the direction of the Basilisk. Although the Basilisk was still far away, the overwhelming pressure made it hard to breathe.
"Hurry, hurry!" Her voice was trembling.
Ron's face was pale, his eyes tightly shut, his hand gripping Harry's tightly.
"I can't see the way!"
Just then, a wave of scorching heat suddenly erupted from the direction of the stands.
Everyone felt the heatwave; the air itself was distorting.
Snape suddenly turned his head, his eyes wide.
A huge Dragon appeared in the center of the Pitch. The Dragon's body was terrifyingly enormous, even thicker than the Basilisk.
Its scales were deep red, shimmering with a metallic luster in the sunlight, and when its wings spread, they almost covered half the sky.
Previously, Charlie had concealed his Animagus because he lacked confidence in his own strength.
Now, after experiencing two Defense Against the Dark Arts Professors, he had basically determined that the magic world was not as strong as he had imagined, and he could display his Animagus without any reservations.
Professor Sprout's expression was grave.
Why did a Dragon suddenly appear?
Hermione felt the heatwave, her voice trembling as she said, "What is this?"
Charlie, with his eyes closed, scraped his Dragon claws on the ground, then suddenly took flight, charging towards the Basilisk.
Since the Basilisk's eyes were deadly, he wouldn't look at them.
If its magic resistance was high, then he would tear it in two with his claws.
The Basilisk also noticed the Dragon.
It twisted its body, trying to escape.
But the Dragon was too fast, pouncing on the Basilisk in the blink of an eye.
Its Dragon claws savagely gripped the Basilisk's head.
The Basilisk struggled frantically, its tail lashing the ground, smashing out large pits.
The Dragon's claws dug deep into the Basilisk's head, blood streaming down its scales.
The Basilisk let out a mournful shriek.
"Hiss!!"
Charlie didn't stop. With a forceful tug of his Dragon claws,
the Basilisk's eyes were savagely gouged out, blood splattering. It thrashed wildly beneath Charlie, the entire Pitch shaking.
The students in the stands huddled together, not daring to open their eyes.
Charlie felt the Basilisk's eyes being gouged out, and only then did he open his eyes.
He lifted the Basilisk with both claws, like grabbing an eel, and tore open its upper and lower jaws.
Scorching flames surged from Charlie's throat, forming a pillar of fire that sprayed into the Basilisk's mouth.
The Basilisk struggled frantically, its screams growing more and more mournful.
It tried to break free, but the Dragon's claws held its head in a death grip.
The flames continuously spewed forth, and smoke began to rise from the gaps in the Basilisk's scales.
Even if the Basilisk's external magic resistance was high, its insides were still soft, and were violently churned by Charlie's pillar of fire.
The smell of burning flesh permeated the air, making people want to vomit.
The Basilisk's struggles grew weaker and weaker.
Finally, the Basilisk stopped struggling. Its body lay limp on the ground, its insides burned to charcoal.
Chapter 126 Fire Dragon Animagus?
Charlie released his claws, and the Basilisk's body crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Snape and Professor Sprout stood on the teachers' platform, exchanging glances.
Although the Basilisk was dead, they didn't relax.
The Dragon had appeared suddenly, its origin unknown, and it was hard to say whether it was friend or foe.
Their attention had been entirely on the Basilisk just now, and they hadn't noticed where the Dragonhad come from.
Snape gripped his wand tightly, his eyes fixed on the Dragon.
The Dragon turned and flew towards the teachers' platform.
Professor Sprout's breath hitched, and her wand was already raised.
Snape also tensed, ready to act at any moment.
But the next second, they were both stunned.
The Dragon descended towards the teachers' platform, its massive body beginning to shrink.
The dark red scales gradually vanished, its Dragon wings folded, and its claws transformed into human hands and feet.
A moment later, standing before them was no longer the fierce Dragon, but Charlie.
Charlie brushed the dust off himself and looked up at the two Professors.
Snape's expression was frozen on his face.
Professor Sprout's eyes were wide, her mouth agape enough to fit an egg.
"This... this is an Animagus?" Professor Sprout's voice was trembling.
But this wasn't right.
An Animagus could only transform into ordinary animals, cats or dogs, at most an eagle.
She had never heard of anyone being able to transform into magical creatures, let alone a top-tier magical creature like a Dragon.
This completely overturned her understanding.
Snape stared at Charlie, complex emotions flashing in his dark eyes: shock, doubt, confusion... This sudden Dragon Animagus had a huge impact on their worldview.
It was like people who had always lived on Earth suddenly finding themselves in outer space one day, discovering that where they lived wasn't Earth, but a giant jade foot – equally absurd.
Charlie didn't have time to care what they were thinking.
He quickly walked over to the two Professors.
"Professor, don't just stand there."
Charlie's tone was urgent.
"Lockhart must have been controlled by the diary; he was the one who summoned the Basilisk, but now he's gone. You'd better go find him quickly."
Snape suddenly snapped out of it.
He gave Charlie a deep, searching look, but said nothing, turning to walk out of the Quidditch Pitch.
Professor Sprout opened her mouth; she had a pile of questions she wanted to ask, but she also knew it wasn't the time for a chat.
So she nodded at Charlie and followed Snape's footsteps.
Charlie didn't follow them.
His expression was frighteningly grim as he turned and walked towards the stands.
The students on the Quidditch Pitch slowly recovered at this point.
They had secretly opened their eyes midway and personally witnessed the fierce Dragon roast the Basilisk into charcoal.
Then the Dragon landed and transformed into Charlie.
A first-year student's voice trembled.
"What... what was that? Is Senior Charlie a monster?"
Hermione shook her head, saying with certainty, "That was an Animagus."
The student was stunned for a moment.
"But Animagi usually transform into ordinary animals, Professor McGonagall said."
Ron, standing nearby, said with the air of an experienced person, "You just started Hogwarts this year, you're still young, there's a lot you don't know. Charlie isn't an ordinary person."
The student seemed to understand but not quite, and was intimidated.
Just then, Charlie walked to the stands, and everyone looked at Charlie with awe.
Charlie ignored them and beckoned to Hermione.
"Come with me, Hermione."
Hermione pointed to herself, looking confused, but still followed Charlie, walking towards the Castle.
Ernie and Justin were still standing there, Justin's face still showing lingering fear.
But Ernie looked worried.
"This is bad. Charlie is definitely going to be in trouble now."
Justin didn't understand at all. Charlie was so amazing; he even dealt with the Basilisk. What trouble could he possibly have?
"Why?"
"He's too special. Forget about a Dragon Animagus; no Animagus of any magical creature has ever appeared."
Justin was still confused.
"So what? Doesn't that just prove Charlie is even more amazing?"
Ernie shook his head.
"When one person is different from everyone else, others will only fear him and suppress him. If Charlie's ability could be replicated, it would be one thing, but if it's just his personal talent, then many people will definitely covet Charlie's ability."
Charlie didn't know about Ernie's worries, and of course, even if he did, he wouldn't care.
If someone had bad intentions, let them come; just kill one if they came.
He led Hermione quickly through the corridor, heading straight for the Principal's office.
The gargoyle, seeing his furious appearance, wisely jumped aside.
Charlie stomped up the spiral staircase, rushing to the office door in a few steps.
Hermione was dumbfounded.
It wasn't good to rush into the Principal's office like that, was it? Wasn't he afraid of being expelled?
Hermione quickly followed.
Charlie pushed open the door; Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk.
Charlie didn't knock, walking directly in front of Dumbledore.
"Is this your plan?" His voice was cold.
"To let the Basilisk appear on the Quidditch Pitch and kill all the students?"
Dumbledore looked up.
The smile on his face had vanished, replaced by deep guilt.
"Mr. White..." Dumbledore's voice was very low.
"I am very sorry."
He took off his glasses and rubbed his temples.
"Although I kept an eye on Lockhart, I didn't expect Tom to use this method to lure out the Basilisk."
He paused.
"This is my mistake."
Charlie stared at him, saying nothing, but gave Hermione a look.
Hermione immediately understood; so this was why he called her.
She instantly teared up.
"Professor, why did the Basilisk suddenly appear? Didn't the Professors already drive the Basiliskaway?"
"It was just a little bit away; the Basilisk almost rushed into the stands. If it had come up..."
Hermione trembled all over, leaning her head against Charlie's back, sobbing softly.
Dumbledore looked up, his blue eyes showing even more guilt.
He had noticed the commotion on the Quidditch Pitch immediately. Just as he was about to rush over to deal with the Basilisk, Charlie had acted.
Dumbledore was also shocked by Charlie's Animagus, but more than that, he cared that no students were harmed today.
Even if he had handled it himself, he couldn't say he would have done it as cleanly and quickly as Charlie.
"If it weren't for you, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
He stood up and bowed deeply to Charlie.
"I apologize to the students of Hogwarts and to you."
He straightened up.
"Beyond that, thank you for your timely intervention. As Principal, I express my gratitude to you. If you have any requests, I can fulfill them."
The anger on Charlie's face instantly disappeared.
He blinked, a smile playing on his lips.
"You said that, right? Then I'll start asking."
To say he was angry, Charlie was a little, after all, he was also in danger at the time, but it wasn't to the extent of directly questioning Dumbledore. Of course, it was an act to extort a little more.
Chapter 127 What love and bonds? I'll just start right away!
Dumbledore was a little helpless; he knew Charlie must have come prepared.
"So, Mr. White, what do you want?"
Charlie blinked, his mind racing; he had already thought it through.
"I want permission to Apparate within the Hogwarts grounds."
Dumbledore paused, pushing up his glasses, a hint of confusion in his blue eyes.
"You... have learned Apparition?"
Charlie shook his head.
"Not yet, but it's good to be prepared."
Dumbledore was silent for a moment.
The right to Apparate within Hogwarts was exclusively the Principal's, though the Principal could, of course, share this right with others.
However, people generally didn't do this, and very few would make such a request.
Seeing Dumbledore's silence, Hermione suddenly started sobbing again.
"Professor..."
"We almost died. I can still recall the Basilisk charging at us."
She sobbed, tears falling.
"If it weren't for Charlie, we would all be dead..."
Charlie was mentally giving a huge thumbs-up; this acting deserved an Oscar.
Dumbledore didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Miss Granger, I didn't disagree."
Hermione paused.
She scratched her head awkwardly, her tears instantly stopping.
"Oh... is that so?"
Dumbledore stood up.
"Alright, Mr. White." His tone was serious.
"This is an exclusive right of past Principals; no student has ever possessed it."
He paused.
"But given your significant contribution to the school today, I hereby grant you permission to Apparate within Hogwarts."
With that, Dumbledore snapped his fingers.
Charlie blinked; he felt nothing special.
"That's it?"
Dumbledore nodded.
"That's it."
Charlie looked down at his hands.
"I don't feel anything."
Dumbledore couldn't help but laugh.
"What do you want to feel?"
"I thought there would be a golden light crowning me."
Just then, there was a knock on the office door.
"Come in," Dumbledore said.
Snape and Sprout walked in.
Lockhart was being supported between them, his face pale.
Charlie narrowed his eyes.
Lockhart's expression was blank, his eyes full of confusion.
Clearly, Tom had retreated back into the diary.
Dumbledore stood up.
"Professor Lockhart, please hand me the diary."
Lockhart paused.
He mechanically pulled the diary from his robes and handed it to Dumbledore.
Dumbledore took the diary and locked it again.
A silver light flashed across the box's surface, clearly protected by many charms.
Dumbledore turned around.
"Professor Sprout, Professor Snape, please go and reassure the students; they have experienced something too bizarre today."
He paused.
"Mr. White, please stay."
Sprout nodded. She glanced at Charlie, her eyes holding complex emotions.
Snape said nothing more and turned to leave.
Lockhart was led away by the two Professors.
Hermione glanced at Charlie, then wisely followed them out, closing the door behind her.
Only Charlie and Dumbledore remained in the office.
Charlie pointed at the metal box.
"Professor, aren't you going to destroy that diary?"
Dumbledore walked to the window, his back to Charlie, and did not answer directly.
"Do you know Tom's origin?"
Charlie paused; he really didn't know. The diary hadn't been in his possession for long; after a few interrogations, it said nothing, so Charlie handed it over to Dumbledore.
"No, who is it?"
Dumbledore turned around.
"Tom is Lord Voldemort's real name."
Charlie was a little surprised, but not shocked; the diary's Dark Arts mastery was extremely high, not something an ordinary person could create.
It made sense if it belonged to Lord Voldemort.
Dumbledore gently stroked the metal box that held the locked diary.
"If my judgment is correct," his voice was calm.
"This diary is one of Tom's Horcruxes."
Charlie paused.
"A Horcrux?"
Dumbledore nodded.
"An extremely evil Dark Arts creation. Through murder, one splits one's soul and seals the soul fragment within an object." He paused.
"It is because of the Horcruxes' existence that Tom has remained immortal."
Charlie raised an eyebrow; splitting one's soul would inevitably lead to severe consequences.
Although it was a form of immortality, the price paid was quite heavy; Lord Voldemort was quite resourceful.
Dumbledore continued.
"From what I know of Tom, he wouldn't have just this one Horcrux." He looked up, deep thought in his blue eyes.
"I want to use this Horcrux to find the locations of the other Horcruxes, but this will require some time for research."
Charlie stared at the metal box, his mind racing. Something was off; why was Dumbledore suddenly telling him all this?
After thinking for a while, he suddenly realized there was nothing to ponder; why not just ask directly?
"Principal, why are you telling me all this?"
Dumbledore smiled, that smile holding a certain profound meaning.
"In the Wizarding World, there are many ways to achieve immortality." He walked to the window, looking at the sky outside.
"Leme can do it, Tom can do it. If I wanted to, I could do it too."
Charlie nodded; he had no doubt about this. Not to mention distant examples, neither Horcruxes nor the Philosopher's Stone would be difficult for Dumbledore.
Dumbledore turned around.
"But truly powerful Wizards never fear death."
"It's merely another adventure, just as Leme ultimately chose to face it calmly. While Tom blindly pursued immortality, he overlooked the truly powerful force — love."
He looked at Charlie, his eyes holding a certain conviction.
"I believe you are not a short-sighted, ordinary Wizard."
Charlie didn't know what to say for a moment; he hadn't expected Dumbledore to have such a high opinion of him.
So what else was there to say? Yes, I am such a powerful Wizard.
Charlie understood that Dumbledore telling him all this was both an expectation and a warning.
But as for what power, what love, Charlie indicated he wasn't very interested; he was open, very open.
"Don't worry, Professor, I won't blindly pursue power."
Dumbledore nodded with satisfaction.
Just then, the office door burst open with a bang, and Professor McGonagall rushed in.
Her face was flushed, her breathing ragged, clearly having run all the way.
This was a rare moment of her losing her composure, her hurried manner even causing her to neglect knocking on the Principal's door.
Professor McGonagall stared at Charlie, completely ignoring Dumbledore who stood nearby.
"Charlie." Her voice was trembling.
"That Animagus, is it real?"
Charlie nodded.
"It's real, Professor."
Professor McGonagall trembled all over. She gripped the table, so excited she could barely stand steady.
As a Transfiguration master and an Animagus herself, she understood how incredible this was.
"A Dragon Animagus." Her voice grew louder.
"A Dragon Animagus! This has never happened in the Wizarding World!"
Chapter 128 Animagus Principle
She quickly walked up to Charlie and grabbed his shoulders with both hands.
"Charlie, do you know what this means?" Professor McGonagall's eyes shone with a terrifying brightness.
"You have made history, breaking all theories about Animagus!"
Charlie knew his Animagus would shock the Wizarding world, so he was prepared and looked at Professor McGonagall with a smile.
Professor McGonagall let go, but her excitement did not diminish in the slightest.
She paced back and forth in her office, gesticulating wildly.
"An Animagus of magical creatures, and a Dragon at that," she murmured.
"This completely overturns the existing theoretical foundation."
She suddenly turned, her eyes gleaming as she looked at Charlie.
"Mr. White, would you be willing to write a thesis on the topic of magical creatures Animagus?" Professor McGonagall's voice was filled with anticipation.
"I will nominate you for transfiguration today."
transfiguration today is the most authoritative journal in the Wizarding world for Transfigurationresearch.
Anyone who publishes an innovative paper in it can be called a Transfiguration Master.
Charlie's smile froze on his face.
A thesis?
Writing theses was what he hated the most.
But he also understood that having an academic paper published in an authoritative journal would bring him countless benefits.
Fame, status, and even profit.
Charlie gritted his teeth.
"Okay, Professor," he agreed, steeling himself.
Professor McGonagall smiled brightly and patted Charlie's shoulder.
"Charlie, you are the most brilliant student I have ever taught."
The more Professor McGonagall looked at Charlie, the more satisfied she became, her eyes full of gratification.
She paused, her tone softening.
"However, such a groundbreaking thesis is not easy to write. You don't need to rush; write it well, and publish it when it's ready."
Professor McGonagall's voice was uncharacteristically gentle, showing none of her usual strictness in class.
"If you need any help, feel free to come to me anytime. My office is always open for you."
Charlie nodded.
"Okay, Professor."
He sighed inwardly, but maintained a smile on his face.
Dumbledore watched this scene from the side, a smile playing on his lips.
"Then I won't disturb you two," Charlie bowed to the two Professors.
"Professor, I'll be leaving now."
Professor McGonagall waved her hand.
"Go on, go on."
Charlie pushed open the office door and walked out. As he walked down the corridor, he sighed.
A thesis?
He had no idea where to start with a thesis.
Although he knew the principle behind his Animagus, Charlie genuinely didn't know how to write a thesis.
You can't expect someone who doesn't even do his homework to suddenly write a dozens-page thesis.
And even if he wanted someone else to write this thesis, they wouldn't be able to figure it out.
Charlie rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
He looked up at the window; the sun had already reached its zenith.
His stomach rumbled.
Charlie blinked.
Never mind, I'll think about it later.
Eating comes before anything else.
He turned and walked towards the Great Hall.
Students in the corridor saw him and quickly made way, looking at him with awe.
Charlie ignored them and walked straight to the Great Hall.
He pushed open the door, and the hall was already full of people.
When Charlie entered, the entire Great Hall fell silent for a moment.
Then, applause thundered.
Everyone was clapping wildly, the sound so loud that the Great Hall's ceiling vibrated.
Even the Slytherin students were no exception.
After all, given the situation at the time, no one could say that the Basilisk wouldn't harm pure-bloods.
Charlie nodded to everyone, then walked towards the Hufflepuff long table.
The applause gradually stopped, but most people still stared at Charlie.
Charlie sat down and picked up his fork.
"Eat."
He said.
Only then did everyone come back to their senses and begin to use their knives and forks.
Senior Jenny appeared out of nowhere and pushed Ernie aside, nearly making him fall to the ground.
"Hey, Jenny."
Ernie protested indignantly.
Jenny completely ignored him, her eyes only on Charlie.
She frantically piled food onto Charlie's plate.
Roasted steak, mashed potatoes, fried chicken legs, everything was there.
Charlie's plate instantly became a small mountain.
"Charlie, eat more."
Jenny's eyes sparkled.
"You worked so hard today; you must eat your fill."
Charlie's mouth twitched.
"Senior, isn't this too much?"
Jenny shook her head.
"Not at all, not at all. You're still growing."
Charlie didn't stand on ceremony and buried his head in his food.
The roasted steak was crispy outside and tender inside, the mashed potatoes soft and sweet, and the fried chicken legs crispy and juicy.
While eating, Charlie began to ponder the thesis.
magic is an idealistic force.
Theoretically, as long as one's magical power is strong enough, a Wizard can make anything happen with a thought, and their words become law.
But in reality, Wizards are affected by many factors when casting spells.
magic intensity, casting resolve, self-confidence—all these affect the outcome of magic.
Among them, magic intensity is the most important factor. If a Wizard's magic intensity were to increase without limit, then all problems would cease to be problems.
This person would be an undisputed creator god, capable of mastering any form of Animagus.
However, even if a Wizard's magical power is strong, it still falls within the scope of the Wizard race and cannot be infinitely elevated.
And Animagus is a Wizard's comprehensive imitation of other creatures.
Ordinary creatures, having no magic, are easy for a Wizard to imitate.
But magical creatures also possess magic within them. Their magic might be weaker overall than a Wizard's, but they are still on the same life level.
To replicate or imitate powers on the same level is not an easy task, which is why Wizards cannot transform into magical creatures.
This is the same principle as the Whomping Willow's magic repelling external magic.
These are all facts that have been proven in the Wizarding world.
But Charlie's magic is different; after system modification, Charlie's magic can be accepted by all magical creatures.
This is also why Charlie's magic can nurture the Whomping Willow.
It can be said that magical creatures Animagus is a unique ability of Charlie's.
Charlie bit into a chicken leg, his brows furrowed.
That's the problem.
His ability is one of a kind.
Others simply can't learn it, so how can he write the thesis?
He needs to tell others how to make their magic imitate the magic of magical creatures.
He can't just write in the thesis, 'You can't learn it because I have a cheat code,' can he?
Professor McGonagall would probably faint on the spot.
— — — — — — — — — — — —
Oh my goodness, making up this fanon is exhausting.
Chapter 129 Charlie's Magic Class Begins!
In the Great Hall, Charlie brainstormed furiously, trying to concoct a theory that sounded incredibly impressive and logically consistent.
Harry and his two friends rose from the Gryffindor long table and walked straight towards the Hufflepuff long table.
"Charlie," Harry said sincerely.
"Thank you for saving everyone today."
Charlie looked at Harry, blinking.
"What do you want to give me to thank me?"
"Ah?" Harry was stunned; he hadn't had time to prepare a gift.
He thought for a moment, then pulled the bewildered Ron over.
"I'll give you Ron's dorm usage rights for the next five years."
"Deal!" Charlie and Harry sealed the deal with a high-five.
But Ron seemed displeased with the decision, gritting his teeth.
"Are you two crazy?!"
After some playful banter, Harry and his two friends sat down directly beside Charlie.
Ron didn't dwell on the previous joke, leaning in curiously to ask,
"Charlie, why can you turn into a Dragon?" His eyes were full of envy.
"I wish I could turn into a Dragon too."
Hermione gave him a side-eye.
"You can't even master basic Transfiguration, and you want to learn Animagus?"
Ron's face instantly flushed red.
"Hey, Hermione, can you stop always undermining me?"
Senior Jenny began piling food onto her plate again; out of respect for Charlie, she also placed food on Harry and his two friends' plates.
Ron's eyes lit up, and he picked up a drumstick and began gnawing on it.
Hermione glanced at him without speaking, but she was clearly displeased with Ron's eating habits.
Ron took a few bites, then suddenly frowned, raising his hand and waving it by his ear.
"These mosquitoes are so annoying."
The weather was gradually warming up, and indeed, a few mosquitoes were buzzing around in the Great Hall.
Ron waved his hand again, but the mosquito continued to buzz around his ear.
"Buzzing, it's so noisy."
He impatiently swatted, but the mosquito was very agile and dodged it directly.
"Can this thing shut up?" Ron looked annoyed.
"Can't it just silently suck blood and leave? Why does it have to buzz in my ear?"
Hermione put down her knife and fork, looking smug.
"Mosquitoes don't make sounds with their mouths."
Ron rolled his eyes.
"Here we go again, Miss Know-It-All's knowledge popularization time."
Hermione glared at him exasperatedly.
"Mosquitoes make sound by vibrating their wings, not their mouths. Because the vibration frequency is extremely high, that's why they buzz."
Ron pouted.
"Alright, alright, you're the smartest."
Hermione raised her fist and gave him a playful punch.
Charlie's fork paused when he heard Hermione's words.
He blinked, a smile slowly spreading across his lips.
Frequency?
Charlie suddenly thought of a solution.
He put down his fork and turned to look at Hermione.
"Hermione," his voice was serious.
"Do you want to learn Dragon Animagus?"
Hermione froze for a moment, then her eyes widened, and she nodded vigorously.
"Yes, of course, I do!"
"Charlie, are you saying you're willing to teach me?"
Charlie nodded.
Hermione was so excited she almost jumped out of her chair. Magical creature Animagus, this was the most cutting-edge and revolutionary knowledge in Transfiguration.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.
"Thank you, Charlie, I don't know how to repay you. I will definitely study hard."
Ron rubbed his hands beside them, a sheepish smile on his face.
"Um, Charlie," his voice was a little soft.
"Can I learn?"
Charlie nodded: "Of course, anyone who wants to learn can come."
The surrounding students all turned their heads when they heard Charlie's words.
Ernie's eyes widened.
"Charlie, are you serious? We can learn too?"
Charlie looked at the surrounding students.
"Yes, anyone who wants to learn can come."
A commotion immediately broke out around Charlie.
"Charlie is going to teach us magical creatures Animagus!"
"I'm going to learn so much!"
Everyone was incredibly excited, wishing they could start learning right away.
Students in the distance didn't know what was happening, staring over with confusion.
Charlie stood up and cleared his throat.
"Quiet, everyone."
The noise in the Great Hall gradually subsided, and Charlie looked around.
"This weekend, I will find a classroom and hold a public lecture on magical creatures Animagus." He paused, a smile playing on his lips.
"Anyone who wants to learn can come."
Cheers erupted in the Great Hall once more.
"Long live Charlie!"
Even the Slytherin students became excited... Time came to the weekend. After a few days of fermentation, almost all the teachers and students knew about Charlie's public lecture.
Charlie arrived at Hogwarts' largest classroom at the appointed time.
The weekend sunlight streamed through the windows into the classroom, illuminating the entire room brightly.
When Charlie pushed open the door, he froze—every seat was taken.
There were even students standing in the back rows, making the entire classroom packed to the brim.
Students from all four houses, from first year to seventh year, had come.
Gryffindor's red, Hufflepuff's yellow, Ravenclaw's blue, and even those usually arrogant Slytherinfellows were sitting there obediently.
Charlie scanned the room, muttering to himself, this turnout was even more exaggerated than the final exams.
Professor McGonagall sat upright in the front row, a quill and parchment in her hand.
She saw Charlie enter, nodded at him, her eyes full of anticipation.
Charlie's mouth twitched.
A Professor coming to listen to a lecture, the pressure was too great. He wondered if the theory he had fabricated (crossed out), researched, would work.
Charlie looked behind him, a greasy figure sat in the corner of the last row of the classroom.
Charlie blinked, Professor Snape had actually come too?
Snape noticed Charlie's gaze, tilted his head, and snorted coldly, but his bottom remained firmly glued to the seat, not moving an inch.
Charlie pouted, what's with the arrogance? No matter how arrogant you are, aren't you still sitting quietly now?
"Ahem." He cleared his throat.
Everyone's eyes were focused on him.
Charlie picked up a piece of chalk and wrote a few large words on the blackboard—Magical Creature Animagus.
He began to explain some basic knowledge about Animagus, which was given to him by the system along with the Spells.
"Animagus is an advanced Transfiguration that allows a Wizard to transform into an animal."
"Ordinary Animagus can only transform into ordinary animals; this is a recognized rule in the magical world."
Soon, Charlie got to the crucial part, which was how to use magic to imitate the magic of magical creatures.
He turned and wrote on the blackboard—magic Resonance Theory.
The students in the entire classroom sat up straight; this was what they wanted to hear.
Charlie put down the chalk and turned around.
"You can imagine magic as a frequency." Charlie raised his hand, making a wavy motion.
"The magic of every creature has its own frequency; Wizards have it, and magical creatures have it too."
The students below began to whisper.
Frequency? What new concept is this?
Charlie drew two wavy lines on the blackboard, one labeled Wizard and the other labeled magical creature.
"When the frequencies of two types of magic are different, they will repel each other." Charlie pointed at the blackboard.
"Just as the Whomping Willow repels external magic, the magic of magical creatures also repels the magic of Wizards."
He paused.
"Therefore, traditional Animagus theory believes that Wizards cannot transform into magical creatures."
Professor McGonagall frowned. She had never heard of the concept of magic frequency, but it was very easy to understand.
Snape sat in the back row, his black eyes fixed on Charlie, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.
"And magic resonance, simply put, is to make one's own magic frequency resonate with the magicfrequency of a magical creature."
Charlie explained unhurriedly.
"What if you can actively adjust your magic frequency to match that of a magical creature?"
The students below began to discuss in low voices.
"Then you can turn into a magical creature?"
"Exactly! This student is half right; at this point, you already have the ability to transform."
"So how do you adjust the magic frequency?"