Not in the mood to return to school immediately, Owen went back to his home in Yorkshire. He did some simple cleaning and then resumed his normal routine of study and cultivation.
Understanding the nature of magic didn't mean he could stop learning spells. In fact, he needed to study not only modern spells but also ancient ones. Only by doing so could he innovate and create new magic.
Then there were Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology, Alchemy, and so on—all required constant study. As for cultivation, having the Golden Light Mantra actually made things simpler. The process of cultivation could even replace sleep!
Owen had discovered this by accident, which made him quite dissatisfied with the old Daoist. If it had this function, he should have said so earlier! Giving an incomplete Golden Light Mantra was one thing, but at least provide a user manual!
The British wizarding world had been a bit chaotic lately. Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban had thrown many wizarding families into panic. However, this had zero impact on the Muggle side—at least in Owen's community. Everyone knew Owen went to a boarding school out of town on a scholarship...
You could say that in this neighborhood, aside from not knowing he was a wizard, Owen was the perfect "neighbor's kid"—the role model for all the children in the community!
Logically, someone like him should be ostracized by the other kids. But he wasn't. Owen was extremely popular because he told great stories.
"Owen, are you going back to school again?"
"Yes. Don't worry, next time I come back for the holidays, I'll bring you those candies you love."
"Owen, be careful. Your school sounds so dangerous..."
"Don't worry. I'm very strong."
Sent off by a cheering crowd of children, Owen set off with his luggage. He didn't plan to use wizarding methods for this journey, opting for Muggle transport instead. So he left a few days early, taking a train to London first, then transferring to the Hogwarts Express. Of course, he found a secluded spot to stuff his suitcase into his expanded pocket along the way.
Traveling light is called a vacation; traveling heavy is called suffering.
Owen never made himself suffer unnecessarily.
The journey was uneventful. At most, some young ladies and matrons would look at him appreciatively upon seeing him. Some invited him home for a drink; others invited him to see their cats perform tricks. Owen politely declined all these enthusiastic offers.
"I'm a day early. Did the train speed up?"
Owen sighed deeply. No helping it. Since he arrived early, he might as well go to Diagon Alley first.
Buy books!
Although he didn't need to buy new Defense Against the Dark Arts textbooks every year like other students due to the annually changing professors, Owen still bought them. Especially this year. Dumbledore had promised him that the new Defense professor would be a genuinely capable wizard who would make up for the gaps left by the previous two years.
Indeed, the content of Defense Against the Dark Arts wasn't actually that extensive. The number of magical creatures in the wizarding world was finite and dwindling. Even dragons, the most powerful among them, required human intervention to avoid extinction.
As for Dark Magic, there wasn't much new stuff being invented. As a core subject, the curriculum for Defense Against the Dark Arts was surprisingly sparse. It largely depended on how the professor chose to teach it. So, this subject relied heavily on the teacher. A good professor meant good students.
Quirrell didn't teach well, not because he lacked skill, but because he was too busy helping Voldemort steal the Philosopher's Stone.
Lockhart... was a buffoon, not worth mentioning.
Two years wasted just like that. If the professor for the third year wasn't good, they were screwed!
As the future Headmaster, asking the current Headmaster to ensure teaching quality wasn't too much to ask, right?
First, a trip to Gringotts to withdraw money. It had been a while. Seeing his vault significantly thicker with Galleons, Owen smiled slightly and started stuffing money into his pockets. Once he had enough, he bought books, then visited a clothing store to buy some new outfits for the professors. Finally, he bought some candies and pastries... After a small spending spree, he returned to his booked hotel.
Early the next morning, Owen left the hotel feeling refreshed, entered the station, and boarded the train. He waited until the train started moving before putting down his book. Looking at the students sitting around him, he smiled. "No need to be so nervous, everyone. Let's chat."
Hearing him speak, the students quietly sighed in relief. One of them spoke up, "Mr. Corlett, back home, I heard someone escaped from Azkaban. Do you think it will affect us?"
Owen laughed. "Why worry about that? A prisoner escaping is the Ministry's problem. What does it have to do with Hogwarts? But then again, if anyone dares to cause trouble at Hogwarts, regardless of who they are, report it if you see it, or strike directly if you get the chance. Our school, our castle—naturally, we protect it. If they push us too far, we won't even give them the chance to go back to Azkaban."
Laughter filled the compartment.
Previously, the young wizards of Hogwarts had faith in the Headmaster. Although scary things happened every year, they were always resolved. The Chamber of Secrets from last year had become a large classroom, and the legendary Basilisk was now a pet fed by numerous students...
These changes filled the students studying here with confidence. No difficulty was insurmountable.
The school didn't just have Dumbledore; it had Harry Potter too!
And if neither of them was reliable, well, wasn't there Mr. Corlett?
Amidst the laughter and chatter, the sky suddenly turned dark, and the train slowly came to a halt. All the students froze. The train hadn't reached the station yet. Had something happened?
Owen put away his book and stepped out of the compartment. Many other students also emerged to see what was going on. Owen thought for a moment, then spoke up. "Everyone, please return to your compartments and sit tight. Prefects, Head Boy and Girl, come out. I authorize you to use your wands. Remember: if any creature approaches despite warnings, attack!"
Owen's voice echoed throughout the entire train. The students obediently returned to their seats. The prefects and Heads emerged from their compartments, immediately casting Lumos, brightening the dim corridor significantly.
Remus Lupin, who had been curled up in his seat, suddenly became curious. The Lumos charms in this carriage were different from what he knew—they were too bright, almost blindingly so.
And that voice just now sounded very young. Why were the students so obedient?
He didn't know about elsewhere, but in this compartment, the young wizards relaxed instantly upon hearing that voice. Especially Harry and his friends—they actually breathed huge sighs of relief.
Lupin was now very curious about this person.
Meanwhile, Owen frowned as he flew outside the train. Watching the dark clouds and lightning in the sky, he thought: Do I have to run into trouble every time I take the train? Could my luck be any worse?