Chapter 373 The Family Curse
But Dylan and Ginny were completely oblivious to the gazes around them.
They not only danced to the rhythm but also precisely kept pace with the music, each step landing perfectly on the beat of the melody, their skirts swaying gently with their movements, tracing graceful arcs.
After an unknown period, the melodious music gradually faded with its last note.
Only then did Dylan and Ginny slowly come back to their senses, disengaging from each other's gaze and looking at the surrounding dance floor.
By then, the dance floor had many more people; the champions, who were originally the focus, were gradually submerged by more students joining the dance. Everyone was immersed in the joyful atmosphere, swaying their bodies to the music.
Madam Maxime's tall figure was particularly noticeable in the crowd. As the song ended, she and her partner stopped, still smiling and chatting for a few moments.
Professor Aurora Sinistra, who teaches Astronomy Class, was also on the dance floor, and her partner was none other than Professor Moody.
After the music ended, Professor Sinistra looked at Moody's wooden leg, visibly relieved, as if she had been worried about tripping over his prosthetic leg and finally felt at ease.
People on the dance floor stopped their movements and erupted in a round of enthusiastic applause, both for the splendid performance of the Weird Sisters band and for the companionship of their dance partners.
The band members also waved to the audience below. The drummer picked up his drumsticks and tapped a few times, producing a crisp rhythm. Immediately after, a much livelier tune than before began to play in the Great Hall, instantly making the atmosphere more vibrant.
Dylan looked at Luna, whose smile was still bright, and couldn't help but ask with a smile, "Ginny, how did I do just now? Did I pass your test?"
"Hmm..." Ginny deliberately drew out her words, her eyes curved into crescents as she looked at him, and said with a playful tone, "I was so focused on feeling the rhythm just now that I don't think I clearly felt your movements. There might still be room for improvement."
"Then how about..." Dylan tilted his head, listening to the lively new song, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes as he proactively suggested, "We dance one more? This time I'll be more focused, so you can properly assess me."
"Alright! This time I'll seriously assess you, I definitely won't get distracted!" Ginny nodded in earnest, but no sooner had she spoken than she couldn't help but laugh herself. The corner of her eye caught Dylan smiling along, and her cheeks quietly flushed red again.
The next few songs that played were all fast-paced, with dense drumbeats and lively melodies.
Dylan and Ginny were completely immersed in the joy of dancing, swaying their bodies freely with the music. Every spin and jump was full of vitality, and their faces were always beaming with happy smiles.
When a song ended, Ginny stopped, taking small gasps of breath, her cheeks flushed with a beautiful crimson hue, as if painted by the evening glow.
Having danced with such enjoyment, her red hair at her temples and sideburns was damp with sweat, clinging tightly to her skin, with a few stray strands falling in front of her eyes, adding a touch of charming innocence.
In comparison, Dylan's physical condition was much better.
He looked at Ginny's flushed cheeks and sweaty hair, and couldn't help but reach out, gently using his fingertip to brush away the stray hairs blocking her eyes.
Then, he slightly turned, bending his arm: "We've been dancing for so long, shall we find a place to rest?"
Ginny obediently took his arm. As soon as she did, Dylan felt a noticeable weight.
Clearly, the long period of dancing had consumed a lot of her energy.
But this weight quickly lessened significantly. Dylan immediately understood that Ginny didn't want him to exert too much effort and had deliberately adjusted her posture to lighten the burden on his arm as much as possible.
Noticing this, Dylan smiled slightly.
He directly used magic to make Ginny's body a bit lighter, so she wouldn't feel out of control but her body's weight would be effectively reduced.
"What magic did you use?" Ginny instantly felt her body lighten, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. She immediately guessed Dylan's action, looked up at him, her eyes filled with curiosity.
"Just a simple Levitation Charm."
Just then, a clear voice suddenly rang out: "Dylan! Ginny! You two danced so well just now!"
The two looked in the direction of the voice, only to see Colin Creevey standing before them, holding his camera, his face excited, his eyes sparkling with delight: "I bet! You two are absolutely the most harmonious and spectacular pair among all the champions! I took so many candid photos of you dancing just now, every single one is especially beautiful!"
Dylan looked at the camera in his hand and asked with a smile, "Colin, why aren't you dancing with your partner? Are you also resting because you're tired, just like us?"
"I still prefer taking photos; the camera seems to suit me better than dancing." Colin Creevey's face instantly flushed, and he scratched his head a bit sheepishly, his voice dropping a few octaves, "Dancing is something I'm not really good at. I always worry about stepping on my partner's feet. It's not as comfortable as taking pictures."
Dylan smiled and didn't ask further, taking Ginny's arm and walking away from the dance floor.
There were a few unoccupied chairs there, relatively quiet, suitable for resting.
Colin Creevey also followed them, standing in front of the two, excitedly pulling up the photos he had just taken on his camera, displaying them one by one: "Look, this is Cedric and Cho Chang, and Harryand Ginny. I took many pictures of all of them."
As he flipped through the photos, he explained, "My main subjects are the champions. Before each photo, I always get their permission first. And I tell them that I'll take three photos: two will be given to the champion and their partner as souvenirs, and the remaining one I'll use for submission to the Hogwarts Gazette. This way, everyone is very willing to cooperate, even champions like Fleur Delacourand Viktor Krum didn't refuse my request."
Dylan looked at everyone's joyful expressions in the photos and nodded with a smile: "Your idea is very thoughtful; this indeed makes more people willing to be photographed."
He naturally didn't refuse Colin's request for photos, as this was also a rare souvenir of the Christmas Ball.
Ginny looked at the photos of herself and Dylan dancing, a gentle smile appearing on her face, and softly said, "Once the photos are developed, I plan to use one of the joint photos to show Mum and Dad."
Colin immediately said, "No problem! As soon as I develop the photos, I'll definitely deliver them to you as soon as possible, ensuring it won't delay you sending your postcard!"
After Colin left, full of joy, Dylan reached out and gently straightened two nearby unoccupied chairs, then carefully adjusted their positions to ensure they could comfortably converse face-to-face once seated, before motioning for Ginny to sit.
As soon as Ginny sat down, she felt a distinct ache in her legs. After all, she had continuously danced several fast-paced songs, and her feet and calves were somewhat overexerted.
She discreetly glanced around, finding that everyone was either dancing on the dance floor or chatting at distant dining tables, with no one paying attention to their area. So, using the tablecloth for cover, she quietly stretched her legs forward, allowing her tense muscles to relax. This indeed made her feel much more comfortable.
But the moment she straightened her legs, her toes accidentally touched Dylan's shoetip opposite her. The cold fabric sensation made her instantly retract her leg like a startled rabbit.
She secretly looked up at Dylan, only to meet his gaze, and her cheeks instantly flushed a faint red, her heart beating a half-beat faster, fearing that her action had been discovered.
"So you can still order things now." Dylan didn't mention the shoetips touching earlier. Instead, he picked up the menu on the table, his finger gently tracing the text, his tone showing a hint of surprise, "But looking at the contents, there are only various drinks and small snacks, no formal meals like the previous banquet. Do you want anything to drink or eat?"
Hearing this, Ginny secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed he hadn't noticed their shoetips touching earlier.
A faint smile curved her lips, her eyes showing a hint of trust: "I'm not very familiar with these drinks, so why don't you decide? I'm sure whatever you choose will be to my liking!"
"Alright." Dylan nodded, spreading the menu on the table and looking at it intently, muttering softly as he read, "I didn't expect the ball to offer so many types of drinks, both hot and cold, and several special fruit juices. I need to choose carefully."
"Then you, as the 'advisor,' are even more needed to oversee it!" Ginny pursed her lips and smiled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. While Dylan was focused on the menu, she quietly stretched her legs forward again. This time, she deliberately let her toes touch Dylan's shoetip again, even gently pushing against it.
Dylan remained focused on the menu, seemingly completely unaware of the touch on his shoetip.
Ginny blinked, looking exactly like a Niffler discovering a shiny object, both curious and a little cunning.
She carefully pressed her toes against Dylan's shoetip, sometimes gently, sometimes slightly relaxing, while intently watching Dylan's expression to see if he reacted.
After a few seconds, Dylan's lips suddenly curved into a faint smile. He looked up, his gaze filled with amusement, and asked Ginny in a relaxed tone, "Do you think we're like two bulls quietly butting heads right now?"
Upon hearing this, Ginny instantly understood that he had actually noticed long ago, and had even described their little interaction with such a vivid analogy, making her red hair sway.
"Ginny, let's try these two!" Dylan's gaze returned to the menu, and he quickly made a decision, "Honey Lemon Hot Ginger Tea and Hot Citrus Drink. Both are hot drinks, perfect for warming up and relieving the fatigue from dancing."
No sooner had he spoken than two exquisite white porcelain cups appeared out of thin air on the table. The cups contained steaming hot drinks, emitting faint wisps of steam. The sweet and fruity aromas blended together, making one feel pleasant just by smelling them.
Ginny first picked up the Hot Citrus Drink and took a small sip. The sweet and sour citrus flavor and fresh lemon taste spread in her mouth, with a hint of faint spice. It was refreshing and thirst-quenching. After drinking it, the heat she felt from dancing instantly dissipated, and her mind felt much clearer.
Next, she tried the Honey Lemon Hot Ginger Tea. The first taste was the sweetness of honey, followed by the slight sourness of lemon, and finally a hint of ginger's spiciness lingered in her throat. A warm current slid down her esophagus into her stomach, making her whole body feel warm, and the ache in her legs also lessened significantly.
"Both of these are delicious, thank you."
During this time, boys and girls from other houses occasionally came over, wanting to invite them to dance on the dance floor, but each time they faced an invitation, the two would tacitly smile and politely decline.
Midway, a few other dance partners also came over to rest, including Draco and his partner Astoria Greengrass.
Draco maintained his usual elegant posture, but there was less of his usual aloofness and more of a relaxed air in his brows. Astoria sat quietly beside him, the two occasionally conversing in low voices, and the atmosphere seemed very peaceful.
Astoria Greengrass, beside Draco, was exceptionally frail, appearing much more delicate than girls her age, as if a gust of wind could blow her over.
Her complexion had a sickly pallor that never seemed to improve, and even her lips lacked color. Occasionally, she would instinctively raise a hand to cover her chest, frowning slightly, as if enduring some discomfort.
Whenever this happened, an abnormal flush would appear on her pale cheeks, starkly contrasting with her usual paleness, making it particularly striking.
Despite her extremely fragile physical condition, Astoria's personality was surprisingly cheerful.
Soon after sitting down, she proactively started chatting with Ginny next to her, the conversation ranging from the ball's decorations to their favorite classes, her tone light and a faint smile on her face, showing no sign of the gloom that usually accompanied physical discomfort.
Ginny had a good personality, and the two quickly found much in common, occasionally laughing together over an interesting topic.
Dylan sat by, listening to their conversation, his gaze occasionally falling on Astoria.
In the magical world, Wizards' bodies are usually more resilient than ordinary people, unless they suffer from special magic-related diseases that cause long-term harm, such as lycanthropy, which causes transformation every full moon, the agonizing Dragon Pox, or extreme motion sickness to various modes of transport. These diseases are difficult to cure completely with ordinary magic and can long-term affect a Wizard's life.
In addition, certain special curses can also cause Wizards to develop incurable ailments.
Just like the legendary Maledictus, Wizards afflicted by this curse gradually lose their ability to think normally, their sanity is slowly devoured, and they eventually completely lose their human form, transforming into unconscious beasts, a reversal impossible for life.
Chapter 374 Snape has gone mad!
The Grindelwald Family is a renowned pure-blood family in the Wizarding World. Astoria's condition is most likely due to a rare magic illness or an incurable curse.
Regardless of the situation, it sparked his strong interest; he had always been very attentive to various special magic phenomena and difficult medical conditions.
In fact, after so many years of research, Dylan discovered that illnesses also seemed to have some connection with magic.
While Ginny and Astoria were engrossed in conversation, Dylan quietly pulled out a small notebook and a quill from his pocket.
He opened the notebook and quickly wrote a line on a blank page.
Is Astoria's condition related to a magic illness?
'If you know, please elaborate.' After writing, he gently pushed the notebook, moving it to a position where Draco could see it.
Draco, who was sipping a drink from his cup, caught sight of the writing in the notebook from the corner of his eye. He paused for a moment, then picked up the quill and wrote his reply below Dylan's words.
'I only know that her condition is related to a curse, and this curse is considered a hereditary curse of the Grindelwald Family, not something acquired accidentally later in life.'
He paused, then continued to write.
'Astoria has had bad luck. Many people in the family are only carriers of the curse and don't show symptoms, but her curse activated, which is why she is like this now. Her sister, Daphne, is very fortunate; she wasn't affected by this curse and has always been very healthy.'
'Astoria has been sickly since childhood, which also meant her talent in magic wasn't outstanding.'
'At first, people in the Grindelwald Family even suspected she might be a Squib for this reason, almost preventing her from attending Hogwarts. That's all I know about her condition; the specific details of the curse are kept very private by their family.'
After writing, Draco pushed the notebook back to Dylan, not forgetting to give him a look, indicating that he had explained everything he knew.
Dylan picked up the notebook, read its contents carefully, and frowned slightly, feeling a heightened curiosity about this hereditary family curse.
He quietly slipped the notebook into his pocket and turned his gaze back to Ginny and Astoria, who were still chatting, without pressing further.
After all, this involved family privacy, and excessive probing would likely not yield results.
From Draco's understanding of Astoria's condition, the current cooperation between the House of Malfoy and the Grindelwald Family was clearly deeper than it appeared.
Without such close ties, Draco would likely not know such private information, as the root cause of Astoria's physical weakness was a hereditary curse passed down through generations of the family. Such matters are typically core secrets of pure-blood families, never easily mentioned to outsiders.
Draco's last paragraph, written earlier, also held a subtle intrigue.
He mentioned that Astoria's magic talent wasn't outstanding and that as a child, she was almost considered a Squib by her family.
This point precisely brought up a key standard in the Wizarding World for determining a Wizard's identity: magic outbursts.
In Wizarding families or pure-blood families, children almost always experience one or more such instances before officially entering school. This phenomenon is somewhat similar to the body autonomously triggering a spell, requiring neither incantation nor wand. It is purely the natural release of magic energy after accumulating to a certain degree within the body. Some researchers even believe this is actually the most primitive manifestation of wandless casting.
For Wizarding families, whether a magic outburst occurs is the core basis for determining if a child is a Wizard. Even if it's just an extremely faint magic fluctuation, as long as such a phenomenon has occurred, they can be confirmed as a Wizard. Conversely, if there are no magic signs for a long time, they are highly likely to be deemed a Squib, holding an awkward status within the family.
Regarding magic outbursts, Harry often shared his experiences at his aunt's house when visiting others in the Hogwarts Express.
He once said that his Aunt Petunia, annoyed by his long hair, cut it unevenly with scissors. Harry went to bed worrying about having to wear a strange hairstyle, but when he woke up the next day, his hair had miraculously returned to its original state, exactly as it was before the cut.
And situations like scaring a large python, causing a certain chubby boy to faint.
Ginny and Ron had also told Dylan about their magic outburst experiences before.
After a moment of thought, Dylan picked up the notebook again and wrote a line below the previous text.
'Draco, do you know the specific details of Miss Grindelwald's magic outburst? If so, could you describe it in more detail?'
He pushed the notebook back to Draco, his eyes filled with obvious curiosity.
Draco gazed at the writing in the notebook, his fingers gently tapping the table, seemingly recalling relevant details. After a while, he picked up the quill and slowly wrote his reply.
'Hers is the most difficult to describe of all the magic outbursts I've heard of. While everyone knows that the first manifestation of magic takes many forms and has no fixed pattern, Astoria's experience, besides being strange, even had a frightening quality to it.'
'But the situation was that a House-elf, who was responsible for taking care of Astoria at the time, was affected by the energy generated by her magic outburst and subsequently fell into an irreversible state of madness. Most of the time, he was incoherent, with very little time where he was aware of himself.'
Dylan looked at Astoria not far away and noticed a necklace around her neck.
The necklace was certainly not delicate; its chain was considerably wider than a normal necklace, clearly designed to leave enough space for carving runes. From the style of the necklace and the carving style of the runes, its history seemed quite ancient, possibly having been passed down for several generations.
Dylan quietly activated the magic within him and opened his eyes.
The necklace emitted a subtle magic power.
Combining the previous information, Dylan quickly understood.
The Grindelwald Family wanted to use Charms to resist the negative energy emanating from the family's hereditary curse, preventing those around them from being affected.
This discovery suddenly reminded him of something: before the Christmas holiday, Luna had mentioned a Care of Magical Creatures class to him.
At that time, Hagrid had driven a group of Grumblewings to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, having students practice plucking their feathers.
Grumblewings are very special magical creatures; their high-pitched calls possess extremely strong magic. As long as one hears this call, they will gradually lose their minds and become insane.
Precisely because of this, in the Wizarding World, to obtain the qualification to raise Grumblewings, one must apply for a specific license from the Ministry of Magic. And to get this breeding license, there is one magic that must be mastered.
Silencing Charm.
Through this magic, the Grumblewings' calls can be effectively isolated, preventing oneself from being affected.
After Draco and Astoria Grindelwald got up and left.
Dylan and Ginny both looked towards the dance floor.
At this moment, the dance floor was several times more crowded than before, the scene so lively it was almost out of control, resembling a 'chaotic dance of demons.' Everyone was swaying freely to the powerful rhythm of the music, waving their arms, leaping with their feet, fully releasing the energy accumulated throughout the day, their faces full of indulgent smiles.
Fred, George, and Lee Jordan had completely let loose. Each of them held a magic firework shimmering with colorful light. They had cast some peculiar magic on themselves, causing them to spin rapidly in place like tops. The fireworks' light traced brilliant arcs with their movements, drawing cheers from the surrounding students.
On the other side, Dumbledore was dancing with Professor McGonagall, their movements elegant and originally perfectly synchronized.
But Professor McGonagall's attention was constantly drawn to the three spinning boys. She would turn her head to look at them from time to time, fearing they would cause trouble, and several times, due to distraction, almost stepped on Dumbledore's toe. She could only give an embarrassed smile and refocus.
"It's too noisy here. Shall we go outside and look at the fairies?" Ginny withdrew her gaze, turned to Dylan, her eyes full of anticipation.
Dylan looked at her sparkling eyes and had no reason to refuse the suggestion. He nodded: "Sure, let's go now."
The two slowly walked through the noisy crowd and exited the Great Hall doors.
Outside the Castle, the grotto and its surrounding area they had seen earlier were far more exquisite than they appeared from the Great Hall entrance.
In addition to the blooming rose bushes inside the grotto, the winding path outside the grotto was lined with neatly trimmed shrubs. Stone statues of unique designs adorned the spaces between the shrubs, featuring soaring eagles, crouching lions, and coiling snakes, each carved with lifelike precision.
If one looked further, a large circular fountain could be seen. The fountain's water shimmered silver in the night, like soft silver ribbons, cascading from the top of the stone carvings into the pool below, creating a murmuring sound that was exceptionally clear in the quiet night.
Many wooden benches were placed along the shrubs, but unfortunately, every single bench was occupied, and all by pairs of dancing partners.
Pedestrians came and went intermittently, but it didn't affect them at all. Couples mostly sat close together, whispering intimately as if no one else was around. Boys leaned in to whisper in girls' ears, while girls laughed and lightly hit the boys' arms, creating a sweet and warm atmosphere.
Some dance partners even brought snacks from the Great Hall. They sat on the benches, either sharing a slice of cream cake with the same spoon, taking turns, or simply eating with their hands, not minding if cream got on their lips. Instead, they would smile at each other and gently wipe away the residue from the other's mouth with their fingertips.
As soon as Ginny stepped onto the path leading to the grotto, several palm-sized fairies flew over from the rose bushes.
They flapped their transparent wings; some stopped on Ginny's shoulder, some landed in her hair, and a few circled her earrings, making tiny "buzzing" sounds, evidently attracted by the glow of the fluorite on her earrings.
This is the nature of fairies; as soon as they see something beautiful, they will actively fly over, willingly serving as an embellishment, using their presence to make that beauty even more prominent.
Ginny was clearly very interested in these little elves. She gently opened her palm, and several brave fairies immediately flew onto it, walking back and forth in her palm, occasionally tickling her skin with their tiny claws, making Ginny giggle.
Dylan looked at the fountain not far away, thinking of walking further in that direction to see if there were any vacant benches around the fountain where Ginny could sit and rest for a while.
He had only taken a few steps forward when he saw a familiar figure hurrying towards him.
It was MacConnach from Ravenclaw.
MacConnach was holding a strange girl's hand; she was wearing a dark robe different from the Hogwarts uniform.
"Dylan!" MacConnach shouted from afar, his expression very strange, his face full of terror mixed with a hint of panic, as if he had encountered something terrifying.
"Run! You two, run back!" He yelled, frantically winking at Dylan as he ran, his urgency almost overflowing, as if a monster would chase them at any second and they had to hide immediately.
Seeing this, Dylan instinctively pulled out his wand from his pocket and held it in his hand, but before he could make any further moves, MacConnach, who had rushed over, stopped him.
Dylan and Ginny were a bit confused, but seeing MacConnach's anxious look, they still followed him, hurrying back towards the oak doors.
"It's... it's terrible... it's absolutely terrible!" MacConnach leaned against the door, panting heavily, his words broken. "How... how could anyone be like that! Deducting points indiscriminately!"
"MacConnach, what happened exactly? Take your time." Dylan patted his back, helping him calm down, his tone full of confusion. For the usually composed MacConnach to be so flustered, it couldn't be a minor incident.
MacConnach took several deep breaths, finally recovering somewhat, and his speech became more coherent: "It was Professor Snape! He suddenly appeared patrolling by the fountain, and I don't know what got into him, but as soon as he saw anyone get even slightly close to the pool, he immediately deducted points!"
He swallowed, and remembering the scene just now, almost choked on his saliva again, his voice trembling slightly: "Students from Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor all had points deducted by him! Even the Slytherin students, seeing his serious expression, were scared and quickly ran away, not daring to get close!"
"I just heard someone ahead shouting about point deductions, so I quickly pulled Sabina and ran back. Luckily, we ran fast, otherwise, we would definitely have had points deducted too!" MacConnach said, pointing to the girl beside him, "This time he was even worse; he didn't even give a reason, just deducted ten points at once, it's simply unreasonable!"
Chapter 375: A Conversation with Professor Sprout
As he finished speaking, he seemed to suddenly remember something and turned to look at the girl beside him, his tone a little uncertain: "Right, was that Headmaster Karkaroff from your school standing with Professor Snape just now? I ran too fast just now and didn't get a clear look at his face, only saw that his robes were the same style as yours."
The girl nodded, saying with certainty: "That's right, it was Headmaster Karkaroff from our school. He's been very close with Professor Snape today, probably discussing something."
"I think it's safer inside the Great Hall," Maccona exhaled, patting his chest, as if he hadn't fully recovered from the fright. "At least in the Great Hall, Professor Snape won't randomly deduct points from us; at most, he'll just have a bad look on his face."
After saying this, he waved goodbye to Dylan and Ginny, then took the girl's hand and quickly walked towards the Great Hall, evidently not wanting to risk staying outside any longer.
The feast ended.
It wasn't until the next day.
Of the students who came to the Greenhouse this morning, only Dylan was there so far.
Without the usual hustle and bustle, the Greenhouse was exceptionally quiet, an atmosphere that actually opened up more topics for conversation, and Professor Sprout had a rare opportunity to talk with Dylan in detail.
Professor Sprout, while loosening the soil of a Mandrake pot with a small trowel, brought up the changes in Neville and Hannah: "Neville and Hannah, these two children, their recent growth has truly been surprising."
"Their talent in Herbology was already outstanding, with an innate sensitivity to the habits of various magic plants, but the most crucial factor is their growing confidence."
She put down the trowel, wiped the dirt from her hands, and continued: "I know they both joined 'M.S.C.'. To be honest, it was after joining this organization that they slowly started to let loose and became more and more confident."
"At first, they would tremble with nervousness during experiments, but now they can independently handle some fairly difficult Herbology cultivation tasks."
Professor Sprout looked at Dylan, her eyes full of approval: "For them to make such progress, their companions in 'M.S.C.' gave them a lot of encouragement, and you, especially, deserve immense credit."
"Not only did you often encourage them to try boldly, but you also unreservedly taught them your summarized learning methods, helping them avoid many detours."
"Speaking of which..." Professor Sprout seemed to suddenly remember something, her eyes brightening. "I heard Neville mention that they even contacted other magic schools and became pen pals with a Professor specializing in Herbology there, often exchanging cultivation experiences. You should know about this, right?"
"Yes, Neville often tells me about it," Dylan nodded, adding, "Actually, I didn't teach Hannah much; Neville learned it from me and then taught her. And based on the information shared by that Professor, they've even tried cultivating several magic plants unique to other regions. They're growing quite well now, but it's not yet time for them to flower and bear fruit, so we'll have to wait and see the specific effects."
"I heard about that too; they're getting more and more innovative," Professor Sprout said with a relieved smile. "Also, that Essence Replenishment you taught them, I've seen them use it a few times, and it's indeed an extremely practical magic. It's better than many specialized Potions for promoting the growth of magic plants and repairing damaged roots."
She glanced around the neatly arranged flowerpots and nurseries in the Greenhouse, her tone thoughtful: "Speaking of which, I've been pondering something: perhaps we should find a suitable place to specially cultivate an exclusive plot of land for them."
"For those who want to delve deeper into Herbology, having their own land is essential to cultivate various magic plants more systematically and thoroughly, and to accumulate practical experience."
Dylan blinked, his gaze sweeping over the designated cultivation areas in the Greenhouse, and he said thoughtfully: "Professor, do you mean to create an exclusive space for them, similar to this Greenhouse? But perhaps on a smaller scale, specifically for a few people?"
"Exactly, that's what I mean!" Professor Sprout nodded emphatically, her tone becoming more serious. "To become a qualified Herbologist, book knowledge and scattered experiments are not enough. There must be a dedicated place where they can participate in the entire process from sowing, nurturing, to harvesting, and personally handle various problems encountered during cultivation."
"Ordinary Wizards planting magic plants in pots, one type per pot, is certainly enough for daily needs or simple experiments."
"But for those aspiring to be Herbologists, the limited space and soil fertility of pots simply cannot meet the demands of long-term, in-depth research."
Dylan lowered his head in thought for a moment, then looked up at Professor Sprout, his tone a little tentative: "Hearing you say that, I suddenly thought, is this somewhat similar to the principle of Ritual Magic? If a Herbologist is compared to a Wizard focused on a certain field..."
He paused, organizing his words: "Then, for a Herbologist, is an exclusive cultivation plot equivalent to the 'wand' in a Wizard's hand? Is it the core medium through which they cast 'Herbology magic' and exert their abilities? Professor Sprout, is my understanding of your meaning appropriate?"
"Haha, that analogy is quite interesting and very apt!" Professor Sprout was amused by Dylan's idea, the wrinkles around her eyes smoothing out. "Since we've already likened it to a wand, perhaps we can explore it further—like Neville, the reason he's so suited to be a Herbologist, besides his talent, is more importantly his rare patience."
She picked up a freshly plucked leaf of a Forget-Me-Not, gently caressing its veins: "The cultivation of magic plants most dreads impatience; every plant's growth has its own rhythm. And Neville can calm down, observe carefully day after day, and care for them patiently. Even slow-growing rare varieties are meticulously nurtured. This temperament is the most valuable quality for becoming an excellent Herbologist."
Professor Sprout chatted with Dylan while tending to the magic plants in the Greenhouse.
She held a special watering can, carefully watering a delicate pot of Glow-Grass; the water droplets on the leaves refracted a faint green light.
Soon, Professor Sprout brought the conversation back to her previous Herbology research: "Recently, I've been researching something. To optimize the effects of herbs, making one herb possess multiple properties, it seems Ritual Magic is involved."
"This magic is very inclusive and well-suited for transforming the inherent properties of magic plants."
She looked at Dylan and continued: "Dylan, your understanding of Ritual Magic is already very deep. In fact, the entire natural world we live in can also be considered a giant Ritual Magic field. It itself is constantly cycling and interacting, which you should be very clear about, right?"
"Clear," Dylan nodded, immediately thinking of a specific example. "In the Potion required for Animagustransformation, one ingredient serves as proof of this point: 'dew that has not touched sunlight or living beings.'"
"This dew must be collected in a specific environment and at a specific time; it inherently carries the imprint of nature's Ritual Magic to be effective in the Potion."
"In many cases, the boundaries between different magic fields are not so clear; there are often interconnections and mutual penetrations between them."
"It is precisely because of this that ancient Wizards were able to start with the most basic Ritual Magic, constantly exploring and innovating, gradually developing the rich and diverse magic system we have today."
"An excellent summary!" Professor Sprout's eyes were full of admiration, and her tone became even more relieved. "'The boundaries of magic are not so clear,' that statement is so true, precisely encapsulating the core idea of magic research."
She further guided: "Dylan, in fact, this statement can be applied in many places. Through Ritual Magic, one material can possess the characteristics of another, thereby simplifying Potion formulas. Essentially, this breaks the boundaries between Ritual Magic, Herbology, and Potions, merging them together."
Hearing Professor Sprout say this, Dylan looked at her and said with a smile: "Professor Sprout, do you mean that this cross-domain integration that Ritual Magic can achieve can also be done with specific Charms? For example, the Essence Replenishment I taught Neville before, this Charm can directly act on magic plants, enhancing their vitality, and even making them grow quickly, which is essentially a modification of herbal properties."
"Yes... yes, that's right," Professor Sprout nodded slowly, her gaze falling on Dylan, her tone tinged with relief. "Dylan, what I'm about to say, you've actually already been practicing."
"Not only are you doing this yourself, but you've also shared this mindset and method with others in 'MSC,' especially Neville."
"This is also the fundamental reason why he has progressed so quickly in the field of Herbology and is now increasingly adept at handling magic plants."
She paused and continued: "But you should know that such an approach is not only applicable to the 'cultivation process' but also to the 'final result.'"
"These ideas are insights I've slowly summarized over many years of observing and learning from nature. Today, I just happened to get this opportunity to talk to you about them."
"If you've already summarized these principles yourself, then just consider me an old person who likes to ramble, or help me check again to see if there are any omissions in these ideas so I can refine them."
Hearing Professor Sprout say this, Dylan smiled slightly: "Professor Sprout, if you're willing to share these experiences, I'll certainly listen attentively. How could I think you're rambling? These are the culmination of your many years of hard work, and they're incredibly valuable to me."
Although, he had already figured out some of these experiences himself.
But he was still very willing to listen to the ideas of other Wizards.
After all, being stuck in one's ways would only lead to gradual obsolescence, not progress.
Being able to take others' advice was also a very interesting thing.
You never know when you might gain inspiration from an unintentional remark from someone else.
Professor Sprout also smiled, waving her hand, and said in a relaxed tone: "Let's start with the most basic plant cultivation—to get a new magic plant, there are actually many ways. The simplest and most direct way, of course, is to sow seeds, then patiently wait for them to sprout, grow leaves, and gradually develop into a mature plant."
"But besides sowing, cuttings, division, or grafting are all viable cultivation methods. Although these methods differ greatly in operational steps and applicable plant types—some require cutting branches, some require separating root systems, and some even combine parts of different plants—their ultimate goal is exactly the same: to obtain a healthy 'new plant.'"
She bent down and gently stroked a pot of recently divided Forget-Me-Nots, continuing: "As a qualified Herbologist, one cannot only know one cultivation method. Instead, one must flexibly choose the most suitable cultivation method based on the resources at hand—for example, whether there are enough seeds or branches; the growing environment—for example, whether the temperature and humidity are suitable for sowing; and the specific desired effect—for example, whether a mature plant is needed quickly, or whether the characteristics of the mother plant need to be preserved."
"When you put it that way, isn't it like a Wizard's travel methods?" Dylan said after listening. "For example, Apparition, Side-Along Apparition, and portkey. The principles and operations of these travel methods are completely different. Apparition requires the Wizard to master spatial magic themselves, Side-Along Apparition relies on a guide, and a portkey requires a magic item to be made in advance. But their ultimate goal is the same—to safely transport a person from one place to another."
He continued: "As long as the ultimate goal can be achieved, one can flexibly choose the most suitable method to achieve the desired result based on the actual situation. Thinking about it this way, this principle seems applicable in many magic fields, not just Herbology and travel magic."
"Just like Godric Gryffindor's 'Two 'P's of Apparition Principle,' and the traditional 'Three 'D's Principle' widely used in the Wizarding World now. The core points of these two principles are completely different; one emphasizes 'Focus' and 'Precision,' while the other focuses on 'Determination,' 'Direction,' and 'Destination.' But they both achieve the same goal through their respective logic and methods—to help Wizards practicing Apparition successfully master and cast this spatial magic, avoiding the danger of 'splinching.'"
Chapter 376: Exploring the Meaning of the Soul is, in Fact, Exploring the Essence of magic
As Dylan's thoughts broadened, he considered the Ancient Runes course: "It can actually be further extended to the Ancient Runes course. Based on the concept of magic you explained to me before, studying Ancient Runes can also yield different insights compared to other magic subjects."
"However, there are also differences. magic circuits present concrete visual images that can be directly observed, making it easy to form clear concepts and quickly apply them in practice. Ancient Runes, on the other hand, record information using symbols. While more concise, it is much harder for the writer to truly understand the magical logic behind the symbols, form concrete concepts, and then apply them to practice."
He paused, clarified his thoughts, and continued: "Those observable magic traces can actually be called the 'purpose' of magic, or its 'final result'—after all, these traces are the state that magic inevitably presents when it takes effect. Since Ancient Runes are similar to magic circuits, they naturally serve a similar purpose, essentially recording what effects and states magic will produce after it is cast."
"This also illustrates the diversity of magic—sometimes, casting completely different magic can ultimately produce similar effects or phenomena."
"Just like Expelliarmus and Stupefy, these two spells have completely different uses; one disarms the opponent, and the other renders them unconscious. However, when casting them, similar red light bursts from the tip of the wand. From the external phenomena, it's hard to distinguish them immediately."
Dylan effortlessly connected these scattered thoughts: "It is precisely because we know that different magic can produce similar effects that, in practical application, we can selectively change the magicused according to specific needs. Taking the most intuitive and simple spellcasting as an example, the benefits of such 'changes' are obvious—either it can simplify the spellcasting process, such as replacing a complex ritual with a simple Charms, or it can allow us to choose the most suitable method to achieve the desired effect based on the scenario, for instance, using gentle magic to achieve the same goal in situations where powerful spells cannot be used."
The more Dylan spoke, the more excited he became: "Professor, I've realized that as I learn more and more magic and accumulate increasingly diverse knowledge, it's indeed time to pause and organize it, integrating knowledge from different fields and then applying it flexibly."
"Through this method, whether it's casting complex combination magic or brewing intricate Potions, one can become more at ease and gradually achieve the effect of free casting."
"Now I understand that true freedom doesn't just refer to the skilled mastery of a single spell, being able to cast it instantly. More importantly, it means familiarity with and understanding of the magical system, knowing their connections and differences, and being able to flexibly switch methods and combine techniques when needed, ultimately achieving goals efficiently."
Professor Sprout listened to Dylan's words, tilted her head slightly in thought for a few seconds, then nodded gently, her tone clearly affirmative, "That's an excellent example that clearly explains the principle of 'different methods achieving the same goal.' It seems you've thoroughly grasped this concept."
Dylan chuckled.
Ravenclaw had actually taught him this principle.
But he couldn't tell her that.
Otherwise, he might scare her half to death.
"Professor Sprout, actually, this is how I understand the relationship between Ancient Runes and magiccircuits." Dylan organized his thoughts, "The way Ancient Runes record magic is, to be honest, very similar to ripples caused by disturbing water. When we see ripples on the water's surface, we don't necessarily need to know what disturbed the water—whether it was the wind or a stone falling in—just by observing the shape of the ripples and their propagation path, we can roughly deduce the operational logic of the magical energy."
"Comparing Ancient Runes to ripples on water..." Professor Sprout smiled with satisfaction after hearing him. She nodded gently, her eyes full of approval, "This analogy is very vivid and apt. It seems you've completely understood their core connection, even faster than I expected. You are truly an excellent child."
"Thank you for the compliment~" Dylan was not modest.
"Haha, you are indeed an interesting child. I am very glad Hogwarts has a student like you." Professor Sprout laughed, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes smoothing out.
Professor Sprout continued: "While studying herbology, I discovered a principle, or rather, a concept. This concept applies not only to herbology, and that is harmony. Of course, it's not just that different magic can harmonize with each other and achieve the same goal; there also needs to be harmony between magic and the Wizard."
She paused, explaining further: "Every Wizard has their own area of magical expertise. Some excel at Transfiguration, some at Potions, and others at Herbology. In their areas of expertise, Wizards often master techniques more quickly, and the learning process is relatively simpler."
"In this way, we can try to use our 'simple magic' expertise to understand and explain complex, unfamiliar magical fields. This is the harmony between magic and the Wizard."
"Furthermore, I have always believed that the essence of magic is magic itself; it is an objectively existing energy. All we do is describe the operating laws and effects of magic using our own understanding and language, much like describing the 'soul.'"
"However, everyone's cognition and experiences are different, so even the same magic will exhibit subtle differences in the understanding and application of different Wizards. Everyone's 'magic' is actually unique."
"Therefore, exploring the meaning of the soul is, in fact, exploring the essence of magic."
Dylan immediately understood Professor Sprout's meaning and nodded knowingly, "Because the Wizard is the subject who wields magic. Only by understanding one's own soul, knowing one's strengths and limitations, can one better control magic and make it serve one's purpose."
"That's exactly it." Sprout nodded, agreeing.
She subconsciously turned her head to look at the sky outside the Greenhouse, only then realizing that, without her noticing, night had completely faded, and the sun had slowly risen.
Golden sunlight pierced through the gaps in the clouds, scattering onto the snow-covered ground outside the Castle. The pristine white snowflakes looked like a layer of velvet blanket, gleaming with a soft luster in the sunlight, bringing a touch of warmth to the cold winter day.
"I can't believe we've been chatting for so long!" Professor Sprout said with a hint of emotion, raising her hand to look at the magic watch on her wrist, "It's almost breakfast time before we knew it. We've been busy all morning, so we must be tired and hungry. You should go to the Great Hall for breakfast."
After the joyous revelry of last night's Christmas Ball, the students' pent-up energy was fully released.
Furthermore, with the Christmas holiday now in full swing, many students were still lounging in their dorms catching up on sleep. The number of people having breakfast in the Great Hall was not large, making it feel exceptionally spacious.
The Great Hall's decor had returned to its usual appearance; all the streamers and lanterns that had decorated it for the Ball were gone. The walls and ceiling once again revealed their ancient stone textures, and the round dining tables and matching chairs previously set up had also vanished. The four iconic House long tables were back in their original positions, neatly arranged in the center of the Great Hall.
However, the relaxed holiday atmosphere broke down the usual sense of boundaries.
Students from different Houses, and between Hogwarts and other magic schools, no longer sat in strictly segregated areas as they usually did. Many were mingling at the same long tables, gathering in small groups of two or three to chat.
The conversations almost entirely revolved around last night's Christmas Ball. Some excitedly shared funny stories from their dances, while others regretted not being able to invite their desired partners. Occasionally, bursts of laughter could be heard.
After eating, he went directly to the library.
A while later, the Gryffindor long table began to fill up.
Fred was enthusiastically stuffing a colorfully wrapped magic firework into Seamus Finnigan's hand, his tone full of encouragement: "Christmas break is all about having fun! Your idea of surprising your friend is brilliant, and this firework will definitely help you achieve that effect!"
George took the Galleons Seamus handed over, carefully slipped them into his pocket, and added, "Surprising her while everyone's in a good mood during the holidays will surely make her remember it for a lifetime, a truly unforgettable experience! Opportunities like this don't come often."
"Hey! Not so loud!" Seamus quickly lowered his voice, glancing warily at the Hufflepuff long table not far away, afraid of being overheard by the target. "If you say it all out loud, how can it still be a surprise? If she finds out beforehand, it'll all be for nothing!"
"Ah! Our apologies~ We were thoughtless!" George immediately covered his mouth, also lowering his voice, but a mischievous smile still played on his face. "It was indeed our fault; we almost ruined your plan."
Seamus held the firework, still a bit uneasy, and confirmed again, "The way to use this firework is the same as the Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-bangs I've used before, right? I don't want to mess it up because of improper operation."
"Of course!" Fred patted his chest, saying proudly, "But our 'Water Blossom' is even more powerful than the Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-bangs—you don't even need a special flame, just a bit of liquid will light it, it's very convenient. Whether it's for creating a romantic surprise…"
"Or for a little prank to create a scare…" George immediately chimed in, his tone full of teasing, "It's the best choice! You can be a hundred percent sure, absolutely nothing will go wrong!"
"What problem? What fun things are you two plotting now?" Ron's voice suddenly came from beside them, and his abrupt question made Seamus's hand tremble.
He quickly steadied his hand, gripping the firework tightly, his heart still pounding.
Seeing this, George chuckled and said, "It's nothing big, just a special little gadget we prepared for Seamus, don't be nervous."
"Yes!" Fred also nodded, a hint of mystery in his smile. "Even if it accidentally explodes, it definitely won't hurt anyone, at most…"
"Whoosh!" George suddenly cut in, pointed a finger at the firework in Seamus's hand, then gestured towards the distant teachers' long table, exaggeratingly saying, "At most, it'll fly over to the teachers' long table before exploding; it won't affect us here."
"Uh." Seamus finally breathed a sigh of relief, quickly stuffed the magic firework into his jacket pocket, then pointed at Fred and George, emphasizing with a serious expression, "From now on, no more talk about me, lest someone else hears!"
"Of course! Of course! Don't you trust us to handle things?" George covered his mouth again, feigning seriousness. "We're known for being tight-lipped; we absolutely won't leak a single word!"
"Yes! Yes! Harry knows our character better than anyone!" Fred said, winking at Harry, who was eating porridge not far away, his tone clearly teasing. "For example, those little incidents when Harry invited a partner to the Christmas Ball, we never told anyone, right?"
Harry heard this and nearly spat out the liquid in his mouth.
He immediately swallowed hard, then choked and coughed repeatedly, his face flushing red: "You two clearly said before… that you'd never mention it again! Why are you bringing it up now?!"
"Invited a partner? What happened?" Ron immediately became interested, leaning closer to Harry, asking curiously, "How come I didn't know about such a big thing? Who did you invite? Wasn't it just Luna?"
"Look!" Fred and George pointed at Ron simultaneously, saying in unison, "Even your best friend, Ron, doesn't know about this, doesn't that prove how trustworthy we are? Our secrecy is absolutely top-notch!"
Harry looked at their smug expressions, both annoyed and amused, and could only shake his head helplessly, continuing to eat his porridge, secretly feeling relieved.
Good thing they didn't spill all the details!
Fred and George exchanged a mischievous glance, chuckled, patted Seamus's shoulder, and then left with their trays, leaving Ron to relentlessly question Harry.
"Come on, tell me, how many partners did you invite? Fred and George bringing it up made me curious, keeping it from me is so unfair!" Ron leaned in closer, his eyes full of gossipy light, completely oblivious to Harry's increasingly red face.
Hermione sat across from Harry, holding a fork with vegetables on it.
She watched Ron's persistent manner, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something.
Perhaps she wanted to remind Ron not to dwell on the topic, or perhaps she felt Harry was truly embarrassed.
But in the end, she remained silent, simply picking up a blade of grass and eating it with her head down.
Harry felt his ears ringing.
He instinctively glanced out of the corner of his eye towards the Great Hall entrance.
He saw Snape and Karkaroff walk in, one after the other.
Snape was still wearing his signature black robe, his face as gloomy as if it were about to rain.
Karkaroff followed beside him, his eyes flickering, occasionally stealing glances at Snape, looking somewhat flustered.
"Wait a minute! Don't talk yet!" Harry quickly seized the opportunity, interrupting him, and at the same time, gestured with his eyes, "Look over there!"
Ron followed Harry's gaze and indeed saw Snape walking towards their long table.
He immediately wiped the smile off his face, his movements becoming cautious. He quickly lowered his head, pretending to be engrossed in his porridge, only secretly observing Snape's movements, afraid of attracting his attention.
Seamus also got himself a plate of food, but he didn't immediately use his fork. Instead, he looked towards the Hufflepuff long table not far away again.
Thinking of the surprise he had prepared, a look of anticipation involuntarily appeared on his face, and his fingers secretly touched the magic firework in his pocket, confirming it was still there.
Just then, a chill wind suddenly swept through the Great Hall. Despite being warm indoors, Harry and Ron shivered in unison, goosebumps rising on their backs.
They looked up and saw Snape and Karkaroff had already taken their seats at the teachers' long table. The two were talking in low voices, and the atmosphere seemed particularly heavy.
"What's going on with them? I bet there's something wrong!" Harry frowned, leaning forward slightly, and whispered to Hermione, "Ron and I saw them outside the Castle last night. Snape was arbitrarily deducting points from students then; it felt strange."
"Exactly! I also thought it was strange; they don't look like colleagues just chatting normally." Ronquickly nodded in agreement, his gaze still secretly observing the movements at the teachers' long table. "And look at their expressions now; they both look upset, like they're arguing about something unpleasant."
Hermione put down her fork and finally asked, "So what exactly did you two see last night? Why was Snape deducting points?"
"Uh, actually, the specific reason isn't clear," Harry said with a hint of helplessness. "Anyway, last night we originally wanted to find the fountain, but we saw them patrolling from afar. Snape deducted points from anyone who came close; Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, none escaped, and even Slytherin students were scared away."
"I knew it!" Seamus, who was nearby, suddenly realized, putting down his porridge bowl. "I was wondering why Gryffindor's points seemed to be a lot less today when I passed the house hourglass this morning. I thought I remembered wrong, but I didn't realize Snape had deducted them."