A broken Hogwarts

Chapter 139 Discussion and Hunting

"...you need to recall your happiest memories, as clearly as possible. Use your wands to draw circles in mid-air while saying the spell..."

At a study group gathering at the end of October, Harry stood on the podium in the small classroom, explaining to everyone the Patronus Charm Dumbledore had recently taught him.

"Professor Dumbledore said that this spell is very advanced and difficult, especially because our magic power level may not meet the requirements. It may take more than a year of persistent practice before we can fully master it..." Ha Li waved his wand to demonstrate for everyone, and a thin white mist flew out from the tip of the wand.

"I don't understand, what's the use of this spell?" Draco waved his wand perfunctorily in Harry's manner, but nothing happened.He muttered impatiently, "To ward off dementors...as if dementors are everywhere."

"Since the headmaster taught Harry this spell, he must have felt the need to be on the safe side. Instead of complaining endlessly, it's better to focus on business." Hermione said with her face raised.Recently, she has been in a bad mood, and she talks like she has taken gunpowder.

"To prevent you from being imprisoned in Azkaban?" Draco sneered, "I'd be happy to watch you go in and experience it for a while. After you get out of prison, remember to write an article about your experience of intimate contact with dementors, and demonstrate that How to release the Patronus Charm in that kind of place..."

Harry was helpless to see the two guys confronting each other again, deftly coming over to block their view.This was the norm for the study group, and he sadly found himself getting used to it.

"Dumbledore said that wizards with patron saints will be blessed with their hearts, not just to deal with dementors..." Harry explained with a serious and yearning expression.

"You heard him filling you with chicken soup." Draco curled his lips, turned his head and saw Owen who was sitting in front of the window, basking in the sun with his eyes closed, leaned over and knocked on his desk: "Look, I caught a lazy guy!"

Owen came out from the space facing the wall, covered his lips and yawned, closed his eyes again and said, "I've learned it, Draco."

"Really?" Draco looked at him suspiciously, and the others also looked over curiously.

Draco said slowly, "Do you think I'll believe your nonsense? You're not as good at this kind of magic as I am. Unless you read one out and see."

Harry also looked over eagerly, his eyes full of curiosity.

"I refuse." Owen lazily hugged his shoulders.

"..." Draco squinted at him, suddenly his eyes lit up, and the corner of his mouth grinned, "You must have summoned a shameful Patronus, right? Let me guess, could it be a Pigs, or mice?"

"Actually, you can be more imaginative." Owen glared at him.

"Maybe it's a dung beetle." Draco shrugged, his gray eyes wandering.If that's the case, he thinks he can laugh at Owen for the rest of his life.

"Owen, do you have any tricks for this spell?" Daphne rolled Draco's eyes, and looked at Owen with sapphire eyes, "I can't always grasp the trick..."

With one hand on his chin, Owen recalled Voldemort's speech last semester, directly transferred some relevant theoretical knowledge and magic principles, and finally said lightly: "The biggest difficulty is nothing more than the visualization of emotions. You need to be as clear as possible. Recall the happiest memories freely, centering on the will of the self, directing or oppressing it, and letting those memories solidify in your brain."

"Come on, I'm optimistic about you." After finishing speaking, he hugged the back of his head and closed his eyes again. The warm sunlight reflected his pale cheeks almost transparently.

A group of young wizards continued to practice as if they had realized something, until the sun gradually set to the west, casting a slanted light and shadow in the classroom.

The people who practiced the spell all afternoon gradually stopped, chatting in twos and threes.

"...So, Hermione, Ron Weasley bullied you?" Harry finally found out what happened to Hermione indirectly from Neville, and figured out why she cried the night the werewolf attacked.

Neville glanced at Hermione in bewilderment, and looked down at the wand in his hand.

"How could I be bullied by that kind of person!" Hermione instinctively raised her face to retort, and then put her cheek on the back of her hand angrily, "That moody idiot! I don't know where I messed with him. That night I just wanted to help him pick up the book that fell on the floor, but he pushed me away brutally and told me to get out of here..."

"Conceited, arrogant, disgusting! Why doesn't he think about how much he weighs?" Hermione's eyes turned red, and her emotions became a little out of control, "I thought that after a year of getting along, we We are already friends... but I didn't expect him to directly expose his true nature, and he has been acting strangely in front of me these days!"

"Ron isn't like this usually, Hermione." Neville, who had been silent all this time, defended his friend, but his tone was a little weak, "He's probably in a bad mood recently..."

"If you're in a bad mood, you want to take your anger out on me?" Hermione wiped the corners of her eyes, then turned her head to look out the window, "Forget it, let's not talk about him, I have nothing to do with him."

However, Harry remembered what Owen had said to Dumbledore that day, about the Ravenclaw diadem, and the news that several Weasleys had become not quite right.He remembered that Ginny had said something similar to him once, that her brothers had become weird.

"Do you remember that I mentioned to you that Ron Weasley wanted to join the study group?" He said thoughtfully, looking at Owen who was listening by the window with his chin resting, "But, When I went to him later, he seemed to have completely forgotten about it... After I explained it to him, he ran away with a face full of horror."

"Also, I feel like he was a completely different man then than he was when he asked me to join the study group," Harry said.

"Why are you giving Weasley so much trouble?" Draco heard Harry's words and couldn't help saying something, but it was completely ignored.

"Tch, be careful that good intentions are not rewarded." He raised his chin and muttered, and took Pansy and the others to the other side of the classroom to watch Blaise toss his weird folding schoolbag.

"I don't know, Harry, Ron has never acted differently in front of us." Neville glanced at Draco and the others, thought about it carefully for a while, and shook his head, "But he's been a little anxious recently, and he's still sick." Weary, we were all worried about him, but he didn't say anything."

"Actually, I know one thing. Several people in the Weasley family seem to have been troubled by one...one item." Harry glanced at Owen again, asking for his opinion with his eyes.Owen nodded with a smile. Anyway, he is not the only one who knows about the crown, and he also wants to see how things will change.

Harry took a deep breath and briefly explained the situation with the crown, while Hermione and Neville listened attentively.When he said the term Ravenclaw's diadem, Daphne, who was sitting opposite Owen, sat up straight, her eyes couldn't help looking over, showing interest.

By the time Harry finished speaking, Hermione had completely calmed down from her annoyance, and her clever IQ once again took the high ground.She carefully recalled the scenes of getting along with Ron, sorting out all the abnormalities of the other party, and suddenly said: "You think, is he reminding us in some way...or even asking us for help!"

Owen, who had been listening to the short story without changing his face, glanced here with interest, and he tapped the table with the pad of his index finger, thinking about what action Dumbledore would take.

"You think, since the beginning of this semester, he has behaved completely differently from last year. But this abnormality seems to have only appeared in front of Harry and me, and Neville didn't notice much of anything wrong with him in the dormitory. "Hermione's eyes shone brightly, and her mood suddenly turned from depression to excitement.She is more willing to believe that the other party has difficulties.

"If the diadem is really a terrible dark magic item, is he being threatened or even controlled?" She pressed her finger to her lips unconsciously, "It only shows abnormalities in front of me and Harry, yes Wasn't it because he thought we could help him? Oh, sorry, Neville, I didn't mean you couldn't help him, but..."

"Maybe there was something in common, or something special, about Harry and me that made him choose us. I'm sure Ron didn't act like someone else to me, childish and... ignorant as always. " Hermione curled her lips, but her expression became serious, "That is to say, he may have acted abnormally on purpose to attract our attention..."

"But what can you and Harry have in common?" Daphne, who also heard this, asked.

"I was thinking." Hermione frowned, curling her matted brown hair with her fingers.

Harry also stroked his chin and thought, is there any similarity between him and Hermione?It was understandable for Ron Weasley to look for Hermione, after all, they were friends, but it was strange to look for himself.They didn't meet much before, at most they asked him about the mouse.

Is it related to Peter Pettigrew?But what does this have to do with Hermione?What was it about him that made Ron come to him for help?Because his hands give bad guys blisters?Or did you pass the level protecting the Philosopher's Stone last year?But the other party didn't know about it either.Or, did he have other deeds?

Thinking of this, Harry was startled.He yelled, "Voldemort!"

His voice echoed in the classroom, making the place instantly deathly silent.The little wizards who heard this name almost froze in place, looked at him in horror, and even lowered their breathing.

Draco staggered and almost fell into Pansy's arms; Blaise froze on the spot, tearing the schoolbag in his hand with a "tear" sound; Crabbe and Goyle stopped chewing candy The pen in Daphne's hand fell to the ground with a "click", and her lips parted slightly.

Hermione and Neville also gasped, and Hermione tugged Harry's sleeve and gave him a wink.

Owen looked away from the view outside the window, and glanced at Harry with a strange smile.The guy had another brain hole, but this time he seemed to be right.

When everyone finally returned to their original state, Harry lowered his voice and said hastily: "I have very little contact with Ron Weasley, and he just found me, and he must think that I can help him. Obviously he doesn't know me but he recognizes me, it must be because he thinks that I have some power in me that can do it, and even has done it..."

"Think about it, why do so many people know me? And who rejects and hates Muggle-born wizards? Isn't that what Ron showed in front of you, Hermione? Maybe he was To confuse someone, and to know that you and I have a good relationship..." Harry said quickly.

"The mysterious man is dead." Daphne pursed her lips, and took the quill she dropped from Owen's hand.

"No, Mr. Dumbledore said that he just lost his shape and has been plotting to make a comeback." Harry said slowly.

Daphne's face was a little pale, and she looked at Owen in a daze.Owen smiled at her, and said softly, "Don't worry about the future, Daphne, focus on the present."

Hermione and Neville looked at each other. One of them was Muggle-born, and the other had a great hatred against Voldemort. They didn't feel so scared, and they digested the information faster.

"But it's still too sensational, Harry." Hermione took a deep breath.

"Yeah, maybe it's just my speculation." Harry silently clenched his fists.But what he didn't say was that he knew that Voldemort sent his servants to Hogwarts last school year to try to steal the Philosopher's Stone... Only he and Owen in this classroom knew this secret.

Could it be that this year he extended his black hands into Hogwarts again?

He turned his head to look at Owen, only to find that this guy was shuffling a deck of cards as if nothing had happened, and his movements were fancy...

"Anyway, now that Dumbledore already knows about it, you just need to pay attention to Weasley's situation recently, so as not to ruin the principal's affairs." Under Harry's increasingly resentful gaze, Owen turned his head Said innocently.

That's the end of the discussion on this matter, but judging from the expressions on the faces of Harry and the two Gryffindors, this matter has not passed at all.

When a group of people were about to leave the classroom, Owen suddenly smiled and clapped his hands happily, and said in a relaxed tone: "Sir Nicholas, oh, almost headless Nick, he will hold his [-]th death anniversary party on Halloween .I will be invited to attend, does any of you want to go with me?"

Harry and the others instantly recalled the night when they went to the ghost party with Owen last semester, the fear of being dominated by the freezing temperature and terrible music... All the little wizards in Slytherin shook their heads without hesitation, And they took a step back.

Hermione, who was in a much better mood, showed a moved expression, it must be a special party.She said happily, "Can I go?"

"Of course." Owen squinted and smiled.

"Then I'll go too." Neville looked at him anxiously.

"I'll go with you too..." Harry sighed, looking as if he was about to step on the execution ground.No one else in Slytherin was willing to go. He felt that as a friend, he should accompany Owen.

"Seven o'clock in the evening on Halloween, don't forget." Owen nodded and said, "Oh, a warm reminder, it's better to wear thicker clothes."

"It has to be very thick," Harry added, "and remember to eat your supper early, there's nothing to eat when you get to the ghost..."

Several people in Slytherin gave Harry's courage admiration, and then everyone dispersed, and the sun outside the castle had just set on the horizon.

……

The day before Halloween was a fine day, and the professors decorated the auditorium early.Gold plates were set on the table, and lights and festoons were everywhere, and candles flickered.Hagrid's big pumpkin was as big as a flower shed. There was a faint blue flame burning in the pumpkin's belly, and there were dark clouds and bats flying in the air.

It's five o'clock in the afternoon, two hours before the party starts.

At this time, Owen was walking alone in the Forbidden Forest, leaning against a giant tree and observing the forest ahead, where the shadow of a huge creature was rustling.

"Penetrate." After the short incantation, a silver-white light beam flew out from the tip of the wand like a laser, and hit the huge shadow soundlessly.Amidst a strange rattling sound, the figure twitched violently and let out a terrifying scream.

"The thorns bind the body!" Owen waved his wand again without changing his expression, and countless black vines wound around the figure. The vines were densely covered with sharp thorns, and the thorns shone with dark green edges.

The huge shadow was tightly tied up and could no longer move.It wanted to howl sharply, but it couldn't even make a sound amidst a "soundless" incantation.

Owen walked over slowly, looking at the big guy caught by him.It was an acromantula the size of a horse. Its eight hairy black legs writhed and twitched wildly among the thorns, and a pair of large black pincers clicked and clicked.

There was a penetrating wound as thick as an adult male's index finger on the hairy belly of the Acrysantha. It was pierced by the Piercing Curse just now, and there were burn marks on the edge of the wound.The thorns and vines entangled its body tightly, and the poisonous thorns penetrated deeply into the spider's body.

Owen threw out Tom's diary, read out the puppet spell, and manipulated the giant spider to put a long leg on the opened page of the diary.Then, he swung his wand quickly, and a slanted gash appeared on the spider's leg, from which gurgling blood flowed out and seeped into the diary.

The diary sucked greedily, but the body of the acromantula became more and more withered. Finally, the eight spider legs shook violently, shrank into a ball and did not move anymore.

Owen scattered the thorn bushes, and threw the acromantula with only a dry shell into the woods.He picked up the diary, shook it, and wrote in it with his wand: "Spiders are really wonderful creatures, aren't they?"

Tom's handwriting slowly emerged on the page: "Sorry, I didn't know you would like this furry...cute."

"Tsk, I mean, they will give you a good meal, won't they?" A smile flashed in Owen's dark and deep eyes.Tom is really getting better at talking.

This is the second time he has come to the Forbidden Forest to catch the acromantula.However, he has never found the nests of those spiders, and he can only hunt some scattered giant spiders.This is also a good thing, Owen actually doesn't want Tom to absorb too much vitality.

"As I said, the magical power and life force of magical animals are very different from wizards, and my efficiency in absorbing them is not high." Tom responded, "Although it is indeed much better than the ordinary animals you found yesterday..."

Owen let out an "oh".He wouldn't say that he fed Tom the mice after his experiment yesterday, which would hurt his feelings easily.

He looked at the sky and continued to write: "It seems that we still have time to find another big spider."

(End of this chapter)