A day at Hogwarts.

Chapter 636 Solutions to the Problem

On a Sunday afternoon, the Hogwarts library was packed with people.

Under the sunlight, countless dust particles danced in the light, like tiny sprites gracefully twirling.

The air was filled with the scent of old parchment, the fragrance of freshly sprayed insect repellent and mildew remover, and the aroma of bookshelves aged over time, all intertwining to create a unique and comforting atmosphere.

The rustling of turning pages, a suppressed cough in the distance, or a conversation in hushed tones briefly broke the silence.

Ron navigated the labyrinthine bookshelves, carefully avoiding Mrs. Pince's well-known patrol route, and finally stopped in front of a row of dusty bookshelves that seemed to have been forgotten by time.

“Contract Magic and Its Applications…” He read aloud the old title embossed in gold on the spine of the book, took a deep breath, stood on tiptoe, stretched out his arm, and laboriously pulled out a thick book as thick as a brick from the top shelf.

Compared to the books next to it, this book, which Hermione had just returned that morning, was completely dust-free.

Just then, a familiar, slightly surprised voice came from the other end of the bookshelf: "Ron, I never expected to run into you here."

Before he finished speaking, Charles had already walked out of the restricted book section.

Ron usually borrowed books mainly to complete his homework and would never touch those big books unless he was helping Hermione carry them.

Ron wasn't surprised that he came out of the restricted section and replied, "It's just an interesting book I wanted to take a look at."

“Contract Magic and Its Application?” Charles glanced at the cover. “Oh, who are you going to sign some incredible contract with?”

"It couldn't be Harry, could it? Maybe he's telling him to stop seeing Ginny..."

"Huh? What did you say?!" Ron's eyes sharpened instantly, his blood pressure spiked, and his ears and neck turned bright red.

Charles smiled and said, "Don't be nervous. I can help you when you need to beat up Harry."

Suddenly a stern rebuke came from nearby. A curious first-year student saw Charles come out of the restricted book section and tried to cross the rope to go in, but was immediately chased away by Mrs. Pince.

Distracted by this turn of events, Ron put Harry aside for the moment and said, "I was just researching something about Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Charles didn't seem entirely convinced by this hasty excuse, but he didn't press further. He simply nodded, his smile fading to reveal a hint of sincerity: "If you're truly interested in this area, I would recommend 'An Introduction to European Black Magic.' It's fundamental and well-organized."

“I know you’ve read this book before, so I suggest you read it in conjunction with the core chapters of books that introduce black magic, such as ‘The Most Poisonous Magic.’ This will give you a deeper understanding and is more effective than trying to read a single, thick book.”

"You're already a prefect, so finding an excuse to get a pass to the restricted area shouldn't be a problem."

Ron's expression subtly changed; he hadn't expected Charles to instruct him on matters of black magic.

He nodded vigorously, trying to keep his tone calm, and said, "Um... thank you for your suggestion, I will look into it carefully."

Charles smiled and said finally, "Remember, a wizard's mind can be affected by dark magic, and this effect is mutual."

"As long as it is detected and intervened early, this negative impact can be eliminated."

After he finished speaking, he turned and left.

Ron watched his figure disappear behind the layers of bookshelves until it was completely out of sight, but he kept thinking about what he had just said.

As night falls, darkness envelops the ancient castle.

In the boys' dormitory in the Gryffindor Tower, warm yellow light leaked through the gaps in the curtains.

Ron sat curled up in the center of the four-poster bed, the thick book "Contract Magic and Its Applications" spread open on his lap, which was covered in pajamas, almost filling the entire space. A magical lamp, which he had levitated with a levitation charm, floated beside the bed, casting a soft glow that turned his red hair a deeper bronze and outlined his focused profile on the yellowed pages.

The book is filled with intricate and ancient incantations, elaborate illustrations, and dense annotations, making it dazzling.

Ron frowned, one hand supporting his chin, the other holding a worn-out quill pen, writing rapidly on the unfolded parchment.

He paused from time to time to draw lines, his lips moving silently as he tried to understand the usage and limitations of those obscure spells in a modern context.

Just then, the dormitory door creaked open, and Harry dragged his weary steps in.

He had just finished the Quidditch team's first official meeting, and his school uniform still smelled of butterbeer.

“You’re here,” Harry said, his voice heavy with weariness but also brimming with surprise.

He took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and said, "Hermione thought you were somewhere working on Snape's potions paper. I looked for you twice but couldn't find you."

Ron looked up abruptly, his movements so fast it was as if he had been petrified and then suddenly released from his spell, like someone caught red-handed doing something wrong.

He hurriedly grabbed a fluffy pillow, covered the book and parchment on his lap, and said, "Nothing! Really! Just... doing some research."

His voice rose slightly because he felt guilty.

Harry raised an eyebrow, slowly took off his glasses, wiped the fog off the lenses with the hem of his robe, and walked towards his bed. "Come on, Ron. How long have we known each other? I can tell you're hiding something. Another new gadget from Zonko? What is it this time? A quill that bites? Or a fake wand that sprays water?"

He spoke in a relaxed, teasing tone.

“No…not those,” Ron hesitated, his eyes flickering as if he were weighing something.

After a moment, as if making up his mind, he slowly moved the pillow he was using as cover away. "Yes... do you remember that morning in the common room, when those two third-year students got into a fight again?"

“I’m thinking…maybe…there’s a way to resolve these public disputes once and for all.”

Harry curiously leaned closer and looked down in the light of the floating lamp.

When he saw the terms and conditions regarding "enforcement" on the page, his eyes widened slightly: "Contract magic? Ron, this doesn't look like a fifth-grade curse textbook."

“This is quite high-level, and…” He paused, a hint of caution in his voice, “It feels a bit… dangerous?”

“Hermione learned this somewhere,” Ron quickly explained, his fingers unconsciously tracing the faintly shimmering runes on the pages, his fingertips able to feel the subtle magical pulse. “She said if we could find a way to get those who fight at the drop of a hat to sign a magical contract, promising not to fight anymore, and to accept clear and inescapable magical punishment if they break it, it might save us unlucky prefects—and professors—a lot of trouble and time in mediating.”

His eyes gleamed with a mixture of hope and adventure, as well as a hint of worry.

He only mentioned what Hermione had mentioned, without offering his own thoughts.

“However,” Ron said seriously to Harry, “Hermione’s ideas are a bit naive, and I have to make some modifications based on reality.”

Harry asked curiously, "How do you plan to change it?"

"Are you suggesting we make those students sign a contract so they'll stop fighting over it?"

Ron nodded seriously and said, "The first part you mentioned is something I will definitely do, but... grudges that lead to fighting are not so easy to resolve. Let them fight in a controlled environment."

(End of this chapter)