A day at Hogwarts.

Chapter 650 First Test
When you push open the door to the painting studio of the Hogwarts Painting Society, time seems to be slowed down.

The soaring ceiling was bathed in the soft glow of a crystal chandelier sponsored by Charles, and the air was filled with the distinctive, slightly bitter smell of turpentine and pigments.

The huge windows were covered by heavy velvet curtains, blocking out all outside noise.

A dozen or so easels were neatly arranged, like silent soldiers. Students sat attentively in front of most of the easels, and the only sounds were the faint noises of their painting, which made the studio even more tranquil.

This is a forbidden zone for all restlessness, a sanctuary constructed of color and light.

However, this tranquility was suddenly shattered.

With a loud bang, the studio door was violently forced open and slammed against the wall.

Hermione stood in the doorway, her cheeks flushed, her eyes burning with fire, her chest heaving with rapid breathing, and her usually smooth hair now disheveled with anger.

When the members of the painting society saw that it was Hermione, the younger students didn't dare to mess with her, while the older students pointed to Charles's private studio.

Hermione drew her wand and entered the studio, but unexpectedly, two figures were standing there.

In an instant, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her head, Hermione's anger was frozen solid, stuck in her throat, turning into a short, almost inaudible gasp.

Dumbledore was wearing a robe covered in stars, and his wizard hat was also covered in stars. When Jack gave him this outfit, he said something incomprehensible, such as "The devil's status is determined by the number of stars on his hat, and you have the most stars and the highest status."

He was gazing with great interest at a huge oil painting on the easel.

Umbridge, still wearing that unsettling pink cardigan, stood beside the principal with a forced smile, equally captivated by the painting.

Hermione's reason instantly overwhelmed her emotions. At this moment, what difference would it make from talking about the octagon duel?

It would have been extremely unwise to have a quarrel in front of the two professors, especially Umbridge.

She forced down her turbulent emotions, and the anger on her face quickly dissipated like the receding tide, replaced by a slightly stiff calm. She stepped inside, gently closed the door behind her, and walked slowly.

"...So, Charles, I heard there's been new progress on your project?"

Dumbledore's voice was gentle, tinged with curiosity, as he nodded to Hermione who was approaching.

Everyone knows about Hermione and Charles's relationship. Now that Charles is about to make big news, Hermione is here to see what's going on. Even Umbridge isn't surprised.

Charles didn't know what Hermione was there for, but he didn't care for that for the moment and answered the headmaster's question: "Yes, headmaster."

"The difficulties encountered in creating the initial 'magic model' far exceeded my expectations. Therefore, I adopted a step-by-step approach, first creating large models that solved specific problems, and finally creating comprehensive large models."

He was explaining these words to Umbridge, pointing to the oil painting on the easel in front of him as he spoke.

The painting depicts a bright, clean, modern kitchen, where Hatsune Miku, with her iconic green twin tails reaching her ankles, stands gracefully, wearing a slightly fitted white chef's robe.

“So I decided to start with the simplest area,” Charles continued, “a large model focused on cooking.”

"I used this oil painting as a medium to incorporate basic cooking knowledge, ingredient characteristics, seasoning principles, and so on, through various methods."

"She is just an interactive interface. Users can tell her the ingredients, seasonings, and flavors they want, and she will generate a detailed recipe and demonstrate the entire cooking process on screen."

Umbridge let out an exaggerated, girlish exclamation: "Oh my goodness! That's so clever, my dear child!"

She leaned forward, her pink figure almost blocking the entire view, and said, "What a creative idea! The combination of magic and... uh, this lively young lady, is truly ingenious!"

Clearly, she didn't understand what a "magical large model" was, and thought the painting was just like the fat lady.

Dumbledore knew exactly what Charles was doing, but he smiled and asked with interest, "So, may we test its abilities now?"

“Of course, Principal.” Charles nodded, then turned to the portrait. “Miku, activate.”

The Hatsune Miku in the drawing immediately came to life. She bowed slightly and said in a crisp, synthesized voice, "Hatsune Miku is at your service. What would you like to eat today?"

“Let me try! Headmaster, please allow me to try first!” Umbridge eagerly stepped forward, saying in a high-pitched voice, “Hmm… let me think…”

She thought for a moment, then posed a question.

A subtle, data-like glint flashed in Hatsune Miku's eyes—a mere visual effect of her thinking. After a brief pause, she replied in a completely flat tone, "We can make zucchini and eggplant stew, with some meat."

Next, Hatsune Miku in the drawing begins to move.

Her demonstration was precise and meticulous, with each step measured as if by a ruler, the pieces cut to the exact same size, and the order of adding them to the pan meticulously.

As she operated the machine, she read out the steps in a flat, descriptive manner. The whole process was highly efficient, as if she were performing a rigorous magical procedure.

Umbridge, however, watched with great interest, frequently exclaiming "Oh!" and "Wow!"

Charles stood quietly to the side, watching Hatsune meticulously complete her tutorial on zucchini and eggplant stew using the phrase "make a paste with the first sound of the sun."

He raised his hand, gently pinched the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb, and sighed almost imperceptibly.

This road is rugged and long.

Dumbledore's eyes, however, gleamed.

Instead of rushing to comment, he waited until Hatsune finished her demonstration before gently proposing a few more complex test requests: "What if I wanted to make a main course suitable for a dinner party with steak and red wine, but all I had on hand were herbs and black pepper?" Or, "What could I make with chicken and root vegetables if the diners didn't like it too sweet but craved a rich spice flavor?"

Faced with these more challenging demands, Hatsune Miku in the painting needs more time to "think," and the data stream in her eyes flashes more frequently.

But in the end, she provided recipes that were logically clear, reasonably balanced, and wouldn't kill anyone.

“Impressive, Charles.” Dumbledore finally nodded, his tone filled with genuine appreciation. “It is always the hardest thing to do to create something from nothing.”

"You have taken a solid step, and the medium and interaction method are also very ingenious."

Umbridge immediately chimed in, her cloyingly sweet, theatrical voice proclaiming, "More than just a solid step! This is a brilliant example of Hogwarts' innovative spirit!"

"Charles, my dear, you are a genius!"

"The Ministry of Magic will be very interested in this; it fully demonstrates the boundless potential of young wizards when properly guided!"

Her words sounded particularly harsh in the quiet studio, and Hermione couldn't help but frown.

After exchanging a few more brief words, Dumbledore and Umbridge finally turned and left.

Before leaving, Umbridge gave Charles an encouraging look.

The studio door closed again, the heavy wooden door shutting out the outside world. The room returned to its previous tranquility, but the ripples of the brief commotion seemed to linger in the air.

Hermione's tense nerves finally relaxed a little.

She immediately turned around, no longer hiding her emotions, and strode over to Charles's easel.

The anger that had been forcibly suppressed reignited, though no longer as out of control as when he first entered, but transformed into a sharper, colder questioning.

“Charles,” her voice was low, but each word seemed to be drawn from liquid helium, “now, please explain!”

"Why?" She took a deep breath, as if she needed extra oxygen to support her next words. "Why did the 'Academic Progress and Improvement Seminar' that I was in charge of inexplicably become the superior organization of that... that violent 'octagon duel'?"

"Do you know what this will turn tutoring institutions into?"

"What would be the consequences if Professor Dumbledore and Umbridge investigated this further?"

Charles had turned back and continued adjusting the magic painting. Hatsune Miku in the painting had returned to a still state, as if nothing had happened.

Hearing Hermione's rapid-fire questions, he didn't stop what he was doing; he simply turned his head and glanced at her with his calm eyes.

“What do you think is the difference between this wizarding octagon duel that Ron organized and the old dueling clubs?” Charles said calmly.

Hermione opened her mouth, wanting to subconsciously say that the difference was huge, but she immediately realized that after resolving the issue of legality, apart from not having a professor's guidance, there didn't seem to be much difference.

As Charles revealed the "source code" of the oil painting, he said, "I just heard that the results of this month's exams were terrible. You should consider tutoring."

(End of this chapter)