A day at Hogwarts.

Chapter 722 has a condition
In the woods, Charles looked up at the deep dome of the sky, where the stars twinkled quietly.

This starry sky has not only illuminated the path for night travelers for thousands of years, but has also deeply inspired humankind's curiosity and contemplation about the world, giving rise to the budding and development of science.

Astronomy is one of the oldest natural sciences, and the starry sky is a catalyst for scientific thought and theory.

The laws governing the movement of celestial bodies, as one of the natural laws that humankind can directly grasp, have inspired generations of wise men.

The thoughts and discoveries of philosophers such as Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton were all directly or indirectly related to astronomy.

The need to observe the stars has also greatly driven technological innovation. From Galileo's improved telescope pointing to the sky to radio engineers accidentally capturing signals from the Milky Way, every technological leap in human exploration of the universe has deepened our understanding of the laws of nature.

As night deepened, Charles, standing quietly in the woods, gazed up at the starry sky above, his personal curiosity already inextricably linked to the grand scientific narrative of humankind.

This starry sky is the cradle of science, the source of thought, and guides human civilization toward a more profound future.

While Charles was gazing at the stars, Nina and Dobrev were sitting side by side on a comfortable sofa in the cabin, each holding an experimental protocol and looking very focused.

A preliminary exploration of the changes in brain activity of wizards under the influence of the Veela's charm using Muggle neuroelectrophysiological techniques.

The experiment had a long name, and the first part of the protocol explained in detail what Muggle EEG technology was, while the experimental steps in the latter part were very simple.

“Unprecedented,” Nina finally spoke, her voice trembling slightly, whether from excitement or fear, “Charles’ ideas are always so unconventional.”

She used this word to cleverly conceal the turmoil churning within her heart.

Using Muggle machines, spy on wizards, especially the minds of wizards under the influence of Veela charm.

This idea was considered utterly blasphemous by many wizards.

Dobrev, sitting next to her, reacted more directly.

Dobrev was somewhat agitated, his face filled with disbelief.

"Charles wants us to use our Veela talents in front of those cold machines?" Her voice trembled slightly. "Nina, this is unbelievable!"

"I'm worried that if the elders find out about this, they'll kill Charles!"

She could even picture the scene:
In a pale room filled with wires and metal probes, in the middle of the room was a chair with a bespectacled boy with a lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead strapped to it. The elders rushed in and dragged Charles, who was standing in front of the chair, to the corner, punching, kicking, flapping their wings, and stomping on him.

She and her sister were hung from a tree and whipped with a whip soaked in disinfectant for being accomplices.

Nina gently patted her sister's tense hand, signaling her to calm down, and said, "You have to have faith in Charles. He's very sensible and not so easy to be discovered."

"Even if we are discovered, we can say that we were coerced by him."

As the older sister, she is more adaptable and has more solutions.

“This is a completely new research direction,” Nina concluded. “I think it’s worthwhile to study it in depth.”

Times are changing, and so are the Veela's ideas.

Although the old-fashioned people still exist, new ways of thinking have already quietly emerged in places they cannot see.

The two sisters continued reading the experimental protocol, their eyes scanning over the rigorous experimental procedures, variable control methods, and expected data analysis models, but they didn't understand most of it.

However, judging from the annotations and explanations, it must be admitted that, setting aside its sensational exterior, the logical rigor and scientific nature of the plan itself are so impressive that even if they don't understand it, they still find it remarkable. Nina pointed to the section on "baseline brainwave acquisition in a non-active charm state" and said to Dobrev, "He was very thoughtful. He didn't require us to use our abilities throughout the process, but rather established a strict control."

"He even took into account the potential impact of the subjects' wizarding qualifications, age, emotional stability, and even their existing knowledge of Veela."

Her voice gradually lowered as her gaze fell on the appendix of the plan, where several familiar names appeared on the list of volunteers—or rather, "forced volunteers"—to participate in the experiment. The reason given was that "wizards in this age group have stable magical power, strong curiosity, and are easily mobilized under the guise of 'contributing to magical research,'" and the pay was cheap.

Dobrev followed her gaze, shook his head, and said, "He still intends to target these students?"

"You don't just grab a sheep and shear it."

Nina fell silent, feeling a pang of sympathy for the young people from Hogwarts, wondering what terrible mistake they had made to warrant such a stern look from Charles.

The two sisters quickly fell silent again, continuing to peruse the lab report and occasionally whispering among themselves.

After a long time, they turned to the section about the rewards for the experiment.

"How many zeros?" Dobrev's eyes widened.

Nina slowly traced the numbers with trembling fingers, counting them aloud.

“Five zeros!” Her voice trembled more violently than ever before after she finished counting. “There are just too many. If it’s just for those studies, I feel a little uneasy.”

Dobrev nodded.

“This money might not be so easy to get.” She suddenly became serious. “Such research is against tradition. If it is discovered, it will be destroyed, and it might even be taken to the International Wizarding Federation for discussion.”

"So, this money should include hush money for us."

Nina thought it made a lot of sense, and after a moment's thought, she said, "I think it's still very unsafe."

They discussed it for a while, came up with a preliminary idea, and then went out of the cabin to find Charles.

Charles sat on a fallen giant tree, scratching Ruby's head while feeding it candy with his other hand.

Nina and Dobrev sat down on either side of Charles.

“We have concerns,” Nina said earnestly. “We find this research very interesting, but we must carefully consider the safety aspects.”

"We regret that this problem cannot be solved."

Dobrev nodded, his meaning quite clear.

"Safety?" Charles looked at her, puzzled. "What are you worried about? Why don't you tell me?"

Nina replied, "Your research seriously violates the International Law on Secrecy, and we don't want to go to jail."

Charles thought about it and realized it made sense; he could do whatever he wanted, but they couldn't.

“It will be divided into two parts,” he said after a moment of thought. “First, I will build an experimental site that outsiders will not know about.”

"Secondly, how about I kidnap you and make you work for me? As for your payment, I can pay you through certain special channels."

(End of this chapter)