Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 280: Soul Weapons (3k)

"Professor, it's not worth it."

Sheen stood next to Quirrell, and the wizard, whose face had just been contorted with rage, now looked only with respect.

The crowd was eager to find out what had happened, but they didn't dare to get too close for the time being.

Only Lucius Malfoy, pale-faced, got up from the ground and casually slipped a diary between Ginny's brand-new, shiny Lockhart books.

The farce ended quickly; the Weasleys had never seen Lucius leave so sheepishly, without uttering a single harsh word.

Harry, Hermione, and Ginny's eyes lit up. After Professor Quirrell left, Hermione asked eagerly yet cautiously:
“Professor Quirrell is now the agent for the shop at 77 Diagon Alley. Sheehan, you’re actually on such good terms with him now! Oh! That makes sense!”

"It's more than just a good relationship!"

Ron screamed in surprise, then quickly covered his mouth.

"you know?"

Hermione quickly turned her head, raised her eyebrows, and asked.

At this time, the young wizards were free to do as they pleased, because the Weasleys and the Grangers had all gone to the Leaky Cauldron for drinks.

Sheehan was originally surrounded by Hermione and Justin on either side, but now Harry has quietly peeked out, along with Ginny.

The two exchanged a glance and waited silently for something to happen.

"I...I don't know, how would I know..."

Ron wanted to slap himself for what he had just done; why did he have to say it again?

"Sheen, don't tell me you're that person..."

Hermione lowered her voice; she had suspected it for a while, but had never been sure.

"Ah."

Sheen nodded. To the young wizards of Hope Hut, he had never had anything to hide.

"You kept this from us for so long!"

Hermione's anger and surprise came at the same time.

"Is it possible that you didn't ask, but I did?"

Ron whispered from the side.

"Ron, not everyone is like you, casually asking others such important questions!"

Hermione blushed.

"Maybe you're right, keeping secrets is too difficult. I won't ask again next time."

Ron paused for a few seconds, then quickly put on a mournful face, looking rather pitiful.

Hermione was both annoyed and amused by Ron's unexpected admission.

Harry and Ginny were stunned, belatedly realizing that something extraordinary had been said.

"so……"

Harry muttered to himself.

Ginny was initially puzzled yet impressed. But then she seemed to remember something and took out a copy of the Daily Prophet from her small bag.

After careful comparison, she confirmed the identity of the male wizard—he was the manager of the mysterious Shop No. 77, Fairy Tale Shop.

"You are Mr. Hermes, who has returned in glory!"

Ginny couldn't help but gasp.

"Oh, surprised? Not a vampire or werewolf or anything?"

Ron finished speaking out of habit, then realized—

Why did Ginny come with them?
It was only then that the people in Hope Cottage noticed the little witch who had slipped into their midst. Her distinctive Weasley red hair was quite striking, and she was blushing deeply after being discovered.

Even Ron, slow to realize, sensed something was off. They were partners who had gone through many dangers and difficulties to trust and rely on each other, but Ginny wasn't.

He quietly stood in front of Ginny and heard a voice that seemed to float out.

"It's ok."

Sheen said.

"Oh--"

Justin looked at Ginny, lost in thought.

"You decide who should know."

Hermione raised her chin.

"Yeah, sorry."

Ginny realized—she probably shouldn't have come here.

"It's ok."

Sheen said gently.

He saw the notebook in Ginny's bag.

It seems the plot is progressing exactly as planned; Tom's notebook is now in Ginny's hands, and the story of the locked room is about to begin...

He needed to act quickly. Although the original book didn't mention whether Ginny suffered any aftereffects after opening her soul to Tom Riddle—Sheen was more inclined to believe there weren't—it was still best to deal with Horcruxes, something evil and prone to unforeseen consequences, as soon as possible.

As for the solution, you can obtain the raw materials to solve the Horcrux by making cookies yourself.

Ginny, who had inexplicably gained trust, pursed her lips and stood cautiously at the very edge of the young wizards, which softened Hermione's expression, who had just reacted.

“I think you saw Ginny a while ago, didn’t you, Sheehan?”

Hermione walked over to Ginny and winked at Sheehan.

“Hmm,” Sheen replied.

"You see—Sheen never makes a mistake, but don't tell anyone—"

After Hermione finished speaking, Ginny quickly nodded. Her actions had thus changed from eavesdropping on someone's conversation to being tacitly acknowledged.

But... she glanced cautiously at Sheehan, not understanding why Mr. Green trusted her so much.

Diagon Alley's long cobblestone streets are lined with some of the world's most enticing wizard shops, where young wizards weave through the crowds, buying everything they need.

They also passed by all sorts of customers: strange-looking little witches from the countryside who had just come out to buy things;
A seemingly frail wizard is debating the latest article in "Transfiguration Today"; an unkempt wizard; a noisy little dwarf...

Even after visiting several times, Hermione and Justin were still drawn to the wonder of this shopping street.

So they bought six large scoops of strawberry peanut butter ice cream and leisurely strolled through the alley, enjoying their ice cream and browsing the dazzling array of shop windows.

At dusk, a plump figure rolled out of the fireplace in Diagon Alley.

"Nawi! Why are you only arriving now?"

Hermione said.

"After I ranked seventh in my class, Grandpa Algier sent me a top hat that bites as encouragement yesterday..."

Neville touched his thinning hair and swollen nose; tears were already streaming down his face.
"Aunt Eni found a 'nose-biting bean' in the attic, and Uncle Hafang gave me a knee-holding umbrella..."

After hearing his words, everyone felt that it was already quite an achievement for him to get to Diagon Alley.

"Fred and George sometimes put spiders or something in my room."

Ron patted him on the shoulder, expressing his deep sympathy.

Neville silently shed tears, but he was soon frightened into immobility by a black-robed wizard.

"Walk--"

Snape's cold gaze swept over the group of young wizards, finally settling on Sheehan.

"See you at Hogwarts."

Sheen said goodbye quietly and followed Professor Snape.

"Don't you think Professor Snape isn't so scary anymore?"

Hermione said, somewhat surprised.

"Have it?"

Ron scratched his head, looking somewhat incredulous.

……

The nights at Hogwarts are quiet.

Sheen held a stone slab-like object, on which wisps of mist had appeared, seemingly no different from what Sheen had seen in his dream.

An empty symbol itself is not very dangerous, but if the danger lies not in the empty symbol itself, then it lies in how it is used.

Sheen read "Easy Introduction to Empty Talismans" again. When the moonlight became bright enough, wisps of mist also enveloped Sheen.

This was the first time he had used an empty rune, which only existed in the soul artifacts of Vagad.

A very long time passed, or perhaps no time at all.
Sheen had only a vague consciousness. He was aware that he definitely existed, and that he was definitely not just a thought detached from his body, because he was lying, absolutely lying, on the surface of something. Therefore, he had the ability to feel touch, and the thing beneath him also existed.

He might be in a spirit state right now...

He looked at his arm, which was clearly not an arm, but a dark cat paw with a white background.

He lay in a bright mist, but it was unlike the mist he had ever seen in reality. It wasn't that the surrounding scenery was shrouded in cloud-like vapor, but rather that this cloud-like vapor had not yet formed the surrounding scenery.

The ground where he lay seemed white, neither hot nor cold, just an existence, a flat, empty thing.

Just a few minutes later, he heard the panel beeping:

[You have practiced Soul Transformation to the standard of a master, Master-level Proficiency +10]

This was his first time becoming proficient, simply because he had been here for a short while.

The black cat's emerald eyes saw the white mist swirling within, revealing bizarre and fantastical scenes. It quickly leaped away to avoid it.

It traveled through the empty world, and as it walked, some mist emanating from its own body soon appeared around it.

This time, the black cat saw it clearly: some of the mist looked like a combination of a cat and a cheetah, while others had wings...

As it observed intently, it discovered that its consciousness was becoming hazy, as if it were a sign of returning to its original state.

Just then, a huge black paw landed on its body. The black cat wobbled and looked up, seeing a magnificent black panther.

Black Panther speaks in human language:

"Finally, I've met you, my lovely child. Look how talented you are in alchemy and transmutation magic... The supreme god Castor doesn't care about the trivialities of the human world, which is why you've gone to the wrong place."

Return to Uganda, my dear child, Ouagadou has waited too long for you.

Sheen couldn't speak, and he looked at the black panther in confusion.

"I forgot to introduce myself. I am the principal of Wajadu at the time. I've come to take you home, child."

The black panther circled the black cat, its large tail occasionally brushing against the edge of the cat's fur.

The black cat was curious about how the principal had managed to force it to stay, and also about how it could speak human language.

It was getting a little anxious when it heard a loud meow.

"By the Most High God, Your firstborn son is finally returning to his glorious homeland—"

The black panther muttered to itself with unbridled joy, while the black cat had no idea what it was imagining.

“Babajid Akinbad, you should get out of here—”

Upon hearing this, the black cat nimbly turned its head and saw an old wizard wearing a flowing dark blue robe walking towards it.

　It will be finished by 3:30 PM, and there will be another 1:50 PM tomorrow.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)