Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 365, Section 363: Three Centuries

On the eve of dawn.

Sitting around the warm fire, Mrs. Aesop was telling stories of what had happened on this land. The cold wind made the doors and windows creak, and Sheehan put on his scarf and listened attentively as Mrs. Aesop's voice drifted over from the fire.

"...The original cabin was built with branches and animal hides, so my lover James decided to help me rebuild a stone cabin on the top of Greylock Mountain."

He drew up a design that looked quite feasible, but when it came to construction, he was a complete muggle.

Using magic, I brought the design to life in just one afternoon. We named the cottage after my parents' house, also called it 'Iphamoni'…

Ms. Aesop's pearly eyes held a sense of reminiscence.

"So, you've decided to leave?"

Sheen picked up the pumpkin juice and asked earnestly.

"The eve of dawn is the time for the lost to move."

Ms. Aesop was implying something.

"Floppar caterpillar slime, lavender, valerian, forgetfulness water, mistletoe berries..."

Sheen nodded and began to count the materials needed for the ceremony.

He needs to use materials to inscribe magical runes and finally use a special incantation to complete the burial ceremony.

Ms. Aesop watched quietly as he tallied the materials, then turned her deep gaze to the window.

Everything here is white, and snowflakes are still falling.

Inside the house, a silvery-white owl sleeps on a perch by the fireplace. Behind it are various photographs hanging on the wall, and beside it are all sorts of bottles and jars, making the whole scene resemble a Victorian-era oil painting.

Before it, a sliver of sky peeked through the thick curtains, cool and clear like diluted blue ink—a color between night and dawn. All around was quiet, save for Bai Yi's slow, deep breathing.

When everything was ready, Sheehan saw Ms. Aesop smile:
"Such an alchemical ritual is not simple. You have extremely high alchemical talent, and of course, magical creature talent—the second child to take the cat and leopard away... Perhaps the wizards of Hogwarts have a unique attraction to cats and leopards?"

Ms. Aesop looked at the magic rune array,
"Iphamoni's magical creatures are free; take them with you, child. Don't worry about anything else."

Speaking of Hogwarts, it's a distant symbol; I've never been there. Three centuries… I've dedicated everything to Iphamoni…”

Ms. Aesop was muttering to herself.

Sheen saw his breath turn into white mist. He silently opened the Wizard's Book, and the cabin was quiet in the pre-dawn hour.

He stepped into the cabin, took out a photograph, and handed it to Ms. Aesop.

The photo shows a group portrait in the Great Hall of the magnificent Hogwarts Castle at Christmas.

"what……"

Ms. Aesop paused, her smile blooming, but the light in her eyes faded, her pupils seemed to lose focus, appearing empty and unfocused, as she gazed into the distance for a long time.

"Thank you, kid."

She tried to reach out and touch the little wizard, but could only see his arm pass by.

"Aren't you... going to say goodbye?"

Sheen asked.

I'm not good at saying goodbye. That's fine, we'll never say goodbye.

Ms. Aesop said.

Sheen merely glanced silently out the window, where there was more than just a blanket of white snow.

Beneath the beech trees, there clearly stood an elderly principal and an elderly Pukchi.

So Sheen nodded and prepared to begin the ceremony, but to his surprise, Lady Aesop did not cooperate and instead floated to a secluded corner of the stone hut.

Sheen followed and found a book on the ground—"The Book of Ghosts".

"During my time as a ghost, I constantly studied myself, but unfortunately, while I retained my intelligence at first, I soon lost it..."

Ms. Aesop's expression was filled with reminiscence.

"However, I have done a very good job regarding the ultimate death of ghosts."

You will understand, my dear, that ghosts cannot die; they are trapped in the emotions of the moment of death. There is no joy, and over time, they become forgetful and alienated—a perpetual torment.

By fulfilling the ghosts' obsessions, you can send them away, and doing so will bring you unexpected benefits.

Ms. Aesop entered the ceremony. "Is death a great adventure?"

Sheen suddenly asked.

"No one knows what hasn't happened."

Ms. Aesop said with a smile.

"Alright, goodbye, Ms. Sel."

Sheen said.

A wisp of mist rose up, and Sheen looked at it with curiosity.

"From County Kerry in Ireland and the Comlogra Valley to North America, all kinds of dangers have passed by like fleeting clouds."

I've had lovers' quarrels with this world.

Lady Aesop's figure grew increasingly ethereal, until finally, she began to hum a song in an ancient melody:

"Ilvermorny, Massachusetts, we chose it. We chose it."

Excellent magic academy, your walls protect us.

The days with you were like a fleeting dream.

You taught us everything about magic.

One thing is very clear now: no matter where we are, no matter where we are;

Our true home, our one and only home;

It's Ilvermone—"

The cabin was quiet.

Sheen heard someone crying, but he wasn't surprised; when someone leaves, someone cries.

Ms. Aesop was undoubtedly a qualified headmistress and an excellent wizard.

Now, dawn has broken.

Sheen also needs to prepare to expand the second space of the Wizarding Book—first, he needs to expand the Wizarding Book, then move it into the natural space, cast the separation spell and the weather spell, and finally form the snowfield region.

More importantly, the task of building affinity with the cat and leopard is not yet complete.

Ms. Aesop's reassurance that she didn't need to worry about the cat and leopard actually made things easier for her; now she only needed to tell Professor Terra.

Just as Sheen tapped the portal to the Wizard's Book, a voice interrupted him.

"wizard!"

A Pukchi is knocking on the door.

Sheen was taken aback, and then felt somewhat at a loss.

This was clearly the Pukouch William, Ms. Aesop's best friend for three centuries, and she had just given it away to Ms. Aesop like this...

“Mr. Hermes.”

At that moment, another voice rang out.

This was clearly Principal Herrera, Ms. Aesop's beloved student; they had all witnessed them seeing Principal Aesop off...

So Sheen's expression gradually calmed down, and he silently opened the door.

Pukchi, who was three feet tall and had a terrible complexion, walked in.

It glanced at Sheen, then placed a few Mayflowers in the center of the ceremony.

"I'm leaving."

"Pukchwian said to Principal Herrera, who had just walked in."

Then he turned to Sheehan:

“Wizard, you have earned my respect, and I will repay you, even though Pukchi loathes humans.”

(End of this chapter)