Hogwarts: Lacus doesn't want to be a witch who destroys nations.

Dumbledore gestured for Lux to follow him. The night wind carried the damp chill of the Scottish Highlands, making Lux shiver. She held Lumi, who was pretending to be dead, in her arms and followed behind Dumbledore's tall figure with her head drooping.

"Miss Lux," Dumbledore suddenly spoke, without turning around, "Tonight's experience must have left a deep impression on you."

Lux jolted, instinctively wanting to argue, "Professor, we really wanted to help, that unicorn..."

"There are many ways to help," Dumbledore interrupted her gently, stopping and turning around. His deep blue eyes flickered as he calmly looked at Lux. "For example, you could have notified the professor or the castle caretaker in time, instead of venturing into the heart of the Forbidden Forest, where even adult wizards must proceed with caution, with a potion recipe of unknown origin and unknown side effects, and a companion who is clearly blinded by power."

Lux's heart skipped a beat: "The recipe... how come..." Her words caught in her throat. Lux suddenly remembered that Dumbledore could cast spells without a wand.

Mind Control Technique!

Dumbledore didn't answer her question directly, but instead narrowed his eyes slightly, as if trying to catch something. In Lux's perception, an extremely faint spell flowed from Dumbledore's body and gently swept over Lux.

Lux felt a cool sensation brush against her skin, which wasn't uncomfortable, but it gave her the feeling that she had been completely seen through.

"Hmm?" Dumbledore's brow furrowed imperceptibly, his usually gentle expression taking on a hint of seriousness for the first time. "This is quite unexpected..."

"Professor?" Lux was a little flustered by his reaction. Could it be that the system had been exposed?

This system cannot be detected by magic.

Lux breathed a sigh of relief after hearing the notification.

"Miss Lux," Dumbledore's voice deepened, "there remains on you an extremely faint, yet very peculiar, trace of dark magic." His gaze behind his glasses sharpened. "I am very familiar with this aura."

Lux instantly thought of the horrible and eerie wound on the unicorn in the Forbidden Forest, and the dark magic Ronan had mentioned: "The one that hurt the unicorn?"

"I'm afraid so." Dumbledore nodded, his expression serious. "This style of spellcasting, this cruelty that shows no respect for life, is very likely their doing."

"Them?" Lux thought of Grindelwald, the most famous dark wizard of this era. At this point in time, who else could be so familiar and so fearful to Dumbledore besides Grindelwald and his saints?

“A dangerous group,” Dumbledore said without uttering a name, but his eyes said it all. “They believe in the supremacy of strength and are willing to trample on all morality and rules for the so-called ‘greater good.’ Have their tentacles already reached this close… No, it shouldn’t be his instruction.” He looked into the depths of the Forbidden Forest, his gaze seemingly piercing through the darkness.

Lux felt a mix of emotions. Good heavens, what I feared most had come to pass. Grindelwald's saints had already infiltrated Hogwarts' back garden. Should she learn to bite the hand that feeds her and strike first?

"Professor Dumbledore," Lux tried to make her voice sound calm, "that unicorn..."

"Ronan and I will do our best to heal it, but the dark magic has seeped into its very bones, and the situation is not optimistic." Dumbledore withdrew his gaze and looked at Lux again, his eyes filled with a hint of inquiry. "However, I am more concerned about you, Miss Lux. The trace of dark magic remaining on you proves that you have been in close contact with a spellcasting site, and may even have unintentionally become a target of someone probing magic. This is very dangerous."

Lux tried hard to recall the scene. Apart from the unicorn's wound, she only remembered that she used the Exorcism weapon when Tom tried to kill the unicorn... Wait! Could it be that she was counter-marked by that dark magic when she cast the spell?

Or was that saint actually spying nearby? The more she thought about it, the colder she felt down her neck.

"What surprises me even more is your true purpose for this trip." Dumbledore's tone remained gentle, but his blue eyes seemed to pierce through to the heart. "Is it merely for the unicorn's fur? Or perhaps, for that potion recipe tucked inside Miranda Gossack's notebook?"

Lux felt like she had been stripped naked and was standing under a spotlight, with all her secrets exposed. She knew she had to learn Occlumency when she got back; this feeling of being seen through was terrible.

"You already knew?" Lux forced a smile.

"During our conversation just now, some images did involuntarily surface," Dumbledore did not deny, his tone carrying a strange sense of reassurance, "including your thirst for knowledge, your dissatisfaction with the textbook, and that formula."

"That formula," Dumbledore's voice carried a barely perceptible hint of reminiscence, "is dangerous, Miss Lux. It is not, as you think, just some kind of simple stimulant. Its true effect is to forcibly ignite and expand the magic hidden within a wizard's body in a very short time, at the cost of overdrawing their life force and spirit, unleashing a power far exceeding their own limits. This power is violent and unstable."

Lux gasped in shock. Overdrawing one's life force and spirit? This sounded so much like the Eight Gates Formation from next door; no wonder it said "Use in emergencies, but with severe side effects."

"Moreover," Dumbledore paused, his gaze behind his glasses growing even deeper, "when the effects of the drug wear off, the user will fall into a state of 'stiffness' due to magical depletion. During that time, they are more vulnerable than a newborn baby, unable to move, unable to cast spells, and even unable to lift a finger. This state can last for hours or even days, depending on the user's constitution and the dosage of the drug. During this time, they are lambs to the slaughter."

Lux imagined the scenario: turning into a vegetable after using it would be too risky.

"But that's not the most surprising thing," Dumbledore said, his tone unusually solemn, even respectful. "The most surprising thing is the true owner of that formula."

Lux blinked. "You know him? Who is he?"

Dumbledore didn't answer immediately; he remained silent for a moment. "A name that cannot appear in the official magical history, a legendary figure of immense talent who was deliberately forgotten because of his power, an existence that left a profound mark on Hogwarts history but was quietly erased."

[Trigger a Long-Term Quest: Explore the Secrets of Magic]

[Quest Description: Dumbledore subtly reveals to you a hidden piece of magical history, as well as a mysterious wizard. Explore the wizard's true identity, the magic he possesses, and the truth of that long-buried history.]

[Quest Hint: Clues may exist in hidden corners of Hogwarts, forgotten documents, or from the words of certain special individuals. Leveling up, accumulating reputation, and mastering specific skills may help advance the quest.]

[Mission Rewards: Unknown (depending on exploration depth), large amount of experience points, exclusive title, and possible unlocking of related special abilities or items.]

[Failure Penalty: None]

Lux immediately thought of the Hogwarts games she had heard about before she transmigrated, the protagonist who could control ancient magic and devour melons in a group, and who could fight more than a dozen dark wizards by himself at the age of fifteen.

She instantly felt that every brick and stone in Hogwarts was filled with danger. Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets and Gryffindor's sword were far too weak compared to this ancient guardian of magic.

It's possible that even Dumbledore at this point wouldn't be able to defeat that guy.

Dumbledore looked at the complex expression on Lux's face, a mixture of shock, curiosity, and excitement, and smiled slightly, a smile that carried a hint of understanding and encouragement.

"It seems you're quite interested in these forgotten secrets?"

"I might not be that interested. I actually love peace. Of course, Professor, it would be great if you could teach me some magic for self-defense," Lux blurted out.

Dumbledore's lips curved into a smile at her amusement. "Miss Lux, you must understand that power often comes with responsibility, and history is usually buried because it is too heavy or dangerous."

He paused, his tone becoming serious: "The road to seeking the truth will not be smooth; it requires wisdom, courage, and, even more importantly, qualifications."

"Qualifications?" Lux was taken aback.

"Yes, qualifications." Dumbledore nodded. "Not everyone is qualified to access these secrets of the magical world. Rashly pursuing them may lead to unnecessary trouble, or even danger." His gaze swept meaningfully over the faint trace of dark magic emanating from Lux.

"Then... then how can I qualify?" Lux asked anxiously. This old man Deng was becoming more and more of a riddle. The system had already issued the task, so it was impossible not to accept it.

Dumbledore looked into her inquisitive eyes, pondered for a moment, and then gave a sly smile.

"Perhaps you could start by working towards some more realistic goals?" he said slowly, "like winning the Academy Cup first."

"The Academy Cup?" Lux was dumbfounded. What did this have to do with exploring the secrets of magic? Then Lux suddenly realized that Old Dumbledore was just making empty promises, wanting people to work first before giving them rewards.

Seeing Lux's "Are you kidding me?" expression, Dumbledore's smile deepened, carrying a sense of "Young man, you are still too young."

"Miss Lux, don't underestimate the significance of the House Cup," he explained patiently. "Winning the House Cup is not just about bringing a trophy to Gryffindor; it represents recognition of the entire house's year-long efforts, unity, and glory."

Dumbledore leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and spoke with the solemnity of sharing a secret:

"It will earn you greater trust and attention from professors. Think about it, isn't a student who has repeatedly won honors for the college and demonstrated outstanding ability and a sense of responsibility more likely to obtain certain special privileges than a student who... well, frequently goes out at night, trespasses into the forbidden forest, and occasionally blows up the auditorium?"

"For example, greater freedom to access certain areas of the library? Or easier access to private guidance from a professor when encountering difficulties?"

Dumbledore patted Lux ​​on the shoulder: "History is always in the hands of a few, and the keys to those histories are often hidden behind doors that require trust to open. A distinguished student who wins the highest honor for the house is obviously more likely to be seen as one of our own, someone we can entrust certain secrets to, isn't he? Especially in front of me, the Headmaster of Gryffindor."

[Triggering related quest: The Glory of the Golden Cup]

[Task Description: Dumbledore has set a prerequisite for uncovering the secrets of the "Guardians": help Gryffindor win this year's House Cup and push the ruby ​​in the hourglass to its highest point.]

[Quest Reward: Unlocks the "Exploring the Secrets of Magic" follow-up quest chain and related rewards]

[Failure Penalty: Increased difficulty in the initial stages of the "Exploring the Secrets of Magic" quest]

Well, the quest chain is now completely tied. Lux feels like she's been thoroughly arranged, but this arrangement... doesn't seem so bad?

Who knows, I might even learn a few ancient spells myself. After all, Harry's mother, Lily, may very well have used an ancient spell to reflect the Killing Curse, and Hogwarts itself may even have been created using ancient magic.

It's important to know that teleportation is forbidden at Hogwarts, a rule that even extremely powerful wizards like Grindelwald and Voldemort cannot violate.

"Let's do it!" Lux clenched her fist, her eyes burning with fighting spirit. "It's just the Academy Cup, right? Leave it to me! It's just a matter of losing fewer points, gaining more, tutoring classmates on spells, helping old ladies with their portraits, and giving Clefairy a little less fun. The ruby ​​in the hourglass must be filled to the brim!"

Dumbledore was amused by her energetic yet still whimsical declaration and burst into hearty laughter again, which sounded particularly clear against the quiet night sky.

"Very good, Miss Lux, I look forward to seeing your actions." A hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes. "Now, let's return to the castle. I believe Professor Slughorn has dealt with Mr. Riddle. As for you, you are a future hero of the Academy Cup..."

He glanced at Lux's mud-splattered robe. "Perhaps we should first consider how to make up for the twenty points Gryffindor lost tonight, and the three days of confinement you might face."

Lux's ambitious expression froze instantly, turning into a bitter face. She was definitely going to be locked up today, and Tom, that petty guy, would surely hold a grudge.

Lumi, seemingly sensing her owner's grief and indignation, shouted in Lux's mind at just the right moment: "Girl! Don't be a coward! It's just a matter of dividing it up! I, Lumi, will help you earn it! Tomorrow I'll go to the auditorium dining table and open a few bottle caps. We guys are all true to our nature, so maybe we'll get our share."

Dumbledore watched with great interest as Lux and the furball in her basket "communicated silently." Although he couldn't hear what Lumi was saying, Lux's expressions, sometimes full of fighting spirit and sometimes looking worried, were simply too fascinating. He smiled and waved his wand, and a warm cleaning charm swept over Lux again, taking away the remaining dust.

"Come on, young warrior, the road ahead is long, and the first step toward glory and secrets usually begins with facing mistakes and taking responsibility for them."

"For example, tonight, neatly copy the section on 'Respect for School Rules and the Forbidden Forest Ordinance' from 'Hogwarts: A History of the School,' and put it on my desk before breakfast tomorrow." Dumbledore winked, smiled, and walked first toward the brightly lit castle.

Lux took a step forward in sorrow, jogging to catch up with Dumbledore.