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

Next up was Jones. He cleared his throat, a lazy yet confident smile on his face, and pulled a delicate little glass bottle from his pocket. Inside were a few deep purple grapes. "This time, I've improved the 'Wine Spring Spell'."

Lux peered out curiously. She had heard of the Wine Spring Spell before; it was an interesting banquet spell, but it required fresh grapes as a medium to spray wine from the tip of the wand, making it not very practical, mainly because it wasn't much different from the Transfiguration Book.

“Standard Wine Fountain Charms have limitations,” Jones explained, casually picking up a grape. “You can’t carry a bunch of grapes with you every time you want a drink of wine, can you?” He put the grape back in the glass bottle, elegantly waved his wand, and said, “Look at this, ‘Fountain of No Wine’!”

The wand tip didn't point at the grapes, but a bottle of rich, fruity red wine appeared out of thin air at the tip of Jones' wand, and then the levitation glassware was filled with a glass for everyone.

"Wow!" Lux was genuinely surprised this time. "Making alcohol out of thin air seems to be somewhat useful."

She immediately thought of the passive effect of the Barrel skill she had drawn. This skill had never been triggered before because it had a limitation: [Happy Hour: After each use of a spell or skill, drink a small cup to immediately restore 8% of maximum health. This effect can only be triggered once every 8 seconds.]

Lux can drink alcohol to restore health after using the spell, but she can't carry a barrel of alcohol around all the time. It would not only increase her vulnerable area but also be inconvenient to carry. Surprisingly, this spell works well with "Happy Hour".

Casting the Wine Spring spell is considered using a magic spell, and drinking the wine produced by the spell can trigger a healing effect.

"Report! I want to learn this!" Lux's gaze towards Jones instantly changed.

"You're quite the connoisseur, Lux." Jones smugly swirled his glass and took a sip.

"Most importantly, the improved version has completely eliminated the limitations of the spellcasting medium. Now, all that is needed is precise magic guidance and a clear intention to make wine, which can generate wine at the tip of the wand. The concentration and flow rate can also be finely adjusted, from a trickle to a fountain."

He put down his glass and added, "Of course, we've only managed to make red wine so far. We're still working on the white wine and sparkling wine. The magic structure is a bit different, so I'll go and study it some more."

Professor Flitwick carefully observed the faint scent of alcohol still lingering on the tip of Jones' wand, adjusted his glasses, and commented, "A truly outstanding practical improvement, Mr. Burns, elevating the convenience of the Spell of Life to a new level."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming serious, "However, please remember that any magic involving alcohol must be used with caution, especially on campus. Underage wizards are prohibited from drinking alcohol, otherwise it will be a serious matter of points being deducted."

When it was Miranda's turn, she took out her new notebook and said seriously, "I've recently been compiling some spells that are deliberately avoided in current textbooks, but have important practical value in specific situations. For example, 'confusing the mind.' The textbooks only vaguely mention that it may cause mental confusion, but the principles and application scenarios are not detailed. In fact, mastering it can play a key role when facing dangerous interrogation or when you need to create temporary chaos to escape, provided that the spell is cast accurately and the target's mind is not particularly firm."

She looked at Lux: "Lux, the 'Levitation' and 'Oblivion' spells you mentioned in the library are typical examples of this type of spell."

"Because they involve sensitive areas such as privacy and memory manipulation, they are completely avoided in textbooks, which leaves students completely unprepared for these spells and even less aware of how to deal with them."

She turned to Professor Flitwick, her tone firm, "Professor, I believe the society should systematically study the fundamental principles, identifying characteristics, and basic defense methods of these spells, instead of burying their heads in the sand like ostriches. Knowledge itself is neither good nor evil; the greatest danger lies in the lack of awareness."

Professor Flitwick was silent for a few seconds, his gaze behind his glasses becoming serious.

He slowly began, “Miranda, your point of view is very reasonable and courageous. I agree that avoidance does not bring safety. However, these spells, especially Legilimency, are far more dangerous than the Confusion Charm. Premature exposure, especially without a strong will and proper guidance, carries extremely high risks.”

Flitwick paused, seemingly considering the safest approach. "Perhaps at this stage, it's more appropriate for us to start with basic principles and defense theories? For example, how to identify whether a confusion spell has been cast, and how to build a mental barrier through willpower training to initially resist low-intensity Legilimency probing."

"Here it comes." Lux's heart skipped a beat. This was exactly what she needed. The pressure from Dumbledore's penetrating gaze instantly overwhelmed her.

She answered almost immediately, her tone tinged with urgency: "Professor, you're right. Defense is key. For example, the mental barrier you mentioned—how exactly do we practice that? Are there any beginner methods? We can't just wait until someone points a wand at our heads before we start thinking about blocking, can we?"

Professor Flitwick looked at Lux with some surprise, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes: "A very good understanding, and you've grasped the core, Miss Lux. The initial construction of the mental barrier, or rather, the 'brain shut-in,' is indeed based on willpower training."

"This is not something that can be achieved overnight; it requires long-term meditation training, strong focus, and a firm will. Essentially, it is about training your ability to control your own thoughts and emotions."

After thinking for a moment, he proposed a feasible solution, "but this is only the first step. There is still a long way to go before a truly effective 'brain shut-in' technique is achieved. Brain shut-in is a more advanced, systematic, and difficult technique that involves deeper levels of consciousness control and memory protection. It usually requires long-term guidance from a mentor and a doctor."

He added pointedly, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, "No magic school in the world, including Hogwarts, currently has any plans to systematically offer this course, which speaks volumes about its difficulty and sensitivity."

"Professor! I want to play basketball... no, I want to learn this!" Lux couldn't wait to start practicing immediately.

Professor Flitwick, observing Lux's eager and focused expression, then glancing at Miranda and Jones, who also displayed keen interest, observed Elena's expression remained calm, though a flicker of focused attention crossed her grey eyes. Finally, she nodded.

"Alright, since everyone is willing and understands the seriousness of this, starting from the next gathering, I will teach you basic spiritual meditation, but please remember this."

His tone suddenly turned stern. "This is merely the foundation of mental defense, the prototype of a shield. It's far from mastering a sword. Furthermore, it is strictly forbidden within the club to attempt or research any form of mental manipulation magic. This is an absolutely inviolable bottom line. Violators will be immediately expelled from the club and reported to your dean."

"Understood!" everyone responded in unison, Lux's voice particularly loud and firm.

The club activities then continued as Professor Flitwick began his introductory explanation of the essentials of concentration.

Lux studied with exceptional focus, diligently following the instructions to clear her mind and experience the elusive "mental boundary." Although the skill entry for [Brain Occupation] hadn't yet appeared on the system panel, by the end of the practice, she felt as if her mind had indeed become a little clearer, as if a corner of a dusty window had been wiped clean.

It's like Lux's smooth cerebral cortex finally has some grooves.

"Could it be that I really am a magical genius?" Lux looked at the other three, who were also seriously focusing their minds. Lux could even feel their magic power actively concentrating into their brains.

Wait, why don't I have this special effect displayed?

Lux looked blankly at Professor Flitwick, who smiled back at her: "Take your time. They've already reached the next stage, and I believe Miss Lux will reach that stage too."

It's alright now. It turns out she was the slowest learner. Lux's little heart was a bit hurt.

Lux left the Cuckoo Spell Club late at night.

As Lux walked quietly down the castle corridor, the chill in the air quickly calmed her feverish mind.

The runes are still a mystery, but today is not entirely fruitless.

Joining the club opened up a new source of magic for her. More importantly, she finally found a way to systematically learn the art of brain closure. In addition, the system's hint that the void rift still had enough time to develop made the huge weight that had been hanging over her heart finally ease a little.

"Two hundred years..." Lux muttered under her breath, "Brother Tong, we have plenty of time. We need to compete in the Academy Cup, learn spells, practice Occlumency, grind for Wolfsbane Potion, and keep an eye on Tom to see if he causes any trouble... Oh, right, there's also the final exams this semester!"

She looked up at the window. The Forbidden Forest was pitch black, but Lux could almost see the silhouette of the Thestral, named "White Horse," standing quietly in the moonlight.

"Take it one step at a time, Lux," she said to herself, her blonde hair shimmering slightly in the dim castle lights. "The important thing is to get the regular final exams done first, so that Old Dumbledore doesn't have a reason to deduct points. Let LeBlanc handle the runes and Void for now."

"And that rune at Hogwarts, could it really have been stolen?"

She started walking, humming an off-key tune, toward the Gryffindor Tower. Her figure gradually blended into the deep night of the castle. After a brief period of anxiety about saving the world, she seemed to have returned to the main theme of "studying hard and being relaxed and happy".