The person is at Hogwarts, but the system is in Middle-earth!

Ever since Mrs. Norris was petrified, the young wizards at Hogwarts have been on edge. Although Headmaster Dumbledore arrived just in time that night and confirmed that the cat was merely petrified, not dead, it did little to quell the students' panic.

Filch spent the whole day wandering the corridors, hunched over with his back to the light, staring at every student who passed by, especially Harry.

[Warning: The Mordor Overseer is on patrol]

Threat Level: Low (Physical) / High (Psychological Pollution)

[Status: Berserk (Entered a bloodlust state due to pet damage)]

Fell's wrinkled face appeared to Rowe as a bluish-gray goblin face covered in tumors. In his hand he carried a blood-stained, barbed whip.

"This is a sign of Mordor's army's invasion," Rowe said to himself in a low voice. "First the scouts, then the overseers, and finally Sauron's gaze."

In early November, the sky over the Scottish Highlands seemed to have been pierced with a hole, and the rain poured down relentlessly.

This kind of weather would normally be the perfect time to relax by the fireplace in the lounge and sip hot cocoa, but to Rowe, it was an excellent opportunity for reconnaissance. Only in such harsh weather would the dark creatures lurking in the shadows reveal themselves.

Wearing a heavy yellow cloak, Rowe crouched at the foot of a wall outside the west tower of the castle. Rainwater slid down the edge of his hood.

[Warning: The shadow is spreading]

[Current Environment: Edge of a Dark Forest (Alert Mode)]

[Abnormal biological activity detected...]

Lowe squinted and saw strange phenomena on the muddy grass through the rain.

There were little spiders. Hundreds and thousands of spiders, unusually arranged in a long, thin black line, crawled out from the cracks in the castle stones. They crawled very fast, almost frantically.

[System Assessment: Dying Dark Creature (Refugee Level)]

[Note: They are fleeing an ancient, imprisoned, higher evil. Even these shadow-dwelling crawlers feel a tremor in their souls.]

"Even the orc scouts are running away?" Rowe wiped the rain off his face, his eyes grave.

In his view, these spiders were not migrating, but rather undertaking a massive retreat. They abandoned their carefully constructed nests and fled frantically towards the distant forbidden forest.

"That explains the attack that night." Rowe gripped his wand tightly beneath his cloak. "Only a true high predator could instill such fear in these lowly dark creatures."

He remembered the "whispers" Harry had heard that night, and the writing on the wall.

"The secret chamber has been opened... that ancient evil has awakened," Rowe muttered to himself. "It's no longer safe here. There may already be cracks in this wall."

.....

Half an hour later.

As Rowe pushed open the round wooden door to the Hufflepuff common room, a rich, warm wave of aromas, carrying the scents of cinnamon and biscuits, washed over him.

The round room was filled with plush yellow armchairs and a brass fireplace, and the walls were covered with lush spider plants and ivy, as if summer had been locked inside. The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, and several older students were sitting together playing a game of "Thunderbolt" cards, their laughter ringing out from time to time.

[Environment Switch: Shire's Tavern / Last Sanctuary]

[Comfort Level: Extremely High]

Mental recovery speed: +200%

[Warning: Complacency is the greatest enemy, but occasional rest is also for better fighting.]

"Love! Where did you go?"

A familiar voice rang out, carrying a distinctly reproachful tone. Susan Burns, holding a dry white towel, strode over. Her cheeks were flushed red from the fireplace, making her look like a freshly baked apple pie.

She looked at the boy in front of her, covered in mud and dripping wet from his cloak, feeling both angry and heartbroken.

"You look like you've been battling trolls in the Forbidden Forest swamp all day." Susan shoved a towel over Rowe's head, vigorously rubbing his wet hair. "Professor McGonagall only asked you to organize files, not to unclog the castle's sewers, Mr. Baggins! Are you trying to turn yourself into a mud man?"

Lowe let the warm towel cover his vision, feeling the warmth from Susan's hand. The gentle wiping slowly relaxed his nerves, which had been tense all afternoon.

"Susan..." Lowe's voice came through the towel, "I just saw the migration. Before a large-scale war breaks out, the wild beasts in the forest are always the first to flee."

Susan paused, sighed helplessly, and pulled the towel down a little, revealing Rowe's sharp eyes.

"You mean those spiders?" Susan said softly, her tone devoid of mockery, only a familiar acceptance. "I saw them too, on the greenhouse windowsill. Hannah said it's because the weather's too humid, and they're trying to find a dry place. You see, everyone's talking about this, but nobody thinks it's the end of the world."

"No, it's not because of the weather." Rowe looked at her seriously, his eyes devoid of any hint of jest. "Susan, if one day, darkness really does break through this wall... if the magic that was supposed to protect us fails..."

He pointed to the wall covered with herbs.

"Promise me you'll stay close to me. I'll guide you through the shadows, just as Sam guided Frodo."

The lounge fell silent for a moment, broken only by the crackling of firewood in the fireplace.

Susan's face instantly turned bright red, even more so than the firelight in the fireplace. She hurriedly avoided Rowe's overly intense gaze, and suddenly increased the force with which she rubbed the towel, almost rubbing Rowe's head raw.

"What...what have you been saying all day, Rowe!" she stammered, trying to cover her panic. "Go change your clothes! If you catch a cold, Mrs. Pomfrey will give you one of those smoking energy drinks that tastes worse than slugs! And then I won't be bringing you candy!"

Luo Wei neither refuted nor avoided the concern. He took the towel and looked at the classmates around him who were still laughing, completely oblivious.

From their perspective, it was just an ordinary, somewhat boring, rainy Saturday; their biggest worry was that they hadn't finished their homework. But on Luo Wei's system interface, lines of text were appearing:

[Mission Progress Update: Signs of the resurgence of "Ancient Evil" detected]

[Current Status: Watcher]

[Comment: You've sensed the source of the shadows, but you're still some distance from uncovering the truth. In this foggy moment, you need to protect not only yourself, but also this precious tranquility.]

[System Summary: Your perseverance and natural perception have received a slight improvement]

[Reward: Natural Perception (slightly increased), Susan's favorability +10 (although she won't admit it)]

Luo Wei gripped the towel in his hand, feeling the lingering warmth on it.

"I won't let the shadows devour this place," Rowe vowed in a low voice, then turned and walked towards the dormitory, leaving Susan standing there, staring blankly at his retreating figure.

Holding the empty basin, Susan watched the figure disappear around the corner, and couldn't help but smile, revealing two shallow dimples.

"That fool..." she muttered softly, "Although he's always talking nonsense about Middle-earth and Mordor, he's actually... a reliable person."