The Black Bloodline of Hogwarts

"Alright, let's leave this topic at that." Alphad immediately raised his hand to stop them, as if afraid that saying another word would attract the Dementors. "Let's go back to the Bone-Splitter... ah, no, the Shadow Deflection Charm."

After saying that, he pressed the notebook onto the table, opened it, and pointed to one of the pages:

"Ordinary armor spells can withstand direct spell attacks, but they are helpless against invisible shadow curses and the feeding of Dementors. The Shadow Deflection spell, on the other hand, can reflect this kind of dark energy back or transform it into a defensive barrier—a secret technique that the Black family used to protect themselves during the long Dark Ages."

"I've set up some things in the shadows by the fireplace; come and get a feel for them."

Following his grandfather's instructions, Julien closed his eyes, trying to sense the energy around him. Sure enough, beyond the warmth of the crackling fireplace, he sensed a cold, flowing darkness lurking in the shadows—like a silent, lurking snake.

"I can feel it, what is this?"

"This is the 'Shadow Trap,' I'll teach you about it later." Alphad's face was serious. "Those who fall victim to it often feel as if they're trapped in a swamp, finding it difficult to move; then their bodies gradually ulcerate, and they may even lose their lives."

Having said that, Alphad stood up and drew a twisted crescent shape in the air with his yew wand. His movements were slow and precise, and a faint black halo appeared at the tip of the wand, like ripples of ink under the moonlight.

"Speak slowly when chanting the mantra, emphasizing the last syllable: Obscurum Flecto!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he waved his wand at the shadow beside the fireplace. "Remember, first wave, then flick."

The snake-like shadow that had been in the shadows suddenly came to life, veered like flowing water, crashed into the wall with a soft thud, and then vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.

Julien was dumbfounded. His grandfather's movements were elegant and clean, a true art of shadow!

"Come on, you try it."

Julien took a deep breath, raised his wand, and imitated his grandfather's gesture. But because he was too nervous, the wand's trajectory was crooked and erratic, like a drunken firefly dancing.

"Obscurum~ Flecto!" he chanted, his voice trembling.

As a result, the black snake in the shadows only swayed slightly, and the wisp of black smoke, like a mischievous cloud of smoke, drifted leisurely toward him and even circled around his nose.

"Stay calm! Don't be nervous!" Alphad stepped forward in time, using his wand to block Yulian's path. With a gentle tap, the wisp of black energy turned into green smoke with a "poof".

"Your magic is abundant, far exceeding that of the average child," the old man sighed. "But you're too impatient. The Black family's spells forbid impatience. Try again, imagine your wand as a bridge connecting you to the shadows, not a weapon."

Julien nodded, closed his eyes, and adjusted his breathing. This time, he no longer thought about "defeating the darkness," but tried to touch those cold energies as if feeling the wind in the vineyard, the soil after the rain, or the rustling sound of Hermione turning the pages of a book.

He slowly waved his wand, tracing a perfect crescent shape, and clearly uttered the incantation: "Obscurum Flecto!"

This time, a pale black halo appeared at the tip of his staff, and the shadow in front of him seemed to be pushed by an invisible force, neatly shifting to both sides, forming a transparent energy barrier in front of him.

The barrier was covered with faint black patterns, like a spider web or a star map.

"Very good!" Alfard's eyes gleamed with approval. "You have great talent, child."

Just as Julien was feeling smug, a lazy cat meow suddenly echoed in his mind.

"Tsk tsk, getting cocky after just one success? The book isn't even fully available yet. Should we add another chapter beforehand - The First Failed Spell: Why Darkness Always Likes to Rub Against Its Nose?"

Julien blushed almost imperceptibly and quickly severed his connection with the mental space.

"But..." he turned to his grandfather, puzzled, "How can this spell be classified as dark magic? Isn't this pure dark magic defense?"

Alphad immediately became serious again: "Remember, this spell can only be used for self-defense. If you use it to attack others, it will become true black magic, and its effect will be like a 'dark trap,' but even more aggressive."

He paused, his voice even lower: "Some members of the Black family have used this type of spell to attack others, causing them to suffer a burning and tearing sensation in both their soul and body, no less than that of the Cruciatus Curse."

Julien's heart skipped a beat. Wasn't this just the Warlock's "Shadowburn" + the Priest's "Pain Suppression" combo from Warcraft? No wonder the Ministry of Magic was involved.

"Throughout our family history, some wizards have attempted to gather more dark energy, only to have it backfire and plunge them into the abyss," Alfard emphasized, raising his voice. "There are bloody lessons to be learned from this."

"I will be careful, Grandpa," Julien said solemnly.

Alfard, still not entirely at ease, pulled Yu Lian to his side and pointed to an ancient inscription on the wall—written in ancient runes, which translates to:

"What shapes a person is not bloodline, but choice."

"These words are not only for others to hear, but also for ourselves." The old man's gaze was profound. "I teach you these things so that you have the ability to protect yourself in the darkness, rather than becoming a part of the darkness."

Julien nodded emphatically, indicating that he would keep his grandfather's words in mind.

Back in his room, he couldn't wait to "enter" the library. Murphy was dozing among the piles of new books when he heard footsteps and lazily opened his eyes.

"How about it? Do you think you can take on Voldemort one-on-one?" it mocked.

"No way!" Julien insisted, "I just think...this ability is pretty cool."

Murphy rolled over, revealing his belly: "Cool? Wait until you accidentally let some dark energy into your own dreams and are chased by your own nightmares in the middle of the night, then you'll know what 'cool' really means."

It suddenly sat up straight, its amber eyes fixed on Julien: "However... your performance today certainly deserves a reward."

As it spoke, it hooked its tail and pulled a thin booklet from deep within the bookshelf. The cover read: "A First Look at Shadow Affinity: The Secret of the Black Bloodline".

"What is this?" Julien asked in surprise.

"The library has unlocked a hidden chapter based on your spellcasting data today," Murphy said mysteriously. "It seems you have not only Black's blood flowing through your veins, but also something... much older. But don't be fooled, your magic power isn't enough yet."

It shoved the book back onto the shelf and patted it with its paw: "Go to sleep now. You still have to practice the Transfiguration Charm tomorrow—don't forget, the frog you turned into from a teacup last week still has a handle."

"May I take a look at this book, 'A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration,' first?"

"Don't bite off more than you can chew." Murphy swayed away like a cat.

Julien smiled helplessly, turned around and left the mental space.

Outside the window, moonlight bathed the Hogwarts towers, silent and gentle. But deep within the library, unseen by him, the bronze door, bound with chains, seemed to tremble slightly.