Hogwarts: This holy light is righteously evil

Chapter 124 You actually found Ravenclaw's crown?

The Hogwarts Express glided smoothly through the English countryside. The enclosed private compartments were quiet and comfortable, with only the rhythmic sound of the wheels rolling on the rails echoing slowly. In the cramped space, Cho Chang stood intently, his wand held straight and level, his eyes fixed on the suitcases on the floor.

"Yugadimurleviosa!"

She recited the complete incantation for the Levitation and Movement Charm, and a faint stream of light burst forth from the tip of her wand, gently enveloping the suitcase below. The heavy suitcase then detached from the ground and floated in mid-air, moving steadily and slowly along the subtle guidance of Cho Chang's wand, gradually approaching the storage rack on the top of the carriage.

Under her spell control and magical fine-tuning, the suitcase fell into the empty space on the shelf, placed neatly and orderly. The entire spellcasting process was clean and efficient, without the problems that beginners often encounter, such as magic loss of control, objects shaking and falling.

The moment Qiu Zhang finished the practice, his eyes lit up, and he lightly leaped up on his tiptoes, turning to face Puni beside him.

"Puni! Look, I've mastered it!"

Looking at the girl's bright face, Puni smiled gently and deliberately imitated Professor McGonagall's serious and rigorous tone during her lectures: "Very standard casting rhythm and magic control. Such skillful movement and levitation spells are not something a first-year student can easily master. It is enough to show the amount of practice you have put in on privately."

Before Qiu Zhang could react, he added with a smile, "According to the reward standards for outstanding students, I have the right to give you an exclusive award."

After saying that, Puni took a step forward, gently opened his arms, and tenderly embraced the unsuspecting Qiu Zhang. Qiu Zhang was completely taken aback by his sudden action, his body stiffened instantly, and he stood there stunned.

The close proximity allowed her to feel the boy's clean and refreshing scent, lingering around her nose and instantly overwhelming her thoughts. The warm touch and close intimacy quickly flushed her fair cheeks with a deep blush, her ear tips burned, and even her neck turned a light pink. She was so shy that she dared not move.

A few seconds later, Qiu Zhang finally found her voice, her soft, gentle voice tinged with unease and panic, barely audible: "P-Puni—can you let go of me first?"

Puni held the slender girl in his arms, his smile deepening as he deliberately lowered his voice to tease her: "What if I said I don't want to let go?"

Qiu Zhang lowered her voice even further, her shyness almost overflowing, but she still obediently replied, "That's...that's fine—"

"Then I won't loosen my grip," Puni replied matter-of-factly.

Qiu Zhang was completely speechless. She just blushed and lowered her eyes silently, no longer struggling or resisting, letting him hold her.

Feeling the gentle and quiet girl in his arms, Puni felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He tightened his arms slightly, holding the tender embrace even more firmly.

"Look at this scene, isn't it just too beautiful!"

"This is truly enviable; we've really stumbled upon a wonderful scene!"

Two rough, distinctive voices came from outside the corridor.

Without even looking closely, just by looking at those two mocking, hoarse voices, one could tell that they were the brothers Fred and George.

Before Qiu Zhang could even look up and see the two figures outside the door, a burning blush instantly spread across her cheeks, and shyness enveloped her entire body.

She quickly retreated to her seat in the private room, curled up, and pulled her cloak over her head, completely hiding her face. Puni watched her adorable act of trying to hide something obvious, a gentle smile appearing in his eyes. However, the brief, warm moment of solitude was deliberately interrupted, and a hint of displeasure rose in his heart. He suppressed his smile, his brows furrowing with a faint anger, and turned to look at the door of the private room, where he met the twins crowding at the doorway, their faces full of mischievous grins.

The peaceful atmosphere that had been painstakingly created, and the rare time alone, were completely disrupted by the two people's mischievous spying, and Puni's dissatisfaction grew stronger.

He flicked his wrist, a glimmer of light flashed at the tip of his wand, and the simple unlocking spell quietly took effect.

The previously closed door to the private room opened inwards with a click.

Fred and George were caught off guard and fell straight in.

"Ouch!"

"Get up and close the door, or you'll be hung up and carried home."

Upon hearing Penny's threatening words, the Weasley twins, who had been sprawled on the ground, deliberately groaning and feigning weakness, instantly stopped their act and nimbly got up from the ground, not daring to linger any longer.

Even though they dared not provoke Puni again, the two were still full of resentment and began to complain as soon as they stood still.

Seeing the two of them complaining incessantly, Puni didn't bother with them anymore. Instead, he took out a lot of magical snacks from his storage bag and handed them to the twins.

After the train arrived at the station, Puni said goodbye to the others and returned home.

He calmly changed out of his outdoor clothes and into loose, comfortable pajamas. Just as he was about to get out of bed and rest, before he could even step onto the bedside, Murthy strode in with a tightly sealed letter.

Based on the unique wax seal and delivery method of the letter, Puni could immediately determine its origin.

This was a private message that Regulus had just delivered via the Fireplace Flyway, arriving at just the right time, almost exactly when he was returning home.

Puni stared at the letter lying quietly in his palm, feeling helpless and speechless.

He was almost certain that Regulus had deliberately timed his return journey home and sent the message at this particular moment.

He couldn't help but think to himself that the other party was being far too impatient.

The two had already agreed that they could communicate in real time using the two-way mirror, and there was no need to rush to deliver letters.

With a heavy heart, Puni lay down on the soft bed, gently unseal the envelope, and unfolded the letter.

The blank sheet of paper contained no unnecessary preamble or elaboration, but simply the following sentence: "All plans are progressing smoothly. The remaining details will be finalized one by one when we meet."

After reading the contents, Puni felt even more helpless. He already knew all the progress and situation mentioned in the letter. There was no new information, so there was no need to write a special letter to invite him to a meeting!

His hopes for a brief rest were dashed, and Puni could only get up helplessly. He took off his comfortable pajamas and changed into a well-tailored outfit.

She carefully tidied her appearance with her exquisitely crafted outerwear and put away the gifts she had prepared in advance for the two younger members of the Blake family.

Once everything was ready, he activated the magical connection to the fireplace, opening a passage between his own fireplace and the fireplace in the Black mansion, and stepped into the teleportation flames.

With the flickering firelight and a quick shift in perspective, Puni arrived directly at the secret, private room of the Black mansion.

This is Regulus's private space where he usually spends his time alone and discussing secret plans. It is completely isolated from all outside sight and sound, making it extremely private.

Away from the sight of outsiders and no longer needing to maintain an elegant and composed demeanor, Puni completely shed all pretense, leaning heavily against and slumping on the soft sofa without any regard for appearances, wearily complaining.

"Can you please stop contacting me so frequently? Aren't you tired of being on edge all the time? You're driving me crazy, both physically and mentally."

Regulus, who was standing quietly in the secret room, was speechless after hearing this blunt complaint. He could not find any suitable words to defend or refute it, and could only stand silently in place.

He knew that the recent contact had indeed been too frequent. He was stubbornly trying to find someone to confide in, confirm the plan, and alleviate the anxiety in his heart. However, he had his own concerns and difficulties. His wife, Cassandra, was pure of heart and simple of mind. She had never been exposed to the dark games and power struggles. She had only seen the gentle and beautiful things in the world. Regulus dared not let her know anything about these life-and-death, dangerous plans and heavy pressures related to fighting the Dark Lord. He was afraid that these dark and heavy things would break her pure mind and even more afraid of implicating his family and putting her in unknown dangers.

With no close friends or family to confide in or share his burdens, after much deliberation, the only person in the entire magical world who could understand all his concerns, know the entire plan, and help him maintain composure was Puni. The entire secret plan to confront the Dark Lord, from its overall framework to its step-by-step details, was entirely built and perfected by Puni. Regulus's current arrangements...

The choice and confidence both depend on this meticulous plan.

Puni knew very well that without his intervention and guidance, Regulus's life trajectory would never have been as stable and controllable as it is now. He would not have had the confidence to face Voldemort directly, nor would he have the vision, planning, and capital to turn the tables he has now. He would most likely have followed the fate of the Black family and fallen step by step into an abyss from which there was no way to escape.

Thinking of their long-standing relationship and support, Puni sighed silently. A subtle feeling welled up in his heart. He often couldn't distinguish their roles. Although they were equal partners, it had always been him who patiently guided and supported Regulus, helping him to calm his mind, make up for his shortcomings, and grow steadily. This continuous support and guidance had long surpassed the scope of ordinary allies. It was more like an elder carefully guiding a junior to maturity and transformation.

As he participated in Regulus's choices time and time again, and became involved in the undercurrents of the magical world's power struggles, Puni increasingly realized that his original principles of conduct were quietly shifting. He couldn't help but examine himself and question his long-standing alignment with the world. In the past, he had always adhered to the philosophy of chaotic goodness, acting as he pleased, upholding his good intentions, and not being bound by rules or factions. However, with each strategic move, each weighing of benefits, and each sacrifice for the greater good, his style of action became increasingly calm and restrained.

He gradually came to understand that people's stance and true nature are never fixed. All changes in temperament and deviations in beliefs stem from the accumulation of worldly experiences that Qian personally went through. As experiences, circumstances and obsessions change, they will quietly evolve. A stable and peaceful environment is most likely to smooth out stubborn obsessions and gently soften the original firm intentions and beliefs.

Puni quickly gathered his scattered thoughts, no longer dwelling on the subtle shifts in his mindset and stance. He looked up at Regulus, who was about to speak and express his anxieties, and naturally reached out to remove his wizard's hat.

"Don't just worry, look this way." Puni slightly raised his chin, gesturing for the other person to look at the top of his head.

Regulus had already prepared his words and was about to express all the concerns and anxieties that had been building up in his heart, but he was interrupted by Puni's sudden action. He subconsciously looked in the direction the other person indicated, and his gaze fell on the top of Puni's head. A deep sense of doubt instantly surfaced in his eyes.

He had initially thought Puni was just wearing an empty head, but he was surprised to find that under the wizard's hat, Puni was wearing an exquisite and ancient metal crown. The crown had delicate and elegant patterns and a heavy texture unique to ancient magical artifacts. Its shape was particularly unique. Regulus stared at it closely and felt that the object looked very familiar, but he couldn't tell where it came from. He was filled with confusion and surprise.

Seeing his hesitant expression, as he repeatedly looked him over but couldn't recognize him, Puni couldn't help but feel a little helpless.

"Do you remember Ravenclaw's belongings?"

This reminder struck Regulus like a thunderbolt, his pupils contracted sharply, his breath hitched, and his teeth chattered slightly as he spoke haltingly, his voice trembling with disbelief, to confirm the news.

"This—is—Ravenclaw's heirloom tiara?"

"uh-huh."

Puni raised his hand and completely removed the Ravenclaw crown from his head. The exquisite metal object detached from his hair and landed on his fingertips. He looked at Regulus, who was filled with shock, and slowly began to tell the story of this treasure.

"I found this crown in the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts. If you had seen how it was originally abandoned, you would never be able to associate that dilapidated state with this exquisite artifact it is today."

As she spoke, Puni gently handed the crown to Regulus's palm, allowing him to touch and examine it closely. After Puni's purification and restoration, the Ravenclaw crown had long since shed the dilapidated marks left by years of dark magic. The dark magic, broken patterns, and decaying texture that remained from when it was Voldemort's Horcrux had completely disappeared, and the entire crown had been restored to the complete form of an ancient magical artifact.

The entire structure is made of neatly intertwined silver threads, each line flowing with pure magical luster. The rare gems inlaid on the crown continuously emit a warm and translucent halo. This clean and pure magical aura carries a faint holy light, which is completely different from its former state of carrying fragments of dark souls and filled with violent black magic. It has a dignified and heavy sacred quality, and its attraction is far greater than that of the soul weapon form that has become an evil object.

Regulus held the crown in both hands, his gaze fixed on the legendary artifact, completely ignoring its considerable collectible and magical value. Compared to the object itself, he was more concerned about the deadly hidden danger within the crown. His hands trembled slightly as he gently stroked the crown's patterns, repeatedly comparing it with the ancient records in his mind, confirming that the object before him perfectly matched the original form of the Ravenclaw crown. The moment he confirmed it was correct, his voice trembled noticeably as he urgently asked, suppressing his emotions.

"Have you completely removed the fragments of soul that were attached to this artifact?"

"I have completely removed and disposed of the soul fragments inside."

Puni deliberately used a more cautious approach, avoiding specific details of the process, "After all, if there were any lingering traces of dark soul energy, I naturally couldn't wear it on my body for long, as that would be tantamount to leaving myself with a huge hidden danger."

After a slight pause, Puni pointed to the gemstones on the crown and continued to share his genuine feelings after wearing it.

"However, I must say that the legend about the Ravenclaw crown being able to amplify thinking and improve mental clarity is true. Since I started wearing this crown, my mind has always been clear and sharp, my thoughts are processed more quickly, and my understanding and absorption of various magical knowledge has greatly improved. The progress and quality of my daily studies have also made significant progress."

Regulus listened quietly to his story, but did not entirely agree with the statement. He knew that Puni had been studying advanced magic ahead of time, had a solid academic foundation, and was exceptionally talented. It was only natural that his grades would steadily improve, and it could not be entirely attributed to the crown's amplification effect.

But he didn't dwell on this trivial matter. His thoughts quickly returned to the core Horcrux plan, and he looked down at the crown in his palm.

"So, we destroyed another Horcrux from Voldemort? Great, I didn't expect you to encounter a Horcrux at school, this is simply... unbelievable!"

""

"You're like Voldemort's nemesis."

Regulus looked at Puni.

Puni shrugged.