The Butcher of Hogsmeade

The pub owner ignored Shen Hou, but another old man, Dumbledore, didn't forget him and asked about the outcome of buying the wand today. Without Sirius exaggerating, Shen Hou recounted what happened and showed the bone spike wand to Dumbledore.

"A very special craftsmanship, both bold and meticulous." Dumbledore seemed amazed, but his tone was actually calm, not taking the bone spike wand too seriously. "According to Mr. Ollivander, your magic is difficult to coordinate, and you will probably encounter more difficulties than others when learning spells in the future."

"For example?"

"For example, it's difficult to perform precise spells. The more delicate the spell, the less likely it is to be done with this wand. I think Professor McGonagall is more qualified to say about this, as many transfiguration techniques involve precise spell casting."

Professor McGonagall comforted him, saying, "Don't be discouraged, child. Beyond Transfiguration, there are still many mysteries of magic to explore."

The gathering passed in this casual, unassuming atmosphere.

Shen Hou understood that the Phoenix Society's gathering was not a team-building event involving eating and drinking, nor was it filled with passionate nonsense. They simply wanted comrades from the same organization to meet, get to know each other, and have a sense of mutual understanding so that they might need to help each other out in the future.

After all, this is a loose, spontaneous civilian organization, and there are no specific tasks assigned to members every day; some members of the Order of the Phoenix—such as those Aurors and professors—maybe receive even more demanding tasks from the Ministry of Magic and the school.

After having a buffet meal and taking a group photo, most of the members left one after another via the small bridge in front of the cabin.

When taking photos, Shen Hou followed his usual practice from childhood, quietly slipping to the second row and constantly moving to the side, eventually standing next to Lupin behind the Pwitt brothers; Fabian still looked unwell, but he didn't miss this group activity either.

After the photos were taken and most people had left, Shen Hou jumped out from a secluded spot and stopped Dumbledore, who was cleaning up the mess.

"Professor Dumbledore, now that I have a wand, when can you teach me 'All Curses End'?"

"I don't recall ever agreeing to teach you this spell?" Dumbledore's eyes were hidden behind his glasses, making it impossible to see the change in his expression.

"I thought what you said that night meant you agreed to my request."

Dumbledore shook his head in denial: "I only reminded you of the nature of 'all curses end,' but I did not promise to teach you the spell."

"Oh, then can you tell me who I should find to learn this spell?" Shen Hou didn't dwell on the promise or not, and readily prepared to find another way. "You once said that this is a group spell, so there are actually quite a few wizards who know it, they just don't usually use it?"

Dumbledore didn't answer immediately, but looked at Shen Hou deep in thought for a while before saying, "How about we make a deal?"

"What agreement?"

"Before you learn 'All Curses End,' you must first learn another spell; if you can learn it and use it perfectly, I am willing to personally teach you 'All Curses End,'" Dumbledore said seriously. "But I also need you to promise one thing: if you cannot learn that spell, do not try to learn 'All Curses End,' not even if you find someone else to teach you."

"That spell must be very difficult?"

Dumbledore made no attempt to hide anything, nodding frankly: "It is indeed difficult for some wizards, and for others, this spell can even be fatal."

"So what exactly is it?"

"Guardian Angel Spell"

Shen Hou waited for a while, but realizing that Dumbledore had no intention of continuing, he had to take the initiative to ask, "Is it this one? I've seen it many times... But, are you just going to give me a name? Aren't you going to explain why you're having me learn this spell?"

"For you, the greatest use of this spell is to prove that you are ready to learn 'All Curses End'; of course, it is actually used to exorcise Dementors and groundbats, and you have also seen its other use, which is to transmit messages within a certain range."

"You still haven't told me why it's this incantation?" Shen Hou asked, puzzled.

"Let the teacher who taught you the Patronus Charm explain this. Gideon and Fabian are both skilled at using the Patronus Charm, so teaching you won't be a problem; coincidentally, Fabian has a few days of sick leave, which you can make good use of." Dumbledore posed the question to the Prewitt brothers.

At this point, only Shen Hou, the Prewitt brothers, and Sirius Black, who had stayed behind specifically to watch the show, remained of the Order of the Phoenix members present, while Dumbledore had already prepared to close the door and see them out.

Soon, only the Hogwarts Headmaster and Vice-Headmaster remained in this safe haven. Professor McGonagall stood with Dumbledore at the bridgehead until Shen Hou's figure completely disappeared on the other side of the wooden bridge before she asked with a puzzled look, "You value that young Chinese man highly, treating him like a Hogwarts student. Why is that?"

"Because he is indeed very special," Dumbledore replied, his gaze lingering on the other side of the wooden bridge, or perhaps on something far more distant. "The power of time has brought him to us, and he must bear a special mission; though I do not know what it is, or who bestowed it upon him, there is no doubt that he has become a part of history and destiny. All I can do is try my best to influence him, to guide him in a better direction, not the opposite."

As they spoke, a fiery red phoenix gracefully arrived; Professor McGonagall waved her wand, and the wooden house collapsed inward like a deflated balloon, instantly turning into a flat and dented wooden box, which automatically flew into Professor McGonagall's hand.

A loud, clear cry rang out from the woods, and after a flash of fire, the two principals vanished from the spot; apart from a patch of flattened weeds, there was no trace to prove that anyone had been there.

"The Guardian Charm must have other uses, right?" As soon as they left the cabin, still in that unfamiliar forest, Shen Hou couldn't wait to ask Gideon, "This charm has more than just the functions I've heard about or seen."

"He can also uplift spirits, inspire morale, and resist spells that create negative emotions." Gideon seemed to have thought of something and subconsciously paused.

Sirius, however, was completely uninhibited and loudly proclaimed what Gideon hadn't finished saying: "The Patronus Charm can also be used to test a wizard's state of mind. A dark wizard with a completely black heart cannot and dares not use the Patronus Charm."

"What will happen if you use it?" Shen Hou pressed.

"Wand backfires, becomes uncontrollable, and can even cause magic to backfire on the caster, potentially leading to death."

"Is this what Dumbledore meant, that it would pose a fatal danger to some wizards?"

"Yes."

Shen Hou seemed thoughtful: "In other words, Dumbledore made me learn this spell so he could cut open my stomach and see if it was dark inside?"

"What a strange description... but it seems quite fitting."