Hogwarts: This holy light is righteously evil.

Dumbledore snapped out of his reverie about the mountain of books, but he had managed to collect a few old notebooks that were still of some value. Although he looked regretful, he wasn't too disappointed.

“No wonder the Black family isn’t interested in this place,” Puni shook his head.

The two walked out of the storage room side by side. As soon as they returned to the rotunda, they saw Lestrange in the portrait chatting with Professor Percival, occasionally letting out a hearty laugh.

Lestrange's gaze quickly fell on the few pieces of clothing Penny was carrying. He raised an eyebrow, his brow twitching involuntarily, and said, "Penny, you have quite the taste. Out of so many things, you picked these few that are the most useless. These clothes, apart from looking a little nicer, have no magical power or any special meaning. They're just decorations."

Hearing this, Puni immediately became displeased and retorted with a frown, "What do you mean by the most useless? I just think that these few clothes are a little newer than the others. Look at the rest of your clothes, they are all antiques from hundreds of years ago, with outdated styles. You don't really think that anyone would wear those clothes out in public now, do you?"

Lestrange waved his hand dismissively, saying casually, "Think what you want. Anyway, these things will be yours in the future. Besides, these clothes aren't enhanced by any magic system, so they're just trash. I didn't expect you to find any treasures in them."

After speaking, Lestrange turned his gaze to Dumbledore, the teasing on his face fading and becoming more peaceful: "Professor Dumbledore, this secret chamber is hidden beneath Hogwarts Castle, without any restrictions, and you can come here anytime in the future."

Upon hearing this, Dumbledore nodded gently, a warm smile on his face.

Puni followed Dumbledore and slowly walked up the spiral staircase.

The staircase is winding and full of the marks of time; the handrail is cold, and it creaks slightly with every step.

When the two finally reached the top of the stairs and pushed open the stone door to the exit, they discovered that this was actually the lowest level of Hogwarts Castle, dark and damp, with a faint musty smell in the air. Going up one more level would lead to the castle's dungeon area.

The two passed through the dungeon and walked along the corridor, avoiding patrolling guards and passing students. After walking for about fifteen minutes, a huge stone dragon statue stood prominently at the end of the corridor.

The dragon statue is exquisitely carved, with each scale clearly visible and distinct in texture. The dragon is in a crouching position with its eyes closed, as if it is fast asleep, yet it exudes an aura of majesty, as if it might awaken at any moment, open its massive mouth, and unleash a deafening roar.

On the base of the dragon statue, Hogwarts' famous motto is inscribed in ancient script.

Do not disturb the sleeping dragon...

Dumbledore stopped and looked at the statue and the school motto. He said calmly and solemnly, "The origin of this motto has been lost to time, but the message it conveys has remained unchanged. It reminds us that no matter what we face, whether it seems powerful or weak, we must maintain a sense of awe and not wantonly desecrate it."

Puni nodded and said, "A sense of awe, I will remember, Professor."

Dumbledore's gaze inadvertently fell on the several garments that Puni was always carrying in his hands. They were four wizard robes of different colors, with smooth fabrics and exquisite patterns embroidered with gold and silver threads, making them look very gorgeous.

Dumbledore examined them carefully and commented objectively, “These robes do look magnificent and eye-catching, but as your elder Lestrange said, they have no special magical power. They are just adorned with a few everyday spells, such as for warmth and stain protection. They have no other use.”

Upon hearing Dumbledore's assessment of the robes, Penny shook his head. Holding the four robes in his hands, he leaned close to Dumbledore and said earnestly, "Professor, you're wrong. These robes aren't just fancy-looking and have some kind of self-cleaning magic. They can automatically adjust their size to fit the wearer's body. And look closely, don't the patterns on these four robes seem strangely familiar?"

As he spoke, Puni unfolded the four robes one by one and laid them flat on the stone platform next to him, so that Dumbledore could observe them.

From his perspective, among the clothes in the storage room, only these four robes always emitted a faint magical glow, a soft and pure light that was completely different from the weak or even dissipated magical aura on the other miscellaneous items.

Puni secretly judged that these robes probably existed even longer than Lestrange's, and were by no means ordinary vintage clothing, but rather objects that truly contained ancient magic.

As for the remaining items in the box, Puni had long forgotten about them.

Those worn-out metal tools, yellowed papers, and expired potions, after a century of erosion, are fortunate to have survived relatively intact and not completely decayed into ashes. They have no value whatsoever and cannot compare to the four robes in my hand.

Upon hearing this, Dumbledore's smile faded slightly. He reached out and gently touched the edge of the robe, carefully stroking the gold and silver patterns on it, feeling the magical power contained within the garment.

After a moment, he spoke slowly, with a hint of approval: "This fabric is woven from precious animal hair. It has a delicate texture and can preserve magical energy for a long time. It is indeed a fine item. Moreover, look at these patterns, which correspond to the four houses of Hogwarts. It must have been a magical item left behind by a headmaster back then."

He looked at Puni again, his gentle smile returning to his face: "It seems you've truly found something good this time. Compared to the notes and books I found, which are too profound for your age and don't require your use for now, these robes are exceptionally suitable for you."

Puni's eyes lit up, knowing his chance had come. He quickly held the robes in both hands, tilted his head slightly, and put on a well-behaved and cute expression as he asked Dumbledore, "Professor, I have a small request. Could you please put another spell on these robes for me?"

Dumbledore couldn't help but laugh at his appearance.

He shook his head helplessly, thinking to himself that he could only accept the little wizard's "minor coercion" at this moment, after all, he had just praised the robe he found as nice.

"Tell me, what kind of magic do you want to cast?" Dumbledore asked calmly, his smile fading, though he was secretly calculating in his mind that if Penny's request was too unreasonable, such as casting a powerful protective curse or an offensive spell, he would find a reasonable reason to refuse. After all, some magic was not something a first-year wizard should be exposed to or use.

Puni smiled and said, "It's not complicated at all. I just want you to add a spell that allows me to freely enter and exit the academy's common room. You see, I'm just a first-year wizard. I'm still young. Sometimes I accidentally miss the closing time of the common room and get locked out. Now that the weather is so cold, if I stand outside in the cold wind, I might catch a cold or fever, which would definitely delay my classes and studies. That would be such a waste."

He spoke with such sincerity, as if he were genuinely just worried about catching a cold while locked out, without revealing his true feelings at all.

Upon hearing this, Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise on his face. He never expected Puni's request to be so simple.

He had originally thought that Puni would ask for protective spells, since wizard robes could cover most of the body, and casting spells on them to resist attacks and defend against evil curses was the best choice and the most practical approach for most wizards.

"Is it really that simple?" Dumbledore asked again, confirming.

Puni nodded quickly, a perfectly timed smile on his face, and followed up on Dumbledore's words, adding, "If it's convenient for you, Professor, could you also add the access spells to the common rooms of the other three houses? After all, sometimes I might go to visit friends in other houses, and it would be troublesome if I were locked out."

He was secretly delighted. Since Dumbledore had asked him, he would be doing himself a disservice if he didn't try to get some benefits out of him.

Upon hearing this, Dumbledore's smile froze instantly, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

If he had a time converter, he would go back to what he just said and take back his unnecessary words.

After a moment of silence, Dumbledore shrugged helplessly and ultimately did not refuse.

After all, Lestrange had already left all the treasures in the secret chamber to Puni. For Lestrange's sake, and also because the child was indeed clever and adorable, he didn't need to make too much of a fuss about this small request.

"Okay, this is a small matter, it will be done soon."

"Thank you."

......

In accordance with Hogwarts tradition, the second game of the year’s Quidditch League is about to begin.

Sunlight streamed through the clouds onto the expansive Quidditch pitch, adding a touch of warmth to the highly anticipated match.

The two teams facing off this time are Slytherin and Gryffindor.

The rivalry between these two teams has a long history, and their annual Quidditch match is always the focus of attention, with the tension both on and off the field being more intense than in any other game.

Both teams' players had arrived at the court well in advance, wearing their respective college-colored team uniforms, warming up on the sidelines, their eyes filled with fighting spirit, and when they looked at each other, they all had an undisguised competitive intent.

The reason why the match between these two teams is so captivating is not only because of their long-standing rivalry, but more importantly, because Quidditch scores are directly linked to the total points of the College Cup.

Every Quidditch match, every goal scored, directly impacts the rankings of each college and determines who wins the College Cup at the end of the year.

This is why every young wizard at Hogwarts takes Quidditch matches very seriously. Even students who are not usually interested in sports will arrive on time to cheer for their house.

Today, even first-year students who have just entered the school have already developed a strong sense of collective honor for the college.

Dressed in the same colors as their houses, their faces beaming with excitement and anticipation, they were all burning with determination, hoping their houses would achieve great results in Quidditch, accumulating points step by step, and ultimately lifting the House Cup, the symbol of the highest honor.

The stands surrounding the stadium were already filled with students from various colleges, their cheers and shouts creating a lively atmosphere.

Puni also sat on the high stands, surrounded by classmates who had come to watch the game.

The referee has raised his wand, signaling both teams to be ready and the match could begin at any moment.

To Puni's left sat Marcos and his two companions, who could no longer contain their excitement. They sat ramrod straight, their eyes fixed on the arena, shouting Gryffindor slogans incessantly in loud voices. Every now and then, they would cheer for a teammate's warm-up exercise, their emotions too intense to contain.

Cho Chang, who sat to his right, was usually gentle and quiet, but he was like a different person once he was at the Quidditch match.

She put her hands to her mouth, making a megaphone shape, and shouted loudly for the Gryffindor team, her voice even louder than Marcos and Eddie's, her eyes fixed on the Gryffindor players.

Chapter 108 The Second Quidditch Match

The noise from the stands grew louder and louder.

Students from each college were cheering for the teams they supported.

The Slytherin students wore green uniforms, while the Gryffindor students wore red, the two colors mingling in the stands.

Cheers, shouts, and cheers echoed throughout the stadium.

Looking at the enthusiastic classmates around him and then at the team members poised to start on the field, Puni was gradually infected by the atmosphere and quietly waited for the game to officially begin.

Ahead, each Ravenclaw player held a flat wooden board with parchment on it, presumably for recording data.

Looking at their meticulous appearance, Puni thought to himself, "They truly are Ravenclaw students."

Even amidst the intense atmosphere of the competition, they always maintain rationality and rigor. Even when supporting the Academy and contributing to Quidditch matches, they have their own unique ways of using data analysis to develop strategies for subsequent matches. This is the source of their confidence in pursuing victory.

However, in Puni's view, such a approach was too rigid, even somewhat silly.

He couldn't help but think to himself that instead of spending time recording these complicated data, he should just silently pray that neither team's Seekers would ever find the Golden Snitch, so that the game would never end.

That would mean both teams would be constantly flying and fighting in the air, getting exhausted, and might even have to lie in the medical wing for days, weeks, or even months to recover. It's quite interesting to think about.

According to the rules of Quidditch, the game is only officially over when one side's Seeker catches the Golden Snitch. Even if one side's score has reached 10,000 to 0, the game must continue as long as the Golden Snitch has not been caught.

The longest match in Hogwarts Quidditch history lasted a full three months, with the players taking turns to rest, before finally ending with one side catching the Golden Snitch.

The Quidditch pitch was bustling with activity, a sight to behold.

A total of fourteen players participated in the match, seven from Slytherin and seven from Gryffindor. In addition, four balls—the Quaffle, the Runaway Ball, and the Golden Snitch—moved around the field at the same time. The players shuttled and flew, competing against each other. Every second brought a different scene, and you needed to be fully focused to see every detail.

On the other side of the field, there was a stand specifically set up for teachers, where the atmosphere was much quieter than that of the student stands.

In the stands, an older student stood in a corner, holding a megaphone that seemed to be blessed with magic, serving as the host for the entire match.

With a loud and clear voice and a steady pace, he used his skillful hosting techniques to broadcast the most exciting and noteworthy parts of the entire competition in real time through a loudspeaker, conveying the tension and excitement of the competition to every spectator in the stands.

This hosting job is not easy. Not only do you have to pay attention to every move on the field, but you also have to quickly select the most exciting moments and broadcast them in concise and clear language. You can't miss any key details, nor can you be long-winded. You must have extremely strong observation and language expression skills. Without a certain level of hosting skills, you simply cannot do it.

However, unlike the host, Puni's attention did not linger on the Quaffle's offensive and defensive battles, nor did he keep a close eye on the movements of the two teams' Seekers. Although those scenes were exciting, they were not enough to arouse his interest.

He preferred to focus on the batters on the field, watching them grip their bats and relentlessly strike the fast-moving ball, forcing opposing players to change course and disrupt their rhythm.

It would be even more thrilling to see a batter hit a stray ball so precisely that it crashes into an opposing player's broom, knocking the player off the broom.

The two batters of the Gryffindor team were the Weasley twins. They worked together seamlessly and skillfully, wearing bright red Gryffindor uniforms and riding two brand-new magical brooms.

These two brooms are of excellent performance, with high flight speed and strong stability, which not only makes their flight more flexible, but also greatly helps them hit the ball, making them more adept on the field.

The Weasley twins rode broomsticks, weaving nimbly through the air. Working together, one hit the Runaway ball while the other precisely passed it on, sending it towards the Slytherin team.

The Blink-Walker flew swiftly through the air, and many Slytherin members, seeing it, were so frightened that they quickly adjusted their flight direction to avoid it, fearing that they would be hit by the Blink-Walker and fall off their brooms.

At this moment, Gryffindor's Charlie Weasley was flying through the air on his broomstick, vigilantly searching for the Golden Snitch's trail while keeping a close eye on his teammates' battle situation.

Seeing the Weasley twins' brilliant performance, he couldn't help but shout his approval loudly, his voice full of encouragement, which also boosted the morale of the Gryffindor team.

But the Slytherin team was, after all, a long-established and powerful team at Hogwarts, with a deep foundation and extremely skilled players. Even when faced with the Weasley twins' fierce offensive, they did not panic.

With their skillful flying techniques and excellent teamwork, they calmly dealt with the Gryffindor team's attacks, gradually stabilized the situation, and even widened the gap in scoring, slowly taking the lead over the Gryffindor team.

The atmosphere on the field became even more tense as a result.

On the scoreboard, the numbers kept changing, and Slytherin's team maintained their lead thanks to their consistent performance.

The Slytherin students in the stands cheered and waved their house flags, while the Gryffindor students clenched their fists and shouted loudly to encourage their teammates, hoping they could turn the tide.

Just as the scoreboard changed again, and Slytherin scored with a precise Quake, a heart-pounding figure suddenly appeared on the field.

The golden thief suddenly broke free from its previous concealment and appeared directly in front of the stands where the host was. The fleeting golden light instantly attracted everyone's attention.

The senior students who were hosting the event were always extremely dedicated. Even though they had seen the Golden Snitch with their own eyes, they knew their responsibilities and did not choose to broadcast this crucial information through the magic megaphone, so as not to affect the fairness of the competition.