Hogwarts: What are the four great masters doing?

"Okay, okay - great Mr. Elias, you are Mr. Potter's friend, your orders must have your reasons, Dobby believes in you."

He nodded vigorously with tears in his eyes.

He then turned his attention back to the complex restoration work.

Ryan waved his hand to signal Karaktacus Bock, and the two returned to the front of the store together.

In the dim light, the three unconscious Death Eaters on the ground remained stiff in ridiculous postures.

Without any hesitation, Ryan took out three bottles of resuscitation potion with a faint blue light from his pocket - it was obvious that he had prepared it.

The potion was forcefully poured into the Death Eaters' mouths; the heavy bottles even roughly jammed their jaws, which were loose due to their coma.

The drug took effect very quickly, and the three "sleepers" regained consciousness instantly, their chests heaving violently as they groaned and coughed in pain.

However, they didn't even have time to see who had woken them, or to struggle to catch their wands as they fell to the ground.

And Ryan has already extended his hand: "Oblithe!"

Powerful and precise magic instantly invaded the brains of the three Death Eaters.

In their eyes, which had just regained consciousness, the vigilance and fear that had just been focused were instantly replaced by complete emptiness and dullness.

The memory of meeting Ryan Elias here today, and any possible glimpse of clues, were completely stripped away at this moment, as if they had never existed.

After dealing with the three Death Eaters, Ryan turned his attention to Boss Burke, who had witnessed the whole process.

"Mr. Caractacus."

Ryan's voice returned to its usual calmness: "I'm afraid I can't help you remove the restrictions on you today."

Upon hearing this, a flash of disappointment and fear crossed Caractacus's face.

But more importantly, it was an old wizard's clear understanding of the situation.

His clever brain was working rapidly, and he instantly understood the meaning of Ryan's action.

"What do you need me to do?"

He chose a side—just like every time before.

Ryan just curled his lips.

So, not long after.

When the Death Eaters whose memories had been erased woke up one after another not long after, what they saw was still the familiar, dim, and dangerous Borgin and Burke's shop, and the owner Caractacus who looked tired but seemed to be normal.

"You accidentally touched the magic trap here. I told you a long time ago that many things in this store are dangerous."

Caractacus's vague explanations and complaints fit perfectly with the gaps in their memories.

They had no doubts.

Chapter 219 Complete silence and undercurrent!

For Ryan, the discovery of Borgin and Burke was a relief.

He was able to learn of Voldemort's plan - at least part of it, of which Voldemort was clearly unaware.

Ryan naturally did not hide this news from Dumbledore - in fact, he told the old wizard about it as soon as he returned from Borgin and Burke's.

The old wizard, who has been busy with the follow-up care of Fox's Nirvana recently, also spoke highly of Ryan's handling of the matter.

"Handle it calmly—alerting the snake isn't the right approach; it will only make it retreat... Tom is that kind of person. You did a great job, Ryan."

So, Ryan was able to have a good sleep recently without having to pay attention to what Draco Malfoy was doing recently.

And this day...

When Ryan woke up from his dreamless sleep, he felt relaxed and refreshed.

Of course, the other little wizards didn't think so.

For example, Hermione, Harry and Ron, who are most familiar with Ryan, or Draco Malfoy, who has been paying close attention to Ryan since the night in the Room of Requirement, can all vaguely sense the difference.

Ryan has been a little quiet lately.

This silence is not indifference or absent-mindedness, but rather an extreme restraint and calmness.

It was as if all his senses were gathered within an invisible barrier.

Even when Professor McGonagall called on him to ask questions in class, he answered with the fewest words.

Unlike the young wizards who were confused, Professor McGonagall seemed to have realized something.

So in the following Transfiguration class, Professor McGonagall did not ask Ryan any more questions - you know, before this, 'ask Ryan when the class is not going well' was almost the consensus of all professors.

It was not until the end of the class that Professor McGonagall took the initiative to find Ryan.

"Lion, has your Animagus reached the 'complete silent period'?"

She asked straight to the point: "No need to answer, just nod and shake your head."

Then, she saw Ryan nodded.

That's right.

During this period of time, Ryan never gave up his Animagus training.

However, in the past period of time, as he gradually got used to the feeling of the 'mandrake leaves' in his mouth and used magic to assist in speaking, his practice of Animagus was rarely noticed.

In fact, both Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall praised Ryan's incredible ability to control magic - when practicing Animagus, it was inconvenient to speak for a long time, which has always been a pain point, but Ryan obviously solved it to a certain extent.

But obviously, things are different now.

Even Ryan had spoken noticeably less recently—a sign of extreme concentration.

As an Animagus, Professor McGonagall naturally understood that this represented a critical stage of Animagus - the period of complete silence.

When the Animagus practice reaches this level, the wizard must highly coordinate his mind, soul and magic, concentrate on exploring the potential form in the body, and solidify it as a part of himself.

Even Ryan needs to speak relatively less at this stage.

As for Ryan, he now only needs to wait for a stormy night.

"Don't be anxious. Waiting is a wizard's virtue."

Professor McGonagall said this to Ryan - even though she knew Ryan's abilities very well, she was still worried that the young and energetic Ryan would be too anxious.

But Ryan is clearly in no rush.

To him, waiting was not an unbearable torture, but a normal part of the Big Four's past teachings.

So after agreeing with Professor McGonagall that the next thunderstorm night would be the time to complete the Animagus, Ryan chose to leave.

Although he has been much freer recently, he is still quite busy.

for example...

"Malfoy has been to the Room of Requirement again?"

At this moment, Ryan, who had returned to the dormitory, looked at Friday who was gesturing to him and asked softly.

After Friday meowed twice more, he nodded, but he didn't care and didn't pay much attention to what Draco said.

That's right.

Ever since he knew what Draco was doing in the Room of Requirement, Ryan already had a plan in mind.

Like a chess player quietly observing the chess pieces outside the chessboard, for him, Draco's existence was no longer a problem that caused some headaches, but a mark.

He marked Voldemort's movements—once the Vanishing Cabinet was repaired, that would be when Voldemort would make his move.

In order to ensure that Voldemort's actions are consistent with his arrangements, Ryan will even help Draco at critical moments.

Of course, Mr. Draco, who had been troubled by the events at Malfoy Manor recently and cried almost every night, naturally would not have noticed that the progress of repairing the Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement would 'naturally' speed up on certain nights.

Or even if he noticed, he would just think that Merlin was protecting him.

"It is always better to have the thread of events in your own hands than in the hands of the enemy."

Ryan whispered to himself.

And at the same time...

It was dark and there was no one around.

A small figure sneaked out of Hogwarts Castle.

It avoided portraits and patrolling ghosts with ease, its steps unsteady but with a clear goal.

Deep in the forbidden forest, the twisted branches of towering ancient trees blocked the moonlight, casting only bottomless shadows.

A pitch-black darkness was already waiting there.

As soon as he saw the darkness, the short figure knelt down.

He twitched with excited anticipation and respect.

"Great master."

It said respectfully: "Everything is going according to plan - Barty Crouch Sr. has been kicked out, and the restoration of the Vanishing Cabinet is almost complete..."

"very good."

Then, a voice was heard from the darkness.

Voldemort's voice was the same as always, the hissing of a snake.

He looked at the loyal servant kneeling on the ground in front of him and said, "I'm sorry to have wronged you."

"No, there is no grievance! My great master!"

And the short figure said loudly: "For your great cause, all sacrifices are necessary."

Of course including himself.

"very good."

Then, Voldemort also smiled: "Soon, the defenses of Hogwarts will be destroyed... We will have time to find what we are looking for..."

"When the time comes, you will be my first hero, and I will reward you—standing on the corpses of those mudbloods."

The moonlight fell, illuminating the figure on the ground.

It was a house-elf.