The days at Hogwarts

"Come on, you're almost turning into a werewolf out of jealousy."

"You little brat, how can you talk like that... It's weird, you weren't jealous at the time..."

……

After dinner, Bates took the remaining berries to the next door to share. In his words: This is also the result of Wendell's labor, and he cannot monopolize it.

Loren lay back on the sofa, unfolding a copy of the Evening Standard to kill time leisurely. An urgent report caught his attention:

On November 1992, 11, a fire broke out at Windsor Castle.

The fire started in a small chapel northeast of the castle and spread rapidly. The smoke could be seen rising five miles away.

More than 200 firefighters rushed to the scene to put out the fire. Prince Andrew, the second son of the Queen, who was at the castle when the fire broke out, also joined the "human chain" to rescue precious cultural relics. A Victorian-era carpet, the world's largest single piece, was also rescued. Prince Andrew was interviewed by reporters at the scene and highly praised the people's brave, quick and effective firefighting actions.

The Brunswick Tower, the private prayer room of the church, the St. George's State Banqueting Hall, the Crimson Studio, the Chester Tower and other buildings in the castle have been severely burned. The roof of the St. George's State Banqueting Hall has collapsed, and 6 famous paintings have been burned. The loss is tens of millions of pounds.

"No one has died in this fire yet." Loren read the last line of text softly.

The timing of the fire was too coincidental. According to calculations, he and Dumbledore had just left Windsor Castle when the fire broke out in the castle.

He didn't know how many fire-fighting facilities there were in the castle, which cost a huge amount of money to maintain every year, whether there was adequate protection against fire, and what the possibility of a fire being caused by no other factors was.

He didn't know a lot of things, had no clues, no evidence, but it was so coincidental that he didn't even have to think about it to figure out that the fire was related to the house-elf.

He took away the only unicorn horn in the castle that was related to the magic world. He was sure that the house-elves had no reason to set the castle on fire. But it seemed that there was no need for any reason. For the house-elves who could do magic, it might just be a snap of his fingers.

Just like a long time ago, when he was herding sheep in the mountains, he stepped on a grasshopper to death on the roadside, without any reason.

The picture of the fire scene in the newspaper was in color. Loren felt complicated as he stroked the ink marks on it.

To the world of ordinary people, an inconspicuous house-elf is like a natural disaster. People have no way out and can only endure the disaster brought by magic.

To magical creatures, Muggles are just grasshoppers that can be easily crushed on the roadside.

To the magic world, human society is like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered...

Loren couldn't arrest the house-elf who set the fire, and Muggles didn't have a court to try house-elves. No matter how many thoughts and ideas he had, they were completely forgotten when he woke up.

The next day, Loren, carrying a hoe and shovel that were taller than him, helped Bates dig holes in the backyard, fill the soil, and plant a few low sycamore trees.

No magic was used at all, just like an ordinary Muggle.

Loren squatted beside the last sycamore tree that had just been filled with soil, watching Bates holding the water pipe and pouring water on the soil at the roots of the tree.

"Are you sure this is how you water the plants? We're transplanting trees, not growing wheat. You won't drown them, will you?" Loren asked.

Bates didn't even look at him. He answered in a muffled voice, "Two weeks ago, on Arbor Day, the mayor of London went to Hyde Park to plant trees. Wendell took me to see it. That's how they watered them."

Loren muttered, "A politician's show job? How can you believe this? The trees planted by the mayor can come back to life even if they die..."

The autumn weather is crisp and the dirt in the backyard is wet. There is still cold moisture in the air, but the leaves of the sycamore trees are still green. Crouching under the tree and looking up, the green leaves set off the blue sky like forget-me-nots, so deep and blue that it makes people immersed in it.

……

After dinner, Loren returned to Hogwarts with a bag full of candy and easily found the plotting trio in Myrtle's bathroom.

"So you have confirmed the monster in the secret room?" Loren threw chocolates into his mouth one after another, with no expression of surprise on his face.

"Yes," Harry spread out the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in front of him, on which was the page recording the basilisk. "After Mrs. Norris was attacked, Hermione summarized the two clues of petrification and snakes, and led us to find the monster based on these two clues. But later she had to focus on brewing potions, so this task was left to the two of us."

"I met Rolf in the library. I thought his family was in the business of this, so I asked him a question, and he pointed out the basilisk to us right away." Ron smiled as he unfolded the page of the book that he had torn off behind Madam Pince's back.

Hermione also had a smile on her face: "We have already met with Dumbledore. He said that after the Christmas holidays, when most students have gone home, a thorough search of the castle will be conducted."

Loren looked strange. Are you sure Dumbledore is not stalling for time by saying this?

He chose his words carefully: "But Harry, there is still a month until Christmas. According to what you said, this is enough time for Malfoy, no, this is enough time for the Basilisk to send half of the Muggle wizards to the school hospital."

He pointed out a passage describing the basilisk's abilities. "Only when the victim's eyes meet the basilisk's indirectly, such as through reflection, will they be petrified. Most of the time, anyone caught in its gaze will die instantly."

"Does this mean that Mrs. Loris and Colin are just lucky? If other people encounter a basilisk, they might end up having to go to the school hospital for more than just a mission." Loren put pressure on the three of them crazily, laughing wildly in his heart.

The joy on the three little ones' faces froze.

Loren suppressed the smile on his face and continued, "There is one more thing. What if a comprehensive search doesn't find it? Think about it. The basilisk only comes out when it is committing a crime. It usually hides in the secret room. And for thousands of years, no one has found any trace of the secret room. Will a comprehensive search definitely find the secret room?"

Harry and Ron looked at each other, got up, and ran towards the headmaster's office. They were going to tell Dumbledore about this.

Hermione pushed herself up with her hands, walked over to the cauldron where the fire had gone out, and continued to boil the Polyjuice Potion without saying a word.

Loren stood up and followed, stuffing snacks into his mouth non-stop, and when Hermione was too busy to do anything, he fed her too.

"Shh, where have you been for the past day and a half?" Hermione had a whole piece of chocolate in her mouth, and she had to be careful not to let the chocolate fall into the crucible when she spoke.

"Dumbledore took me to visit a senior. Then I took advantage of the weekend and went home for a day."

Loren felt that what he said was completely correct. Tom Riddle introduced himself as a senior, a real senior.

Hermione swallowed the chocolate, her tone was full of envy and a bit of coquettishness: "I can only wait until Christmas to go home, but the school may have to search for basilisks during the Christmas holidays, and I also want to stay in school to see the basilisk."

"Go home. The basilisk is not as important as going home." Loren fed him another biscuit.

"But maybe the basilisk can only see it this time." Hermione sighed quietly. For her, who was very curious, this was a dilemma.

"Maybe we can find the basilisk before the Christmas holidays?"

Loren looked at the quality of the lacewings in the crucible and estimated the progress: "Oh no, it looks like it's not working. The cessation of fire has been too long. It will take twice as long to replenish it."

"Ah——you're so annoying!"

……

Corridor at night.

Loren walked on his way to Lockhart's office, his footsteps echoing in the silent corridor, so quiet that it seemed as if he was the only one in the entire corridor.

But it's only as if.

He was not on guard before, so he didn't notice it. But after Dumbledore reminded him outside Windsor Castle, Loren began to pay attention to the sight of the house-elves.

Sure enough, after dinner, when he came out of the auditorium, he felt a special gaze following him. He wanted to wait until it was over and then ask the house elf why it set fire to Windsor Castle.

But he couldn't act rashly, as Dumbledore wanted to keep the person behind the scenes to serve as Harry's whetstone.

Hiding in the shadows around the corners, behind the stairs, and in hollow armor, the house elves were very mobile in the castle. Compared to yesterday, the house elf with one little finger missing on his right hand was able to get closer and track more closely.

"The missing finger is the master's punishment for my incompetence. Yes, I deserve to be punished." The house-elf whispered words that only he could hear, with a humble tone and a shrill voice.

He felt the pain from his fingers, and his tone turned resentful: "I hope this damn Muggle little wizard won't leave the castle again. If he loses me again, I will use my head to hatch snake eggs..."

Arriving at Lockhart's office, Loren knocked on the door, then pushed it open and walked in. "Good evening, Professor Lockhart."

The office was still filled with Lockhart's portraits and photos, each of them radiant with a delicate smile.

Lockhart was standing in front of the mirror, fixing his appearance. He was wearing a conspicuous purple and gorgeous robe, holding a wand in his hand. He was changing his handsome dueling postures and constantly adjusting his eyes to achieve the best viewing effect.

"Hey, Loren, you're just in time! Come and help me see which duel posture of holding the wand looks better in your opinion?"

Better looking? Shouldn't the duel posture be based on the convenience of casting spells? Loren was silent.

Lockhart didn't care that he didn't get an answer. He kept switching his movements in front of the mirror: "You should have seen the notice posted in the common room. Tomorrow night at 8 o'clock, I will hold the first activity of the Duelling Club in the auditorium."

Loren had not been back to the common room since returning to the castle, so he didn't know about the dueling club. He thought of Lockhart's other club: "Professor, is your professional club still running?"

"Oh... um..." Lockhart hesitated.

He later learned that, in fact, when the time was right, the dean of the academy would find the young wizard for one-on-one career counseling. In comparison, his lectures were all self-boasting and false content, and the young wizards were willing to listen to the entire lecture because of his good storytelling and the temptation of recommendation letters.

Lockhart excused himself by saying, "I have handed over all the contents of the professional club to the four deans. You will know them when you are in your fifth year."

He convinced himself in an instant, and his tone became enthusiastic: "Yes, I won't teach at Hogwarts for too long. You know, I am an adventurer after all. Just like the unruly wind, an adventurous person will not stay in the same place for too long. So I handed over the professional club to the four deans, and I believe they will pass on my beliefs."

"But don't worry, I will teach you the Forgetfulness Charm." Lockhart patted Loren's shoulder affectionately and began tonight's teaching...

Chapter 196 All forgotten

The Memory Charm, since it was invented by the witch Nemoin Radford, has become a wonderful tool for maintaining secrets. For a long time in the past, wizards used it to cover their tracks and hide the existence of the magical world.

Over a long period of time, wizards have used the Forgetfulness spell more frequently, not only to hide the magical world, but also to hide their own personal secrets and steal other people's wonderful adventures...

Loren began to learn memory magic during the summer vacation. With the help of Hermione, he learned Legilimency and half-baked Occlumency, and had a preliminary understanding of the relationship between the brain and the soul. Lockhart's teaching made him sort out deep and surface memories, and further his understanding of the soul.

Loren felt that he had basically mastered the theoretical knowledge and now all he needed was practice.

But Lockhart didn't intend to let him practice. The professional club could no longer be run, and his teaching of Loren became perfunctory. He didn't expect to earn any reputation from this, so he planned to drag it out until he left Hogwarts a year later and let the matter go.

With this mentality, Lockhart's lectures turned into digging up some cases about the Oblivion Spell to brag about his unparalleled Oblivion Spell.

"In the 18th century, the silly witch Dorcas Twelvetrees revealed the existence of the American Magical Congress to a Muggle. Some radical elements got involved, and it almost led to a large-scale conflict. Afterwards, they used the Forgetfulness Charm on a large scale, but there were still some that slipped through the net. It's a pity that I was not born at that time, otherwise -"

Lockhart paused and blinked at Loren. "This is a pity indeed. Dorcas Twelvetrees' father is the treasure and dragon coin manager of the Magical Congress of the United States. He would certainly be willing to offer some insignificant property to help him deal with this trouble and ensure that his career would not be affected."

Dragon coins are the universal currency of the American wizarding world, equivalent to the gold galleons here. The treasure and dragon coin manager is the Minister of Finance.

Therefore, the forgetfulness spell can also help others do dirty work.

Loren nodded thoughtfully.

"Believe me, Loren, the Forgetfulness Spell can be very useful. You can try to open your mind." Locka said meaningfully.

At this point, Lockhart glanced at the clock on the wall and a relaxed smile appeared on his face. "It's 9:15. Let's stop here for today. The little wizard must make sure to get enough sleep."

"Professor, should we practice a little?" Loren pretended not to want to leave, and excitedly took out his wand and held it in his hand. He looked like an impatient little wizard who couldn't wait to learn new spells.

Lockhart took on the attitude of a professor, smiling and advising him, his words were full of consideration for him: "The Oblivion Charm is a very dangerous spell, don't rush to practice it, what you should do now is to familiarize yourself with the theoretical content. When you have fully mastered it, I will prepare some guinea pigs for you to practice, and then slowly transition to more intelligent creatures. This will be a long process."

Loren suddenly interrupted him and told him a shocking news: "Professor, did you know that the monster in the secret room might be a basilisk?"

"Bassilisk!" Lockhart's attention was diverted and he opened his eyes wide in surprise.

Loren seized the opportunity and waved his wand towards his eyes: "Oblivion"

The invisible magic penetrated into Lockhart's brain through his eyes, playing a wonderful role in the mysterious field of memory. To be on the safe side, Loren also let the magic of the forgetfulness spell go around the portrait in the office.

It was his first time to use the Oblivion Charm, so he was a little unfamiliar with it. It took Lockhart a long time to shake his head and come back to his senses, with a confused expression on his face: "Where were we just talking about?"

The portraits and photos of all sizes in the office still maintain their bright smiles, as if nothing had happened.

Loren raised the corner of his mouth slightly. Just as he expected, he had mastered the forgetfulness spell.

Loren politely put away his wand, his gesture was unmistakable, "I just said that practicing the Oblivion Charm is too tedious and complicated. I have other club activities to participate in. I want to give up learning the Oblivion Charm and won't come here anymore."

"I'm so sorry, Professor Lockhart." Loren said this very sincerely.

Lockhart was still a little confused. He slowly recalled the scene just now. It seemed that he had just said that practicing the Oblivion Charm was a long process.

A smile appeared on his face. Loren took the initiative to offer to give up the Forgetfulness Spell, which was exactly what he wanted.

Lockhart suppressed the joy in his heart and said with pretended regret: "Oh, no need to apologize, although it is a pity. However, little wizards should try more possibilities. I respect your choice."

The two of them said goodbye in a pretentious manner, with reluctance and regret on their faces, but as soon as the office door was closed, they both smiled with relief through the wooden door.

Lockhart returned to the mirror, fixed his wand between the second knuckles of his thumb and index finger, made a handsome gesture of lightly picking up the wand, and forced a bright smile at the person in the mirror.

"It's perfect! This pose should be made into the cover of Wandering with Werewolves 2." Lockhart said complacently.

"A gathering of ghosts... a werewolf army of Muggles, Bates... and me saving Hogwarts from the monster in the Chamber of Secrets... the next book is going to be a big hit."

As Lockhart thought about the contents of the next book, he became more and more excited. When the clock struck 10, he glanced at the clock on the wall and muttered, "Happy times always pass quickly..."

In the corridor of the castle.

Loren's footsteps sounded slowly and steadily, and they spread far in the quiet night, all the way to the end of the corridor and into those inconspicuous dark places. Every sound echoed in the heart of the house elf.

He had actually just thought about completely erasing Bates from Lockhart's memory, but doing so would leave many loopholes, so he eventually gave up the idea.

Grandpa Bates and Lockhart met a few months ago. The two of them had been together for a while, covering all aspects of the matter. Deleting a large amount of memory rashly would arouse Lockhart's vigilance. Using a fake memory charm to forge and replace it would be too troublesome and the workload would be too large.

Grandpa Bates's identity as a Muggle werewolf cannot be exposed, so Loren still plans to find a suitable opportunity to erase Lockhart's memories of recent years to save time and worry.

Stepping onto the stairs, Loren climbed up. The Defense Against the Dark Arts office was on the third floor, and the entrance to the Gryffindor Tower was on the seventh floor. He had to go up four floors.

According to the feedback from the magical light in his vision, the house elf had been lagging behind him, as if he wanted to see him enter the lounge with his own eyes before returning to report the surveillance situation to his master. The house elf had been moving by teleportation, not daring to take a step and make a sound.

Loren didn't want to alert Dumbledore and disrupt his plan, but now that he had mastered the Oblivion Charm, he didn't have to be so cautious and timid.

Arriving at the seventh floor, the portrait of the Fat Lady can be seen after turning the corner in front. Loren estimated the distance and seized the brief opportunity of turning the corner and escaping the sight of the house elves, and immediately cast the Disillusionment Charm to hide his figure.

There was a slight sound in the air, and the figure of the house-elf appeared in the darkness where the light could not reach. It widened its bulging eyes like tennis balls and stared at the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Where is he? Did this damn mudblood wizard go in without saying the password? Impossible, this is impossible..."

He couldn't help banging his head against the wall, making a dull sound, and his words were filled with tears: "I didn't see him enter the Gryffindor common room with my own eyes. I am a useless waste, and I didn't complete the master's orders."

"[Tongtong Petrochemical]"

A binding spell appeared out of nowhere and hit the house-elf right between his brows. A cold dark blue color gradually covered the whole body of the house-elf, making him unable to move and fall straight to the ground. He couldn't even wave his fingers to cast a spell to teleport away.