The days at Hogwarts

"Even though you didn't ask, I still want to explain it before the ceremony officially begins." Loren looked at Neville seriously.

"I will use a magic mirror to build a passage to the depths of their consciousness. It will be an illusion for Neville and me, and a dream for them. The illusion is divided into three layers. The first two layers are under my control, but Neville needs to go deep into the third layer alone. No one knows what is there. Although it is not life-threatening, it is not 100% safe either."

"I can." Neville raised his head and looked straight at Loren, holding the wrapper of Blow Up Super Bubble Gum in his hand.

Old Lady Longbottom nodded, her voice slow but firm: "He is a Longbottom child."

All preparations are completed and the ceremony begins.

Loren pulled out Bloody Mary's hand mirror from his pocket, inserted his wand into the scarlet magic light on the mirror, picked out three strands of silk from it, and the bloody light extended to the eyebrows of Neville and the Longbottom couple respectively.

The magic that acts on the soul flows on the blood-colored thread, connecting the three people who are related by blood and linking their consciousness.

Neville felt dazed for a moment and his head was a little dizzy. When he opened his eyes, he and Loren were the only ones left in the closed ward.

Curtains were fluttering on the empty bed, the windows were half-closed, and the sounds of the entire world seemed to be swallowed up by something. It was so quiet that it made people feel uncomfortable.

Loren's voice broke the silence of the world and made Neville's eyes begin to focus.

"Neville, Neville!" Seeing that he was still a little confused, Loren reached out and patted his shoulder, "This is the first layer of the illusion, a reflection of the space we are in. Come on, we have to go deeper."

"What's on the second floor? How do we get there?" Neville clenched the candy wrapper in his hand. It was a little warm from his palm, and this warmth made Neville feel at ease.

Loren did not respond immediately, but walked around the closed ward and slowly walked towards the stone door of the ward.

He gently pushed the stone door with his palm, and the heavy door opened outwards.

After Neville caught up, Loren answered, "Normally the second floor is controlled by me. In order to make it more acceptable to you, I set it to - Diagon Alley."

His roommate's words echoed in the empty ward, and Neville subconsciously looked towards the heavy stone door.

In order to prevent patients from running around, the stone door of the closed ward was designed to be heavy and solid, and both entering and exiting required the [Alaho Open] to open the door, but Loren opened it with just a light push.

The scene outside the door was even more incredible. Outside was not the corridor on the fifth floor of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, but a winding cobblestone street with no end in sight.

Loren grinned, "Welcome to Diagon Alley."

This is the view you see when you knock open the wall behind the Leaky Cauldron with your wand. Outside is Diagon Alley, which leads to the wizarding world.

After walking out of the ward, Neville heard the rumbling sound of stones moving. He quickly turned sideways to look back, only to see that the stone door suddenly turned into a wall made of red stone bricks, exactly the same as the wall of the Leaky Cauldron.

It was as if they had just walked out of the Leaky Cauldron instead of the Locked Up Ward.

Neville stared at the sunny street in front of him, which was lined with shops but empty. After a long time, he muttered: "This... this..."

He had always known that his roommate was mysterious and powerful, but facing this scene that was more magical than magic, Neville was still shocked.

Ignoring Neville's surprise, Loren carefully observed this familiar yet unfamiliar Diagon Alley and tried to use his magical vision to check it out.

The crystal blue light and shadow flowed in his eyes, and the scene in front of him turned into scarlet smoke. Wisps of mist floated and diffused, forming the outline of the street, and then suddenly dissipated, floating continuously.

The smoke seems to have some kind of magic, attracting people's attention, making people involuntarily indulge in the environment and subconsciously ignore anything wrong in the scene.

For example, there were no living creatures on the entire street, but the sound of flapping wings could be heard constantly from Eeyore Owl Shop, as if many owls lived inside it.

Loren took the initiative to ignore these environmental anomalies and sense the direction of the flow of magic power.

The scarlet smoke filled the air, forming a certain shape and then dispersing, flowing in one direction like a river. Although the flow rate was slow, it was very "conspicuous".

"Loren?" Neville's voice came from the side, with some timidity and nervousness, "How do we get to the third floor? Which door should we open?"

Although the street in front of him was not unfamiliar, it seemed particularly scary when there was no one around. Even the bright sunshine seemed to reveal a strange chill.

At certain moments, Neville even felt that Loren around him was fake and would turn into bubbles and disappear at any time.

"No need to push the door," Loren replied, walking quickly forward.

His sight extended along Diagon Alley, through Partridge's Cauldron, through Madam Malkin's Robe Shop, Flourish and Blotts Bookshop, Ollivander's Wand Shop, Slug & Giggs Pharmacy...

All the way to a dark and dirty path, which leads to - Knockturn Alley.

The blood-colored mist flowed into the alley and disappeared silently, swallowing up the scarlet magic that created the illusion like a black hole.

"Then what do we do next?"

Neville followed and carefully observed the shops on both sides of the street. When he saw Florin's Ice Cream Shop, his eyes lingered for a moment.

The ice cream in the window was steaming cold, and the colorful jam was emitting a sweet fragrance.

"It's not us, it's you. The third level is your parents' consciousness. If I go in rashly, it might cause changes." Loren took him straight to Knockturn Alley.

When passing by Gringotts, Neville saw that the shiny bronze door on the outside was half open. Through the crack in the door, there was another silver door inside, with a clear warning engraved on it:

Come in, stranger, but be careful...

Neville shook his head and quickened his pace.

After passing countless shops, they arrived at the entrance of the alley. It was dark and narrow, with an eerie chill.

"You have to walk the road ahead by yourself. I don't know what's on the third floor. You may face a dragon, a Death Eater, or even Voldemort. But no matter what it is, you have to find your parents and bring them out."

Loren stopped and turned to look at Neville seriously: "This is a world of illusion. It won't cause any real harm to your real body. But the feeling is real, the pain is real. If the pain exceeds the limit..."

"Will I become like my parents?" Neville asked gloomily.

"That won't happen, but the world will collapse." Loren shook his head and replied.

Neville stopped talking and looked towards the dark Knockturn Alley.

The false sunlight could not penetrate Diagon Alley. The shadows in the alleys were wriggling, as if some predatory monsters were lurking in them.

"Thank you, Loren." Neville took a long breath, "I'll treat you to ice cream from Florin's Ice Cream Shop when I get out."

With that, Neville strode into Knockturn Alley and disappeared into the shadows.

……

Hogwarts Castle, Entrance Hall.

The bright sunshine shone in through the door, casting a diamond-shaped golden patch on the floor, which was a bit dazzling.

Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape stood in the golden sunlight, watching a small black beetle flap its wings and fly up, slowly turning into a small black dot and finally disappearing from sight.

"Honestly, I thought you would be soft-hearted. After all, she is..." Snape said calmly, "a top student in Transfiguration."

"This is her own choice, isn't it? I didn't like her very much when she was in school, and she has graduated for a long time." Professor McGonagall retracted her gaze and said calmly.

She might have had a soft spot for the students walking out of Hogwarts, but Miss Rita Skeeter was not among them.

Anonymously practicing Animagus, using Transfiguration to spy on secrets, and then using these secrets to stir up trouble...

Even so, Dumbledore was willing to give Rita a chance and let her serve as an assistant teacher in the Animagus teaching class.

Snape recalled what Rita had done and a hint of sarcasm appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Miss Beetle was silent for a while, pretending to cooperate with the teaching to let Mag relax his vigilance, and then she actually tried to attack Mag and escape...

After being knocked down by Professor McGonagall with two moves, she used the Ministry of Magic as an excuse, claiming that before sneaking into Hogwarts, she had been in contact with Umbridge, the Senior Deputy Minister of Magic, and that a long period of loss of contact would give the Ministry of Magic an excuse to search Hogwarts.

In order to avoid unnecessary trouble, Dumbledore and Rita reached an agreement.

Rita went to the United States to gather some information for Dumbledore for one year in exchange for their keeping Rita's Animagus identity secret for a permanent period.

……

Edge of the Forbidden Forest.

"boom!"

The little witch's figure instantly disappeared from the spot, leaving behind a vacuum human-shaped space. The air rushed in rapidly to fill the gap, making a dull explosion sound.

The next moment, Hermione appeared in the old-fashioned wooden circle and immediately lowered her head to confirm her position.

"In the exact center of the wooden circle!" Hermione suppressed the joy in her heart and reached out to touch the little face.

There are still two eyes, eyebrows are still there, the nose is unobstructed, and there is some dead skin on the lips...but that's not the point.

The little witch quickly made sure she hadn't left any body part behind, and a delighted smile spread across Hermione's face.

Professor Flitwick was standing by, watching her quietly with a gentle smile: "The spell was cast neatly and accurately. Congratulations, Miss Granger, you have mastered Apparition."

"Thank you, Professor!" said Hermione happily.

Miss Granger was a steady and intelligent little wizard, and with Dumbledore's permission, Professor Flitwick felt much more at ease than when he was teaching Loren.

He smiled and removed the wooden circle created by Transfiguration. "Before you pass the qualification exam, do not use this magic openly, or you will face a fine of several hundred Galleons."

"I understand!" Hermione nodded heavily.

"Then let's go back."

……

There were four people lying on the beds in the closed ward, two of them adults wearing St. Mungo's hospital gowns, and the other two were little wizards who had just laid down and were still wearing Hogwarts magic robes.

Old Lady Longbottom looked at her son, daughter-in-law and grandson with deep eyes, and her old face showed no thoughts.

"Albus, do you think they can succeed?"

Chapter 262: Banquet for Thirteen

Old Lady Longbottom lowered her head and covered her eyes. "At that time, all of us were immersed in the joy of victory. Voldemort was defeated and peace was about to come. I remember that morning Frank told me that we should celebrate the victory..."

"I complained about the unfairness of fate, why did it have to be my son and daughter-in-law?"

"Why just when good times are coming?"

"I am very sorry, Augusta," said Dumbledore. "If I had been more careful, perhaps -"

"No," Old Lady Longbottom raised her neck, revealing her slightly red eyes. "I am proud of them! They are from the Longbottom family, and they didn't reveal any information until the last moment."

Dumbledore stood silently by the window, the sunlight shining vertically in but not reaching him.

"Neville has been a little careless since he was young and always forgets things." Old Lady Longbottom's eyes softened. "We all thought he had no magical talent and almost thought he was a Squib. The day he fell from a tall building and bounced up from the ground was the happiest moment for me in more than a decade. I handed him Frank's wand, hoping that he could inherit his father's power and let Longbottom's reputation spread in the wizarding world again."

"He wrote to me last year and told me that the wand didn't suit him. I know that the incompatible wand made him make mistakes frequently and became a laughing stock among his classmates... After changing the wand, he felt much more relaxed and his grades improved.

Even a confused old man like me can feel his happiness. Sometimes I wonder if I have chosen the wrong path and he should live a peaceful and stable life. "

Mrs. Longbottom's voice suddenly rose and became a little sharp. "But no! His last name is Longbottom! His parents once resisted Voldemort's attacks three times and fought to the last moment!"

Dumbledore looked at the four people lying on the bed. Instead of admonishing the old man, he said gently, "Neville is excellent. He is good at Herbology and dared to fight with a giant python in the dueling class. He is full of courage, just like his father Frank."

"Just like Frank, just like Frank..." Old Lady Longbottom's lips moved, and her eyes moved to the side and saw Loren sleeping quietly.

His black curly hair was a little messy, and he was a little taller than the last time we met. Boys his age are like that, they can grow a few inches in a few days.

Neville mentioned this child at home. He took them on a night outing soon after school started. He defeated trolls and dealt with the remnant of Voldemort. He had excellent grades and had a girlfriend who was the top student in the grade... and there was also Frozen Pear, who didn't like Quidditch but was very interesting in what he said and did.

Old Lady Longbottom's impression of him was that he was extremely talented, a little restless, and a typical Gryffindor.

Until Dumbledore wrote to tell her that the little wizard she had met once in the closed ward at Christmas proposed a treatment method...

Her eyes fell on the mirror. Anyone in the Longbottom family could tell at a glance that it was an item of dark magic. She could smell the strong smell of blood on it.

But it doesn't matter now. Old Lady Longbottom swore to Merlin in her heart that as long as Frank and Alice woke up, this little wizard would be the benefactor of the Longbottom family.

The closed ward fell into silence, and the light coming in from the window kept moving with the angle of the sun.

Dumbledore saw that scarlet magic was flowing through the four people lying on the bed, like a thread woven from clouds and mist, connecting the Longbottom family of three to the mirror.

A creation of alchemy, it is made of an unknown heavy metal into the shape of a flower. Its small stalk acts as a root and it draws its magic power from endless blood.

Emotions of fear, wailing, and pain are the carriers that connect souls.

The silver-white mirror shone with two completely different kinds of magic, the holiness and light of the unicorn, and the coldness and darkness of the Dementors. They gave Loren the power to control illusions.

He had seen it last time with Sirius Black. Sometimes Dumbledore couldn't help but smack his lips, wondering what knowledge his old friend Nico had taught Loren that allowed him to speed along the shadowy road ahead.

Legilimency, invisible sword, bloody magic mirror... If it weren't for the shadows that could hardly conceal the flash in Loren's heart, Dumbledore didn't know whether these things would turn Loren into another Dark Lord.

Neville suddenly burst out with intense magical fluctuations. Dumbledore raised his eyebrows and said in a deep voice: "They are about to wake up."

The next moment, Neville suddenly opened his eyes, curled up his body and let out a painful howl.

He seemed to be still immersed in the moment when the illusion ended, and shouted loudly: "Go! Get out of Knockturn Alley!"

The pain from his soul tensed his muscles, and the pressure on his throat and trachea quickly tore his vocal cords, making his voice sound shrill and hoarse.

"Neville, Neville, what's wrong with you?" Old Lady Longbottom panicked and quickly walked to Neville to check on him.

"Grandma! Grandma!" Neville burst into tears, hugged her, buried his head in the old woman's arms and cried, "Cruciatus Curse, Cruciatus Curse..."

Old Madam Longbottom's eyes instantly turned red. She held Neville's head and stroked the back of his head, comforting him with a trembling voice, "It's okay, it's okay. There is no Cruciatus Curse here, no Cruciatus Curse."

"Mom?" A doubtful male voice sounded from the side.