Chapter 50: 050 Triumph & Dilemma
On a sunny Monday afternoon when birds chirped cheerfully outside and a crisp Friday morning when frost covered the windowsills , the two Defense Against the Dark Arts classes for little wizards in years one and two were in session. Inside the spacious auditorium with high ceilings , where only the faint sound of needles knitting could be heard, all the eager young wizards fixed their gaze on Hermione and Professor Watson, who stood on the high platform. Their eyes were filled with intensity, yet they dared not make a sound for fear of missing anything . Even Neville, with his fists clenched on his chest and his heart pounding , assumed a posture of prayer as he hoped for the best .
Bryan, wielding his wand with confidence and grace , flicked it gracefully, causing a ten-foot-wide stone pillar to rise from the ground like a majestic monument . It stood proudly in the center of the elevated platform as if challenging anyone to break it .
"Then, Miss Granger—" Bryan's encouraging gaze fell upon Hermione, whose nervous fingertips trembled like leaves in the wind . He smiled warmly and said in a gentle tone , "Please begin your performance."
"Professor Watson…" Hermione's voice quivered slightly, tinged with a hint of apprehension and doubt . In her heart, she regretted ever raising her hand to answer the professor's question that led to this moment . She stammered with a dry mouth , "I can't guarantee success."
"Show yourself, Miss Granger, this is an unprecedented success!" Bryan continued to encourage her with a smile that reached his eyes .
After approximately five minutes of trembling and breathlessness that seemed like an eternity , Hermione managed to overcome the psychological tension that gripped her mind . She mustered the courage to raise her right hand, holding the wand firmly , and aimed it at her sweat-drenched left palm. With a voice slightly immature but clear , she spoke the incantation, "Canrady Leviosa!"
The sound of her slightly quivering voice reverberated throughout the silent and empty auditorium like a thunderclap . Accompanied by the flickering light on the surface of the white feather that glowed like a star , a crisp clang resounded, causing everyone in the room to gasp in astonishment as they witnessed something extraordinary .
"Hiss!" A sudden intake of breath echoed through the rows of young wizards from each of the four houses as they leaned forward in their seats .
"Harry, did you hear what she said?!" Ron's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Hermione on the high platform. It seemed as if he was seeing her for the first time in a new light . Even Harry's expression mirrored Ron's disbelief. He whispered in awe , "No, Ron! I've never heard that before!"
"It's unbelievable." Neville, standing behind them, stared wide-eyed with excitement. His flushed face conveyed the amazement he felt. "I could never do that!" He said with admiration and envy .
"Such an achievement from a lowly Mudblood." Among the awe-struck gazes directed at Hermione, only the Slytherin side, led by Malfoy, whispered this sentence disdainfully with a sneer on his face . But as soon as Bryan, standing thirty feet away, cast an imperceptible glance at him, Malfoy immediately fell silent, too frightened to utter another word. Nevertheless, a lingering uncertainty flickered in Bryan's pupils, leaving a slightly gloomy impression as he wondered about something .
After silencing the malicious Malfoy, Bryan turned his gaze once again to Hermione, whose fair cheeks now burned bright red from embarrassment and excitement . With a steady voice, he nodded and said with curiosity and anticipation , "Try to see if you can cut through the stone pillar, Miss Granger."
Hesitant, Hermione nodded and looked at the stone pillar. Her arms trembled slightly, as though what she held in her hands was not a magical wand, but a heavy metal rod weighing dozens of kilograms that drained her strength .
A sharp whistle pierced the air as the feather, with a slight metallic luster that reflected the light , sliced through the atmosphere like a bullet . In the blink of an eye, it collided with the stone pillar.
"Snapped!" All eyes immediately turned to the stone pillar. With a crisp cracking sound, the smooth surface of the stone exploded, sending fragments flying into the sky like a rainstorm of rocks and dust .
Once the dust settled, disappointment filled the faces of the little wizards in the audience as they looked upon the broken stone pillar with pity and sympathy .
"Sorry, Professor Watson, I failed!" Hermione, who had glimpsed the outcome before anyone else with horror and dismay, bit her lower lip tightly. Her brown eyes glistened with tears, and she appeared devastated, as though she had been dealt a significant blow to her pride and confidence
Bryan stepped forward to carefully inspect the scene. Hermione's feather had shattered into fine fragments mixed with gravel, while the stone pillar he had transformed now bore a small pit on its surface, still far from being completely broken. It seemed like an insurmountable distance.
"This isn't a failure, Miss Granger." Bryan pointed to the small indentation in the stone and smiled at Hermione. "To successfully cast an 'Enhanced Levitation Charm,' you need strong magical power and precise control. These are precisely what junior wizards lack. I believe you have grasped the essence of this spell. All you need to do is practice diligently. As you grow older, your magical power will gradually increase. One day, you will be able to cast the complete 'Enhanced Levitation Charm'!" He said these words with sincerity and encouragement, hoping to boost Hermione's confidence and morale. He knew how hard she worked and how much she cared about learning magic. He wanted her to see this as a learning opportunity, not a setback.
Hermione's incomplete "Enhanced Levitation Charm" became the hottest topic on that Friday. Wherever she went, people would stop her and ask for the secret behind her spell.
During lunchtime, even Percy managed to squeeze in, disregarding Ron's unhappiness, and approached Hermione with a slightly respectful tone, seeking her advice.
Truthfully, this was the first time Hermione had experienced the feeling of being famous. She felt a mix of pride and embarrassment as she answered the questions and compliments from her peers and seniors. She tried to act modest and humble, but she couldn't help feeling a bit smug and pleased with herself. She had done something no one else had done before, and she knew it was a remarkable feat.
"Don't get too proud, Hermione. You're still far from reaching Professor Watson's level!"
After dinner, as Hermione made her way towards the library to do some more research on the spell , she dealt with two Ravenclaw third-year sisters who bombarded her with technical questions . She reminded herself to remain vigilant and not let her guard down , but an undeniable smile played on her lips as she enjoyed the attention and admiration .
In the early hours of the night, Bryan sat in his office in front of a fireplace , contemplating the bottle of memory he held in his hand with a pensive expression . Occasionally, he would raise his head to glance at the monitor on the opposite wall that showed various scenes from around the castle .
To this point, Bryan had heavily invested in setting up the monitoring system using his own devices and spells , but it had utterly failed him in finding any clues about the heir of Slytherin . He was almost certain that as long as he remained at Hogwarts, the heir would not dare to act again for fear of being exposed by him. The only option left was to obtain the clues held by the "protagonist group." He knew they were somehow involved in the mystery, but he didn't know how or why.
The flame of the voodoo doll candlestick behind him had shrunk by half once again as it burned away his life force , and the crimson dragon blood had gradually faded to a soft pink as it lost its magical potency . In approximately a month's time, it would lose its effect entirely and leave him vulnerable to Voldemort's curse . Before that happened, Bryan knew he had to step down from his position as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and find another way to protect himself . Otherwise, he would subject himself to the Dark Lord's curse.
On his desk lay Lockhart's manuscript on ancient magic research related to memory that he had secretly borrowed from his office . Bryan had brought it over and spent several days studying it in hopes of finding something useful for his own purposes .
Strictly speaking, Bryan's actions bordered on theft and violated Lockhart's privacy . Under normal circumstances, he would never stoop to such behavior as he valued honesty and integrity . However, after discovering Lockhart's true nature as a fraud and a liar , Bryan carried no burden in his conscience.
To him, matters of black and white were nothing new as he had lived in a world of gray for most of his life . He had engaged in similar activities before when the situation called for it .
The sound of an urgent knock at the door interrupted Bryan's contemplation. Swiftly hiding away anything unsuitable for prying eyes under a cloak of invisibility , he stood up and approached the door.
"Professor Snape and Mr. Malfoy."
Bryan raised an eyebrow as he regarded Snape, whose expression seemed to hold a mix of emotions such as anger, envy, and curiosity . Draco Malfoy, half-hidden behind Snape, was pushed forward reluctantly . Surprise flickered in Bryan's eyes as he watched Snape, who then turned around and left without a word as if he couldn't stand being in his presence .
"You two may come in and talk," Bryan offered politely but coldly .
"No need."
Snape's dark eyes held a slight ripple as he looked at Bryan, who had caused quite a stir within the castle in recent days. The boy had a mysterious aura that intrigued and unsettled Snape, who had sensed his extraordinary potential since he was a young wizard in the lower years. Snape was certain that this unknown child would achieve remarkable feats one day, but he never anticipated it would happen so soon and surpass his own achievements.
No matter how low-key an exceptional person might be, their brilliance cannot be concealed. Snape could already predict that this genius, born seemingly out of nowhere, would soon shock the entire wizarding world. It wouldn't be far-fetched to imagine that this child could one day surpass even Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of their time.
"The boy has something to ask you but doesn't have the courage to come alone,"
Snape explained, his eyes suppressing any lingering ripples. He grabbed Malfoy, who was standing behind him, and pushed him toward Bryan. Malfoy stumbled forward, his face pale and his eyes wide with fear and resentment. Snape turned and departed, leaving them alone in his office. The room was dimly lit by a few candles, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Books, potions, and strange artifacts cluttered the shelves and the desk, creating a sense of mystery and danger. Snape closed the door behind him, silently offering his blessings in his heart.
"I hope your future won't be like mine, clinging to the remnants of light in the darkness, Bryan. May you bask in the sunlight and shine with your own brilliance."
Bryan stood there, watching Snape's retreating figure, and then shifted his attention to the hesitant Malfoy.
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