章 23: 023 Memories
On a clear night, the sky was filled with shining stars, resembling countless bright silver beads embedded in the dark night.
However, the moonlight, which should have been bright and clear, held a strange elegance. In the hazy light and mist, it possessed an abnormal redness, as if a blood-stained hand had gently brushed across it.
A gust of brisk wind rushed from the vast and boundless Forbidden Forest towards the castle. It gently pushed open Bryan Watson's window, allowing the red-tinged moonlight to sneak in and cast a bright red halo on the dormitory's dark brown floor.
The stone box placed on the desk was halfway open. The box seemed to possess the power to devour light, as no trace of the candlelight escaped when it hit the box. The other half of the box remained in darkness, making it impossible to see what lay inside. Something significant had transpired.
Leaning back in his chair, Bryan Watson focused his eyes on the thumb-sized glass bottle he held between his fingers. The silver mist within the bottle shimmered and rotated, resembling a galaxy in motion.
This was a bottle containing stripped memories. The memories belonged to Bryan Watson, but he couldn't recall when he had left this behind.
Earlier that morning, when he encountered Harry Potter, a message had automatically surfaced in Bryan's mind. The message informed him that he had hidden something vital beneath the dormitory's floor. Once the memories were recovered, he needed to retrieve it immediately. The trigger for the message was seeing Harry Potter with his own eyes.
"Why did I set such a condition back then?" Bryan pondered, staring at the captivating silver mist. Suddenly, his heart quickened, and he thought of a possibility.
"Could it be that these memories are related to the plot of Harry Potter? Perhaps, all these years, I've been unable to remember the plot of Harry Potter from my previous life because I deliberately stripped these memories myself?" Bryan murmured, but he then shook his head, dismissing his previous guess.
The greatest advantage of being a time traveler was undoubtedly having advance knowledge of the plot.
Knowing the plot meant avoiding all dangers beforehand and benefiting oneself. Regardless of what happened, Bryan believed that he wouldn't relinquish such a significant advantage.
In fact, Bryan could directly integrate these memories to find answers to his questions. However, he exercised caution and refrained from attempting it lightly.
Memories represented a person's past and experiences, and they could even alter a person's personality to some extent. Bryan couldn't be certain if the information in his mind was left behind by himself or if it was forcibly instilled through memory magic by someone else.
If it was the latter, then the spellcaster must have foreseen that upon seeing the information, Bryan would retrieve and integrate it into his memory. Instead of going through all this trouble, it would have been simpler for the caster to control Bryan's actions directly with magic.
Yet, Bryan couldn't disregard this possibility. When he was still in school, he wasn't as powerful as he is today, and being targeted was not out of the realm of possibility.
After much hesitation, Bryan decided to temporarily forgo integrating the memories. His skill in memory magic was not exceptional, and if the memories within the bottle had been altered by a master specializing in memory magic, he might not possess the discernment to detect it. Taking risks, the more prudent approach would be to seek the assistance of a memory expert to appraise them.
Were there any memory masters at Hogwarts? Bryan wondered. Dumbledore must be one, but unless he drank two bowls of Felix Felicis in succession, he would never make such a foolish choice.
After safely stowing the memory bottle close to his body, Bryan stood up and removed the partially covered stone lid. He gazed quietly at the contents within the box. The flickering candlelight cast upon his face, obscuring his expression.
Resting at the bottom of the box lay the cherished possession of Rowena Ravenclaw, one of the four founders of Hogwarts and the founder of Ravenclaw House. It was the treasure that symbolized two exquisite qualities: serenity and wisdom.
However, this treasure now appeared as a piece of rubbish, split in half with black and dry scabs marring its surface.
Ravenclaw's diadem had been lost for thousands of years, and Bryan couldn't fathom the effort Voldemort had exerted to find it. He felt a deep indignation at Voldemort's decision to turn such a valuable treasure into a Horcrux.
Bryan could imagine the waves this object would cause if it were to surface in the underground world. Countless ancient wizards from the same magical lineage as the four founders would likely be willing to exchange all their wealth for it, even resorting to bloodshed. The wealthy Malfoy family, considered the richest in the wizarding world, would only scrape together enough Galleons to purchase it.
Clearly, the opportunity to attain immense wealth was within arm's reach, yet Bryan had to personally destroy this chance. Reflecting on it now, he felt a sense of obstruction in his heart.
Speaking of destroying the diadem with his own hands, it was another question worthy of contemplation.
Bryan vividly remembered discovering the diadem, and he could sense the lingering traces of Fiendfyre on it permeating his magic. However, his memory of destroying the diadem remained blurred. The answer to why this occurred likely lay within the small memory bottle he had encountered earlier.
"Reparo!" Bryan pointed his wand at the diadem, causing the two old and faded crowns resting in his palm to tremble briefly before returning to stillness.
This was not surprising. Although the powerful dark magic imbued by the Horcrux had been vanquished by Bryan's Fiendfyre, the diadem itself still possessed strange magical properties. Restoring a legendary item with formidable magic power was no simple task.
"Does the diadem truly possess the magical power to bestow unimaginable wisdom upon its bearer, as the rumors say?" Bryan pondered.
At the very least, Voldemort hadn't discovered the diadem's true power back then; otherwise, he wouldn't have committed such a reckless act.
"For now, I'll keep it hidden," Bryan whispered to himself. "Perhaps I'll try using adhesive to piece the diadem together on another day. Maybe those with twisted minds seeking its secrets won't be able to discern it."
A cold draft from outside clashed with the warm air inside, causing the open window sash to crash onto the floor. Bryan walked over and closed the window. With his keen eyesight, he inadvertently spotted an oil lamp swaying as it floated out from the Forbidden Forest, heading towards Hagrid's cabin.
"—It must be Hermione Granger who informed Hagrid about my return to Hogwarts as an investigator. However, I'm afraid he misunderstood the message and believed it was from the Ministry of Magic. Something seems amiss," Bryan said, furrowing his brow as he carefully recalled their encounter that morning.
Hagrid appeared anxious upon hearing the news, but it was peculiar. Why was he so nervous? Did he believe the Ministry of Magic had ordered Bryan to return to Hogwarts and trouble Dumbledore?
Or perhaps, did he possess knowledge about the Chamber of Secrets linked to Slytherin, or even have a direct connection to it?
Bryan pursed his lips, casting a deep gaze towards Hagrid's cabin.
After pondering for a while, Bryan glanced at the room nearby the tower that still emanated candlelight and shook his head. Just as Professor Snape had said, Dumbledore may not be as noble as people thought, but he wouldn't permit harm to come to the students within the school. The trust he placed in Hagrid was evidence enough that Hagrid was not under suspicion.
"Headmaster should be in the process of collecting the Dark Lord's Horcruxes by now," Bryan murmured as he pulled the curtains shut. "If he is willing to retrieve the broken Horcruxes, it will work in Professor Snape's favor. Let the game begin, and I shall offer you a fair price!"
章 24: 024 The Skynet
The time in Hogwarts was always comfortable and peaceful, unlike the hustle and bustle of the outside world, where people seemed like clockwork puppets, constantly running around to make a living. Bryan hadn't noticed how quickly the two weeks had passed. Tomorrow would mark the beginning of the second half of the semester and the first day of school.
Traditionally, Hogwarts held a school opening dinner to celebrate the admission of young wizards and the start of the new school year. However, this year was different. Due to the panic caused by the previous semester's terrorist attacks, Headmaster Dumbledore had decided to hold a banquet in the Great Hall in an unconventional way to inspire the students.
As Bryan watched through the corridors of Hogwarts, he noticed Professor Snape striding purposefully on the third floor. The nearby young wizards quickly stepped aside, avoiding the indifferent and fierce potions professor.
Snape was accustomed to such scenes, paying no attention to the students as he walked briskly around a few corners. He eventually stopped in front of a classroom that remained unused throughout the year.
"Come in, Professor Snape," a sudden voice from inside the classroom startled Snape just as he was about to knock on the door. He pushed the door open and saw Bryan standing with his arms folded across his chest, a smile on his face as he stared at a wall.
"Headmaster Dumbledore sent you to invite me to the dinner party?" Snape asked, entering the room and closing the door behind him, a sneer playing on his lips. "It seems that you, Bryan Watson, are almost omniscient, just like our great Headmaster."
"I saw you coming out of Headmaster Dumbledore's office, and since you didn't go anywhere else and came directly towards me, I made a guess," Bryan replied, raising his eyebrows. He pointed at the wall, a little proudly showing off the fruits of his labor. "Take a look at the effect, Professor Snape. I stayed up for several nights and ran around the castle under the Disillusionment spell. I finally completed all the work just a day before school started. The screen debugging is done, and if I may evaluate it myself, the effect is very good!"
Snape ignored Bryan's self-proclaimed achievement and turned his attention to the wall. It was divided into hundreds of small squares, each displaying flashing pictures. His complexion changed slightly as he observed the scenes unfolding before him.
In those pictures, Harry and Ron were seen leaving the school hospital. They were on their way to inform Hermione about the upcoming banquet and inquire if she wanted to attend. In another picture, Crabbe and Goyle were waiting in the owl shed for Draco Malfoy, who had just entered. Soon enough, Malfoy emerged with owl feathers on his head, cursing and throwing an owl onto the rafters, much to the amusement of Crabbe and Goyle.
There was also a picture showing a black and thin curly-haired boy demonstrating something to someone near the statue of the humpbacked witch on the fourth floor. He whispered something to the statue, and its humpback opened, revealing two identical red-haired boys climbing out one after the other. They greeted their friend enthusiastically and proudly showed him the butterbeer they had bought from the Three Broomsticks.
Filch was depicted catching two first-year students who had been secretly tossing large dung eggs into the bathroom. He grabbed them by the collar and marched them fiercely towards his office. On the way, he encountered Percy reprimanding Sally for using the Leg-Locking Curse on Padma Patil, causing her to fall into a puddle outside the second-floor bathroom. Filch, unimpressed, grabbed Sally by the collar and led her to his office.
As Snape observed the various scenes unfolding within the pictures, he watched the people walking, talking, and interacting with each other. Their smiling faces caught his attention, but when his gaze landed on Bryan's smiling face in one of the pictures, his expression changed.
Indeed, on the night Bryan returned to school, he had already planned what he was going to do. However, Snape had to admit that at the time, he hadn't paid much attention to the whimsical idea of his talented student. It wasn't until now, with Hogwarts displayed so vividly before him, that Snape realized the power of Bryan's creation.
"How did you do it?" Snape asked, his voice subconsciously lowering, his eyes reflecting a hint of fear. "I know you've arranged various gadgets throughout the castle... How did you manage to prevent them from being discovered?"
"It's quite simple," Bryan replied casually, appearing relaxed. "I cast the Disillusionment Charm and other powerful spells to protect all the panoramic binoculars. The little wizards won't be able to find them, and even the professors won't notice them unless they search deliberately."
Snape couldn't help but feel a sense of disbelief. He considered himself a vigilant person, but he hadn't sensed being observed throughout his journey. Bryan continued his explanation, dismissing the achievement as if it were an easy task.
"In fact, the principle behind this is straightforward. It's similar to the Wizard Wireless Network (WWN) in Radio that transmits signals through the magic magnetic field. However, my setup transmits images instead of sounds. I made adjustments to the interference spell and aligned the binoculars according to the varying strength of the magic magnetic field in different locations within the castle. The process was exhausting, but it seems to have paid off. By the way, Professor Snape, next time I see Headmaster Dumbledore, could you help me put in a good word for some overtime pay?"
Snape's sallow face turned even paler, and uncertainty filled his expression. "Speaking of Dumbledore," he hesitated, "does he know what you're doing, Bryan?"
Bryan didn't provide a direct answer. Instead, he noticed Percy Weasley, recognizable by his red Weasley hair, sneaking into the basement of the Ravenclaw Tower during his patrol. Suspicious of Percy's behavior, Bryan approached the wall and searched for the corresponding picture. There it was, in the corner near the window—a snapshot of Percy embracing a beautiful girl with long, curly brown hair, passionately kissing her.
"Tsk tsk!" Bryan exclaimed. "Being a prefect is quite convenient. If only I were a prefect back then, maybe I wouldn't have... Oh well, I forgot I don't have a girlfriend."
Bryan's playful comment evoked a brief smile. Then he addressed Snape's question. "Maybe he knows, maybe he doesn't. I'm not entirely sure, Professor Snape. When I returned this time, Headmaster Dumbledore's reaction wasn't what I expected. I thought he would keep a close eye on me, but he ended up ignoring me."
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