Daily News: The Prophet of Hogwarts

Chapter 9 Setting up the levels

Ryan felt he had gone to great lengths for the magical world, meticulously planning and painstakingly preserving its remaining essence.

The Order of Merlin should really award themselves a medal weighing a ton, and then create a special Order of Merlin medal.

After resting for a while, he left the Requirement Room and went to the library to borrow the manuscript he had just submitted.

For several days in a row, he lived a life that consisted of going between the Ravenclaw dormitory, the Room of Requirement, and the school kitchen.

On the afternoon of the seventh day, while he was getting small sausages from the kitchen, he saw a shimmering silver phoenix guardian appear.

The Phoenix Guardian opened its mouth and spoke in Dumbledore's voice: "Lane, come to the right-hand corridor on the fourth floor."

Thinking about the potential problems with Quirrell, Ryan carried a plate of sizzling, oily sausages, croissants, and a large pitcher of fruit juice and milk to the corridor on the right side of the fourth floor.

From a great distance, Ryan could see seven figures: Headmaster Dumbledore, Hagrid, Professor Quirrell, Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape.

Hagrid has really made something of himself, now he can sit at the same table as the professors... Ryan is very happy to see Hagrid here.

"Principal, professors, and Hagrid. Let's grab a bite to eat first and then discuss our ideas."

He conjured up a round table and several wooden stools, inviting everyone to sit down together.

Professor McGonagall pursed her lips tightly, her eyes sharpening, clearly displeased with Ryan's actions but approving of his Transfiguration.

Professor Flitwick naturally agreed with his star pupil's opinion and chimed in, saying that everyone should discuss and come up with the best solution together.

Professor Sprout remained gentle, patient, and cheerful, indicating that Lane's suggestion was quite good.

Professor Quirrell looked incredulous, as if he couldn't understand why a student would be involved in such a matter.

Hagrid smiled broadly, but his brows furrowed, as if he was worried that Ryan's actions might displease the professor.

As for Professor Snape, he remained expressionless, as was his custom. Moreover, he did not directly object or mock Lane.

"That's a great idea. Let's eat and chat together then." Dumbledore agreed and sat down first. "However, there's not much food left, and the table is a bit small."

"Minerva, children always have wonderful ideas, why be so serious? Just treat it as afternoon tea."

He drew his wand and tapped it on the table. The small round table immediately transformed into a long table placed in the corridor, covered with an exquisite tablecloth. Plates of fried chicken, fish fillets, roasted meat, mashed potatoes, and other dishes appeared on the table.

"Quirinus, let's start with you. We'll all hear what fresh ideas you have after graduating for the past few years." He put down his wand, picked up a piece of roast beef with a fork, and asked Quirrell for his thoughts.

"Professor...I...I don't have any...outstanding...ideas...I...I encountered...a troll during my travels. I wanted to use...to use a troll...as a level."

Quirrell finished speaking haltingly, sounding breathless, his stuttering even worse than when he was at the Leaky Cauldron.

Ryan even wondered if he would just collapse on the ground and faint at any moment.

Dumbledore nodded, offering no comment: "Hagrid, and you?"

Hagrid initially thought his method wasn't very clever, but after hearing Quirrell's suggestion, he perked up and exclaimed, "Dumbledore! I've got Fluffy ready! Fluffy is a three-headed dog!"

Dumbledore held up the juice and milk to Hagrid, then looked at Ryan, who was sitting at the back of the long table: "Ryan, what are your thoughts?"

"Headmaster, what do you think of this Nightmare Mirror?" Ryan took out a mirror whose surface was constantly changing and used a levitation charm to send it to Dumbledore's side.

"Oh, I've heard Philius mention it. This is the mirror made from the Boggart core. With enough magic, it can even materialize the fears in a person's heart." Dumbledore took the mirror and examined it carefully. "It's a very good idea, a test of courage."

"However, Ryan, this mirror is still a bit too powerful. It's enough to reflect your inner fears; there's no need to materialize them. I will temporarily disable some of the mirror's functions."

He muttered something under his breath, and his hand brushed across the mirror, causing a light to shine through.

After that, the changes in the mirror surface were not as drastic as before.

He handed the mirror back to Ryan: "How you set up the venue will depend on your magical skills."

Next, the four deans explained their ideas, and each of the four methods—Devil's Network, Real-Life Wizard Chess, Flying Key, and Logical Reasoning—had its own unique features.

After a simple afternoon tea, the group of eight entered the depths of this corridor.

Having demarcated the area to guard the three-headed dog, Professor Sprout also found a suitable place for the devil's web to grow.

In an empty room, Professor Flitwick drew his wand and waved it rhythmically without making a sound, yet it felt as if one were listening to an exceptionally grand performance.

That's the magic spells alternating into musical scores, the magic power outlining the notes.

Ryan closed his eyes and released the magic power within his body. He could vaguely feel spells carrying powerful magic power washing over the area like a tidal wave, dense and continuous. This made the keys seem to have gained a sense of life, leaping and dancing.

A spell master, a dueling champion... Ryan opened his eyes. Professor Flitwick's spell had ended, and looking up, he could see the Flying Keys like a swarm of bees.

In the next room, Professor McGonagall demonstrated what Transfiguration was.

She casually waved her wand, and the rubble in the room transformed into chess pieces as tall as a person. With another wave of her wand, the pieces began to transform, forming an intelligent wizard chess set.

"This is a spell solidification process, achieving a simplified alchemical effect that allows the magical effect to be preserved for several years..."

Ryan compared himself to the spell and then gave up. He could only barely achieve the effect of spell solidification through ritual magic and corresponding materials, and even then, the effect didn't last long.

Both Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall effortlessly solidified the spells by waving their wands.

"All I can say is, a professor is still a professor; you still have to learn magic." Ryan pondered how to learn each professor's unique skills.

The eight people moved to the next room, where Professor Quirrell claimed that the troll should be placed.

So the group continued on their way, and just as Ryan was about to step forward, Professor Snape stopped him.

Professor Snape stepped forward, conjured a long table, took out seven different potions and a note from his pocket, placed them on the table, and then cast fire magic at both the entrance and exit of the room.

Although he didn't possess the natural aptitude for magic like Professors Flitwick and McGonagall, Ryan sensed the influence of dark magic in this abnormally powerful fire magic.

While black magic generally corrupts the caster's emotions, the Unforgivable Curse requires extreme negative emotions as its foundation.

Professor Snape showed no signs of being affected, perhaps because it was a normal spell, or perhaps because he was the most outstanding master of Legilimency, able to perfectly control his own emotions.

"Indeed, every professor is a master of their time. If we want the university president to rotate positions so that next year it'll be my turn, we still have a long way to go."

With a learning mindset, Ryan recalled the spells cast by the professors in his mind.