[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-hogwarts-learning-panel":3,"chapter-hogwarts-learning-panel-hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-176":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Hogwarts Learning Panel",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2250414,4210,"Chapter 176: Wizard Chess","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-176",176,"\u003Cp>For several days in a row, Dumbledore had hoped to see a young wizard before the mirror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as he had said, the past was merely a weightless ghost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, Dumbledore stood beside the mirror, while Harry, reluctant, stood before it:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tomorrow the mirror will be moved to a new location, Harry. Please don’t seek it out again. If you happen to see it someday, be prepared. To drown in illusory dreams and forget real life is of no benefit—remember that well. Now, why not put on that marvelous invisibility cloak and go to bed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sir—Professor Dumbledore? May I ask you one question?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course you just did.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you may ask me one more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What did you see when you looked into the mirror?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Me? I saw myself holding a pair of thick woolen socks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry’s eyes widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Socks are never enough,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Christmas comes and goes, and I receive a few pairs—thank you very much. But people always prefer to give me books.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry felt something was off, but didn’t ask, and returned to bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Christmas holiday had already passed by five full days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean found Professor Tera, who showed great interest in his Transfiguration project.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They ran many solutions and experiments, but the results were unsatisfactory; yet Professor Tera showed not a trace of disappointment, instead patiently accompanying Wizard Sean through countless failures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve put great effort into the deeper realms, like the alchemists of old. Now you know they had no path forward, so I ask you to view it from another perspective.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Professor Tera finished speaking with deep meaning, the floor of the alchemy office rippled like waves, and Wizard Sean was swiftly carried out of the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rippling floor resembled a staircase-less conveyor belt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So what, then, was this other perspective?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean couldn’t quite grasp it, but he wasn’t in a hurry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magical runes and material issues posed no difficulty for Professor Tera—her vast knowledge resolved them in moments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if runes and materials seemed so easy to a master, then the later obstacles must be stubborn indeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was precisely these stubborn obstacles that blocked wizards from deeper exploration of magical beast transfiguration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without resolving such magical conflicts, one could never craft magical beast biscuits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back at Hope Cottage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wind that had been tugging at his scarf finally ceased; Wizard Sean’s scarf was now damp, and the few snowflakes on his face melted into droplets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A large head suddenly popped up from the fireplace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Jia Jia Siting, cheerfully waving at Wizard Sean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you get my letter? Wizard Sean, you promised to write back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had barely finished when Wizard Sean heard him exclaim—apparently, another letter had arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Handwritten letters carried a unique feeling; when unwrapping the package and feeling the parchment rub against the fingertips, one always felt a fleeting sense of time travel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several books with golden-edged bindings emerged from the left bookshelf. Wizard Sean exchanged his slightly snow-dampened scarf for the new one, then turned his thoughts to the five books the professor had left him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially the book, *Deep Analysis of Alchemical Rituals*, which he had only just read through once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The letter lay in one corner of the desk, its pages fluttering slightly in the breeze:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【To Wizard Sean:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Christmas banquet was lively. My mother wants you to know—there’s a seat at the Fennelli banquet reserved for Green.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She says:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The world holds all kinds of people,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet we happened to become friends,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not fate,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But because we were meant to be friends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winter is cold—so please warm yourself further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Yours faithfully, Jia Jia Siting】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The magical lantern lit up—the cottage had entered night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean vaguely sensed one thing: the magical beast biscuits were proving too difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, even Professor Tera had plainly told him there was no solution for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he began attempting to craft Wizard Chess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Transfiguration biscuits were pure advanced Transfiguration—transforming “living thing” to “living thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Chess was also advanced Transfiguration—transforming “object” to “magic.” But it added something else: each piece possessed its own mind and could communicate with the wizard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This undoubtedly increased the alchemical difficulty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moderate amount of time, Wizard Sean carried a chessboard into the alchemy office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you staring at? Heretic! I’ll burn you alive!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A white piece shouted—it wore a long robe, like some church bishop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His outburst instantly angered the senior wizard who had just been scolded; he turned to look, then fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Wizard Sean was already apologizing profusely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damned evil wizard, take this!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The knight piece hurled its sword—but was halted by Wizard Sean’s silent levitation charm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To prevent these unruly pieces from causing further chaos, Wizard Sean darted into the alchemy office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, child, you’re here. How’s the Wizard Chess coming along?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Professor Tera was busy writing and didn’t look up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What a beautiful lady—do come to my castle banquet…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king piece in Wizard Sean’s hand spoke with deep emotion. No sooner had he finished than the queen snatched a sword from the knight and stabbed the king to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean felt somewhat helpless—these pieces were far too individualistic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If young wizards used such chess for duels, the match would end before it even began—because their own king would fall first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fascinating pieces, aren’t they?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Professor Tera gazed in admiration,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re so illogical—but your will is strong, child. When you craft alchemical objects, your magic enters them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And magic is the very expression of a wizard’s will. A wizard possessing the powerful will alchemists dream of is destined to stir storms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But take it step by step, child.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Professor Tera took the chessboard. Her fingers moved slightly—she cast some unknown spell—and all the pieces froze in place, even unable to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wizard Sean understood what she meant, for the panel displayed it clearly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Mrs. Norris Biscuit: Beginner (700\u002F900)】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Owl Biscuit: Beginner (10\u002F900)】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Elk Biscuit: Beginner (10\u002F900)】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Rooster Biscuit: Beginner (10\u002F900)】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Intermediate·Wizard Chess: Apprentice (10\u002F300)】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Three intermediate-level skilled alchemical creations, six beginner-level alchemical creations—unlocks the title of Skilled Alchemist】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t produce them—not because his methods were wrong or he lacked talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only because the magical beast biscuits were too difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>",1041,"2026-06-19T10:00:40.768Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","bf43d83ef1cd9e6fd93f7bc116aaa8b6c41e2808bdd42f30fe7974d8891de5f0","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-177","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-175",526,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhogwarts-learning-panel-cover.jpg"]