Chapter 202

【You have gained the affection of the magical creature Nightwing (Wu Wu) at the standard of entry, proficiency +3】

……

【A new title in the Magical Creatures field has been unlocked. Please check.】

Until the sun tilted, Xiang Xiang Xien had earned a new title.

【Title: Mid-Rank Magical Creatures Affinity】

【Slightly increases affinity for magical creatures, greatly increases understanding of magical creatures】

Understanding increased?

Sounds amazing.

Xiang Xiang Xien thought of a Hufflepuff senior who possessed exceptional understanding of magical creatures—he was almost at the point of being able to converse with his tree-ghoul in English.

Outside the hut.

When Tila was dangling from his wrist, Xiang Xiang Xien no longer interpreted Tila’s behavior through the techniques Hagrid had described.

He watched Tila closely and faintly sensed that it seemed… a bit cold?

No!

Xiang Xiang Xien quickly placed it into his pocket and lined it with thick, soft padding.

So Tila didn’t like his pocket—he was just cold?

No wonder it climbed onto his arm as soon as it entered Hagrid’s warm hut.

【You have gained the affection of the magical creature Treeghoul (Tila) at the standard of skilled practitioner, proficiency +10】

Xiang Xiang Xien: “…”

I’m truly sorry.

Stepping through the still-frozen snow, Xiang Xiang Xien walked across the Quidditch training field.

He had an alchemy class in the afternoon and would need to brew potions in the evening.

He didn’t know whether Professor McGonagall would allow him to continue studying alchemy…

Compared to alchemy, which required excellence in Transfiguration to even enroll, Transfiguration was more like a foundational pillar.

The difference lay in one recognizing magic, the other modifying it.

So the professor’s concern was not without merit—a first-year wizard must first solidify his foundation…

On the Quidditch pitch.

As the Ravenclaw Quidditch match drew nearer, the weather grew worse. Filled with anticipation, the Ravenclaw team trained harder under Roger’s reluctant leadership.

“Beat Hufflepuff, then defeat Gryffindor. Merlin—maybe we really can win the House Cup.”

Michael, as one of the spectators, was excitedly shaking Terry.

“Don’t—shake—me—”

Terry was also excited, but now he’d been shaken out of it.

“Strictly speaking, we still need enough class points.”

Anthony stated calmly.

“Strictly—speaking—”

Michael mimicked Anthony’s tone oddly, then got tapped on the head by a book levitated by Anthony’s Levitation Charm.

“Ow—!”

He clutched his head and lunged at Anthony.

Beneath their seating area, at the edge of the Quidditch pitch, Minerva McGonagall stood calmly in the snow.

She was, of course, overconcerned, having forgotten that every young wizard has his own path.

As she worried about his future, had she ever asked the boy what he wanted?

“Mr. Green, over here.”

She whispered softly.

“Professor McGonagall.”

Xiang Xiang Xien’s figure blurred through the snowstorm, quickly approaching, then revealing his youthful face.

“You like alchemy, and you’re quite skilled at it, correct, Mr. Green?”

Professor McGonagall softened her tone and asked.

“Yes, Professor.”

As if sensing something, Xiang Xiang Xien answered honestly.

“Then go ahead and do it. If you have any questions about Transfiguration, ask me.”

Professor McGonagall seemed satisfied with the reply; she patted Xiang Xiang Xien’s head and left the Quidditch pitch. Before departing, she instinctively glanced back at the shouting from within.

Left standing in the snow, Xiang Xiang Xien was slightly stunned.

In the afternoon alchemy class, Xiang Xiang Xien attended with the upper-year students.

Although Xiang Xiang Xien had made rapid progress in alchemy, he had not fully mastered some foundational concepts.

Alchemy, having developed to this day, is vast beyond the imagination of ordinary wizards; thus, Professor Professor Tela suggested he attend lectures as an observer whenever he had time.

The professor saw him enter the classroom, a complex emotion flickering in her eyes, but she simply assigned him to the nearest seat.

Beside him sat Pamela Peyton, the best alchemy student in Ravenclaw.

The desks designed for upper-years were tall; Xiang Xiang Xien waved his wand to raise his chair slightly, finally raising his head above the desk.

Professor Professor Tela’s face showed a rare smile, followed by three times the usual volume of knowledge:

“In Roman wizarding secrets, the Zoroastrian Mithras cult spread widely across the Roman Empire, regarding the aforementioned Greek ‘Black Magic Papyrus’ as Mithras’s prayer text.

Some wizards believe that cultural exchange between Germanic and Roman wizards spurred the birth of runes.

The Mithraic rituals of Roman and Persian wizarding circles directly gave rise to the initial forms of multiple alchemical ceremonies…”

The sheer volume of magical ritual knowledge nearly caused the upper-year wizards’ feathered notes to smoke.

So when Professor Professor Tela received a paper airplane and hurriedly left the classroom, the upper-year wizards immediately abandoned alchemy and erupted into noise.

“Have any of you been to the new trick shop in Diagon Alley?”

The speaker was a Gryffindor wizard who pulled out a Transfiguration cookie from his bag.

“Of course—the Animal Party series! My father says the shop’s reputation spread across Britain before it even opened. Merlin—how did you get one?!”

His Gryffindor companion exclaimed.

“I’d bet the alchemist behind it is a master who’s studied for years—combining animal Transfiguration, alchemy, and food magic. What a brilliant idea!”

The blond wizard added.

Actually, it wasn’t.

Xiang Xiang Xien thought silently.

Professor Professor Tela returned quickly and tossed the noisy Gryffindor wizard out of the alchemy classroom; even before the others could murmur a moment of silence, they plunged into the next round of magical study.

Leaving the office, Xiang Xiang Xien had gained more knowledge about ritual magic, giving him greater confidence in his upcoming new ritual.

Yet Professor Snape had been acting strangely lately, hard to read.

Leaving the alchemy classroom, he stepped into the torch-lit, echoing entrance hall, where the scent of food drifted from the Great Hall—he could almost walk in blindfolded.

Xiang Xiang Xien often sat at the edge of his usual spot, where the little wizards from the Hut were all gathered.

Even Harry and Ron had moved over; now everyone was nearly united.

Perhaps because they shared the same secret, or perhaps because of the looming threat.

All agreed they should act together.

But at the Ravenclaw table, in the livelier section,

Gathered were the Quidditch team members fresh from training. Roger and Prefect Penelope’s gazes were fixed on the same direction.