Chapter 393

Hope Cottage.

On the left wall here, a hidden door had appeared.

A gentle breeze brushed past, and the wall seemed to crack open a narrow fissure.

Justin instinctively glanced at the fissure; he stared for a moment, then resumed practicing his spells.

Inside the fissure was a large circular room.

Elegant arched windows lined the walls, hung with blue and bronze silk, offering a view of beautiful scenery outside.

The ceiling was a dome studded with stars; the deep blue carpet below was also adorned with stars. The room held tables, chairs, bookshelves, and in the niche opposite the door stood a half-length statue of Rowena Ravenclaw in white marble. A door beside the statue led to Hope Cottage.

No matter how Wizard Sean looked, this place resembled Ravenclaw’s common room—even the statue of Lady Ravenclaw was here.

Yet the statue’s head wore a crown, inscribed with:

“Exceeding wisdom is the greatest treasure.”

Wizard Sean was momentarily startled and confused—until he leaned close to the crown and realized it was merely an exquisite replica.

Now, he looked again at the crown:

“How could a wizard’s true wisdom reside in a crown?”

With that, he walked toward his workbench.

On the silver-white workbench lay countless small objects: shards resembling broken mirrors, and cookies of all shapes—

cookies of snoozing Catlings, cookies that spat fire, cookies shaped like Hippogriffs that let out long howls—all neatly arranged on the display shelf beside the bench.

Today, there was one more: an astonishingly strange Cat Bao cookie.

When Wizard Sean gazed at the cookie, his world twisted instantly into familiar places:

the Transfiguration office with its crackling fireplace, the dungeon with its bubbling cauldrons, Professor McGonagall’s cottage blanketed in snow…

Wizard Sean raised his wand calmly; his [Beginner] level Occlumency pulled him back to reality in moments.

He picked up the Cat Bao cookie and took a bite.

In the secluded room, a young wizard vanished.

When the room stirred again, a Cat Bao seemed to materialize out of thin air.

Its sleek, flowing fur was jet black, patterned with silver-white embroidery-like markings; most striking were its emerald eyes, radiating a dazzling, soul-piercing brilliance.

As the Cat Bao silently examined its own body, it discovered something both unexpected and inevitable.

That it was very small.

Literally small—only slightly larger than a Catling.

Like a juvenile Cat Bao .

It guessed this was the effect of the [Apprentice]-level Cat Bao cookie.

Just as the Mini Fire Drake cookie differed from the true Fire Drake cookie—in the system’s rating, the Mini Fire Drake cookie transformed into the Fire Drake cookie at the [Expert] level.

So, this should be called the [Juvenile Cat Bao Cookie]?

Hmm… the more important question: had the Cat Bao ’s unique Legilimency ability matured?

To test this wasn’t simple; the Cat Bao thought for a moment, then shook the pendant around its neck.

A book suddenly leapt from the pendant, unfolding layer upon layer until it expanded into a finely crafted oak door.

“At your command—please instruct Wil—”

Wil the butler spoke with no lack of dignity.

His upward gaze froze, then darted left and right, finally stalling in stunned silence.

“Look down.”

A familiar voice came; Wil jolted and immediately lowered his head.

What he saw was astonishing.

His revered master, the great wizard he had sworn to serve… had become a Cat Bao ?

“Forgive me—there’s no time—”

With a snap of his fingers, Wizard Sean found himself lifted into a tight embrace; Wil, frantic, asked,

“Mr. Green, where is the Hogwarts hospital wing?”

“I didn’t fail the transformation.”

A brooch-like object on the Cat Bao ’s neck spoke.

“Of course, of course—such a great wizard as you would only be making a small exploration, an accidental one—oh, Master Wil taught me this way…”

Wil’s bushy eyebrows knotted tightly.

“This is my Animagus form.”

The Cat Bao understood.

An Animagus form of a magical creature was still uncommon to Wil.

It looked up at the clock made of elm wood; the time read 8:10.

Exactly three minutes since the transformation began.

Before Wil’s trembling form, a young wizard stood naturally in place.

“Thank heaven for Master Wil—”

Wil jabbed his sharp nails into his own arm; the pain confirmed he hadn’t been affected by any Confundus Charm.

“Master Wil—has the power of fairy tale cookies reached this level?”

Oh, this is merely Wil’s small question—you need not answer.

Wil knows that a great wizard like you always holds many mysterious secrets.”

Wil asked cautiously.

“It’s nothing, Wil.

When a wizard’s Animagus form aligns with the animal’s transformation, the wizard does not lose consciousness, because their soul is not twisted.”

Wizard Sean explained.

“Oh, oh… soul… twisted…”

Wil mumbled, nodding repeatedly without comprehension.

Seeing his confusion, Wizard Sean summoned his Transfiguration notebook and briefly explained soul transformation and corporeal replication.

When Wizard Sean returned the Transfiguration notebook to the Book of the Wizard, Wil had already bowed his head; Wizard Sean could see his small body trembling.

This made the young wizard frown slightly.

“This is…”

“Master Wil above—”

Wil suddenly cried out, tears glistening in its eyes,

“Oh, I hope Mr. Green knows.

I hope he knows how wizards view us humble Pukkies in the magical world.

They spend every day trying to turn us into house-elves.

House-elves! Wizards once treated those house-elves like vermin, sir! Of course, they still do, sir.

That’s why they’ll never have many house-elves—no creature is born to be enslaved!

And Pukkies must hide, must fight—otherwise greedy wizards will never abandon their terrible desires…”

Wizard Sean listened in silence; he had never before heard history from the mouth of a non-wizard… a creature like this.

“Do you know what is most precious in all this?”

“Knowledge! Sir, as Lady Isolde Ser said: exceeding wisdom is the greatest treasure.”

Wizard Sean fell silent, wondering how Lady Isolde had learned Lady Ravenclaw’s saying.