Chapter 397

After Valentine’s Day came a cozy weekend.

At night, Wizard Sean met Lady Gray again.

She leaned against the stained-glass window beside Ravenclaw Tower, frost hanging pale beneath the curtain.

A cold wind blew, and Wizard Sean pulled his scarf tighter.

Just as he passed by, he heard two Gryffindors rushing back to the castle say:

“It’s freezing! Finally back in the castle—I’m having three steaming cups of pear and grapefruit juice!”

One Gryffindor shook snow off his robe.

“I’m having four!”

The other Gryffindor shot back defiantly.

Wizard Sean suddenly wondered: ghosts seemed immune to cold and heat—then why did they always turn flames blue and chill the air?

As he thought, he had already passed the stained-glass window.

On the fourth floor, Wizard Sean saw members of the Castle Spirit Cat Club lining up devoutly to pray.

Beside the black cat statue, they had placed a Christmas tree, decorated with all sorts of trinkets—from glittering holly berries to live golden owls that kept hooting.

Minister Hannah watched them pray, satisfied, holding a small booklet.

Praying had become a special Hogwarts tradition—even non-members came out of curiosity.

“Hannah, does the Castle Spirit Cat really respond?”

Susan beside her asked curiously.

“Think of Harry, think of Ginny… hmm, I think it’s just not the time we need it yet…”

Hannah explained slowly.

Susan, reassured as if she’d taken a calming potion, no longer hesitated and offered her pumpkin pie.

Before her, the black cat statue was spotless, adorned with tiny ornaments.

Wizard Sean sighed and slipped quietly into the crowd.

He remembered the club hadn’t always been this crowded.

Until Ron’s words spread far and wide—

“Ah, how did we find that awful diary? You really want to know?

Then you have to hear the legend of the Castle Spirit Cat…

The legend is true—it guards the entire castle… perhaps it is the consciousness of Hogwarts Castle itself?

It made Harry dream, and in the dream, it revealed the murderer—yes, that diary—and told Harry about the basilisk slumbering in the castle, hidden by a Parselmouth…

Am I a club member? Ha—I’d love to be minister…”

After Christmas, Ron’s explosive revelation became one of Hogwarts Castle’s greatest legends.

Even first-years had heard of it.

And so, the Castle Spirit Cat Club expanded once more.

“Excuse me, would you like to join the Castle Spirit Cat Club?”

A wiry, sun-kissed wizard sprinted up to Wizard Sean.

In his hand was the invitation Wizard Sean had seen before.

“No.”

Wizard Sean shook his head.

“Alright, still nice to meet you—I’m first-year Rolf.”

The wizard said.

“Rolf Scamander?”

Wizard Sean was surprised.

“Ah, ah, you know me? Oh no—you know my grandfather… Yes, I’ll become a great Magizoologist like him!

And my first task? Find the legendary magical creature—the Castle Spirit Cat!

Can you believe it? Hogwarts Castle has such a magnificent creature… Shh, I’ll tell you: the Castle Spirit Cat Club was personally approved by Headmaster Dumbledore as a massive club!”

Rolf chattered on.

“Don’t bother looking. You won’t find it.”

Thinking of Mr. Newt Scamander, Wizard Sean spoke more than he intended.

“Respect my dream!”

Rolf frowned.

“….”

Wizard Sean watched him silently until he scratched his head.

“I know it’s hard—but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. My grandfather said:

The wind can lift a sheet of paper, but not a butterfly. Do you know why?

Because the power of life lies in defiance—if everything were that easy, wouldn’t it be boring?”

Rolf seemed naturally outgoing.

“What if your actions disturb it?”

Wizard Sean asked.

“Oh, oh, then…”

Rolf froze—he’d never considered that.

“Alright, you’ve convinced me a little. But I still have to find it myself. If it’s true, I’ll apologize sincerely. Do you think I’ll make it in time?”

Rolf asked hesitantly.

“No, I need to write to my grandfather first—”

He added.

“Maybe.”

Wizard Sean didn’t take up the thread.

“By the way, are you a first-year too? What’s your name?”

Two seconds later, Rolf was energetic again.

“Wizard Sean Green.”

“Mr. Green?!”

“If there isn’t another wizard with the surname Green…”

“Mr. Green! Merlin, everyone says you’re the most learned wizard at Hogwarts—you must know about the Castle Spirit Cat…”

“I don’t know.”

“I don’t believe you! Please…”

…

After barely escaping the enthusiastic Rolf, Wizard Sean barely made it back to Ravenclaw Common Room before curfew.

As for Rolf, without a broom, he’d surely be caught.

Professor Snape hadn’t let a single night-wandering student slip by lately.

Still, Wizard Sean hadn’t expected Newt’s shy nature to produce a student like Rolf.

Like… a Gryffindor.

Ravenclaw Tower.

The stars shone as brightly as ever; snow drifted outside, and the castle lay silent.

Wizard Sean sat by the window; Bai Yi danced excitedly beside the fireplace.

When Wizard Sean’s gaze passed over the empty rune,

Tonight, mist slowly rose.

…

The Borderlands.

The cat-leopard’s speed far outpaced the cat-creatures.

It stretched its body freely; mottled mist-balls vanished like flowing light.

Occasionally, strange mist-balls drifted near, but the cat-leopard dodged them with ease.

It ran through the dreamlike realm, following the direction of Miss Iso’s ball of thread.

Such things rarely happened behind the curtain; here, only mist existed—drifting, ethereal, blurred like veils.

Wind howled in its ears; the cat-leopard didn’t know how long it had run, until the mist had risen thickly, and far ahead, it saw Miss Iso’s figure.

Her eyes were no longer the white of pearls, nor the gray of Lady Gray—now, the cat-leopard could clearly see the gleam within them.

“Miss Iso.”

The cat-leopard adjusted its breath and spoke.

“An unusual sight, dear Green.”

Miss Iso blinked, beside her stood an equally aged wizard.

As she spoke, he stood quietly behind her, listening like a child.