[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-hogwarts-learning-panel":3,"chapter-hogwarts-learning-panel-hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-469":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},2250707,4210,"Chapter 469: Rita Lestrange","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-469",469,"\u003Cp>“Do you think death can truly separate us, dear Bastet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Newt walked through thin mist, past trees, across fields, beside the Black Lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some cold, transparent, shimmering points drifted through the white expanse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The borderland had begun to snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black cat’s agile form ahead paused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It turned, leapt onto Newt’s shoulder. The path ahead was clear: they only needed to follow the winding trail forward—the wooden cottage surrounded by Gabriel flowers was their destination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do those we love truly leave us? Or do we remember them most clearly when we face choices?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Newt liked talking more to the black cat, not just because of the current tension and awkwardness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perhaps, on the contrary, death brings wizards closer… especially those who were parted in life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black cat said, its whiskers trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Newt smiled, shyly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bastet looked like a student reciting an answer, yet he could not suppress his satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That Bastet, who governs dreams and traverses life and death, wished to understand wizarding emotions—nothing could be more captivating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ve arrived, Mr. Scamander.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black cat’s emerald eyes pierced through the mist; amid a haze of blurred colors, it spoke quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Newt hurried to look ahead—amid the white expanse, a cottage with smoke curling from its chimney appeared abruptly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It stood on a soft, vast shoreline, where Gabriel flowers bloomed thickly along the entire embankment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cottage lay at the center of these Gabriel flowers, nestled among Cengcengdiediede  creamy-yellow petals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crisp, herbal scent drifted into the black cat’s nose, and made Newt feel slightly dazed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita seemed to have just returned from a journey—the black cat sensed her presence had just reentered the cottage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the door, Newt carefully stepped past the soft flowers, his hand reaching out to knock, then pulling back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black cat lay on his shoulder, watching him repeat this small motion again and again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The timid Mr. Scamander—even approaching happiness hurts it…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black cat whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forgive me, dear Bastet—please don’t urge a mortal heart any further.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Newt said shyly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black cat, embarrassed, leapt off Newt’s shoulder—now the timid Mr. Scamander seemed even more tense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until the black cat studied the small door on the wooden door, until it realized this tiny door was meant for it, Newt remained motionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When is there a moment more joyful than approaching happiness?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black cat understood this, but their time was not abundant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guiding a soul into the borderland was difficult, let alone manifesting the Pensieve and the Resurrection Stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I must urge you, Mr. Scamander.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black cat said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It lay atop a rising puff of mist, and idly noticed a small hole in the wooden door—through it, a pair of bright, mischievous eyes peered out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Newt, as if summoning great resolve, knocked three times softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door creaked open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A smiling face greeted them—Newt froze instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The legends of the borderland are true—the lucky black cat has come to knock.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita naturally lifted the black cat from the mist puff before Newt, just as they had done before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I never thought that even in death, you’d still be welcomed by magical creatures.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please put me down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black cat struggled to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita startled, letting the black cat dart onto Newt’s shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rita…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aged Newt simply repeated the name—his friend’s appearance matched exactly the photograph in his suitcase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No—you’re not dead—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita suddenly widened her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it… you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita turned to the black cat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black cat now sat elegantly on Newt’s shoulder, nodding with human-like grace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes—dear Bastet brought me here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Newt smiled shyly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could this be…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crossing the boundary between life and death, allowing a living wizard to speak with a soul of the borderland—no such tale had ever existed in tens of thousands of years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she fell silent, snow fell softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It landed on the petals of Gabriel flowers, on the warm smoke of the cottage, on the hair of the reunited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita suddenly realized her behavior was inappropriate—they might be facing a magical creature of unimaginable power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bastet, who governs war and family—were the ancient wizarding legends truly true?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita first pulled Newt behind her, fixing her gaze sharply on the black cat as it leapt from his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She did not believe in luck; she had left the small door only because her friend had asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A witch like her, never once favored by fate, believed everything in the world demanded payment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was a monster, a freak in everyone’s eyes—only monsters could rely on each other, like her and Newt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, Newt deserved love more than she did… only her sins were unforgivable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What did you give up?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita asked Newt subtly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m ashamed—I gave nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Newt knew Rita too well—he understood her fears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A cat that asks for nothing in return?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita was utterly astonished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dear Bastet is exactly that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Newt replied shyly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita believed Newt—and believed the black cat. She could not avoid realizing: they had reunited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the magic of a black cat, they had met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only now did she feel that vague, moving emotion—she looked at Newt’s aged face, then lowered her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please come inside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She said to the black cat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you for your invitation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black cat stepped into the house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita thought it was a polite cat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The carpet inside reflected the firelight of the hearth; distant horizons glowed faintly with twilight. Outside the window lay the endless ocean of the borderland; inside, the fire crackled, butterbeer bubbled, and Newt smiled faintly, avoiding her gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire borderland was snowing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow fell on every inch of the dark central plains, on treeless hills, gently on lakeside marshes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They listened as snow drifted through heaven and earth,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drifting as softly as their own fate—falling upon the living and the dead of the borderland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I never dreamed of luck.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But it always comes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Newt smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The borderland has three fundamental directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soul, mist, and eternity—here, the distance between hearts is closest.\u003C\u002Fp>",1004,"2026-06-19T10:00:42.198Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ad1c4c9859d450445191476e737c5173b64f2592d64f9edd7387ac5c7b536561","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-470","hogwarts-learning-panel-chapter-468",526,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhogwarts-learning-panel-cover.jpg"]