[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring":3,"chapter-starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-233":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Starting at Hogwarts, Logging into Elden Ring",{"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},1496357,1944,"Chapter 233: “Hogwarts Is the Safest Place in the Wizarding World”","starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-233",233,"\u003Cp>After learning that Arthur already had a plan in motion, Snape decided not to interfere further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he remembered something Arthur had mentioned to him some time ago—about converting Muggles into wizards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had actually been fully prepared for it back then, but last winter in Britain had been nothing but endless snowstorms. Clear skies were rare, and stars even rarer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the matter had been delayed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, however, it was spring. The weather was pleasant, and the night sky outside was brilliant with stars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snape asked, \"About the matter of converting a soul into a source crystal—I've finished the preparations. What do you think of tonight's weather? Can the ritual be performed?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur walked over to the window and glanced up at the sky. Countless stars hung overhead, forming a luminous river across the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He withdrew his gaze and nodded. \"It'll work. Do you want to bring Lia along?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snape hesitated. \"Won't that take extra time?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had already discussed this with Lia. Worried about his safety, she'd insisted on being present during the ritual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the time, Snape had been concerned something might go wrong and hadn't agreed outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur nodded casually. \"That's fine. In the end, it's just taking a stab. If everything goes smoothly, we can even convert Lia as well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snape was speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, it was technically \"just a stab\"—but the problem was that the stab went straight through the heart!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don't make it sound like lightly nicking a finger with a small knife!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snape desperately wanted to complain, but that would go against his carefully cultivated persona.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Fine,\" he said stiffly. \"I'll go get her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll be waiting on the open balcony on the west side of the castle,\" Arthur replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snape nodded and headed outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hogwarts was warded against Apparition. He'd need to leave the grounds before he could return home that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Snape go, Arthur turned to Huangxi on his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sorry. The midnight snack might have to wait a bit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strangely enough, neither Harry nor Snape had asked about Huangxi's presence earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps they'd simply grown accustomed to Arthur having various extraordinary creatures perched on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's fine,\" Huangxi said calmly. \"Do what you need to do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn't actually hungry. She'd only mentioned food because it had been so long since she'd tasted anything from the human world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In that case,\" Arthur said, \"let's grab Hermione and Ranni. We'll go for a late snack together afterward.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he returned to the Gryffindor common room, Hermione was already half-asleep where she sat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ranni, on the other hand, still looked energetic. Someone accustomed to staying up all night gazing at the moon wouldn't be defeated so easily—but even she was starting to get bored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither of them had expected Arthur to be gone until curfew after Harry dragged him away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Arthur finally walked in, Ranni stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione, who'd been leaning against Ranni's shoulder in a drowsy haze, immediately lost her support and flopped onto the sofa—waking up with a start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She scrambled upright, ready to grumble at Ranni, only to look up and see Arthur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hurried over. \"Cousin, what did Harry want? How did it take so long?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It wasn't anything major,\" Arthur replied. \"Harry found Mr. Crouch dead in the Forbidden Forest and dragged me along to report it to Dumbledore.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione stared at him in disbelief. \"That's the head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation—and the person in charge of the Triwizard Tournament. If his death isn't a big deal, what is?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur rubbed his chin thoughtfully. \"Hmm… Voldemort showing up at the front gate?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to that, Crouch's death really did seem minor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, she asked worriedly, \"But won't Mr. Crouch's death affect the Triwizard Tournament?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur had told her before that Voldemort planned to use the tournament to make a move against Harry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the tournament were suspended because of Crouch's death, wouldn't that ruin Voldemort's chance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur waved a hand dismissively. \"Relax. The head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports is still around. When I was in the Headmaster's office earlier, Fudge was there too—he insisted the tournament go on as scheduled.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that the Triwizard Tournament would continue, Hermione visibly relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant she'd still get her chance to face Voldemort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Crouch's death… she could only feel regret. At worst, she'd avenge him later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Wait. She hadn't even asked who killed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So,\" Hermione asked, \"who murdered Mr. Crouch?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Barty Crouch Jr.,\" Arthur answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione frowned. \"Didn't Snape say he was already caught by the Ministry?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Escaped again,\" Arthur said lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione's face darkened. \"Is the Ministry really that incompetent? Letting criminals escape over and over again?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By her count, this had to be the fourth time already.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hogwarts wasn't much better either. In all her years at school, there hadn't been a single peaceful one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either Voldemort's followers infiltrated the castle, or students were attacked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now even a high-ranking Ministry official had been murdered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why on earth was this place still called the safest location in the wizarding world?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Ministry is incompetent,\" Arthur said, \"but this time you're misunderstanding something. The Ministry never actually recaptured Barty Crouch Jr.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He continued calmly, \"Old Crouch couldn't keep his own son under control—and ended up being killed by him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione paused. \"Then Barty Crouch Jr. is…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur raised an eyebrow. \"Hasn't he been teaching you for half a year already?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione's sharp mind clicked instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fourth year. Only one teacher had taught her for half a year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The newly arrived \"Mad-Eye\" Moody.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She suddenly recalled the strange smell she'd noticed once when she passed him in the corridor—right after he'd taken a swig from his flask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She'd known that scent before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Polyjuice Potion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She'd brewed it herself in second year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…I really didn't expect it,\" Hermione murmured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No one did,\" Arthur replied. \"His disguise and mimicry were flawless.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shouldn't we expose him?\" Hermione asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this were Harry, he'd probably already be charging off to confront Barty Crouch Jr. head-on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not yet,\" Arthur said. \"If we expose him now, how do we lure Voldemort out?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione nodded. Alerting the enemy prematurely really wasn't the right move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let Barty Crouch Jr. continue playing his role for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Oh, right,\" Hermione suddenly said, turning to Huangxi on Arthur's shoulder. \"Why are you out here, Huangxi?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She knew Huangxi well. This was someone who wouldn't leave home even once in eight hundred years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time Hermione went to visit her, she was almost always asleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Arthur asked me to come out and stretch a bit,\" Huangxi replied, \"and to invite you all to a midnight snack.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You really do need more activity,\" Hermione agreed wholeheartedly. \"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur stopped her. \"Not yet. I still have something to take care of.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is it?\" Hermione asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur explained the function of the source crystal blade, as well as Snape and Lia's plan to convert their souls into source crystals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione's eyes widened in amazement. Such a magical artifact actually existed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then… could my parents be converted into wizards too?\" she asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Mrs. Granger ever heard this, she'd be deeply moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For once, the daughter who could barely remember to write home was thinking of her parents first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur shrugged. \"Sure—assuming you can convince Aunt and Uncle to let me stab this blade straight through their hearts.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he produced the source crystal blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was over thirty centimeters long. Calling it a \"knife\" was misleading—it was double-edged, with three serrated, spike-like protrusions on each side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur had already cleaned the blood from it, making its cold gleam even more intimidating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione stared at the blade, her scalp tingling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Setting aside whether she could bring herself to let that thing pierce her parents' hearts—she was certain of one thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment she even suggested this to them, she'd be in for a brutal scolding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Muggle world, being stabbed through the heart was unquestionably fatal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in the wizarding world, it was a death sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Asking two ordinary Muggles to accept such a transformation was… a bit too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hermione fell into troubled silence, completely at a loss as to how she could ever persuade them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Advance Chapters Available on Patreon\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>patreon.com\u002FWhiteDevil7554\u003C\u002Fp>",1384,"2026-06-06T04:19:46.381Z",1,"novelbin.me","c3d67471948a4bed1f088befa8bd9764b3d7cedc0cdaaf02283b91fae4e40784","starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-234","starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-232",281,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-cover.jpg"]