Chapter 169: The Day After the Dance Party

Harry soon realized that things were not that simple. The first thing he considered was that the canvas came out of the painting again. Although other situations were not completely impossible, they were at least of very low probability. He calmly closed the door again and let a passing maid invite Sirius to the reception room.

Then, he entered the reception room and examined the painting again.

The canvas went into the painting and then came out. It seemed to be intact, and although it fell on the ground when it was in the painting, it looked as white as new now, without any dirt at all.

Soon, Sirius also rushed to the reception room. He looked at the canvas on the ground and couldn't help but frown. "So, did you take this canvas out, or was it already there when you came?" Sirius asked.

"It was already there when I came." Harry nodded. "Perhaps, the effect of this spell is not as simple as what we saw."

"Things hidden away jumping out automatically is quite novel, but that's about it, right." Sirius picked up the canvas and checked it. "The canvas doesn't have any damage."

"This might be related to time." Harry always subconsciously thought in that direction; after all, in his cognition, this painting should have been sent by the future Na Wei.

"You mean, I can set a time for it?" Sirius took out his wand again. "Silently reciting five minutes or ten minutes or something, and the canvas will automatically reappear when the time is up?"

"It's possible, however, don't cast spells on the canvas this time." Harry took off his watch. "Try putting it in."

Sirius recited the spell again. After a twist, the watch also disappeared. Looking toward the painting again, Harry's watch was worn on Na Wei's wrist, which looked completely unobtrusive.

They sat down on the sofa, and Sirius said slowly: "I have basically no strength left now; this spell requires too much magic power."

"If it's just to save things, it shouldn't take so much magic power. I think perhaps, time is stagnant in the painting." Harry said his guess. "When we use the Reductor Curse and Undetectable Extension Charm, we only change the size and shape of the object, which are only physical changes. To a certain extent, when we shrink an object and put it in our pocket, it is actually equivalent to putting the object directly on the table."

Sirius hadn't received systematic physics education, so he was not sensitive to this point and didn't care much. Therefore, he proposed another point of view: "Perhaps there is another possibility, that is, this spell has just been invented and has not been optimized."

In Harry's curious eyes, Sirius talked about a common sense in the magic world: "The magic spells we use seem easy and convenient, but that's because they have been improved and optimized for many generations, reaching an optimal balance between power, energy consumption, and casting time. Taking the Disarming Charm as an example, you might feel that the Disarming Charm is cast quickly and the magic consumption is not large, but this is an optimized Disarming Charm. It only works on wands and swords. If you hold a mace, it won't work."

"But I clearly remember that Quirrell used the Disarming Charm to knock away my pistol." Harry said.

"Right, but such a Disarming Charm will consume more magic power. Its effect will become removing everything you hold in your hand." Sirius explained. "Even if you hold a mango, it will knock the mango away."

"In other words, the consumption of the spell will increase with the increase of versatility?" Harry said thoughtfully.

"Strictly speaking, to strengthen the effect of the spell, you either increase consumption or extend the spell." Sirius paused. "On this point, although I don't want to admit it, the Killing Curse uses only six syllables and extremely ordinary consumption to accurately take away the life of any creature, which is almost the most perfect spell and the top achievement of spell studies."

Harry counted, the Disarming Charm has seven syllables, it seems it's still a bit short.

"Then, those spell texts from China." Harry remembered the secret spells that were long to the point of no end. "Is it to strengthen the effect or reduce consumption by greatly extending the length of the spell?"

"Actually, I don't know much about China, but theoretically this makes sense." Sirius touched his chin. "Of course, the common way for us in Europe is to increase consumption to strengthen the effect or shorten the length. Some effects are too powerful, and when a single wizard cannot achieve them, they can also be achieved through casting materials and ritual assistance, or joint casting."

"Oh!" Sirius slapped his thigh suddenly. "Perhaps this spell is not designed for a single person, if its effect is really as powerful as you said."

"Or, according to your train of thought." Harry said. "Just hiding things, or even if you add the function of stagnant time, the consumption will be greatly reduced."

"If, or just assume your judgment is correct," Sirius pondered. "This painting was sent to you by Na Wei through some means, and he thinks this can come in handy."

"Then, just hiding things, or even if you add the function of stagnant time, I can't understand the significance of it." Sirius walked slowly to the front of the painting. "Unless, it is used to hide people."

When half an hour had passed since the spell was cast, Harry's watch popped out of the painting. Just as he expected, the numbers on the watch were still stopped half an hour ago.

"I want to take this painting away." Sirius said. "Originally I intended to drill into it myself to take a look, but I don't know if there will be any danger, so, go back and find a scumbag to do an experiment first."

Harry agreed subconsciously, but when he came to his senses, he realized that Sirius was going to use a living person for magic experiments. Rationally speaking, this didn't seem to be anything, but emotionally it was a bit cruel. However, soon he was relieved. Being the number one Death Eater was not so easy. Sirius needed to show some cruel means to maintain the majesty of the Dark Night Godfather, which was a necessary sacrifice.

The day after the banquet, for Luo En and Eve who had played very happily at the dance party, they needed to sleep a little longer. When the two woke up yawning to eat breakfast, Harry had already sent off Sirius who was in a hurry to go back to preside over the gang affairs, and by the way, listened to the twins' business blueprint about the magic trick shop, and gave them a lot of ideas.

"We expect to set off in two weeks to watch the World Cup." Luo En said excitedly. "Dad got the top-level tickets, sitting with those big figures in the Ministry of Magic."

"That's really good." Harry said. "By the way, what big figures are there in the Ministry of Magic?"

"Uh, I only know Humphrey; he is Dad's immediate superior, the Permanent Secretary of the Minister." Luo En said. "Oh, and the Minister, his name is Scrimgeour."

"Strictly speaking, Humphrey is the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Magic, Scrimgeour, this Minister, has his own Chief Private Secretary, and Humphrey will also have a private secretary." Na Wei, who finished morning exercise, joined the conversation. "Besides this, Humphrey manages ten Permanent Deputy Secretaries, dozens of Deputy Secretaries, and countless secretary assistants. At the same time, the Prime Minister will assign two Congressional Private Secretaries to the Ministry of Magic, and Scrimgeour also designated his own Congressional Private Secretary."

"My God, how many secretaries must the Ministry of Magic have?" Luo En remarked.

"So, if you stare at these secretaries, you will never figure out who is managing the Ministry of Magic." Na Wei said with a smile. "You have to look at those ministers."

"By the way, Na Wei," Harry cleared his throat. "Do you know much about the Ministry of Magic?"

"Not very deep, just those that ordinary people can read in the newspaper." Na Wei shrugged. "I at least know who the heads of each department are, and I also roughly know a little about personnel changes."

"You are really amazing, I don't even know which department Dad is in, and who the head is." Luo En said this with respect and shame.

"As far as I know, your father is the head of the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects, belonging to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The current head is Jim Ha Ke." Na Wei said. "This is also the largest department in the Ministry of Magic."

"I remember him, the one who talks about sausages every day." Harry couldn't help but laugh.

"If I remember correctly, Barty Crouch was the head before, later his son was discovered to be a Death Eater, so he was transferred." Na Wei recalled. "Before that, he was once called the person most likely to become the Minister of Magic."

"But he is now the head of the Department of Mysteries, right?" Harry recalled the conversation with Dr. Doudou last year. He clearly remembered that the Doctor asked him to find "Barty Crouch Jr.," and also asked him to pay attention to distinguishing "Barty Jr. and Barty Sr."

"Right, because he sent his son to prison without mercy, so he managed to recover some reputation." Na Wei said what he read from the newspaper. "It is said that his son was also called Barty Crouch, and died not long after entering prison."

Harry instinctively wanted to refute, but he didn't say it out loud. Perhaps, this is the secret inside the Ministry of Magic. Although Na Wei is one of our own, after all, one more person knowing it will add a risk of leakage. Whether it is necessary to tell Na Wei, wait until arriving at Beauxbatons to see.

"Department of Mysteries... barely considered a flat transfer." Na Wei continued. "The one who took over afterward was Scrimgeour, who was the head of the Auror Office before. However, he didn't serve as head for long, because the Minister assassination case happened soon."

"I heard Johnny say," Harry added. "The former Minister of Magic was Fudge, who was assassinated during a speech. It is said that the murderer used Muggle weapons, so he deceived the Aurors who did security checks."

"Right, when Fudge was assassinated, Barty Crouch, who originally had the most reputation, happened not to have gotten rid of his son's scandal, and Scrimgeour almost changed from the head of the Auror Office to the Minister within a few months." Na Wei said with a hint of emotion. ===== CHAPTER 170 =====