great-warnovel Chapter 200 The Aurora Messenger
Chapter 200 The Aurora Messenger
Chapter 200 The Aurora Messenger
However, heretical magic is not easy to learn.
Simply mustering the courage to hurt yourself, and controlling the release of blood and thorns amidst the pain, requires immense willpower.
Moreover, the unique method of casting spells with faith requires Draco to firmly believe in the power contained in his blood, even to the point of worshipping a god in the same way that he worships the power in his blood.
This made Draco feel very awkward. He no longer cared much about pure-bloodedness, but learning this magic always reminded him of his father's teachings.
"You look like a vampire with a full set of legs," Ron commented.
This sense of déjà vu makes it difficult for him to concentrate, resulting in a slower learning speed.
Hermione didn't have a good solution either. In fact, judging from the highest-ranking spell, "The Rejection Thorn," this magic's connection to blood wasn't very strong. The caster analyzed the power of the Shadow Tree and summoned the Shadow Tree's Rejection Thorn.
But that level of power was too high. Even Hermione herself would have a hard time replicating that magic in a short time, let alone Draco, who had never seen the Shadowtree and could not understand its rejection from his faith.
The blood-soaked thorns of sinners are actually a more understandable path. Only after mastering the thorns in blood can one more smoothly transition to the thorns of the shadow tree.
However, Hermione has already made plans to expand the Shadowlands section of the Pensieve after returning to Hogwarts next school year, so that Draco can see the Shadowtree in person, which may be more helpful for his development.
After Bill returned, he faithfully conveyed Hermione's thoughts. The adults knew what the children were planning, but they didn't seem to object. After some discussion that Hermione was unaware of, nothing changed except that Bill would bring various foods to see the children every night.
"I'll go with you to deal with those werewolves, but only as a precaution." He crossed his legs and watched Harry practice Transfiguration by the stone table. Harry was frowning as he tried to turn a struggling, screaming rat into a sunflower.
"You can't even beat Hermione, what kind of insurance are you?" Ron and Neville were fighting for control of a stone, each trying to mold it into the other's shape. Magic and will were battling within the stone, causing it to writhe and deform like a lump of clay.
This is a way of practicing transfiguration that helps them to focus their will in a stable and concentrated manner.
Bill shrugged. "That's what I said too. In fact, I think those werewolves who can only roam around are probably no match for Hermione alone."
"But Mom said an adult has to watch you to prevent anyone from being stupid enough to stick their head into the werewolf's mouth."
Hermione remained suspended in mid-air as the moon, not intervening in their bickering.
George and Fred are teaming up to fight off Percy and Cedric's combined efforts. Their pranks have successfully angered the third brother, leading him to bring in Cedric, who is about to enter the sixth grade, for a righteous mixed doubles match against his twin brothers who are about to enter the fifth grade.
Maria quietly held the holy seal in prayer. Ignoring her appearance, few would believe she was a werewolf. Her breathing was slow and serene, her eyes clear and calm; she had mastered the art of controlling her anger.
In a sense, Hermione succeeded in using faith to restrain the werewolves; the bestial prayers from the Borderlands successfully suppressed their wildness with wisdom.
Ginny and Luna would hang out together. They didn't have much academic pressure. Besides practicing the new spells they would learn in their second year, they would also read old-fashioned adventure novels and the daily newspaper. Hermione's newspaper would also be delivered to White Mountain during the holidays, but she was usually too lazy to read it.
"Hey, I have some news," Ginny said, tossing the newspaper at her.
"Malfoy Castle has found a so-called prophet, called something like the Aurora Messenger." Everyone stopped what they were doing and gathered around, even Hermione spared a wisp of her spirit to descend with the moonlight.
"Calamity! That immense sorrow stretching across the north!"
"You must not go north! You must not go north!"
On the front page of the newspaper, a large portion of the page was occupied by a magical photograph. A middle-aged man dressed like a savage, wearing a thick polar bear skin and with his long, filthy hair disheveled, was stretching his arms out to the sky as if he were insane.
A dazzling aurora shone from him, forming a picture in the sky: a dilapidated castle, lying crookedly in the lake, with strange birds circling overhead. The castle had been breached, and all sorts of terrifying beasts clung to the outer walls, roaring angrily at the sky.
In the grand and bustling Peacock Square, people surrounded him, their faces filled with astonishment.
"A new prophet in the post-war era! Hogwarts' northward journey may lead to a great tragedy!"
The newspaper reporter used a chilling description of the words of the savage prophet known as the "Aurora Messenger," claiming that he drifted from the Arctic Circle to the shore on a plank, and then wandered to Malfoy Castle, just to warn the wizarding world that a great tragedy was about to happen, that a thousand-year-old prestigious school would fall, that countless children would die tragically, and that the wizarding world would suffer the greatest trauma since the war.
Many nobles also spoke out, advising Hogwarts to carefully consider the trip north.
"They've even brought out the false prophet to prevent Hogwarts from returning," Harry laughed.
"They don't know that Hermione is the Eye of Heaven, and so is our Professor Trelawney, oh, I hope she really is," Fred quipped.
Trelawney's reputation among students was so low that even though Hermione's Oracle Bubble spell did alleviate some of her neuroticism, few students could understand her lessons.
"Look! Isn't that Professor Lockhart!" Ginny pointed to a man standing in the corner with a frown in the crowd in the newspaper, who was none other than Lockhart, who had resigned and returned to Malfoyburg.
"He looks to be in good shape. Is the old lady in the hat standing next to him his mother?" Harry's attention was immediately diverted.
"But what Malfoyburg is doing will definitely have an impact on Hogwarts," Percy frowned, bringing the topic back.
"Especially in other settlements, the misinformation about Malfoy Castle can mislead them and make more people pessimistic about Hogwarts."
"They wanted to create an atmosphere where everyone was criticizing Dumbledore's decision."
Ron made an exaggerated expression and said, "They don't actually think they can change Dumbledore's mind like this, do they?"
"But this could indeed change the minds of many students' parents," Draco said in a deep voice.
On his hand, a shallow, still-bleeding wound was quickly healing: "Before leaving school, many Slytherin students were talking about taking a leave of absence for the next academic year."
"Parents in Malfoyburg do this, whether for political purposes or for their children's safety."
"Now it seems that wizard children from other places may also be taken back by their parents."
The group exchanged glances: "This means that next year, a large number of children may take a break from school or even drop out, and there may be no new students from wizarding families."
This would reduce the number of students at Hogwarts by more than half, and with the large number of wizarding families leaving, Malfoy Castle could also justifiably cut its supplies to Hogwarts.
"This is not good news. I'm going back to school in a few days for the annual board meeting, and I'll ask Dumbledore for his opinion then," Hermione said, her voice echoing.