An hour later, in the Hogwarts Great Hall, Evans sat at the long faculty table, rubbing his temples that throbbed from excessive spellcasting. He listlessly poked at the potatoes on his plate, muttering curses at the long-dead wizard who had created the seals.
"What kind of ridiculous question is this?" he grumbled under his breath. "Using spell impacts to copy a painting? And with only half an hour to do it?"
The puzzles from the previous two seals had been eccentric, but today's had been uniquely infuriating. Using the residual shadows of magical energy to paint—what kind of mad genius came up with such an outrageous idea?
While Evans knew his magical talent was considerable, his school days had been spent almost entirely focused on magical creatures, not the pinpoint precision of spell-casting. Besides, using the aftershock of a spell to paint wasn't a skill any sane wizard would practice. The impact from his weakest Stunning Spell had nearly shattered the enchanted picture frame; how was he supposed to create delicate art with that?
"Evans?"
A high-pitched voice snapped him out of his grumbling. He turned his head, looking around before his gaze dropped downwards, meeting a pair of curious eyes. It was a very short man, a sign that he possessed the bloodline of another species. Evans knew him well.
"…My apologies, Professor Flitwick," Evans said, offering an embarrassed smile. "It's been a long time."
"It's quite alright," the Charms Master said, waving a hand dismissively as he hopped onto the chair next to Evans. He was clearly used to not being seen at first glance. "Should I be calling you Professor Kahn now?"
"You can still call me Evans. Compared to you, I will always be a student."
"You are far too humble," Professor Flitwick said with a warm, emotional tone. A look of genuine regret crossed his face. "It's such a pity you never focused more on Charms during your time here. Your talent is exceptional, and your silent, wandless casting is remarkably skilled. If you had only paid a little more attention in my class, I am certain your accomplishments would have far surpassed even your excellent N.E.W.T. results!"
His smile returned just as quickly. "But I have read all your books! Your research on the abilities of magical creatures is nothing short of miraculous! If you continue on this path, I believe you will soon unravel the very mysteries of their magic."
"That's precisely why I came back," Evans admitted with a smile.
Beyond the Forbidden Forest, the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts library was another treasure trove he had yet to fully explore. It held countless precious books that would be invaluable in developing his unique gift.
"Keep up the good work! And if you ever have any questions about Charms, please, feel free to ask me anytime. I am fascinated by the theory you proposed!" Professor Flitwick couldn't contain his excitement, gesticulating wildly from his seat. "Reversing the innate abilities of magical creatures into spells that anyone can use… ha! A truly genius idea!"
Watching the diminutive professor, Evans suppressed a smile. He's actually quite cute.
Then, a sudden spark of inspiration lit up his mind.
"Professor," he began, leaning in slightly, "have you ever researched the impact caused by spells?" He remembered now—the man before him was one of the most famous Charms researchers in the entire wizarding world. The very problem he was struggling with could be answered right here.
"Spell impact?" Professor Flitwick asked, surprised. "What do you want to do with it?"
"I want to use it to paint a picture."
"Paint??"
The next morning, deep within the Forbidden Forest, Evans stood confidently before the stone platform, placing the spheres into their slots with practiced ease.
"Heh," he chuckled to himself. "After Professor Flitwick's personal guidance, I'm stronger than ever! A mere puzzle like this… watch me solve it with ease!"
The ancient runes on the platform glowed, and an illusory piece of parchment materialized in the air, slowly solidifying. A single line of text appeared.
Evans's triumphant smile slowly froze on his face.
[Choose a page of parchment. Use ten different spells and their residual shadows to transcribe the chosen story.]
"???"
On the third day, after another late-night consultation with the Charms Master, a newly confident Evans stood once more in the center of the magic circle.
He was sure he had figured it out this time. No matter how intricate, the information stored by magic had to have limits. The number of puzzles couldn't be infinite. Whether it was drawing or transcribing, the core test was control over one's spells. With targeted training, he could master this.
"Come on," he muttered, a manic glint in his eyes. "I'm a professor now. It's time to use the exhaustive method! Your question bank will run out eventually, but my time is infinite!"
On the fifteenth day, heavy dark circles ringed Evans's eyes, but his spirit was unbroken. "I don't believe it… how many puzzles can you possibly have?" he demanded of the empty air. A fortnight of staying up late had taken its toll, but he could feel the puzzles becoming repetitive. It was running out of tricks.
On the evening of Hogwarts' opening day, the castle buzzed with a renewed energy. The holiday decorations were gone, replaced by the grand banners of the four houses. Every professor had returned, gathered in the Great Hall for the welcome feast. Even the ghosts, usually scattered, had convened, their spectral forms adding to the lively, if unusual, atmosphere. All that was missing were the students.
Seated at the head table, Albus Dumbledore surveyed the scene, his azure eyes twinkling with a familiar smile. He had seen this countless times, but the feeling of reunion and new beginnings never failed to warm his heart.
Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that someone was missing.
"Oh?"
He glanced over as Professor McGonagall let out a soft exclamation, patting her robes as if searching for something.
"What's wrong, Minerva?"
"Nothing, Albus. Just a Transfiguration Club badge is missing. It must have fallen off somewhere, I suppose." She lowered her hand, dismissing the minor loss, and returned her attention to the magnificent hall.
At that same moment, under the fading light of the sunset, a wild, triumphant laugh echoed from deep within the Forbidden Forest. A lone figure waved his arms in victory.
"I passed! I finally passed!"
Above the stone platform, two identical, shadowy sculptures of weeping women slowly dissipated, replaced by a new line of text formed from glowing runes.
[You have proven yourself to be a fairly excellent wizard.]
Evans could hardly contain his excitement. Nearly a month he had spent on this—arriving at dawn, leaving only at dusk, practicing high-intensity spellcasting until his mind was numb. The other professors had begun to look at him strangely. Even Snape's usual disdain had started to shift into something resembling pity.
But it was over. He had finally broken the seal.
Forcing himself to calm down, Evans focused on the reward resting in his hands. It was a cloak, thin as a cicada's wing and so black it seemed to drink the light of the sunset, reflecting nothing.
"What is this? An Invisibility Cloak?" he wondered aloud. It was impossibly black, but it didn't ripple with the telltale shimmer of a true Invisibility Cloak. If not that, then what was it for? Temperature regulation? Purely for show?
Setting it aside for a moment, he turned his attention to the parchment manuscript lying on the platform. It was a familiar sight; he'd received a similar one after breaking the first seal. "Perhaps this is the instruction manual," he mused.
He picked it up, his expression growing stranger as he read the title.
"Research on the Bloodline of the Lethifold?"
He'd heard of the creatures, of course—elusive, cloak-shaped beings known for their extreme rarity. Research on them was virtually nonexistent, as proper sightings were almost unheard of. Thinking this, he glanced at the black cloak beside him. Its appearance perfectly matched the descriptions.
But this wasn't a living creature. An intuition, born from his unique talent, told him so with absolute certainty. So, what was it? A preserved corpse? A shed skin? He shook his head. He would have to study it later to know for sure.
"Does Lethifold have blood?" he wondered, tucking the manuscript and the strange cloak into his magically expanded pocket. Without a living specimen to study, the research was just an interesting theory. Perhaps the cloak held a clue.
"Hmm… I can ask around and see if anyone knows where Lethifold might appear. I believe they only live in the tropics, right?"
With that settled, he placed his hand on the barrier of the next seal, curious to see the prerequisite. A line of small, runic text appeared before his eyes.
[Please fully understand and thoroughly read the entire magical history of the Middle Ages.]
"Huh?" Evans's eyes widened. History? The first three seals had tested fundamental wizarding skills: magical power, mental fortitude, and spell proficiency. Why was the fourth one about history?
He scratched his head in distress. He had slept through nearly every History of Magic class. Learning the entire history of the Middle Ages would be torture. Still, he wasn't too worried. As a professor, he could simply bother his former teacher, Professor Binns, who was essentially a walking, talking textbook with no need for food, sleep, or a social life. Hogwarts was an inexhaustible treasure trove.
But first, lesson plans. He couldn't just draw lots to decide the curriculum. Taking students to see dragons, as his predecessor had once considered, was a tempting idea he'd have to explore later.
Strolling through the forest with his hands in his pockets, Evans enjoyed the magnificent sunset. With the puzzle that had tormented him for a month finally solved, he was in an excellent mood.
Speaking of which, the atmosphere at the castle had felt different this morning. What day was it again? He had been so focused on the seal, he'd completely lost track of time.
Time and date?
Evans stopped dead in his tracks. The color drained from his face.
The next second, his figure dissolved, and a silver-white arc of light began flashing frantically through the trees, racing towards the castle.
(End of Chapter)
***
(End of Chapter)
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