Ryan watched as a group of ghosts crowded around the table, attempting to grab food despite their incorporeal nature. Hermione approached him, her notebook in hand, excitement shining in her eyes.
"Today was a great success! I've learned so many things I never knew before," she said eagerly. "For example, when Overton was bragging about his bravery earlier, a ghost nearby exposed him. It turns out he actually died after tripping while chasing something. His head hit a crossbow bolt on the ground—what an ironic fate! It just proves that history often hides the real truth."
Just as Hermione was happily recounting what she had learned, a loud growl came from her stomach. Her face flushed red with embarrassment.
Ryan, feeling a little hungry himself, decided it was time to leave. He turned to Nick and said, "We need to go upstairs for dinner now, so we'll be heading out."
Nick, who had just finished his toast and was standing on the podium watching the ghostly guests with satisfaction, turned to them with a deep bow. "Thank you for your help. I think today has been the happiest day of my afterlife."
"No need to thank us, it wasn't too difficult," Ryan replied casually.
Nick suddenly looked apologetic. "Ah, I've been so busy these past few days! I completely forgot to prepare food for you both. Hurry along and eat. You should still be able to catch dessert. Also, I've prepared a gift for you—it'll be waiting on your bedside tomorrow morning."
With that, Nick gave them another bow before seeing them out of the basement.
Ryan and Hermione hurried through the corridors and up the stairs. By the time they burst into the Great Hall, panting from their run, the main course had already been cleared away—only desserts remained.
"It's a shame you missed the Halloween special apple pie," Steve mumbled between bites of his caramel apple.
"But I still think I gained a lot from attending the ghosts' party tonight," Hermione countered, picking up a piece of pumpkin cake. "There's knowledge that just can't be found in books."
Harry, suddenly curious, asked, "So what's so special about a ghosts' gathering?"
Ryan smirked. "Well, for one thing, I got to see the Headless Horsemen throwing their heads at each other like some kind of game. It was definitely a new experience!"
"And in terms of atmosphere," he continued, "it was much more fitting for Halloween in the wizarding world. Blue candles, freezing temperatures, and an entire room full of ghosts—it doesn't get spookier than that. The only problem was that there was nothing we could actually eat."
After filling his stomach with dessert, Ryan headed back to his dormitory with the others.
The next morning, Ryan woke up to find a thick parchment letter beside his bed. Opening the envelope, he realized that Nick had sent it via the house-elves during the night.
At the beginning of the letter, Nick explained that he had asked Starc to write it, with help from Peeves, in exchange for a bottle of Flaming Whiskey. Apparently, only Peeves could write in a way that ghosts could communicate. Nick also mentioned that he didn't want the house-elves writing it, fearing that the headmaster might discover its contents.
Inside the letter was an unexpected surprise—Nick had given him valuable gifts. He included the locations of several secret passages within Hogwarts and revealed that the Room of Requirement contained objects lost by students over the centuries. If Ryan ever needed to find a place to hide something, all he had to do was wish for it at the door, and the room would appear.
At the end of the letter, Nick relayed a rumor from another ghost: nearly two hundred years ago, a group of people had secretly transported several heavy chests and hidden them near the coastline in southern Britain. No one had retrieved them since. Judging by their size and weight, they could very well contain treasure.
Ryan's mind immediately went to the Christmas holidays. A treasure hunt sounded like an exciting adventure. Nick's gift was more valuable than he had anticipated. He hoped it wouldn't turn out to be a disappointment.
Feeling pleased with his unexpected windfall, Ryan headed to class in high spirits.
That day, Lockhart's Defense Against the Dark Arts class turned into an impromptu stage performance: Gilderoy vs. Werewolf.
Ryan watched with amusement as Lockhart dramatically directed Harry, coaching him to mimic a werewolf's movements. If Lockhart hadn't been a wizard, he could have had a successful career in Hollywood. His ability to recreate heroic moments through sheer storytelling was impressive, even if his actual knowledge was lacking.
However, Ryan found the class unhelpful for actual learning. Taking advantage of Lockhart's enthusiasm for theatrics, he quietly pulled out his parchment and began working on a different subject—deciphering Viking magical inheritance.
Magic wasn't just about memorizing spells; understanding the runes behind them allowed wizards to modify and improve them. Transfiguration was a prime example. While most wizards could only transform simple objects, a master like Dumbledore could manipulate elements themselves, as he had done during the battle at the Ministry of Magic.
Of course, Ryan wasn't anywhere near Dumbledore's level. Right now, he was simply breaking down an ancient Viking spell, analyzing each rune to understand its structure. He had chosen a simple illumination spell as his starting point—it was a bit more complex than the standard Lumos but had the added function of allowing the light to detach from the wand and attach itself to objects.
This process was tedious. Every aspect of the spell—gestures, intonations, and magical energy—had to be reduced to its most basic runes before he could determine their effects and interactions. If he made a mistake with a complex spell, the results could be disastrous. After all, historical records showed that attempting to modify spells had led to fatal accidents—such as the tragic case of Warne's mother.
Ryan worked diligently, ignoring Lockhart's exaggerated performance at the front of the classroom. Finally, after extensive calculations, he succeeded in creating a slight modification of the spell. By using three times the normal magic power, he could make the light last twice as long.
Overcome with excitement, he accidentally muttered the incantation aloud.
A bright silver-white orb suddenly materialized in the classroom, floating gently toward the stage.
All heads turned.
Ryan quickly covered his face with his hands. "Oh no… that's way too big."
Lockhart, completely oblivious, took it as part of his act. "Ah-ha! Behold! A dazzling display of magic!" he declared dramatically, striking a triumphant pose.
Ryan sighed in relief. At least he wouldn't have to explain himself—this time.
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