After a full week. In the Hufflepuff common room, there was an unusual tense atmosphere spreading. Because today, they had finished their last class. This meant one thing: final exam week was about to begin. Tomorrow, Hogwarts would post the specific exam schedule.
Thinking about the approaching exams, even the usually relaxed little badgers couldn't help feeling nervous. Even "veterans" like Cedric felt their hearts beating slightly faster. The reason was simple. This year, Hufflepuff had already won the Quidditch Cup championship trophy. But they still lacked the most prestigious House Cup.
According to previous years' conventions, professors would actually tally each house's first year final exam scores. The house ranked first in comprehensive evaluation could gain an additional fifty points for the House Cup. Though Hufflepuff already had a large lead in the House Cup, if they could gain these fifty points, the House Cup would be truly secure.
Moreover, this year's Hufflepuff freshmen had much better grades than Cedric's class back then. Even Ravenclaw, traditionally dominant in exams, had been surpassed for the first time. If there was hope of winning first place in the comprehensive evaluation, why not take it?
But seeing a figure in the corner of the common room, Cedric and the little badgers' hearts gradually settled, their eyes involuntarily showing admiration. This figure was Ciel.
Since a week ago, except for necessary classes, he had never left the common room. Every little badger entering or leaving could see him continuously practising the most basic spells. How many times had the faint light of Lumos flickered? No one could count; it must be calculated in hundreds of thousands.
This also infected the little badgers. They never lacked diligence. Moreover, they couldn't watch their companion, who had fought so hard for house honour, practising arduously every day while remaining indifferent themselves.
This week, Hufflepuff students voluntarily doubled their training. Many little badgers practised until late at night before resting. The small kitchen's midnight snack supply was three times more than usual!
At this time, Cedric said: "Alright, everyone don't be too nervous. At this rate, we have a good chance of winning this year's first place in comprehensive evaluation."
But it was better when he didn't mention it. Once spoken, the little badgers' expressions became solemn. No one wanted to hold everyone back. Without urging, the little badgers consciously began practising. Senior students patiently provided guidance. Everyone tacitly avoided his corner, avoiding disturbing him, who was fully concentrated on practice.
Until night deepened and the little badgers began yawning, returning to their dormitories one by one. Hannah quietly brought a steaming cup of tea and several plates of pastries, placing them on the table before him. Then she gripped her wand and studied her already wrinkled textbooks in another corner of the common room.
Unconsciously, her head rested on the textbook as she breathed evenly. After a moment, his waving wand gently flicked, and a blanket covered Hannah.
Then he exhaled softly: "Tomorrow begins exam week. So the first school year has truly reached its final conclusion. Quirrell, what exactly is he planning?"
Thinking of Quirrell's actions this past week, he found it quite puzzling. Quirrell seemed to have no intention of going to the fourth floor corridor for the trials. This week, he had been busy accepting interviews from the Daily Prophet and various magical media, telling heartwarming stories about catching man eating monsters.
Also the Ministry of Magic had awarded Quirrell various medals. Fudge had personally come twice. His attitude toward Quirrell was extremely enthusiastic. After all, without Quirrell, the disappearance incident might have actually caused Fudge's early resignation. In a sense, Quirrell had saved Fudge's political life. Naturally, Fudge was happy to bind himself with Quirrell to contribute to his approval ratings.
Because of this, Quirrell's reputation in the magical world had reached a peak. Many called him a hero, considering him an upright, noble, and capable wizard. But he knew Quirrell's true nature. He didn't believe these would be Quirrell's real purposes. Voldemort's goal had always been only the Philosopher's Stone.
But what help did Quirrell's actions provide for obtaining the Philosopher's Stone? He shook his head: "First year's developments have changed greatly compared to the original story. I can't guess what Quirrell intends to do."
But soon after, he shifted his attention from Quirrell back to himself. Since he couldn't figure out Quirrell's intentions, he wouldn't waste time and energy. Improving himself was the best solution for dealing with possible future situations.
His gaze turned to the system panel, then showed satisfaction and joy. This week's changes on the system panel were quite significant. The previously somewhat unstable spells had their floating lustre almost completely polished away through nearly round the clock practice this week.
The remaining lustre was as dense as substance. Even his long accumulated foundation from his previous bottleneck period had been thoroughly digested this week. Brilliant platinum light flickered across the system panel, much more dazzling than a week ago.
Though not yet Diamond level, the differences within Platinum level were enormous. In magical mastery, he had undoubtedly improved tremendously compared to a week ago.
Moreover, his system panel even had scattered diamond lights twinkling. This diamond light didn't come from Serpensortia temporarily reaching Diamond level under dozens of cursed jewellery enhancements but from his week of diligent practice.
From a spell he knew almost to his bones, integrated into his bloodstream as instinct, Lumos. Among its platinum radiance, fragments of diamond light glittered. It had clearly reached the critical point of advancing to Diamond level.
He took a deep breath: "My week of focusing mainly on Lumos practice wasn't wasted. It indeed paid off. Excluding those geniuses and monsters, probably few wizards in the magical world could practise Lumos to my current level. After all, it's just an ordinary spell. Everyone's attitude is 'as long as it lights up', who would deliberately practise it?"
But he looked at Lumos with a strange expression. This spell had contributed enormously to helping him familiarise himself with microscopic level magical particles. In researching Lumos's magical particle interactions, other spells' principles became clear by analogy.
Besides this, one of his previous concepts was gradually nearing completion. That was making magical particles constituting Lumos maintain the same frequency vibration. This would realise principles similar to lasers from his previous life.
He had attempted this concept before. Lumos's light became exceptionally brilliant. Even Lumos's inherent property of slightly deterring dark creatures was amplified. But then, his magical perception was too low. It was far from his envisioned level.
But now, his gaze followed a line extending from Lumos on the system panel. Parallel to the Variable Light Charm derived from Lumos, a line of text flickering with platinum mixed with diamond light was almost formed.
He lightly tapped his wand and chanted a spell derived from Lumos: "Lumos-Acies!"
The next moment, a nearly blazing white beam shot from his wand tip. Its brightness far exceeded Lumos's limits. Just looking at it seemed to burn the retina. As he gently flicked his wand, the blazing white beam swept across the corner of the long table before him. The thick table corner was immediately cut with a smooth gap.
He gently touched the cut still radiating amazing heat, his gaze focusing on the system panel. He had completed this spell during the week but always felt something was missing. The system panel's display confirmed this. Though usable, the text marking the new spell on the system panel still lacked one final touch to fully form.
"What exactly is still missing?"
He had pondered this question for two days. Now he shook his head. If he couldn't think of it temporarily, he wouldn't dwell on it. In terms of magical power, he didn't lack a spell that mainly dealt damage through cutting like a laser. In killing power, the Platinum level Sectumsempra was much more powerful than this spell. Much less Diamond level Serpensortia.
Perhaps after some time, he would naturally understand. Then he didn't obsess over this, his gaze falling on Occlumency. This week, the voodoo doll's curse intensity had been continuously increasing. So although the progression from Gold to Platinum was lengthy and slower toward the end, his Occlumency progress maintained steady growth.
Now, platinum radiance had almost completely occupied the text; just the final bit remained. His eyes showed anticipation. He had benefited enormously from Occlumency. If Occlumency could advance to the Platinum level, he had a premonition the benefits would be enormous.
Tomorrow begins exam week. Whatever Quirrell was plotting would be revealed soon, right? But this final bit had shown no progress for two days, stagnant here. It seemed he needed to push harder.
Thinking this, he reached into his robes and took out the voodoo doll. The current voodoo doll looked completely hopeless. Seven days, a full seven days without a moment's rest! Even as a cursed object, it felt this was too inhumane.
Looking at him, its eyes were full of fear. This little badger wasn't human. Even demons from hell were more human than him! He should be hanged from Hogwarts towers or locked in Azkaban!
He showed a slight smile: "Don't look at me with that expression. Yes, I know you've worked hard recently. But your hard work wasn't wasted; it all converted into my improvement. You're not an ordinary voodoo doll; you're a meritorious voodoo doll. I've always been fair in my dealings. Let me think... How about giving you a vacation?"
Hearing "vacation", the voodoo doll's hopeless eyes suddenly brightened. What it most wanted now was vacation. It didn't want to live this exhausting life anymore. As long as it could have a vacation, it would agree to anything.
Oh right, the first moment of vacation, it would run far away from him. Never be exploited by him again in this lifetime!
"You... you're really giving me a vacation?" The voodoo doll's voice trembled.
He smiled: "Look what you're saying. I'm not some demon. How could I really make you work continuously without vacation? Vacation, of course that exists."
The voodoo doll was full of anticipation, looking at him with less venom. This little badger was at least still human. "Then let me go now. I want a vacation now."
But he shook his head: "Not now." The voodoo doll was anxious: "Why?"
He spread his hands: "There's still an important task that only you can complete. If you leave, what about the task?"
The voodoo doll couldn't understand: "Then what about my vacation? Didn't you say you'd give me a vacation?"
His mouth curved slightly: "I told you not to rush. Have you heard of a term? I call it, compensatory leave."
Next moment, understanding compensatory leave's meaning, the voodoo doll's threads burst out one by one, emitting curses far more intense than before: "Compensatory leave? Compensatory leave my ass! Which dark wizard invented this soul crushing thing? I curse them to death!"
With the voodoo doll's mental attacking curse magic surging, he took a deep breath.
[Occlumency (Platinum Level)]
On the system panel, the final trace of golden lustre on Occlumency completely faded. All text was entirely covered in platinum radiance. Occlumency advanced!
Simultaneously, he felt intense soreness between his brows, accompanied by waves of swelling. This feeling was like being stuffed with hundreds of lemons. That indescribable soreness made him involuntarily tear up, his vision blurring.
Caught off guard, he could only grit his teeth and endure. After a long while, the sore, swollen feeling gradually subsided. He wiped away tears, his vision finally focusing.
Though he had guessed Occlumency's advancement might bring some changes, he hadn't expected such intense transformation.
"Just wonder what kind of improvement this qualitative change brought."
His eyes showing anticipation, he looked at the system panel. Then he discovered new text had appeared below Occlumency:
[Sixth Sense Enhancement (Gold Level)]