Char had never expected this. After the ritual of destroying the Philosopher's Stone was completed, flowers and plants made of magical power grew on the remaining patterns. He could not have imagined that he would actually see reward information displayed by the system above these flowers and plants. And this represented one thing: that according to the system's judgment, these plants made of magic could be planted and could allow him to obtain rewards. And the reward level was quite high. Every bunch of flowers and plants was a diamond-level plant.
This phenomenon was completely different from what he had learned about herbology so far. Herbology in the magical world was bizarre. Like the mandrake, its roots were like babies and could scream. This was already very strange. But at least these herbs were tangible. They needed soil, light, and water to grow. But these flowers and plants in front of him were made purely of magic of different natures. How could he plant this? His heart was filled with confusion. Apart from the sparkling diamond light, the specific contents of these reward information were all vague and full of question marks because he knew nothing about the properties of these flowers and plants.
And at this time, it seemed that he had noticed Char's curiosity about these strange plants. Nicolas Flamel explained, "Isn't this phenomenon very strange? I was also very curious and tried to find out the origins of this phenomenon and these flowers and plants. They can be quite mysterious, but I did find an unpopular theory from the Middle Ages that could explain them." With that, he asked Char, "Have you ever heard of the World Tree?"
Char's heart skipped a beat. Of course, he had heard of it. And not only had he heard about it, but he even had a piece of the World Tree's root on hand that had been certified as authentic by the system. Even his Patronus, if it could be fully condensed, should be a world tree. However, he naturally could not reveal these secrets. He just nodded. "Yes, of course. The World Tree is the myth pursued by all wizards who are passionate about herbology."
Nicolas Flamel was not surprised by this answer. He continued, "Alright. Since you know the legend of the World Tree, you've probably also heard that, according to legend, hanging from its branches aren't fruits, but rather strange worlds one after another. The appearance of these worlds is completely different from the real world. Some are filled with fiery magic from the sky to the ground, while others are shrouded in frost. Others are even more bizarre, like those made of disrupted gravity, or worlds shrouded in light. Some medieval scholars used this legend to explain the ultimate origin of magic—why magic power is necessary for casting spells, yet casting spells does not consume it. They believe that wizards don't consume magic power when casting spells; they just don't consume their own. The consumed magic power actually comes from the worlds on the World Tree. As for the wizard's own magic power, it is combined with spells and gestures to open a magical channel to those worlds. The loss is naturally minimal. As long as their physical and mental strength can support it, they can cast spells infinitely."
This was the first time Char had heard of such a theoretical hypothesis. A look of curiosity appeared on his face. "But the legendary World Tree has already collapsed."
Nicolas Flamel smiled and nodded. "Those scholars also have an explanation for this. They believe it was during the Olympian and Norse mythology eras, when those great giants used magic unscrupulously. The power of ancient magic is so immense that a single cast of a spell consumes a vast amount of magical energy from the worlds within the World Tree. Thus, over the years, the World Tree could no longer bear the weight and finally collapsed. But after the collapse, it was like a fruit tree falling down and the fruits falling with it. Many worlds, in an extremely secretive form, are scattered around the real world, still providing magical power for wizards to cast spells. Of course, the collapsed World Tree and the scattered worlds could no longer support the beings of myth, and the Age of Mythology ended. But the remaining magic power can still power the weak magic of today's wizards."
Char frowned. "But wizards today are still consuming magic power. Will the magic power continue to deplete?"
Hearing this, Nicolas Flamel laughed and waved his hand. "Dear young Mr. Sprout, I've already told you this is just an obscure theory from the Middle Ages. In the beginning, it was quite popular, causing countless wizards to feel threatened. It even predicted the time when magic would disappear. That was probably when I was almost fifty. The wizards in the magical world were terrified, waiting for the time when everyone would become Muggles. But in the end, nothing happened. After that, this school of thought predicted several more times, saying that the wizarding world and wizards would be doomed, and you saw the results. It's almost the 21st century, and it's still working fine, right? This proves it's a fallacy."
Immediately, he pointed to the flowers and plants on the ground. "I just use this hypothesis to try to explain this wonderful phenomenon. It's possible that the magic caused by the Philosopher's Stone also opened up magical channels to those worlds. Combined with the life magic of the stone, a complex reaction occurred, ultimately forming these short-lived magical flowers and plants. But magic is inherently subjective. How can everything be explained? The older I get, the less I'm willing to try to understand the truth of this world." He said half-jokingly, "Keep exploring the world like this. Maybe they think we live in books and stories, so magic and magical powers are all nonsense. Then life would be completely boring."
A strange look flashed across Char's eyes. He didn't get to the bottom of it any further. Although Nicolas Flamel's explanation, as he had said, was just an explanation based on a fallacy theory, at this moment, in front of his eyes, the reward information on these magical flowers and plants had become clear. Obviously, such an explanation still contained a lot of information recognized by the system. World Tree, the ultimate question of magic... these thoughts flashed through his mind, but a moment later, he suppressed them in his heart. It was okay to listen to these as interesting stories and broaden his horizons, but if he really wanted to delve into it, that was not an area he could get involved in now. It was better to grow his own plants and honestly receive rewards from the system.
Then, he carefully examined the reward information displayed on these magical flowers and plants. This reward information appeared on a flower made entirely of flames:
[You witnessed an unknown flame magic plant from a strange world.]
[Grow it to maturity and receive the reward: Flame Magic Affinity (Diamond Level).]
A very simple reward, but it made his eyes flash with a strange light. He was now able to initially sense the magic of the microscopic world. It was already noticeable that a wizard's own magic power seemed to affect the affinity of magic particles of various properties towards them. This would cause such wizards to show different talents in the corresponding magic. For example, he had discovered a little wizard named Seamus Finnigan among the first-year wizards in Gryffindor. He was often surrounded by active and explosive magic particles. Even though Seamus's magical perception was far from being trained to the platinum level and he was unable to experience the scene of the magical microscopic world, these special magic particles had a special liking for him and had always gathered around him. This also made Seamus an expert in explosions. Every time he cast a spell or brewed a potion, there was a risk of explosion. If Seamus began to be exposed to the Exploding Charm, he was afraid that not only could he successfully cast spells effortlessly, but the power of his explosive spells would also far exceed that of ordinary people.
As for the other little wizards, although not as good as Seamus, they would more or less have some tendency towards magic affinity. Obviously, they would be more adept at magic in these directions, and it would be easier to perform and more powerful. He had also observed the magic energy gathering around himself, but perhaps it was because his own magical talent was extremely low, and his current magic perception and strength were all achieved by relying on system rewards, that it hadn't made him anything special. For him, all kinds of magic particles could only be described as "business as usual." However, if he could obtain an ability like [Fire Magic Affinity], it could be considered a disguised way to improve his talent in fire magic. And he glanced at the other flowers and plants, finding that most of the rewards were for increasing magic affinity. This made his eyes sparkle. But it only delayed him for a little while. Many magical flowers and plants had begun to dissipate. Looking at this scene, his face also revealed a look of regret.
And at this time, Nicolas Flamel took out a small box made of a special material from his arms. He laughed. "What a coincidence. This is the box I used to keep the Philosopher's Stone in. It can block the loss of magic power to the greatest extent. Now that the stone is gone, the box is of no use. It can be used to preserve the magical flowers and plants here, allowing them to last longer. Just think of it as a souvenir. Come, Mr. Sprout, pick one and put it in." He said half-jokingly, "Maybe you can find a special world like that in the future and cultivate it."
Char was stunned for a moment. The box that had kept the Philosopher's Stone must also be extremely precious. Otherwise, Nicolas Flamel would not have carried the empty box with him. In addition, he had previously allowed him to observe the ceremony and had given him the alchemy notebook. The benefits he had gained from him were too great. But these magical flowers and plants in front of him... for him, they were indeed very important, possibly improving his magical talents. Therefore, a moment later, he nodded seriously and accepted the gift. "Thank you. Although it seems quite presumptuous of me to say that now, if there's anything I can do for you in the future, just let me know."
Nicolas Flamel's heart moved slightly. The same sense of mystery that had drawn him to Hogwarts came to mind again at this moment. He looked at Char deeply. There was no contempt for him just because he was still a young and weak wizard. Instead, he nodded just as seriously. "I have a hunch. Before I say goodbye to this world, perhaps there will be a time when I will need your promise, Mr. Sprout. By then, I'm afraid I'll really have to trouble you."
Then, he drew out his wand, which was extremely ancient and seemed to be made of some material like mithril. "Come on, young Mr. Sprout. Which flower or plant do you want to save? How about this one made of lightning? Or are they ice flowers made of frost?" A moment later, his finger pointed at an extremely inconspicuous black flower that seemed to be made of shadows itself. Nicolas Flamel nodded. "Ha. Unique taste, low-key black. Not bad, very good." Immediately, he waved his wand. This flower made of shadow magic fell into the small box that had once contained the Philosopher's Stone.
As the box closed, he saw that the reward information on this shadow flower was no longer blurred. It looked like it should be enough to last for a long time. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief. And at this time, Nicolas Flamel waved to him and Dumbledore. "Alright. I think my mission here is accomplished. It's not easy to come to England, and I still have a lot of places to go. I won't say such a sad farewell. You two, I hope to invite you to my wife's and my funeral ceremony in five years." As soon as the words fell, he left a gleaming silver clock to both of them. There was a countdown on it, and also a pointer pointing to a fixed direction. Then, he was tinkering with a curious contraption. Without waiting for Dumbledore to say he would send him off, he disappeared from their sight as if he had triggered a Portkey.
Dumbledore gave a wry laugh. "Nico is always like this. He comes and goes. Okay, Char, keep what happened tonight to yourself and don't tell anyone else. Otherwise, participating in the destruction of the Philosopher's Stone and the matter of Nicolas Flamel's notes might give some people inappropriate thoughts." After giving some instructions, he then took Char out of the Chamber of Secrets. Then he hurried to the headmaster's office. He didn't think that the semester was almost over. There were still many troubles left for him.
Char watched him disappear from the scene. His gaze slowly fell on the box containing the shadow flower in his hand. His suppressed heartbeat started to accelerate continuously. Nicolas Flamel's earlier words resurfaced in his mind. Maybe I can find a special world in the future and really make it alive? And coincidentally, before this, he had indeed come into contact with a world full of shadow magic. It was the world that the Shadow Thorn had passed through when he had cast ancient shadow magic and carried his shadow. There, all other magic did not exist. All was shrouded in shadow magic. He was not sure whether this was the special world mentioned by Nicolas Flamel, but maybe... hopefully, this shadow flower could be planted there.
Then, he quickened his pace, heading towards the small greenhouse. And before he approached it, he saw two figures standing at the door. He frowned. Is that Harry and Hermione? What are they here for? He subconsciously slowed down his pace. But the sharp-eyed Harry had already spotted him, waving at him repeatedly. He looked helpless, so he went forward to meet them. "Harry, Hermione. It's not even daybreak yet. Are you waiting here?"
Facing his question, Harry hesitated for a moment. "There's something very important, we have to come to you."
Char was stunned for a moment. The story of the Philosopher's Stone had ended. What else could be important? A moment later, he remembered something. His heart suddenly understood. "You mean the Invisibility Cloak? I'm sorry, I just woke up not long ago and haven't had time to return it to you yet. Wait a moment, I'll get it."
But just as he turned around, Harry called out to him quickly. "No. Char, I'll leave it with you for now. We're going home in a few days anyway, and I can't use it at the Dursleys'. We came here at this time because we have something else that must be done, and we have to come to you."
As he became more and more confused, Hermione blushed beside her, as if in shame. She stammered, "We discovered that other students seemed to have had their memories altered. They have forgotten what happened in the Forbidden Forest. They all thought it was a troll or something. But we still remember what kind of monster we encountered, and what kind of risks you took to save everyone, Char. So, we thought, we have to—"
Harry took a deep breath, then said something to him that he had never expected. "Sorry. Char, we owe you an apology."
Hermione also lowered her head. "Yes. Sorry. We did something wrong and completely misunderstood you. We won't be able to sleep at all tonight, so we thought we had to come and apologize."
His expression was a little surprised at first, then it softened a bit. They had doubted him before. This incident had made him a little unhappy, but honestly, in his opinion, they were just eleven-year-old children. There was really no need to bother with them. The reason for the estrangement was simply because he didn't want to get into trouble, and Dumbledore had arranged for him to be their nanny. But these two kids coming to him in the middle of the night to admit their mistakes was indeed a little beyond his expectations. Sometimes, the courage it took to admit you were wrong was no less difficult than dealing with a powerful enemy, and might even be more difficult. You were your own biggest enemy. So after a pause, he wasn't aggressive either. Instead, he looked at the obvious dark circles under their eyes after staying up late and showed an amused look. "It's not a big deal. You could have come and talked to me during the day."
Harry scratched his head and said embarrassedly, "If I don't say it out, I always feel uneasy when I sleep."
At this time, he was amused again. He was also a little curious and asked a question. "Where's Ron Weasley? Isn't he with you?"
This time, their expressions changed slightly. Hermione's eyes were a little red, and Harry looked even more embarrassed. "We advised him, but—"
Char sighed and interrupted the topic. "Okay, it's okay. I didn't like him in the first place. Anyway, would you like to come in for a cup of tea? My aunt gave me some refreshing herbal tea. I think it will help you."
They looked at each other, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. He nodded quickly and followed Char into the small greenhouse. And when he was about to close the door, he suddenly frowned. His gaze turned towards Hogwarts Castle in the night sky. He seemed to catch a glimpse of red and deep hatred. But this feeling was fleeting. He glanced deeply in that direction, his look indifferent, then immediately turned around and closed the door tightly.
A moment later, in the far corridor, in the shadows cast by the columns, Ron Weasley slowly walked out. He clenched his palms tightly, his hair becoming a brighter red. He almost gritted his teeth. He turned back to the common room and lay down on the bed in his dormitory. But when he closed his eyes, the picture in his mind was not blurry at all, but became clearer and clearer, especially the way Hermione had blushed, lowered her head, and glanced at Char secretly. This picture shouldn't have been so clear. It just lingered in his mind, and it stirred up such strong hatred and jealousy that he himself was not aware of it. It was like a voice, constantly coming from the picture, echoing in his mind. He unconsciously followed the voice and began to recite, "Traitor. They are all traitors. And the shameful and filthy—Mudblood! Wait, wait... we'll get rid of you all!" Before he knew it, even he didn't notice that his suppressed whisper of hatred had gradually turned from human language into a creepy hissing sound.
At the same time, in the small greenhouse, Harry was already drinking hot tea. Suddenly, he rubbed his eyebrows, feeling a dull pain. Hermione asked from the side, "Harry? What's wrong with you?"
He said subconsciously, "Nothing. Maybe I didn't get enough rest, my head hurts a bit—" But he didn't finish his words. Then he saw Hermione almost drop the teacup in her hand. He also saw her expression become horrified. Char, across from him, also had a quite strange expression. Harry started. "What's wrong?"
Hermione, who had just recovered from the shock, then said tremblingly, "Harry, what you just said was not English at all. It was a hissing sound. It sounded just, just like—like a snake."
Hearing this, he was confused and surprised. And Char saw this scene, his eyes flashing slightly. This was the first time he had heard Parseltongue. At the same time, he also noticed a strange phenomenon. When Harry spoke it, the magic around him had changed. Those magical particles that tended to be darker in nature began to converge towards him. No wonder Parseltongue was considered a symbol of evil dark wizards. This language did seem to possess a dark magic. Thinking of this, an idea also emerged in his mind. His previous Demeter ritual magic had triggered a mysterious oracle, and he had seen a dilapidated temple. But he couldn't understand the language coming from it at all. It seemed to be an extremely ancient and powerful language. Maybe learning a language like Parseltongue could help him understand the oracle? And even if he didn't consider this aspect, it might also be useful for some of the dark magics he had at hand, especially the Snake Summons spell. It would be helpful.
So a moment later, he began to explain to Harry and Hermione. "That's Parseltongue. An innate gift that allows the possessor to converse with snakes. I imagine you've had similar experiences before, Harry?"
He then remembered the time he had gone to the zoo before entering school. It was like talking to a Brazilian python. This finally gave him a sigh of relief. "Merlin, behold. I thought I was possessed by a ghost or something. Char, this Parseltongue, there's no harm in it, right?"
Char showed a pensive expression.
"Wizards with Parseltongue have been rare throughout history. Whether it will have any negative effects is still an unknown topic. Um... let's do this. How about you speak more Parseltongue to me over the next few days, Harry? Can I help you research?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Harry and Hermione were stunned. Harry looked at Char with an expression of disbelief. Char's heart skipped a beat. Are my intentions too obvious? Is this suspected? That's a bit troublesome.
But the next moment, Harry's face was full of gratitude. "Char, you are such a good person!"
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