Ch: 38-48
Chapter 38: The Deathly Transaction
"I will impart all my knowledge of space, time, and dimensions to you. This knowledge should be enough for you to complete the construction of your little gate."
Lin An was not surprised that death knew about the gate of the world. As one of the most powerful beings in the Harry Potter universe, there was probably nothing it didn't know and nothing it couldn't hide.
Lin An guessed that if it weren't for strict restrictions, death could probably do whatever it wanted in this universe.
"That's all? That's all I get?" Lin An asked somewhat reluctantly.
"What else do you want? Control over the Power of Law? In this world, only two people can control the Power of Law: Merlin and Morgan le Fay. However, this has nothing to do with their talent or understanding of magic." death answered calmly.
"So, the power I felt in those deathly hallows was indeed the Power of Law," Lin An thought secretly, yet he didn't show any unusual reaction on his face.
"What do you mean by that?" Lin An asked. He was indeed very interested in these two legendary figures.
"These secrets are not for you to know," death answered cryptically. This annoyed Lin An, at least on the surface.
He could guess some of the details death was referring to.
Thinking carefully, these two people were highly suspicious. In countless Universes and Dimensions, their legends or some form of their incarnation exist. Why is this? What makes them so special that their existence can traverse multiple Multiverses and Dimensions?
Are these different versions of them clones of some truly powerful being? Is there some connection between them? And how powerful does one need to be to achieve the state of existing across countless dimensions?
Lin An had seriously pondered these questions. He believed that perhaps one day, he would find the answers.
Meanwhile, death felt highly satisfied seeing the annoyed expression on Lin An's face. Their last meeting had bothered it greatly, so making Edward uncomfortable this time also made it happy.
"So, have we reached an agreement?" death asked.
"No problem, but we still need to sign a binding Magical Contract."
Lin An signed the contract. Unfortunately, death saw through all his petty tricks using the Demonic Language and erased them. This made Lin An's expression somewhat grim, but death enjoyed it thoroughly.
After the contract was signed, Lin An made another request:
"I need you to replicate a resurrection stone. It doesn't need any special abilities, but its appearance must be exactly like the original."
"No problem," death replied. Then, it waved its hand, and another stone, identical to the original resurrection stone, appeared before them. However, Lin An did not feel any mysterious power contained within this stone.
"I guess you plan to use this stone to orchestrate the death of the greatest White Wizard of this century," death said.
"How do you know that?" Lin An asked, looking shocked.
"Heh heh, Mortal, you will never understand the depth of my power."
Lin An's expression became solemn upon hearing this. He immediately took out the fake stone and vanished from the White Room. However, as he left, he could still hear death's laughter echoing in the room.
Back in Reality, the gloomy and fearful look on Lin An's face vanished, replaced by a cold smile.
As a powerful Occlumency Master, he could easily control all his emotions, so how could he have acted that way in front of death?
After sitting down, he began to think about everything he had learned from his conversation with death.
First, death possesses the ability to foresee the time of others' death. This was demonstrated when it foretold the deaths of Lord Voldemort and Dumbledore. However, this ability is not absolute.
"If I'm not mistaken, the Peverell Brothers in the story should have died while crossing the bridge, but they somehow evaded death's pursuit. This is why death appeared and lured them toward death using the deathly hallows."
"Second, although death is a powerful god, it still possesses various human emotions. It gets angry, frustrated, and so on. Not to mention its extreme self-esteem and desire to showcase its own power."
Lin An then spent several hours pondering his conversation with death and reviewing all the information he might have inadvertently leaked.
Afterward, Lin An entered his "Mind Palace," where all the books he had read were presented before him in the form of a massive library. Due to its sheer size, this library resembled a city rather than a traditional library. All the books were clearly categorized, and Lin An only needed to think of the books or knowledge he needed to review, and they would immediately appear before him.
Then, he found a book he had written himself, simply titled "Analysis of death," and began updating it with all the information he had gained from their discussion today.
Chapter 39: Return to School Grounds
After the transaction with "death" ended, Lin An spent three whole days reorganizing all the information.
He did not trust death, nor did he trust the contract.
In his view, it was merely a facade set up by an extremely ancient existence to maintain balance.
Currently, his goal was crystal clear—to become one of the greatest Wizards in this world.
Judging from his calculations, this process wouldn't take too long.
By then, no power except "death" itself could stop him.
After all, it was the embodiment of "death," the core manifestation of the entire system of laws, and almost nothing could resist it.
Therefore, Lin An decided to adopt an indirect strategy.
He needed that existence to believe he was merely an obedient tool, a mortal serving its purpose.
Low-key on the surface, rising in secret.
As for the contract, he never believed the other party would be bound by it.
How could the Incarnation of Law be constrained by paper? It was merely a stopgap measure.
"No matter what, I must first complete the construction of the 'gate of the world'."
He flipped through his notebook; densely packed magic runes shimmered in the candlelight.
If he could complete it using his own power, the contract would be meaningless.
If he couldn't achieve it immediately, the contract would serve as the final insurance.—Provided, of course, that "death" would actually comply.
Besides that, he had prepared other contingency plans.
The most important of these was the legendary invisibility cloak.
It was the only Holy Relic capable of evading "death's" gaze.
Ignotus Peverell, of the Peverell family, used it and was never found by "death" throughout his life.
"If I can correctly activate its core law, I can temporarily escape the perception of death."
Lin An murmured.
However, the problem lay with Dumbledore, the Principal of Hogwarts.
He must know that Lin An borrowed the invisibility cloak from Harry Potter.
If he delayed returning it, he would have to face the suspicion of that old Wizard.
"I must create a perfect substitute."
Lin An mused softly.
But how easy would it be to deceive Dumbledore?
Thus, he devised a daring plan.
—To extract trace remnants of the "Power of Law" from the resurrection stone or the invisibility cloak, and then infuse them into a fake cloak.
As long as the fake garment bore traces of the "Law of death," even Dumbledore would find it hard to notice.
Fortunately, Lin An had already mastered the ritual to activate the resurrection stone.
It was through this that he was able to contact "death" again and conclude that thrilling transaction.
The real difficulty lay in the materials.
"Ordinary fabric cannot withstand the fluctuations of the Law."
He consulted ancient texts, searching for a medium capable of stabilizing the Power of death.
"I must find a material that counters the 'Essence of Life'."
—
He barely left the laboratory throughout the entire Christmas holiday.
magic circles covered the stone floor, and the air was thick with the smell of ash and herbs.
Steam rose from the cauldron, and cold light refracted countless phantoms.
Several experiments failed, and the invisibility cloak shattered into ash.
But he did not lose heart. Each failure brought him one step closer to the answer.
Finally, using the mane of the semi-spectral creature, the Thestral, as the core, he fused the disguised fabric with soul runes to create an invisibility cloak that was perfect in appearance.
The exterior was identical to the original, and even the flow of magic was almost indistinguishable.
"As long as he doesn't personally compare them, Dumbledore won't find out."
Lin An gazed at the finished product, a slight smile playing on his lips.
—
The Christmas holiday quickly came to an end.
The morning mist of Hogwarts shrouded the Castle spires, and the corridors echoed with the clamor of returning students.
Lin An pushed open the classroom door, and the familiar scent of magic rushed toward him.
The students in the classroom were excitedly discussing holiday anecdotes, but upon seeing the Professor, they immediately quieted down.
"Today, we will be studying 'Double Enchantment'."
Lin An's gaze swept across the room, his tone as steady as ever.
"Does anyone know what this is?"
After a brief silence, a figure raised a hand.
"Mr. Weasley, please answer."
"Uh, Professor, I actually don't know what 'Double Enchantment' is—but I have a question."
"Is it related to the lesson?" Lin An asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm afraid not, but... it's a good question, and everyone else probably wants to hear it too."
A ripple of laughter went through the classroom. Lin An sighed lightly: "Ask."
"Professor, during the holiday I read the new yu-gi-oh! comic published by your company, and it was fantastic!" Fred Weasley said, laughing. "I wanted to know, are you as powerful as Yugi Muto?"
Lin An's mouth almost twitched.
The entire class immediately stirred, with laughter rising and falling.
"That is a good question," Lee Jordan interjected. "I heard that after this comic was released, even professional players started mimicking the protagonist's deck!"
Lin An sighed inwardly.
This was precisely the purpose of releasing the comic.
He adapted the original characters into Wizards, turning card duels into magic competitions unique to Wizards.
This way, he could cater to Pure-blood Families while avoiding controversies related to Muggles.
As for "Duel Monsters" in reality, he had already recreated them in a magic-driven form and designed a real "Duel Disk."
"Quiet."
Lin An tapped the desk, his voice calm. "To answer your question—yes, I am indeed stronger than him. After all, I created this game."
The students erupted in an uproar.
"Professor, can you show us?"
"Exactly, let us see your power!"
"If you truly want a challenge," Lin An said lightly, "go find my cousin Susan Bones. Whoever can defeat her is allowed to choose any card from my collection."
The students cheered. Lin An smiled faintly but turned around to write the first magic formula of the day.
"Alright, class continues."
Candlelight reflected on the blackboard, and runes shimmered.
Everything returned to quiet—only Lin An, deep down, was still calculating the true cost of that contract with "death."
Chapter 40: New Enchantment Techniques
"During the first semester, I taught you how to perform basic enchantments on different items."
In front of the podium, Lin An's voice was steady and clear.
"By now, most of you should be proficient in casting Levitation Enchantment, Shield Enchantment, Luminescence Enchantment, and several other basic spells."
He finished speaking and paused slightly.
The classroom was filled with the scent of ink and magic, and the students stood holding their breath, their expressions focused.
Although Lin An was usually gentle and approachable, he was always rigorously strict in his teaching.
The students of Hogwarts all understood an unwritten rule—
Slacking off in front of this Professor was definitely not a wise move.
"Now, we are going to learn new content—'Double Enchantment'."
The quill in Lin An's hand spun lightly before landing on the metal plate on the desk.
"As the name suggests, it involves affixing two enchantments onto the same item. They can be of the same type, or two different types of magic."
He began the demonstration.
Lin An took out an ordinary metal plate, picked up the Enchanting Quill, and wrote down the blue rune—Protego (Shield).
With a flash of light, the rune disappeared, and the metal plate vibrated slightly, becoming the most basic Alchemy product.
Next, he took out a second piece of metal and wrote the same "Protego" on both the front and back sides.
The blue light embedded itself into the front and back of the metal like two layers of ripples.
He raised his wand and whispered, "Bombarda (Explosion Curse)."
A strong beam of light shot toward the first piece of metal.
The air vibrated, and a light shield rose, but it shattered after only three seconds, turning the metal into ashes.
Immediately after, Lin An attacked the second piece of metal with the same spell.
The moment the light struck, one layer of shield flashed, followed immediately by a second layer of light shield stacking on top.
The two barriers stacked together into transparent ripples, completely resisting the impact of the explosion.
The students were amazed, their eyes sparkling with eager excitement.
"The same type of enchantment—that is, 'Homogeneous Double Enchantment'—can greatly enhance the stability and strength of the magic."
Lin An explained calmly.
He didn't need an exaggerated tone; the facts themselves were enough to shock everyone.
Low whispers immediately broke out in the classroom.
Many students couldn't hold back and were eager to try it themselves.
Lin An raised his hand to signal for quiet, a slight smile on his lips: "Don't rush, there is another type."
He waved his wand and took out another new metal plate.
This time, he first carved "Lumos (wand-Lighting Charm)" on one side, and then carved "Incendio (Fire-Making Spell)" on the other side.
The runes intertwined and circulated, forming a strange magical structure.
"This is 'Heterogeneous Double Enchantment'—the combination of different types of magic."
Lin An tossed it gently, and the metal plate floated in the air.
Instantly, a dazzling light burst forth, followed closely by a leaping ball of flame.
Light and fire circled in mid-air, like two mutually attracting planets, radiating a harmonious yet dangerous beauty.
The students gasped in admiration.
They finally understood that Alchemy was far more than just mixing materials and metals.
"Heterogeneous Double Enchantment allows magic to form a 'Resonance Effect,' but to master it, you need a more solid foundation in rune knowledge."
Lin An's voice was steady and powerful.
"Next semester, we will delve deeper."
In the corner of the classroom, a hand shot up high.
"Mr. Diggory, please speak."
"Professor, is it possible to combine two different enchantments into a completely new type of magic?"
Lin An smiled slightly and nodded: "Of course. That is called 'Amalgam Enchantment'."
He retrieved the metal plate and used the Enchanting Quill to write a complex rune on its surface—Ehwaz (Partnership).
The moment the rune flashed, the metal vibrated with a soft resonance.
Then, a miracle occurred.
Light and fire slowly merged. The heat of the flame gradually disappeared, replaced by a pure white color.
The fire no longer burned, yet it was brighter than light.
The transparent white flame gently flickered in the air, illuminating the entire classroom.
The students instinctively raised their hands to shield their eyes, yet they couldn't bear to completely block their view.
That light was warm and gentle, yet carried a sacred majesty.
Lin An gazed at the white flame, his heart stirring slightly.
He knew this was not just the fusion of magic, but the manifestation of the resonance between the souland the runes.
"Professor, can we do that too?" a girl couldn't help but ask.
Lin An chuckled: "Of course—but that is content for the fourth-year curriculum."
A mix of disappointed and excited sighs immediately arose in the classroom.
Although the students were still wanting more, they were secretly looking forward to mastering this miraculous power in the future.
Another student raised their hand and asked: "Professor, to become an Alchemist, is taking Ancient Runes Class mandatory?"
Lin An nodded: "Not necessarily. As long as you can use runes correctly, it's fine. But if you want to delve deeply into Alchemy, that class is indispensable."
He scanned the room, his voice steady: "The essence of Alchemy is order and understanding. Materials, magic power, symbols, soul—none can be missing."
The students quickly wrote down that sentence.
The air was filled with magical light dust and heat.
Lin An retracted his wand, his expression composed.
"Now," he smiled slightly, "begin your practice—Homogeneous Double Enchantment."
The low hum of flowing magic immediately sounded in the classroom.
Firelight, spells, and runes intertwined in the air, twinkling like newborn stars.
Lin An stood before the podium, his eyes quiet and bright.
He knew that these students perhaps didn't understand yet,
that what they learned today was not just the technique of magic—
but the first lesson in "Creation."
Chapter 41: Political Ripples
In the Alchemy classroom, the sound of metal shattering rose and fell incessantly.
Lin An quietly watched the students practicing "Homogeneous Dual Enchantment" from the front of the podium.
The first Rune they carved went smoothly, but when they attempted to write the second, the flow of magic became unbalanced, and the first enchantment instantly disintegrated.
Energy fluctuations burst open in the air, and a smell of burning permeated the classroom.
Several students sighed and had to retrieve new metal plates.
Their expressions became subtle when they realized how many materials they were consuming in just one class period.
"No wonder Alchemists are called the most expensive profession among Wizards," a Hufflepuffstudent muttered softly.
Lin An did not intervene immediately, merely patrolling the classroom slowly.
He wanted them to experience firsthand that passion alone was far from enough to become a true Alchemist.
In his view, this sense of frustration was part of the learning process.
The students failed more and more frequently, the air in the classroom grew hot, and the desks were piled high with scrapped metal.
Finally, Lin An stopped and said softly:
"The balance between enchantments—that is your first lesson."
He raised his wand and pointed it at a smoking metal fragment.
"When you carve the second Rune, the magical input must be exactly the same as the first. Even a slight difference will result in destruction."
His gaze swept across the classroom. "Enchantment is a surgery. Unsteady hands, unstable magic, unstable will—all lead to failure."
The students immediately straightened their posture.
The atmosphere of the class suddenly became quiet and solemn.
Lin An continued, "Becoming an Alchemist requires not just magical talent, but also patience and meticulousness. You must control every ounce of power, like a surgeon."
He paused for a moment, a slight smile on his lips. "Alright, continue—but this time, make your failures worthwhile."
After saying that, he retreated to the side of the podium and observed quietly.
He deliberately let the students try several more times.
In their failures, he sought true geniuses—those who could maintain focus amidst chaos and remain calm even when the Runes vibrated.
Finally, Lin An's gaze fell upon two red-haired figures.
Fred and George Weasley.
The two worked together seamlessly; one carved the Rune, the other infused the magic. After several attempts, their metal plate actually glowed faintly.
The two Runes perfectly overlapped, and the energy flow was as steady as water ripples.
A flicker of approval flashed in Lin An's eyes.
He had long known that the twins' potential in Alchemy far surpassed the average person.
In the future, they would open their own Magical Joke Shop—that kind of creativity was the very soul of an Alchemist.
"Not bad." He walked up to them and commented softly, "It's fine for your ideas to be wild, but the madness must have structure."
The two exchanged smiles, immediately understanding that this was praise.
—
Time flowed by in concentration.
When the bell rang, the students looked up and realized that the entire class period had passed just like that.
Some were even reluctant for it to end.
"Why did Professor Bones's class end so quickly?"
"Yeah, in Professor Snape's class, one minute feels like a century."
A burst of laughter echoed in the corridor.
Their laughter carried genuine excitement—it was passion for learning, not just completing a task.
—
After class, the students walked out of the classroom, discussing the experiment with enthusiasm.
"Today's class was really interesting, I learned a lot!"
"I didn't expect Alchemy to be so practical! The Protection Badge I made even won me a duel yesterday!"
"Me too—that badge is really useful."
Amidst the laughter, a Slytherin student snorted coldly.
"You Muggle-born Wizards are always focused on petty gains."
Everyone looked back; it was Adrian Pucey.
"What do you mean?" a Gryffindor student asked, displeased.
Adrian said arrogantly, "You only see the cost of materials, but you don't see the true value—knowledge."
"My mother told me that the Alchemy textbooks we use in this class contain many secrets that even Ancient Pure-blood Families long for but cannot obtain."
"Yet Professor Bones is teaching them to you for free."
The crowd burst into an uproar.
"It's true," another Slytherin student interjected. "I heard my father say that several families from the Sacred Twenty-Eight complained to Dumbledore and the School Board, saying this kind of knowledge shouldn't be taught at school."
"What happened then?"
"Later, the Bones Family had considerable influence on the School Board, and with the support of the Principal, those protests were suppressed."
Several Muggle-born students exchanged glances, never having imagined that so many political undercurrents lay behind a single class.
In just a few minutes, the flame of gossip spread from this corner to the entire Hogwarts.
Corridors, dormitories, the Great Hall... whispers were everywhere.
—
In the classroom, the students had dispersed.
Lin An leaned back in his chair, flipping through a yellowed Alchemy Notebook.
The winter sun outside the window shone through the arched window, and dust motes drifted slowly in the light.
Suddenly, the air vibrated slightly, and a Phoenix made of silver light appeared before him.
That was a Patronus.
"Professor Bones," the Phoenix spoke, using Dumbledore's gentle voice, "If your class is finished, please come to my office. The password is—Lemon Sherbet."
The silver light dissipated, and the classroom fell silent once more.
Chapter 42: Conversation in the Principal's Office
Lin An walked up to the highest tower of Hogwarts. After entering the password, the spiral staircase slowly ascended.
Pushing the door open, he saw a circular office filled with strange instruments and magic scrolls.
But Dumbledore was not at the door; he seemed to be busy behind a bookshelf.
Lin An did not sit down immediately. Instead, he walked towards Fawkes, the Phoenix perched on a golden stand.
"Our deal, it's time to honor it."
Lin An's tone was steady, yet his voice carried an undeniable power.
Fawkes ruffled its wings, its fiery red feathers dimming slightly in the light.
"Since you've kept your promise—the Christmas gift was indeed satisfactory—then as agreed, you may take the blood you need."
"Very well." Lin An took out a specially made syringe and several crystal vials, his movements skilled and precise.
With a light tap of his wand, a faint hum filled the air, and he began to draw the blood that symbolized rebirth.
But when he stopped, he realized he might have been too greedy.
The Phoenix's feathers had lost their golden luster, and its body was noticeably thin, as if it might spontaneously combust and be reborn at any moment.
Lin An frowned slightly, immediately took out several bottles of prepared recovery potions from the pouch at his waist, and poured them one by one into Fawkes's beak.
As the liquid flowed down, the color of its feathers slowly returned.
He breathed a sigh of relief and turned to see Dumbledore already seated back in his chair, a hint of amusement in his blue eyes.
"My apologies, Professor."
"It's alright," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Since Fawkes agreed to it himself, he must bear the consequences."
Fawkes glanced at the Principal, let out a low cry, and then closed its eyes to rest.
"How was your holiday?" Lin An asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Quite pleasant," Dumbledore chuckled, "especially the candies you sent. Each one had a different emotional flavor, though I wasn't too fond of the'sadness' one."
"You're not the first to say that. Susan also complained that those two—'sadness' and 'fear'—were hard to swallow."
"That's normal, she's still young." Dumbledore took a sip of his tea and casually asked, "So, how was your holiday? Did you spend it with anyone special? A lady, perhaps?"
Lin An remained composed, responding calmly, "There were a few."
"It seems you're still quite the ladies' man." Dumbledore chuckled playfully.
Lin An shrugged, "I prefer to call it—a part of human nature."
Laughter gently echoed in the room. Dumbledore waved his wand, and two sets of refreshments automatically appeared on the table.
A fragrant aroma filled the air, and the fireplace crackled.
Once the atmosphere settled slightly, Dumbledore suddenly spoke, "Are you planning to use the Bloodline Transformation Art to break through your limitations?"
"Limitations?" Lin An put down his teacup, his brows slightly furrowed.
Although he vaguely guessed what the Professor was referring to, he dared not make a hasty judgment.
Dumbledore sighed, "This is extremely ancient knowledge. Almost no modern Wizard knows of it; Nicolas Flamel told me about it."
He lightly tapped the table, "You've heard of the 'magic Core Theory,' haven't you?"
Lin An nodded. He had long studied that theory and even personally verified it.
"I have, Principal Dumbledore, please continue."
"A Wizard's magic power increases with age until their magic Core reaches its limit—that's what's called a limitation.
Most Wizards never reach that limit in their lifetime; only a very few exceptionally gifted ones can achieve it in their twilight years."
Dumbledore's tone was calm, yet it made the air heavy.
"And an even smaller group of people will touch it in their youth—like myself, Tom (Lord Voldemort), you, and... an old friend."
Lin An thought to himself: He's probably referring to Grindelwald.
And that'sense of restraint' was precisely the barrier he felt when his magic power increased to twenty-five times that of an ordinary person.
"Professor, could you elaborate on this limitation?"
"According to LeMay, there are three stages of limitation.
You are currently facing the first stage. If you successfully break through, your magic power will reach a level comparable to mine."
Lin An's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Those who have reached the second stage of limitation might only be the founders of Hogwarts—Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin—who have broken through.
As for the third stage... perhaps only Merlin and Morgan Le Fay have truly crossed it."
Dumbledore paused, his expression complex.
"However, all of this is just speculation. After all, that kind of power has long surpassed mortal comprehension."
Lin An fell into deep thought.
If calculated by the proportions the Professor mentioned:
First-stage limiters correspond to magic power twenty-five to fifty times that of an adult Wizard;
Second-stage limiters are fifty to seventy-five times;
And third-stage limiters are seventy-five to one hundred times.
Lord Voldemort's magic power is about sixty times, did he break through the second layer?
Lin An quickly recalled the scene when he extracted Lord Voldemort's memories, and a thought flashed through his mind—
"No, he merely forcibly expanded his magic Core, using the energy from soul splitting to artificially boost it."
"That's why his magic power, though strong, was always unstable."
He looked up and asked, "Professor, what about Gryffindor? He's known as one of the strongest duelists in history, why isn't he listed in the second layer?"
Dumbledore smiled, "Lin An, you must understand that breaking a limitation only means an increase in magic power, it doesn't equate to 'the strongest'.
Whether a true Wizard is powerful or not depends on knowledge, skill, and application.
If one cannot control their power, no amount of magic is anything but a waste."
Lin An nodded in agreement.
He knew that his true advantage in battle was not power, but his proficient use of various magicsystems.
His tone was calm, yet he subtly glanced at Fawkes.
Lin An's heart stirred, and he secretly speculated—
Grindelwald might have broken through the limitation with the elder wand,
Nicolas Flamel perhaps relied on the Philosopher's Stone,
And Dumbledore—perhaps, achieved his breakthrough with the power of the Phoenix.
He asked no more questions, simply finishing his last sip of tea.
The sunlight streamed in through the window, shining on the tea set and feathers on the table, casting a gentle glow.
The air was filled with the scent of mint and honey, as if all of Hogwarts had fallen silent.
Dumbledore softly said, "Lin An, the path you walk is destined to be extraordinary."
Lin An smiled faintly, his tone peaceful, "Professor, I just want to see a little further."
Alchemy, space, elements, even necromancy—he could handle them all with ease.
"Professor, what about you? How did you break through?"
Dumbledore's eyes flickered, as if in recollection.
"I... had some special experiences."
Chapter 43: Ravenclaw's Thirst for Knowledge
"How did I do it?"
Dumbledore said unhurriedly, his silver hair shimmering slightly in the candlelight.
"Very simple—through practice."
"Practice?" Lin An raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, practice." Dumbledore cut a slice of honey cake and smiled as he put it in his mouth.
"The Core of magic is like the muscles of the human body. Continuous exercise makes it stronger, even allowing it to break through the first restriction."
"That sounds like it would take a long time." Lin An said in a deep voice.
"Not necessarily." The old Wizard said calmly. "If the method is correct, the time required will be greatly reduced."
Lin An did not ask again.
He knew very well that Dumbledore was intentionally guiding him to ask for help—wanting him to give up the Bloodline Modification Technique and accept his guidance instead.
But Lin An would not fall for it.
As a Transmigrator, he had long seen through the "Protagonist's Mentor" of this world—this White Wizard might be great, but he was certainly not selfless.
Newt Scamander, Harry Potter... anyone too close to Dumbledore eventually fell into the whirlpool of fate.
Look at Snape—
That poor man who spent his entire life protecting "the child of others."
Under Dumbledore's arrangements, he was both a pawn for salvation and a victim burdened with guilt.
He guarded the child of the woman he deeply loved, yet he had to face the surname he utterly hated every day.
Even Dumbledore himself ultimately met his end in a death he had planned.
"I don't want to repeat the same mistake." Lin An thought coldly to himself.
Take for example Nicolas Flamel and his wife Perenelle.
Logically, they should have enjoyed eternity, yet they ultimately gave up the Philosopher's Stone so easily—
How could Dumbledore's "gentle persuasion" not have been involved?
Lin An sighed softly and put down his teacup.
He understood that no matter how the Professor hinted, he would not ask for the "Method of Practice."
He already owed the other party too much—the introduction to Alchemy, support for the experimental site, and privileged access to the Restricted Section.
Any more, and it would become a chain.
——
Although he rejected Dumbledore's suggestion, Lin An still deeply yearned for his knowledge.
This included not only the techniques for breaking through "restrictions" but also the entire system of magic he had accumulated throughout his life.
He had even considered—if the opportunity arose—making Dumbledore sign the same Knowledge Contract as Lord Voldemort.
Not only that, he wanted Grindelwald to sign one too.
That would be the ultimate fusion of two ideologies—the clash of "Light" and "Conviction."
If he could master the complete knowledge of both, he would truly stand at the pinnacle of magic.
Of course, he knew this was nearly impossible.
Dumbledore's will was like steel; he would never submit to a contract.
If he detected Lin An's ambition, he would immediately become alert and regard him as the "Third Generation Dark Lord."
Even offering to "resurrect his sister" in exchange would not shake the old Wizard's conviction.
He would sacrifice himself rather than compromise with others.
Therefore—Lin An was not in a hurry.
He still had time, and he still had a plan.
Before completely finishing his Body Modification and reaching the same Magical Power Level as Dumbledore and Grindelwald, he would not act rashly.
He must first win equality in strength before he could negotiate an equal transaction.
——
"Professor, did you need something from me?" Lin An suddenly changed the subject.
A hint of regret flashed in Dumbledore's eyes—he could tell Lin An had no intention of taking the bait.
But he quickly regained his smile.
"Harry told me you borrowed the invisibility cloak during the Christmas holiday." He said calmly, "He asked me to remind you to return it to him when you are finished."
"Ah, thank you for the reminder, otherwise I truly would have forgotten." Lin An smiled and took out the replica cloak from his bag.
This was a fake he made using Thestral Hair and soul Runes; it was almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
Dumbledore took the cloak, touched it lightly with his fingers, and a flicker of realization crossed his eyes.
The mysterious aura hidden within seemed to have weakened—but he did not say more, only asking softly:
"Have you figured out its true nature?"
"Of course." Lin An replied calmly. "From the perspective of an Alchemy Master, this is no ordinary invisibility cloak, but rather—a deathly hallows."
Dumbledore smiled slightly: "Then, how do you view 'death'?"
Lin An pondered for a moment.
"An unimaginably powerful existence." His tone was steady. "If one day it decides to interfere with the world, even if Merlin were resurrected, we would likely be powerless. We would all be like helpless children."
"No need to worry." Dumbledore said gently. "death is just a part of the world, like Ancient magic; it is a segment of the natural order."
Lin An nodded, but did not agree.
In his eyes, death was definitely not a cold law, but an intelligent existence.
He could feel it from the last transaction—that fluctuation of emotion was certainly not mechanical.
"As long as there are emotions, there will be desires." He thought.
"If one day, death tires of its own rules and seeks a way out—who can stop it?"
The answer was: no one.
Therefore, he must research a way to guard against it.
Even if that plan was never used, he had to prepare in advance.
He wanted to design a contingency plan for "death"—a mechanism that could counteract a Deity when necessary.
——
A few minutes later, Lin An stood up to take his leave.
"Thank you for the tea, Professor."
"You're always welcome, Lin An." Dumbledore watched him leave, his gaze slightly profound.
As the footsteps faded, he looked down at the cloak again.
His fingertips brushed the fabric, faintly sensing that the flow of energy within was different from before.
"What is he doing..." Dumbledore murmured softly to himself.
He wasn't sure, and he didn't intend to investigate it now.
After all, the young Wizard's thoughts were always like the symbol of Ravenclaw—the Wise Eagle—lofty, mysterious, and full of dangerous curiosity.
——
Lin An left the office and entered the long corridor.
The night was silent, and the wind whispered softly.
He gently rubbed his fingertips, where the warmth of Phoenix Blood still lingered.
"Dumbledore... Grindelwald... and death."
He murmured, the corner of his mouth slightly raised.
"One day, I will uncover the secrets behind you all."
He looked up at the night sky, starlight reflecting in his pupils, shimmering like blades.
Chapter 44: The Room of Requirement
After leaving the Principal's Office, Lin An realized that all the day's classes had ended.
Walking through the corridor, he did not immediately return to his dormitory but looked up at the familiar stone wall—Hogwarts' "Room of Requirement."
That mysterious room always appears when you need it most.
He silently chanted in his heart: "I need a research laboratory."
After three passes back and forth, the stone wall trembled slightly, and a door frame slowly materialized.
Just as he was about to push the door, a translucent figure floated out in front of him—it was the Ravenclaw Ghost, Helena.
"Lin An," she asked softly, "Did your mother ever mention 'Restrictions'?"
"Restrictions?" Helena paused, her gaze dimming. "I remember Mother mentioning them. She and my uncle Salazar were unparalleled geniuses in that type of magic.
But back then, she only briefly touched upon it, saying she would tell me in detail when I grew up... Alas, that 'time' never came."
Lin An looked at her pale blue figure and softened his tone: "Now, I will make up that lesson for her."
He pushed the door open and entered, with Helena following beside him.
—
The interior furnishings of the Room of Requirement slowly took shape according to his will.
The walls were covered in Alchemy Rune Arrays, and a stone table covered in silver patterns stood in the center. Faint blue light floated in the air, as if the flow of magic was breathing.
Lin An walked into the room, his fingertips lightly touching the familiar patterns.
This place held countless memories for him.
He had spent countless nights in this room, and it was here that he completed his initial magic Theory System.
He remembered the first time he encountered the Dark Arts, he secretly tried to sneak into the Restricted Section—but Dumbledore always detected him beforehand.
The Detection magic Array the old Wizard had set up outside the library was practically tailor-made for him; the moment Lin An approached, the spell would activate.
What was more troublesome was that all Professors were strictly forbidden from issuing him a pass.
Thus, he simply switched to studying that Detection magic Array.
But whenever he was close to cracking it, Dumbledore would change the array pattern beforehand, swapping it for a different structure.
That feeling was like facing an opponent who was always one step ahead.
In his anger, he once commanded the Room of Requirement to generate a "room containing all the books from the Restricted Section,"
However, the system responded coldly—refusal.
It was then that he discovered: the Principal of Hogwarts also held a certain degree of control over the Room of Requirement.
He realized instantly—
Every stone brick and every wall of this school was almost entirely covered by Dumbledore's will.
That day, standing in the empty room, he truly experienced the boundary between "power and knowledge" for the first time.
He failed to break through that defense line, and thus decided to become a "Knowledge Thief" after graduation—
traveling the world to steal, collect, and categorize the Forbidden Classics sealed by the Ministry of Magic.
It was then that he understood—
No matter how gifted he was, there was still an insurmountable gap between him and Dumbledore's century of accumulated knowledge.
There were only two ways to surpass such an existence:
Time, or—Endless Knowledge.
He chose the latter.
The current Lin An was no longer merely the student he once was.
He commanded the Fusion Theories of dozens of systems, including Alchemy, Space, soul, Element, Necromancy, and Bloodline Modification;
At the same time, he possessed all of Lord Voldemort's memories.
Now, on the level of knowledge, he was no inferior to Dumbledore.
His only remaining weakness was his magic Core, which had yet to achieve a breakthrough.
—
"Mother personally created two things," Helena recalled softly, floating in the air. "One was this room, and the other was her Crown."
Lin An turned to look at her, his gaze calm and profound.
"So your mother—Rowena Ravenclaw—was the one who truly understood the 'Essence of magic.'"
He walked to the table and took out an exquisite box.
Inside lay the long-lost Ravenclaw Crown.
"Wit Beyond Measure is Man's Greatest Treasure." He recited the ancient words on the Crown, his fingertip trembling slightly.
That ancient Alchemy Relic, once corrupted into a Horcrux by the Dark Arts, had finally been restored to purity.
"Before, because of that fragmented soul, I couldn't research it deeply," Lin An murmured. "But now, with Lord Voldemort's memories, I can finally extract it perfectly."
He raised his wand and tapped lightly.
Silver light wrapped around the Crown, spinning like a vortex.
It was a surgical operation of soul and magic, so precise that every tremor could cause irreversible damage.
Moments later, a faint black mist was extracted and sealed within a crystal vial.
The Crown once again shone with clear light.
Lin An smiled—
"Finally... you have returned to the form that belongs to knowledge."
Helena gazed at the Crown, tears shimmering in her eyes.
"Mother would be very happy if she could see this."
"Perhaps," Lin An replied. "Her soul has long surpassed joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure."
He leaned down and placed the Crown on the table, pondering silently—
This was not just a relic, but a blueprint of wisdom.
—
Meanwhile, in the Hufflepuff Common Room, another "battle" was in full swing.
The surrounding students excitedly formed a circle.
On the central table, giant monsters projected by magic were flashing—
White Dragons, Warriors, and Trap Arrays, like a real magic Duel.
The two combatants—
One was the Hufflepuff Pride and Joy, Cedric Diggory,
and the other was his junior—Susan Bones.
They were playing a brand-new magic Dueling Card Game—"Duel Monsters."
Susan smiled sweetly, but her eyes were sharp: "Cedric, you truly are a rare expert at Hogwarts. However—no one can beat me except my cousin."
Cedric raised an eyebrow, his expression serious: "Don't be too confident. I didn't come unprepared."
Throughout the winter break, he studied hundreds of deck combinations and repeatedly read the original *yu-gi-oh!* comic from the Muggle world.
He believed he would definitely win today.
"Do you know the meaning of the 'Card of the Heart'?" Susan suddenly asked.
"Of course, that's just a setting in the comic," Cedric snorted.
"Wrong." Susan smiled mysteriously. "When my cousin developed the new generation Duel Disk, he incorporated a magic Attachment Array—as long as your will is firm enough, you can draw the card you desire."
The crowd gasped in astonishment.
"Isn't that cheating?!"
"That... that's too heaven-defying!"
Susan merely smiled and drew a card.
The moment she saw the card, her smile deepened.
"I sacrifice three monsters on the field—I Summon [Obelisk the Tormentor]!"
Golden light erupted, and the air vibrated.
The three monsters dissolved into points of light, and the giant Deity descended, the oppressive feeling sweeping through the entire Common Room.
The students involuntarily backed away, as if facing a real God.
That was the "soul Projection Array" Lin An had specifically designed for the Duel Disk, capable of simulating a Divine Aura.
He once intended to grant "The Winged Dragon of Ra" self-awareness,
but the prototype version directly counterattacked him, demanding to know if he was "qualified" to control the power of a god.
Only after that did he withdraw the plan.
—
The air in the Hufflepuff Common Room was almost crushed.
Cedric's Blue-Eyes White Dragon instantly disintegrated before the divine power.
The entire room fell silent.
Moments later, cheers erupted.
"Susan won!"
"The Goddess of Hufflepuff!"
From that day on, Susan Bones not only became the academy's rising star,
but even became a legend throughout all of Hogwarts.
And her casual explanation—
"Because I believe in the Card of the Heart."
was later regarded by students as a symbol of the fusion of magic and belief.
Chapter 45: Intelligence from the Muggle World
Night fell, and Lin An's laboratory was brightly lit.
Heavy curtains kept out the cold, and only the blue light emanating from the Alchemy Array illuminated the entire room.
His fingertips slid across the magic Array; several Runes lit up in sequence, forming a Light Screen.
It was a device that merged Muggle technology with magic—the "Cross-Boundary Communication Array."
Months ago, he had forcibly merged satellite signals with magic frequencies during an experiment.
Now, this device could receive real-time network data from the Real World.
The light spots on the screen flickered continuously.
"London—temperature ten degrees, partially cloudy."
"Tokyo, Japan—Observation Record of Anomalous Energy Fluctuations."
"United States—Anomaly detected in new particle acceleration experiment..."
Lin An's eyes moved, and he pulled up that report.
The report content was extremely brief, yet it piqued his great interest.
"During the experiment, non-linear interference in energy flow was observed,
and a self-stabilizing magic Circuit was generated inside the sample."
"magic Circuit..." Lin An murmured.
"It seems the Muggle world is also inadvertently touching the edge of magic."
He knew well that this "energy interference" was actually the result of resonance between magicEnergy and Physical Energy.
At the correct frequency, magic power can naturally "invade" the Material Plane, thereby creating an effect similar to magic.
That meant—Muggle science was approaching the essence of "magic."
He lightly tapped the desk and muttered, "Perhaps I should find time to visit the Real World."
Just then, a new piece of data appeared on the Light Screen—
"Tokyo, Japan, Shibuya District experienced an unknown energy explosion, resulting in dozens of casualties. The government declared it an Industrial Accident."
Lin An frowned.
"An energy explosion... this doesn't look like the scale Muggle technology could cause."
He imported the data into the Analysis Array, and the Energy Spectrum quickly displayed itself.
The result made him narrow his eyes—it was a highly concentrated magic Fluctuation.
"This frequency... is actually similar to the Ancient Ruins I detected beneath Hogwarts?"
He took out his notes and quickly compared them.
Indeed, they matched.
"It seems someone from the magic World has infiltrated the Real World."
He whispered, "Moreover, the other party has mastered the Ancient Rune System."
Lin An slowly got up and walked toward the bookshelf.
He pulled out a book, *Research on magic and Technological Energy Resonance*, from a row of dusty scrolls.
That was his manuscript from many years ago.
"I initially thought magic and technology couldn't coexist, but now it seems—it just lacked the correct medium."
He gently closed the book.
Since the Real World has begun to spontaneously generate magic Phenomena,
then the timing for the "World Fusion" might be earlier than he imagined.
——
The next morning, the Great Hall at Hogwarts was bustling as usual.
However, the students were discussing a piece of news circulating recently, not their lessons.
"Did you hear? Some Muggle scientists in London are claiming to have discovered a 'Device that can Control Gravity'!"
"Seriously? Muggles can cast magic too?"
"Professor Bones said—the essence of magic and science is both energy, just in different forms."
Several students discussed excitedly, their tones carrying a strange reverence.
To them, Lin An was not just a Professor; he was more like a legendary figure who could traverse between two worlds.
At the other end of the Great Hall, Dumbledore quietly watched all of this.
A meaningful light flashed in his blue eyes.
He had long sensed that Lin An's research was far more complex than simple Alchemy.
He seemed to be attempting—to rebuild the bridge between magic and reality.
Such an action, if it spiraled out of control, would lead to consequences no one could bear.
——
In the afternoon, Lin An returned to his office.
On his desk was a letter from the Ministry of Magic, signed by Amelia Bones—Susan's aunt, and the current Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
The letter was succinct:
"The Ministry of Magic is investigating recent anomalous phenomena in the Muggle world. Immediately cease all experiments involving Cross-Boundary Research.
Violation of this order will be considered Rebellious Research, and you will bear the consequences."
After reading it, Lin An merely smiled faintly.
"As expected, they've noticed."
He gently folded the letter and tossed it into the flames.
The firelight consumed the text, leaving only brief ashes.
"You fear the unknown, but you forget—magic has always been the exploration of the unknown."
He turned and looked out the window.
The Hogwarts sky was shrouded in a thin mist, and the world far away was quietly undergoing change.
——
Night fell once more.
The door to the Room of Requirement slowly opened, and blue light streamed out from the gap.
Lin An walked in, and the room automatically transformed into the appearance of a laboratory.
He took out Phoenix Blood and Energy Crystals, placing both side-by-side in the center of the Rune Array.
"If this world is truly merging..." he murmured,
"Then I must master the new rules ahead of time."
The Light Array operated, and energy resonated in the air.
The blue light turned golden, spreading throughout the room.
And at that moment, atop the Hogwarts tower, a sleeping Phoenix suddenly opened its eyes.
Chapter 46: A Higher-Dimensional Magical Universe
Lin An sat in the classroom, reviewing student experiment reports. The wind outside the window carried the chill of late winter. An owl flapped its wings, flew in through the window, and gently landed on his desk.
"What a rare visitor," Lin An smiled faintly, reaching out to offer a piece of dried meat. The owl hooted softly, took the food, and then extended its claw—a letter was tied to it.
He opened the envelope, seeing the familiar, scrawled handwriting:
"Lin An, come over quickly, something urgent has come up. —Hagrid."
Lin An sighed softly.
"Sure enough, it's that matter."
According to the original timeline, this was probably when Hagrid had just received the dragon egg and was eager to show it off.
He quickly tidied up his things, put on his robe, and left the classroom.
—
On the way to the gamekeeper's hut, Lin An first encountered Quirrell.
The Professor still maintained his stammering demeanor, his steps hurried and his expression uneasy.
As they passed each other, they pretended not to know one another, neither stopping.
The second person he met was the Slytherin House ghost—the Bloody Baron.
"Lin An," the ghost spoke in a deep voice, with a certain chill, "What you are doing is wrong."
Lin An paused slightly, looking up at him: "Oh? Which thing?"
"Your relationship with Helena." The Baron's voice was as low as iron, "The living and the dead should not be entangled. This is sacrilege, and it is taboo."
Lin An raised an eyebrow slightly, a faint smile on his face: "Should I take that as — advice, or Envy?"
The Bloody Baron's face stiffened, and he snorted coldly: "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just warning you—end this absurd relationship immediately, or else..."
"Or else what?" Lin An's tone was calm.
"I can haunt you forever." The Baron's tone was sinister, "No matter where you go, I can appear.
You will never have a moment's peace. In your dreams, awake, and even your soul, you will not escape my shadow. We ghosts... do not need rest."
He thought such a threat would be sufficient. After all, almost no spell could truly harm a ghost.
Even if a few Dark Arts spells could briefly work, they were extremely rare.
However, Lin An merely raised his hand, and a dark red flame ignited on his fingertip.
The flame was silent, yet it caused the surrounding air to suddenly solidify.
"Do you know what this is?" Lin An's voice was low and calm, "Demon Flame."
The Bloody Baron's face changed, and he floated back several feet.
"This flame originates from another dimension." Lin An's tone was like stating a fact, "Ghosts exist in the world because they leave a soul imprint in reality upon death.
Demon Flame can erase this imprint, making you truly 'die'—not entering the underworld, not entering reincarnation, just completely disappearing."
The Baron's expression twisted instantly. After gazing at Lin An for a long time, he finally turned and flew away swiftly.
The firelight slowly dissipated between his fingers. Lin An sighed softly.
He learned this forbidden art from a book called "The Key of Solomon." He had stolen that book along with "The Lesser Key of Solomon" from the Vatican; its contents detailed rituals for summoning and commanding demons.
Unfortunately, after countless experiments, he only succeeded in summoning extremely weak demons.
At first, he thought it was a problem with the magic system, but later he discovered that the real reason was that the worlds of those demons and the present world were separated by a 'barrier'.
Just like the underworld ruled by the God of death, demons also have their own dimension.
The problem was that no matter how he tried, he couldn't truly enter it.
The summoned demons were merely shadows, unable to bring forth stronger beings.
At that time, Lin An conceived a bold hypothesis—
"Harry Potter's world might have once been far more powerful than it is now.
But some upheaval in an era caused it to be artificially weakened."
He had no evidence, apart from the existence of the dimensions of the God of death and demons.
But when he compared the level of ordinary Wizards with the Philosopher's Stone, Horcruxes, resurrection rituals, and other existences, the sense of discontinuity could not be ignored.
"The magic of this universe seems to be sealed."
He whispered softly.
As his thoughts churned, the outline of the gamekeeper's hut appeared before him.
—
Inside, the fire was bright.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron were gathered around a small dragon, while Hagrid excitedly introduced it.
"It's called Norbert!"
"It's Norberta," Lin An interjected calmly.
Hagrid was startled, "Wh-what do you mean?"
"She's female," Lin An smiled, reaching out to gently stroke the small dragon's forehead.
The little dragon quieted under his palm, purring softly like a cat.
"My goodness, Professor, how did you do that?" Hagrid exclaimed.
"The essence of magic lies in resonance," Lin An replied casually, "One day, I'll teach a class on this."
Hermione seized the opportunity to interject: "Professor, Hagrid can't keep a dragon. We wanted to ask if you could help him figure out a solution?"
Lin An didn't answer immediately.
He was watching the small dragon, his gaze thoughtful.
"Professor?" Hermione called out tentatively.
Lin An slowly came back to himself, smiling: "I was just thinking—what would it be like to create a true dragon?"
"A true... dragon?" Ron's eyes widened.
"Aren't the ones we keep considered dragons?"
Lin An shook his head: "That's a Wyvern, not a dragon in the true sense. In Muggle mythology, 'true dragons' are higher beings with an independent magic system—they can speak and think, are enormous in size, with wingspans of a thousand feet, and master an ancient language—Dragon Chant. That is the 'Dragon Race' in its purest sense."
Hagrid's eyes lit up: "That must be the cutest creature!"
Ron, however, shivered: "Oh my, that sounds terrifying."
Hermione pushed up her glasses, asking seriously: "But Professor, that's just a legend. How do you plan to 'create' one?"
Lin An smiled without speaking, drawing a faint golden rune in the air with his fingertip.
Chapter 47: After-Class Guidance
"It's very simple," Lin An replied calmly.
"To purify the bloodline of contemporary dragons and see if their ancestors are truly 'True Dragons' as legend says. Even if it fails, I want to see what a dragon with a purified bloodline would become."
"Can magic... do such a thing?" Hermione asked, astonished.
"I've never seen anything like it recorded in any book."
Lin An looked at her, his gaze deep and calm.
"Miss Granger, magic is a powerful and mysterious force; its possibilities are endless. What truly limits magic is not the laws, but ourselves."
He finished speaking, paused for a moment, then added:
"Let me give you some advice. If you think you can become a great Wizard just by memorizing all the knowledge in books, then you are terribly mistaken."
His voice was steady and powerful, as if carrying a convincing aura.
"True powerhouses, like me, or Dumbledore, our way of thinking is closer to Muggle scientists. We approach magic with curiosity and observation."
He looked around, speaking softly:
"Have you ever asked yourselves—what is magic? Where does it come from? Why are Wizards born able to cast magic, but Muggles cannot? Is magic power a form of energy, or a deeper existence? Why are some people exceptionally talented, while others are ordinary? Why do some animals naturally possess magic, while most do not?"
With each sentence he spoke, the air seemed to grow heavier.
"There are too many unsolved mysteries, and the problem is—almost no one asks."
"The Wizarding World is obsessed with the existing magic system, but no longer explores the 'unknown.' Hence, it stagnates, solidifies, and decays."
He slowly walked to the students, lowering his voice.
"I know you are just first-year children. The spells you can cast are few. But it's never too early to start thinking."
The cabin was extremely quiet.
Hagrid, Harry, Hermione, Ron—each of them was deep in thought.
Hermione's expression was the most shocked. For the first time, she realized that what she thought was diligence and intelligence was merely the mechanical absorption of predecessors' knowledge. Every magical principle, every book definition she had memorized, she had never truly understood 'why.'
Harry simply thought Lin An was amazing; as for those 'philosophical questions,' he didn't care.
Hagrid was still thinking: how wonderful it would be if a 'True Dragon' could truly be created.
Ron, on the other hand, was a bit uneasy—he couldn't understand why no one had ever raised these questions. He even wondered if such thinking might be considered 'too dangerous.'
Only Hermione's inner world was quietly changing.
Lin An scanned their expressions, a slight smile playing on his lips. He could discern their thoughts—
Although he didn't often use Legilimency, occasional glimpses allowed him to understand the complexity of human nature more clearly.
"Professor, how should we begin to think about these questions?" Hermione asked earnestly, a long-lost enthusiasm in her tone.
Lin An smiled: "Let me demonstrate."
He took out his wand and waved it lightly: "Start with a spell you're familiar with. Pick any one."
Hermione hesitated for a moment, raised her wand, and softly chanted: "Lumos."
A soft glow lit up the tip of her wand.
Lin An nodded: "Very good. Now, tell me—why do you need to chant a spell? And why do some Wizards not need to?"
Hermione frowned, beginning to recall.
"I remember the books said that every Wizard has a magic core inside them, and magic power strengthens with age. Chanting a spell is to mobilize the magic power within the body, allowing it to flow smoothly into the wand."
"Correct answer." Lin An nodded approvingly, "Then the next step is to feel that magic power."
Hermione was slightly stunned.
"Close your eyes, cast the spell, but don't focus on the result. Instead, perceive the changes happening within your body."
Hermione took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and softly chanted again: "Lumos."
One second, two seconds—
"I don't feel anything, Professor."
"It's alright, try again." Lin An's tone was calm, "Failure is part of observation."
She tried again. Once, twice, thrice... Finally, on the seventh attempt, she felt a faint vibration in her chest. It was a warm flow, slowly emerging from deep within her heart, passing through blood vessels and nerves, flowing to her right arm, and then extending to her wand.
"I... I felt it!" Hermione opened her eyes, her voice filled with surprise.
Lin An smiled: "Not bad. Three times faster than your senior, Susan."
He himself could clearly perceive the existence of magic on the day his magic went wild at the age of six.
In his view, magic was like a part of the body—hands, feet, heartbeat, breathing—Wizards just never realized it.
"Next," Lin An continued, "seek the source of the magic. I will help you."
He raised his wand and lightly tapped Hermione's forehead.
A white light flowed into her consciousness, and instantly, her perception was amplified.
"Now, cast the spell again."
Hermione closed her eyes and slowly chanted: "Lumos—"
Light appeared, and she felt the trajectory of that power within her body, so clear that she could almost touch it with her hand.
"Professor, I see it!"
She excitedly opened her eyes, "Near my heart... there's a cube-like object, shimmering with light. That's the source of the magic!"
Lin An softly replied: "That is the magic core. Every Wizard's magic is stored there."
Hermione gazed at him, her heart pounding.
In that moment, she felt the reality of magic for the first time.
She was no longer just a student reciting formulas and incantations, but for the first time, she had 'touched' the essence of magic.
"Remember this moment," Lin An said, "It's more important than any textbook."
Hermione nodded gently. She had already decided—
No longer just an 'honor student who memorizes books,' but a Wizard who truly explores the essence of magic.
The magic flowed smoothly and gently within her. With a gentle wave of her wand, light, levitation, shields—all the spells that were once difficult to cast were completed in an instant.
She broke into an amazed smile.
But a few minutes later, Lin An withdrew the amplifying magic.
Hermione's perception gradually returned to normal, and the magic core once again receded into the depths.
"Professor, I... I feel it's gone again."
"That's natural." Lin An smiled, "Your perception isn't stable enough yet. One day, you'll be able to feel it without external help."
Hermione nodded solemnly. She had already decided—
No longer just an 'honor student who memorizes books,' but a Wizard who truly explores the essence of magic.
Chapter 48: Bloodline
After class, Hermione was still deeply immersed in the recent lesson.
The experience of personally feeling the flow of magic had completely captivated her. But as soon as the "magic Cube" disappeared, she felt an unprecedented emptiness.
She was unwilling to accept this.
"Professor," she suddenly asked, "You mentioned purifying Norberta's bloodline earlier. Does that mean—Wizards also possess 'bloodlines'?"
Lin An looked up and smiled slightly.
"You understand correctly, Miss Granger. Bloodlines do exist."
"Then... does that mean the concept of 'Pure-Blood Supremacy' is actually true?" Hermione asked tentatively.
The moment she finished speaking, the room instantly fell silent.
Harry, Ron, and Hagrid all held their breath, looking at Lin An.
He was silent for a moment before replying, "The answer to that question is—yes, and no."
The few of them exchanged glances.
"What does that mean?" Ron scratched his head, clearly confused.
Lin An sighed softly, his tone level: "I've been researching the origins of Wizards recently. The results shocked me—the ancestors of Wizards were originally ordinary people. However, they shared bloodlines with magical creatures by injecting their blood or performing certain rituals. That was how the 'First Generation of Wizards' was born."
"In other words—Wizards aren't born that way?" Hermione asked in surprise.
"Precisely." Lin An nodded. "After that, through hundreds of years of reproduction, the Wizard bloodline stabilized, gradually forming today's magic system. The level of magical power and the talent for casting spells essentially depend on bloodline vitality."
He paused, then added, "I once conducted experiments, trying to implant the bloodline of magical creatures into Muggles, but they all failed. Modern magical creatures have long since degenerated; their blood no longer possesses the 'resonance' it once did."
He showed a hint of regretful amusement, "But seeing Norberta today gave me a new idea—if I can purify her bloodline, perhaps I can recreate the bloodline of ancient Wizards."
A moment of silence fell over the room.
Hermione frowned and murmured, "But... doesn't this prove that Pure-Blood Wizards are indeed stronger?"
"Theoretically, yes." Lin An said calmly. "But that is merely ancient logic."
He paused, then shifted his tone, "While the 'blood fusion' of those days could indeed enhance the talent of the descendants, everything comes with a price. After several generations of inbreeding, these families often encountered a terrible problem—infertility."
He spoke lightly, yet it sent a chill through everyone present.
"Most of the 'Fallen Families' you've heard of ended this way. The so-called 'Pure-Blood Supremacists' of today have merely misinterpreted their ancestors' ideas. They themselves don't understand the power of the bloodline, yet they use this concept to suppress half-bloods and Muggle-born Wizards."
Harry whispered, "So, people like me, Hermione, and Ron... actually have special bloodlines too?"
"Of course." Lin An smiled, his gaze sweeping over the three of them. "And each is unique."
He first looked at Harry. "The Potter family is connected to the 'Peverell Three Brothers'."
"Are those the three from The Tale of the Three Brothers?" Ron asked in surprise.
"My mum always told me that story when I was little."
Harry was also stunned. He had heard the legend: the three brothers made a deal with death and obtained three powerful Hallows.
"That's right." Lin An nodded. "The Potter family are descendants of Ignotus Peverell. He was the only one who escaped death's pursuit. Whatever method he used, his wisdom and caution left a unique resistance to the soul and talent for concealment in his bloodline. That is why you can maintain your sanity under the presence of death."
Harry blinked, looking somewhat dazed, but he instinctively straightened his back.
Lin An then looked at Ron.
"The Weasley family bloodline is also very special."
Ron froze, pointing at himself. "My family? What's special about us? We don't even have enough Galleons."
Lin An chuckled, "Poverty has nothing to do with talent. Your family's bloodline is extremely active. Think about it: your family has seven children, and not one of them is a Squib—that is practically a miracle in the Wizarding World."
Ron widened his eyes, "This... is a good thing?"
"Of course it is." Lin An said lightly. "Most Wizard families only have one or two children in a generation who awaken magic; the rest are either ordinary or have weak talent. But every member of your Weasley family, from Quidditch talent to the twins' Alchemy creativity, possesses distinct characteristics. That indicates your bloodline heritage is extremely strong, stable, and has a reproductive advantage."
Harry and Hermione exchanged glances. For the first time, Ron wore an expression of pride.
Lin An continued, "In my estimation, if the Weasley family had sufficient resources and education, you would absolutely have the potential to become an extremely powerful family."
Ron scratched his head and smiled, his face flushed.
He had never imagined that being "poor" could be linked to having a "powerful bloodline."
Lin An gently shifted his gaze toward Hermione.
"As for you, Miss Granger—your bloodline is an anomaly."
Hermione nervously straightened her posture.
"You possess nearly perfect memory and an extremely high affinity for magic. The purity of your magiceven surpasses most Pure-Blood Wizards. Do you know what this means? It suggests that your family, on some level, suddenly 'awakened' ancient genetic factors in this generation."
"In other words, my ancestors once...?"
"Perhaps a sealed magical bloodline, or perhaps some form of ancient mixed-blood." Lin An replied calmly.
"Its reawakening in your generation might just be chance. But regardless, your talent is indisputable."
Hermione slightly parted her lips, unsure of what to say.
She had always thought she was just a Muggle-born girl who had to rely on hard work to keep up with others, but she never expected... to possess such a "bloodline."
Lin An looked at her expression and smiled faintly: "In your year, the only one who can compare with Hermione is probably Susan Bones. After all, she received my magical training from a young age."
Hermione's eyes subtly changed when she heard the name "Susan."
In that instant, a complex emotion surged within her—Envy? Unwillingness? Or simply a desire for competition? Even she couldn't tell.
Lin An did not continue. Instead, he put away his notebook and summarized in a calm tone:
"Bloodline is not a badge of honor, but a form of potential. If you do not think and do not strive, it is merely a sleeping river."
He stood up and walked to the window.
The night wind stirred the curtains, and moonlight illuminated his face.
"And magic," he said slowly, "never belongs to birthright, but to those who dare to explore."
No one in the room spoke.
Harry and Ron were silent, and Hermione pursed her lips, her expression resolute.
They all understood—
This was not just a lesson about "bloodline," but a revelation about "self-awakening."