Hogwarts: Starting with full Unforgivable Curses

Chapter 288 Magic Can Be Used So Effortlessly

"How about it?"

Seeing Neville slowly climb down the ladder, his face showing a mix of confusion and exhaustion.

Dylan asked, his gaze falling on his slightly trembling hands.

"As expected, it's the same old routine, asking us to interpret the crystal ball... I don't know how much she actually believed, but I still said what I had prepared beforehand."

As he spoke, Neville raised his hand to rub his stiff neck, his face showing a hint of fatigue from finishing the exam and a touch of barely perceptible anxiety.

To cope with the upcoming final exams, Neville meticulously devised a gruesome "way to die."

Similarly, when dealing with mandrake, after being killed by that deadly cry, the corpse is torn to pieces by the poisonous tentacles and devil's web in the greenhouse.

This kind of plot where the victim dies without a complete corpse is exactly the type of story Professor Trelawney likes the most.

She always felt that this was "ominous" enough, and had a "deep meaning" of divination.

"I believe you can definitely get a high score."

Dylan looked at Neville with a resolute tone.

"I hope so."

Neville sighed softly, straightened his slightly disheveled cuffs, and looked uncertain in his eyes.

I waited a little while longer.

Professor Trelawney's somewhat mysterious voice came from upstairs, calling Dylan's name.

"Dylan!"

Dylan nodded to Neville, indicating that he was reassured.

He then held onto the railings on both sides of the ladder and climbed up step by step.

The ladder was made of old wood and made a slight creaking sound when climbed.

The divination classroom was still dimly lit.

Only a few candles were lit around the small round table in the center of the room, their flickering flames casting swaying shadows on the walls.

A faint scent, indescribable as to whether it was dust or some kind of spice, filled the air.

A dark-colored tablecloth was laid on the small round table.

In the center of the tablecloth was a soft cushion, on which the crystal ball lay quietly, its surface smooth and translucent, gleaming warmly in the candlelight.

Across the table, Professor Trelawney was looking at him through her magnifying glasses, making her eyes appear exceptionally large behind the lenses.

"Come here...sit down, child."

Her voice was slow and leisurely, with a unique rhythm.

Professor Trelawney raised her hand, her withered fingers gently reaching towards the crystal ball on the table.

"Give it a try and see what you can see in it. Even though you can get a perfect score no matter what it is, give it a try anyway."

Dylan smiled, then stared at the crystal ball.

Inside the crystal ball was a constantly swirling white mist, as if it had come to life.

As Dylan watched, guided by spiritual power, the mist sometimes condensed and sometimes dispersed.

A moment later, the fog cleared, revealing the result Dylan wanted to divine.

"It is a young unicorn... It is wandering deep in the forest, surrounded by lush trees."

Dylan frowned slightly, as if trying to recall what he had just seen, and spoke after a few seconds.

"This seems like a good omen?"

"Ah! Yes, child, you are not mistaken!"

Professor Trelawney's face showed obvious surprise, and her eyes widened even more.

She stared intently at the crystal ball for a long time, as if trying to find something more inside.

But it seems she didn't see anything at all.

Then, she suddenly raised her head, looked up into the air, and began to wave her hands involuntarily, muttering incantations as if communicating with some unseen force.

"Ah... I understand—how could I refuse?"

Professor Trelawney clutched her chest and let out a long sigh, her voice carrying a sense of helplessness as if swept along by fate, yet also a barely perceptible hint of excitement.

"Of course I will accept fate... Congratulations, child, you can leave now."

Her fingers curled slightly as she gripped the silk scarf on her chest.

What insights did you gain from this?

Dylan's face showed just the right amount of curiosity, his eyes widening slightly.

His gaze fell on Professor Trelawney's magnifying glasses, as if trying to see through the lenses to understand her expression.

"Yes, but I can't say it—of course I can't!"

Professor Trelawney kept shaking her head, her fluffy curly hair swaying gently with the movement.

She abruptly turned her head, avoiding Dylan's gaze, and looked at the dim oil lamp in the corner.

"Alright, kid, go now. Congratulations in advance—that's all I can say."

She waved her hand, her tone becoming more hurried, as if afraid that saying even one more word would reveal a secret.

"Alright, goodbye, professor."

Dylan shrugged, stopped asking questions, turned around and walked to the ladder, holding onto the railing with both hands, and began to walk down the stairs step by step.

The wooden ladder creaked softly underfoot, mingling with Professor Trelawney's suppressed breathing upstairs.

"How about it?"

Neville had been waiting impatiently for some time.

Seeing Dylan come down, she immediately went over curiously, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"Probably a perfect score."

Dylan shrugged, his tone relaxed.

Although he did not continue to observe, Dylan was unaware of Professor Trelawney's specific scoring criteria.

However, based solely on his relationship with the professor, he could get a perfect score even if he just said a few words to him.

"so good……"

Neville had no doubts whatsoever, his face showing obvious envy. He sighed softly, his eyes filled with longing for a high score.

He raised his hand and scratched his head, somewhat annoyed that his performance just now hadn't been more outstanding.

In the next two days.

The exams for Potions, Astronomy, History of Magic, and Herbalism were conducted in that order.

In the potions class, the air was filled with the pungent smell of various potions mixed together, and the students carefully stirred the liquid in the cauldron.

Astronomy lessons were held at the top of the astronomy tower late at night.

Everyone craned their necks to identify the star map, their noses turning red from the cold.

The written exam for the history of magic is so tedious that even without listening to the professor's lectures, it's enough to make anyone drowsy. The long dates and events are dizzying to read.

In herbal medicine class, many people seemed flustered when faced with those moving plants.

Finally, Thursday morning arrived, and only one exam remained.

This Defense Against the Dark Arts test was, for Dylan, the final exam of the semester.

"Students, come over here, and please keep up a neat and orderly manner!"

Professor Lu Ping led them to a carefully prepared area in front of the Forbidden Forest.

Several wooden stakes were erected along the edge of the site.

A flashing sign hangs above, and the pond in the distance ripples with light.

The locations of the pits and swamps were marked with white lime, making them easy to spot.

There was no written test in this assessment.

Professor Lupin always believed that Defense Against the Dark Arts was meaningless if one only understood the theory but could not put it into practice.

"Let me reiterate the process—cross the pond in front, avoid those pits, cross the swamp, and finally enter the box and come out again."

Professor Lupin waved his wand, and a bright spark flew from the tip.

The spark flew nimbly around the area, following the route he indicated, skimming over the surface of the pond, around the edge of the pit, and over the swamp.

Finally, above the box covered with a black cloth.

It exploded with a "pop" and dissipated into specks of starlight.

"Have you memorized them all? -- Okay, let's go one by one!"

This is a novel exam format.

This was the first time anyone had experienced this.

Many people had excited expressions on their faces, whispering among themselves, eager to try their hand at it. Even the most timid students straightened their backs.

Dylan, on the other hand, seemed particularly happy.

The holidays are almost here, and I can finally get away from my heavy schoolwork for a while.

Besides, he knew in his heart that there would be many more good shows to come today.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile slightly.

Dylan was in an exceptionally good mood, waving his wand casually, completely disregarding the standard methods Professor Lupin had taught in class for dealing with the magical creatures.

Along the way, he encountered Grindylow, those guys who were baring their teeth and claws in the pond, trying to pull at his ankles, but they were all hit by his Transfiguration Charm.

They instantly transformed into delicate white roses, floating on the water's surface.

The red hats that had been hiding around the pit and emitting piercing screams have transformed into brightly colored ribbons that flutter gently in the wind.

He easily filled in the potholes that blocked his way with magic, and the ground became flat and solid.

Above the swamp, a bridge covered with colorful flowers appeared out of thin air, the petals trembling slightly with his steps, emitting a faint fragrance.

He easily navigated through all the obstacles and walked toward the box.

The students behind them stared in astonishment at what they saw, never expecting that an exam could be handled in this way.

Magic can be used so elegantly!
Moving clouds and flowing water!

Neville, who was at the back of the line, watched Dylan's relaxed figure and his palms sweated with nervousness.

When it was his turn.

He took a deep breath, gripped his wand tightly, and carefully dealt with the magical creatures according to Professor Lupin's instructions.

Although the process was somewhat chaotic, they eventually overcame all the obstacles successfully.

When he stepped out of the box, a relieved smile appeared on his face.

In an instant, the venue, which was meant to simulate a dangerous environment, was transformed into a riot of flowers by Dylan's arrangement, completely out of place with the tense atmosphere it was supposed to be.

White roses floated in the pond, colorful ribbons fluttered around the pit, and the flower bridge over the swamp swayed gently in the wind, making it look like a celebration setup.

Nevertheless, when Dylan finally emerged from the box containing Boggart, Professor Lupin couldn't help but applaud him.

"Great job!"

Professor Lu Ping wore a sincere smile, his eyes full of approval.

Dylan bowed slightly to Professor Lupin.

At the same time, the wand behind him twitched slightly.

As a glimmer of light flashed from the tip of the staff, the deformed and displaced areas instantly returned to their original state.

—The white rose transformed back into Grindelwald and submerged into the water; the colorful ribbon turned into a red hat and hid back in the pit; the flower bridge disappeared, and the swamp and pit reappeared, as if everything that had just happened was an illusion.

After all, Professor Lu Ping is a teacher with real expertise.

His lectures are well-organized and he has extensive practical experience.

As a Gryffindor student, Dylan also has a straightforward side to his personality.

As long as the peculiar smell of the wolfsbane potion is not mentioned, they usually get along fairly well, and occasionally they will exchange a few words about some defensive techniques.

"I'm going to eat now, so I'll head out first."

As soon as the assessment ended, Dylan turned to Neville and the others and said something before moving towards the castle.

"Huh? You don't have any exams this afternoon, so you don't need to rush to eat, do you?"

Simo, who had to continue his exams that afternoon, watched his retreating figure and couldn't help but sigh, his tone tinged with envy and a hint of helplessness at being left behind in the exam hall.

"Let's finish eating early so we can go back to the dorm and pack our luggage, so we don't have to rush around at the last minute before leaving."

Dylan waved his hand, offered a casual explanation, and quickened his pace to leave.

This afternoon is the last free time of the semester. Starting tonight, a series of exciting events will unfold.

Finally, he himself had to "vent his anger"—no, to make a cameo appearance.

So, in addition to having a hearty lunch, he also had to prepare a private dinner.

This is an important moment to celebrate the end of another school year, so we can't be careless.

He was already starting to think about what ingredients he should find in the kitchen, and maybe he could ask his house-elf to help him cook a few of his signature dishes.

He was already planning his next steps.

First, I need to go to the kitchen and ask my house-elf for some steaming stew and some freshly made fries, the kind that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Serve with a few thick beef patties; the filling should be fresh and juicy, so you can taste the rich meaty flavor when you bite into them.

Next, I need to find Cedric and ask him to help me make some pumpkin pie.

Cedric's pumpkin pie is always exceptional. The pumpkin puree is smooth and sweet, the crust is baked to a golden brown and crispy, and a thin layer of honey is drizzled on top. Every time you eat it, you'll want to keep eating it.

Finally, he will use the ingredients he brought to make a dish of sweet and sour pork that was recently recreated.

This dish is not easy to make, especially white vinegar, which is hard to find in the UK.

He spent a lot of effort experimenting repeatedly with the divination instructions before finally managing to mix the right flavor.

After doing all this, you can eat it while it's hot, and then it's your turn to take the stage.

With so many things to do, he'll have to hurry to make it if he sets off now!
Dylan quickened his pace, already imagining the taste of the delicious food, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips.

He could picture the soft, tender potatoes and carrots in the stew, the sweet and sour fries dipped in ketchup, and the piping hot gravy inside the beef pie.

There's also the perfectly balanced sweetness of pumpkin pie, and the unique flavor of sweet and sour pork, which is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Thinking about all this made his stomach rumble, and he couldn't wait to get everything done.

The setting sun, like blood, tinged the trees at the edge of the forbidden forest with a dark red halo. Patches of light, filtering through the branches and leaves, shimmered on the ground, carrying a touch of desolate warmth.

(End of this chapter)