Hogwarts: Dumbledore reigned over the wizarding world

Chapter 113 Fairy Tale Town
Second, follow the narration and prompts.

"Third, once you receive a task, you must complete it."

"Customer Service Notice: The Trial Space aims to provide players with in-depth role-playing services. When you step into this space, you sign a player service contract with the Trial Space, confirming your unconditional compliance with the rules of this space. Violation of any of the three rules will result in penalties. This is a necessary condition for in-depth role-playing. Thank you for your understanding!"

what?
Harry stared blankly at the inscription on the stone tablet, his mind unable to process what the Trial Space was. What was deep role-playing service?

Didn't I follow Quirrell into the entrance room?
Where did Quirrell go? What about Hermione and Ron?
Many questions bombarded Harry's mind. He stopped paying attention to the stone tablet and shouted Hermione and Ron's names loudly towards the magnificent hall ahead.

But all that answered him was the echo reflected from the empty hall.

Just then, a new line of writing on the stone tablet lit up, and a bewildered Harry instinctively looked over:

"Player Quirinus Quirrell has violated Rule 1 by using magic without authorization and will be punished!"

"Punishment method: Electric shock!"

"Punishment complete."

Quirrell?

Upon seeing the familiar name, Harry disregarded his feud with Quirrell and rushed to the stone tablet for a closer look.

Only then did he notice that there was a line of small characters at the very bottom of the stone tablet, which clearly read:

Current number of players: 4

"Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Quirinas Quirrell!"

"Deep role-playing scenario matching in progress..."

"Please tap 'Yes' below your name to confirm the match."

What is matching?
Harry was filled with confusion. He looked at the small "Yes/No" option below his name and hesitated for a moment.

What happens if I choose "No"?
He doesn't want to play this deep role-playing game; he really wants to choose "No"!
Just as he hesitated, new words lit up on the upper part of the stone tablet:

"Player Ron Weasley refused to be matched, disobeyed the prompt, violated Rule 2, and will be punished!"

"Punishment method: Electric shock!"

"Punishment complete!"

Harry: "..."

After seeing the punishment announcements refreshed twice, Harry began to understand that Hermione, Ron, and Quirrell were probably being thrown into a golden hall, facing the same stone tablet, just like him.

The lobby seems to have no other function or mission than to take these "players" to some deep role-playing scenario, and this cannot be violated or refused.

What kind of unfair contract is this?
Harry looked up and looked again at the seemingly simple three rules, as well as the respectfully written customer service instructions below.

"...Stepping into this place signifies signing a player service contract with the trial space, confirming unconditional compliance with the rules of this space... This seemingly respectful but actually very domineering style...it feels so familiar..."

Harry inexplicably thought of Vaughn.

Just as he was lost in thought, Hermione's name lit up in the line of names displayed at the bottom of the stone tablet, and soon Quirrell's name lit up as well.

Although the stone tablet didn't give any indication, Harry intuitively felt that Hermione and Quirrell had touched "Yes" to confirm their match.

"A forced contract, which cannot be violated or refused... It seems there really is no other way but to experience those deep role-playing scenarios!"

Harry scratched his head. Learning from Ron's experience, he felt it was better to follow Hermione's lead.

I carefully reached out and touched the "Yes" sign below my name. I didn't feel anything when I touched it, only the cool touch of the stone tablet's surface.

But as soon as he finished touching it, Harry saw his name immediately light up.

His guess was right!

"what's next?"

Kneeling before the stone tablet, Harry stared intently at it, waiting for about several tens of seconds until Ron's name lit up. Then, on the upper part of the tablet, lines of text appeared like a waterfall:
"All players confirm matchmaking"

Scene selection complete: Fairy Tale Town

Story Template: Dragon Quest

"Grouping now...Grouping complete!"

Group A: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger

Group B: Ron Weasley, Quirinas Quirrell

"Thank you all for your trust and support of this space. We wish you a pleasant gaming experience!"

As the last line of text appeared, the entire golden hall suddenly trembled.

The floorboards were cracking, rising, and sinking, like undulating waves.

Harry scrambled to his feet, stumbling and grabbing for support against the only immovable stone tablet in the entire hall, staring dumbfounded at the dramatic change unfolding before him—

The hall is collapsing!
The floor, walls, dome... everything was crumbling into tiny cubes, like golden quicksand leaking into the dark void left after the hall collapsed.

Then, they began to recombine.

Countless small cubes converged into a torrent, like paintbrushes applying colors, and the brown earth quickly formed under the "paintbrush," soon extending to Harry's feet.

Then, the ground turned over, revealing jagged green patches that piled up in layers, forming a "grassland" that emerged one after another.

In the distance, countless "trees" that looked like they were cut from cardboard suddenly stood up and transformed into a forest.

In the heart of the forest, a town of the same style quietly appeared. It was as if it had been stretched from a flat surface, with waterwheels, mills, wooden houses, small buildings, streets and castles rising up one after another.

Above, a patch of blue sky dotted with white clouds unfolds from its folded state, and a radiant "sun" rises from the backdrop of sharply defined mountains, gliding to the center of the blue sky and freezing in place.

A gentle yet grand voice, throughout this entire "world," began to narrate in Harry's ear:

"Long, long ago, in the Forest Kingdom, there lived a kind and beautiful princess. Her parents loved her, and her people adored her. But one stormy night..."

click-

Harry looked up and saw that, as the narrator spoke, the sky turned pitch black, and lightning danced wildly across the sky like snakes. At the same time, a huge shadow flew from the horizon to the town in the forest, and then to the castle.

"...The evil dragon came, and it abducted the people's beloved princess, saying:"

The gentle narration abruptly shifted to a savage roar. In the distant town castle, a colossal shadow flapped its wings, opened its crimson, moon-like eyes, and "spoke" a line of words:

【Forest Kingdom, your princess is in my hands. If you want her to live, please the great fire dragon with gold and treasure! Hahaha—】

Yes, that's right, the dragon's words were a single line!

Harry was at a loss for what expression to make!
But the narration clearly wouldn't pause because of his astonishment:
"To rescue the princess, the king and all the people have offered a bounty on brave warriors, and you, as one of these warriors, are heading to the Forest Kingdom with your companions!"

companion?

Harry turned around and was surprised to find Hermione, who had disappeared earlier, standing right next to him!

Meanwhile, on the other side of the "mountains".

Ron, sporting an afro, stared wide-eyed at Quirrell, who had suddenly appeared beside him with the same afro.

"you……"

"Shut up, Weasley!"

Quirrell's face was ashen, the sharp pain in the back of his head making him look ferocious; it was his master punishing him and venting his anger.

The faint, venomous hissing echoed in his ears and deep within his soul:

"Damn Dumbledore...damn it...no one can humiliate the Dark Lord like this...I will kill him! Kill him!"

"Ah... I'm sorry, Master—"

Quirrell curled up, clutching his head, sobbing, weeping, and pleading: "Please be patient, my master. Once we have the Philosopher's Stone and resurrect you, your lowly servant will follow you to kill that despicable Dumbledore. But for now, please be patient..."

Perhaps he accepted his advice, or perhaps he had been deprived of vitality for a long time and was becoming increasingly weak, the voice gradually faded in his mind and ears.

The excruciating pain then disappeared.

As Quiro, panting, looked up again, the sky's "narration" was coming to an end: "...And you, as a member of the Dragon's kin, will go to the lair with your companions to intercept the heroes!"

nest……

Quirrell looked ahead at the dark fairytale-style "forest," where the cardboard-like trees were pitch black and menacing. A village with a similarly distorted style stood deep in the forest, filled with "monsters" that slid back and forth like bookmarks on a book.

He stared blankly for a moment, then looked at Ron, who was hiding to the side, seemingly trying to make himself inconspicuous, and his face darkened:

"Weasley, why are you, Harry, and Granger here?"

Ron's mouth tasted bitter; he never imagined he would be grouped with Quirrell.

However, despite his prior fear, he was no longer afraid when he actually faced Quirrell. When Quirrell asked him a question, he snorted, "What business is it of yours why we're here? If you can come in, why can't we?"

The rules of the stone tablet gave him immense courage. Having personally experienced the pain of electric shock punishment, Ron didn't believe Quirrell would dare to break the rules again.

Quirrell's expression grew increasingly grim, but he forced himself to remain composed. Rule Two clearly stated that one should follow the narration and prompts.

At this moment, Ron had a frame above his head that read "Companions (Do not attack each other)"...

Taking a deep breath, Quirrell suppressed his murderous urge. For him right now, leaving this ridiculous role-playing scenario and finding the Philosopher's Stone was the most important thing.

Everything else is negotiable.

Thinking it over, Quirrell forced a smile: "If you don't want to say, that's fine. Anyway, we're on the same side now, and I think we should cooperate. You remember? The rules require us to follow the narration and hints. Now, we have to get to that monster's lair over there!"

Ron was reluctant, but he had to admit that Quirrell was right.

Recalling the pain he felt not long ago when he accidentally broke the rules and was struck on the head by a bolt of lightning, his limbs twitching and even his magic power becoming chaotic and conflicting, Ron shuddered and nodded quickly.

So, the two men, who were enemies not long ago, reluctantly put aside their grudges and, following the narration, walked one after the other toward the nest in the forest.

As they approached the lair, the narration began again:
"You have come to the lair, ready to shed your blood for your master. Your master, the great evil dragon, is sending a shipment of brandy to the front lines. It can enhance the power of his dragon breath. The lizard squad leader has entrusted you with this glorious mission."

Swah——

A lizard squad leader, who didn't look like a lizard at all, zipped up to the two of them, dragging a unicycle print, and popped a string of speech bubbles out of his mouth:

[You despicable villains, hurry up and deliver the brandy! Don't delay your master's important business!]

[Beware! Some monsters in the forest are also eyeing these supplies. You must protect them, or you will face your master's wrath!]

I suggest you consult with hippos, lions, and hyenas before you set off. Only one of them is a truly experienced guide. Once you can identify them, they will show you a safe path...

Quirrell and Ron looked at each other in bewilderment.

"How to do?"

"...Let's find the hippopotamus, lion, and hyena first."

So the two of them wandered around the small village and found that it wasn't hard to find. The characters needed for the mission, like Quirrell and Ron, all had a box above their heads with their names written on it.

When they found all three monsters, the narrator appeared again:
"To ensure the safe transport of the brandy, you found three monsters. When asked who the real guide was, the three monsters denied it, with the hippopotamus saying, 'The hyena is the guide.'"

"Ron Weasley, a member of the Dragon's Lair, quickly locked onto his target, but to test his companion, he didn't reveal the answer. Instead, he remarked, 'Of the three monsters, only the true guide wasn't lying.'"

"Question: Which of them is the guide?"

"..."

Quirrell looked at Ron, who was completely bewildered.

"...Would you believe me if I said I didn't know and the narrator was just making things up?"

“I believe you! Because you don’t seem like the kind of person who has that kind of brain, Weasley.”

Ron felt offended but dared not say anything, only humming twice: "So, did you guess the answer?"

"Of course!"

Quirrell said decisively, his face as pale as paper, revealing no emotion, but the bulging veins on his forehead showed that he was not as confident as he appeared.

Damn Muggle logic puzzles!
After a moment's thought, Quirrell said in a deep voice, "The real guide is the hyena!"

As his voice faded, the narrator continued: "You chose a hyena as your guide, and it showed you the way. But soon after you set off, a group of forest monsters rushed out and looted the brandy you were transporting. The mission failed!"

"You have violated Rule 3, triggering a penalty."

"Punishment method: Electric shock!"

Before the two could react, a loud crack echoed in the sky, and lightning crashed down.

It wasn't a natural electric current; it was more like some kind of magic. It shone with a dazzling silver-blue hue and struck Ron and Quirrell violently on the head. The powerful magic instantly flowed through their bodies, and the muscle spasms and magical chaos they had experienced before returned, the pain overwhelming their nerves like a tidal wave.

The two men collapsed with their hair disheveled, and it took them a while to sit up shakily.

Ron coughed, exhaling a puff of white smoke, and complained, "It feels like it hurts even more than last time... Hey, didn't you say you guessed the answer?"

"Shut up, Weasley!"

Ron wasn't afraid of him at all, since he didn't dare use magic and was too weak: "I thought you were something special, but it turns out you were just bragging. No wonder everyone at school looked down on you; they weren't wrong."

Quirrell's hands trembled as he hesitated whether to draw his wand and unleash a curse to kill the annoying redhead.

But he dared not.

Weasley's intuition was correct; the power of the Punishing Lightning was indeed growing stronger. Although it hadn't caused any physical damage yet, he wasn't sure how much its power would increase if it continued.

Just as I was hesitating, that even more annoying narration started again:
"Punishment complete!"

"The familiar route continues... The mission has failed. The great fire dragon's favorite brandy has been stolen. As familiars, you will now bear its wrath!"

"?"

The two, who had been at loggerheads just moments before, exchanged a glance and then looked around.

Is this a hint for the next task?

“Probably,” Quirrell pondered. “The so-called wrath of the fire dragon might mean that our upcoming mission will become more difficult.”

Ron, ever the contrarian, retorted, "Why is it a metaphor? Why can't it be a real fire dragon appearing before us and breathing fire at us?"

Quirrell said impatiently, "You idiot Weasley, don't you understand yet? There are no real monsters in this scenario. It's like a pop-up novel about Muggle society, a kind of board game. The danger only exists in the narration. All our actions must follow the narration, analyze the clues to complete the task, get rewards for success, and accept punishment for failure. There are no dragons..."

The words have not yet fallen.

call--

call--

The sound of enormous wings flapping rapidly approached from high above. Quirrell and Ron looked up in astonishment and saw a fire dragon descending from the sky amidst the crayon-like blue sky and white clouds!

Yes, a real fire dragon!

When they saw it, the fire dragon's gaping maw was already open, and dark red flames flickered a few times before it spewed them out!

……

Meanwhile, Harry and Hermione, who had arrived in the "Forest Kingdom," encountered the same problem.

Looking at the words written in the speech bubbles above the heads of the three cardboard cutouts named "Hippopotamus," "Lion," and "Hyena," Harry felt a headache coming on.

What is this all about?
In his eyes, this problem was incoherent and impossible to solve!
He couldn't help but feel a little discouraged.

Since meeting Hermione, the two exchanged information about what they knew and analyzed that this so-called trial space was very likely a mechanism designed by Dumbledore to guard the Philosopher's Stone.

Only by clearing the level can you have any hope of getting the magic stone.

According to Hermione, this is a bit like a Muggle computer game level, where the first level is usually the easiest.

Harry hadn't expected that he would fail so miserably in the first challenge, like an idiot.

Who on earth designed this awful question?
Is this a question that a human could answer?
Just as Harry was going through a cycle of doubt and self-doubt, Hermione paused for a moment and suddenly said, "I have the answer."

"Huh?" Harry, who was still holding his head, was taken aback.

Hermione explained, "The answer to this question is simple. The key is in what the hippo said: 'The hyenas are the guides!'"

"Here we can use the assumption method. First, the question states that only the guide among the three is not lying. Let's assume that the hippopotamus is the guide, then what he said is true. If the hyena is the guide, then there are two guides, which does not fit the question."

"If the hyena is the guide, then everyone else is lying, including the hippopotamus. The hyena is not the guide, which contradicts the assumption that the hyena is the guide, so it is not valid."

"If we exclude hippos and hyenas, then the final conclusion is obvious: lions are the true guides!"

Harry didn't understand, but he was deeply shocked!

Soon, the two heard a voice in their ears: "You chose the lion as your guide, and he showed you the way. You delivered the fire retardant to the front line safely all the way."

"With the help of the fire-retardant potion, you and the other heroes joined forces and successfully stormed the lair of the dragon's family. Because of the lack of brandy, the fire dragon did not come to support you. You successfully destroyed the lair and got one step closer to the fire dragon's castle!"

"Fairy Tale Town is over, now it's time to settle accounts."

"Ron Weasley, Quirinas Quirrell, mission failed, punishment received, reward: none."

"Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, mission successful! Reward: Wishing Brush"

"Currently, the Brave Group leads the standings 1-0!"

"But heroes, this is only a temporary victory. The princess, kidnapped by the dragon, still awaits your rescue ahead, in that castle in the painting—"

As the narration began, the scene before us collapsed once more. The cardboard-like town, forest, and mountains transformed back into countless small cubes, sliding down like quicksand.

Harry and Hermione floated in a dark void, looking down at the small cubes that were reassembling into a giant scroll.

It gradually unfolds in the boundless void, seemingly spanning heaven and earth. As the canvas, like the earth, undulates gently, a castle appears within it.

The moment the castle appeared, Harry and Hermione were irresistibly drawn into it.

……

At the very top of the entire trial space, Vaughn and Dumbledore observed the progress below.

From their perspective, the so-called fairytale town is actually a giant pop-up book. As the pages turn, grasslands emerge, forests rise, mountains stand tall, and the sun and moon revolve.

That was magic, and a miracle of alchemy!
“Before this, I never imagined that you had such a childlike side, Vaughn.”

Dumbledore said jokingly.

Vaughn ignored his teasing, his eyes gleaming as he carefully observed the scene below: the fairytale town collapsing and then reforming into the castle in the painting.

After a long pause, he said, "I chose fairy tales because they are simple and don't have overly complicated plots or story logic. Essentially, I'm just proposing an experimental idea to see if you, or alchemy, can do it."

"So, are you satisfied with the results?"

“Quite satisfied!” Vaughn said. “Although it’s still far from my final vision, it at least gave me a direction, including the castle in the painting… A book, a painting, is a world in itself. Alchemy’s study and mastery of space and dimensions is truly amazing!”

Dumbledore looked at him and asked with a smile, "Would you like to go in and experience it? You've never been inside since the level was designed."

"Of course I have to go in."

Vaughn did not refuse, he said.

The following content can only be fully appreciated by entering the "painting" itself; otherwise, due to time constraints, everything might end inexplicably.

However, he also had requirements.

Vaughn glanced at Dumbledore: "You must transfer control of the 'painting' to me, especially the right to make the rules!"

Whether it's a fairytale town or a castle in a painting, both utilize an ancient magic mastered by Dumbledore, which is also the oldest magic passed down from Hogwarts.

A type of contract magic.

Its origins can be traced back to the time when the four founders created Hogwarts. Using alchemy, they crafted this contract magic into two alchemical artifacts—the Pen of Acceptance and the Book of Admission.

As the name suggests, the function of contract magic is to establish agreements.

This type of magic is not uncommon in modern spell systems; spells like the Unbreakable Spell and the Unyielding Spell are examples.

However, ancient magic still has its merits.

For example, the ancient magic used by Dumbledore may be slightly inferior to Unbreakable and Unwavering Loyalty in terms of true secrecy and binding force of contracts, but it retains the advantage of the powerful "force" of ancient magic.

The Pen of Acceptance and the Book of Access are prime examples; these two alchemical artifacts can "monitor" the entire British Isles!
Under their surveillance, the birth of any human with magical abilities within England will immediately result in a contract, with the "agreement" pen writing their name on the Book of Admission, without the right to refuse.

Yes, as long as it possesses magic, even a Squib (in the original work, Squibs do possess magic), it will be recorded—of course, in reality, the Book of Admission is quite strict; every time a Squib is detected, it will automatically close, and the Pen of Rejection will record the Squib's name.

"It's a pity that Old Deng has been hiding those two good things from me..." Vaughn's thoughts wandered a bit. The Pen of Acceptance and the Book of Access were the alchemical artifacts with the widest magical coverage that he knew of so far.

However, he also understood Dumbledore's caution. Those two alchemical artifacts were essentially a database of citizen information for Muggle society, recording all English wizards, so they couldn't just be taken out casually.

The fairytale town and the castle in the painting also use the same magic; anyone who enters will automatically sign a contract, agreeing to abide by the "rules".

As for what the "rules" are... well, they're whatever Old Deng, who created them, wants to add.

If we don't demand control, who knows if Deng might add some strange rules after Vaughn goes in?

Dumbledore's face fell. "You don't trust me?"

Vaughn smiled and replied in a friendly manner, "I might trust anyone else, but you are the one person I trust the least bit."

"..."

Old Deng choked for a moment, then mumbled something under his breath and waved downwards.

Soon, a scroll emerged from the vast, plain-like canvas below and flew into his hand. The scroll looked ordinary, without any supernatural features.

But to Vaughn and Dumbledore, it was as bright and dazzling as the sun!
Literally bright and dazzling.

Vaughn's eyes gleamed with a magical light. With the help of his alchemical talent, he saw that the scroll was made up of countless densely packed runes. They were so numerous and so tightly packed that the runes almost merged into one, and even the light was connected.

“This is the painting itself, and also the key to controlling it…” Dumbledore handed the scroll to Vaughn, paused, and suddenly felt awkward, because he had also considered the issues that Vaughn had considered.

What if Vaughn adds some strange or unusual rules after we get inside...?

Vaughn saw through his thoughts and glanced at him sideways: "What about the spell to control it? Don't you trust me?"

"...To be honest, I don't really trust him..."

"..."

The old man and the young man stared at each other for a moment, then both chose to ignore the awkward question.

"Ahem, Harry and Quirinas have already gone inside."

"Okay, let's go in too..."

Dumbledore raised his arm, gesturing for Vaughn to grab it. "I must say, Vaughn, the castle in the painting will absolutely amaze you. It's built exactly according to your concept of virtual reality, though of course, it's not quite the same as virtual reality."

"I later specifically looked into it. The so-called virtual reality of Muggles is more like weaving illusions in one's mind. Magic disdains to create things that are essentially false because it's too simple. We can use alchemy to make the false become real!"

As he spoke, Vaughn grasped Dumbledore's hand, and Dumbledore slowly flew down with him.

As the two approached the vast canvas below, it was almost an illusion. As the distance closed, Vaughn felt that the canvas stretched out into an ever-expanding expanse. In the blink of an eye, the flat canvas seemed to stretch to the horizon, with no end in sight.

Then, in a single instant, everything before my eyes changed.

The deep darkness overhead and the ancient walls of Hogwarts Castle suddenly disappeared, and the blue sky and white clouds were reflected in the sky. Underfoot was a winding path that rose and fell along the hills and stretched to the foot of the distant mountains, where it merged into a town.

The path cuts through the town, into the forest further in the distance, and deep within the forest, to a castle whose outline can only be vaguely seen!

Dumbledore released his grip, smiling at him: "My dear, welcome to the world of the painting!"

Yes, they have entered the painting.

but……

Vaughn stretched out his hand, feeling the gentle breeze brushing against his fingers, the softness of the air, and smelling the complex scents of the mountains and forests, a mixture of soil, dew, flowers, and even the rising moisture from the sun-baked earth.

He could even feel the sunlight shining on his body, causing a slight stinging sensation on his skin!

Magical paintings are common in the wizarding world; the Weasleys have them, and Hogwarts has them hanging in every corridor. Vaughn had studied them before.

Although I didn't understand alchemy at the time and couldn't figure it out, I did know that magic paintings, like photographs coated with developing potion, were just moving "paintings" and were essentially fake.

The mountains, water, flowers, trees and plants in the painting are just combinations of paint according to certain rules. Only the figures in portrait paintings can be given certain memories and personalities, and express "free will".

Before looking at this painting, Vaughn originally thought that the castle in the painting might be like a fairy tale town, only extended in space and dimension.

But what he was experiencing now was far beyond his expectations.

It feels like... Dumbledore captured a part of reality and put it into a painting!
Thinking about it, he couldn't help but look towards the town at the foot of the mountain, from where he could see many people active in the town.

Could it be that place too...?

The thought had barely crossed Vaughn's mind when he heard Dumbledore sigh, "Unfortunately, it's still not perfect. I can't create humans and other creatures, so I have to retain some false elements."

"Then, who are the people in this town...?"

“Oh, they’re all puppets.” Dumbledore shook his head, then quickly cheered up again: “Thanks to Minerva and Felius, they contributed their finest Transfiguration and Charms skills…”

(End of this chapter)