Hogwarts: This professor is too Muggle.

Chapter 190 The Golden Cup? A Soul Weapon...

A gold cup, with a wide and stable base that gradually tapers upwards to support its smoothly curved body, is shaped like a stemmed goblet. It is decorated with a pair of handles, and the antique goldware has a slightly aged, bronze-gold hue. The outer wall is engraved with a small badger relief, surrounded by light floral and vine patterns, all exquisitely carved.

A young snake with smooth scales coiled on the table, propping its head up to look at the badger in the relief. Its vertical pupils were bright and obsidian-like, and it was extremely focused. Behind it was a young professor, who was also staring at the golden cup in deep thought.

Several open history books were laid out nearby, including "Hogwarts: A History of the School," which contained information about Hufflepuff.
"Helga Hufflepuff was born in 10th-century Wales. She has Nordic blood and her name comes from Old Norse, meaning 'divine blessing.' She grew up in a vast valley and received her early magical education from her mother, focusing on practical magic, especially spells related to daily life. The tranquil natural landscape and her happy childhood shaped her gentle yet powerful personality."

"Around the late 10th century, Helga met the other three founders and together they established Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Unlike other founders who selected students based on courage, intelligence, or ambition, Hufflepuff is willing to accept any child with magical potential, especially those who are not suitable for other houses... Helga is skilled in food-related spells, has developed the classic recipes for Hogwarts banquets, and has arranged for house-elves to work in the Hogwarts kitchens, providing them with a safe and peaceful environment."

"Friendly, humble, and compassionate, she was a charming person who valued tolerance and patience, which made her a mediator among the founders. Her friendship with Rowena Ravenclaw was particularly deep, and the two were described as the closest of friends."

Next to it is a portrait of Hufflepuff, a witch with a slightly plump face, brown hair, blue eyes, a faint smile on her face, and bright eyes; she is a gentle and kind woman.

He was the only founder to spend the rest of his life at Hogwarts. Compared to the other three legendary wizards, Hufflepuff's characteristics were not as distinct, and the house he founded was not particularly outstanding, but his mysterious aura was equally strong.

As a relic of the founder, the Golden Cup was kept by the descendants of Hufflepuff, who only valued its collectible worth and treated it as an antique left by their ancestors over the long years, without exploring the magic hidden within the cup.

After passing through Tom Riddle's hands, Voldemort valued the chalice's commemorative significance more. He used it to kill and split souls to create Horcruxes, which he then gave to Bellatrix, who kept them locked in Gringotts vault.

Wizards like Melvin, who explore the magic of the Golden Cup itself, are actually a minority in the magical world.

Yulm stared at the golden cup for a long time, but couldn't figure it out. He turned around and barked, "Woof?"

Melvin couldn't help but laugh. He didn't speak Parsley, but he could understand some of the meaning from the vivid emotions of a dog's bark. He shook his head and said, "I don't know what magic the golden cup has, but we can give it a try..."

Gryffindor excels in dueling, Ravenclaw has a prodigious memory, Slytherin is proficient in dark magic, and Helga is skilled in practical magic, especially in cooking; it is said that she can enhance the flavor and nutrition of food through magic.

Melvin recalled the contents of the book, rummaged through the cabinet and found some nougat he had collected last year. He unwrapped the candies and threw the damp, sticky candies into the golden cup.

Yulm craned his neck to look.

The milk candy made from honey, cream, and nuts wasn't actually spoiled; it was just that it had been stored improperly for a long time, causing some loss of flavor and milky aroma. When it encountered the dampness of the rainy season, the surface became sticky, adhering to the walls of the gold cup and slowly and sluggishly rolling off, with the slightly melted syrup forming thin threads.

After waiting a moment, the candy's appearance and smell remained unchanged.

The golden cup was stained with sticky syrup; if placed in an outdoor courtyard, it would probably only attract greedy ants.

"Would you like to try some?" Melvin patted Yulm's head as the snake came very close.

"Hiss..." The young snake spoke in words that the giant could not understand.

They took the nougat out through the wrapper, but neither the person nor the snake showed any interest in tasting it. Unfortunately, the beetle and the rat weren't around, so they could only toss it into the trash can, tear off a piece of paper to wipe off the syrup, and declare their first attempt a failure.

"There are also many cups and vessels in mythology..."

Melvin sat down behind his desk, trying to examine the golden cup from other angles, muttering to himself as he combed through it: "The Christian Holy Grail can grant eternal life, cure diseases, and bring endless wealth; there's also the Horn of Amalthea, which contains endless food, and Dagda's Cauldron, which can satisfy all desires..."

Unfortunately, Muggle mythology has no reference value.

My memories from my past life didn't mention what this cup was for.

"We can only try to find our own way to research and experiment."

Melvin rubbed his temples, feeling a bit of a headache. After racking his brains, he still couldn't find a clue. He simply picked up the teapot and poured some water into the golden cup. Yulm looked at him with a puzzled expression, but he didn't explain.

Cups are generally used to hold liquids.

The water rippled slightly in the glass, with specks of oil floating on top – the cream that hadn't been wiped clean earlier.

Nothing changed; the second exploration failed.

For the next half hour, Melvin used all the testing magic he knew, and even tried some offensive magic, such as smoking, roasting, flooding, and freezing, but the Golden Cup gave no feedback, and all attempts ended in failure.

Melvin couldn't help but consider another possibility: Voldemort might have damaged the Golden Cup while creating the Horcruxes, and it was now simply existing as a Horcrux.

A diary allows for writing and communication, a crown can be worn on the head, but how do you deceive people with a golden cup... and communicate with Voldemort?

Melvin fell into deep thought.

……

Lunchtime, Principal's Office.

The portraits of past principals are gathered together, all staring at the round table below. Dumbledore sits in the main seat, a knife in one hand and a fork in the other, slowly and methodically cutting a steak. The tabletop, which used to hold documents and silverware, is now cleaned and set with steaming dishes.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat to the side, each with their heads down, their movements stiff, barely daring to chew. It was really strange to have a meal together in the headmaster's office.

Dobby, sitting next to him, was even more restless, his buttocks seemingly nailed to the chair, in unbearable pain but daring not to struggle, remaining silent and only able to scream in his heart.

Why did Miss Granger invite me to dinner?!

Good heavens, is this a seat for a house-elves?!
Why did Dumbledore agree?
Dobby found it hard to compare whether physical torture was more painful or mental torture was more unbearable; he simply regretted leaving Malfoy Manor.

“If these dishes don’t suit your taste, Dobby, you can eat in the school kitchen.” Dumbledore noticed his restlessness and said gently, “I agree to let you work at the school, with a salary similar to Mr. Filch’s when he entered the school, one Galleon a week. What do you think?”

Joy bloomed on Dobby's face like fireworks. He jumped off the stool impatiently and shrieked, "Dobby has no objections! Dobby is very satisfied! Thank you, Mr. Dumbledore!"

He snapped his fingers and vanished instantly from the unbearable office. "Hogwarts doesn't have such a thing. House-elves don't get paid!" said the portrait of Headmaster Black on the wall. "Dumbledore, you shouldn't have agreed to it."

The crowd became agitated, and the principals and other members whispered among themselves, huddled together, and argued, each with their own differing opinions.

Most wizards do not agree with paying Dobby a salary, but a few headmasters think it is reasonable, and almost all of them are Hufflepuff alumni.

"Shh, it's lunchtime. We can talk later. Don't disturb the children." Dumbledore waved his hand, his magic carrying the authority of a headmaster, turning the portraits over and silencing the noise in the frames.

“That’s how magical portraits are. They retain some of their memories and personalities from their previous lives, making it difficult for them to accept new things.” Dumbledore looked at the young wizards, his azure eyes filled with kindness and affection. “If Melvin were here, he could probably use Muggle knowledge to lecture the portraits, but I can’t. So I choose to delay. The portraits’ temporary memories have a time limit. After a while, they will forget about it.”

"Principal, do you approve of Professor Levent's approach?" Hermione's eyes flashed with surprise.

"Don't you agree?" Dumbledore retorted.

“We…we’re not really sure,” Hermione said softly. “We originally planned to lure Mr. Malfoy to the school, and then find a way to trick him into handing Dobby a sock or a bow tie so that Dobby could be freed, but Professor Levent doesn’t seem to approve of that idea.”

"Oh?" Dumbledore looked at Harry. "What did Melvin say?"

Harry scratched his head, his expression somewhat strange: "Professor Levent said that he is, after all, a professor at the school, and he can't let us conspire to deceive the other students' parents and make us figure out our own way."

“Although Professor Levent said that, he went to Mr. Malfoy himself to make a deal and rescued Dobby from that slave plantation,” Hermione said, speaking up for her tutor. “We just don’t understand why the professor didn’t just set Dobby free, but instead made him earn some kind of ransom, saying that it couldn’t be measured by money?”

“I think Melvin’s suggestion is excellent.”

Dumbledore smiled faintly as he looked at the children and explained gently, “Freedom is not a commodity, not currency, and cannot be bought with money. Freedom obtained through deception and charity is merely self-deception. True freedom can only be earned through one’s own efforts.”

The three young wizards exchanged glances, all sensing a deeper meaning in those words. Harry and Hermione, sensing something amiss, wore thoughtful expressions.

Ron pursed his lips and stuffed a piece of the principal's special roasted chicken leg into his mouth. He knew there was a reason behind it, but reason is just reason, and real life is sometimes unreasonable.

In his opinion, the freedom to give alms, the freedom to cheat, and the freedom to earn oneself are all inferior to the freedom that is already in one's hands.

Who cares if it's real or fake, just take the clothes, right?

Why make things so complicated by setting up so many rules and regulations?

“But Dobby said Professor Levent told him to decide for himself when he could redeem his freedom…” Hermione asked doubtfully, “Without a detailed method of judgment, without specific criteria, how can he know when it’s right?”

"Hmm...that might be a philosophical question." Dumbledore narrowed his eyes, stroked his beard, nodded, and looked thoughtful.

Harry and Hermione exchanged a glance and remained silent. The headmaster's excessive and affected mannerisms were deemed poor acting.

This person definitely knows the answer, but just won't tell them.

Hermione didn't press the matter further; she figured she could just ask Professor Levent during her tutoring session on Saturday night.

The matter was temporarily resolved. In any case, Dobby was freed from Malfoy Manor and no longer had to suffer physical torment. Harry and Hermione relaxed and enjoyed their lunch in peace, with only the sounds of knives, forks, and plates clattering together.

Even though it's the same food, it always feels like it tastes better here than in the auditorium. Maybe it's because the principal provides it, or maybe it's just psychological.

Harry found the table too quiet, swallowed a piece of potato, and asked softly, "Sir, could you tell me about my parents?"

"James and Lily..."

Dumbledore paused briefly, "Seeing you all reminds me of James when he was in school; he also had a group of good friends..."

……

Today is Saturday. After dinner, Harry and Hermione knocked on Professor Levent's office door at the agreed time.

The room's furnishings hadn't changed much, except for a few more books on the shelves. The spine of "Hogwarts: A History of the School" protruded slightly, as if it had been read not long ago. Hermione glanced at it a few more times and suddenly noticed a golden cup on the shelf.

Right where the glass bottles used to be.

Badger-shaped decorations, solid gold handles, and a recently opened school history book... it's hard not to think of Hufflepuff's golden cup.

Melvin, who was behind the desk, looked up, gestured for the two to sit down, and chuckled softly, "Dobby came to me before dinner and told me that you had helped him negotiate the job. Actually, I would have preferred that he negotiate it himself."

Hermione was pondering whether it was truly the legendary golden cup, while Harry mustered his courage and asked, "Professor, I'd like to know, when will Dobby truly be free?"

“When he feels it’s appropriate,” Melvin then replied.

"..."

Harry frowned. What kind of answer was that?
"Alright, that's enough about Dobby. Let's see how you've been doing lately." Melvin waved his hand, moving the furniture to make room in the office. "Standard wizard duels, no restrictions on tactics or magic, until one side concedes or loses their wand."

"Ready! Three...two...one!"

The two of them immediately stopped thinking about it.

For the next 40 minutes, the two young wizards were forced to focus on dueling practice, and Harry won all three of his duels.

The gap between the two has widened significantly. Although Hermione has mastered more spells and can choose the appropriate spells according to different situations and times, Harry's combat application of spells is almost instinctive, and his subtle tactical choices are intuitive. Last semester, they were evenly matched, but now it is a one-sided situation.

The increase in magic was too obvious, and Melvin couldn't help but look at Harry's forehead. Hidden in the lightning bolt-shaped scar was a fragment of Voldemort's soul.

(End of this chapter)