Hogwarts: This professor is too Muggle.

Chapter 303 Guides Me
The Dementors suddenly retreated in unison, and the area around the group instantly became empty. A low, trembling sound came from above, like rolling thunderclouds, a sound that silently pressed down.

The long robe clung to his body, the hem fluttering in the wind. Time seemed to slow down; he approached silently at a rapid pace, yet appeared slow in sight.

If Hermione could go back and compare her memories of encountering Obscurus, she would find that this Obscurus was dark in color, enormous in size, and far more imposing and powerful than any single Obscurus.

This was a replay of her memory: a scene from which several silent creatures joined forces to blockade a Paris museum and tear everything apart; the moment it began to appear, it was as if the past had returned.

Hermione stared blankly at the scene, feeling a pang of regret for using the Time-Turner. It was all her fault; she should have informed Professor Levent, the Headmaster, and the Headmistress after discovering the clues, instead of dragging Harry and the others on a time-traveling adventure.

I clearly remember that on the first night of the school year, when Professor McGonagall handed the Time-Turner to her, she said that she felt she had the courage of Gryffindor and the wisdom of prudence in following the school rules.

At that time, Hermione felt that the Dean's praise was a little embarrassing, but it was not a false politeness. However, seeing the overwhelming Obscurus fog at this moment, she suddenly felt sorry for Professor McGonagall and had let her down.

A bright silver light suddenly burst forth from beneath the gray fog, and the next moment, with three overlapping cries of "Call the Gods to Protect!", the gray fog silently froze for a moment.

The three physical guardians charged out, with the silver wolf leading the way, followed closely by the hound and the doe. They sprinted through the air with steady steps, and if the guardians could make a sound, they would surely be roaring.

The shockwave rippled outwards, and the forms of the three guardian deities crumbled inch by inch. Silver light shone from the cracks, and their pupil-less eyes now resembled stars, illuminating this forgotten sky.

Sirius, his guardian spirit shattered, clutched his chest and groaned. He glanced at Obscurus, who stood frozen in mid-air for a moment, his face as white as a sheet.
"By Merlin, what kind of monster is this?"

“Obscured, the one I met in Paris during the summer…” Hermione stammered, feeling even more guilty, after all, this was the monster that Boggart had unearthed from her fears.

"These young wizards these days are really something..."

Sirius said this, but he didn't mean to blame anyone. He waved his wand again to summon his Patronus, and together with the other two adult wizards, they charged towards the gray fog, completely stopping the downward momentum.

He then relaxed his tense muscles slightly, exhaled the pent-up air from his lungs, and gestured to the young wizards: "What are you still standing there for? Quickly retreat!"

The three adult wizards were all key figures in the Wizarding Wars. Although Sirius Black had just escaped from prison and was somewhat rusty with magic, he was more than capable of providing support. Lupin was a truly skilled Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, and Snape, a former core Death Eater who had coveted the Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching position for over a decade, could, while unable to defeat the Obscurus, delay its advance in the short term.

The Boggarts that Harry and Ron were facing had been cleared away by the gray fog, so they didn't need to be distracted by fighting them. They hid behind the long hem of Snape's wizarding robes and did whatever the professor said, making sure not to cause any trouble.

At this point, we realize that Snape's expressionless face has its advantages; at least it makes people feel at ease and secure.

Occasionally, under Hermione's command, I would occasionally unleash a few beams of Guardian Silver Light. They had no physical form and couldn't help; they were just there for the fun of it, but at least I felt a sense of participation.

"damn it……"

Sirius's guardian spirit shattered again, making his head buzz. He couldn't help but yell, "Is there any special spell to deal with this thing? I'm going to throw up if it keeps crashing into me!"

The silver wolf and the doe lowered their heads and accelerated, crashing into each other as they leaped through the air, causing the gray mist to ripple.

Snape and Lupin were slightly better off, but not by much. Both of them turned to look at Hermione, who was the only one present who had directly faced the Obscurus.

"Let me think, let me think..."

Hermione recalled in a somewhat flustered manner: "There were several Obscurials huddled together when Professor Levent suddenly appeared and set a fire... Yes, it was Fiendfyre!"

[Fire Rage]

A roaring flame erupted from the birchwood wand, its orange light tinged with a faint black aura. Snape, a former Death Eater and seasoned dark wizard, was not only capable of developing his own Sharp Edge to process medicinal herbs, but Fiendfyre was also at his beck and call.

Amidst the surging flames, the faint roars of ferocious beasts could be heard, and the flames immediately engulfed a patch of gray mist.

For a moment, Harry and Ron were both stunned. Was this an Obscurial that even three adult wizards couldn't handle? How could Snape have dealt with it all by himself? Was this the legendary Dark Magic?

Looking up at the raging flames, their hearts were stirred. The two, who considered themselves righteous, suddenly felt an urge to learn black magic.

But the good momentum didn't last long. As Snape withdrew Fiendfire, more gray fog poured in from outside, followed by an enraged, rolling blast.

Snape was forced to repeatedly summon Fiendfyre to counterattack, with only a few seconds' interval between spells. He could only rely on Lupin and Sirius to use Patronus to deal with the situation, making it a rushed and embarrassing affair.

"Snotty thing, just get to the point! What are you dawdling about? Just burn this thing to ashes!"

Sirius Black has started to experience tinnitus and can only speak by shouting, "While you're at it, set those guys over there on fire and burn them all to ashes!"

Snape glanced at him briefly amidst his busy schedule, and muttered, "Fool..."

"Don't think I can't hear you. Who are you calling stupid?"

Lupin, who had been silent all along, suddenly turned around and pressed down on the restless wanted criminal: "Calm down, Sirius! Our professors said in school that Fiendfire is different from ordinary dark magic. It's very easy to get out of control. Once it gets out of control, it can't be extinguished and will turn the entire space into fuel. Then we'll all perish in the inferno!"

"There's nothing good in dark magic..." Sirius waved his hand impatiently.

Hermione lowered her head, suddenly recalling the scene of Professor Levent setting fire to the clouds. The sky above the museum was shrouded in thick fog, with fiery clouds filling the air and the raging flames transforming into all sorts of ferocious monsters, yet the professor treated it all with nonchalance.

In the hands of others, it is an untamed, violent fire; in others, it is like a gentle, docile bellflower flame. That ultimate control over dark magic is even more refined than that of the Death Eaters from over a decade ago.

With Professor Levent around, I always felt exceptionally at ease, as if any difficulty would be easily resolved, even if it was just a matter of silence.

Seemingly aware of her thoughts, Ron muttered a prayer: "If Professor Levent were here."

Hermione remained silent, but unfortunately, this was a place the professor couldn't find or come to.

An endless gray fog seemed to descend from above, like dark clouds pouring down from the entire sky. Hidden within the thick fog were faintly visible scarlet eyes, hovering in mid-air, neither too close nor too far. Their gazes were fixed on them, filled with undisguised malice.

As they approached the campfire, they suddenly heard Harry and Ron exclaim in surprise:

"What's over there?"

"Professor Lewinter!"

In the hazy mist, a figure could be seen appearing and disappearing, standing beside the campfire. He wore a neatly pressed blue suit and stood tall and straight. As they drew closer, his young and handsome face became clearer and clearer, with black hair, black eyes, and a gentle smile.

"!!"

Hermione looked up abruptly, staring at the professor in the firelight, her pupils gleaming in the light.

"Squeak...squeak..."

Before Professor Levente even approached, the bald, toe-missing rat let out a pitiful howl, scrambling and crawling towards him. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a short, stout middle-aged man, clinging to Lupin's leg and sobbing uncontrollably.
"Remus, don't abandon me! Please, I'm willing to confess, I'm willing to clarify the truth, please don't abandon me!"

"..." Sirius reached out to kick her, but as soon as he turned his head, he saw Hermione's brown pupils suddenly contract, and the little witch let out a shrill scream: "That's not Professor Levent, it's Boggart targeting Peter!"

Ron's eyes widened in surprise, a mixture of exhilaration and confusion.

Why is Peter Pettigrew's fear Professor Levent?

……

Melvin pressed down on the knot in the willow tree, and the wildly waving branches quieted down, revealing a tunnel beneath the roots. Inside were many footprints of varying sizes, including those of cats and dogs.

Night had fallen over the area outside the castle, but warm light still shone in the foyer not far away. The banquet was not yet over, and people were still clinking glasses at the main table, while others were chasing and playing in the aisle between the long tables.

Following the directions of the Marauder's Map, we arrived here. On the parchment map drawn with fine lines, the names of a group of people were flashing, but there was no one in front of us.

He searched the entire terrace of the Astronomical Tower, found a lost time converter, located the drowsy Crook Mountain, and inquired with the portraits who were holding a party, but unfortunately, he couldn't find them anywhere.

Melvin closed his eyes and focused on feeling.

A faint magical energy condensed from the unknown space, overcoming numerous obstacles and merging into his body. This process of magical energy growth had been going on for several years without stopping, but upon closer inspection, one could detect that a few strands of magical energy were quite special and seemed familiar.

He seemed to hear a little witch calling out, urgent and somewhat eager.

Melvin frowned slightly. The gift from the horned water snake alone was insufficient to trace its origin and pinpoint its location, nor could it respond to Hermione and the others' prayers.

Locate... mark...

What the longhorn water snake can't do, the ouroboros might be able to try.

Melvin closed his eyes again thoughtfully. His consciousness spread with the magic, blurring the boundaries of time and space. His thoughts sank into the vast fog. Apart from the scattered silver light, only the constantly rotating ouroboros was particularly clear.

One is Miss Beetle, and the other is Mr. Mouse.

Melvin's consciousness touched the mark behind him, and a feeling of weightlessness came over him. His reason knew that he was still in the Hogwarts grounds, but his perception transcended the void of space and time, transforming into a formless existence.

A rolling heatwave swept in, its impact spreading outwards. Thick fog filled the entire space. In the warm light of the outer ring of the campfire, a short, stout middle-aged man lay on the ground, listening to disdainful rebukes.

“Speak! You disgusting rat, why are you afraid of Professor Levent?”

"You made us happy for nothing!"

"..."

Melvin opened his eyes in the darkness. His mind was a little sluggish from the perception of time and space. It took him a few seconds to fully come back to his senses. An anchor point was imprinted in his mind. Although he could not fully understand it, it was detailed and real.

"Places that cannot be found on a map should be defined by time."

Melvin closed the map, took out the time converter and turned it on. The timer's pointer ticked away, and the delicate miniature hourglass in the center was still running.

The hourglass is not placed vertically as usual, but is fixed horizontally in the middle of the timer. Without the interference of gravity, the sand containing the magic of time still flows between the two hoppers.

How many times should we spin around?

Clockwise or counterclockwise?
Melvin gazed at the time converter, pondering for a moment:

Give me directions

The Orientation Charm requires the wand to be held flat in the palm of the hand. The wand will continue to rotate until the tip points due north. It is often used for positioning and navigation in complex environments.

Melvin didn't use a wand to cast the spell, nor was the target direction due north; he simply used the incantation.

As the whispered words were uttered, magic, carrying an irresistible will, was poured into the delicate and compact time converter, causing the gold-plated converter to tremble.

"Tick tock..."

The two pointers spun rapidly, one in the forward direction and the other in the reverse direction.

The sands of time in the hourglass shimmered with golden light.

……

A gap in time and space, a lost terrace.

Hermione sat by the campfire, staring at the quietly burning flames, the image of Professor Levent being crushed by the gray mist constantly flashing before her eyes, just three minutes ago.

Peter squatted down happily to the side, his hands covering his head, his face and clothes covered in footprints, mostly Sirius's, with a few Ron's mixed in. He took advantage of the chaos to kick a couple of times to vent his anger.

But in any case, he survived.

This godforsaken place is full of danger.

The gray fog outside was still thick. When the fog touched the raging fire, it was like falling on a red-hot iron, sizzling and crackling. The fog and fire collided again and again, neither side gaining any advantage. Lupin and Sirius assisted from the side.

The adult wizards dared not relax for a moment, while the young wizards were able to relax.

Peter's wand was confiscated by Sirius, leaving him without the ability to cast spells. He could only huddle around the campfire with the students for protection, at the cost of being covered in footprints.

"How long are we going to stay here? Will we ever be able to leave?" Ron asked, his tone questioning, but he didn't expect anyone to answer.

Harry patted him on the shoulder, knowing that he was just venting his frustrations.

Hermione pursed her lips and gripped the necklace around her neck. She knew she might not be able to hold on much longer. Professor Snape's spells were becoming increasingly spaced out and slower, signs of his growing exhaustion.

The area covered by Fiendfire gradually expanded, a deliberate or unintentional attempt by Snape to alleviate the pressure on his two support characters.

When he can no longer unleash the Fiery Blaze and the Guardian Deity, he may relinquish control and allow the Fiery Blaze to engulf the entire space.

Even if there was no certainty, the only option was to activate the time converter to go back to the past several centuries ago or to go to the unknown future.

(End of this chapter)