Hogwarts: This professor is too Muggle.

Chapter 378 Dementor Ranch

Harry and the others entered the venue through the only passage. The opening suddenly closed, and darkness and coldness rushed in. The ground was not flat, and subtle sounds echoed in the corridor. The invisible atmosphere spread and made people feel uneasy.

There was only a faint light ahead, drawing people to slowly approach. Bastian followed Hermione and only when they got closer did they realize that it was a strange and ugly dark creature.

“Hinkpunk!” Harry couldn’t help but gasp.

“And… Boggart!” Sirius added in a low voice.

……

The haunted house welcomed its first visitors, while the top floor of the venue was a bright and clean café. Melvin and Christine sat by the window, the aroma of coffee wafting from their bone china cups.

The main style is elegant European, with walls decorated with Victorian-era tree-patterned wallpaper, round tables and bar counters made of solid wood, and chairs and sofas with signs for Horror Journey and Magic Mirror Club, so it doesn't feel gloomy at all.

Melvin changed out of his Muggle trench coat and made a point of trying on the haunted house's work clothes on opening day. The dark green robe was trimmed with silver snakeskin, and the club's logo, which gleamed dimly, was on the chest and the brim of the wizard's hat.

The costumes for the horror trip were specially commissioned from the Tuofan Clothing Store. They emit a more conspicuous phosphorescence in the dark, exuding elegance with a touch of gloom, like a vampire count from an adventure story.

From the moment she stepped into the venue, Christine was curious about the true purpose of this haunted house.

As a witch of the Rozier family and an active member of the Vigilante Party, she had seen all sorts of businesses, even the magical amusement park in Paris.

She could tell that the haunted house wasn't in business to make a profit, or at least not entirely; at least Melvin didn't seem to care much about profits.

"Are tickets only for wizards?" Christine asked curiously. This location was too remote; the Ministry of Magic chose this location precisely to avoid the view of Muggles.

"That's the current plan."

Melvin picked up a sugar cube and dropped it into the cup, stirring it slowly: "Actually, the initial idea was to set it in Hogsmeade, a pure wizarding village, based on the Shrieking Shacks, but that place is rather special, and it's too close to the school."

Christine nodded thoughtfully: "As a haunted house created under the guidance of experts in Muggle studies, this special venue doesn't welcome Muggles. Doesn't that mean we're losing half the customers?"

"This venue is not for serving customers and earning gallons."

"What was the purpose of that?"

"It's less of a haunted house and more of a ranch, operating in order to obtain sufficient feed."

“Pasture…feed?” Christine blinked.

Meeting the witch's curious gaze, Melvin picked up his coffee, took a sip, and chuckled softly, "As a venue that combines Muggle haunted houses and wizarding horror styles, it houses many dark creatures that are not dangerous but can still frighten people, such as Hinkpunk, Boggart, and Sphinx... Even if you run it as a zoo, the income would be considerable."

He paused briefly: "I handed this place over to Horror Travel Company for operation. Apart from a portion of the revenue being invested in the construction of the haunted house, all other profits go to Horror Travel, and the club doesn't take a penny."

“Completely different from the magic park in Paris, it’s not open to Muggles and doesn’t take a profit, just like the ranch you mentioned.”

Christine carefully chose her words: "Your initial purpose was...feed?"

Melvin nodded slightly: "The walls of the venue have been thickened and a secret passageway has been designed. This is partly to facilitate the entry and exit of staff, and partly to serve as a habitat for Dementors, whose main food is the joy and fear of tourists..."

"A ranch like Azkaban?"

"It sounds like you've read my paper too."

“I’ve read all the papers and news articles related to you.”

Christine readily admitted, looking around the café's walls, that they had indeed been thickened, a significant change in the main structure compared to when it was used as a Quidditch stadium.

Why go to so much trouble to raise Dementors?

"It's related to my research topic, a topic related to magic."

"The mystery of the soul that you once mentioned?" Christine looked into those deep eyes.

Melvin nodded, making no attempt to hide anything: "Over the past few centuries, many excellent wizards have more or less noticed this phenomenon: emotionally unstable teenage wizards grow their magic faster than adult wizards, while adult wizards who experience major life changes may occasionally experience a magical awakening."

“Since the founding of Hogwarts a thousand years ago, Salazar Slytherin has been researching the origin of magic and has touched upon the mysteries of emotions and the soul. Although he left Hogwarts in his later years due to disagreements among the founders and his whereabouts are unknown, leaving no specific experimental reports or papers, every relic he left behind bears traces of emotions and the soul.”

"The snakewood wand he left behind was taken to Mount Greylock by his blood relatives, where it took root and sprouted into the snake tree of Iphamoni. The magic of the snake tree miraculously inspired a long-lived horned water serpent in the area, and the horned water serpent then gifted this gift to me, allowing me to access that peculiar realm where some emotions can be transformed into magic."

"I recently found the locket left by Slytherin, which helps wizards to visualize their emotions..."

He slowed his speech and concluded: "The soul is the source, or treasure trove, of a wizard's magic, and emotions are the key to unlocking this treasure trove."

"This key has no fixed shape, and it is difficult for a wizard to find the correct way to open the treasure vault on his own. However, some magical creatures are born with this skill."

Melvin looked at the ceiling of the café, where crystal chandeliers were decorated with carvings of several magical creatures.

Christine looked up following his gaze and quickly realized, "For example, Dementors and Boggarts."

For the next half hour, Melvin and Christine discussed this topic: the influence of one's own emotions on the soul, and the magic of transforming the emotions of others.

The conversation between two professors from two different magic schools resembled a teacher-student lecture. Christine's mind was completely absorbed in this magical research spanning a thousand years, her expression focused and earnest.

As the white morning mist dissipated in the forest, the brass wind chimes hanging in the window suddenly swayed.

After taking the last sip of coffee, Melvin smiled faintly: "It seems the first group of tourists has reached the finish line. Let's go, let's give them their clearance gifts to commend their courage in overcoming their fear."

……

Harry and Sirius's godfather and godson duo, along with the Granger sisters, stood in front of the hole marked "Emergency Exit," hesitating for a long time before finally managing to muster the courage to step through.

Their attire had subtly changed compared to when they first entered the venue.

Several young wizards had mud on their trousers. Harry's knees were worn and his bottom had footprints—marks left from when he slipped and fell during his hasty escape, only to be trampled by Bastian in his panic. Hermione and Bastian were both wearing summer outfits bought by the Grangers, light blue with pink accents, a fresh and cute set for young girls. Now, the outfits were muddy and baggy, looking rather disheveled.

A fine layer of cold sweat broke out on his body, and his hair hung on his face. He didn't have time to tidy himself up, and Bastian was still somewhat shaken.

"No wonder it was built in such a remote place..."

Sirius muttered to himself, his face showing a look of shock, his eyes darting around as if he had seen a ghost.

In fact, they did see a ghost.

After passing through the passage that Hermione had explained, they did indeed feel an unusual atmosphere, as if they were in an abandoned world. Harry sensed the presence of Dementors and got goosebumps all over his body.

Without any obvious signs, they could only follow the faint light deeper into the venue, only to discover upon closer inspection that it was a Hinkpunk trap.

Before they could react, they were already deep in the swamp, with crocodiles lurking in the mud, ready to devour them. They didn't even have time to pull out their wands.

The crocodile bit their arms and waists and began to roll and die. They screamed in panic and were dragged out of the swamp. Sirius was the first to react and seized the opportunity to lead the group out of the swamp, tumbling and crawling all the way out.

After calming down, they realized that the crocodile was some kind of black magic prop. Although the bite was painful, it was not dangerous. Not a drop of blood was drawn, and the flesh was not broken. The death roll was just to help them get out of the swamp.

The rest of the route follows the same design.

The terrain inside the venue is complex and varied. Whenever they see what appear to be directional signs, they approach them cautiously with anticipation. But when they let their guard down, dark creatures and black magic traps will be launched from unexpected places.

In the silent woods, the trembling calls of the pheasant echoed, low and mournful, responding to the rhythm of my heartbeat, making me feel palpitations and panic, wondering if I had a heart attack.

Around the corner, a banshee would suddenly jump out and wail. Although Hermione explained that this was a common type of jump scar in horror movies, they still couldn't help but tremble with fear when they faced the pale-faced, white-haired banshee.

In the gaps between the rocks and bushes, one can always see swarms of spotted ground grass and evil spirits. Those long-faced creatures make shrill, grating cries and crawl out in dense numbers, sending chills down one's spine.

The venue was shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere. After walking along the straight road for a long time, you would start to wonder if something was following you, but when you looked back, you could only see your own shadow.

Hermione explained in a trembling voice that it was the bones of a giant sea monster buried on the road, and that the thing could hide in the shadows.

Later they found a way to work together and push forward, but the result was...

Harry still shudders as he recalls it: "Who came up with this idea? Hiding the key in the stone slabs and treetops, so that touching it would teleport it to another place, making it a long walk for a person!"

Considering that his lost wand has not yet been recovered, such an experience would be devastating to the mind and body of an underage wizard.

"Should we go through that emergency exit up ahead?" Sirius asked in a low voice. He thought Black's old house and Azkaban were eerie enough, but he didn't expect this venue to frighten a seasoned wizard like himself.

“Let’s go, there’s no other way.” Hermione held Bastian’s hand tightly, not daring to let her guard down for a moment.

“Bastian believes there are no traps there…”

Bastian spoke softly, and was actually the calmest one. Her silence made her senses exceptionally sharp, allowing her to detect things in advance. Even if she was teleported away by the Portkey, she could quickly find Hermione's location.

Harry and Hermione exchanged a glance, took a deep breath, and slowly approached the cave entrance.

Suddenly, the view opened up, revealing a clear sky and lush forest. The group was still somewhat dazed. Harry hesitated for a moment, then breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that it wasn't a trap to lull them into a false sense of security.

"Congratulations... you are the first customers to leave the haunted house." A gentle and familiar voice came from the side.

As Melvin and Christine walked side by side, Hermione pursed her lips, feeling that the smiles on the two professors' faces didn't seem so friendly anymore, and she had a feeling that they were hiding a cunning malice.

Melvin took out the holly wand and waved it in front of Harry: "There are no prizes for the horror tour, so you can keep this as a souvenir."

"Professor Levent! Where did you find him?"

Harry's eyes lit up with surprise.

……

Late at night, at the Broken Cauldron Bar.

Harry looked out of the window of his second-floor room. Diagon Alley, adorned with streetlights, was peaceful at night. London was shrouded in darkness, and occasionally the sound of cars passing by could be heard from Charing Cross Street outside.

The wizards hurried along, and the tavern was brightly lit.

Having experienced the haunted house during the day, they didn't want to return to the eerie and gloomy Black's old house. Since there were only a few days left before school started and they still had to buy items from their back-to-school list, they decided to stay at the Leaky Cauldron.

This time it wasn't a helpless choice after running away from home, but rather he was with Sirius. The Quidditch World Cup final was being replayed downstairs in the pub, and Sirius wanted to go have a couple of drinks, but wouldn't let Harry join in, telling him to get some rest.

This parental discipline left Harry feeling both helpless and happy.

His thoughts drifted away, and he vaguely heard noises downstairs, car horns behind him, and scattered footsteps on the streets of Diagon Alley. His vision blurred as he seemed to catch a glimpse of a familiar figure walking by.

A young male wizard.

Harry was taken aback: "Professor Levent?"

After retrieving the Hollywood Wand at Dartmoor during the day, Hermione introduced them to Professor Rosier of Beauxbatons. After reminiscing about their experiences in Paris last summer, Professor Levent and Professor Rosier of Beauxbatons left.

With the start of the new semester approaching, Professor Rozier needs to return to the Pyrenees.

Professor Levent is also staying in London. Because he disliked the Leaky Cauldron, he booked a suite at a Muggle hotel. Why would he be here so late at night?

The dim streetlights were not enough to illuminate his face, half of which was hidden in shadow. He wore a cloak-like robe, and although his steps appeared slow, they were actually quite fast. In the blink of an eye, he had crossed the street and headed into a narrow alley.

That's the alleyway leading to Flip-Over Alley.

(End of this chapter)