The Rune Mage Starting at Hogwarts

Unsurprisingly, the Gryffindors were still celebrating their great victory at their long table in the Great Hall.

Harry was surrounded by a crowd, while Ron was gesturing wildly to those around him, describing how Harry had "almost swallowed the golden flycatcher."

When Harry saw Ritz walk in, he naturally wanted to greet him, but there were too many people around him, and he couldn't get away for the moment.

Hermione, unnoticed by anyone, quickly walked over.

“Congratulations to Gryffindor for defeating Slytherin. I heard about it on my way back to the lounge. It must have been a very exciting match,” Ryze said first, a slight smile on his face.

“You should congratulate Harry yourself. He wants to thank you for reminding him,” Hermione said quickly.

She seemed a little distracted: "You must have heard about the accident on the field. We discovered a lot this afternoon. Hurry up and finish your meal, then we can go out and talk."

“It’s alright. Judging from your expression, it must be something very important. Let’s finish talking about it first, there’s no rush,” Rez raised an eyebrow, gesturing for Anthony to go eat first.

He and Hermione then walked to the open space outside the Great Hall.

“Harry’s broom went out of control for a full five minutes this afternoon, and I found out that Snape had been chanting spells on Harry’s broom the whole time,” Hermione said as soon as she opened her mouth.

“It’s true, Rhett,” Hermione said hastily, thinking Rhett didn’t believe her. “I saw it with my own eyes. Snape was sitting there staring at Harry, muttering to himself. Hagrid also said that only very powerful dark magic could affect flying brooms, and at the time, only Snape had that ability.”

“Then… cough cough, then I set a fire,” Hermione added, her tone slightly embarrassed, “I managed to burn his robes to interrupt his spellcasting, and after that, Harry returned to normal.”

"Anyway, it must be Snape's fault!" Hermione said, explaining that it was something she had to do in a moment of desperation, and then quickly moved on from the matter.

Rizz nodded, indicating that he understood.

"From this point of view, Snape is indeed quite suspicious."

Hermione then continued, "Later, when we went to Hagrid's hut and were discussing this matter, Hagrid mentioned Dumbledore's name again, saying that Snape was someone Dumbledore trusted and therefore would never harm Harry. Harry immediately remembered when he had seen the name Nicolas Flamel."

She simply mentioned that Harry recalled the information about Dumbledore in the Chocolate Frog cards, which included information about Nicolas Flamel, and then she easily found out Nicolas Flamel's identity.

Hermione tried to keep her voice down, but you could still hear the excitement in her voice.

"It's the Philosopher's Stone! The thing hidden in that room on the fourth floor is the legendary Philosopher's Stone that can create gold at will and grant immortality!"

Chapter 80: Why not write to Dumbledore?

"So, you think Snape's goal is the Philosopher's Stone?" Ryze looked at Hermione, whose expression was somewhat agitated, but his tone remained calm.

“Who else could it be but him?” Hermione whispered, trying to remind Rhys of what Snape himself had said.

"Do you remember what he said in the first Potions class?"

She said to Rhys somewhat uneasily, "He said he could teach us to 'increase our reputation, create honor, and even stop death.' At the time, I thought it was some kind of exaggerated rhetoric, but now it seems that 'stopping death' might refer to the elixir of immortality made using the Philosopher's Stone?"

"I asked the older students, and Snape didn't say that in the first class last year or the year before. It was completely added this year!"

"Then I read in a book that the elixir of immortality made from the Philosopher's Stone is the only one that can be proven to be immortal by a living person who has taken it. Nicolas Flamel has lived from the fourteenth century to the present day!"

"None of the other elixirs of immortality have ever allowed their users to live past three hundred years, so if what Snape said is true, then he would definitely want to obtain the only Philosopher's Stone in the world to create a true elixir of immortality!"

“We told Hagrid about these things, but Hagrid trusted Dumbledore too much and didn’t believe there were bad guys among the professors. We should have let him see what Snape was doing during the game.”

It's clear that after the Quidditch match this afternoon, she's now very wary of Snape, even using what Snape said in the first lesson as evidence.

Rhett actually felt that Snape said those things simply to intimidate the young wizards and give them a warning.

After all, Snape himself said, "There's no need to be silly and wave your wand here." But as Rhys progressed through the courses, he realized that wands were just as important in Potions, and that some precise magical infusions really did require the assistance of a wand.

Some potions are even finished with special wand gestures at the end of the brewing process.

However, given Snape's status, he might have actually studied the Philosopher's Stone with Dumbledore before the start of the semester, and might even have actually mastered the method of making the elixir of immortality, which is why he deliberately said that when the semester started.

After all, he does know how to make the elixir of immortality, but he doesn't have the materials to make it, so it's not really bragging.

Snape himself probably never imagined that this statement would make Hermione and the others suspect him of coveting the Philosopher's Stone.

After she finished speaking, Hermione looked up and stared at Ryze with her brown eyes: "Ryze, what do you think we should do now? We can't just stand by and watch him get away with it, can we?"

Reiz remained silent for a moment, lost in thought.

"Hermione, calm down," Ryze said softly, which immediately calmed Hermione down a lot.

"First of all, there is a problem, which is that the suspicions that Snape wanted to kill Harry and steal the Philosopher's Stone are somewhat contradictory."

"If Snape really wanted to steal the Philosopher's Stone, wouldn't his actions—targeting Harry and even trying to kill him—in order to avoid alerting the enemy before he succeeded, increase the likelihood of him being exposed?"

Hermione was unaware that Snape had once been a Death Eater. After some thought, she realized that what Rhett said made some sense.

“Most importantly, we have to admit one thing,” Rizz held up four fingers and continued, “if Snape really intends to steal the Philosopher’s Stone, and he has been planning it for months, then three, or four first-year students including me, absolutely cannot stop him.”

Hermione's expression immediately turned dejected; she knew it was true.

"So what should we do now? Are we just going to stand here and watch Snape?"

Ryze's expression relaxed a bit: "Of course not. Didn't you know what to do at the Halloween banquet a few days ago? How come you don't know what to do now?"

Hermione paused for a moment, then immediately realized: "You mean, I should go and inform Professor McGonagall?"

She frowned slightly, thinking it was indeed a more secure idea: "But we're just first-year wizards, will Professor McGonagall really believe us?"

“Then just write to Dumbledore,” Rhett suggested calmly. “Now that you’ve found out about Nicolas Flamel and confirmed the existence of the Philosopher’s Stone, and now that Snape has these suspicious points, just compile all these clues, including what you saw Snape chanting a spell at Harry this afternoon, and even my analysis just now. You can write it all in the letter and send it to Headmaster Dumbledore.”

He relayed what Penelope had told them when they first entered the school to Hermione: "In fact, Michael and Terry successfully persuaded Seamus of your house last month to write to Dumbledore, suggesting that Headmaster Dumbledore install escalator-like functions in the staircases of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Towers."

About a week later, they received a reply from Headmaster Dumbledore. In his reply, Headmaster Dumbledore wrote that he also thought the Muggle escalators were very convenient, but the interior of Hogwarts Castle had extremely strong magic, and even the headmaster would find it difficult to make such a big change to the layout of the castle. However, he would discuss this issue with the school's board of directors and write to them again if there was any progress.

Hearing Ryze's words, Hermione was somewhat dumbfounded.

On the one hand, she clearly hadn't considered this "suing the parents" approach.

On the other hand, it was unexpected that Headmaster Dumbledore would actually reply to the young wizard who asked such a bizarre question.

“Write to the Headmaster…” she murmured, increasingly convinced that Rhett’s suggestion seemed more reliable than the rest of them agonizing over it. “You’re right, Rhett. I should have thought of that sooner. Hagrid only trusted Snape because Headmaster Dumbledore trusted him.”

"If Dumbledore knew what Snape had been doing lately, perhaps he could take some precautions against Snape in advance!"

Seeing Hermione about to write a letter, Rizz reminded her not to directly write Snape as the culprit in the letter, but to write down what they saw and guessed, and let Dumbledore judge the rest.

Before Hermione left, Rhett patted her on the shoulder and then performed a simple divination for her: "I don't sense any ominous signs from you, so there shouldn't be any problem. If Headmaster Dumbledore still doesn't take any action after receiving the letter, it can only mean that either Snape is innocent, or this might all be a deliberate arrangement by the Headmaster."

Ryze emphasized the phrase "deliberate arrangement," but Hermione clearly hadn't grasped its true meaning yet. She simply thanked Ryze and hurriedly left towards the lounge.

Chapter 81: Dumbledore's Attention to Rizz

Late at night, in the Hogwarts Headmaster's office.

The strange silver instruments on the table spun tirelessly, making soft clicking sounds and constantly emitting wisps of smoke.

Albus Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, examining a long letter laid out before him.

It must be said that this year's young wizards are indeed bolder than in the past. So far this semester, four or five young wizards have taken the initiative to write to him.

Of course, Dumbledore didn't find it annoying.

In fact, as he got older, he always enjoyed dealing with young wizards, which made his aging mind feel a little more relaxed.

He was particularly tempted by the letter that suggested replacing the Hogwarts staircase with an escalator.

After all, climbing stairs every day is not a pleasant experience for a centenarian.

Unfortunately, the Hogwarts Board of Governors will likely not approve the application, and even the portraits of former headmasters hanging on the walls object to such radical changes.

It seems this matter can only end here.

The letter that arrived today was sent by Hermione Granger, a first-year student.

Dumbledore knew her; after all, Minerva had mentioned the names of the outstanding young wizards of the year to him quite a few times.

The neat and compact handwriting on the letter paper reveals the writer's meticulous character.

The contents of the letter were equally bold.

The first-year wizard listed in detail Professor Snape's recent suspicious activities.

The first lesson of the school year hinted at the elixir of immortality; Harry was bitten by Fluffy on the fourth floor after the troll invasion at the Halloween dinner; and the seemingly magical act of chanting a spell on Harry's broom during the Quidditch match...

In her letter, the young Gryffindor witch frankly admitted to several violations of school rules over the past few months. She also stated that she felt it was worth it, even if it meant losing points, to prevent the Philosopher's Stone from being stolen by someone with malicious intent.

Dumbledore's gaze didn't linger long on the little witch's suspicions about Snape; his fingers lightly traced the end of the letter, where the name of another young wizard was mentioned.

"...Riz White believes we should report this to you to confirm if it is your arrangement, so that our rash actions do not disrupt your original plans. Therefore, I wrote this letter to you without telling anyone except Hagrid."

“Riz White,” Dumbledore murmured the name.

He heard this name from Minerva more often than Hermione Granger.

Not only Minerva, but many other people have mentioned this name when they talked to him.

Philius Flitwick spoke of the boy with great admiration, saying that he was exceptionally talented in spells, easily defeating trolls in first grade, and had a good chance of passing the first round of the junior division of next year's Duel Tournament. By the time Ryze was in third grade, he might even have a chance to compete for a good ranking or even win the championship.

Basilda Barbling also talked to him about the ancient and mysterious rune on Ellie's head. Many people in the wizarding world were also concerned about who this ancient and mysterious magical familiar was currently with.

Hagrid, needless to say, has almost become a close friend of the boy despite their age difference. When talking about him, he always says that the boy is a "reliable and sensible young man who never makes him feel embarrassed."

It has been many years since Hogwarts has seen such a beautiful young wizard.

Even Severus rarely mentioned the other person's name.

Of course, compared to the high praise that the previous speakers had for Ryze, Severus's attitude was completely different.

Deep-thinking, opportunistic, and adept at disguising their emotions.

Dumbledore knew Severus's character because he had an even worse opinion of Harry.

However, Dumbledore did feel that he should pay more attention to this young wizard.

He took off his glasses and rubbed the corner of his eye.

Dumbledore took off his glasses and rubbed his slightly tired inner corners of his eyes. Although he was reluctant to assume ill will towards a student who seemed to be an excellent student at the moment, there were indeed two familiar figures in Ryze that he recognized.

His exceptional ancient magic and divination talent reminded him of his old friend who was imprisoned in Newmongad.

Dumbledore had no idea how much Rizz had seen, nor what Rizz's attitude was toward the Stealing of Fate.

Dumbledore had no idea what Rizz had seen through divination.

Will they remain silent, like those reclusive prophets, to avoid the clutches of fate?

Will they, like Grindelwald back then, after seeing through everything, gather and swarm around each other in the name of "for a greater good," using the halo of a prophet to try to defy fate?

His orphanage background and near-perfect social skills inevitably reminded him of Tom Riddell.

Before revealing his ambition, Tom presented himself to the student body in this perfect manner.

Regardless of his later downfall, based solely on his academic performance, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him the most outstanding graduate of Hogwarts in the 20th century.

All the professors were fond of Tom at the time, but Dumbledore was wary of him from the beginning.

Unfortunately, he overlooked the situation at Hogwarts at the time.

And to be honest, he wasn't an excellent educator at the time.

In short, by the time he realized what was happening, Tom had already grown at an astonishing pace and begun to build his own power base.

But Rizzi and Tom are fundamentally different.

You can tell from their behavior in the orphanage that they are capable of feeling "love".

Furthermore, Andromeda's adoption of his family filled the void of kinship for the child, making his personality gentler than Tom's had been.

The only thing that made him a little uneasy was actually just one thing.

Before Ryze awakened his magical talent, he was physically weak, and there seemed to be some unknown curse affecting his body. Over the past ten years, he had been on the verge of death several times.

His physical condition gradually stabilized only after he awakened his magical talent and signed a contract with Ellie.

What kind of understanding of life and death will a child who has gone through such a difficult journey to reach where he is today have?

Will he, in order to so-called "conquer death," use his talents to embark on a path even more dangerous than Tom and Grindelwald's?

Dumbledore opened his eyes.

He is first and foremost an educator, and if he finds signs that a child is straying from the right path, he must find a way to bring him back.

But for now, let him worry about how to reply to Hermione.

Chapter 82: Dumbledore's Reply

Friday afternoons are always the most difficult time for Ravenclaw students.

Because before the pleasant weekend could arrive, they had to deal with Snape's increasingly unpredictable moods in the cold, dark underground classroom.

This week, news of Snape being bitten by the three-headed dog on the fourth floor spread widely, fueled by Gryffindor.

The Weasley brothers, in particular, made a fortune and acquired magical materials from a bet that Snape's leg wouldn't heal by Monday, making them look smug wherever they went.