Magical Studies at Hogwarts...

Chapter 217 A New Dream

When it comes to pranks, no one at Hogwarts can match the Weasley twins. And when they plan things out in detail, the results are even more outstanding.

Accompanied by crackling sounds, a giant fire dragon composed of green and gold fireworks soared through the corridor. It was incredibly lifelike, constantly spewing out vibrant red fireworks along its path. Colorful, wheel-shaped fireworks, like flying saucers, circled around the fire dragon, and coupled with rocket-like silver meteors, this fireworks show, which required a great deal of effort to produce, could truly be called perfect.

People cheered loudly and shouted incoherently. The older students stood to the side with a little bit of restraint, but the younger students were different; they chased after the huge firework dragon, running back and forth in the corridor.

Upon witnessing this scene, Umbridge was completely stunned. She and Filch, who had gone to tell her, stood dumbfounded on the stairs, their faces filled with disbelief.

"Damn it! Who did this! Who did this?!"

Umbridge shouted, but no one paid any attention to her, especially the little kids chasing the fire dragon; they were having so much fun that they didn't care about anyone.

Suddenly, a wheel-shaped firework shot straight towards their heads. Umbridge and Filch quickly ducked down, almost falling over in their haste. The firework magically exploded right above them, showering down countless sparks like rain, drawing gasps of admiration from the little ones.

"Quick! Filch! We have to think of something to stop them!" Umbridge drew her short wand, pointed it at a rocket with a silvery-white tail, and shouted, "Stun!"

"boom!"

The spell struck the rocket precisely. The rocket paused for a moment, then suddenly grew larger and hurtled towards a painting on the wall at an even faster speed, blasting a hole in it.

"Damn it, don't use the Stunning Charm, Filch!" Umbridge yelled at Filch, then shouted at a wheel-shaped firework, "Disappear now!"

This time it was completely over. The fireworks, which had been hit by the Vanishing Curse, split into more than a dozen and flew in all directions of the castle at an even faster speed. One of them even went straight up the moving staircase to the eighth floor and exploded at the top.

"She shouldn't have used the Vanishing Charm, tsk tsk tsk..." Fred chuckled from the corner. "That only made things worse."

"Yes, I saw it, she really shouldn't have done that." Harry and the others clutched their stomachs, they were laughing so hard they were almost in pain.

All day long, Umbridge and his investigation team were busy dealing with the stray fireworks, but even after a whole day of work, they hadn't completely resolved the issue. The next day, during Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration class, a fire dragon stormed in.

Even though she could easily have dealt with it, Professor McGonagall still chose to send a student to fetch Umbridge. After Dumbledore was driven away, all the professors' dislike for Umbridge reached its peak, and even the upright Professor McGonagall was happy to give her some minor trouble.

The twins' fireworks prank was finally quelled by Umbridge after much effort, and the fireworks were completely destroyed before lunchtime. But this didn't stop the lion cubs from seeing them as heroes, and they even threw a party for them in the common room, where everyone loudly praised them.

It was at this party that the twins gave the lion cubs a surprise: they had more in stock!

Fred dragged out a large trunk and, in front of the lion cubs, opened the window of the common room and set off the fireworks. Huge firework dragons flew around the castle, and amidst the crackling sparks, Umbridge's exasperated voice could still be faintly heard, which made everyone even happier.

It was Friday, and everyone was out late. Harry didn't get back to his dorm until the wee hours. He yawned, climbed into bed, took off his glasses, stretched, and pulled the covers tighter around himself. His mind was filled with Umbridge's disheveled and furious state, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but in his hazy state, he felt his body light and airy, as if he were flying, and he even felt a little dizzy.

After drifting for a long time, his feet finally touched the ground. He had dreamt of this place before; it was the Department of Mysteries of the Ministry of Magic. The difference this time was that he didn't wander in the corridor, but instead followed it to a circular hall.

"Open it...open it...find it..."

A faint voice echoed in his ears, and Harry unconsciously took a step and opened a door around the rotunda.

The room was filled with bizarre and strange lights, eerie ticking sounds, and occasional flashes of golden light.

He didn't stop, opening one door after another, until he finally stopped in a room full of shelves.

The room was strange, like it was filled with tiny, glowing green fairies, flickering and eerily unsettling. He walked without stopping, passing shelves after shelves, and in a daze, he saw a number on one of them: ninety-seven. Just as he was wondering what the number meant, a person suddenly appeared before him…

It's Ike!

Harry watched as Ike waved his hands, trying repeatedly to catch a green crystal ball, but always failing, looking like a clown.

"That's not how it works..."

Suddenly, he thought to himself, and felt an urge to push Ike aside and take it himself.

"We can't get it this way..."

Harry took a few more steps, almost touching Ike. He watched helplessly as his hand, acting on its own, reached out and pushed Ike aside, then slowly reached for the crystal ball…

"what!"

The scar on his forehead throbbed with pain. In a daze, he seemed to hear an angry roar. The next instant, Harry woke up abruptly and sat up. He covered the scar with his hand; it was warm, even burning hot.

"I had another dream..." Harry whispered to Hermione and Ron early the next morning, "I went back to the Department of Mysteries, and this time I saw that thing—a crystal ball!"

"And I saw him..."

"Harry, you shouldn't dream about that place anymore..." Hermione's expression was very serious. "Seriously, have you really learned Occlumency?"

"I swear, I really did learn Occlumency! Last time I even deflected Snape's Legilimency!" Harry declared confidently. "And that's not important. The important thing now is that I know what Voldemort is looking for!"

"But..." Hermione was about to say something when Harry interrupted her.

"No buts, Hermione..." Harry said. "Listen, Voldemort sent Ike to retrieve that thing, but the truth is, Ike couldn't get it!"

"But I can get it! That's what we need to figure out next..." Harry slammed his hand on the table and said firmly.

"We need Voldemort to get that crystal ball first!"

(End of this chapter)