A certain broken Hogwarts

Chapter 76 Lady Elizabeth

The ghosts' celebration continues; it's hard to imagine that such a lively atmosphere could exist in this freezer-like environment.

The gathering also attracted several professors. Besides Dumbledore, who was engrossed in conversation with a group of cloaked ghosts, Professor Snape peeked in from outside the door, looking gloomy as if he'd been woken from his sleep. Dumbledore immediately spotted him and pulled him close, enthusiastically introducing him to his ghostly friends. Snape's face remained etched with gloom and rejection throughout.

Professor Flitwick also joined in the fun. The short professor enthusiastically waved his wand on the stage, conducting a series of instruments in a moving symphony, only to be met with indifference from the ghosts, with only a few living people clapping enthusiastically.

Later, Sir Francis led the headless hunters on ghost horses in a spectacular performance around the conference room. Accompanied by long horn calls, they charged forward like a group of warriors heading to the battlefield.

The enthusiastic and generous Ghost Rider even kindly invited Nick, who was almost headless, to ride on his ghost horse. Nick was so moved that he almost cried, but accidentally fell off the horse midway through the performance.

Immediately afterwards, Sir Stuart conducted the Ghosts in playing a piece he had composed, which received unanimous praise from the Ghosts. Although the sound of the saw playing was uniformly grating and unpleasant to Irving, Mrs. Grey surprisingly expressed her appreciation.

Only Ms. Elizabeth had no intention of performing. After exchanging words with a group of ghosts for a while, she bowed slightly to the crowd, then floated away behind the stage and disappeared.

The three guests left one after another, but the ghosts' enthusiasm did not die down. On the contrary, because they had let go of their restraint, they had even more fun.

Blaise also set off a long string of fireworks in the ghost pile. Blue and red flames gathered into agile fire dragons and elegant birds, illuminating the entire conference room and attracting countless ghosts to dance with the fireworks, like silvery-white bubbles floating in the sky.

At this point, Owen had to say goodbye to Ms. Grey for the time being: "Helena, I have to go see my three friends. I hope you have a good night." He waved and then carefully moved among the ghosts, lest he accidentally pass through one of their bodies.

After finally reaching the back of the stage, there was a smaller room hidden there, also lit by glowing blue candles. The surrounding noise suddenly faded away, and even the grating sound of the clapperboard became faint.

The three ghosts, who had been separated for centuries, finally had the opportunity to meet and were now exchanging pleasantries. The two men got along very well and chatted enthusiastically, while the indifferent Ms. Elizabeth listened quietly most of the time, nodding and saying a few words now and then.

"Oh dear, look who's here! Our clever little friend!" Sir Francis laughed heartily upon seeing Owen. "It's a pity I can't give you a hug. I love my story-writing friends."

Sir Stuart smiled and stroked his mustache, his hazy, silvery-white face showing faint wrinkles: "You cunning little fellow, I never dreamed I'd be tricked out of my own home one day."

Ms. Elizabeth nodded slightly, her bright red eyes scanning Owen up and down, a look of doubt and seriousness reappearing on her beautiful, usually expressionless face.

Owen grinned. He knew that once these three met, his trick would be exposed, but he didn't intend to hide it any longer. He gave an elegant bow and said, "I apologize for inviting you here in this way. It has been my dream to meet you all."

As he spoke, he winked mischievously with his left eye: "However, I suppose I was just playing along. If you hadn't come willingly, nothing could have escaped your intelligence."

"Good eye," Sir Stuart said humorously. "Who could refuse to meet a few renowned peers?" He patted Francis on the shoulder, then looked solemnly at Elizabeth: "Elizabeth, I regret your situation. I never imagined..."

"It's alright," Ms. Elizabeth said succinctly. It was the first time Owen had heard her voice; it sounded ethereal and fleeting, as if carried by the wind from a distant place, with a faint echo.

Her red eyes looked at Owen again, she tilted her head, and said, word by word, "I have something to say to you."

Owen nodded happily, and then followed the female ghost to a corner of the room.

Elizabeth circled Owen once. She looked to be in her early twenties, petite in stature, her skirt and hair fluttering silently like a blooming silver rose dancing in the wind. Finally, she stared blankly at Owen's face, a barely perceptible worry appearing on her beautiful, expressionless features.

"Something's wrong with your body," she said slowly and weakly, as if with great difficulty. "I can sense an extremely evil power lurking within you..."

"How did you find out?" Owen raised an eyebrow. She actually managed to detect the problem with the Dark Guard?

"It seems you're not surprised. You knew..." Lady Elizabeth looked at him indifferently, slowly raising her slender finger to point to her red eyes, answering Owen's question: "I am not an ordinary ghost, but a cursed spirit, which is why I can detect you."

"A cursed spirit?" Owen looked at the other person in confusion; he had never heard of this term before.

"I didn't become a ghost willingly. I was cursed by a wizard and forced to reside in this world. I am a cursed spirit, or you could call me an 'evil spirit,'" Elizabeth said, enunciating each word clearly and without any emotion. Although she was expressing her sorrow, she showed no emotion whatsoever, as if all feelings had been erased from her.

Owen paused for a moment, then said slowly, "I'm so sorry..." It was undoubtedly a very pitiful and tragic thing that this kind and benevolent lady in life was cursed and became an evil being after death.

Ms. Elizabeth simply shook her head and spoke one word at a time: "A cursed spirit is a type of spirit controlled by evil instincts. Although I have barely preserved my sanity, I am essentially an evil being, and therefore retain some special abilities... such as possession."

She tilted her head to look at Owen, frowning as she carefully organized her thoughts: "I don't know if you know that the evil power in your body is like a tough but hollow shell, which is very attractive to evil spirits and makes them easy to possess."

Owen's pupils suddenly contracted. The Dark Seer, Voldemort's change of attitude—everything became clear.

"That guy's got his eye on my body? Doesn't he already have Quirrell?" Owen rolled his eyes inwardly. "He's got his hands on something else while still wanting more. Voldemort is such a scumbag." Despite his internal monologue, his expression turned serious.

Elizabeth ignored Owen's change in expression, and simply said softly, "The existence of that power makes you extremely susceptible to influence and manipulation once you are possessed by an evil spirit, and it might even directly seize ownership of your body... The human body has limited resilience, and the more powerful the evil spirit, the stronger its corrosive effect on the physical body. Because of the buffer provided by that evil power, your body will be able to withstand it more..."

She tilted her head again, her red pupils glazing at Owen: "Moreover, your body seems to be intentionally altered, slowly becoming able to sustain possession for longer periods, seemingly due to the effects of the potion..."

Owen's lips twitched. He knew something was wrong with the potion Voldemort had brewed! Potions weren't just for drinking; they could also be gaseous... He'd spent a long time in the potion's steam that day, and just thinking about it made him feel like he had no will to live.

"I think you've been targeted by some evil spirit." Ms. Elizabeth stared blankly at him, her expression strangely numb. "However, this change is gradual and will take some time. Presumably, the evil spirit won't bother you during this period... You'd better seek help before then and find a way to eliminate that spirit."

"Ms. Elizabeth, does possession by an evil spirit require the host's consent?" Owen pondered.

"No, it's not necessary. People with weak wills are more easily possessed, but many can drive away the evil spirits they are possessed by their own will and spirit. However, if the host is willing, the possession will be very smooth," Ms. Elizabeth replied, word by word. "You are one of those who are extremely easy to possess."

"This is truly a sad discovery." Owen's smile was gentle and perfect, but his slightly narrowed eyes held a deep killing intent. "What if that evil spirit that's targeting me can't be eliminated? What should I do?"

Ms. Elizabeth said indifferently, "It's very simple. Since you have an empty shell inside your body that's suitable for evil spirits to live in, fill it with something else before you get possessed."

Irving raised an eyebrow: "You want to possess me?"

The beautiful, expressionless female ghost looked at him, puzzled, seemingly quite surprised that he would ask such a question. Without hesitation, she shook her head: "The power within you is very strong, and only a more powerful and evil spirit could possess and control you. I don't meet the requirements; I would only be instinctively destroyed by that power, never to find release again."

"It's safe to say that no evil spirit in this world could meet the requirements." A look of bewilderment and solemnity returned to her face. "So, the thing that's targeting you... might not be an evil spirit, but something far more malevolent and terrifying."

Owen nodded gravely, then bowed sincerely in thanks: "Thank you for reminding me, Ms. Elizabeth. This is very important to me."

Ms. Elizabeth indifferently shifted her gaze, saying in a distant tone, "If you need to figure out how to fill that empty shell, I might be able to offer some assistance. I have some knowledge of spirits. In my Nightmare Forest, some nightmares still live; they can be used as material, but you mustn't harm them..."

"Thank you, I will visit you. I hope it won't bother you." Owen smiled at the woman who wasn't good with words. Although her expression remained cold and wooden, one could still sense her kind and gentle heart.

Ms. Elizabeth turned her head away, seemingly a little embarrassed.

To this, Irving could only smile and shake his head. What a kind and shy lady.

(End of this chapter)