A certain Hogwarts professor of runes.

The British Ministry of Magic's inadequate response to the riots at the Quidditch World Cup, and its continued failure to provide a satisfactory explanation, raises serious doubts about their ability to shoulder the responsibility of hosting such a vital and ancient event.

This newspaper reprints some viewpoints from the British newspaper *The Daily Prophet*: The Ministry of Magic (note: referring to Britain, not France) is hopelessly indulging in the illusion of peace, losing sufficient vigilance. For years, security has been lax, dark wizards have roamed freely, and the Ministry of Magic (note: same as above) has become extremely fragile, like a frail old man slowly walking towards his grave. We desperately need fresh blood…

……

It's not hard to see that British wizards have also lost faith in their own Ministry of Magic. Perhaps, in this year's competition, they will see the brilliance of France.

It's worth mentioning that Felix Heap, the wizard who shone brightly during this crisis, was at the pride of France—the Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was on very good terms with Headmistress Ollie Maxime and had accepted an invitation to visit the school. He was also one of Beauxbatons' board members and was reportedly involved in the selection of warrior candidates…

Felix closed the French Magic Daily and muttered, "It's all nonsense, school hasn't even started yet." He put the newspaper aside and focused on enjoying his breakfast—croissants, orange juice, a fruit platter, and cookies.

As the newspapers reported, on the very day the Quidditch World Cup ended, he accepted Mrs. Maxime's invitation to visit Beauxbatons School. Although the school had not yet started, it was not without students; some aspiring warriors had applied to stay at the school.

Information is relatively open in France, unlike in Britain where news is kept tightly under wraps, so these students have access to insider information, some true and some false.

Rumors circulated that the number of warriors from each school might change, and that it might be four instead of one. The students discussed this as if they had witnessed it firsthand, with one little girl seriously refuting it, saying that each school would send a team of three to participate in the project.

Regardless, many people's minds started to wander. If there was only one candidate, most students would give up, but as long as there was a second possibility, many people felt that their chances had increased tenfold.

Therefore, every student Felix sees in Beauxbatons is a potential champion for the tournament, a true elite.

There are also reports that the principal of Iphamoni suggested holding a five-school exhibition match before throwing the candidates' names into the Goblet of Fire, so that the others wouldn't have come for nothing. This suggestion was strongly supported by Vagado—their school has too many students, and it is said that the number of people who signed up within the school alone exceeded one thousand!

The number of students in Vagado is greater than the combined number of students in the three magic schools in Europe.

Of these three schools, Hogwarts has the fewest students because it mainly admits qualified students from the UK. It does accept students from other places, but it rarely extends invitations. Most of Beauxbatons' students come from France, with a small number of aspiring wizards from Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. As for Durmstrang, located in Northern Europe, its students also come from more than one country, such as Germany and Bulgaria.

But when it comes to the most famous school in Europe, the first one that comes to mind internationally is Hogwarts. Especially in the last half century, Albus Dumbledore, who served as the headmaster of Hogwarts, single-handedly intimidated two generations of Dark Lords and defeated and imprisoned one of them, which pushed this prestige to new heights.

……

The tables in Beauxbatons Auditorium are quite distinctive; they are large, square tables that can seat five or six students on each side. The tables are decorated with exquisite gold and blue patterns, and clusters of flowers hang from a standing decoration in the center of the table, resembling a candlestick.

Not far from the square dining table, opposite Felix, two Beauxbatons students were secretly observing him.

They whispered in French, "...So young, and already a member of the school board..."

"I heard he is the successor of Mr. Nicolas Flamel."

Why is his hair black?

"What do you mean?"

“Mr. Nicolas Lemaître had brown hair when he was young, I’ve seen his portrait… The surname doesn’t match either, could he be a distant nephew?”

"Or perhaps they're relatives of Ms. Perenall?" they chattered, their voices growing louder and louder.

"Keep your voice down!" one of them said. They peeked around for a while and saw that Felix was not responding to their conversation. He was studying the various fruit jams on the table, spreading them on bread one by one to try the flavors. They breathed a sigh of relief. "Maybe he doesn't understand French."

They then started talking about the championship tournament—

"How's your magic training going?"

"So-so. The professors found the most frequently used spells from previous tournaments and gave them to us for reference, but I only mastered about a third of them..."

"That's not bad either. Professor Sanchez said my reactions are always a beat slower than others, so my chances of being selected are slim," the girl said sadly.

At that moment, a girl gracefully approached Felix and said in French, "Mr. Hep, Mrs. Maxim invites you to the professors' afternoon tea party."

“Thank you,” Felix said in fluent French. He stood up and gave a slight bow to the two stunned girls beside him. “Regarding your previous questions, the answer is: Nick and I are not related by blood. I simply inherited his alchemy.”

……

"Hello, my name is Fleur, Fleur Delacour," the girl leading the way said, turning back as she walked ahead. She had a cascade of long, silver hair.

“Hello, Miss Delacour, I’ve heard your name quite a few times these days.”

"I hope it's not a bad reputation. I don't get along with those girls. They complain that I steal their thunder!" Hibiscus tossed her long hair, bright arcs of light dancing on the surface of her silver hair.

"They think you're the Warriors' number one choice."

“Oh, that’s true,” Fleur said confidently. “I will definitely become a warrior.”

Beauxbatons was like a palace complex, and the two strolled through exquisite suites, corridors, and side halls. Felix paused for a moment to admire the divine horse kept in the garden.

They have beautiful silver manes, and each one is as big as an elephant.

"These are divine horses, with beautiful lines, especially their manes. I think they are the most beautiful of the four types of winged horses. They are very strong and will pull the school carriages across the strait and mountains," Furong said proudly.

Felix nodded slightly. "Madame Maxim told me that the carriage was enchanted with various spells, especially the Concealment and Levitation spells."

Madame Maxime waited in a French aristocratic-style drawing room. When Felix appeared, she stood up to welcome him, and a dozen or so French professors followed suit.

“Mr. Hyp, please have a seat here—thank you, dear,” she said to Fleur, who left with light steps.

Mrs. Maxim introduced Felix: "This is Professor Sanchez, who is in charge of spell training for students during the summer. This is Lemaille, who is in charge of potions, and this is Boyer, who is very knowledgeable in herbs and alchemy... To be honest, I don't know if alchemical items are allowed, but it's best to prepare in advance."

Felix nodded and smiled at them. "I've spoken with Professor Boyer, and his expertise in alchemy is astonishing."

Boyle—an elderly professor with a full head of white hair and a thin build—said tremblingly, “These words should be passed on verbatim to Professor Hyp. I can hardly believe that, despite his young age, he is so knowledgeable about all kinds of ancient magical artifacts and has solved many of my problems.”

The professor named Sanchez asked impatiently, "Professor Hyp, what do you think of Beauxbatons' students? I heard that Hogwarts didn't prepare for summer training. Does that mean they're confident of victory?"

“I do have some confidence, but—” Felix looked at the others, “This year is different from previous years, with new schools joining, I guess the competition will be much more difficult.”

“That’s true,” Sanchez nodded, scratching his red beard. As the professor in charge of the students’ summer training, the subject he was responsible for was similar to Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, and he had deliberately collected relevant information.

At this moment, he said confidently, "The difficulty will definitely be adjusted, after all, we need to take into account the performance of other schools. It's just hard to say whether it will be increased or decreased. It's the first time, so I guess everyone doesn't have much experience. Unlike before when there were only three schools, and everyone knew each other..."

He asked tentatively, "Ilfamoni and Vagado are coming on strong. Does Hogwarts have any countermeasures?"

The other professors paused for a moment, then stared intently at Felix. Felix shook his head: "I don't know much about other schools. The only thing I can do is improve the abilities of my own students. I have high hopes for some of them; they possess enormous potential..."

“That’s true…” Sanchez said, somewhat unwillingly, “but we can’t let an outsider take the championship in the very first Final Five tournament, can we?”

The other professors nodded in agreement. Although the statement was somewhat exclusive, the three schools were all in Europe and could be considered an alliance. Although there was competition among them, they actually had a good relationship.

But if Iphamoni or Vagado were to win the championship, it would undoubtedly be a huge disgrace for wizards all over Europe. They would be vilified and unable to hold their heads up high.

Felix glanced around and said casually, "Hogwarts has faced countless challenges since its founding over a thousand years, but no one has been able to defeat it. Hence the motto—'A sleeping dragon should not be disturbed.' I believe it will be the same this time."

Chapter 347 The End of Modern Magic?

The professors at Beauxbatons seemed somewhat disappointed at not getting any information. In fact, Felix had sensed an intention to form an alliance, and as someone who was both a Hogwarts professor and a Beauxbatons board member, he was the most suitable person to act as a go-between.

But they don't even know what the competition is, yet they're already rushing to find helpers. That's just wishful thinking.

He doesn't intend to get involved.

If he had to choose between the two schools, it would undoubtedly be Hogwarts. Just as if you asked Nick Flamel the same question, his answer would certainly be Beauxbatons.

For the next few days, Felix stayed in the Beauxbatons library, browsing interesting materials and expanding his knowledge base.

His greatest gain was not a specific magic trick, but a novel perspective on knowledge.

Felix first noticed something unusual in the alumni donation section of the library: Hogwarts and Beauxbatons, in addition to purchasing new books every year to fill the library, also accept donations from alumni, including some rare ancient books as well as academic works by well-known alumni.

For example, Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration knowledge, Flitwick's Charms research, and Snape's Potions recipes, if not designated as successors, would all eventually remain at Hogwarts.

Felix discovered that there were subtle discrepancies between Beauxbatons' collection of books and his own understanding of the same magic, not individual discrepancies, but rather a holistic discrepancy.

This feeling is indescribable, yet it truly exists. It's like two compasses, one shifted 0.01 degrees to the left, and the other 0.01 degrees to the right.

Between them lies Beauxbatons and Hogwarts.

……

One late night, the sky was as pure as a piece of black velvet, and the full moon had only been over for a few days.

In a makeshift office, Felix spread out a piece of parchment, trying to jot down any sudden inspirations.

It's like having a thin veil over your eyes. Over time, you'll naturally stop seeing it. It doesn't affect your vision, but it's real.

If we were to use colors to represent the differences, Hogwarts would be a transparent silver-white, while Beauxbatons would be a deep blue. It's not about which color it is, but rather that everything you see is tinged with that color.

“Perhaps this is a difference in the understanding of magic brought about by subtle cultural differences. It doesn’t affect the casting of spells, but it does…” He paused and pondered carefully.

Felix couldn't help but wonder if he was being too sensitive, but he quickly found a way to verify it.

The next day, he borrowed a thick stack of books from the Beauxbatons Library.

He then used Occlumency to temporarily block out his knowledge of the Armored Charm, including derivative spells like the Armored Charm and Bless All, and even sealed away all magical knowledge related to the spell. He then picked up a thick book, opened the introduction to the Armored Charm, and started learning from the beginning.

This process was really awkward. Whenever his old magical knowledge came up, he would immediately block it out, treating himself as a blank parchment, a little wizard who knew nothing.

What he wanted to do was to temporarily set aside his past understanding of magic and the constraints of his experience, and start from the very basics to relearn the Ironclad Spell, while eliminating as many previous distractions as possible.

He didn't know if doing this would work, but his intuition told him it would be a great way to experience magic.

He had actually tried starting with the simplest 'Fluorescent Blink' spell, but unfortunately, it had become an instinct for him. He could block out tangible magical knowledge, but he couldn't block out his instincts.

After weighing his options, he chose the Ironclad Spell. As one of the sixth-level spells he possessed, its potential was extremely high, unlike some simple spells whose effects remained limited no matter how much practice they received.

In less than an hour, he regained control of the spell, and a thin magical barrier appeared in front of him.

Felix couldn't help but complain about himself: "I've never cast such a weak Armor Spell before, it could be broken with a flick of the finger." But this was actually the level of the Armor Spell he had successfully cast the first time before he even enrolled.

It's just that that memory is too distant.

“I haven’t felt this exhilarated in a long time. I hope this will be a pleasant surprise. Next, it’s a process of constantly getting familiar with magic. Besides a lot of practice, there’s also the analysis of spells.” Felix was very familiar with this process. He looked at the stack of books in front of him, all of which were books on the Ironclad Charm.

He opened one of the books, read the contents carefully, and after understanding them, adjusted his movements according to the instructions. After a while, he would stop and continue flipping through the book, and after reading it, he would continue practicing, repeating the process over and over again.

His understanding of the Ironclad Spell was progressing at an astonishing rate, and the power of the spell was constantly increasing. As he rapidly reached the second, third, and even fourth level, he gradually began to notice the difference.

The new version of the Ironclad Charm is darker and darker, no longer colorless and transparent, but a dark red and iron gray mixed together with rust spots. The edges seem to have burn marks, and the protruding broken edges have a brass metallic luster.

"What's going on?" Felix was a little confused for the first time.

That's right, he practiced using Beauxbatons' collection of books. Anyone who can leave notes in the library is usually quite capable, at least they won't just make things up or give wrong answers.

He had a guess in his mind. In fact, after everyone learns magic, the external characteristics of the spell will be different. However, no one really cares about these details and they are all attributed to normal phenomena.

Even if the same person casts the same spell, it's impossible for it to be the same every time. To most wizards, this is not a problem at all. If you insist on getting to the bottom of it, others will think you're being stubborn.

Casting range, spell power, flight speed, and so on, all vary from person to person. These are common knowledge in the magical world, and no one bothers to delve into them.

Felix had anticipated that things might be different, but he hadn't expected the differences to be so significant later on, even when everyone started at the same point.

The Ironclad Charm he learned from Hogwarts, when practiced to level six, could create a golden half-body armor, or a shield, that could be drawn out of the air; but the Ironclad Charm he learned from Beauxbatons, when practiced to around level four, was like a piece of rusty, broken sheet metal.

“I think I’ve discovered something incredible.” Felix’s eyes brightened. He decided to temporarily set aside his original Ironclad Charm and practice the Beauxbaton version of the Ironclad Charm to the level of a sixth-level spell in a short period of time to see what the result would be.

He also had a very interesting idea

If we combine the understandings of the two Level 6 Ironclad Charms into one, will it reach a whole new level? And is this the level that the four founders of Hogwarts achieved?