A certain Hogwarts professor of runes.

Lupin also realized this problem. Why was Voldemort able to become everyone's nightmare more than a decade ago? First, he himself was very powerful, and even Dumbledore could not restrain him; second, his Death Eaters were all formidable, and he also recruited a group of dark creatures, causing a large number of bloodshed.

He couldn't imagine what another war would be like, simply because the intervals between wars were too short! If Voldemort were to return, those who had experienced the war would only submit even faster, in order to suffer less harm. In any case, as long as they weren't of Muggle blood, they would basically be spared from slaughter; of course, not many people would genuinely support the Dark Lord's rule.

In fact, this trend had already emerged at the end of the last war.

As the only person whom the Dark Lord feared, Dumbledore remained secluded within the school walls. Many criticized this, but a minority believed that Dumbledore had actually fought Voldemort and won, which explained why the Dark Lord hadn't harmed any Hogwarts students during the war—given the Dark Lord's personality, he wouldn't have let the Muggle wizards off so easily.

But it was clear that Dumbledore couldn't subdue Voldemort, at least not in the same way he had imprisoned the first Dark Lord. Rumors circulated that the Mystic was a master of escape magic, having honed it to an unparalleled degree; others claimed he used extremely evil dark magic to completely alter his appearance, allowing him to rapidly recover from any injury and return to his lively self…

Lupin's mind was in turmoil when Felix's voice seemed to come from beyond the heavens.

"As for the third, I am indeed dissatisfied with the Secrets Act and with the incompetence of the Ministry of Magic... But what good is my dissatisfaction alone? To use force to oppress and become the second Dark Lord? Oh, sorry, the third. In any case, it's a foolish move."

“So I see myself as the variable.” He suddenly grinned mischievously, twirling his teacup in his hand. “Yes, the initial variable, the first variable… to change things, to make things happen, to push things forward, and then wait for the storm to come.”

“Although I’ve never passed my divination class, I have a strong feeling that I might live a long time,” Felix said to Lupin with a smile, “so I can wait.”

Chapter 407 Maxim

After returning from Diagon Alley, Felix used Patronus again to test the monster statue in front of the Headmaster's office. This time, he was not stopped and met Dumbledore.

Upon entering the office, one sees portraits of past headmasters snoring in frames on the wall, while Dumbledore stares intently at the Pensieve.

Felix was surprised to hear Rita Skeeter's voice. Her two-inch-long, blood-red fingernails flashed in the Pensieve as she said in a sly voice, "My book is about to be published."

"That's not a good idea... Felix?" Dumbledore murmured, looking up as he stirred the silvery substance in the Pensieve with his wand, and Rita Skeeter's face, along with her bright red long nails, vanished.

“Headmaster Dumbledore, you’ve been very busy lately, but I really didn’t expect you to be meeting with her,” Felix said with a smile. “Are you thinking of writing an autobiography? If so, asking her for help is certainly not a good idea.”

This was in response to Dumbledore's soliloquy that he had overheard when he first entered.

Dumbledore chuckled, his beard trembling. “There are many ways to leave a trace: a magical portrait, a memory from Room Seven, or even simply living in people’s memories… but I don’t think an autobiography should be included.”

Felix shrugged, fiddling with the silverware on the table with his fingers, watching it chuckle and puff out wisps of smoke.

"Did you find anything?"

"Ah, apart from a few memories that prove Voldemort was wicked from a young age... there's not much information worth noting. Also, I went to the seaside cave you mentioned, and I must say, Felix, you were far too rough; I only found ruins."

The two then discussed the Iron Mantra. Dumbledore showed some interest, but he soon appeared tired, and Felix took his leave.

“If possible, pay more attention to Mrs. Maxime, Felix,” Dumbledore said behind him.

Felix frowned. "She's a suspect?"

“No, of course not,” Dumbledore said softly. “I believe she will not become Voldemort’s henchman. What I care about is whether she can become our friend…” He added with some concern, “Hagrid has recently been turned away by her.”

……

When Hagrid was seen again, it was already the end of the month.

As December approaches, the weather is getting colder and colder, especially after a sleet last night. The ground is covered with mottled blue ice crystals, and the students, wearing thick cloaks, struggle to cross the courtyard.

Felix followed the crowd to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Beauxbatons' carriage was in sight in the distance, and several students were looking around nearby. They conjured up a transparent ice slide and slid down from the top. Not far from them was Hagrid's Hut.

A witch wearing a scarf sat quietly beside the carriage, holding a golden egg in her arms. When she saw Felix, she ran over happily.

"Professor Hep!"

“Miss Delacour?” Felix asked, glancing at a strand of silver hair peeking out from under his scarf.

“It’s me,” Fleur said, lifting her scarf and smiling sweetly. “Mrs. Maxim is waiting for you.”

The carriage wasn't crowded; it looked like a mobile inn, divided into a dozen spacious rooms with a central living room resembling a college lounge. It was warm and cozy, decorated in a style characteristic of Beauxbatons. Besides large clusters of pink and blue flowers, he also saw a magical fountain, its swirling icy blue mist carrying a fragrant aroma.

Fleur led him through a door bearing the Beauxbatons school crest to the dining room inside the carriage. Mrs. Maxim was dining; she wiped her mouth with a blue napkin and waved, "Please sit down, Felix... Fleur, come with me."

Hibiscus sat obediently at the table eating, gathering her shiny silver hair to her left side as she listened to their conversation.

Felix thanked him, and through the small round window, he could see Hagrid's imposing figure walking back and forth in front of the pumpkin patch, teaching a group of students.

"It's strange, how could anyone like that thing... what's it called, the 'Bomb-tailed Scorpion' or something?" Mrs. Maxim snorted through her nose, gesturing with a blue-patterned fork several times larger than the one in Felix's hand, and pointing to the blurry scenery in the distance.

“Fried whelk,” Felix said, scooping up a piece of seafood for himself. He guessed it was a stash he had brought from France, as he had never seen this kind of fish before, but there was very little of it. The soup was accompanied by fish from the Black Lake, which he wondered whether Hogwarts had provided or whether the students from Beauxbatons had caught them themselves.

Mrs. Maxim seemed distracted and said listlessly, "I'm not interested in magical creatures."

“I happen to know a macabre expert, oh, not Hagrid, but another one, Mr. Newt Scamander,” Felix said. “He’s retired, but his stories from his youth are fascinating, and I’ve talked to him a lot.”

Actually, he had talked to Newt's memory in Room 7. Felix had only recently discovered that he had a unique advantage in building relationships with these memories.

While memories resemble people, they are ultimately not human; they are more like ghosts. The most obvious difference is that they lack a sense of taste and can only recall the food they've eaten. Ironically, Felix can conjure up elaborate meals from his mind—a privilege reserved for ghosts and memories. Years later, Newt harbors a deep longing for everything in the Hogwarts kitchens, and Felix learns a great deal of interesting information from him.

For example, how was he fired?

Felix recounted some of Newt's adventures. Unlike the "wizards fighting dragons" stories that Mrs. Maxim and Fleur usually heard, Newt's experiences were filled with understanding and love for these magical creatures—he rarely used violence against them, but instead did his best to befriend them.

"In short, he rescued the poor thunderbird from Egyptian traffickers and then returned it to America..."

“Mr. Scamander has a heart of gold, and the feelings of animals are even more genuine. I was narrow-minded,” Mrs. Maxim said emotionally, her large glass of gin empty.

"And then?" Furong pressed.

“I don’t know either,” Felix spread his hands. “It probably turned into a romantic love story after that. He met a lady. I guess they’re probably playing a game of throwing paw balls at Moonfoxes now?”

Then, he started a conversation about the current situation of werewolves in France.

“I know what you’re talking about,” Mrs. Maxim replied. “Wolfsbane Potion, a remarkable invention. Our Ministry of Magic imported a batch, but to be honest, it was a bit expensive… so the Minister is in talks with them, hoping to buy the formula for the potion.”

She said with some dissatisfaction, "Your minister is like a shrewd businessman, demanding a lot of good things from us."

“He doesn’t respect Mrs. Maxim at all!” Fleur shrieked.

Felix looked over and saw Mrs. Maxim shaking her head slightly, her eyes involuntarily reddening, making him wonder what Fudge had said, or rather, what he had shown. But he wisely refrained from asking.

The three people at the table ate in silence, while Mrs. Maxim glanced at Hagrid's pumpkin patch again. In the distance, a giant slug with a burst of sparks shot from its tail, pulling the student forward and dragging him along the snow.

"Oh dear!" Mrs. Maxim laughed.

Chapter 408 Ghost Gathering Place

Before parting, Felix gave him a small gift.

"what is this?"

“A recliner, with some interesting magic attached, and it’s very comfortable to sit in,” Felix explained. “It’s one of the new products from the ‘future world.’ I heard from Remus, oh, Mr. Lupin who manages the company, that you once sent a letter inquiring about the product’s size and whether customization was accepted… so I just brought it along.”

After he left, Mrs. Maxim and Fleur stared blankly at the small box, which had now been opened, revealing a capsule-shaped trinket on a red velvet cloth inside.

“I should have asked…” Mrs. Maxim murmured.

"You even wrote to 'Future World' Company?" Hibiscus asked with a slightly strange look in her eyes.

"Is that not allowed?" Mrs. Maxim snorted. "Didn't you also collect two little magic lamps at the lantern festival?"

Fleur stuck out her tongue, picked up the capsule, and examined it carefully for a long time, but she had no clue what to do. She handed it to Maxim, and Mrs. Maxim stroked its surface. "Hmm? This magic is unstable; it seems to be a one-time use."

She took out her wand and gently touched it. The capsule made a "click" sound and cracked open from the center. Mrs. Maxim tossed it aside.

"boom!"

A blue and bronze chaise lounge suddenly appeared in the open space of the restaurant. It looked at least three times larger than a normal chaise lounge, somewhat like a bed with a backrest and armrests—at least that's how it appeared from Hibiscus's perspective.

However, she dared not say that; she encouraged Mrs. Maxim to give it a try.

As this woman with an alarmingly large frame leaned back in the recliner, a layer of colorless, transparent air cushion suddenly appeared on the surface of the chair. "Huh? How comfortable, it feels like sitting on a cloud. The name 'Cloud Chair' is indeed very fitting..."

Mrs. Maxim's face showed an expression of ecstasy, which made Furong's heart itch with desire.

After a long while, she finally stood up from the recliner, looking quite pleased with herself, and said, "It must contain a lot of beneficial spells. They're not very powerful, but when combined, they make the person lying on it feel exceptionally relaxed, as if they've forgotten all their troubles. It's a really good thing."

Hibiscus's eyes sparkled. "Can I buy one? With this little thing," she pointed to the palm-sized box on the table, "all you need is an owl to send it over, right?"

“As you heard, the product hasn’t been released yet and there may be defects. I’m just trying it out myself, and I’ll give my feedback later,” Mrs. Maxim said. “I’ll keep it in my private bathroom.”

“Yes, Mrs. Maxim,” Fleur replied, directing the floating chaise longue forward with her wand, the eager glint in her eyes unnoticed by anyone.

……

"You tampered with the gift you gave Orim?" Hagrid's eyes widened.

"Don't say that, it will make me sad." Felix sat on the sofa in Hagrid's cabin, scratching Tooth's chin with one hand. Tooth was humming comfortably, drooling all over the floor.

“I didn’t do anything wrong; on the contrary, we did our best. The problem is that test versions don’t always work as well as expected, especially since this lady’s body shape is unusual, which increases the chances of problems. Currently, all selected test subjects are given an instruction manual with simple repair methods. I just… happened to forget to give Mrs. Maxim a copy.”

Hagrid paused for a moment, then buried his head in the product manual Felix had given him, muttering rapidly, "Softening spell, Cloud spell, Calming spell, Placement spell, Shaping spell..." He quickly flipped through a few pages, "Repair manual... FAQ list..."

His eyes gradually brightened.

Felix picked up the cage containing Aragog and brought it close to Tooth. Its nose twitched as it sniffed the cage intensely. Inside, the old spider huddled in a corner, threateningly waving its large claws.

"Get lost, you stupid dog, don't think I don't have much venom left..." Old Wang, the giant eight-eyed spider, said in a rough voice.

“You look pretty energetic,” Felix said with a smile.

“I’m used to it,” Aragog said, its body covered in black bristles that had turned grayish-white, its two large pincers drooping listlessly. “Hagrid took me to the spider’s nest once, but there was no place for me there. I was driven out… I foresaw this day. There’s a bloodthirsty instinct in the giant spider’s body. If I die of old age, they will definitely eat me.”

The giant spiders in the Forbidden Forest have always revered Aragok as their king, and Aragok was raised by Hagrid. They are far more docile than wild giant spiders, almost like Thestrals, and could be considered domesticated creatures. However, giant spiders were never meant to be docile from the moment they were created; they were specifically designed to guard wizards' treasure troves and secret chambers…

One day, they will become increasingly ferocious, and that will be the time when this giant eight-eyed spider disappears. However, that will likely be a long time from now.

Felix pondered for a moment, then looked up to see Hagrid gazing at him with a broad smile and teary eyes.

“I understand what you mean, Felix, you’re so thoughtful…” Hagrid choked up, “Few people have been so kind to me, so considerate of me, not even my father…” He sniffed heavily and let out a loud burp.

Then he got busy, searching every corner of the house for dusty magical creature materials: a complete tusk hide of a Tepo warthog with tusks, unicorn hair, a man-headed lion-bodied scorpion-tailed beast's tail hook, flower fairy wings...

“I remember you needed this. It’s all from my stockpile over the years. I found it while patrolling the Forbidden Forest. That Tepo warthog fell into a trap, in a rather remote spot, and was already starving to death when I found it… I also found a troll’s club. It stinks horribly, but it’s surprisingly handy to use… I washed it many times and used it specifically to smash pumpkins. It’s behind the door if you need it.”

“Oh, Hagrid, I don’t need it… Alright, I’ll just take a little, the skin of the Tepo Warthog will do, I can mix it with the fur of the Invisible Beast to make a protective jacket, and of course, I won’t refuse the tail hook of the Sphinx.”

On the other side, Harry was sitting drowsily in his History of Magic class. The young wizards were in a similar state, looking confused and bewildered, as if they hadn't woken up properly.

A few people—Hermione, for example—were still diligently taking notes, trying to glean a detail or two from Professor Binns's panting, drawn-out voice that wasn't mentioned in the textbook. Harry wiped the drool from his itchy lips. Seamus was already snoring softly. Neville's head kept nodding, jerking up sharply every time it hit its lowest point, scribbling down what he heard with his quill pen without a care. Then, less than ten seconds later, his expression would become blank again, his eyelids would droop, and he would repeat the same action.

Harry secretly peeked at Neville's parchment; the latest entry read, "The food in Room 7 is delicious." He covered his mouth to stifle a laugh. Had Neville gotten it mixed up? It wasn't until after class that he learned the answer from Hermione.

"Has Classroom Number Seven become a gathering place for ghosts?"

“Didn’t you notice? Professor Binns’ voice was much more excited than usual,” Hermione said seriously. “He mentioned Room Seven three times in class…”

“Only you know this,” Ron said.

"So, are we going to the library again today? I think it'll be better in the common room. I don't want to see Mrs. Pince again. Have you noticed that she looks a bit like Filch? I mean, the sunken cheeks, the parchment-like skin, and the long, hooked nose... wait, she also looks a bit like Snape?"