HP: Azkaban's Outstanding Graduate

He nodded and asked casually, "When are you discharged?"

Hummingbird immediately chimed in: "If the subsequent treatment goes smoothly and there are no relapses, you are expected to be discharged in three weeks. However, you will need a longer period of rest and recuperation to fully recover."

“Very good.” Sagres’s gaze shifted to the other members in the shadows by the fireplace. “The others? Nightingale.”

From the shadows, the nightingale's cold voice rang out: "Antidote? There isn't one."

She shrugged, her tone flat, "The composition of that cursed potion is too tricky; not only is there no clue how to deduce the antidote, but it's also truly—"

She then changed the subject, "However, I did manage to replicate its refining process. If anyone needs it... I'll provide it for free."

The air inside the safe house seemed to freeze for a moment.

The kestrel paused slightly in its hand holding the hot chocolate, and the hummingbird's brow furrowed imperceptibly.

"Really?"

The robin's resentful voice rang out, "Then I'd like to get some."

She tapped her fingers impatiently on the leather of the armchair. “My dear boss. That idiot has gotten even worse lately, not only dumping all the work on me, but also forcing his useless nephew, who can’t even pronounce ‘clean up’ properly, onto me as my supervisor!”

Her words were filled with undisguised anger and contempt.

Everyone burst out laughing.

Sagres smiled and turned his gaze in another direction: "Snow Owl, that five-legged monster?"

“It didn’t sell,” Ms. Xuexiao said nonchalantly. “The buyers either offered too low a price or had too complicated backgrounds, making the transaction not worth the risk. But it’s alright.”

Her voice carried a peculiar open-mindedness, "Just consider it my own private collection. That thing... is quite aesthetically pleasing."

Her words made the people next to her shrink back.

Thunderbird chimed in at the opportune moment: "We have absolutely no clue about that metal wand. However, we did manage to make a wand from the hair of a five-legged monster. I experimented with many kinds of wood, and finally found that chestnut wood was the best match! The enhancement to curse magic is very obvious, and the effect is... quite amazing."

Finally, Sagles's gaze fell upon the stork.

"Any unusual developments in the wizarding world lately?"

The stork's voice was steady and clear: "Yes, and it's in England."

Sagles raised an eyebrow, signaling him to continue.

"The British Ministry of Magic has been unusually active at the International Wizarding Federation Conference lately. There are two main focuses: one is the Quidditch World Cup next year, for which they are actively vying for the hosting rights, and Fudge wants to use this to boost his reputation; the other is..."

He paused, then emphasized, "They seem to be pushing hard to restart the interrupted Triwizard Tournament, which will most likely take place at Hogwarts."

"A three-way battle for supremacy?" Hummingbird repeated softly, his tone tinged with doubt.

"Fudge probably wants to use a big international event to divert domestic attention from his incompetent leadership," Sagles said calmly.

The stork nodded. "Many representatives in the International Federation of Wizards are very interested in this, believing it can 'enhance exchanges' and 'showcase the talent of the younger generation.'"

"He succeeded?" Sagles asked.

“Not yet,” Stork replied. “There are many who agree, but there is also considerable resistance. However, Fudge has invested a lot of resources in lobbying this time.”

Sagres nodded, then turned his gaze to Swift. "Swift, as far as I know, your father works at the British Ministry of Magic, and I've heard he's quite accomplished in his field?"

Swift was taken aback upon hearing this. "That's right, is there a problem?"

"Interested in taking it a step further?" Sagrais asked. "For example... Minister of Magic."

"Ah, this..."

Swift paused for a moment, then hesitated, "My father is quite satisfied with his current position, mainly because he likes to be involved with Muggle stuff, so..."

“I understand.” Sagres nodded. “And you? Are you interested in developing in this direction?”

“Me?” Swift quickly waved her hand. “I don’t like spending all day in the office.”

Sagles nodded in understanding. "Alright then, let me know if you change your mind, until I find the right person."

"What do you think of me?" The kestrel stretched its head over, its face full of hope.

“Obviously not very good,” Sagles said bluntly.

……

The atmosphere of the gathering gradually shifted to intelligence sharing and brief analysis of the current situation.

Just as it was nearing its end and everyone was leaving, a slightly uneasy voice rang out from the shadowy corner near the fireplace:

"The esteemed...Mr. Greengrass?"

Sagres looked in the direction of the sound and saw the house-elf Dobby nervously twisting his old pillowcase, his eyes filled with anticipation and fear of rejection.

“Dobby?” Sagres looked at it.

Dobby mustered his courage and took a small step forward, his ears trembling slightly with nervousness. "Dobby... Dobby is fine here, safe here, but... but Dobby is too bored! Dobby wants to work! Wants to work for the great Mr. Greengrass! Dobby doesn't want to be a freeloader!"

With its ears drooping, it asked, "Excuse me... excuse me, Mr. Greengrass, is there any work you can assign to Dobby? Dobby is very hardworking! Extremely hardworking!"

Sagres looked at the house-elf eager to prove his worth, a barely perceptible glint flashing in his grey eyes.

He paused for a few seconds: “I can give you your freedom now. You no longer need to bind yourself to a specific ‘master’ or place. You can go wherever you want and do whatever you want.”

Dobby's big eyes instantly filled with confusion: "Freedom? Go...go anywhere? But...but Dobby doesn't know where to go...Dobby just...just wants a place where he can help..."

Sagles looked at it and said slowly, "Then go find a job to settle down first. Don't worry, I'll find you when I need help."

Dobby nodded as if he understood, but he was still somewhat disappointed.

Its big eyes darted around, filled with cautious anticipation: "Then...then Mr. Greengrass, could Dobby...could Dobby work in the kitchen at Hogwarts? Dobby has heard there are many house-elves there! Dobby loves cooking! Loves taking care of the young wizards! Dobby promises to work hard and not let you down, sir!"

It looked nervously at Sagres, afraid of being rejected.

Sagres nodded slightly without much hesitation: "Yes. Hogwarts kitchens welcome any hardworking and kind house-elves. I will inform Headmaster Dumbledore."

"Oh! Merciful! Great Mr. Greengrass!!"

Dobby burst into immense joy, jumping up excitedly. "Thank you, Dobby! Dobby's going right now! Dobby will definitely become the best house-elf in Hogwarts kitchen!!"

It spun around a few times, then bowed deeply. With a soft "snap," it Apparated away, presumably heading straight for the Hogwarts kitchen.

Chapter 239: A new dungeon has been opened.

A few days later, the Hogwarts Express whistle shattered the tranquility of Hogwarts, and the castle was instantly filled with the laughter of returning young wizards.

The holiday is over, and the ancient castle is revitalized.

Sagras's gaze swept over several open parchment scrolls on his desk, depicting intricate ancient runes and structures—his "blueprints" for the new dueling arena.

That afternoon, a new notice outlined in magical flames on the auditorium's bulletin board caught the attention of all the students:

Duel Arena - A Brand New Challenge!

Explore the mysteries of magical ruins—step into the dust of time and uncover lost secrets!

Scene: Ancient ruins/Lost temple (scenes rotate randomly)

Challenge: Ancient traps and remnants of protective magic!

Objective: To skillfully utilize dispelling spells, protective spells, and exploration spells to solve puzzles, avoid dangers, and safely reach the core area!

The core challenges: breadth of spell knowledge, adaptability, and teamwork!

Mode: Team Challenge! Teams of up to five players!

Difficulty: Medium to High (depending on team composition and exploration depth)

Rewards: Academy Points, Duel Points, Magical Materials, and Unique Spells!

Below is a list of redeemable items, which includes a long list of magical materials and amazing spells that the young wizards have never even heard of.

Some of the items in this exchange catalog are sponsored by Ms. Xuexiao, which shows that she is already financially independent and very dedicated to education.

The announcement caused an uproar throughout Hogwarts!

Compared to simple arena battles, this dungeon mode, full of mystery and adventure, is clearly more appealing to young boys and girls.

In the corridors and common rooms, people were discussing team formation strategies, guessing the contents of the ruins, and sharing all sorts of obscure spells they knew.

Soon, among the many eager teams, a "pioneer" team composed of senior students from four colleges was the first to assemble.

They are Penelope Crivart of Ravenclaw, Percy Weasley and Katie Bell of Gryffindor, Cedric Diggory of Hufflepuff, and Graham Monta of Slytherin.

The group stepped into the entrance to the ruins, which shimmered with a mysterious light.

The familiar dueling arena has vanished, replaced by a dark corridor covered in moss and studded with massive, broken stone pillars.

The damp, chilly air, carrying dust and the scent of ancient magic, rushed towards us. The blurred murals on the walls shimmered with a faint light, as if silently telling tales of the past.

"Wow, Merlin's beard!"

"Katie Bell exclaimed as the light from the tip of her wand illuminated the faintly visible, checkerboard-like runes on the ground ahead."

"Don't step on anything!" Penelope warned immediately, her eyes quickly scanning the ground and walls.

“Those runes are signs of ‘Animated Traps’! Stepping on the wrong tile will trigger a Stone Guardian or Binding Vines! We need to use the ‘Reveal Charm’ to find a safe path, or use ‘Disenchant’ to temporarily disable them!”

The team immediately sprang into action.

Cedric cautiously waved his wand: "Secret Manifest!"

The tip of the wand sprinkled silvery specks of light onto the runes on the ground, and several of the runes immediately lit up with a dangerous red light.

Percy immediately used "Stop Curse" to precisely target the glowing runes, and the red light dimmed.

They had just cautiously passed through the area when the passage ahead suddenly began to shake, and the walls on both sides seemed to come alive, squeezing inward with a huge roar!

"Obstacles are numerous!"

"Armor protects you!"

Cedric reacted the fastest, and a huge, solid silver barrier instantly opened up, blocking the closing stone wall and making a teeth-grinding friction sound.

The barrier flickered violently, clearly unable to hold for much longer.

"Quickly find the mechanism! Or break the spell!" Percy shouted, while he himself quickly scanned the walls.

"On the wall! The eyes of that snake relief are glowing!" Katie exclaimed, pointing to an inconspicuous corner high up.

Without saying a word, Meng Tai raised his hand and unleashed a powerful "Crushing Spell".