Everyday Life of a Top Student at Hogwarts

Chapter 171 The Mentor's Voice

Chapter 171 The Mentor's Echo

After calming his roommates down, Karen sat back down at his desk. He took out two sheets of the finest parchment and began writing letters to his two tutors, who were far away in France.

A letter to Nicolas Flamel:

Dear Professor Nicolas Flamel:

Spread the letter good.

You've probably heard about the recent events at Hogwarts. While the Fiendfire incident in the Forbidden Forest has subsided, the source—Voldemort—is becoming increasingly active and agitated. Students, using the "Eye of Truth," have continued their observations and made some new, perhaps highly valuable, discoveries about his soul's state.

The parasitic soul exhibits an extreme state of "unnatural tearing," severely fragmented, clinging to the host's soul in a forced symbiosis. Its power fluctuates violently, its emotions are extremely unstable, and its strength is likely far inferior to its legendary peak, presumably related to its torn parasitic form and weakened host. This state is fundamentally different from conventional soul damage (such as curse corruption), resembling more of a forcibly glued, defective product.

Students boldly hypothesize: Could a deep analysis of this unique and extremely unstable parasitic soul form—its maintenance mechanism, the root cause of its power decay, and the specific manifestations of its instability—provide a new, reverse reference path for understanding the way the Helbo Curse erodes the soul? Could it even offer a glimpse into the possibility of alleviating the curse's effects? Even if it cannot directly affect the Helbo Curse itself, could understanding this parasitic state provide insights into alleviating another form of dark magic trauma (Voldemort's curse) suffered by Professor Castor, originating from the same caster?

The student is fully aware that this matter carries extremely high risks, and the risks are both extremely dangerous and unpredictable. Therefore, the student is seeking your advice: If the sole purpose is research...

Under the premise of ensuring safety, are there feasible observation methods? Is there an alchemical container or rune array design that can safely capture and isolate traces of its faint magical or soul fluctuations? Any theoretical guidance or the construction of a safety framework is crucial for students.

We await your wise guidance.

Your sincere student,

Karen Hawthorne then wrote a letter to Castor Grindelwald:

teacher:

Quirrell and Voldemort became increasingly restless, and when they tried to pull a trick in Quidditch, Snape killed them.

I saw it clearly now; it was just a fragment of a soul stuck to a rag, full of cracks, teetering on the brink of collapse, weaker than I had imagined. This forcibly pieced-together parasitic state was full of instability, and I could feel Quirrell's magic gradually withering away, his life force draining away.

I think this is an opportunity. Directly studying its fragmented soul state might help us understand how the Helbo Curse erodes the soul; the two may have something in common. Perhaps we can find a way to slow it down, or at least, it might be helpful in dealing with the curse it left on you.

I have a bold idea: Could we safely capture this broken soul after it and Dumbledore have completed their scheme? Or could we first set up some "observation points" to record its unstable state?

I understand the risks. I need your judgment and permission: Is this plan feasible? If so, how can it be implemented safely? What tools are needed?

We await your reply.

Karen's two letters, though stylistically different, conveyed the same core message: she regarded one of history's most dangerous dark wizards as a valuable research subject.

They came seeking a cure for Master Castor. Cullen carefully sealed the letter and summoned Phoebus. Snow's sharp eyes looked at him, seemingly sensing the weight of the letter. It let out a soft cry, picked up the letter, and flapped its wings into the cold night sky of Hogwarts, heading towards France.

Inside the Eagle's Nest, Karen leaned back in his chair, gazing in the direction where Phoebus had disappeared. His expression was calm, but deep within his grey-blue eyes burned a cool yet fervent flame of thirst for knowledge.

While waiting for a reply, Karen was not idle; his life was mainly divided into two parts.

Part of it depicts the daily life of an ordinary second-year student at Hogwarts: appearing on time for Charms, Transfiguration, and Potions classes, perfectly answering Professor Flitwick's tricky questions, perfectly transforming objects under Professor McGonagall's stern gaze, and precisely handling potion ingredients under Snape's gloomy watch.

The other part was poured entirely onto the alchemy platform in the Eagle's Nest. Using the sophisticated equipment in the portable workshop gifted by Castor, he repeatedly tested the resonant frequencies of different rune combinations on the miniature crystal carriers, adjusting the intensity and angle of the magic infusion into the "Inverted Laguz Variant." In the cauldron, mithril powder and trace amounts of dragon's blood underwent thousands of fusion attempts at a constant temperature, searching for the optimal ratio and process parameters to improve the material's fatigue resistance. On the parchment, complex energy topology sketches were repeatedly modified, calculated, and verified.

Fabian, Ernesto, and Wesley all maintained a facade of normalcy. They were all waiting for a reply to the two letters, to see if their bold idea would receive the support of their elders. When Fabian went to the library to research, he paid extra attention to any unusual borrowing records of obscure books on soul parasitism or ancient friendship spells. Ernesto, when encountering Quirrell in the common room or corridors, would linger for a few seconds, using his keen observation to catch any subtle unusual movements—trembling fingers, unnatural pauses, or a deeper shadow under his head. Wesley, meanwhile, fully utilized his good relationships with others, subtly inquiring about Quirrell's gossip and rumors among his Gryffindor and Hufflepuff friends, such as where he had been recently frequenting or whether his complexion was worse than before.

Beneath the calm surface, undercurrents surged. Until Phoebus returned to the Eagle's Nest a week later one morning, carrying a package.

Karen quickly opened the package. Inside was a letter, three small, nearly transparent ash wood bottles, warm to the touch, with a barely perceptible shimmering light, and a small bottle of sparkling silver powder. Opening the letter, Nicole's elegant, flowing handwriting came into view:

Dear Karen:

Your letter, like a stone of wisdom thrown into a calm lake, stirred a strong resonance and deep concern within me. The resonance stems from your description of the "parasite's" soul state—torn apart, forced symbiosis, unstable, weakened power, and emotionally unstable. This closely matches a type of dark magic "Horregular" I once saw, also from Helbo! If my speculation is correct, then the value of Voldemort's remnant soul is clearly far greater than I initially anticipated.

The concern stems from its inherent danger. Even though it may now appear trapped and its power limited, its inherent malice and unpredictability make any attempt at close-range research feel like walking on a dormant volcano. I completely agree with your suggestion to conduct further observations first.

Regarding feasible solutions:

First, long-distance observation with the "Eye of Truth" remains crucial. The focus is on recording the "cracks" in the frequency of its magical energy fluctuations, the points of "repulsion" and "fusion" with the host's magical field, and the unique soul tremor patterns during intense emotional outbursts. This data will form the foundation for constructing a model of its soul state. Second, capturing environmental residues is more challenging but worthwhile. The target is not its core soul fragments, but rather the faint magical dust or fragments of spiritual imprints that may escape and be tainted by its soul characteristics when it experiences intense emotional fluctuations or fails to project its power. For this purpose, I have prepared some tools for you:

First is the Shadow Bottle, made of ash wood, inlaid with an array of "Stasis" and "Resonance" runes that I carved inside, and soaked in potion essence. It can attract and lock onto the scattered soul fragments in the environment with extremely weak force. The bottle has been solidified with a powerful "Confusion Charm" and placed in an inconspicuous place.

Next, a small amount of the revealing powder is sprinkled onto the inner wall of the bottle opening. If a valid sample is successfully captured, the powder will emit a faint purple glow corresponding to that soul trait.

usage:

Place the bottle in a concealed corner along the target's frequent activity path, making sure to maintain a certain distance!

The placement time should be short, preferably no more than one hour. It is recommended to do this after the individual has experienced a significant emotional fluctuation.

Upon inspection, if the developer glows, immediately seal the bottle and keep it away from the source.

If the bottle exhibits abnormal suction, vibration, or sudden temperature change, discard it immediately and move away from the area!

This bottle is designed solely to capture environmental debris, not core fragments. I will also consult with Dumbledore to provide some assurance for your plans. Enclosed are three bottles of Shadow Bottles and a small vial of Revealing Powder.

Finally, Karen, I am proud of your bold ideas and meticulous planning. But please remember, while knowledge is priceless, life is more precious. Your safety is the foundation for your future exploration of the wider mysteries of magic. Perenel and I await your progress in the Tranquil Abode.

P.S.: Cullen, do as Nico says, be careful, and don't be greedy! Your death would be the greatest loss. Let Dumbledore play his own game; you can watch the show, pick up the scraps, and do your research. Don't worry, I'm not going to die anytime soon. Knowledge only has meaning if I come back alive.

—KG

You are sincere.

Professor Nico Lemecaster did not sign his name, only using sharp initials. At the end of the letter was a small, folded magic circle, extremely simple in structure, yet exuding a cold and efficient aura of concealment. Upon closer inspection, it was a concealment rune, and judging from the engraving lines, it was probably the professor's handwriting, helping him to better hide the bottle.

Karen placed the letter on the alchemy table, his fingers lightly tracing Nico's intricate design and Castor's sharp handwriting. He took a deep breath; the plan was about to begin.