"Skyl, you seem to have a lot of free time lately." Luna happened to pass by and spotted this idle upper-year student.
"The things I needed to take care of are already done, so yes, I am quite free."
On the soft grass beside the Black Lake, Skyl lay on his back, staring blankly up at the sky. There were not many seventh-years at Hogwarts as relaxed as he was. Graduation was right around the corner, and everyone was worrying about where they would go next. Entering the workforce at an average age of eighteen was not easy for children in the wizarding world. The competition for good jobs was not small, either. Graduating straight into unemployment was also common enough.
Skyl had no plans to look for a job. Even if Fudge handed over the position of Minister for Magic to him, the most Skyl would do was recite a poem to politely decline.
"What have you been busy with lately?" Luna sat down beside Skyl, her tone dreamy and dazed. The little witch seemed somewhat downhearted, probably because Lady Moonshadow had left.
What she did not know was that a mortal watched by a Daedric Prince would always be covered by that Prince's loving gaze, no matter how far apart they were. Once she joined The Tower of Tomes, there was a very high chance she would be recruited into Lady Moonshadow's classroom as an apprentice. Even after death, she might go to the divine realm. One could say that the full-service package, from birth to death, had been arranged with exceptional care.
Skyl explained the concepts of the biological central brain and Practical Guide to Luna.
"Is Practical Guide the thing Harry is using?"
"That's right. He was the first user." Skyl's skin was warmed by the autumn sun. His eyes were closed, and even his voice sounded as calm as the breeze blowing across the lake. "Before long, each of you will be able to use something similar to the Guide, the Beginner Handbook. It's just that the headmaster will definitely be busy. The age of magical AI is about to arrive. Even the whole vibe is starting to feel a little cyberpunk."
Luna pulled her legs up against her chest and rested her pale, delicate chin on her knees. Neither of them had class right now, and there was still about half an hour before lunch.
Students who had arranged to duel walked past not far behind them, noisy and rowdy. The quarrels between the little lions and little snakes would never end. Draco's sticky, smug voice drifted over, probably because he had defeated several Gryffindors in the Dueling Club.
Another explosion came from the alchemy laboratory. The Weasley twins and Seamus Finnigan rode their brooms out of the fire and smoke, covered in soot like they had crawled out of a coal chute, but their faces were shining with excited smiles.
"Slytherins! Don't get cocky!" George shouted. "Our Alchemical Bomb 3.0 has officially made its grand debut! If you've got the guts, fight us again!" A suspicious leather pouch hung from the tail of his broom, and when he flew over the Slytherin crowd, several pitch-black bombs suddenly spilled out of the pouch.
The Slytherin students raised their heads to mock him, only to see the alchemical bombs falling from high above. Their faces turned pale with fright, and they scattered in every direction. However, these bombs had undergone special alchemical processing and would automatically chase after people.
"Help! Help!" A Slytherin first-year ran so hard his trousers nearly flew off, but a bomb still stuck to his backside. Seeing that the fuse had burned down, the other students could only show helpless expressions and hope this poor kid would not get his rear blown open.
"Hahahaha!" George and Fred were sharing one broom, laughing so hard they bent backward and forward. "They're just empty shells! Look how scared you all are!"
Skyl narrowed his eyes and watched the scene. He could not help covering his face and sighing. "Merlin's sweaty socks, they even have magic missiles now. Young wizards these days are terrifying. Back when I was in school, the most we did was set off a few firecrackers..."
Professor McGonagall opened a window in the tower and used Sonorus to amplify her voice, letting out a shout like a thunderclap on a clear day. "Mr. Weasley! Mr. Finnigan! Throwing dangerous objects on school grounds is forbidden! Thirty points from Gryffindor!"
"Oh, that's bad."
"Skyl, Headmaster Dumbledore seems to have been tangled up by a lot of Wrackspurts lately. Did something troublesome happen?" Luna paid no attention at all to the commotion behind them.
"The headmaster is simply reliving the joy of learning." A mischievous smile appeared on Skyl's face. "He'll definitely need help. After all, it took Mora and me twenty days working together to perfect all the procedures."
"Oh." Luna responded without much interest.
"You actually didn't understand what I was talking about at all, did you?"
Luna blinked guiltily, though her tone remained perfectly righteous. This girl had a bit of talent for lying. "I understood. I'm just not interested."
"Then tell me, what steps are required to create a biological central brain?"
"Uh, the first step is..."
"The first step is preparing the nutrient solution." Dumbledore's blue eyes were filled with bloodshot lines as he murmured, "A high-concentration sugar solution, an amino acid solution, plus an appropriate amount of potions. Disinfection and bacterial suppression, followed by stimulation of tissue growth."
"I can't make this many potions by myself." Grindelwald's forehead hair was damp with the cold sweat of an undead creature. He was tending sixteen cauldrons at the same time, his figure flashing between worktables in streaks of bloody afterimages. If he went to work in a restaurant, he alone would be an entire kitchen.
"We need Severus's help." Dumbledore paused briefly. "It is time to introduce him to the High Tower Covenant."
That night, Snape was preparing to rest when an extra figure silently appeared inside his office.
Snape spun around at once and drew his wand, pointing it at the visitor.
Under the light of the magical candles, the man's pale face carried a faint bluish tint, as if he had stayed up for an entire week and then run a full marathon. He had a certain beauty of someone hovering on the edge of sudden death.
"Professor Gellert." Snape frowned. "I did not invite you here, and knocking is a good habit."
"Professor Snape, Albus needs you." Grindelwald's voice was hoarse.
"And why are you delivering the message in his place? If he truly needs my help, I imagine he would not mind finding me in person and explaining it clearly." Snape became alert, while his words stretched even more slowly, carrying a distinctly sarcastic edge. "I cannot help suspecting your true intentions."
"He is very busy. If you do not believe me, you can come with me." Grindelwald's eyes flashed. "You may put down the anti-ghost potion. Although I am indeed a vampire, I do not fear that kind of potion. We can speak openly and honestly. It will help clear up the misunderstandings between us."
Snape's expression did not change, but his shoulders relaxed slightly. With a meaningful tone, he asked, "You seem to pay special attention to one student... Harry Potter. Can you tell me why?"
"He is a special child. I like intelligent students."
"Specially stupid, perhaps." The old bat snorted coldly. "What have you and Dumbledore been busy with recently?"
"You will see very soon. A small spoiler, it is the future of the wizarding world."
Snape cautiously followed Grindelwald out of the main castle. When they passed through the doors, behind a window in one of the towers, Professor McGonagall's gaze followed the two night-walkers until she watched them disappear into that profound and mysterious White Tower.
A shadow passed through the heart of Ms. McGonagall, the older cat-lady, just like the dark clouds currently covering the moon in the sky.
"Another professor has gone to the White Tower. Dumbledore, what exactly are you plotting?"
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