The purified Ravenclaw's Diadem was covered in fine cracks. Now this treasure truly looked as though it had weathered the mottled passage of time.
Dumbledore handed the diadem to Skyl and smiled. "I imagine no one is more worthy of wearing this crown than you."
Skyl took the diadem and carefully placed it on his head. A strange thought surfaced in his mind. In an old superhero story, when a mentor handed someone special headgear, it usually turned out to be some kind of cursed mind-control helmet.
Fortunately, Ravenclaw was not a comic-book villain, and this diadem would not clamp down and squash Skyl's head flat. When he put it on, aside from the weight of the diadem itself, he could also sense a faint chill seeping down from the top of his skull.
Magic had all sorts of strange effects. Ravenclaw's Diadem could indeed improve the wearer's concentration, but it could not directly raise their intelligence. And because that nasty thing Voldemort had turned it into a Horcrux, its magical effect had been greatly reduced. At this point, it was honestly rather useless.
Skyl told Dumbledore what he had discovered. Although the old headmaster was disappointed, he had no good way to fix it.
In the end, the diadem remained in the headmaster's office as a collector's item.
Skyl chatted with Dumbledore for a while, mainly about the strange events that had happened after he ran into Helena's ghost the night before. Then he suddenly remembered he still had a class that morning and hurriedly said goodbye.
The final class of the morning was Transfiguration. When it came to Transfiguration, if Skyl claimed second place in the magical world, no one would dare call themselves first. He had already earned the title of Transfiguration Master two years ago. Professor McGonagall also knew his ability, so she was very lenient with him. Even if he did not come to class, she would not fuss over it.
In today's Transfiguration class, Professor McGonagall's complexion was rosy. One look was enough to tell that something had gone her way. After her curiosity had been satisfied, even the lingering tone in this older cat lady's voice carried a comfortable smoothness. When Skyl entered the classroom, Professor McGonagall was explaining the Vanishing Spell.
"You must be very careful when using this spell, because once an object has been removed by the spell, it can never be recovered. In a sense, it is equivalent to destroying it. This spell is almost ineffective against wizards, and I have never heard of any spell that can completely erase a person. If such magic truly existed, it would be quite terrifying… Oh, Mr. Skyl. You are late."
Skyl apologized to Professor McGonagall from the doorway.
"I'm sorry. I accidentally lost track of time."
Professor McGonagall did not say much. She merely nodded with dignity and motioned for Skyl to take his seat.
After class, Professor McGonagall asked Skyl to come to her office.
"There is something I need to trouble you with." Professor McGonagall brewed two cups of coffee in bone china cups and handed one to this prized student, who often skipped class.
Skyl carefully sniffed it, confirmed that it was not civet coffee, and only then relaxed and took a sip.
"Please go ahead, Professor. What a coincidence. Recently, people have often been asking me for help. I feel like a video game protagonist, specially responsible for running errands. Ah, just call me the Errand-Running Demon God."
The transfer student smiled and mocked himself. In truth, he really did not mind helping others more often. All these experiences would become moments he could remember in the future. Skyl was actually worried no one would come to him. If that happened, then many years later, when he looked back on his school life at Hogwarts, he would only see a barren ruin.
A hesitant expression slowly appeared on Professor McGonagall's stern yet kindly face. She took a gentle breath, gathered herself, and then said directly, "I would like to ask you to substitute for several classes. You are the most outstanding Transfiguration Master I have ever seen, and in Hogwarts, only you are qualified for this work."
Skyl set down his coffee cup and said earnestly, "Professor, have you forgotten that I am currently helping Professor Snape teach Potions? And unless something unexpected happens, Professor Flitwick will soon come ask me to substitute for him too. Forgive what I am about to say, but why don't you simply let me serve as Head of all four Houses while we are at it?"
Professor McGonagall looked embarrassed.
She was just about to withdraw her request when Skyl suddenly changed his tone. "Actually, it isn't as though I can't help."
"Skyl, you may make a request within reasonable limits. I will satisfy it as best I can."
"Very well. I need a night-roaming permit."
"What?" Professor McGonagall was speechless.
"You heard me correctly. I need a document proving that I can wander around Hogwarts after curfew without being troubled by the caretaker. As Deputy Headmistress, I imagine you have that authority." Skyl smiled.
"But you often wander at night, and Mr. Filch has never caught you, has he? This permit would be useless to you. On the contrary, issuing it to you would break Hogwarts' rules. It would be a disaster for school management."
"I need a certificate. After I leave the school, I also hope I can place that certificate in a display case in the entrance hall. It will become part of my beautiful memories of the future."
"This… this is simply impossible, Mr. Skyl. Your request is too excessive. I cannot agree."
Skyl could tell that Professor McGonagall had already wavered, so he patiently coaxed her. "Actually, we do not need to be so blunt. What you are giving me is not a night-roaming permit, but a temporary letter of appointment stating that I possess all the rights and duties of a professor. Those duties include assisting the caretaker in searching for students roaming at night. Therefore, not only am I not breaking the rules, I am one of their firm defenders."
Professor McGonagall quietly inhaled. When put that way, and after Skyl's perfectly reasonable packaging, the matter suddenly stopped sounding absurd.
"Very well. I agree."
Deputy Headmistress McGonagall used a quill and the Hogwarts official seal to write a temporary professor appointment contract, then issued it to the transfer student on the spot.
Skyl walked out of the office in a leisurely manner. But immediately afterward, he did not go to the classroom. Instead, he went to the headmaster's office and led Afu out. Then he strode out of the main castle and openly left Hogwarts' grounds. The Dementors stationed at the exit saw this calamity from a distance and hurriedly flew up into the air.
Several Ministry of Magic employees were eating peach pie and drinking sweet coffee. When they saw a wizard walking out of Hogwarts with a dog on a leash, they hurried forward to question him, but before they could get close, Skyl vanished with an Apparition.
"Who was that?"
"Where did he go?"
At that moment, Skyl had already left Hogwarts and gone to the Gaunt shack.
He actually did not know the exact coordinates of the Gaunt shack, but by searching Voldemort's memories, he could find this desolate dwelling in Little Hangleton. This was the Gaunt family's house, Voldemort's mother's home, and also the hiding place of one Horcrux.
When Afu saw the shabby wooden shack, he let out a deafening bark.
His expression was agitated, and he looked as if he wanted nothing more than to pounce on Skyl and bite him.
"Shh, don't be nervous, Afu. If I wanted to kill you, it would be easy, wouldn't it?" Skyl's gentle words made Afu tremble. The dog let out two whimpers in his throat, and all his bluster vanished.
"Guess why I came here. I came for your Horcrux, but don't worry. My true target is the Resurrection Stone on your Horcrux. This Deathly Hallow still has some use. It can summon back a soul that has been dead for many years. I promised Professor McGonagall and Snape that I would substitute for them, but I do not want to exhaust myself, so I need an assistant to share the burden of teaching Potions."
Afu drooped his head and followed Skyl closer to the Gaunt shack. The environment here was bleak and overgrown with weeds. A dead snake was nailed to the door, displaying the pure bloodline of the Slytherin family. Unfortunately, there were no residents left inside the house anymore.
"Accio Marvolo Gaunt's ring."
With a wave of Skyl's hand, Voldemort's Horcrux shot out from the shadowy dust pile inside the shabby wooden shack and landed in his palm.
Skyl rubbed the ring. In the original story, Dumbledore had put on this ring, suffered its curse, and ended up with only one year left to live. In other words, this ring had killed the greatest wizard of the twentieth century.
A black gemstone was set into the face of the ring. Skyl removed it, then casually tossed the ring itself aside. Afu immediately caught it in his mouth.
"I hold the Resurrection Stone. I hereby summon the spirit of one who has passed away…"
Skyl showed a mischievous expression and continued, "…Lily Evans."
Mist began to rise around the Gaunt shack, and a pale figure walked out of the fog.
This woman had a pair of unforgettable green eyes.
"Stranger, who are you?"
"I am Skyl. Just call me Skyl." The transfer student placed a hand over his chest in greeting. "Ms. Lily Evans, Mrs. Potter, I have heard that your attainments in Potions were quite profound. As it happens, I need a teaching assistant to share my courses at Hogwarts. This is a fair trade. In exchange, I can shape a body for you and help you fully resurrect. But before the commission is completed, you cannot expose your true identity."
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