Hogwarts: I Have a Billion Points of Special Abilities
Also on WebNovel called: Harry Potter: I Maxed Out Humanity, Then I Found Magic
Change Mo en to Morrin
Chapter 45: Dueling Club
Lockhart began his long-winded preamble, boasting about his dueling skills.
"Professor Snape has generously agreed to assist me in a small demonstration..." Lockhart said with a smile, "Don't worry, I will return your Potion Class teacher to you in one piece!"
"I think Professor Lockhart might need to book a bed in the Hospital Wing tonight," Morrin commented in a low voice.
Sure enough.
As the two bowed and turned.
"Expelliarmus!"
A flash of dazzling red light burst from Snape's wand. Lockhart flew out like a kite with a broken string, hit the edge of the stage, slid down, and curled into a ball.
The Slytherin students burst into cheers.
"See that?" Morrin said to Malfoy, "That is the difference between the 'practical school' and the 'theoretical school.' In the face of absolute power, flashy packaging shatters at a single touch."
Lockhart scrambled up in embarrassment, forcing a save-face: "This is exactly what I wanted to demonstrate to you! This is a disarming spell..."
To save face, Lockhart decided to let the students come up to practice.
"Harry Potter!" Lockhart shouted, "And... Ron Weasley!"
"Weasley's wand couldn't even kill a fly," Snape interjected coldly, "I might suggest my student... Malfoy, come up."
Harry and Malfoy walked onto the stage. The atmosphere instantly tightened.
"Even on an occasion like this, the Professors are waging a proxy war." Morrin watched with interest, "Draco, remember what I taught you? Don't make any unnecessary movements."
"Start!" Lockhart waved his hand.
"Serpensortia!"
Malfoy did not use a conventional disarming spell, but directly used a signature Dark Arts spell of Slytherin. The tip of his wand exploded, and a long black snake fell onto the floor between the two, raising its head, ready to attack.
The crowd screamed and retreated.
"Don't move, Potter." Snape said lazily, "I'll get rid of it..."
"Let me!" Lockhart rushed to steal the spotlight. He waved his wand, but instead of removing the snake, he enraged it.
The black snake was thrown into the air and fell heavily to the ground. It went completely berserk, hissing, and slithered toward the Hufflepuff student closest to it—Justin Finch-Fletchley.
Justin froze in fear. The black snake raised its head, revealing its fangs.
Just then, Harry moved.
A strange instinct drove him. He didn't think, he just shouted at the snake.
"Leave him alone!"
The whole place was deathly silent.
Because to everyone else, Harry wasn't speaking, but making a creepy, hissing, strange noise.
That was Parseltongue.
The black snake understood. It lowered its body in confusion and looked at Harry docilely.
Harry raised his head, thinking he had saved someone, and was about to smile. But he found that the eyes of everyone around him had changed—it was fear, fear of a monster.
"What kind of trick do you think you're playing?" Justinshouted in horror, turned, and ran out of the Great Hall.
Snape looked at Harry with complex eyes.
"Interesting."
A calm voice broke the awkward silence.
Morrin White did not retreat like the others. He leaned on his cane, walked out from the crowd of Slytherin, and stepped onto the stage step by step.
The aura on him was very cold; with every step he took, the chilling sensation originating from [Pure Blood (Curse)] spread a little more.
"Mr. Potter has demonstrated a rare talent."
Morrin walked in front of the black snake that was still wandering. The black snake raised its head, looking at this new human warily.
Harry looked at Morrin in panic: "Morrin, I just wanted to make it stop..."
"I know." Morrin did not look at Harry, but looked down at the snake.
In his [Magical Creature Affinity (Purple)] perception, this snake was just a low-level magical creature summoned, full of fear and aggression.
But for the current Morrin, taming it did not require words.
Morrin slowly took off the dragon-hide glove on his right hand.
[Dragon Might (Blue, Growth Type)]—partial release.
There was no fanfare or roar.
Morrin only slightly released a trace of the aura belonging to the Norwegian Ridgeback, a top predator, and focused it on the black snake.
In the snake's perception, the teenager in human clothes in front of it instantly turned into a giant dragon with wings spread, breathing fire.
It was an absolute suppression of bloodline.
The black snake trembled.
Its originally raised head, under the gaze of everyone, slowly and humbly lowered, pressed tightly against the floor, its body curled into a ball, not daring to move.
This was more shocking than Harry's Parseltongue.
Harry was "communicating" with it.
While Morrin was directly "suppressing" it.
"Although it is a Dark Arts summoned object, it still knows how to bow to the strong."
Morrin put his glove back on and turned to look at Snape:
"Professor, I think this snake has lost its will to fight. You can handle it now."
Snape took a deep look at Morrin and waved his wand: "Diffindo."
The black snake turned into a wisp of black smoke and disappeared.
Class was over.
The students avoided Harry like they were avoiding a plague, whispering.
"He is the heir!"
"He is a Parseltongue! That is the mark of a Dark Wizard!"
Harry stood there alone, Ron and Hermione pulling him away in a hurry.
Morrin walked off the stage, and Malfoy immediately came up, his face full of both excitement and lingering fear.
"I knew it! Potter is a Parseltongue!" Malfoy said excitedly, "That is the talent of Salazar Slytherin! Could he really be..."
"Use your brain, Draco."
Morrin interrupted him, walking toward the common room while whispering:
"If Potter really is the heir, would he expose himself in front of everyone? The real mastermind always hides in the dark, manipulating everything."
"Then... then what do you mean?"
"He is just an unlucky scapegoat."
The corners of Morrin's mouth curled into a cold sneer.
"However, this is in our interest. Since everyone is staring at the savior, the real 'heir' can work without restraint."
Morrin glanced at the system panel.
[Mission Update: Obtain Salazar Slytherin's legacy]
[Current clues: Myrtle's bathroom, Parseltongue(frequency recorded), possessor of the diary]
"Ginny Weasley has been looking very weak lately." Morrinsaid suddenly.
"That red-headed pauper?" Malfoy said disdainfully, "Who cares about her."
"You should care." Morrin's eyes became deep, "Because that diary... is slowly draining her life force."
"I need that diary, Draco. But I can't just go and grab it."
Morrin stopped and looked at the heavy snow outside the window.
"We have to wait. Wait until that Horcrux feels it is strong enough and shows its fangs voluntarily."
"By the way." Morrin seemed to have thought of something, "Have The Daily Prophet publish a draft tomorrow. Let the title be 'the savior or the Second Dark Lord? The Mystery of Harry Potter's Parentage'."
"Muddy the waters. The muddier, the better."
"That way, when I step in to solve the Basilisk..."
Morrin clenched his cane, his knuckles white from the effort:
"...I can justify taking over the'security defense' of this Castle."
Chapter 46: Lost Shoes
December, Christmas Eve.
Hogwarts Castle was locked down by a rare blizzard.
The snow outside piled up to the height of the window sills, and the ice on the Black Lake was so thick that even a Half-Giant could not break it by stomping hard.
The atmosphere inside the Castle was even colder than the weather outside.
Since the Dueling Club incident, rumors that Harry Potterwas the "Slytherin heir" had spread like wildfire.
Everyone was avoiding him, except for Ron and Hermione.
And just yesterday, Justin Finch-Fletchley of Hufflepuff, who had nearly been bitten by a snake, and Nearly Headless Nick were both petrified.
This completely ignited panic.
Moen White did not share this panic.
He was wearing a thick black coat with a fur collar, carrying an exquisite insulated food container, and strolling through the fourth-floor corridor.
It was cold here, with wind blowing in through the cracks in the broken windows.
"Damn Peeves." Morrin frowned, tapped his cane on the floor, and an invisible barrier blocked the cold wind.
He was looking for someone. Or rather, he was looking for his "partner."
In a corner of the corridor lined with suits of armor, he found the figure.
Luna Lovegood was standing barefoot on the cold floor, looking up at a pair of sneakers hanging from the chandelier on the ceiling.
She was wearing thin robes, her pale blonde hair was messy, and she had a new necklace made of beer bottle caps hanging from her ears.
Even shivering from the cold, her expression remained calm, as if she were admiring a piece of art.
"Are those your shoes?" Morrin walked up behind her and asked softly.
He deliberately restrained his [Dragon's Might] to avoid scaring this sensitive girl.
Luna turned around, her silver-grey eyes, which always carried a hazy sense, looking at Morrin.
"Hello, Morrin." Luna's voice was airy. "Yes. But I can't reach them. I think maybe Nargles stole them."
"Nargles?" Morrin looked up at the shoes.
This was obviously not the work of some mysterious creature, but a prank played by some bored students.
"Sometimes, human hearts are worse than Nargles, Luna." Morrin sighed.
He didn't use his wand; he just raised his dragon-hide gloved hand and grabbed at the void towards the ceiling.
[Half-Giant Strength] combined with [Alchemy · Magnetic Field Control].
"Come down."
The shoes were grabbed by an invisible hand, pulled directly from the chandelier, and landed steadily in Morrin's hand.
Morrin crouched down, placed the insulated food container on the floor, and then knelt on one knee in front of Luna.
"Lift your feet." Morrin said.
Luna obediently lifted her small, frost-reddened feet.
Morrin did not mind; he wrapped his palms around her cold ankles.
[Basic Fire Immunity (Purple)] was not just a passive defense; Morrin could now slightly control the temperature of his body surface.
A warm current flowed through his palms, instantly dispelling the chill from Luna's feet.
He helped her put on her shoes and tied the laces.
"Thank you." Luna looked down at Morrin and suddenly said, "There are no Nargles above your head anymore. But... there is a mass of black mist on your chest, very heavy."
Morrin's hand paused.
His chest? That was where he kept his "advanced potion-making" book and Black Ironwood Wand, and also where his heart, tainted by the [Pure Blood (Curse)], was located.
"That is armor, Luna." Morrin stood up and brushed the dust off his knees. "To survive in this place full of monsters."
He opened the food container on the ground.
A rich aroma of cream of mushroom soup wafted out, along with two freshly baked, piping hot beef pies.
"Eat." Morrin handed her the container. "This is a special supply from the Slytherin kitchen. I don't think you could get anything this hot at the Ravenclaw table."
Luna held the hot soup, squinting her eyes happily. "You are really good to me, Morrin. Just like Daddy."
"This is an investment." Morrin corrected, though his tone wasn't that harsh. "You are the future editor-in-chief of 'The Quibbler', and I need to ensure my partner doesn't freeze to death."
The two sat on a bench in the corridor, watching the falling snow outside the window.
"The school has been very noisy lately." Luna took a sip of soup and suddenly said, "That snake is crawling around in the walls. It's very hungry."
Morrin's eyes instantly sharpened.
Luna couldn't hear Parseltongue, but her [Spirit Seer (Gold)] allowed her to perceive that evil presence.
"You felt it too?" Morrin asked.
"Mm." Luna nodded, then turned her head, looking at Morrin with those eyes that looked straight into the soul. "That little red-haired girl... Ginny Weasley."
"What's wrong with her?" Morrin's heart skipped a beat.
"Her colors are fading."
Luna said it in a tone used to describe the weather, yet it sent a chill down Morrin's spine. "Her head is stuffed with Wrackspurts. No, not Wrackspurts... it's a black book. That book is eating her, bit by bit."
Morrin gripped his cane. As expected. Ginny was already deeply controlled by the diary.
"She looks very cold." Luna put down the soup bowl, looking a bit sad. "Colder than standing barefoot in the snow. Her soul is crying, but no one hears it."
"I hear it." Morrin stood up and looked towards the end of the corridor.
"Thank you for the information, Luna. This is very useful to me."
"Are you going to help her drive away those Wrackspurts?" Luna asked.
"No rush." A cold calculation flashed in Morrin's eyes.
"The Wrackspurts haven't had their fill yet. When it's full and crawls out of the hole... that will be when I make my move."
Morrin took out an exquisite silver amulet from his pocket, engraved with complex Runes—this was a powerful mental protection pendant, a practice piece from his recent Alchemy.
"Wear this." Morrin hung the amulet around Luna's neck, tucking it into her beer bottle cap necklace. "It will prevent you from getting bitten by the 'book' too."
"It's beautiful." Luna touched the amulet. "It smells like you. Like mint and... rust."
Morrin smiled and ruffled Luna's messy blonde hair.
"Go back now, Luna. Don't wander around. If anyone hides your shoes again..."
Morrin glanced at the few sneaky Ravenclaw students at the other end of the corridor. Seeing Morrin here, they had already hidden in fear.
"...just tell them that they are the property of Morrin White. Damaging property requires tenfold compensation."
After saying goodbye to Luna, Morrin walked to the library alone.
His mood did not relax because of this brief warmth; instead, it became even tighter.
Luna's words confirmed his guess—the diary was accelerating the absorption of Ginny's life force. Tom Riddle was materializing.
"Soon."
Morrin walked through the dimly lit corridor, his cane tapping on the floor.
When passing the second-floor girls' bathroom, he stopped.
[True Sight] activated.
He saw that red-haired figure—Ginny Weasley, walking like a sleepwalker, clutching a dead rooster in her hand, heading towards the entrance of the Chamber of Secretswith a dazed expression.
Morrin did not stop her. He just stood quietly in the shadows, watching the little girl open the Chamber of Secrets and throw the dead rooster inside.
"Eat, Tom." Morrin watched Ginny's pale back and whispered to himself, "The fuller you are, the stronger your physical form will be. By then... when I turn you into Alchemy material, the quality will be higher."
He turned and left. Tonight, he still had to discuss the commission for the "Mandrake Restorative Draught" with Professor Snape.
Chapter 47: A Pink Nightmare and the Delivery of "Toxic Assets"
February 14th.
If there was anything more terrifying than the Basilisk at Hogwarts, it had to be Gilderoy Lockhart's sense of aesthetics.
As the students entered the Great Hall, everyone felt as if they had stumbled into the interior of a giant, expired strawberry cake. The four walls were covered in dazzling pink flowers, and countless heart-shaped confetti fluttered down from the sky-blue ceiling.
Even worse, Lockhart himself, dressed in a flamboyant pink robe matching the decor, waved his hand to signal for silence.
"Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!" Lockhart shouted, flashing his signature white teeth. "I've received forty-six cards so far, and I must thank you all!"
At the Slytherin table, Morrin White expressionlessly conjured a small Repelling Shield above his head with his wand, blocking out the falling pink confetti.
"This is visual pollution." Malfoy, looking nauseated, brushed away the confetti that had landed on his plate. "Is this imbecile crazy? He actually hired a bunch of..."
Malfoy pointed towards the Great Hall doors.
Twelve gloomy-faced dwarfs walked in. The difference was, they all had golden wings and carried harps.
"My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" Lockhart announced cheerfully. "They'll be roaming the school today, delivering your Valentine's cards! It's bound to be thrilling!"
"Thrilling indeed." Morrin coldly cut his sausage. "So thrilling I want to cast a Memory Charm on him, so he forgets what day it is."
...The whole day, Hogwarts was in chaos.
Those winged...
In the afternoon, in the corridor leading to Charms Class.
Morrin was leading Malfoy to the classroom when a commotion suddenly erupted ahead.
"Hey, you! Harry Potter!"
A particularly grim-faced dwarf pushed through the crowd, elbowing students out of the way, and charged straight at Harry.
Harry tried to escape, but the dwarf grabbed his backpack strap and yanked hard.
"Rip!"
The backpack tore open. Ink bottles shattered, and books scattered across the floor.
Amidst the clutter, a black, somewhat worn diary slipped out, landing right at Malfoy's feet.
"What's this?"
Malfoy, quick as a flash, snatched up the diary.
"Want to see Potter's Valentine's gift?" Malfoy smugly showed it to the surrounding students, while Crabbe and Goyle snickered.
Harry's face instantly changed: "Give it back to me, Malfoy!"
Ginny Weasley, standing not far away, saw the diary, and her face instantly drained of color as she covered her mouth in horror.
"It's not over yet!" The dwarf took the opportunity to grab Harry's knees, tripping him to the ground, then actually sat on Harry's ankle and began loudly reciting the cringe-worthy poem:
"His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad..."
The surrounding students burst into laughter.
Malfoy laughed the loudest: "I find this diary very interesting too, Potter. Why don't I see what's written inside?"
He raised his wand, preparing to cast a spell on the diary.
"Stop, Draco."
A hand wearing a black leather glove firmly pressed down on Malfoy's wand.
Morrin White emerged from the crowd. He didn't look at Harry on the ground, nor at the dwarf still singing, but stared intently at the diary in Malfoy's hand.
True Sight – Activated.
In his eyes, it wasn't a diary.
It was a black vortex.
A cold, evil, yet intensely alluring soul magnetic field was overflowing from beneath the black cover. It was a fragment of Tom Riddle's soul, a top-tier "asset" radiating a Golden (Legendary Soul) glow.
"Morrin?" Malfoy was stunned. "What's wrong? It's just Potter's broken diary..."
"This isn't an ordinary diary, Draco."
Morrin took the diary from Malfoy's hand.
The moment his fingertips touched it, the system screamed wildly in his mind.
Warning! High-level Horcrux detected!
Item: Tom Riddle's Diary
Danger Level: Extremely High (Possesses independent consciousness and manipulative abilities)
Attempt extraction?
Hint: Direct extraction may awaken the dormant soul fragment, causing it to forcibly take over nearby creatures.
It is recommended to wait for its complete awakening before harvesting.
"Hold on," Morrin admonished himself inwardly.
It wasn't time yet. The Basilisk hadn't been killed, and the Chamber of Secrets hadn't been opened.
Morrin held the diary, gently patted off the dust, and then walked over to Harry.
The dwarf was still singing. Morrin frowned, and his black ironwood wand lightly tapped the dwarf's shoulder.
Dragon's Might – Single-point Deterrence.
The dwarf's singing stopped abruptly.
He looked up at Morrin in terror, feeling as if he was being stared at by a giant beast, immediately let go of Harry, and scrambled away.
Harry awkwardly got up from the ground and reached out: "Morrin, that's my..."
"Your things, keep them safe."
Morrin handed the diary to Harry, his movements as natural as if he were handing over an ordinary textbook.
"Mr. Potter." Morrin looked into Harry's eyes, his tone meaningful. "Some things are picked up, and some things are deliberately 'abandoned.'"
"As a friend, let me remind you: if you don't know where this thing's brain is, don't trust it."
Harry took the diary, nodding blankly: "Thanks... that, that was Ron's poem, not mine."
"I figured as much." Morrin glanced at Ron, whose face was as red as a pig's liver. "Only a Weasley could come up with such terrible rhymes."
Morrin turned around and looked at Malfoy, who was utterly perplexed.
"Let's go, Draco. Don't touch that thing," Morrin said in a low voice.
"Why?" Malfoy asked unwillingly. "There must be some secret in it."
"There is a secret."
As the two walked out of the crowd, Morrin's voice turned cold:
"That's a 'toxic asset,' Draco. Whoever touches it dies. Since Mr. Potter likes picking up trash, let him keep it."
"But..."
"No buts." Morrin looked back at Harry, who was clutching the diary tightly to his chest.
The Trojan horse had successfully entered the savior's firewall.
Now, it was time to wait for the virus to erupt.
"Ginny Weasley seems to have thrown away the diary," Morrin mused. "And Harry picked it up. Tom Riddle must be thrilled... manipulating the savior directly is far more valuable than manipulating a little girl."
"Hurry up and grow, Tom."
Morrin touched the advanced potion-making on his chest.
"I've prepared the best 'operating table' for you."
That night, in the common room.
Morrin sat by the fireplace, looking at a report on "Knockturn Alley black market snake venom prices."
"Young Master." An owl flew in and dropped a letter.
It was a letter from Rita Skeeter.
"Boss, I've prepared the dirt on Hagrid's past expulsion. Also, I've inquired with the Ministry of Magic, and Minister Fudge seems to be under pressure from some 'Pure-Blood families' and is preparing to take action when the next attack occurs."
Morrin threw the letter into the fire, watching it turn to ash.
"Everything is ready."
Morrin picked up his teacup, looking out at the dark Black Lake.
"All that's missing... is one last sacrifice."
He needed a victim of sufficient weight to force Dumbledore away, to force Hagrid away, and to plunge Hogwarts into complete anarchy.
Only in such chaos could he enter the Chamber of Secretswithout scruple and carry out his "harvest."
"Miss Granger." Morrin thought of the clever know-it-all.
"I hope your mirror is big enough."
Chapter 48: Forced Leave and Warning Lucius
May 8th.
Hogwarts Library.
Sunlight streamed through the high windows, yet it could not dispel the tension and anxiety permeating the air. Final exams were only a few weeks away, but everyone was more concerned about whether they would survive until exam day.
Hermione Granger was sitting among a pile of old books about "Fantastic Beasts," a slip of paper torn from a library book list clutched tightly in her hand. Her hair was even messier than usual, and her eyes were bloodshot.
"So that's how it is... pipes... water pipes..." Hermionemurmured to herself, her eyes flickering with the ecstasy of solving a puzzle and fear.
"Found it?"
A calm voice sounded above her head.
Hermione almost jumped in fright, the quill in her hand dropping to the floor. She snapped her head up and saw Moen White standing in the shadows of the bookshelf.
He was wearing a dark grey casual suit and holding that copy of "advanced potion-making" that never left his side, his expression indifferent.
"Morrin..." Hermione lowered her voice, "I know what it is! That monster! It's—"
"Shh."
Morrin raised a finger, sealing her lips.
"Some names, once spoken, will draw attention." Morrinwalked to her side, his gaze sweeping over the slip of paper in her hand. "The Basilisk moves through the pipes. I think your deduction is correct."
"We have to tell Professor McGonagall! Or Dumbledore!" Hermione stood up excitedly to pack her bag. "The reason Harry can hear the voice is because he's a Parseltongue!"
"Go ahead." Morrin did not stop her, but he suddenly reached out, blocking Hermione's path.
"However, Miss Granger. As a good employer, I do not wish for my 'human resources' to be lost due to an accident."
Morrin took a delicate small silver mirror from his pocket, its back engraved with alchemical runes.
"Take this."
"A mirror?" Hermione was stunned.
"When turning a corner, use the mirror to look first." Morrinpressed the mirror into her hand, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Remember, do not look at anything directly with your naked eyes. Sometimes, a 'reflection' can save your life."
Hermione looked at the mirror, then into Morrin's deep eyes. She suddenly understood something and nodded heavily.
"Thank you, Morrin."
She grabbed the mirror and rushed out of the library.
Morrin watched her retreating back and sighed softly.
"Have a good sleep, Hermione."
He turned to look out the window. The hearing of his [Half-Giant Bloodline] allowed him to clearly hear the bone-chilling sound of scales scraping from deep within the walls.
"It's hungry."
Morrin gripped his wand.
If Hermione wasn't petrified, Harry and Ron wouldn't truly realize the severity of the problem, and Dumbledorewouldn't be forced to leave. This was a necessary "sacrifice"... Half an hour later.
There were no screams.
Because the discoverer didn't have time to scream.
When Professor McGonagall's trembling voice spread throughout the Castle via the magical megaphone, all the students felt a bone-chilling cold.
"All students, return to your house dormitories immediately. All teachers, please assemble in the staff room."
In the Slytherin line, Malfoy was excitedly about to say something but was glared back into silence by Morrin.
"Something big has happened," Morrin said in a low voice.
Sure enough.
News spread quickly.
There had been another double attack. This time it was the Ravenclaw prefect Penelope Clearwater and... Gryffindor's Hermione Granger.
They lay in the corridor near the library. Hermione's hand was clutched tightly around a small silver mirror, while her other hand gripped that torn-off slip of paper... Evening, Hagrid's hut.
The sky was terrifyingly gloomy.
Harry and Ron, wearing the invisibility cloak, were hiding in a corner of Hagrid's hut, watching the scene before them in horror.
The door was pushed open.
Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge walked in, looking anxious. Following closely behind was Lucius Malfoy, who wore his usual arrogant smile.
"Come now, Hagrid," Fudge said, twirling his bowler hat. "Things have become too serious. Someone must be held responsible for the attacks. The Ministry of Magic must take action."
"It wasn't me! I never wanted it to hurt anyone!" Hagridargued loudly, while Fang was barking loudly.
"It's not up to you, big man," Lucius sneered. "This is the decision of the Board of Governors. Dumbledore must go."
"You can't drive Dumbledore away!" Hagrid roared. "If he leaves, Muggle-born students won't have a chance at life!"
"That is for us to consider." Lucius took out a roll of parchment. "All twelve governors have signed. As Chairman of the Board of Governors, I regret to inform you, Dumbledore... you are suspended."
In the shadows, Dumbledore's azure eyes remained calm. He did not argue, nor did he resist.
"Since the Board of Governors wishes it so, Lucius," Dumbledore said softly, "I will leave."
"However."
Dumbledore walked to the door. His gaze seemed to pierce through the invisibility cloak to look in Harry's direction, and then seemed to pierce through the further darkness to look at another person standing in the shadows at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
"I will only truly have left this school when those here turn their backs on me. You will also find that at Hogwarts, help will always be given to those who ask for it."
Dumbledore left.
Hagrid was taken away by Fudge, bound for Azkaban... Edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Moen White stood under a massive oak tree, fiddling with that black ironwood wand in his hand as he watched the group depart.
Lucius Malfoy walked at the back, his face full of triumph.
As Lucius passed the oak tree, Morrin stepped out from the shadows.
"Good evening, Mr. Malfoy."
Lucius was startled, his hand almost going to his wand. After seeing it was Morrin, he relaxed and then revealed a triumphant smile.
"Ah, Mr. White. Are you here to see them off too? It's a night worth celebrating, isn't it? That crazy old man has finally cleared out."
Morrin did not smile.
He walked up to Lucius, his black eyes appearing exceptionally cold in the moonlight.
"This is a very risky move, Mr. Malfoy."
Morrin said flatly:
"Dumbledore is Hogwarts' 'nuclear deterrent.' Now that he's gone, that monster will spiral completely out of control. If the school is forced to close..."
Morrin stepped closer, [Dragon Fear] faintly radiating from him, causing Lucius's smile to freeze on his face.
"...then the tens of thousands of Galleons in sponsorship I invested previously, along with the White Family's arrangements here, will turn into a pile of waste paper."
"You are playing with fire, Lucius."
Lucius frowned and straightened his collar. "Don't worry, White. Once that monster finishes cleaning out those mudbloods, we will regain control of the school. By then, Slytherin will be the only..."
"I don't care about your pure-blood utopia," Morrininterrupted him. "I only care about my return on investment."
Morrin reached out and straightened Lucius's slightly crooked bowtie, his movements gentle yet carrying a suffocating pressure.
"You had better pray the school doesn't close. Otherwise, I will send the list of Dark Arts collections beneath your manor to the front page of The Daily Prophet."
"Good night, Mr. Malfoy."
With that, Morrin turned and walked toward the Castle.
Lucius stood where he was, watching the youth's retreating back. As the wind blew against the cold sweat on his back, he was chilled to the bone. He suddenly had an illusion,
that he hadn't just faced a twelve-year-old student, but a monster far more rational and terrifying than the Dark Lord.
Chapter 49: Heading to the Forbidden Forest Again
Slytherin Common Room.
When Morrin returned, Draco was dancing on a table.
"Dumbledore is gone! My father did it!" Draco shouted excitedly. "Potter is next! Those mudbloods are dead!"
Many Slytherin students were cheering.
"Quiet."
Morrin's voice wasn't loud, but the common room instantly fell silent.
He walked to the fireplace and kicked out the celebratory fireworks Draco had just lit.
"Dumbledore is gone, which means the Castle has lost its final protective barrier."
Morrin turned around, his gaze sweeping across the room.
"From now on, everyone moves in pairs. No one is allowed to leave the common room alone without my permission."
"Why?" Draco asked, confused. "Isn't that monster only attacking..."
"Because the monster's appetite changes, Draco."
Morrin sat back on his throne, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest.
"Besides, if the school closes, you bunch of useless trash with nothing but your bloodline will have to scurry home and face your strict parents."
"I imagine no one wants that, right?"
Everyone was as silent as cicadas in winter.
Morrin closed his eyes and opened the system panel.
[Current Status]: Dumbledore (Departed), Hagrid(Departed).
[Obstacles Cleared.]
[Basilisk Hunting Plan: Initiated.]
"Harry Potter should be heading to the Forbidden Forest to find the spiders soon," Morrin calculated in his mind. "Once he gets the clue, he'll go to open the Chamber of Secrets."
"When that time comes..."
Morrin's fingers touched the golden [Mandrake Restorative Draught] he had prepared long ago in his inner robe pocket.
A high-purity version he had refined himself.
"...it will be the season for harvesting."
May, late at night.
The air in Hogwarts was thick with suspicion and fear.
Dumbledore was gone, Hagrid had been taken away, and even the brilliant Hermione had been petrified.
The Castle felt like a deserted island.
In the Gryffindor common room, though the fire blazed, it couldn't dispel the oppressive chill.
Harry and Ron sat in a corner, whispering about the words Hagrid had left before he was taken,
"Follow the spiders."
"We have to go," Harry said firmly. "Tonight."
"Go where? To find that Slytherin 'Moen White'?"
A sharp voice suddenly cut in.
Seamus Finnigan stood up, staring at Harry with a face full of fury.
Behind him, Dean Thomas and several older Gryffindorstudents also closed in, looking unfriendly.
"I've seen you," Seamus said loudly. "In the library, in the corridors. You're always hanging out with that White! Harry, you're a Gryffindor, and he's the leader of Slytherin! Everyone says he's the successor to the Dark Lord!"
"Morrin isn't a bad person!" Ron retorted, his face flushing red. "He saved Hermione! And he fixed your glasses, Harry!"
"That might just be to gain your trust!" Percy Weasleywalked over as well. Although he was Ron's brother, at this moment, he was not just a brother, but a Prefect.
"Ron, stay away from him," Percy said seriously. "The White Family doesn't have a good reputation at the Ministry of Magic; they're capitalists who buy everything with money. Besides, the Slytherins are all saying Morrin is the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets. Getting too close to him will make all of Gryffindor suspected as traitors!"
"Traitors?" Harry stood up in disbelief. "I thought Gryffindorvalued courage, not this baseless suspicion!"
"Courage isn't stupidity, Potter!" Cormac McLaggen, a tall and strong older student, shoved Harry. "If you keep flirting with that snake, don't blame us for being unfriendly in the common room."
"Don't bother."
Harry coldly brushed off his hand, grabbed the invisibility cloak, and pulled Ron toward the portrait hole.
"Let's go, Ron. This place is suffocating."
Amidst the pointing and whispering behind them, the two climbed out of the fat lady's hole... and into the shadows of the entrance hall.
"Looks like you've been kicked out by your 'family'?"
A playful voice rang out.
Moen White was leaning against the staircase railing; he seemed to have been waiting there for a while.
"Morrin..." Harry was a bit embarrassed. "You heard everything?"
"[Half-Giant Bloodline] gives me great hearing." Morrinstraightened up, his black trench coat swaying in the night breeze. "Besides, this was within my expectations. Lions are social animals; once a member gets close to an 'outsider,' it triggers a group rejection response."
"They say you're the heir," Ron said huffily. "Those idiots."
"Let them talk," Morrin shrugged indifferently. "Reputation is for the dead; profit is the passport for the living."
"Are you heading to the Forbidden Forest?" Morrin glanced at a line of small spiders crawling past the corner.
"Yes," Harry nodded. "Hagrid told us to follow the spiders."
"A wise choice." Morrin tightened his grip.
"And..." Morrin glanced at the two of them. "With those two little matchsticks of yours, going in there is just providing a snack for the spiders."
...Deep in the Forbidden Forest.
It was even more eerie than the last time they searched for the Unicorn. The trees blotted out the sky, and the surroundings were filled with the rustling sounds of crawling.
Harry and Ron wore the invisibility cloak while Morrin cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself; the three of them followed the spider army deep into the heart of the forest.
Finally, they reached a massive hollow.
White cobwebs were everywhere, like a silent tomb.
A blind old spider, as massive as an elephant, was perched in the center of the web.
Aragog.
Harry plucked up his courage and stepped forward to speak with the old spider. He learned that Hagrid was innocent fifty years ago and that the girl who died had been killed in a bathroom.
"Thank you," Harry said, wanting to leave. "We'll be going now."
"Leave?"
Aragog's pincers clicked, a countdown to death.
"My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid; that is my command. But I cannot deny them the fresh meat that comes to our door... especially meat so tender."
"Goodbye, friend of Hagrid."
At his command, dense swarms of black spiders emerged from the treetops and the ground. Like a black tide carrying a nauseating stench, they surrounded the three of them.
"Petrificus Totalus! Stupefy!" Harry and Ron waved their wands in desperation, but there were too many spiders.
"It's over..." Ron closed his eyes in despair as he saw a spider larger than a car pouncing toward him.
"This is why I don't like doing business with poor people."
A cold voice suddenly rang out in the darkness.
Following it was a dazzling golden-red light.
Boom!
The Disillusionment Charm was lifted.
Moen White appeared in front of Harry.
He didn't use a wand to cast magic. He simply reached out his left hand, palm facing upward.
[Gate of Truth (Gold)] — Elemental Transmutation: Combustion.
He forcibly extracted and compressed the oxygen in the air, then mixed it with the magic within his body.
"Blazing Prairie."
Whoosh—!!!
A fan-shaped wave of fire erupted from Morrin's hand!
It wasn't ordinary magical fire; it was high-temperature plasma generated by Alchemy, reaching temperatures of two thousand degrees.
The dozen or so Acromantulas at the front didn't even have time to scream before they were instantly incinerated to ash.
A burnt stench filled the air.
Chapter 50: Teaching Aragog a Lesson
"Get back!"
Morrin roared, slamming his cane hard against the ground.
[Dragon Might (Blue, Growth Type)] — Fully Activated!
In the compound eyes of the spiders, the human before them was no longer prey, but an ancient dragon breathing scorching flames!
The spider swarm fell into a commotion; they feared fire, but they feared the aura of a top-tier predator even more.
"You... what are you?" Aragog retreated in terror. "This aura..."
"I'm here to collect the rent."
Morrin looked coldly at the giant old spider.
He waved his cane, and flames formed a burning ring around him, shielding Harry and Ron in the center.
"Hagrid raised you here, but you haven't paid any ground rent, have you?"
Morrin walked toward Aragog step by step. Cowering from the Dragon Might and the intense flames, the surrounding spiders retreated one after another.
"Since you don't have money for rent, you'll have to pay with something else."
Morrin suddenly lunged forward, his movement like a bolt of lightning.
He rushed in front of a massive adult male spider, and his cane whistled through the air, violently crushing its head.
Then, under the horrified gazes of Harry and Ron, Morrinskillfully pulled out a large crystal vial and caught the venom dripping from the spider's fangs.
"Acromantula venom, high purity."
Morrin shook the vial with satisfaction before turning to look at Aragog.
"Old thing, take your descendants and get lost."
A golden light flickered in Morrin's eyes:
"Otherwise, I'll burn this forest to the ground and turn you all into specimens to sell to Borgin and Burkes."
Aragog might be blind, but he wasn't stupid. He felt a power capable of destroying everything.
"Withdraw... let him go..." Aragog ordered, trembling.
The spiders receded like a tide.
"Let's go." Morrin put away the venom and the flames, straightening his collar, which wasn't even messy. "The information is acquired, and so is the loot."
The three of them walked out of the hollow.
Ron was still shaking. "Morrin... what you just did..."
"Don't ask," Morrin said flatly. "If you must know, it's Alchemy."
Harry looked at Morrin's back, his heart filled with a mix of emotions.
The grievance of being ostracized in the Gryffindorcommon room just now seemed laughable in the face of Morrin's powerful presence.
"They say you're a Dark Wizard," Harry said suddenly.
"Maybe they're right."
Morrin stopped and looked back at Harry, the moonlight spilling over his cold, stern face:
"But in this damn world, Harry, only a demon can drag you out from a monster's mouth."
"Let's head back. We know where that girl died now."
Morrin pointed toward the Castle:
"Myrtle's bathroom. The beginning of it all, and the end."
[Task Progress: Basilisk Hunting Plan (90%)]
[Current remaining draws: 0]
[I must save up a few more draws before entering the Chamber of Secrets.]
Morrin gripped his cane tightly.
The final battle would be in the next few days.
May 29th.
In the days following their return from the Forbidden Forest, the atmosphere in the Castle became oppressive to the extreme.
Although Harry and Ron knew Hagrid was innocent, it didn't solve the current crisis—the Basilisk was still roaming, and the Mandrakes were still a few days away from being fully mature.
Late at night, at the top of the Astronomy Tower.
Morrin White stood alone at the edge of the tower, his black trench coat flapping in the night wind. He held a cup of steaming coffee, overlooking the sleeping Hogwartsbelow.
[Ding!]
[Special node detected: Astronomy Tower (Highest point in the school)]
[Check-in successful!]
[Reward obtained: Draw count +1]
[Current draws: 1]
"I need to save up more," Morrin sighed. "This little bit of capital isn't enough for a high-stakes gamble against the Basilisk."
"Are you looking at the Nargles, Morrin?"
An ethereal voice drifted from the shadows behind him.
Morrin didn't look back; those familiar footsteps were light and erratic, as if walking on clouds.
Luna Lovegood walked out barefoot. She wore a pale blue nightgown, with the silver amulet Morrin had given her hanging around her neck, and she was waving an eagle feather she had picked up from somewhere in the air.
"I'm looking at the future, Luna." Morrin turned around and lightly tapped his cane on the ground.
"Spring-like Warmth."
A wave of warmth dispersed the cold wind on the tower. Luna's pale little face instantly gained some color.
"What does the future look like?" Luna leaned on the railing, her silver-grey protuberant eyes staring into the pitch-black Forbidden Forest. "Is it full of Nargles? I feel like the whole Castle is surrounded by them, buzzing so loudly it's hard to sleep."
"It's worse than that." Morrin walked to her side. "It's a gluttonous giant snake and a bodiless ghost."
Luna didn't show any surprise; she just nodded as if it were a perfectly normal thing.
"I know," Luna said softly. "That red-haired girl, her color is about to disappear. I saw her in the corridor yesterday; she wanted to talk to me, but..."
Luna frowned, seemingly trying hard to describe the feeling:
"...but a black hand covered her mouth. It was a hand that reached out from a book she was holding."
Morrin's pupils contracted slightly.
Ginny tried to call for help? But was stopped by Tom Riddle?
"What did she want to say?" Morrin asked.
"She wanted to throw the book into the toilet," Luna said seriously. "But she couldn't. That book bit her finger, like... a Vampire."
Morrin fell silent.
The diary's control over Ginny had reached its final stage.
Tom Riddle would soon drain her life force and complete his manifestation.
"Morrin." Luna suddenly turned her head to look at him. "Will you go and drive those black things away?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Because your color has changed."
Luna reached out, her cold fingers lightly touching the back of Morrin's hand as he held his cane:
"Before, you were surrounded by gold and grey. But tonight... you have the color of fire. The kind of fire... that wants to burn everything clean."
Morrin was stunned for a moment.
Fire?
Was that the restlessness of [Alchemy], or the [Half-Giant Bloodline]'s thirst for battle?
He looked at the girl before him, whose eyes were as pure as a lake. In this world full of schemes and conspiracies, she was the only one who could see through his layers of disguise to the essence of his soul.
"Yes, Luna."
Morrin took her hand in his, passing his warmth to her.
"I'm going to clean up those filthy things. For the school, and for... my investment environment."
"Will you get hurt?"
"I'm a businessman." Morrin's lips curled into a confident arc. "A businessman doesn't make losing deals. Getting hurt is an extra cost; I'll do my best to avoid it."
"That's good." Luna let out a sigh of relief, showing a vague but bright smile. "Daddy said if Morrin gets hurt, we won't have any delicious pudding to eat."
Morrin couldn't help but chuckle.
"Go back to sleep, Luna," Morrin said softly. "In the next few days, no matter what sounds you hear, don't leave the Ravenclaw tower. Keep the amulet I gave you on."
"Mhm. Goodnight, Morrin."
Luna drifted away like a light butterfly.
Morrin watched her figure disappear at the stairwell, the tenderness in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by a bone-chilling coldness.
"Tom."
Morrin looked toward the second floor of the Castle.
"You've made my 'partner' worry. I'll be settling this account with you."