Chapter 363 Strange Taxi
Levi and Hermione's luck was very good. On the day they headed to Moscow, the sky was clear and the breeze was gentle, making it a great day for an outing.
"It's just that Borodino is too remote, actually a hundred and twenty kilometers away from Moscow, and there isn't even a single taxi around!"
Hermione said listlessly, kicking a branch by the roadside away with her small leather shoe.
She and Levi had left the camp and walked a long way, their feet aching a bit from walking, yet they still hadn't seen a main road.
Although the scenery in the suburbs of Moscow was nice, it was too monotonous, causing a bit of aesthetic fatigue.
Fortunately, Levi was still accompanying her. The little witch looked at the boy walking beside her and instantly felt that what kind of scenery they looked at no longer mattered!
What mattered most was who was accompanying her to look at the scenery!
"Hermione, why don't the two of us directly use Apparitionto head to Moscow?"
Levi was also getting a bit bored of walking. The fallen leaves covering the ground, the towering birch and maple forests, the babbling stream, and the low bushes had seemed quite novel to him and Hermione when they first laid eyes on them.
But after walking in the forest for a long time, the two of them didn't find it fresh at all anymore!
Hearing Levi's suggestion, Hermione hesitated for a moment, but ultimately shook her head in refusal:
"No, Levi, the two of us are underage Wizards, and we're in Russia. If people from the Ministry of Magic detect the two of us casting magic, we'll be done for by then!"
Hearing this, Levi laughed instead, and he reminded Hermione:
"Hermione, have you forgotten?!"
"The Trace on the two of us was already shielded and sealed by me back at Castle Manor!"
"Besides, the two of us are in the suburbs of Moscow, not in the suburbs of London. The British Ministry of Magiccan't control the two of us!"
Hearing this, Hermione's face immediately showed a moved expression. Just as she was about to agree, her bright eyes suddenly lit up, and she raised her hand to point ahead:
"Levi, look quickly, ahead is a main road, we can hitch a ride to Moscow!"
Levi raised his gaze following the direction of her finger, and sure enough, he saw a slightly dilapidated asphalt road, but he still insisted on suggesting:
"Hermione, even if the two of us found the road, in this remote and desolate suburb, I'm afraid no vehicles will pass by!"
Unfortunately, face-slapping came so fast. Just as Levi's voice fell, a light yellow vodka taxi stopped at the intersection of the main road.
A rugged-looking Slavic taxi driver poked his head out of the car window and rudely asked the two of them:
"Hey, you two kids, do you want a ride?"
"I'm telling you, this place is out in the middle of nowhere, and mine is the only car passing by here. If you miss this chance, you won't find another shop like this!"
The taxi driver certainly wouldn't say so many idioms, but the meaning he expressed was about the same.
Hearing this, Hermione frowned. It wasn't because of the taxi driver's words, but because she sensed that this driver, along with his taxi, was a bit abnormal.
Levi, however, saw through the true nature of this taxi, instantly found it interesting, and whispered a reminder to Hermione:
"Don't be afraid in a moment, just treat this as an interesting adventure!"
After reminding Hermione, he raised his head and said to the driver with a smile:
"Of course we want a ride, thank you for the trouble, Driver!"
Levi pulled Hermione to sit in the back seat of the taxi, and said to the driver with a face full of novelty:
"After the dissolution of the Union, you guys are living pretty well too, you even have taxis here?!"
"They've existed for a long time," the driver said impatiently. He glanced at Levi and Hermione's innocent and tender appearance, and asked as if chatting casually:
"Listening to the accents of you two, as well as the clothes on your bodies, you two are foreigners, right?"
"That's right, that's right," Levi said casually with an undefended look:
"Both Hermione and I came from Britain. Haven't the communication channels between both sides been re-established? So we came over here to travel and look around everywhere!"
Hearing Levi's words, the driver instantly relaxed a lot. Foreigners were good; foreigners disappearing silently wouldn't be pursued by anyone.
And these two little fellows had tender skin and flesh, later when finding an opportunity, by then...
"Eh? What is this thing used for?"
Levi's tone was full of curiosity as he pulled a grip inside the car.
The driver, who was smiling sinisterly in his heart, heard Levi say this, subconsciously glanced over, and his eyeballs almost popped out!
Holy shit, the handbrake!
Immediately afterwards, the driver felt a strong inertia shoving fiercely from behind him, and he instantly flew out through the front windshield!
"Bang!"
The extremely disheveled driver rolled and shattered the front windshield, falling to the ground, and the taxi also stopped.
But very magically, the strong inertia did not affect Leviand Hermione in the car at all; both of them were sitting safely in the car.
"Levi, what are you doing?"
Hermione looked at Levi in utter surprise; she didn't understand why Levi suddenly pulled the handbrake!
"Hermione, haven't you figured it out yet? That driver is not human, and don't you think this is an interesting adventure?!"
A bad smile appeared on Levi's face, and immediately after, he put on a look of extreme shock, pushed open the car door, and jumped out of the car:
"Are you okay, Driver, Uncle Driver? Are you okay?"
Levi looked worried, his entire face wrinkling up like a preserved plum.
"What do you think?" The driver struggled to crawl up from the ground. What was shocking was that there were completely no wounds or blood stains on his body.
But Levi acted as if he didn't see it, reaching out to help the driver up. The taxi driver actually suppressed his anger and rebuked repeatedly:
"What kind of major mental illness do you have, huh? While driving, you fucking pulled the handbrake!"
"Sorry, sorry, wasn't I just curious?"
Levi supported the driver with one hand, scratched his hair embarrassedly with the other, smiling ingratiatingly, almost unable to suppress the laughter in his heart.
Before getting into the car earlier, he had already sensed that this driver and his taxi were a bit abnormal.
But he couldn't figure out what on earth this thing was. Was it transformed from some Magical Creatures? Or a ghost, or a spirit, a non-existence?
This really filled Levi with curiosity. Feeling that his own strength was sufficient to handle the danger, he and Hermione got into this strange taxi!
"Uncle Driver, can you continue driving?"
Levi asked with a worried face, while his eyes secretly scrutinized the driver and the taxi.
"Stop talking nonsense, help me up. If I don't drive, are you going to drive?!"
The taxi driver cursed and swore as Levi helped him back into the driver's seat and restarted the taxi.
And an even more magical scene happened just like that!
The glass that had just been shattered miraculously restored itself as if it had been repaired, turning back into its pristine state intact!
"How magical, could this be the black technology left behind by the former Soviet Union?"
Levi asked knowingly. Hermione, sitting beside him, also realized that this taxi didn't seem simple!
Chapter 364 Silver Dragon Patronus
"Er, yes, I was just thinking that... I mean, you're right!"
The taxi driver said awkwardly, realizing that a self-repairing taxi was a bit too beyond reason!
And which country would apply this kind of black technology to a taxi?!
But Levi nodded doubtfully, seeming to believe most of the taxi driver's words.
"Has foreign happy education reached this extent already?"
"Turns out the things advertised on TV before the dissolution of the Union were all true!"
Seeing Levi's mostly convinced appearance, the taxi driver's hanging heart finally dropped!
But he didn't notice that witch Hermione, who was also sitting in the back seat, listened to their conversation with her face full of question marks.
Perhaps because the atmosphere was too awkward, the taxi driver turned on the car radio, and a melodious piece of Russian-style music drifted over.
The notes drifted, and the chaotic atmosphere inside the taxi gradually calmed down!
The cold-yellow taxi drove on the bumpy, dilapidated asphalt road, having already traveled more than halfway of the 120-kilometer journey.
The music drifting from the car radio also gradually changed from a normal Russian-style tune into depressing and low horror background music, just like ghosts approaching step by step!
"Did you know? I used to have a wife who loved me very, very much..."
Amidst the horrifying background music, the taxi driver spoke in an ethereal tone about a past event, sounding just like telling a ghost story!
"The two of us were very... *crunch*... *crunch*!"
Immersed in his own story, the taxi driver, hearing the noise made by Levi and Hermione in the back seat, turned his head in anger and shame, and said to Hermione and Leviwho were eating apples:
"When I'm talking, can the two of you not eat anything?!"
"With this music, with this atmosphere, is it appropriate for you to eat apples?!"
Hermione, who had been stuffed an apple by Levi, raised her head blankly together with Levi.
Levi said with an even blanker face:
"Ah, can't we eat apples? Isn't this storytime?"
"I thought the driver was telling us a story because he saw the two of us were bored!"
Hearing this, the driver was instantly gritting his teeth with anger. Ever since he somehow returned from death more than a year ago and turned into his current appearance, he didn't know how many trips of "guests" he had given!
But not a single "guest" was as annoying as this stinky brat with an Oriental face from Britain!
"You guys wait for me. Once I find a safe place, I'll let you witness my true face. Let's see if you still dare to be so mischievous then?!"
"That's not how it is! Who would be bored enough to tell stories to you!"
The driver suppressed the bloodthirsty thoughts in his heart and said impatiently.
"Then what were you doing just now?"
Levi and Hermione looked over curiously; the driver had clearly been telling a story just a moment ago.
"Never mind that, anyway, don't eat anything while I'm talking!"
The driver said overbearingly, unable to figure out why two reserve ingredients had so much drama?!
"Okay, okay, driver, go ahead and talk, we won't eat anymore!"
In the end, Levi finished the apple in two or three bites, then pinched his lips with his thumb and index finger, signaling that he wouldn't eat anymore.
Through the rearview mirror, the driver glared at Levi and Hermione, and prepared to continue his horror story, but suddenly got stuck:
"Er... where was I?"
"You two were very much in love," Hermione whispered a reminder from the back seat, which even amused Levi!
"Right, the two of us were very much in love, I loved everything about my wife!"
The reminded driver continued.
Just as he was about to continue, Levi suddenly chimed in:
"Including the shit your wife takes?!"
The driver choked instantly, and Hermione, who had been listening intently, was also amused instantly. While laughing, she gave Levi a few exasperated punches!
She had been listening so intently, yet this guy Leviactually suddenly brought up...
"Of course not!"
"No, wait, why am I telling you this? Can you just honestly listen to my story?"
The driver was so angry he could barely maintain his disguise, but he still took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in his heart, and continued the story:
"The point of the story is that despite us being so in love, she actually cheated behind my back and got tangled up with another man!"
"Do you know how I dealt with them?"
"I took the two of them..."
By this point in the story, the driver no longer concealed his true appearance.
The driver's ferocious nature was fully exposed; a bleeding hole even appeared on his forehead, his complexion was pale as death, and the whole person looked just like a corpse!
To be precise, he was a vicious ghost and evil soul!
But just halfway through revealing his ferocious appearance, he stopped awkwardly and fearfully, freezing even that sinister smile on his face!
Because Levi, sitting in the back seat, simply spread his palm, and a beautiful Silver Dragon drifting with mist appeared inside the taxi!
The corporeal Patronus summoned by Expecto Patronum—the Silver Dragon, had just appeared in the taxi when the slightly worn taxi immediately seemed to be eroded, accompanied by piercing screams, emitting a large amount of thick Haze!
Seeing that after the Haze dispersed, what was previously just a slightly worn taxi had turned into a rotting, rusted car skeleton!
Hermione, sitting next to Levi, couldn't help widening her eyes in horror, realizing she had been sitting in such a taxi all this time.
Moreover, since the true nature of the taxi was like this, what about the driver driving this taxi?!
Thinking of this, Hermione immediately pulled out her wand and pointed it at the taxi driver!
"Keep talking, driver, what did you do to the two of them?"
Levi asked with great interest, lightly lifting his palm so that the corporeal Patronus Silver Dragon landed on his shoulder. With silver eyes identical to the Silver Dragon's, he coldly stared at the taxi driver.
"N-Nothing!"
The taxi driver, revealing his true nature as a fierce ghost and specter, felt a stabbing pain all over his body and felt like he was about to die once he was hit by the light refracted from the Silver Dragon's body!
Although he had already died once, he didn't want to die a second time!
Furthermore, this was just the light refracted from the Silver Dragon; if that Silver Dragon pounced on him, wouldn't he be dead for sure?
Besides, could his current state die another time?
The vicious ghost driver didn't know the answer, and he didn't want to know.
"Not talking, huh? Then don't blame me..."
Levi withdrew his smile, his voice fading away as he was about to order the Silver Dragon to pounce!
"Don't! Don't! Don't! I'll talk! I'll talk!"
Seeing that the situation was bad, the vicious ghost driver hurriedly begged for mercy. Under the threat of the Silver Dragon Patronus, he poured out his cause of death and his experience of "resurrecting from the dead" like beans spilling from a bamboo tube!
Chapter 365: Trip to Moscow
The story of the ghostly driver was actually very simple:
Before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the economy was depressed, life was difficult, and the ghostly driver had no money to support his family.
Because of lacking money, the ghostly driver's wife chose to cheat. After the ghostly driver discovered it, in a fit of rage, he killed her and her paramour together.
Killing someone requires paying with one's life. Even though the Union had dissolved and the situation was chaotic, the ghostly driver was still sentenced to death and executed by firing squad.
But for some reason, after dying, the ghostly driver "came back to life" again, merged into one with the ghost taxi, and harboring a hatred for the living, continuously killed passengers along a certain route every day!
"Wait, you were just an ordinary person during your lifetime, and after death, you turned into a ghost, yet you can even harm others!"
Hearing this, if Levi had not constantly maintained Legilimency and known that what the ghostly driver said was the truth, he would have almost thought the ghostly driver was deceiving him!
How could this be possible?
This is not magical at all!
According to the iron law of the Wizarding World, only Wizards with magic power in their bodies and powerful souls can, after death, allow their obsession and part of their souls to leave the Veil and turn into ghosts!
As for ordinary people, their weak souls not nourished by magic power are simply not enough to break free from the control of Death and leave the Veil, making it impossible for them to become ghosts!
Furthermore, even ghosts formed after a Wizard's death do not possess any ability to interfere with reality!
Just like the ghosts in Hogwarts Castle, even if they pass through a young wizard's body, it is just like pouring a basin of cold water over them, making the young wizards feel cold at most!
Yet this ghostly driver was actually able to kill ordinary people!
How could this be? Even ghosts formed by Wizards cannot do this!
Hearing the ghostly driver's account, Levi and Hermionelooked at each other in dismay, both feeling that they had learned knowledge and faced a challenge!
However, whether observing with Source View or using other methods, the conclusions drawn could all prove that the ghostly driver was indeed a ghost!
But how could this be possible?
This is too unmagical!
Puzzled, Levi did not rashly use the Silver Dragon Patronus to shatter the ghostly driver's soul, but instead used a bottle to seal him up.
"Levi, do you think what this ghost said is true?"
Hermione, who did not yet know Legilimency, was not sure whether what the ghostly driver said was true or false, and her heart was full of questions.
"Whether it's true or false, it has nothing to do with us, Hermione!"
Levi did not want the matter of the ghostly driver to disrupt the mood of their outing, so he directly expressed his thoughts:
"Since he has already been caught, we can just hand him over to Madame Kalgana later! She is an official of the Russian Ministry of Magic, and she will definitely handle this matter properly!"
Even though the unusual ghost of the ghostly driver made Levi's imagination run wild, in his opinion, it was still not as important as happily touring around with Hermione.
Hearing this, Hermione thought about it and felt that what Levi said was very right.
Regardless of whether this ghost lied or not, handing him over to Madame Kalgana, an official of the Ministry of Magic, was the most correct way to handle it.
"Stop thinking about these nonsense things. There is still some distance to Moscow, let's go!"
Saying that, Levi grabbed Hermione's little hand, waved his wand, used Side-Along Apparition, and Apparitioned with Hermione to Moscow!
The political situation after the dissolution of the Soviet Union was still turbulent, but this did not affect the lives of ordinary people at the bottom.
Levi and Hermione strolled through the solemn and respectful Red Square, the red walls and towers of the Kremlin still magnificent.
Lenin's Mausoleum was also open to the public as usual, and tourists and local citizens mixed together in the square, surprisingly lively!
Hermione suggested bringing a gift for Mr. and Mrs. Granger, as well as Professor and Harley, so the two decided to browse GUM National Department Store.
Perhaps because after the dissolution of the Union, it connected with the Western market, the situation of past material shortages slowly loosened, and the counters were filled with all kinds of new goods.
The most classic Russian nesting dolls of course had to be bought. Besides that, Levi and Hermione also bought linden honey, ballet-themed postcards, Big-Head Doll chocolates, enameled badges...
Having bought a huge pile of things, and neither wanting to be a bag-carrying errand boy, the two found a hidden place, let Levi put them away, and then chose to take a walk on Old Arbat Street.
Strolling down Arbat Street, street painters set up stalls to paint, vendors peddled souvenirs like badges and nesting dolls, and the voices were noisy.
"If I had known they sold these things here too, we wouldn't have bought them at the National Department Store!"
Calculating and thinking about saving money, Hermione, like a thrifty little housewife, said with a frown.
"Don't frown, Hermione. It's hard to guarantee that the street stalls sell genuine products. In case you buy a fake, it's better to spend a little more money!"
Levi smiled and comforted Hermione, saying it was just ordinary people's currency anyway. If the two of them deeply cultivated the wizarding world in the future, they would probably rarely spend ordinary people's currency again.
Hearing Levi's words, Hermione felt it was right, and once again appreciatively looked at the numerous paintings displayed on the roadside with great interest.
When she was chatting idly with Levi before, she had heard Levi mention things like discerning treasures with discerning eyes and getting rich by picking up bargains, so now she inevitably gave birth to similar thoughts.
What if she used a low price to buy a masterpiece by some famous Russian painter? Wouldn't that be picking up a bargain!
Thinking of this, even Hermione, who was not a money-grubber, had sparkling eyes, and relying on her limited understanding of artistic paintings, she patiently examined and selected them!
Watching Hermione picking paintings, Levi only found it funny in his heart, and there was one sentence he hadn't said yet.
That is, foolish out-of-town tourists like them were almost the largest consumer group buying counterfeit goods in tourist destinations every year!
Still want to pick up a bargain?
If you aren't cheated by others and spend a huge sum of money to buy a fake, you can already thank your lucky stars!
But seeing the little witch Hermione picking with such interest, Levi did not ruin the mood by speaking the truth aloud.
Traveling, isn't it just walking east and looking west, passing the time?
Since the little witch had this interest, just let her pick and look. Anyway, in the end, neither Levi nor Hermione would spend money!
"Dong~"
The church bells drifted, and the two walking on the street looked up:
The Stalinist Seven Sisters high-rises stood majestically, the long-closed Orthodox churches reopened, and the golden domes glittered in the setting sun!
"It turns out it's already so late unconsciously!"
"Levi, are the two of us returning to the camp right now?"
Hermione, who was enjoying shopping to the fullest, asked Levi somewhat reluctantly.
"We've just been out playing for a day, and the group matches won't end that fast. Let's stay in Moscow tonight; I happen to have a house here!"
Levi had made plans long ago, and as he spoke, he pulled out a key.
Chapter 366: Strange Revival?
Late at night, Levi and Hermione were resting in a villa in Moscow.
But unlike Hermione, who was sleeping soundly, Levi in the bedroom was actually not asleep at all.
The evil ghost driver during the day still made Levi's imagination run wild; if you put aside his Slavic identity, he was simply like a ghost legend from a Dragon Country metropolis!
Levi had heard similar ghost stories more than once in his past life. Familiar as they were, the key question was, what was the cause of this ghost story about the evil ghost taxi?
With his active mind and wild imagination, Leviimmediately thought of things like a strange revival!
An ordinary person's soul, instead of heading to the world of the dead after death, had actually surpassed a Wizardand turned into a terrifying evil ghost capable of harming people!
Such a thing could probably only be accomplished by terrifying forces like a strange revival!
If it really was a strange revival, why did he alone stumble upon a single case of such a massively impactful event, while the entire world did not sound the alarm because of it?
In the original work, at the end of the plot, when Harry Potter and the others sent their children to the train station, they didn't mention anything similar at all!
Could it be that he thought wrong, and only encountered an isolated special case?!
Was the evil ghost driver extraordinary?!
Levi thought patiently, and then associated it with the unusually large number of newly enrolled first-year young wizards at Hogwarts!
If something like a strange revival really occurred, not only would the number of ghosts increase, but the number of Wizards on the human side would also increase accordingly, which seemed to become a reasonable and normal occurrence.
If these two things could corroborate each other, then his conjecture seemed to be somewhat correct!
Moreover, combined with Grindelwald's second prophetic dream, plus the visitors from outside the world, his conjecture became even more reasonable!
After all, with the strange revival and evil ghosts running rampant, the increase in the number of Psychics on the human side, and an environment rich in "spiritual energy" attracting foreign enemies to invade, it was simply the most cliché plot imaginable!
But before transmigrating, I had never heard that Ancestor Rowling was planning to write a sequel to Harry Potter!
Levi was extremely puzzled in his heart. It couldn't possibly be that Ancestor Rowling saw official fanfiction writing making too much money!
She was also planning to start a book called "Harry PotterII: Peerless Hogwarts" herself!
Thinking of this, Levi was instantly amused by his own idea, and couldn't be bothered to ponder why a special case like the evil ghost driver appeared.
Anyway, just like Grindelwald's prophetic dream, these were all things to face in the future. Instead of letting his imagination run wild now, he might as well seize the time to improve his strength while doing whatever he should do!
Levi and Hermione played wildly in Moscow for three consecutive days, toured this Eastern European metropolis thoroughly, and took the opportunity to deal with some of Levi's assets left in Moscow.
In addition to the villa where the two lived, Levi also had three shops in Moscow.
Besides handing two of the shops over to a real estate agency to collect rent externally...
Levi intended to hand the remaining shop facing Wizards over to Valentin to manage as a company branch of Hero King Game Company in Russia.
"Mr. Valentin, the business in Russia will be left to you!"
Through the video call function of the hero king game console, Levi entrusted the affairs in Moscow to Valentin.
Shutting down the hero king game console, Levi looked at Hermione who was tidying up the room. The little witchhad a scarf wrapped around her head, and her busy appearance looked like a homemaking young woman cleaning up.
"Hermione, the group stage of the Wizard Dueling Tournament is over! The two of us should also return to the arena!"
"If we miss the match, goodness knows how angry Professor Flitwick will be?!"
Levi signaled Hermione to prepare to return to the Borodino ancient battlefield in the suburbs of Moscow.
"Then let's go, just in time as I've finished packing!"
Hermione finally waved her wand to clean and tidy up the room, leaving it for the next stay.
"You have mastered household magic pretty well!"
Levi and Hermione walked out of the villa, locked the door, came to a secluded and deserted place, and praised.
"I have to make some progress too, right?"
"To be honest, it's just that I haven't mastered a few Spell Templates yet, otherwise I'd want to go up to the duel arena and try it out!"
The true Gryffindor fighter—the little witch Hermione said eagerly.
"Alright, once I win the Champion this time, I'll sign you up next time!"
Levi said matter-of-factly, as if winning the Champion was as easy as taking something out of his pocket for him.
"Then I'll just wait for your good news. I hope you're not bragging!"
Although Hermione didn't know how certain Levi was, hearing him say this still filled her with anticipation.
However, she wasn't looking forward to participating next time; what she looked forward to was celebrating the championship with Levi after he won!
Hearing Hermione's words, Levi nodded. Amidst the blush on Hermione's little face, he took the little witch's hand and used Apparition to return to the arena of the Wizard Dueling Tournament.
"Let's go, the two of us will go see Madame Karkaroff first and hand over the bottle containing the evil ghost driver to her!"
Calming the discomfort caused by Apparition, Levi took out the bottle from the Compendium Space and took Hermione to Madame Karkaroff's residence.
After all, the Russian Ministry of Magic was the organizer of the competition, and they built a row of black wooden houses on the campsite side for official personnel to live in.
The wooden houses didn't look big, but the interior also used the Undetectable Extension Charm. After Levi and Hermione knocked on the wooden door, stepping inside revealed a spacious reception hall.
Professor Flitwick, Madame Karkaroff, and the Russian girl Ekaterina Polotova were sitting around a tea table, drinking tea and chatting.
"Levi, and Miss Granger, you're back!"
"How is it? Did you have a pleasant trip to Moscow?"
Professor Flitwick greeted Levi and Hermione. Seeing the two return safely, the heart that had been slightly hanging in his chest immediately relaxed.
"Not bad, Professor," Levi and Hermione responded with a smile, and then they talked about their journey, focusing on the matter of encountering the evil ghost driver.
"What? You encountered an evil ghost turned from a Muggle's soul?"
"This ghost can actually cause physical damage and has already killed many Muggles?"
Professor Flitwick and Madame Karkaroff looked at each other in dismay. After exchanging a glance, the same expression appeared on both of their faces, which was: disbelief!
How could this be possible?
Ghosts were merely the obsession and phantom left behind by the dead in the present world; they couldn't interfere with the real world, and the real world could hardly interfere with them!
And how could a Muggle's soul turn into a ghost?
But facts spoke louder than words. When Levi took out the bottle containing the evil ghost driver and showed it to them, Professor Flitwick and Madame Karkaroff didn't know what to say anymore!
Chapter 367 Viktor Krum
Especially after Levi threatened the ghost driver and made him retell the events before and after his death.
The expressions of Professor Flitwick and Madame Karagana became even more serious.
The two of them still remained skeptical about the ghost harming people, but they believed that the ghost driver was likely cursed by the Imperius Curse, being maliciously manipulated by someone to act this way.
Especially now that the Wizard Dueling Tournament was being held in Borodino, the ghost driver driving a ghost taxi prowling nearby was likely trying to disrupt the Wizard Dueling Tournament!
Professor Flitwick and Madame Karagana voiced their hypothesis, and the expressions on the faces of Levi and Hermione also became much more serious.
Levi even thought of the Quidditch World Cup held a year later. At the end of the match, didn't Lucius and a group of Death Eaters do something similar?
"This matter is indeed worthy of attention, and I am taking it over on behalf of the Ministry of Magic! Mr. Keins and Miss Granger, you should no longer meddle in this!"
Madame Karagana suddenly said, waving her wand to stuff the ghost driver back into the bottle, and stated that Leviand Hermione should not participate any further.
Professor Flitwick, Levi, and Hermione did not speak upon hearing this, but nodded instead.
They all understood that Madame Karagana's decision was made with the two young wizards, Levi and Hermione, in mind.
After all, this was the outskirts of Moscow, within the sphere of influence of the Russian Ministry of Magic. No matter what kind of thing happened, the two young wizards Levi and Hermione should not be dragged into it.
In the wooden house's living room, everyone tacitly stopped talking about the ghost driver and instead chatted about the Wizard Dueling Tournament.
Apart from Levi advancing with the good result of first place in the British group, the expressionless girl Ekaterina Volotova also advanced with the third place result in the Russian group.
"I didn't expect Miss Bolotova to also be an outstanding combat Wizard, truly making one look at her with new respect and deeply feeling that the younger generation is to be feared!"
Levi praised her with an air of seniority, looking so much like an old Professor of Hogwarts that anyone who didn't know would have thought so!
Although he had indeed been one not long ago!
Hearing Levi's words, Professor Flitwick and Madame Karagana had strange expressions, simply because Leviwas the youngest Wizard in the room!
Not to mention Ekaterina Bolotova, even Hermione was nearly a year older than Levi, yet this little fellow Levi was putting on airs here!
"Levi, you must not be careless. You haven't been at the tournament grounds these past few days and don't understand the situation of the matches!"
"Among the top three of each country's group, besides young wizards like Ekaterina or Fleur, there are also many adult Wizards who have participated in competitions in previous years, or even elderly Wizards!"
"Some contestants require even me to handle them carefully when battling them. These people have all mastered some unique magic. If you don't handle it right, you might capsize in a gutter!"
Professor Flitwick said solemnly. He really thought highly of Levi winning the Champion, and didn't want Levi to be tripped up by an unexpected opponent using a Spell he had never seen before due to carelessness.
"Rest assured, Professor, the Champion will definitely belong to me!"
Levi said full of confidence. He was now carrying the expectations of Professor Flitwick and the little witchHermione, so how could he possibly allow himself to fail?!
The match from the Top 32 to the Top 16 was about to begin.
And as soon as the match started, the attention of all the spectators was completely attracted by Levi and his opponent.
Needless to say, Levi was the inventor of the game consolethat swept the global wizarding world.
Among the audience of the King of Heroes Tournament, which had been held for two sessions, many people had also gone to watch it.
As for his opponent, Viktor Krum from Bulgaria who hailed from Durmstrang, he was likewise a renowned young contestant of the entire tournament.
As a Quidditch Seeker, Krum was now a star player of the Bulgarian national team, and in terms of fame, he even surpassed Levi.
Durmstrang, where he studied, was even permitted to teach Dark Arts. For this match between him and Levi, quite a few people valued Krum more, believing that he could defeat Levi!
On the tournament arena, Levi and Krum stood facing each other, their two pairs of eyes staring closely at their opponent!
Krum had a taciturn personality, and Levi didn't want to say any nonsense either. The two remained silent, listening to the referee announce the start of the match.
It was still the Mimic-knight Wizard duel salutation, still walking three steps back to back:
Krum took the initiative to attack first, spinning around rapidly with a crisp and neat incantation:
"Expelliarmus!"
A scorching red light pierced through the air straight towards Levi. Levi immediately raised his wand,
golden Protego instantly expanded, and the Spellslammed fiercely against the shield, splashing sparks in all directions.
"Diffindo!"
Before Levi could counterattack, Krum's offense came one after another. Several sharp cutting Spells flew over in succession, and stone chips splashed everywhere on the ground.
Durmstrang's combat magic emphasized subduing the enemy with a single strike, every Spell aimed at flaws, and the magic power was thick and condensed.
Levi did not dodge or avoid, standing in the center of the final arena like a conductor directing an orchestra, manipulating the surrounding things and casually performing Transfiguration to resist Krum's attacks.
While defending, Levi was also seeking a counterattack. He saw his wand point fiercely at the rocky ground, and then jerked it upwards viciously!
With a "boom" sound!
The earth shattered roaringly, and a giant python transformed from rock meandered and shuttled, spitting scarlet snake tongues and baring snow-white fangs, heading straight to bite Krum!
Levi, having transformed the giant snake, was still not satisfied and waved his wand once more. The falling leaves and gravel dancing all over the sky aggregated in the air, and a soaring giant eagle was likewise transformed under his wand, its sharp talons scratching straight at the top of Krum's head!
"Hiss!"
"Screech!"
Snakes hissing and eagles screaming, the giant snake and the celestial eagle launched a pincer attack from top and bottom. The double guardianship of snake and eagle strangulation instantly plunged Krum into a situation where there was no path to heaven and no door to earth!
"It has appeared, it has appeared again! Contestant Levi's terrifying Transfiguration!"
"Hogwarts is indeed a magic school with two Transfiguration masters, Professor McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore. Contestant Levi's Transfiguration is a testament to that!"
In the audience stands, the grand scene transformed by Levi also drew successive praises from the spectators!
However, Viktor Krum was also worthy of his status as a future tournament Champion.
Facing the pincer attack of the giant snake and divine eagle transformed by Levi, Krum, feeling that he could not defend against it and had nowhere to dodge, decided to take a risk:
"Apparition!"
He used the Apparition that he had not fully mastered at all. Risking the danger of splitting apart on the spot, he forcibly shifted away under the pincer attack of the giant snake and divine eagle!
"Pfft!"
The sound of space being torn open rang out. Krumnarrowly dodged the snake and eagle pincer attack in a disheveled state, but he himself was not feeling well either!
A strong sense of dizziness and nausea made Krum dizzy.
Fortunately, he was still lucky. The first time he cast Apparition, he unexpectedly did not experience splinching, only that a large portion of his Wizard robes were left behind in place!
"Ugh~ I need to sober up quickly!"
Krum only felt the world spinning, but in his heart, he desperately wanted to sober up.
He was well aware that he was on the tournament arena. If Levi launched an attack at this time, he, being dizzy, would only end up in defeat.
But when he finally managed to sober up, he found that Levi was standing leisurely opposite him, surrounded by the giant snake and divine eagle, watching him quietly.
"How is it? Have you recovered?"
"Viktor Krum, you are truly bold!"
"You actually dared to use an unmastered Apparition with such risk on the tournament arena!"
"If you transferred to Hogwarts, you would definitely be sorted into Gryffindor!"
Sensing Krum's puzzled gaze, which seemed to be asking why he didn't launch an attack, Levi commented evasively.
It was originally a guaranteed win match anyway, and Leviparticipated in the tournament to showcase his strength. How could he possibly choose to launch an attack while taking advantage of Krum's poor condition just for victory!
Wouldn't that make him look like he won unfairly and lacked strength?
Krum remained silent without answering. Hesitating for a moment, feeling there was no need to continue the match, he opened his mouth wanting to concede, and said:
"Referee, I con..."
"Alas, I am not doing this to make you concede!"
Hearing Krum open his mouth, Levi hurriedly stopped him. He immediately waved his wand, commanding the giant snake and divine eagle to continue pouncing towards Krum.
It was rare to have an excellent opponent who could attract enough attention; he couldn't just let him concede like this!
Krum looked helpless as he continued to be chased up and down by the giant snake and giant eagle, fleeing everywhere, occasionally throwing a few Reducto or other Dark Arts Spells to counterattack a few times.
Unfortunately, the giant snake and flying eagle transformed by Levi were not afraid of the destruction of Krum's Spells at all.
Even with Finite Incantatem, Krum's magical strength could not dispel the Transfiguration cast by Levi using magic power after multiple transformations.
Moreover, just speaking up to concede was merely a momentary impulse of Krum's. Now being chased jumping up and down, Krum was also somewhat annoyed!
That fellow Levi Keynes actually didn't even allow him to concede!
He wanted to see how long Levi, a young wizard several years younger than him, could maintain such a large-scale, high-intensity Transfiguration.
In fact, Levi could maintain it for as long as he wanted!
Every Spell Slot of an Arcanist was like a water pump drawing magic power; the magic power Levi consumed every moment right now couldn't even compare to the speed at which he replenished magic power!
What's more, Levi had also class-changed into a Bloodline Warlock. Under the blessing of the dragon vein, not only was the intensity of his Spells greatly enhanced, but in terms of "quantity", he could also be called a humanoid dragon!
Even if he maintained the Transfiguration of the giant snake and flying eagle all along, Levi would not have the slightest risk of magic power depletion!
But Viktor Krum couldn't!
Even if he was a star Quidditch player whose physical fitness was much stronger than other Wizards, he was after all not some Half-Giant!
Being chased jumping up and down by the giant snake and flying eagle, he couldn't run anymore after running for a while, and finally fell heavily in a disheveled state, collapsing onto the ground and shouting despairingly:
"I concede! Stop chasing me!"
Chapter 368: Growing Fame
Having defeated the star player from Bulgaria, Viktor Krum.
Levi encountered Fleur Delacour during the Round of 16 advancement to the Quarterfinals.
"Bad luck! To run into you ahead of time, it seems even Merlin doesn't want me to advance to the quarterfinals!"
Fleur said helplessly, having paid attention to Levi's previous matches.
The grand-scale and immensely powerful Transfigurationwas not something a little witch like her who hadn't graduated yet could contend against!
In fact, she felt that even the Professor-level Wizards in the school probably couldn't contend against Levi's magic!
"Don't say that, the two of us haven't even fought yet, who knows who will win and who will lose?"
"Although I also feel the possibility of you winning isn't very big!"
Levi raised an eyebrow; the first half of the sentence was very modest, but the second half was extremely punchable!
"Stop talking, you guy are starting to become a little annoying!"
Fleur said irritably, turning her back and walking three steps away from Levi under the tournament referee's announcement...
"Number 7 of the British group, Mr. Levi Keynes wins!"
Fleur Delacour was a little witch after all. Levi did not choose to treat her like Viktor Krum, driving her to a dead end with nowhere to go, forcing her to concede in a flustered state.
Fleur also had self-awareness; even though she was somewhat proud, facing an opponent like Levi whom she couldn't resist, she ultimately chose to concede!
"Levi, throughout the whole tournament, only you, me, and Krum are three young wizards who haven't graduated from school yet!"
"Before the tournament, although the three of us all had a little fame, whether it was the audience, other contestants, or even the judges and referees, everyone felt that the three of us couldn't win the Champion!"
"Now Krum and I have both been defeated at your hands. Carry that unwillingness from Krum and me to win the Champion!"
"I look forward to you fiercely slapping everyone in the face and taking the moment of winning the Champion!"
Fleur said to Levi with burning eyes and full of expectation.
"Even if you didn't say it, I would do so!"
"I will prove to everyone that the Dueling Tournament determines victory and defeat based on strength, and age is not a standard for measuring victory, defeat, and strength levels!"
Levi responded to Fleur's expectations, saying with full confidence.
In fact, he really hadn't noticed that people in the camp and arena were pessimistic about the three young wizards.
After all, the world he was in wasn't some face-slapping web novel world. Even if there were many crazy Wizards, they wouldn't mock Levi to his face for no reason.
Especially when Levi maintained a good state and there was no conflict of interest, the vast majority of people would appear very kind.
Here, we must exclude a certain Old Bat who loved putting on airs!
And when Levi won match after match and demonstrated his own sufficient strength, even fewer people came to provoke him for no reason!
So Levi really didn't know that none of the three young wizard contestants were favored to win the Champion!
This was looking down on people too much!
The magic in the Harry Potter world, especially modern magic, went back and forth with just those few types!
Especially during matches, the use of terrifying Dark Artswas not allowed, which made the levels that all contestants could display roughly the same!
What everyone competed in was nothing more than the level of non-verbal and wandless spellcasting, as well as profound attainments in certain Spells like Transfiguration, and whether their magic was powerful or not!
At most, adding one more thing at the end: were there any obscure and tricky Spells?
These people actually didn't favor him, Levi Keynes, and instead felt that passersby who didn't even have names in the original work might win. It really made Levi feel it was comical!
Levi also felt at this moment that it was truly necessary for him to properly showcase his own strength!
Otherwise, no matter how loud the reputation of the inventor of the hero king game console was, he would definitely not be regarded as a powerful Wizard in the eyes of the world!
He thought this, and he did so!
In the subsequent matches, Levi's attacks were even more violent and grander in scale, and he even very rarely used flame and freezing Spells!
His Elderwood and Phoenix Feather Wand already had a terrifying 60% amplification for flame Spells, and the tyrannical magic brought by the dragon heart made the power of the flame Spells even more terrifying!
As long as Levi waved his wand and used Spells like Incendio, flames filled the sky, sweeping across the entire arena like a powerful Fire God clearing the path!
Freezing Spells were the same. Having awakened the Silver Dragon Bloodline with ice element affinity, Levi's freezing Spells even made people feel as if winter had arrived early in the scorching summer!
Frost swept across the entire arena, and could even transform into lifelike Dragons to defeat enemies!
Once the terrifying ice and fire Spells came out, at the match venue, whether it was Levi's opponents, referees, or audience, everyone was shocked to the extreme!
In their impression, such powerful ice and fire Spells could only be cast by legendary Wizards standing at the apex of the wizarding world, such as Dumbledore and Grindelwald!
And Levi was a callow young wizard who hadn't graduated from magic school yet, yet he possessed such terrifying strength!
Everyone was shocked by Levi's strength!
Unfortunately, they still didn't know that this was only the tip of the iceberg displayed by Levi.
Other more powerful and terrifying means, such as using Arcanist's 1st-circle magic, transforming into a Silver Dragon, and using Unforgivable Curses, were impossible for Levi to display in a public occasion like the Wizard Dueling Tournament!
Even so, just the strength Levi displayed now allowed him to effortlessly sweep through the entire arena and defeat all opponents of the Wizard Dueling Tournament.
Even without chanting a single Spell from start to finish, and without his robes being damaged, he won the Champion of this Wizard Dueling Tournament with unquestionable powerful strength!
When Levi stood on the podium built in the Borodino Ancient Battlefield, raising the tournament trophy high in the posture of the Champion, everyone couldn't help but give extremely enthusiastic applause!
Such a young young wizard actually possessed such terrifying strength. Once the ice and fire Spells came out, they swept through the entire tournament!
No one could imagine what miraculous feats he would achieve after graduation, or even when he achieved fame and success and grew older!
However, future matters were ultimately decided by the future.
Now, having won the Champion of the Wizard Dueling Tournament with indisputable strength, it could be foreseen that Levi would definitely become world-famous throughout the wizarding world!
Levi stood on the Champion podium, looking at the cheering audience below the stage!
little witch Hermione was excitedly applauding for him, sharing the surprise and joy of his winning the Champion!
Fleur and Krum also looked at him with admiring gazes. As peers, they could best appreciate the strength of Leviwinning the Champion in his youth!
From now on, whoever dared to measure the strength levels of these young wizards based on age, Levi would be the most vivid example of face-slapping!
And Levi's mod system was also unwilling to be lonely. Fantastic smoke drifted before Levi's eyes, gradually condensing into a line of text...
Chapter 369 Worldview
Detected that the host has won the tournament Champion, Leaderboard MOD loading...]
[Loading complete, congratulations to the host for obtaining the Leaderboard MOD]
The fantasy mist from the system drifted before Levi's eyes.
Levi also naturally understood the effects of the Leaderboard MOD:
From now on, for every tournament he participated in, as long as he took part in it, he could unlock the corresponding leaderboard and obtain a rank on it.
For example, the Wizard Dueling Tournament that Levihad just participated in; after he took part in the match, it unlocked the Combat Power Leaderboard!
Levi opened the leaderboard, and saw that it clearly stated:
Combat Power Leaderboard (Only ranks extraordinary combat power under the current worldview)
1. Albus Dumbledore
2. Gellert Grindelwald
3. Levi.基恩斯 (magic power enhanced by 10%)
The leaderboard only listed the top three, and it ended at Levi.基恩斯!
Levi couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He had thought that even though he activated the leaderboard, he wouldn't be able to make it onto the list at all!
After all, he had not yet advanced to a Second-Ring Arcanist, nor had the bloodline concentration of his Draconic Sorcerer broken through 10%.
In terms of hard strength, he really couldn't compare to Dumbledore, Grindelwald, and Voldemort!
But considering Voldemort's current state of lingering on by stealing moments of life, his strength obviously could not be factored in, so Levi obtained the third-place reward:
[magic power enhanced by 10%!]
At the same time, Levi also had an epiphany: when his strength surpassed Grindelwald's, his reward would be changed to a 20% enhancement in magic power, and so on. When he reached the top as number one, his magicpower would be enhanced by 30%.
"I wonder if Old Gellert Grindelwald and Old Dumbledorewill also be able to obtain the system's rewards?"
"Otherwise, after a 10% enhancement in magic power, wouldn't it still be impossible for me to catch up to Grindelwald's strength?"
"Or could it be that the strength enhancement brought by the rewards is excluded from the rankings?"
Levi carefully felt the enhanced magic power within his body, and three questions had already popped up in his heart.
It was a pity that he was currently in the outskirts of Moscow and could not immediately return to Hogwarts; otherwise, he really had to check whether Headmaster Dumbledore had also enhanced his magic power.
Furthermore, he felt a bit regretful. Had he known that winning the tournament Champion would activate the Leaderboard MOD, he should have participated in the King of Heroes Tournament he hosted himself and tried to win first place.
However, hosting a tournament oneself and taking first place oneself was simply too shameless, practically akin to a miser!
And if he really obtained the King of Heroes Cup, it would only activate the game leaderboard, letting him know that he was a qualified e-sports player!
By then, it would just give some kind of 30% hand speed enhancement reward, which was basically useless.
"However, what does this 'Only ranks extraordinary combat power under the current worldview' mean?"
Levi noticed the small text in parentheses behind the Combat Power Leaderboard once more.
Of course he knew what a worldview meant; a worldview was his overall and fundamental view of the entire world (including the essence of the world and the relationship between people and the world).
In his worldview, this was the Harry Potter world, a magical fairytale world.
Even though it became a bit dark in the later stages, and even though some unexpected things happened, the overall impression was not wrong.
"If it only ranks the extraordinary combat power under the Harry Potter worldview, this list is indeed very normal!"
"And it even only ranks living Wizards!"
"But why did the leaderboard have to add this sentence?"
"Could it be that there are other worldviews existing in this world? And other novel plots have been integrated into it?"
With a broad train of thought and a wild imagination, Levicouldn't help but let his thoughts wander.
For worlds outside the wizarding world, Levi did not know much.
During his childhood, he was in an impoverished orphanage, and his channels for understanding the outside world were nothing more than the staff in the orphanageand the pedestrians buying him ice cream on the street.
The impoverished orphanage didn't even have a television or radio, let alone specialized passersby explaining the whole world to him like an NPC!
In fact, before receiving Hogwarts's admission letter, Levihad always thought that the world he was in was simply a world where Psychic powers might exist!
And he was a Psychic who had awakened Psychic powers!
As for after entering Hogwarts, Levi's main attention was focused on the wizarding world, and given the degree of closure caused by the Statute of Secrecy in the wizarding world, it was even harder for him to understand the entire world!
"Closing the country to international intercourse is truly unacceptable!
Perhaps I should pay more attention to international news and understand some noteworthy matters!"
Levi couldn't help but reflect to himself in his heart: if this world had also integrated other plots and involved other worldviews, Grindelwald's prophetic dream would be very easy to explain!
Let alone things like the Statute of Secrecy failing, Wizards being exposed, or otherworldly invasions!
Even if a purple sweet potato suddenly appeared and snapped his fingers, causing all the Wizards in the Harry Potter world to turn to ashes, it would be the most normal thing in the world!
"I'll have to check later whether there are DC Comics and Marvel Comics over in the United States? Is Captain America a real person or a comic book character?"
"And what about the Heavenly Dynasty? If my hometown over there doesn't cultivate magic, but instead cultivates immortality, then if I still stay here to cultivate magic, wouldn't that be equivalent to practicing martial arts in the immortal cultivation world?!"
After much thought, Levi suddenly felt that only paying attention to matters of the wizarding world was truly building a cart behind closed doors and ignoring the affairs of the world!
This was no different from actively casting the "Muffliato" on himself!
Don't wait until Thanos attacks, and people over in the Heavenly Dynasty are undergoing tribulations to ascend, while he is still thinking about how to torture Voldemort on the British Isles?!
Casually waving away the fantasy smoke, Levi felt that the precious thing about the loading of the Leaderboard MOD was not the 10% enhancement of magic power within his body.
but rather that his worldview had received severe questioning and challenge.
What if? What if the story of Harry Potter was only a small fraction of the plot in a corner of this world, and on the other side of the world, there was a grander and more powerful extraordinary system taking place and being practiced by people!
Then as a young wizard of Hogwarts, if he was still happily cultivating magic, he would be falling too far behind!
Although the magic of the Harry Potter system wasn't very weak either, plus he still had the system, possessed four School of Thought of classes, and could also build a wizard tower.
But standing at the center of the world's winds and clouds, and grasping the storms of the entire world, was what Leviwanted to do even more!
He was not someone content with everyday life, waiting for the final boss behind the scenes to show up at his doorstep!
While Levi was pondering more possibilities about this world, after the closing of the Wizard Dueling Tournament, the bonfire celebration party had already begun!
"Wizards here in Russia seem to particularly like bonfire parties. Could it be because the cold climate in ancient times made them accustomed to having activities around bonfires?"
Irrelevant thoughts flashed through Levi's mind, and he had already arrived beside Hermione, Professor Flitwick, and the others.
"Congratulations, Levi! Congratulations on winning the championship of the Wizard Dueling Tournament!"
Professor Flitwick patted Levi's thigh with a face full of gratification, looking with gratification at Levi, a student who made him immensely proud!
Now, not only was he the Champion of the Wizard Dueling Tournament, but his proud disciple—Levi.基恩斯—was also a Champion of the Wizard Dueling Tournament!
Two Supremes from the same school; Professor Flitwickwas so proud that the mustache at the corners of his mouth curled up excitedly!
"You are my Charms class Professor and my Ravenclaw Head of House; my championship cannot be separated from your guidance!"
At such a joyful moment, Levi of course knew what to say to make Professor Flitwick even happier!
"Don't say that, this is all the result of your own hard work!"
Hearing this, Professor Flitwick waved his hands repeatedly with a rejecting expression, but judging from the smile on the corners of his mouth that was about to split to the roots of his ears, this Professor was obviously extremely happy!
He even couldn't help glancing proudly at Madame Kalgiana, with a beaming expression that could simply be described as smug!
Making Madame Kalgiana couldn't help but let out a cold snort, pulling Miss Ekaterina Volotova, turning her head and body away so as not to look at him!
After gloating, Professor Flitwick asked Levi and Hermione:
"The tournament has ended. Will the two of you continue staying in Moscow to travel, or return to Britain?"
"If we are going back, we'll go together; if we stay here, we can also..."
Speaking of this, Professor Flitwick couldn't help casting his gaze towards Madame Kalgiana, his meaning self-evident.
As a Professor, although he wanted to reunite with an old friend, duty bound, he would still try his best to stay by Levi and Hermione's side to protect the two of them.
Chapter 370 Staying Behind
Facing Professor Flitwick's inquiry, Levi and Hermionecouldn't help but exchange a glance.
Both of them felt that they were no longer defenseless children; even if there were any danger, they could completely handle it by relying on their own magic.
But Professor Flitwick obviously didn't think so, and after all, he said this out of good intentions.
Levi thought for a moment and had no choice but to say:
"Professor, the two of us are planning to return to my Castle Manor."
"Actually, you don't have to follow us all the time. The two of us can just return by ourselves using a Portkey, anyway, there is no danger on the highlands!"
He could certainly tell that it was rare for Professor Flitwick to come out on a trip like this, and he wanted to catch up more with his old friend Madame Kararkana.
Levi was naturally willing to help fulfill a good wish, but continuing to linger in Moscow with nothing to do meant the group could only part ways.
"No," Professor Flitwick flatly rejected Levi's proposal and said:
"Since it was I who brought you out, I must safely send you back. This is my responsibility as a Professor!"
"Anyway, the Wizard Dueling Tournament has also ended, and there is nothing here that requires me to do, so we can just leave together!"
Hearing this, Madame Kararkana's eyes flashed slightly, but she didn't speak either. She also felt that parting ways temporarily was fine.
Anyway, the two people had already been separated for a long time and had met up; in the future, they could also make video calls and chat through the hero king game console.
"Professor, I..."
Professor Flitwick's firmness put Levi in a difficult position. He truly didn't feel that he still needed someone else's care.
With his strength and attainments in magic, if he really encountered an unsolvable predicament, even with Professor Flitwick accompanying him, it probably wouldn't help.
"Levi," Hermione suddenly spoke up, interrupting Levi from continuing, and proposed to Levi and Professor Flitwick:
"Why don't we stay in Moscow too?!"
Hearing this, Levi and Professor Flitwick suddenly showed surprised expressions. Both of their thoughts were that the Wizard Dueling Tournament had ended, the sightseeing had been done, and it was time to return to the Scottish Highlands.
But now, they heard Hermione propose:
"Hasn't the matter of the ghoul driver from before still unresolved?"
"Levi, you are also very interested in how the ghoul driver actually came to be, and what is involved behind it!"
"Madame Kararkana needs to investigate this matter, and the three of us teachers and students can just pitch in and help out together."
"Madame Kararkana, I wonder if my proposal is acceptable?"
"Of course you can. It's just conducting an investigation; if you don't find it troublesome, you are fully welcome to participate!"
Madame Kararkana naturally had no objections, and no longer brought up what she said before about not letting Levi and Hermione participate, as if she had never said it at all.
In fact, as a member of a native Russian pure-blood wizardfamily and a high-ranking official of the Ministry of Magic, whether it would do or not, and whether it was permissible, were entirely a matter of a single word from Madame Kararkana.
It was merely a small whim of power!
Madame Kararkana looked at the tiny and very cute Professor Flitwick, the corners of her mouth lifting unconsciously as she couldn't help thinking in her heart.
"Thank you, Madame. Then I announce that the Ghoul Driver Incident Investigation Team is officially established!"
The little witch Hermione said with cheers and leaps, her youthful and cute appearance bringing a smile to everyone's face.
Levi couldn't help nodding even more. Hermione's proposal was truly good; he was indeed very interested in the people and things behind the ghoul driver.
He also very much wanted to know whether the ghoul driver incident happened purely by chance or was a common occurrence.
Was it a terrifying man-made event, or a tragedy brewed by nature?
If there really appeared a large-scale transformation of ordinary people's souls into ghouls, future events would surely stir up troubles anew!
Levi couldn't help thinking like this in his heart. Even as a cheating transmigrator, facing such a treacherous, unpredictable, and extremely complex future, he couldn't help but feel a bit of a tricky headache.
With the Wizard Dueling Tournament concluded, the banquet was still lively, and Levi, Hermione, and the others celebrated thoroughly.
The next day, after seeing off Fleur Delacour's family and Master Slughorn, the Ghoul Driver Incident Investigation Team mentioned by Hermione also embarked on their journey.
Leaving the Borodino Ancient Battlefield, the group chatted and laughed. Levi and Hermione had plenty of adventure experience and even asked eagerly and volunteered themselves:
"Madame Kararkana, where shall we start our investigation?"
"Can you tell us your investigation direction?"
"The two of us can help you reference it, and we can definitely find more ideas!"
Hearing this, Madame Kararkana, who was chatting with Professor Flitwick, showed a confident smile on her cold face:
"Levi, Hermione, I know you two want to help, but don't look down on this Slavic witch of mine. Naturally, I have my own ways to gather information and figure out the root of the matter!"
"There is no need for you to help out just yet. You young wizards can just treat this as a rare exotic journey!"
Hearing this, Levi and Hermione looked at each other in dismay. Since she didn't need help, they couldn't force their hand either. They shrugged and treated it as a hiking trip in the forest.
With relaxed mindsets, Levi and Hermione's experience felt different once again!
Walking through the quiet and cool forest in the scorching midsummer was truly a unique and delightful experience!
Levi even specially collected a handful of wildflowers, wove a flower wreath, and gave it to Hermione, who wore it on her head with a blushing mix of joy and shyness, smiling like a flower herself.
The two of them playing and frolicking on the side only made the emotionless girl Ekaterina Volotova appear even more aloof and out of place!
"Is Ekaterina alright? The child seems to speak very little all the time!"
Professor Flitwick and Madame Kararkana looked at Leviand Hermione with amusement, and also noticed the left-out Ekaterina.
Although this girl had always obediently followed behind the group with almost zero presence.
However, Professor Flitwick still noticed her and asked Madame Kararkana with concern.
Madame Kararkana turned her head back, glanced at Ekaterina, who paid no attention to the outside world, furrowed her brow, and said with pity:
"This child's parents died early, and she is the only one left in her whole family!"
"Ever since she was very young, she has been like this, always sitting alone on the balcony, looking out the window, and dazing off blankly..."
"Sometimes, even when I talk to her, she won't have any response."
"The reason I brought her along for this competition was simply in the hope that she could interact with others and make a few friends. Looking at it now... Sigh~"
Speaking up to this point, Madame Kararkana sighed; obviously, her plan hadn't had much effect.
"Then is she like that at Koldovstoretz as well?"
Hearing this, Professor Flitwick's expression showed worry. With his understanding of magic schools, someone with such an antisocial personality wouldn't have a very happy time even if accompanied by many peers at school.
Furthermore, it was also possible that she would be ostracized by classmates, making her personality even more withdrawn.
"Yes, exactly like that, which is why I'm even more worried!"
Madame Kararkana's brow furrowed even deeper. As a witch of the career-woman type, almost nothing could stump her except Ekaterina.
But Ekaterina, whose personality was extremely withdrawn and who refused to communicate with the outside world, truly left Madame Kararkana completely helpless!
She surely couldn't force-feed Elixir of Euphoria to Ekaterina and make her drink it like water!
And that wouldn't cure the root cause either!