The office of Ancient Runes professor.
Felix Harp was grading papers, a task so monotonous it made him feel as if he were adding one plus one repeatedly hundreds of times. Fortunately, as he handed this chore over to Hermione, who had just knocked on the door and was still unsure about the situation, he felt thoroughly liberated.
"Mainly fifth and seventh-year papers, mostly multiple-choice questions and sentence translations. Grading them is relatively straightforward—you just compare the correct answers and mark the wrong ones with a cross."
And true to her reputation as a top student, Hermione quickly got into the groove, excelling at this type of work.
Meanwhile, Felix perused the paper Hermione had revised—a piece meant for Professor McGonagall's consideration for publication in an academic journal. He had to be stringent in his review. However, he didn't merely make blunt corrections; instead, he offered continuous suggestions and references to specific pages in recommended books.
He believed this approach would be more beneficial to Hermione.
About half an hour later, both of them finished their tasks almost simultaneously.
"Alright, let's get to the point."
Hermione had fulfilled her role as an assistant previously, and now it was time for Felix to fulfill his promise.
Seated face to face on a couch, a small low table between them, Felix conjured two glasses of juice with his wand. He attempted to put Miss Granger at ease, but she still seemed somewhat reserved.
"From your paper, it's evident that you already possess a substantial understanding of the history of ancient magical scripts. Even though you haven't formally begun your studies, I can assure you that your progress will be quite rapid."
"Professor, I'm currently studying 'An Introduction to Ancient Magical Scripts.' I've also learned how to use the 'Script Dictionary' and the 'Compendium of Magical Symbols.' I've gone through the reading list you provided earlier, though I haven't fully grasped most of it." The young witch sat up straight, quickly detailing her recent learning progress.
Felix paused for a moment. "Impressive, though I won't spend too much time discussing translation techniques with you. At most, I'll offer some advice."
"You can start around 900 years ago, the time of Hogwarts' founding. The four founders were great individuals who both translated the works of their predecessors and left behind challenging research materials for future generations. These materials filled the earliest library."
"However, these materials are now located in the Restricted Section, particularly well-preserved by Lady Ravenclaw. Slytherin's materials have been largely lost, possibly due to him taking his research with him in a fit of anger after his split with the other three..."
Felix recounted a segment of history vividly, capturing Hermione's rapt attention. "Nevertheless, it's also possible that Slytherin's research might not have been suitable for the library. Who knows."
"If you require it, I can issue you book tokens."
Felix stood up, motioning for Hermione to follow. They both approached his worktable.
"My area of research isn't translation but rather the exploration of the inherent power of magical scripts themselves. Like this—"
He picked up a palm-sized piece of chestnut wood from the table and infused it with magic through a stylus, inscribing magical runes on the surface. When these runes were first written, they emitted a blazing red light, but it quickly faded, leaving behind darkened patterns.
Hermione witnessed this phenomenon for the first time, her gaze fixed on it while her mind raced to decipher what the professor was doing, but to no avail.
Felix finished inscribing the runes and handed the chestnut wood to Hermione. "You can feel it."
She took the piece of wood in her hand. Without even touching it, she keenly sensed the magical fluctuations on its surface. As her fingers glided over the darkened runes, a warm sensation spread through her fingertips.
"Magical runes can store magical energy temporarily. However, without proper treatment, the energy on them will last for a maximum of three days, and that's a result of the chestnut wood's natural attributes."
Hermione nodded. As a wand material, chestnut wood was remarkably adept at containing and channeling magical energy.
"This defect can be addressed in several ways, such as—"
"You can link them to create a circuit, thus significantly extending the retention time of magic;"
"You can apply specialized protective spells;"
"Or add storage and conversion circuits..."
Hermione's mind worked tirelessly to remember every word, as she wished she could immediately pick up parchment and record every sentence Professor Harp uttered.
Felix's explanation process was, in fact, a reorganization of his own knowledge. Unlike the past three years of feeling "undernourished," he now had too many choices and had to choose carefully.
Therefore, lecturing the young witch was a side task. At this moment, he was lost in thought, murmuring, "However, these methods are just for maintenance. In thirty years, fifty years, they will decay with time."
Why did his voice get quieter? Hermione quickly closed the distance between them, craning her neck to listen attentively.
"Are the heroes and beings of myths conjecture or reality?"
"Are they powerful wizards?"
"If so, how do those magical creations that have been passed down for centuries achieve immortality?"
Watching the professor fall into silence, Hermione guessed, "Perhaps they can continuously provide magic themselves."
Felix chuckled softly, "That's impossible, they're not living creatures."
"What about the Sorting Hat? It's been around for centuries and can communicate with people, having its own wisdom." Hermione tried to support her speculation with examples. "And the portraits of past headmasters in the Headmaster's office, Harry mentioned them."
"Miss Granger, portraits themselves are intricate magical creations; they can carry a person's thoughts. Moreover, from what I know, for magical portraits to endure, regular maintenance is essential, although the intervals can extend for decades..."
"However, the Sorting Hat," Felix pondered for a moment, "I did overlook it. I'm not familiar with it. Perhaps I should find an opportunity to reintroduce myself to it?"
"Alright, Miss Granger, let's put a halt to our imaginative journey for now. Next—"
Felix took the palm-sized piece of chestnut wood from Hermione's hand, saying, "Next, I will connect these magical runes, forming a circuit. Watch closely."
This task was quite intricate; he carefully guided the lines, connecting them to one another, explaining as he operated. "This step is crucial; many alchemical creations possess complex functions."
After about fifteen minutes, he handed the chestnut wood back to Hermione, allowing her to feel the difference before and after.
"I can sense the flow of magic, with fluctuations and undulations. They... they seem to resist me." Hermione expressed her perception with some confusion.
It was truly remarkable.
Felix understood, "When you say 'resist,' it's because it's a rough semi-finished product, with magical fluctuations spreading chaotically, and you sensed that."
"Of course, this also indicates your keenness. You must have strong aptitude for spellwork."
Hermione's face turned a bright shade of red.
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