Chapter 206: A New Era for Them
The field of magical creature breeding wasn't something that every young wizard immediately opposed. The Weasley brothers, for one, were extremely enthusiastic during the following discussion, eager to hear more about this fascinating magical field from Hagrid in the future.
Yes, the Weasley brothers.
Percy, the third oldest, was driven by a practical desire, remembering the demon that had appeared in Professor Lockhart's home in Hogsmeade. He hoped to find an opportunity to impress the professor. Ron simply wanted to find a companion for his pet rat.
His affection for Scabbers was so strong that he wanted this pet, which had been passed down through his family for generations, to have a "continuation of its life." Of course, young wizards were often shy about using words like "mating," so he simply pretended to be very interested in the class, listening intently.
The other two Weasleys, the twins, had a genuine and unique talent for this subject. They began discussing the possibility of breeding new species of Puffskeins.
Puffskeins were magical creatures that looked like fuzzy balls. They were popular pets in the wizarding world and very easy to care for, as these scavenger animals could be fed leftovers.
Ginny had once owned a Puffskein, until Fred took it for an experiment, and that was the end of that. George and Fred hoped to breed a smaller type of Puffskein, believing it would earn them a large sum of money to fund their research into prank toys.
Living in an era of peace, they hadn't yet attempted to create battle-type magical items with a Shield Charm-like ability. Instead, they focused on creating fun things, but their immense talent was already shining through.
However, none of these students were the ones who pleased Professor Lockhart the most. That honor belonged to Hermione, who proposed an idea Lockhart had never even considered.
On the way back, she walked beside Professor Lockhart and asked quietly, "Professor, since we can find compatible pairings for magical creatures based on their magical properties and plan to breed new offspring, could we directly alter a magical creature's magical properties to create the new species we want?"
"!!!" Grindelwald, who was walking nearby, was stunned. He turned around in disbelief to look at the young witch.
Where was the kindness and compassion she had shown just moments ago?
Her line of thinking was completely out of character. This gave the old wizard a chilling feeling.
Human actions are guided by human will and thought. They might seem unpredictable, but in his eyes, there was always a clear trajectory. By following this path, he could naturally see the future.
But now, he had found someone who had derailed.
Grindelwald narrowed his eyes, his heterochromia flickering. He felt that this young witch's future had become uncertain.
This was...
He looked at Lockhart and suddenly realized that this young man seemed to have changed the course of this young witch's destiny.
Lockhart, unaware of Grindelwald's internal drama, was thinking over Hermione's question. "Yes, that seems feasible."
Snape, walking beside them, nodded. "A wizard infected with lycanthropy becomes a werewolf on the full moon, and their magical properties change dramatically. I've also studied Animagi. When a wizard transforms into an animal with this spell, the same thing happens."
Seeing that Hermione and several other students were listening intently, he continued with a hint of satisfaction. "You should know that when a wizard becomes a werewolf, they lose all reason and only know how to kill and spread their affliction. As a werewolf, they have no human consciousness and only remember their actions once they return to human form."
"The effect of Animagus is a bit weaker. A wizard retains their own will, but their mind is suppressed by the animal's nature. They will instinctively perform certain animal behaviors, and sometimes even their dietary preferences change."
With a hint of malice, he looked at Harry and his friends. "If you ever learn to become an Animagus, you had better pray you don't turn into a dog, or you might find yourself instinctively trying to eat... well."
"!!!" The students all recoiled in disgust.
Lockhart laughed. "Actually, the animal you become as an Animagus is often related to the form of your Patronus, as they both come from the same projection of your soul."
"Of course, if your Patronus is a magical creature, your Animagus form will be slightly different, but there will still be similarities."
This was very subtle.
As Lockhart spoke, he couldn't help but look at the Marauder's Cats following them. The Marauder's Cats were large, leopard-like magical creatures in the wizarding world, but in the Muggle world, they became ordinary small animals without magic, just like Animagi.
Hmm...
Was there a connection?
Lockhart suddenly had a faint feeling, as if he had grasped something crucial. But no matter how he tried to focus, he couldn't pin the thought down.
"There's also a strange situation in Potions," Snape said, looking at Harry and his friends. He knew they had secretly read Strongest Potions after Gilderoy had returned it to the library. He spoke with a knowing tone. "Polyjuice Potion, a potion for physical transformation, allows a wizard to take on the appearance of another person."
"This potion has a little-known problem: if you drink it and die before you transform back, your body will not revert to your original appearance. It will remain in the form of the person you were impersonating."
"This is an example of how a wizard's magical properties can change in a way they are unaware of."
"When the appearance changes, the magical properties change too!"
As the saying goes, where there are three people, one must be my teacher. Listening to Snape, Lockhart suddenly realized that as Voldemort's appearance became more and more like a noseless snake-face, his own magical properties, and even his soul, were also changing.
Perhaps there was a more complex relationship between the diary Horcrux, Tom Riddle, and Voldemort.
It wasn't just the two professors giving their opinions. The students of the Duelling Club, after being trained by them for a full school year, were also starting to think about and discuss the fundamental nature of magic.
They were all extremely talented individuals, and each had their own ideas and directions for thought. They debated and learned from each other, and Snape and Lockhart were no different.
Grindelwald, who had been chatting a moment ago, fell silent. He followed behind, watching the group with an unreadable expression.
They had changed!
The future had completely changed!
Of course, the future is always uncertain, but it has a discernible trajectory. Grindelwald could always see the most likely possibilities. But the discussions of these people were creating a seemingly infinite number of possibilities for the future.
His expression was so strange. He simply couldn't imagine that every single one of them would have such a huge impact on the future.
Yes, every single one.
Even the most inconspicuous students, quietly listening from the side, seemed destined to stand on the international stage and have a profound influence.
How was this possible?
Grindelwald blinked, a hint of confusion in his prophetic ability for the first time.
Had he made a mistake?
Or was this the beginning of the great wave of a new era?
As a Seer and a wizard with a deep knowledge of magical history, Grindelwald knew that many great wizards throughout history didn't necessarily have some kind of exceptional talent. Sometimes, it was pure happenstance—the tide of the times pushed them, giving them more opportunities to improve their spiritual power and unleash more magical abilities.
And this, it seemed, was exactly the "romance of adventure" that Lockhart was talking about.
It was incredible.
Lockhart had clearly found an amazing magical path, and he was leading so many others to walk it with him. Grindelwald suddenly began to understand Dumbledore's intentions. This young man really might be able to lead a new era, one that didn't require old men like them to carry the heavy burdens—an era that truly belonged to the new generation.
He began to observe them with great interest.
As the sun set, and the sky was painted with orange and red hues, the students and the two professors walked back to Hogwarts Castle, happily discussing their different views.
(End of Chapter)
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