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Although Robert said that only one unlocking spell was needed to open it, but—
He doesn't know the unlocking spell.
Fortunately, he had other ways to solve this problem.
"Shadow Concealment Technique".
As the magic was cast, Morris was enveloped in a flowing black mist, which instantly twisted and disappeared from the spot.
When he reappeared, he had already reached the restricted book area.
"call--"
Morris let out a sigh of relief.
Moving in the shadows is extremely physically demanding; to put it simply, it feels like carrying someone underwater.
Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened.
Now, it's time to get down to business.
As he ventured deeper into the forbidden book section, Maurice discovered a narrow staircase leading downwards.
The restricted book section also has an underground floor?
He immediately chose to walk down the stairs.
The staircase is not long, with only about a dozen steps.
Downstairs was a small room, decorated similarly to the upstairs room, with towering bookshelves and heavy wooden tables, only it looked more ancient, and the air was filled with a stronger smell of stale parchment.
However, these are not the main points.
The key point is—
There are people inside!
He was a tall, thin old man leaning against the wall. He had a scar on his neck, his hair was gray and messy, his robe was covered in dirt, and he was holding an open book in his hand.
The two locked eyes, and the air seemed to freeze.
"Um…" Morris steadied his breathing and said in a natural tone, "Good evening. I didn't know anyone was here. Goodbye."
After saying that, he casually took half a step back and immediately turned to leave.
Okay, let's just pretend I've never been here.
I'm outta here.
Unfortunately, the old man had no intention of letting him go.
"etc!"
Morris felt a sharp gaze fixed on his back.
Chapter 42 The Professor of the Forbidden Book Zone at Night
"Turn around, child." The old man's voice was calm, revealing no emotion.
At the same time, Morris quickly estimated in his mind his chances of escaping.
The old man appearing here at this time is most likely a professor from Hogwarts.
He lacked the confidence to escape from a professor's clutches.
Moreover, his face might already be clearly visible.
So Maurice obediently turned around.
It's really unlucky to encounter such an accident on my first time sneaking into the restricted book section.
He quietly observed the old man in front of him.
The other person was looking at him with a smile, an expression of great interest.
"Don't be so nervous, child," the old man beckoned to Maurice and said cheerfully, "Come closer. I can assure you I won't tell anyone that you're here tonight."
His tone was as if he were coaxing a lost child.
"Thank you, sir," Morris replied politely, taking a few steps forward.
It seems he encountered a magnanimous professor.
If it were Professor McGonagall, he would probably have lost fifty points and been placed in solitary confinement for a month.
He felt a little relieved, but he still didn't dare to relax completely.
The old man in front of me looked very kind, but it was unusual for him to be in the restricted book section at this time.
"Very good, very polite." The old man nodded in satisfaction, closing the book in his hand. "Now, let's get down to business. You must be a first-year student, right? What brings you to the basement of the forbidden book section in the middle of the night?"
His question was very direct.
Morris's answer was also very direct.
"I'm just curious about the contents of this book, sir."
Upon hearing this, the old man sized Maurice up and down. "Ravenclaw? Or Gryffindor? I think it should be the former. Also, tell me your name."
Morris answered honestly, "Maurice Black, a first-year student at Ravenclaw."
There is no longer any need to conceal your information.
"Oh! I guessed it! Ravenclaw!" The old man's eyes lit up, and he leaned forward slightly. "You probably don't know me. I'm Sylvanas Kettleburn, just call me Professor Kettleburn. But if you want, you can call me Silver, haha."
"Excuse me, Professor Kettleburn, what do you teach?"
Morris had never heard of such a person at Hogwarts before.
"Fantastic Beasts Conservation!" Professor Kettleburn's voice was filled with pride, then he shrugged. "Unfortunately, the first-year kids can't take my class yet; you'll have to wait until you're in third year."
Morris noticed that his left hand looked unnatural; it was a prosthesis.
Noticing that Maurice's gaze was fixed on his left arm, Professor Kettleburn did not try to hide it; instead, he laughed heartily.
He held his arm between the two men and explained, "Seven years ago, a young Hehidari black dragon snatched this arm from me."
"But don't worry, it's doing very well in the reserve now, and I heard it even became a mother last year."
Looking at Professor Kettleburn's smiling face, Morris didn't know what to say.
You're the one who should be worried, Professor, not the fire dragon.
He composed himself and cautiously began, "Speaking of which, Professor, it's a bit unexpected that there are still people in the restricted area at this hour. Is the library here always open to you, Professor?"
Professor Kettleburn was taken aback. "What time is it?"
"Around 12:30."
Upon hearing Morris's reply, Professor Kettleburn fell silent for a moment, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face—even if he were a professor, Mrs. Pince would probably not give him a friendly look if he stayed here at this hour.
Getting too engrossed in something can also be a bad thing.
There seemed to be some special reason, Morris thought, but didn't ask further.
His gaze returned to the book in Professor Kettleburn's hands.
Under the dim light, the cover title reflected light slightly:
How to dissect a swallowtail dog in the most reasonable way (with pictures)
Maurice subconsciously read out the book title.
The name sounds... rather ordinary than I imagined?
It resembles a book on animal medicine.
In his opinion, this was not in line with the style of the forbidden book section; he had imagined that the books here would be more ferocious and brutal.
But he was quite interested because he happened to have the skeleton of a swallowtail dog.
The skeleton still lies in his suitcase, in scattered fragments, never to be pieced together.
He said to Professor Kettleburn, "Professor, may I take a look at that book you're holding? I'm very interested in Swallowtail Dog."
"Oh?" Professor Kettleburn seemed a little surprised. "Could you tell me why you're interested?"
Morris sensed that the professor's interest was rising.
It's like when someone is bragging to you, they choose a topic you're very good at.
Morris hesitated for a moment before replying, "During the summer, I bought a skeletal model of a swallowtail dog, but unfortunately, what I received was a bunch of bone fragments, and they didn't give me any blueprints."
Skeletal model?
Professor Kettleburn paused for a moment.
This is truly a niche hobby.
Although he knew everything about the swallowtail dog, this amazing animal, he didn't really know much about its skeleton.
He handed the book to Maurice, "There are pictures of a swallowtail dog's skeleton at the very back of this book; they should be useful as a reference. However..."
He paused for a moment, then said, "I suggest you don't look at the previous content for now."
The suggestion was ineffective.
Morris took the book and casually opened it.
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