The spirit of Christmas permeated Hogwarts Castle.
After saying goodbye to Harry and the others, Dylan, Seamus, Neville, and Dean walked together towards the station.
The sky was particularly beautiful at this moment. Fluffy snowflakes drifted lazily from above, looking as if an elderly fairy godmother were scattering handfuls of powdered sugar onto the ground. However, despite the light snow, the distant sun was very bright. Sunlight filtered through thin clouds, dyeing the snowflakes a faint gold. Under the light, the accumulated snow on the ground shimmered with silver specks. It was a stunning, silver-clad wonderland.
Dylan's footsteps crunched softly on the snow. He looked around, his mood brightening because of the beautiful scenery. Just then, Neville pointed at the snow-bent bushes by the roadside, recounting an embarrassing incident from a while ago involving the Mandrakes in the greenhouse.
"Even though I've been taking care of those plants for a long time, the last time I repotted one, it screamed so exaggeratedly! I thought it was mutating! It scared me so much I accidentally dumped soil on my head, just like this!"
"Hahahaha!" Seamus laughed so hard he bent over. "I hate Mandrakes, they're so ugly, and not only are they poisonous, but they're also incredibly loud."
The group chatted and laughed, while Dylan walked beside them, listening to his friends' merriment. Even the cold wind blowing on his face didn't feel so biting anymore. The warm sun, like a gentle caress, made them feel warm all over.
The journey from the school to the station wasn't too long or too short. Soon, they saw the station. Many students were going home for Christmas. Although this year wasn't as severe as previous years, with so many terrifying Dementors roaming around the school, it was naturally better to go home for a few days if possible.
The steam train was currently puffing white mist, stopped at the platform. The mist blended with the falling snow, creating a unique, picturesque scene. Dylan, Neville, and their friends found a corner compartment in the crowded station. The four of them perfectly occupied an entire compartment.
They put their belongings away and sat down, pulling the compartment door shut. The dark green velvet seats felt soft to the touch. As soon as they sat down, Dylan pulled out a bulging cloth bag from his system panel. Inside were fresh fruits Dylan had packed: bright red apples and plump little tangerines.
"Share these," Dylan offered.
"Dylan, you're always so thoughtful! The train ride is still long, and some fruit on the way is great!" Dean said. He didn't share a dormitory with Harry and Dylan, but he had a very good relationship with Seamus. That's why Seamus spent far less time in the dorm than Ron and the others. Otherwise, it would be inconvenient for Dean to find him; most of the time, when Seamus had nothing to do, he'd be in the common room.
Once they were all settled, Dylan pulled out a copy of Wonders of Magical History. Not every book he read had to be intensely functional. Dylan believed that as long as a book could provide him with new knowledge or insights, it was worth reading. And even though Hogwarts professors were generally mediocre at teaching Magical History, it didn't mean that actual events in magical history were as dull as Professor Binns made them sound. By reading more Magical History himself, he discovered many interesting anecdotes. Just like the Wonders of Magical History he was currently reading—a very interesting book of historical anecdotes with a truly unique perspective.
"Tsk! It really lives up to its reputation as unofficial history; the records are so bold." The section Dylan was reading was somewhat exaggerated. It spoke of medieval England having a custom of mixed-gender outdoor bathing. And when Hogwarts was just founded, the Black Lake became the favorite bathing spot for all students and faculty. The book even claimed that activities like "tentacle frolicking" and "suction cup massages" were all the rage. Witches and wizards from all over the country flocked there, turning the safe haven of Hogsmeade into a popular resort destination.
But that wasn't even the most crucial part. Dylan flipped to the next page and saw it recorded that the other three founders of Hogwarts had mocked Salazar for his inconveniently located dormitory section for a long time. That is, until they were bathing outdoors and saw a Slytherin dormitory window that offered a direct view of the Black Lake. Only then did they realize that whenever Slytherin students straightened up from their heavy coursework and looked out from their gloomy and eerie common room—they would be treated to a charming spring view.
Dylan clicked his tongue, shaking his head in amazement. Of course, Hogwarts no longer had any such mixed-gender outdoor bathing customs. But whether England had such customs when Hogwarts was first founded, Dylan truly didn't know. However, the reason unofficial histories get recorded is likely because similar events actually occurred. Otherwise, Dylan didn't believe such bizarre unofficial histories could be purely fabricated from imagination.
"And this unofficial history is somewhat well-founded. Salazar even placed the entrance to his deepest secret, the Chamber of Secrets, in a girls' bathroom. For such a perverted person to place his dormitories underground where he could constantly see others bathing—I honestly can't think of a more plausible explanation."
Neville and the others noticed Dylan reading and quieted their chatting. Then, Neville also pulled out a book and began reading. Seamus blinked. "Reading now?"
Neville chuckled. "Professor told me to. I figured the sooner I finish it, the sooner I can learn more about herbology."
Dean gave Neville a thumbs-up. "Alright, you two read. Seamus and I will keep our voices down."
After reading the unofficial history book for a while, Dylan shifted his attention to his system panel. He'd gotten Ravenclaw's Diadem yesterday, which should have unlocked a new achievement.
Sure enough.
As soon as he entered the achievement panel, Dylan first claimed the other minor achievements. A stack of Mental, Stamina, Strength, and other attributes were added to Dylan. Dylan subtly clenched his fingers. His sense of power had grown even stronger.
"I wonder if, at this rate, I won't even need to research immortality myself, nor will I need to constantly feed on others' emotions and souls through Dementor power to survive. With so many points added, at some point, won't I just become immortal?" He was now far beyond adult standards, not just in magic, but in physical fitness alone. However, Dylan usually had no use for physical fitness.
"But maybe one day, I won't even need magic; I'll just swing my wand and people will instantly explode." Dylan suddenly thought of a term.
—A Muscle Mage!
"At that point, that should unlock an achievement too, right?"
Dylan gently smacked his lips, then refocused his gaze on the system panel.
[Achievement]: What's Wrong With Just Snagging Some Relics? (I)
[Description]: Only the founders' relics have value! And if valuable things are unwanted by anyone else, why not just snatch them up for yourself?
[Unlock Requirement]: Possess one of the Four Founders' relics.
[Achievement Rewards]: Random Max-Level Spell +1, Ravenclaw's Portrait, Treasure Map (Ravenclaw's Treasure Edition)
Dylan held his book, seemingly reading, but in reality, he was staring intently at the system's achievement rewards. This time, the rewards seemed pretty good. Each name made Dylan's eyes light up.
Dean and Seamus, sitting across from them, saw Dylan's excited expression, as if he had just gained some precious knowledge from the book. They couldn't help but inwardly sigh. A good student truly was a good student! He could even make himself happy just by reading. They really couldn't compare, couldn't compare at all! Even Neville, sitting next to Dylan and reading along, noticed Dylan's expression. He looked at Dylan, then at the book in his own hands, and suddenly made a decision.
"Even if I can't become as knowledgeable as Dylan, I'll still try to learn as much as possible so I don't hold myself back in the future!" After hearing Dylan say that he might become Hogwarts' Herbology professor when he grew up, Neville not only gained a goal but also became more motivated and eager to learn. This time, he was inspired by Dylan again. Although the compartment was silent, Neville felt as if there was some background music playing around him.
Effort!
Keep going!
Neville continued to immerse himself in his book, carefully pondering the knowledge of various herbs.
Dylan was completely oblivious to his three companions' thoughts about him. Instead, he was checking his three rewards.
"Another max-level spell? Let's see what it is this time!"
After claiming the achievement rewards, Dylan's surroundings instantly changed. He entered his consciousness world. Suddenly, the space around him violently warped, like melting wax, constantly deforming and reforming. A flash of light occurred.
When the light dissipated, Dylan found himself in a space filled with countless translucent bubbles. Dylan raised an eyebrow, looking around. Suddenly, the surrounding bubbles burst, one after another, with popping sounds. The scene instantly changed again.
He appeared in a dimly lit, damp basement. A tall man was mechanically tidying up clutter, his eyes empty and tired. Dylan saw himself raise his wand, then take a deep breath and chant loudly.
"Fabrica Sogni Maxima!" (Max Dream Construction!)
Swish!
A blue magical light erupted from his hand. The basement walls collapsed. In the blink of an eye, they were in a magical cloud sea with floating islands. Broken bricks reassembled in the air, transforming into glowing staircases. The tall man watched in shock as his old clothes transformed into magnificent robes. A path leading to a castle in the clouds appeared beneath his feet. Dylan waved his arm, and the spell's light outlined various incredibly wondrous scenes in the air. First, dense forests sprang up from the ground, with glowing lightning-fast feet darting through the air. Then, a calm lake surface suddenly began to churn violently, and giant toilets adorned with jewels leaped out.
Dylan froze for a moment. Was he... in a dream?
"Dylan's" movements at this moment remained continuous. As he constantly adjusted the spell's intensity, the entire dream was being reshaped according to his will. The tall man eventually put on a crown, receiving cheers from a crowd of toilet-subjects. Finally, he commanded a magical fleet—also a giant toilet—to fly into the blue sky and sail into the distance.
When he stopped casting, the cloud sea and castle gradually dissipated. The tall man reappeared, standing in place. The dullness in his eyes had been replaced by confidence and ambition.
—A new perception had mysteriously and successfully been planted in the other's consciousness.
Dylan slowly opened his eyes. It was only a brief moment of愣, but he had already mastered a max-level spell!
"Fabrica Sogni Maxima?"
Feeling the magical knowledge being born in his mind, Dylan carefully sensed it for a moment, then completely understood the function of the spell he had just mastered.
He could project pre-conceived memory scenes, like a movie, into the dreams of a designated person's mind. And when they woke up from their grand dream, that person's mind would retain what Dylan wanted them to do, or the truths he wanted them to understand—in other words, what Dylan wanted to tell them.
This kind of spell...
"It not only involves changing someone else's consciousness but also twisting their soul!"
However, the difference between this Max Dream Construction and the Dementor's Kiss (Soul-Sucking Charm) was that its harm to a person was very low—extremely low. The Dementor's Kiss could also fabricate and manipulate souls, but it would ultimately cause too much trauma to the other person's soul. Perhaps someone whose soul was forcefully affected by the Dementor's Kiss would become idiotic or foolish after their magic was drained.
Max Dream Construction, however, was different. This spell allowed Dylan to silently infiltrate another person's dream. If Dylan wanted someone to do something, he could leave a 'hook'. When the person awoke, if they encountered a certain trigger, whether seeing or hearing something, they would involuntarily be influenced and shift towards the direction Dylan desired.
If Dylan wanted to be more direct, he could even directly tell the person what he wanted them to do through the dream. Of course, if the person was already familiar with Dylan, or even trusted him, then they wouldn't have any doubts and would be willing to act according to Dylan's instructions upon waking. However, if the person had a bad relationship with Dylan, such direct commands might even backfire, making the person think they merely had an annoying dream.
But the function of this spell wasn't limited to this. Dylan could also convey information by invading someone's dream and leaving messages. Or, setting those aside, Dylan could even change someone's personality. Just like the demonstration he just saw, he could completely create scenes and images in a dream to make a numb, ordinary person confident and ambitious!
"This spell... its value is simply too great, isn't it?"
Dylan's eyes lit up again!
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