Chapter 119: Controlling Lightning
"Weather charms?"
Dumbledore chewed on a Cockroach Cluster with a peculiar expression. "You actually think it belongs to the field of Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
Lockhart thought so. "There's phenomenon, there's non-existence, there's a magical influence on the broad environment. These traits fit the domain of Dark magical creatures so well, how is it not Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
"An interesting perspective."
Dumbledore stood up, walked to a cabinet, opened it, and pulled out a hand-bound book. "In fact, a dear friend and I once discussed this very issue. I believed it belonged to Transfiguration, while he insisted it belonged to Charms."
He smiled faintly. "In the end, neither of us could convince the other, but I doubt either of us back then would have imagined someone would classify it under Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"Gilderoy, your way of looking at things is always so intriguing."
With that, he placed the book in front of Lockhart. The cover read: Controlling Lightning.
The authors were two: Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald. "We recorded our respective views and looked forward to someone in the future making a judgment. I think it will inspire you."
Seeing Lockhart curiously examining the two signatures on the book cover—this young man, who seemed to know many secrets, was clearly hesitant to take it due to certain taboos—he smiled and explained, "This is my magical notebook, which I donated to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After my death, it will be organized into the Restricted Section of the school library, awaiting future readers."
"Feel free to borrow it and read it. When you return it, just give it to Madam Pince for me. She'll know what to do."
Madam Pince, the Hogwarts librarian, was a rule-abiding to the point of being rigid witch.
Lockhart quickly became engrossed in this handwritten magical notebook.
For the next few days, he carried it everywhere he went, pulling it out to read whenever he had a spare moment, so much so that he even forgot about Tom.
This was a true magical notebook. Unlike ordinary magic books that systematically expounded on the origins, effects, and variations of magic within a structured framework, this simply recorded the direct, unorganized conversations between two friends researching magic together.
In the notebook, the two great wizards had their own interesting insights into weather charms.
Dumbledore said, "I can control the laws of the world, promoting its development along these laws, and thus it begins to manifest changes according to my will. And as my will is imposed upon it, its changes become more rapid and violent, filled with power."
Grindelwald retorted, "Yes, you therefore possess great power, but you still remain within the framework of those laws, constrained by them. Your will has not truly been extended."
He believed, "Change is not the essence of the world; it is only with the addition of powerful will that the world changes. Therefore, the involvement of will should bring about changes in the laws of the world, and the world manifests its power through will."
These discussions between the two great wizards regarding weather charms were not limited to just weather charms.
In fact, Lockhart could learn advanced ideas for deep exploration in the fields of Transfiguration and Charms from these conversations, and even extend them to a broader range of domains.
And all of this content ultimately, truly, focused back on the topic of weather charms, returning from theory to practical application.
Dumbledore said, "Will cannot determine everything. Things have their own evolutionary development. The clouds and rain in the sky, the wind and air in the forest, the floods and magma of the earth are all natural evolutions and transformations. When we promote these transformations, asserting our will, only a small amount of power is needed to cause immense changes in the entire natural environment."
Grindelwald again refuted, "Yes, nature has its own set of changes, but this is only the most appropriate change for nature, not necessarily what best aligns with human will. If we want magic to achieve the effects we desire, to turn clouds into rain, to turn wind into air, to turn floods into magma, to make nature fulfill our purpose, then will must transcend nature, making this change serve not nature, but humanity."
This discussion, after a flash of lightning and thunder during a heavy rain outside the window, finally settled on the topic of "Controlling Lightning."
Dumbledore demonstrated his understanding of controlling lightning. He and his friend, pushing his sister in a wheelchair, opened the door and walked into the downpour.
The torrential rain in the sky drifted away, daring not to touch their clothes. The accumulated water on the ground was quickly absorbed by the earth, becoming dry and clearing a path for them. The strong winds howled, carrying the rain, dancing like elves around them.
The three came to a high point in a valley. Dumbledore looked at his friend and sister with satisfaction, waving his wand as lightning flashed and thunder roared in the sky.
In an instant, lightning flashed and thunder boomed.
Nearly a dozen lightning bolts descended from the sky, branching and re-branching in mid-air, transforming into a terrifying sea of electricity that struck around them. It was bright but not blinding, extending like tree roots, emitting numerous tiny electric sparks that bloomed in mid-air, tearing the surroundings into a dreamlike haze.
The sister, who had been listening to their argument, immediately sided with her brother, refuting his friend's arguments with admiration, saying, "My brother is right!"
Grindelwald did not argue. He simply drew his wand languidly and lightly raised his hand.
He didn't even point his wand at the dark clouds in the sky, but all the lightning bolts extending from the dark clouds, no matter how they split or twisted their paths in the sky, ultimately converged at the tip of his wand.
"This is control!" he said, giving a gentle flick to the sky.
A searing white light erupted from the lightning at his wand tip, surging upward with terrifying power, instantly tearing through the clouds in the sky, scattering the dark clouds.
With the dark clouds dispersed, sunlight streamed through the torn gaps, forming pillars of light that fell upon the three figures on the high ground of the valley, bathing them in warmth.
Such a demonstration, to the observing sister, was fantastical and powerful.
But to Dumbledore and Grindelwald, it was merely the beginning of an interesting discussion on "Controlling Lightning."
As their discussion deepened, they were no longer confined to the level of "the relationship between self-will and nature" but delved into the essence of controlling lightning as a magical technique.
Dumbledore believed, "Lightning is the combination of the revitalization of life and the destruction of darkness; it is a part of nature's control over the life activities of all living beings. Controlling lightning signifies the wizard's manifestation of dominion over life and death."
Grindelwald, on the other hand, believed, "Lightning is merely a trace of nature's magical power unfolding. As wizards shift nature's traces, the underlying logic of nature's internal operation also subtly changes. From this perspective, the wizard, to nature, is no longer an individual within the group but an influencer of equal standing with nature."
The later content of Controlling Lightning even began to discuss the fusion of different magical properties, which Lockhart found very difficult to understand.
It was about the two wizarding powerhouses' expositions on their own magical paths. Perhaps very powerful and profound, but no longer his magical path.
Just as Lockhart's assertion that "magic is the ultimate romance of a fairy tale" could bring a certain increase in ability to students, the deeper content could no longer significantly influence most students.
Because they too had their own magical paths. Forcibly understanding such concepts would only shake or even confuse their own paths.
Digest knowledge, but do not succumb to it; instead, forge your own path.
Lockhart had always practiced this principle, beginning to ponder the applicable scope of "Controlling Lightning" for himself.
His thoughts yielded no immediate results.
Because "Controlling Lightning" had nothing to do with his past fairy tale adventures, there was naturally no basis for magic to unfold.
The current Lockhart would not deliberately change his mindset to embrace and welcome magic just to master the lightning control abilities of these two great figures.
He knew very well that magic was in life, all around him. He had to approach it from that angle—this was undoubtedly the most suitable way for him.
"Magic is full of change; it should submit to one's will." "Nature is eternal and unchanging; it is our will that brings about its changes." "The involvement of self-will means that the power of nature can be more than just the power of nature; it can also be the power of our minds—"
"Control over destruction and vitality, the superficial interference affecting complex internal operations—"
"Magic comes from life, 'I' am the core of it all—"
Recently, he had become somewhat neurotic, muttering these words. Sometimes, walking in the corridors of Hogwarts Castle, he would ponder for long periods, lost in thought.
Digesting others' fairy tale adventure lives was certainly easy, allowing him to effortlessly master many extraordinarily effective spells.
But building his own path based on others' fairy tale adventure lives, making magic bloom with a completely different brilliance in his hands, was a long and complex journey.
There was no content to refer to on this journey; he could only rely on himself to move forward.
Unless he only indulged in others' wisdom, then he wouldn't need to put so much thought into it, constantly seeking out various wizards, secretly stealing their wisdom, becoming them, and continuously mastering one spell after another.
Lockhart clearly didn't want to be limited to that.
He was so utterly fascinated by magic; how could he not yearn for magic to truly manifest his own unique essence?
That day, he stood on a large rock by the Black Lake, narrowing his eyes and sensing the breath of nature, hoping to find an answer from the power of the forest, which he was most familiar with.
A few young wizards, with hurried steps and serious expressions, approached him, interrupting his thoughts.
"Professor, it's bad! Many students have been affected by the Vengeance Fairy's crying. Their condition seems off!" Hermione's expression was extremely grave.
She had to be serious. In Lockhart's book, Breaking Up with Vengeance Fairys, it was clearly stated that a Vengeance Fairy's cry foretold death, and affected wizards would die in various ways after nightfall.
This was no joke.
If Dark magical creatures weren't so terrifying, why would they be given the title of "Dark Magic," and why would there be specialized defensive research against Vengeance Fairys?
Hermione was clearly very anxious. "Professor, please go see them quickly!"
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