Chapter 136: Some Bold Speculations
In other words, if his system were to suddenly disappear, only the echoes of the abilities he had gained through it would vanish. The rest—everything he had truly mastered—would remain his.
Phineas sometimes even wondered if the reason the system was called the "Strongest Wizard System" was simply because he had wished to become the strongest wizard when he first acquired it.
If he had been thinking about something else at that time—say, collecting magical creatures—would it have become a Magical Creature System or a Pet Collector System instead? It wasn't out of the realm of possibility.
To a certain extent, this system seemed more like a tool to help realize one's ambitions. The tasks it issued aligned perfectly with what Phineas already wanted to do. The system didn't direct him—it amplified his own desires. And the best part? It didn't punish failure.
Obtaining the Patronus Charm and pondering the nature of the system hadn't changed Phineas's daily life.
He still had to attend classes and study content he already knew well.
Because he'd spent most of this term focusing on other matters, his House points were falling behind. He'd have to work hard to catch up in the coming days.
And there was still the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, currently being taught by a madman named Sakaski Ritchie.
Phineas had to be especially cautious there. The Ritchie family had never gotten along with the Black family, and the recent war between the Black and Flint families had most likely been instigated by this Sakaski. That alone made him worth watching closely.
Professor Dumbledore had also been investigating Sakaski's background. Even though Hogwarts needed a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Dumbledore would never allow someone with questionable motives to endanger the students.
Phineas and Dumbledore were working in tandem—Phineas investigating inside the school, while Dumbledore scoured the wider wizarding world for answers and hidden truths.
Whether Sakaski had caught on to their scrutiny, or whether Phineas's earlier suspicions were off base, remained uncertain.
What was strange, however, was Sakaski's behavior. Ever since Phineas returned from Gryffindor's vault, Sakaski had conducted himself with complete calm and professionalism—no schemes, no tricks.
That only made Phineas more uneasy.
If any other wizard behaved like that, Phineas might have assumed they were harmless. But Sakaski was from the Ritchie family. That, coupled with the unsettling rumors surrounding his time in Skull—a place known for sadism and cruelty—meant his sudden quietness was far from reassuring. It was unnatural.
Before long, it was the first weekend of December. Professor McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress, began compiling the list of students staying at Hogwarts for the holidays.
This year's Christmas break was scheduled to start on the 18th and run until January 6th. Unlike last year, Phineas would not be staying at school this time.
Even though staying at Hogwarts might have helped him keep an eye on Sakaski, Phineas had his own plans for the holiday—something he had been putting off for half a year.
He couldn't let the vampire clan get away with attacking him without consequence. That would send the wrong message—that Phineas Black was someone who could be trifled with.
Besides, he had a mission to exact revenge on the vampire clan. While the reward was unknown and dependent on the scale of his vengeance, it had no time limit. That meant it could potentially yield much greater rewards if he waited for the right moment.
In fact, the lack of a fixed reward might have been the most intriguing part of all.
Because the reward was unknown, the lower bound was likely trivial—perhaps a few gems if he completed the task now. But the upper bound? If he were to annihilate the entire vampire clan, the reward could be legendary—perhaps even a magical artifact capable of altering the entire balance of the wizarding world. Maybe even one of the Deathly Hallows.
The more he learned about the magical world, the more awe he felt—and with awe came fear.
At first, he had thought the most powerful vampire was the original ancestor. But during his kidnapping, he had encountered beings even more powerful than that ancient figure.
He had also believed all four Founders of Hogwarts were long dead. After all, they hadn't possessed the Philosopher's Stone, and even if they had, its side effects would have stripped them of their original power.
But then he encountered the squid that Godric Gryffindor had become—and began to question everything.
Before that, the only known curse capable of trapping a wizard in an animal form was the Blood Curse. But such a curse stripped its victim of their rationality, reducing them to a mindless beast.
Gryffindor was different. He had willingly and permanently taken on his Animagus form, maintaining his consciousness, his wisdom—and even his ability to cast spells.
Yes, the giant squid in the Black Lake was Godric Gryffindor.
And he could still cast spells. Powerful ones.
Phineas had originally assumed the squid was merely a magical creature. But now it was clear: Gryffindor had retained his magical capabilities even after transforming.
If Gryffindor could do that, Phineas had every reason to believe the other three Founders could as well. So why hadn't they?
Rowena Ravenclaw, according to legend, died waiting for her daughter's return. Hers was the only death among the Founders that was clearly recorded.
But now, Phineas couldn't help but question even that.
As for Salazar Slytherin, while his descendants—the Gaunt family—were known in wizarding history, it was worth noting that the Gaunts descended from Slytherin's daughter. There was no concrete record of Slytherin himself—no details on when, where, or how he died.
There was even an obscure biography claiming that Slytherin had a son who died under mysterious circumstances. The cause of death was never specified.
Phineas now suspected that the Slytherin bloodline might still be hidden somewhere in the wizarding world—perhaps even without the knowledge of the elders on the pureblood council.