The opening feast ended early. Apart from Lockhart giving another ten-minute speech after Dumbledore introduced him, the entire banquet didn't have any particularly memorable events.
However, among the new students, there was one young witch who caught Evans's attention. Many pixies had left their posts to perch on her head, and Alice also indicated that the child had a kind aura about her.
Back home, placing this semester's student roster on the table, Evans pulled out the parchment Professor McGonagall had given him earlier from his pocket and began thinking about which young wizards he should invite to join his club.
Normally, professor-led clubs were generally only open to fifth-year students and above who had performed exceptionally well in the subject. After all, most subjects had strict knowledge requirements. For instance, advanced knowledge in Charms and Transfiguration all required young wizards to have adequate magical power levels.
But Care of Magical Creatures wasn't among these subjects. This course was half theory, and the other half of practical work tested young wizards' understanding and love for magical creatures, without requiring any particularly profound knowledge.
Even his magical creature magic didn't have strict magical power requirements. Aside from Apparition, the others weren't too difficult to learn.
And he would never casually teach Apparition. Any young wizard who could learn Apparition would have to pass his evaluation; there are definitely students capable of learning this magic.
But the club's admission requirements couldn't be too low either. At minimum, members should be interested in magical creatures and have a certain amount of magical creature knowledge. It would be best if they had also established friendships with some magical creatures, since he had some ideas for club gatherings that would require students to bring their friends.
How about just setting up an assessment?
Evans's eyes lit up.
The standard for taking the assessment could be gaining the friendship of a magical creature, which would minimise the number of assessment participants to the greatest extent.
And young wizards who truly wanted to join the Magical Creatures Club shouldn't have trouble gaining the friendship of a magical creature.
As for the specific assessment content, he could reference some puzzle challenges, the kind that required young wizards and magical creatures to work together in harmony to complete.
Showing an interested expression, Evans wrote down a bunch of assessment ideas in his notebook, then set the notebook aside.
Having decided on the club's invitation format, Evans put his pen down and picked up Nana, who was sprawled flat nearby, placing her in his lap while his mind began considering what kind of design his club's badge should have.
After thinking for nearly half an hour, he decided to give up trying.
He'd just use the same design as his mark. Remove the stick figure he'd drawn, and the rest would work perfectly as a badge design.
He could even add a weakened version of the mark's magic to the badge.
No sooner thought than done. Evans pointed his wand, and several iron plates flew out of his pocket, twisting in mid-air into fifty metal discs of identical size before landing on the table.
Setting Nana aside, Evans rolled up his sleeves.
Adding magic to all the badges... this was going to be quite a project.
Setting his reference materials aside, Draco leaned back against his chair in the common room and let out a long breath.
In the month and a half since using the diary, he'd lived very fulfilling days.
Although he'd felt tired for a few minutes each day since using this diary, he hadn't paid attention to such a minor matter.
Probably just from studying so diligently.
After Draco finished his studies, the diary beside him also subtly breathed a sigh of relief.
This past month and a half, he didn't know what kind of existence he'd been living.
Every day, as soon as that boy opened his eyes, he'd open the diary and ask this and that, from History of Magic to Transfiguration, covering everything without the slightest favouritism toward any subject.
A month and a half had nearly driven him, a soul fragment, to madness!
Moreover, he only asked professional questions each day, never having heart-to-heart conversations with him. This level of communication couldn't restore much of his strength at all!
Even now, he could only make the boy dazed for a few minutes and couldn't go against his will!
After a moment of silence, before Draco closed the diary, it displayed a sentence on its pages.
I am a magical artifact. Don't you have any thoughts beyond using me for studying?
Looking at that line, Draco frowned and wrote in the diary:
"Can you help me get better at Quidditch?"
Tomorrow would be his first training session since joining the school team. Although he had already learnt all the basics, he was still somewhat worried.
...
What the hell was practising Quidditch! How could a diary possibly teach that?
The diary was first angry, then suddenly calmed down.
Wait, could it be that this student was being wary of this seemingly harmless diary?
That was it! No wonder he only asked study-related questions every day. He was probably gradually testing whether it, as a magical artefact, was dangerous.
Such strong vigilance... truly worthy of being a Slytherin student.
How could he get the boy to open his heart to him?
If this student didn't confide in him and only used it for studying, the life energy it could draw from this student was very limited.
At this rate, it would take at least half a year to completely control this student and get him to do his bidding.
He needed to think of other methods. At least he had to get that Chamber opened first.
After a moment of silence, without waiting for Draco to ask again, the diary spontaneously displayed a sentence above.
While I'm not very good with flying broomsticks, regarding flight, I can teach you some useful enhancement rituals, like improving your vision or resistance to dizziness. However...
My magical power is now very scarce, and I can't demonstrate the rituals for you.
I remember, you're a Hogwarts student?
Looking somewhat strangely at the text in the diary, Draco wrote: "Yes, why?"
Then that's perfect!
The diary's handwriting became somewhat sloppy. When I left school, I left some things in a bathroom. There are items there that can restore my magical power. Could you go get them for me now?
That way, I can teach you many more magical rituals!
Frowning slightly, Draco glanced at the clock nearby.
"At this hour, the school will have curfew soon. If I'm caught by the caretaker, Father will be angry."
It's fine, I can find a way to mask your presence.
Then, with even sloppier handwriting below, he wrote:
If I don't have magical power, I probably won't be able to provide you with knowledgeable explanations much longer. This notebook will become just an ordinary diary.
You wouldn't want to lose me, would you?
Looking at that line, Draco hesitated for a moment but ultimately nodded and wrote a sentence in the diary.
"Alright, what exactly do I need to do?"
You don't need to do much. Just take me and leave the common room, head to the bathroom I mentioned. Leave the rest to me.
The handwriting was very sloppy. The diary seemed quite anxious now. After displaying the text, it attached a map below, marking the location of a bathroom.
Just go there. Go, Draco.
My friend.