Chapter 149 - Ch: 80-88

Chapter 80: Punishment! There's a Tomb! Grindelwald's Jail-Entry Techniques

"Alright! You make a good point, old man! But Karl has finished his demonstration. How would Tutor Gellert rate his performance just now? Out of ten points, how many?"

Looking at Karl's expectant eyes, Grindelwald considered for a moment, "Barely nine points."

"Huh? Where did I lose a point?"

Karl scratched his head. He had completely crushed his opponent and won, so he thought he would get a perfect score.

"Your spellcasting is decent, your Animagus is good, and you know to keep moving instead of standing still like an idiot. These are the reasons you got nine points."

Grindelwald praised him first, then changed the subject, "But your Transfiguration has too much of Miss McGonagall's shadow in it, and that's not good."

"Miss McGonagall, like Albus, is an undisputed Transfiguration master. However, for the sake of studying Transfiguration and teaching students, their Transfiguration is a bit too exquisite and meticulous."

'This is very helpful for learning, but in combat, you need to make some changes. Sometimes, you don't need to completely transform one object into another; just changing its form and making it useful for us is enough.'

Before he finished speaking, Grindelwald waved his wand, and the stones and dirt near the cloaked Dark Wizard began to flow, turning into countless sharp spikes that viciously stabbed down.

Karl pondered. Such Transfiguration, though crude and clumsy, was not as agile and versatile as complete Transfiguration, but in combat, it was indeed faster and more convenient, and it could cause more direct damage.

"Rip!"

The pierced cloak instantly burst into flames, and the Dark Wizard, like a cicada shedding its skin, lunged at Grindelwald from the raging fire, letting out an angry roar.

"Blasphemer! Die!"

Grindelwald calmly flicked his sleeve, and the Dark Wizard was instantly struck by an invisible force, flying through the air in a graceful arc before crashing heavily to the ground.

Karl: (°A°=A)

Bro, are you saying the harshest words and taking the hardest hits?

Why don't you actually do something? How is this different from just giving up?

And this scene seems familiar. Karl recalled it for a moment before realizing that Dumbledore had also sent Elvis Heller flying like this.

Simple Repelling Charm! I get it!

At this moment, a blood-red light suddenly shone on the Dark Wizard who had fallen in the distance. He suddenly flipped over and, breaking through the Fiendfyre's obstruction, fled into the distance.

Karl:

Good heavens! I misunderstood! So you weren't giving up, this was your escape route!

But isn't such cowardly behavior a bit unworthy of the armor he's wearing?

"Is this the strange blood-red light Albus mentioned? It's indeed somewhat interesting."

Grindelwald raised an eyebrow, waving his wand from bottom to top, and the Fiendfyre immediately swept forward like a tide.

After catching up to the Dark Wizard, the earth rumbled, volcanoes erupted, and the violent Fiendfyre directly blasted him into the air.

Just as Grindelwald was about to continue, a thunderous roar suddenly sounded in his ear.

In his vision, the crescent moon at night became the backdrop, and a cold light, like lightning, pierced through the Dark Wizard's body.

The blood-red light dispersed and vanished, and blood splattered across the ground.

Grindelwald: (..)

He looked at Karl speechlessly, his eyes very direct: What are you doing, you little scoundrel? Stealing kills, are we?

Karl: (°-°)

"Actually, I was worried you'd damage his armor."

Grindelwald was immediately amused, "So you just directly shattered the armor, right?"

"It was just an accident! I clearly aimed for the neck, why did it hit the chest?"

Karl scratched his head helplessly, reaching out towards the Dark Wizard.

"Caladbolg Accio!"

The summoned spiral magic sword broke through the air and landed steadily in Karl's hand.

"Albus actually gave it to you?"

Grindelwald narrowed his eyes, looking at Karl. This little scoundrel was being treated too well.

"Yeah, I originally wanted to take out Gáe Bulg to play with, but Albus thought the cursed magic spear was a bit sinister and worried it would have a bad influence on me, so he gave me Caladbolg instead."

After Karl finished speaking, he struck a few cool poses with the spiral magic sword.

"Old man, do I look impressive?"

"Hehe!"

Grindelwald gave a fake smile with no expression, then turned and walked away.

He tapped his wand a few times, summoning the shattered armor fragments to float beside him, while the Fiendfyre formed into fire beasts and pounced on the corpses of the Dark Wizards, burning all traces clean.

"Hey! Leaving already? No compliments?"

Karl felt that his beggar-style Sword Control spell was truly cool. Not only could he kill enemies with a hundred-step flying sword, but he could also summon the sword back, a rather exciting combo.

"Less nonsense! Quickly take your captive back! Then I'll interrogate him, and you go find Albus!"

Looking at Grindelwald's back, Karl chuckled. This old man was just envious and jealous.

"Coming~ Coming~"

Karl once again Transfigured a stone into Peppa Pig, carrying the unconscious Dark Wizard, and followed him.

"Oh, and one more thing."

Grindelwald turned his head to look at him, his tone very serious, "The Dark Arts you used at the end, don't use them in front of anyone again.

I'm too lazy to meddle, but others are different."

"If you don't want to be locked up in Azkaban—forget it, with your personality, you wouldn't be caught obediently—but if you still want to live in the sunlight, then be careful."

Grindelwald gave Karl a dangerous smile, "If you absolutely must use it, remember to clean up everyone who sees it, or hide your identity well."

"But don't use Fiendfyre to impersonate me, that will only bring you more trouble."

Karl:

Damn! How did this old man know what I was thinking? I lost a high-level alias!

Back at Grindelwald's cabin, Karl threw the unconscious Dark Wizard by the Black Lake, preparing to watch Grindelwald interrogate him.

"What are you still doing here? You're not needed anymore, hurry up and call Albus over."

Grindelwald lifted the Stupefy and Petrificus Totalus from the Dark Wizard, then summoned a ball of cold lake water and splashed it on the Dark Wizard's face to wake him up.

"Oh~ I just wanted to learn a few tricks from you, old man~"

Karl widened his eyes, ready to watch the old man in action.

"Oh? Is that so?"

Grindelwald glanced at Karl, "Then you better watch and learn carefully, because this will be your job from now on."

"Crucio!"

A Crucio fell upon the newly awakened Dark Wizard, immediately causing him to wail in agony.

Oh, this—

Looking at the Dark Wizard convulsing, twitching, and rolling in pain on the ground, Karl turned and left.

Punishment! There's a home! The old man truly lives up to his reputation as a talent for getting into jail!

Whoever wants to learn this crap can learn it; he certainly didn't want to touch it at all.

"Hey! Leaving already? Not studying anymore?"

Karl pretended not to hear Grindelwald and headed straight for the Castle to find Dumbledore.

By the time Karl returned to the Hufflepuff common room, most of the younger students had already gone to bed.

However, Shabi and Stebbins were still waiting for him, their godfather. This filial piety was truly touching.

"Karl, where did you go? Why are you only just back? We've been waiting for you for ages!"

"Yeah, something almost happened at school tonight. A little Gryffindor Witch almost died at the hands of a Troll, but luckily Headmaster Dumbledore and the others arrived in time."

Karl nodded upon hearing this, "I heard about it too. It's truly a blessing in disguise."

When he went to find Dumbledore, he asked about it incidentally, and the situation was actually not as dangerous as it sounded.

The Troll had barely entered the girls' lavatory where Hermione was when it was controlled by the Professors who arrived, not to mention Fawkes had been secretly monitoring the whole time.

"Come on, let's go back to the dormitory and sleep?"

Before Karl finished speaking, he saw fawning smiles appear on Shabi and Stebbins' faces.

"Hehe~ Well—where's your homework? We need a little help!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! We had too much fun tonight and accidentally forgot about our homework!"

Karl: (—_—)

I knew why you two were waiting up so late; it was for this.

Give me back my move!

After Halloween, the time came to November.

As the weather gradually turned colder, this school year's Quidditch season also began.

Cedric was currently in a state of constant excitement, as if he had drunk Dragon blood.

According to Summers, this guy even talked in his sleep, saying things like "Whoosh~ take off," interspersed with unspeakable strange noises like "Hehe~ Cho~ Hehehe."

Today was Saturday, and there was a Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin.

So Cedric pulled Cho, Karl, and Nina to the stadium early.

"There's an old saying in the East: 'Know yourself and your enemy, and you will be victorious in every battle.' So we must do our intelligence work well."

Karl:

Cho: ..

Nina noticed that their expressions were a bit odd, so while Cedric was observing the team lineups, she quietly asked, "Is there something wrong with that saying?"

Karl waved his hand speechlessly. He knew Cedric had been trying to understand Eastern culture to get closer to Cho.

Before they came, this guy even said he had made a little progress, and he thought he had made something impressive, but it turned out to be a big mess.

Cho explained to Nina, trying not to laugh, "It should be 'a hundred battles, no danger,' or even 'a hundred battles, a hundred victories.' Cedric completely got it backward, but I hope he does as he says, so our Ravenclaw team can win the next match."

Karl scanned the stands and quickly found Professor Snape and Quirrell's positions.

Soon, a good show titled "Quirrell Secretly Plots Poisonous Scheme, Harry Potter in Dire Crisis; Snape Helps Turn the Tables, Granger Sets Professor on Fire" was about to begin.

"Nina, have you heard? That Gryffindor first-year, Harry Potter, was exceptionally selected for the team."

"Of course, I saw it that day. On his first Flying Class, he accelerated and dived to catch the glass ball that was about to fall. You and Cedric will have to be careful from now on."

"That's amazing! To be a Seeker in first year, while I have to be a substitute until next year."

"It's okay, you can take the opportunity to learn more about Cedric and Harry Potter's flying techniques, and then give them a big surprise and defeat them."

Listening to Nina and Cho's conversation, two guys who preferred not to reveal their names exchanged expressionless glances.

Karl: You know what to do, right?

Cedric: Understood! Don't worry! I have nine! Nine ways to beat him!

Karl: Very good! Very spirited! What's our goal?

Cedric: To make Harry Potter eat my dust on his Nimbus 2000!

After confirming their understanding, the two smiled at each other.

At this moment, broomsticks rose in the stadium, and cheers and shouts filled the stands.

The match officially began.

Chapter 81: Sudden Change and Albus's Sleepless Night

Karl barely watched the Gryffindor and Slytherin Quidditch teams flying around, making tackles, and hitting Bludgers.

Well, actually, he didn't understand it.

Even Lee Jordan's passionate commentary was useless, because it only made him want to tap his foot.

It wasn't until the Golden Snitch appeared that Harry was maliciously crashed into by Marcus Flint during the chase.

It's coming!

Karl picked up his binoculars, fixed his gaze on Quirrell, and wondered if he should take the opportunity to hit him and say hello to his long-unseen senior, Tom.

As Madam Hooch finished her ruling and the game resumed, Quirrell's lips began to move.

"? What's wrong with Harry Potter?"

Cho, who had been studying flying techniques, quickly noticed Harry's broomstick swerving left and right in the air, shaking violently, completely unlike his previous fast and smooth flying.

Hearing this, Cedric, who had been analyzing the two teams' formations, quickly looked up and saw that Harry was flying higher and higher, even leaving the Quidditch Pitch.

"It looks like there's a problem with his broomstick; he seems to have lost control."

Just then, Harry began to tumble and roll high in the air, and was soon flung off his wildly twisting Nimbus 2000, clinging to the broom with only one hand, suspended in mid-air.

The young Wizards in the stands cried out in terror, their emotions stretched to the limit.

"Oh my God! He's going to fall to his death!"

Nina reached out and pulled Cho back, who was about to fall off the stands. "Don't panic! The Professors are all here!"

Karl frowned, realizing something was wrong. He had clearly seen Hermione bump into Quirrell, interrupting his spell.

But Harry's broomstick still hadn't returned to normal! There was still someone else causing trouble!

Karl quickly shifted his binoculars to Snape, and saw Hermione quickly set fire to the hem of his robe.

Not long after, Snape discovered his clothes were on fire, gasped, and stopped chanting, and countless screams immediately erupted in the stands.

Harry Potter fell!

Karl quickly glanced at Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick rushing down from the stands, knowing that with them there, nothing could go wrong.

So he moved his binoculars, intending to keep an eye on Quirrell again, to see if he could find anything.

However, at that moment, Karl's pupils instantly dilated, and his movements stopped.

This wasn't because of Snape's complex expression of shock, worry, urgency, and fear, but because behind Snape, someone's face revealed a peculiar smile.

Although it was only fleeting, and the person quickly composed herself, standing up like the other Slytherin students, Karl was sure that what he had just seen was not an illusion.

This was a young Witch, with delicate features and a tall figure. Even observing her through binoculars, one could still feel her elegant demeanor and composed bearing.

She looked very similar to Senior Judy, but she didn't have that gentle aura; instead, her expression was full of arrogance.

At this moment, Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick had already caught Harry, who had fallen from a high altitude, and all the young Wizards in the Quidditch Pitch breathed a sigh of relief.

Especially after Harry pulled the Golden Snitch out of his mouth, the previously tense atmosphere immediately became joyful.

Everyone began to discuss the thrilling moment, and the entire Quidditch Pitch was filled with excited chatter.

"Wow! You scared me to death!"

A relieved Cho hugged Nina and let out a long breath. If something had really gone wrong just now, she worried she would develop a psychological shadow of Quidditch in the future.

"It's okay, Cho, this was just an accident. If you're scared, I can accompany you in the future—ah!"

Cedric, who was comforting Cho, was pulled away by Karl before he could finish his sentence.

"Help me look! Who is the young Witch behind Professor Snape in the Slytherin stands?"

"Huh? Oh!"

Cedric took the binoculars Karl handed him and quickly looked.

"I know her. She's Slytherin's Prefect this year, Gemma Farley, a fifth-year."

"Gemma Farley—"

Karl recalled the name. She seemed to be just a background character in the original story. Could she be the one who attacked Harry?

In the middle of the night, the entire Hogwarts Castle was plunged into darkness and slumber.

A Jungle Cat climbed diligently up the wall, quickly reaching its target window and deftly slipping inside.

"Good evening, Karl."

What the heck! Who's there?

Karl: ∑(A=A)

The sudden voice startled him, making him jump and almost fall out of the window.

After steadying himself, he looked up and saw Dumbledore, dressed in pajamas, sitting behind his desk, smiling at him.

Karl jumped into the office, quickly transformed back into his human form, and patted his chest with a sigh of relief.

Oh my goodness! You scared me to death!

"Albus, why are you still awake so late? Didn't I advise you to get some rest last time?"

Dumbledore's mouth twitched. You guess why I'm not sleeping? It's all because of you!

"Something bad happened at the Quidditch Pitch today, and I guessed you would come to find me. To prevent being woken up from my sleep by someone,

So I had no choice but to stay awake and wait for you."

Ah, well… that 'someone' you mentioned is really rude! Good thing it won't bother me!

Karl gave an awkward smile, then quickly got to the point, "It seems like rats have gotten into the school again."

"Oh? Still the Forbidden Forest?"

"No, they might already be in the Castle."

Hearing this, Dumbledore's expression instantly became serious. "Tell me the details."

"It's like this—"

Karl told Dumbledore about his discovery. "Besides Quirrell, there must have been another person who cast Dark Arts on Harry's broomstick at that time. This Gemma Farley is highly suspicious; that peculiar smile left a deep impression on me."

"Gemma Farley—I remember her. A typical Slytherin, she's a fifth-year this year."

Dumbledore pondered for a moment. "But with her strength, it's impossible for her to cast Dark Arts on Harry's broomstick from a long distance behind Severus without being noticed."

"You think it's not related to her?"

"I believe your judgment is correct," Dumbledore suddenly brought up another matter. "Do you remember the Dark Wizard you captured on Halloween? The information Gellert got from him was very useful."

Useful? Why didn't I notice?

Karl knew more than Dumbledore and Grindelwald. For example, although this group of Dark Wizards were also Herpo the Foul's followers, they were different from Elvis Heller's direct lineage.

Their role was probably that of peripheral thugs, usually doing small-time murders and robberies, helping their superiors earn ill-gotten gains. They didn't even know the location of the headquarters, only that it was roughly in the Ireland area.

"Weren't they just here to scout out the school and look for the Nearly Headless Nick and Elvis Heller?"

Dumbledore stroked his long white beard, exuding a bit of Zhuge Liang's demeanor.

"That's right, but Elvis Heller and his elite failed. Can these disorganized rabble, who don't even have the courage to fight to the death,

Really make any difference?"

"Considering Elvis Heller's actions back then, I've suspected since that day that they would secretly send people to infiltrate the school, and that person is the key."

At this point, Dumbledore returned to the original topic. "Gemma Farley is highly suspicious, but she doesn't have the ability to attack Harry."

Karl understood what he meant. "Are you saying this person isn't the real Gemma Farley? Polyjuice Potion?"

Could it be that Herpo the Foul's followers attacked Gemma Farley, then used Polyjuice Potion to transform into her and infiltrate the school? Is the real Gemma Farley locked in a box somewhere now?

No wonder, as soon as Polyjuice Potion was mentioned, Karl thought of Alastor Moody and Barty Crouch Jr.

"Very likely," Dumbledore tapped the table lightly. "Do you have any other thoughts?"

Karl scratched his head. "What thoughts could I have? It's not like Gemma Farley found a Horcrux and was then corrupted by the soul inside, is it?"

After he said that, the room fell silent.

The two looked at each other, suddenly feeling that such a situation seemed possible.

Chapter 82: Too much desire for progress and the lingering ghost

"No matter the situation, it means Gemma Farley is in danger, and we must act quickly."

Dumbledore looked at Carl, "I remember Fire Treasure can distinguish Dark Wizards?"

"Yiya!"

The adorable Fire Treasure appeared above Carl's head, cheerfully greeting Dumbledore.

"That's right, the souls of Dark Wizards are tainted with death, darkness, evil, and violence, which make Fire Treasure uncomfortable, so it can sense them, just like Elvis Heller back then."

"But to avoid alerting them, I didn't approach Gemma Farley rashly."

Dumbledore waved at Fire Treasure, then winked at Carl, "Your caution is well-founded. After all, the sudden approach of the famous Boar Knight, Flame Lord, would indeed make ill-intentioned people wary."

Carl: (—_—)

I won't say anything about Flame Lord, but can you please forget that terrible title, Boar Knight?

I, Carl, am a celebrity, don't I have any dignity?

Being a Wizard is hard! Being a young Wizard is hard! Being a famous young Wizard is even harder!

"Cough!" Dumbledore coughed, avoiding Carl's accusing gaze.

"Tomorrow noon, I will hold a Prefect meeting under the pretext of an incident at the Quidditch Pitch. If Fire Treasure finds a problem then, we will directly take down Gemma Farley."

The two discussed the details and finally decided to set the location in Professor McGonagall's office.

Because after the action, she would be needed to reassure the other Prefects and explain the situation to them.

This was to prevent rumors from spreading in Hogwarts later: Dumbledore is moody and often beats students.

After everything was settled, it was already late at night.

Carl waved goodbye to Dumbledore, "Good night, Albus, I'm leaving."

"Good night, Carl," seeing the Jungle Cat jump onto the windowsill, Dumbledore helplessly reminded him, "Be careful when climbing the Castle wall."

"Awooo!" Don't worry!

Carl was agile and quick; the Castle outer wall was like flat ground to him.

But midway through climbing, Carl suddenly remembered something.

He should have borrowed the marauder's map from the Weasley Brothers; then he would know if Gemma Farley was impersonated by Polyjuice Potion.

Pfft! My brain!

Carl slapped his forehead in frustration. Was I climbing the wall?

"Meow—"

In the silent night, a certain cat's shriek instantly echoed through the Castle.

Dumbledore, who had just laid down, sighed, not even opening his eyes, and rolled over as if he hadn't heard anything.

And the Gryffindor Dean's office window was quickly pushed open forcefully, and an angry Professor McGonagall leaned out to look down.

"Carl!"

"Meow~"

The next noon, four figures walked out of the Great Hall together and headed upstairs.

They were Hufflepuff Prefect Gabriel Truman, Ravenclaw Prefect Penelope Clearwater, Gryffindor Prefect Percy Weasley, and Slytherin Prefect Gemma Farley.

"I wonder what Headmaster Dumbledore wants to tell us. I'm a little nervous."

Noticing Penelope's slight anxiety, Percy immediately leaned over to comfort her, "Don't worry, it's probably about what happened at the Quidditch Pitch yesterday. Although it should be the team captains from each house attending the meeting, who made us Prefects?"

"By the way, Penelope, what are your thoughts on student management? For example, amidst Percy's incessant talking, the four arrived at the Gryffindor Dean's office.

Percy, who had just stopped talking, took a quick step forward and gently knocked on the door.

Gabriel Truman, who was originally walking in front and had just raised his hand: What was that whoosh? Scared me! I almost kicked the door in!

"Come in!"

After receiving permission, Percy walked in first, head held high and chest puffed out, while the other three had no choice but to follow him.

"Excuse us! Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, we're here!"

At this moment, inside the office, Professor McGonagall was sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace, pointing her finger at Carl's head, faintly hearing a phrase like "Next time you climb the wall, I'll give you detention."

And Dumbledore seemed to have been looking out the window, only turning around when he heard them arrive.

"Hmm—Mr. Weasley, and Miss Clearwater, Miss Farley, Mr. Truman, due to some matters, I had to take up your time. Thank you for your trouble."

Hearing the Principal say this, Gabriel and Penelope both felt a bit embarrassed. Just as they were about to say some dry, meaningless words like "It's our duty, no trouble at all," they heard a firm voice ring out in the office.

"It won't take up any time! Because this is our duty as Prefects! Our time belongs to the school! And we don't feel it's any trouble! The truly hardworking ones are you and Professor McGonagall!"

Everyone looked at Percy Weasley in shock, not expecting him to have such—um—awareness.

Carl: ()

You're too eager to advance, aren't you? Where did you learn that? You speak in such a smooth, flattering way.

No wonder he later became the student body president and even entered politics after graduation. He was indeed born for this path.

Let alone the others, even the well-traveled Dumbledore was momentarily stunned by Percy's words.

"Hmm—very good. I am very pleased—to see Hogwarts has such dedicated and enthusiastic Prefects."

Carl gave him a speechless look: Stop dawdling! Get on with it!

Dumbledore, receiving the hint, smiled gently, "The reason I called the four of you Prefects here is because of the incident that happened during yesterday's Quidditch match. It was too dangerous, and I believe—"

Just as everyone was listening intently to him, Dumbledore suddenly waved his sleeve, and a fierce wind instantly howled through the office.

Percy, Penelope, and Gabriel were pushed towards the door by the strong wind pressure, involuntarily letting out exclamations.

Carl and Professor McGonagall simultaneously acted, pointing their wands at the panicked Gemma Farley.

"Bang!"

A thick red beam of light struck Gemma Farley, who had no time to react. The powerful force sent her flying through the air, crashing heavily against the wall.

And the wall transformed and flowed like a swamp, quickly enveloping Gemma Farley's limbs and waist, trapping her entirely within the wall, with only her head and upper body still exposed.

"Pfft!"

Gemma Farley spat out a mouthful of blood, her face pale, and her spirit utterly withered.

Professor McGonagall looked at Carl, wanting to speak but hesitating. This wasn't Expelliarmus; it was clearly a life-ending spell!

But it was fine to be heavy-handed with enemies. It was better for the cat cub to be ruthless to others than for others to be ruthless to him.

"What's wrong, Minerva?"

Carl looked at Professor McGonagall blankly. Did he go too easy?

"Nothing, it's good."

Professor McGonagall patted his head, then walked to the office door to comfort the startled Penelope, Percy, and Gabriel, "Don't panic, children, come out with me now."

After Professor McGonagall took Percy and the other two away, Carl and Dumbledore walked over to Gemma Farley.

"Headmaster Dumbledore! Why? Why are you doing this to me? I'm your student!"

Looking at the pitiful, terrified young Witch, Carl smiled very happily.

"Albus, this is Gemma Farley herself, not someone else impersonating her with Polyjuice Potion."

"Oh?" Dumbledore looked at Carl's smile, realizing something, "Could it really be—"

"That's right! It's a Horcrux! She has Elvis Heller's aura on her!"

After Carl finished speaking, Fire Treasure emerged from his chest and flew towards Gemma Farley.

"Yiya!"

Fire Treasure landed on Gemma Farley's shoulder, pulled out the necklace from her collar, burned through the string, and forcefully threw it to the ground.

Carl raised his hand and snapped his fingers, and a ball of Fiendfyre appeared out of thin air, enveloping the necklace.

"Professor Heller, time to entertain guests."

Chapter 83: Heller's Breakdown, Karl the Genius

Under the threat of Fiendfyre, a faint black mist rose from the necklace, and Elvis Heller's soul emerged within it.

He looked at the old man and the young man before him with cold eyes, his voice filled with deep despair, "Albus Dumbledore, Karl Olonlin, it seems I have failed yet again."

Noticing Elvis Heller's emotional state, the kind Karl quickly offered comfort.

"It's alright, Professor Heller, failure is the mother of success. Failing twice just means there's a bit too much motherly love."

"However, you used to tell me that creating multiple Horcruxes was a foolish act, so I suppose you won't have a third chance."

"But that's not a problem. It's not a big deal. Just be more careful in your next life."

Elvis Heller stared at Karl with hatred. "The main body even told you all this? It seems you not only burned the Acromantula but also did many more things that defy the gods."

Karl smiled and spread his hands like a bear, "So what? How many Dumbledores do the Tuatha Dé Danann have? If Herpo the Foul has the guts, he should come to Hogwarts and duel Dumbledore!"

Dumbledore: (._.)

What does that mean? Has the old man become a unit of measurement? Is this a bit inauspicious?

And this brat's words are too—too friendly. I'm suddenly a little worried Grindelwald will be corrupted by him.

Hearing Karl's provocative words, Elvis Heller's soul trembled with anger.

If glares could turn into swords, Karl would have been finely chopped by now.

"How did you find me?"

Elvis Heller couldn't understand. To divert Dumbledore's attention, he first had his subordinates operate in the Forbidden Forest, and then secretly helped Quirinus Quirrell ambush the young Wizard.

Logically, they should be focusing on the main body and Quirinus Quirrell right now, so how did they find him?

Karl felt that this guy was a bit unlucky, perhaps his Bazi clashed with his own, always falling into his hands.

"Actually, if you hadn't done anything, we really wouldn't have found you, but you always like to cause trouble, don't you?"

"First you tricked me into looking for Horcruxes, now you're using Dark Arts to ambush Harry Potter. It's normal to be caught when you make too many small moves."

Elvis Heller looked at Karl with a twisted expression, "You found me, but didn't you find Quirinus Quirrell?

He was the one who used Dark Arts first! Didn't you notice anything unusual about him?"

Karl nodded honestly, "We did, and we also know he has Lord Voldemort's soul."

"Then why aren't you looking for him? Lord Voldemort! Your number one enemy at Hogwarts! He wants to steal the Philosopher's Stone to resurrect himself! Aren't you going to do anything?"

Elvis Heller felt like he was about to explode with anger. He suspected Dumbledore was suffering from senile dementia due to old age.

The venomous snake has already crawled into the bed, so why kill the mosquito first?

Bah! I'm so angry I'm confused! I'm not a mosquito! These two lunatics!

Karl and Dumbledore exchanged glances, attempting to explain to the guy who was on the verge of breaking down.

"How should I put this? Lord Voldemort is a fish that has already taken the bait, and you are a disruptive invasive species, so of course we have to deal with you first, so we can reel in the fish with peace of mind."

Elvis Heller: —

Forget it! I'm tired! Let's just destroy everything!

"Professor Heller, do you have any last words?"

Karl showed an honest and simple smile, "Like where you hid your money? The most painful thing in a person's life is to die without spending their money. I'll help you, it's my duty."

Hearing this, Elvis Heller wished he had a body so he could smear dog shit on his face.

"You can't kill me!"

"Why not? What right does a Horcrux have to bargain?"

Sealing the main body's soul of Elvis Heller before was out of concern for his Horcrux resurrecting.

Now that the Horcrux has delivered itself, are we not going to kill it and keep it for the New Year to make dumplings together?

Elvis Heller snorted, "Because I can give you some help, Headmaster Dumbledore, you wouldn't want Hogwarts to be destroyed, would you?"

Karl: ∑(A°=°A°)

Holy cow! What kind of outrageous statement is this?

You scoundrel, you're plotting against Dumbledore! I'll report you to Grindelwald!

Dumbledore looked at Karl with confusion; he felt the boy's gaze was a bit strange.

"Mr. Heller, if you are referring to the Dark Wizards under your command, then please forgive my bluntness, they are incapable of causing any damage to Hogwarts."

Elvis Heller naturally understood this, otherwise, he, a Horcrux, wouldn't have to risk it himself.

"Of course not! It's the enemies of that Adult from the past. They won't allow that Adult to complete his soul, and they will definitely confront you, and I can provide you with information about them!"

Karl scratched his head, "Well, your enemies are our friends, aren't they?"

"Heh! Naive child! For them, completely destroying the spirit body and Hogwarts is the only truly foolproof plan!"

Elvis Heller stared intently at Dumbledore, "So? What's your decision?"

Dumbledore looked at Gemma Farley in the wall. This poor young Witch was severely injured physically by Karl, and her soul was corroded by the Horcrux. She had just barely escaped its control, and then she heard various terrifying news, including about Lord Voldemort. Under the shock to her mind, she was on the verge of fainting again.

"Mr. Heller," Dumbledore's deep gaze held a sharpness that made people afraid to look directly at him, "Whoever wishes to harm Hogwarts will certainly not succeed, and will pay an extremely heavy price."

"Karl, do it."

"Understood!"

Receiving the instruction, Karl's mind stirred, and the Fiendfyre enveloping the necklace churned.

"No! You'll regret this!"

Accompanied by Elvis Heller's screams, the necklace was incinerated into a blood-like, black, viscous liquid, and was destroyed along with his soul.

"Albus, should Elvis Heller's main body's soul be dealt with too?"

"Just in case, let's keep it for now."

Dumbledore waved his sleeve, and the wall trapping Gemma Farley flowed again, returning to its original state.

"Miss Farley, the Horcrux has been destroyed. Do you feel any better mentally?"

Gemma Farley's pale face regained a hint of color, and her corroded soul was nourished, but due to the severe injuries to her body, she could only lean weakly against the wall.

"Headmaster Dumbledore, I'm so sorry I did dangerous wrong things—"

Dumbledore smiled, his expression gentle, "No need to apologize, because it's not your fault."

He knew that although Gemma Farley had a cold and arrogant personality and a somewhat disdainful attitude towards other Wizards, she never targeted others in words or actions, and no one in her family had ever become a Death Eater.

"But—"

"Harry Potter was not harmed, you don't need to blame yourself for this. The culprit has been eliminated."

Dumbledore comforted Gemma Farley, and then expressed his apologies to her.

"Miss Farley, the information you just heard is too dangerous and needs to be kept secret, so I must use a Memory Charm to make you forget all of this. I hope you can understand my actions."

Gemma Farley gave a bitter smile, "I understand, Headmaster Dumbledore. When I heard about You-Know-Who, I thought of it. In fact,

I also want to forget these nightmarish experiences."

"I'm sorry, child. If you wish, when all this is over, I will let you remember everything again."

Gemma Farley shook her head, refusing, "I'd rather not remember anything, because it's too terrifying, but—"

She turned to look at Karl, "Could you let me remember Mr. Orolin?"

Dumbledore caught the change in Gemma Farley's eyes and suddenly felt that Minerva's worries were very reasonable. She might really be surrounded by a group of young Witches trying to curry favor with him in the future.

After all, Karl is exceptionally talented, incredibly powerful, and quite handsome.

To use his own words, his amiable appearance looked solemn and dignified, making him likable to both old and young.

Hmm... Is that how he would put it?

Dumbledore looked at Karl, wanting to see his opinion, and then saw Karl crossing his arms over his chest, clearly disagreeing.

Gemma Farley's face showed disappointment, and she gave Karl a deep look.

"Alright then, Principal, please help me forget all of this."

Dumbledore took out his wand, his expression incredibly serious, and clearly enunciated the spell, "Obliviate!"

Karl felt that Dumbledore at this moment was even more focused than when he was in combat.

Perhaps it didn't matter how the enemy died, but performing a Memory Charm on a student absolutely could not go wrong.

Under the dual effect of the spell and her injuries, Gemma Farley's body went limp and she fainted.

Dumbledore waved his wand, making her float in the air, preparing to take her to the infirmary for Madam Pomfrey to treat her injuries.

"Jiji?"

Fire Treasure flew in front of Karl, pointed at Gemma Farley, and then struck a pose flexing its bicep.

"Oh! Right! Albus, you can let Fire Treasure treat her first!"

It was embarrassing to admit, but ever since Karl got Fire Treasure, he hadn't let it treat anyone. The only time he remembered it being useful, Nina had stolen the show.

In fact, compared to playing with fire, healing and treating injuries were the true abilities of the Peaceful Fire.

Dumbledore's eyes widened in surprise. How could fire heal? Could it also shed tears like Fawkes?

"Yiya!"

Fire Treasure, full of fighting spirit, flew above Gemma Farley and began to emit a warm, golden glow.

As wisps of emerald green light, symbolizing vitality, entered Gemma Farley's body, her expression, which had been twisted with pain, returned to calmness.

"This is truly incredible!"

Dumbledore sighed with emotion. As expected of a fire spirit, as magical as the Phoenix Fawkes.

"Karl, why didn't you want Gemma Farley to remember you just now?"

Karl looked at him strangely, "Does that even need a reason? Her injuries were caused by me!"

"Albus, do you think she wants to remember me because she wants to find an opportunity for revenge?"

Dumbledore: (..)

Huh? Can it be understood that way?

Good, good, good! You are truly a genius!

He now took back his previous thoughts; Minerva's worries were completely self-indulgent and made no sense at all.

And he wants a group of young Witches to surround him and try to curry favor? Having even one would be good enough!

"Albus, what kind of look is that?"

"Nothing! It's just you—"

Dumbledore hesitated, then patted Karl on the shoulder, "Never mind, it's nothing. Thank you, Fire Treasure."

Looking at his departing back, Karl was a bit puzzled.

"What does he mean by that?"

"Jiji"

Fire Treasure raised two fiery question marks, indicating that he didn't know either.

Chapter 84: Grindelwald and Karl's Tumultuous Friendship

After destroying Elvis Heller's Horcrux, Karl resumed his daily routine.

He attended classes, ate, slept, and in his free time, he accompanied Nina to practice spells and dueling.

This girl, for some unknown reason, became obsessed with improving her strength.

She often dragged Karl into a fair duel, only to be utterly defeated, completely unable to fight back.

Each time, she would pretend to cry, needing Karl to coax her a few times before she would cheer up.

(W) / (._.)

Besides accompanying Nina, Karl most frequently visited Professor McGonagall's office.

While enjoying Minerva's care, he would scout for any other little cubs trying to snatch his Cat Mom's attention.

During this period, Karl no longer climbed walls or snuck through windows to find Dumbledore.

Because Cat Mom had sealed the Principal's office windows with a spell; if they were opened, she would be alerted.

Hmph! Not an ounce of trust!

Karl didn't pay much attention to the enemies of Cú Chulainn that Elvis Heller mentioned; his attitude was the same as Dumbledore's.

Since he was already up against the Tuatha Dé Danann, why bother with Cú Roi, Ferdia, or Queen Maeve?

If they dared to cause trouble at Hogwarts, he would obliterate them all to fertilize the Forbidden Forest, especially since Hagrid had just planted saplings.

However, speaking of planting trees, Karl was a bit bored because Grindelwald's speed in making spiked clubs had slowed down recently.

He had originally wanted to place a spiked club in every single location within the Castle within a year, but now it seemed unlikely.

"Karl! I'm here!"

Inside the Hufflepuff common room, Hannah Abbott, like a little rabbit, bounced over and greeted Karl enthusiastically.

Behind her, Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and Ernie MacMillan followed.

As Hufflepuff's most formidable duo, the students' reverence for Karl was comparable to their respect for their Dean, Professor Sprout.

"What happened today? Harry and Malfoy again? Or Professor Snape?"

Karl took out a bag of candies and distributed them among the four, then curiously inquired.

What he was most concerned about now was Harry and Snape; he wanted to know what method Dumbledore would use to bring them redemption.

But no matter what, the sooner the better, he was already fed up with Quirinus Quirrell's clumsy disguise.

Especially that insane garlic smell! He really couldn't stand it anymore!

"That's right! Today Harry and Ron almost got into a fight with Malfoy!"

"Malfoy is so annoying, always acting superior and saying insulting things."

"If you ask me, the worst is Professor Snape! He's too biased!"

"And he always mocks people. Every time I'm in his class, I'm so scared, worried about being scolded or losing points."

Listening to the four of them discuss, Karl felt that although Snape was a Potion Master, he really wasn't suited to be a Professor.

After all, his skill level was too high. When teaching these beginners, he must have seen everyone as an idiot, and coupled with his cold and sarcastic personality, he definitely wouldn't be a good teacher.

Karl believed that Snape would be a good choice as Principal; first, he wouldn't have to teach, keeping him away from students; second, he could freely spew venom at the School Board and the Ministry of Magic.

Spew! Just thinking about it was interesting!

Christmas was approaching, and Hogwarts, as usual, had a week-long holiday in advance.

This time, Karl saw off his friends, which wouldn't be as troublesome as last year.

Whether it was Nina, Cho, Shabi, Stebbins, or Judy, Cedric, and the Weasley Brothers, they all boarded the Thestral carriages at the main gate.

Originally, according to Karl's plan from last year, he wanted to visit the elder alumnus Newt with Nina during this holiday.

But now that he had a new home, he decisively ditched Nina and stayed at school to accompany Cat Mom.

After seeing everyone off, Karl strolled back to the Gryffindor Dean's office.

"Minerva! I'm back!"

"Really? This time you won't forget some friends like last summer, will you?"

Karl, teased by Professor McGonagall, was a bit helpless, "Can't you just forget about that? It was just an accident!"

"Hmm, probably not, because that day I made enough food for seven extra people."

Karl: (one_one ")

I'll just stare at you without saying a word!

"Alright, I'll try to forget," Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow, "Do you need me to help you prepare Christmas gifts?"

"No, I've already prepared them. Just candy and new books will do."

A few days ago, Karl finished writing "The Dawn Treader." Senior Judy was preparing to publish and release it during the Christmas holiday. The Obscurus Company sent him many copies, which he could use as Christmas gifts.

Of course, not all of them could be like this.

For example, Karl still prepared wool socks for Principal Dumbledore, but this time they weren't socks that would scream if his feet smelled.

Instead, they would cry! Cry! Cry miserably, lamenting heaven and earth!

Hope he likes them.

Additionally, after getting Dumbledore's permission, Karl copied the spell notebook once as a gift for Nina.

Since the little girl wanted to improve her strength, as her good friend, he had to help.

As for Professor McGonagall, Karl exchanged letters with Stebbins' mother, Madam Malkin, several times before finally getting the robe he wanted made.

It was Professor McGonagall's black robe from the movie, truly beautiful and handsome, especially elegant.

Oh! Right! And Snape!

Karl made a special trip to the Forbidden Forest, found a few Acromantulas, collected a lot of venom, and gave it to him.

To be fair, Snape should at least send back some Potions like Felix Felicis, right?

Not too much, just a few dozen pounds to taste the flavor first.

Hehehe!

"What are you giggling about?"

Professor McGonagall flicked Karl's forehead, the crisp sound indicating it was a good head.

"Ow! What giggling? I just remembered something happy!"

"What happy thing?"

"I also prepared a gift for the school's garden manager. He'll be super happy when he sees it."

Professor McGonagall looked at Karl suspiciously, "Are you sure?"

The mischievous smile on the kitten's face was undisguised; it didn't look like something that would make anyone happy.

"Of course!"

Professor McGonagall pinched Karl's cheek, "Alright then, don't ask me to save you when you get beaten."

Karl smiled confidently, "Don't worry! That old man can't catch me! He can only eat my dust!"

Professor McGonagall: ( _ ◎ )

Your relationship… let's call it friendship for now, it's really quite perplexing.

On Christmas morning, Karl got up and didn't even open his gifts; he went directly to find Grindelwald.

A heavy snow had fallen on Christmas Eve, and Hogwarts was now a beautiful scene covered in silver.

He came to the vegetable patch by the Black Lake and found Grindelwald clearing the snow in front of his cabin.

"Hey! Old man! Merry Christmas!"

Upon seeing Karl's arrival, Grindelwald, though pleased inwardly, still maintained his usual disdainful expression.

"Oh? The holiday is different, you kid can even speak human language now, but why did you come empty-handed?"

Yesterday he had seen the kid send many Christmas gifts from the owlery; did he not get one?

"I usually speak human language to humans and ghost language to ghosts. Old man, you look quite anthropomorphic today."

Karl habitually retorted, then, like Thor summoning Mjolnir, he pointed his hand towards the Castle.

"And I didn't come empty-handed! Watch closely! My Christmas gift to you!"

"Spiked Club, come! Ten Thousand Clubs Return to One!"

Under Karl's chuunibyou shouts, a large number of spiked clubs flew out from the Castle, heading straight towards them.

By the time the whooshing sounds and the thuds of impact stopped, the snowy ground in front of the cabin was densely covered with spiked clubs.

Grindelwald: (A three A)

Looking at the many spiked clubs in front of him, then turning back to the lone spiked club outside the cabin.

At that moment, he had only two thoughts: first, all his hard work in making so many—they were all gone; and then—it was indeed this little bastard who stole them!

"How about it, old man? Happy? Surprised? Delighted?"

Watching Karl's smug expression, Grindelwald suddenly smiled, pulled out a spiked club, and instantly transformed into a berserker.

"You little bastard! Prepare to die!"

Karl, who was already prepared, took off running, "Old man, don't you have any manners? How can you treat someone who gives you a gift like this!"

"You stole my things and dare to return them? You haven't been beaten before, have you?"

After chasing him around the Castle for 2.5 laps, Grindelwald finally couldn't keep up.

Karl grinned at him, "Old man, do you want me to tell you a few fables to cheer you up? They are 'The Wizard and the Snake,' 'Mr. Karl and the Wolf,' and 'O'Linn and the Dog.'"

Grindelwald: —

"You brat, don't run! Stand still!"

Inside the Castle, Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, seeing this scene, could only shake their heads helplessly.

What a mess!

Chapter 85: The Old Man's Gift, Hagrid's Crisis

By the Black Lake, Grindelwald sat on a rock, panting heavily. He truly couldn't run anymore.

The total amount of exercise he had in Nurmengard over several decades combined couldn't compare to how much he ran this morning.

Actually, he almost gave up at one point, but he couldn't stand it when Karl, that little brat, would stop mockingly at those times,

muttering heart-stabbing words like, "Already tired? Old man, you're not that strong after all."

Grindelwald was so enraged he nearly exploded, only able to exert all his strength to continue chasing.

Damn it! That little brat will be struck by lightning sooner or later! He'd lower the moral standards of hell even if he went there!

Hearing footsteps approach, Grindelwald glanced sideways at the nearing Karl, "How exactly did you steal it, kid?"

"Can't figure it out, can you?"

Karl smiled smugly, feeling that if he didn't tell Grindelwald, the old man would be kept in the dark forever.

He whistled towards the Black Lake, and amidst the churning water, the Giant Squid surfaced.

"Yiya!"

Fire Treasure, who was playing on the Giant Squid's head, quickly flew over clutching a fishing rod, pretending to be exhausted and wanting a hug.

"Good boy~"

Karl patted the little fellow's head, then took the fishing rod and showed it to Grindelwald.

"Behold! A premium fishing rod handcrafted from Acromantula shells, especially the line set, which is made of incredibly tough spider silk, and finally, notice this small grapple hook—its gripping power is invincible!"

Grindelwald: (._.)

"You didn't actually hook the bludgeon from this far away, did you?"

"Of course! It's very simple! Watch closely!"

Karl made a precision cast towards Grindelwald's cabin, and the grapple hook landed accurately on that solitary bludgeon.

What do you call a fishing enthusiast? Although he always fails to catch fish, his equipment and skills are absolutely first-class!

In his previous life, Karl was led down the path of fishing by his father, and every holiday he would go feed fish... bah! Fish!

Aside from the minor issue of not catching fish, he was definitely a master at casting.

"Go!"

With a flick of his fishing rod, the captured bludgeon was directly pulled and flew over.

Perfect hookset!

Grindelwald: —·

No wonder the Trace Charm didn't reveal any traces; it turns out there was no magic, just skill and technique.

"Convinced now? Am I not a genius?"

Facing the smug Karl, Grindelwald couldn't help but roll his eyes, reaching out to snatch the fishing rod, "Alright! This will be your Christmas gift. Now scram, kid!"

"Huh? Didn't I give you so many bludgeons? It's too much for you to snatch my fishing rod too!"

Grindelwald said nothing, just stared at him expressionlessly, and pulled out his wand.

It looked like he was ready to fight at a moment's notice, the kind of fight that would decide both victory and death.

"Ahem! I was just kidding, actually, I prepared a gift for you."

Karl summoned the package from atop the Giant Squid's head into his hands. Because of the Water-Repelling Charm, it hadn't gotten wet.

Grindelwald put away his wand with satisfaction and asked curiously, "What is this?"

Karl opened the package, "Wool socks."

"I thought it was something else, just this—"

"Headmaster Dumbledore's style."

Grindelwald snatched them into his hands, "This is actually quite nice, looks very warm."

Karl: (-_-)

Heh!

Stubborn at first, then respectful! It's laughable to think about!

"I'm leaving, old man. You can fish by yourself. Don't cast spells on the bludgeons; I'll need them later."

"Wait!"

Grindelwald called out to Karl, took a bundle of something from his pocket, and threw it to him, "This is for you."

"What is it?"

Karl caught it and looked, finding it was a black wristband, just a bit too large, feeling like it could be an arm warmer.

"Weren't you eyeing my suitcase?"

"Ah? An Undetectable Extension Charm?"

Karl flipped it over in surprise and indeed found a pocket on the wristband.

He reached in and felt around, finding it had about the space of a large suitcase.

"Wow! You're amazing, old man! This gift is too great! I love it so much!"

Listening to Karl's praise, Grindelwald's smile was harder to suppress than an AK-47. He loved seeing the kid's uncultured look.

"Please sit, sir. I have a question I hope you can answer."

Grindelwald: (one_-)

Heh!

First, then respectful! It's laughable to think about!

"Speak."

Karl assiduously helped Grindelwald onto the Transfigured chair, "Can an Undetectable Extension Charm be used on a ring to make a storage ring?"

"Did you get your head stuck in a door, kid? While anything can be put in if there's enough space, how would you reach into such a small ring to get things out?"

Hearing Grindelwald's words, Karl recalled Newt and Nina's suitcases, and later Hermione's beaded handbag, and Arthur Weasley's car. It seemed that was indeed the case.

When putting things in, the size of the opening doesn't matter, but to take them out, you must use your hand.

"Can't I use a Summoning Charm?"

"You'd still have to reach your hand in! Unless the things inside are alive and can run out on their own!"

Karl sighed with some disappointment, put away the Transfiguration, and left, "Then it's nothing, goodbye."

"Huh?"

Thanks to Grindelwald's stable stance, he quickly assumed a horse stance and didn't fall on his backside when the chair suddenly disappeared.

Alright, alright! You brat! Using me and then discarding me, huh? You're even quicker at burning bridges than anyone else!

He quickly unhooked the grapple from the bludgeon and then threw it towards Karl.

"Holy crap!"

Karl was startled by the bludgeon that landed not far away, finding his shadow was severely injured.

"You despicable old man! You're playing dirty, you're ambushing me!"

He had just cursed when he saw Grindelwald trying to continue the throwing game.

Karl: (ten°A°)r ∩

Time to go, time to go!

Picking up the bludgeon from the ground and slinging it over his shoulder, Karl ran off.

Grindelwald watched him flee in satisfaction, then entered his cabin with the wool socks.

Soon, a mournful cry rang out, followed by Grindelwald's furious curses.

"Karl, you little bastard!"

Perhaps due to the morning run, Karl ate with exceptional relish today.

When opening presents back in the dormitory, he even burped occasionally.

Dumbledore gave Karl a family tent with an Undetectable Extension Charm applied, so it seemed he could find opportunities to travel with Cat Mom and Nina in the future.

Nina's gift was a thick notebook. Karl opened it and found it was actually Newt's insights on learning and using the Undetectable Extension Charm.

While delighted, Karl was also a bit puzzled. Had he shown too much desire?

He had only mentioned it a few times, so why did everyone give him gifts related to the Undetectable Extension Charm?

Minerva custom-made a magic cloak for Karl, which not only was dustproof and waterproof, and insulated, but most importantly—it could slow his descent.

The kitten was speechless; he had already said he wouldn't climb the Castle's exterior walls again, yet Cat Mom was still worried about it.

What surprised Karl the most was Snape; he hadn't expected him to actually return a gift.

However, it wasn't a magic potion, but an automatic stirring cauldron—was he implying something?

Although very useful, it—always felt like the gift carried a hint of mockery.

After unwrapping his gifts, Karl put on his magic cloak and happily went to find Professor McGonagall.

"Minerva, I really like your gift. I feel like I can wear this all year round."

Upon arriving at the Gryffindor Head of House office, Karl noticed Professor McGonagall had also changed into the black robes he had given her.

Wow! That's great! Cat Mom is indeed the most elegant and coolest!

"Hmm—that's not necessary, I can prepare more styles for you."

Professor McGonagall tidied Karl's collar and winked at him with a smile, "Your gift is also wonderful. Pomona said I look like I've returned to my youth."

"Professor Sprout was right!"

"Mm-hmm~ Let's go, Karl. We'll help decorate the Great Hall and let everyone see it."

"Alrighty!"

The Christmas feast began, and the entire Great Hall was a scene of lively joy.

Karl saw Harry and Ron at the Gryffindor long table, as well as Percy, who was eager to improve.

Fred and George should have stayed at school too, as the Weasleys were going to Romania to visit Charlie and weren't home.

However, because Karl provided a lot of magic materials, the two brothers' skill in making magic props improved rapidly.

So they decided to set up a stall in Diagon Alley to earn money this Christmas holiday, which unintentionally saved Tom from trouble.

After all, if Fred and George were still there, his face would have already been hit by several snowballs.

Time to eat! Time to eat!

Karl didn't touch the turkey and cheese this time because he had pre-ordered lobster and pork hock with the House-elves.

One could only say that compared to British cuisine, French and German cuisine were definitely delicacies.

As Karl was wolfing down his food, his gaze unintentionally fell upon the Professors' table.

"Hey?"

The tall Hagrid was very conspicuous; he was drinking cup after cup of alcohol, and his face was getting redder and redder.

Karl glanced at Professor McGonagall sitting next to him and suddenly remembered something that happened in the original story.

If he remembered correctly, Hagrid had kissed Cat Mom—

Karl: (Enter one)

You dog! You have chosen death!

"Bludgeon, Accio!"

At the head table, Dumbledore, wearing a lady's hat adorned with flowers, was listening to Professor Flitwick tell a joke.

Then he inadvertently noticed Karl approaching with a murderous aura, carrying a bludgeon on his shoulder.

Hmm? What's going on?

Just as Dumbledore was wondering, Professor Flitwick's voice sounded in his ear.

"Hagrid is going to get drunk again. Last time he actually kissed me, it was truly outrageous."

He was already a small person, and his head and face were even smaller. When Hagrid, who was 11.5 feet tall, leaned in for a kiss, he thought he was going to be eaten.

What a terrible memory!

Dumbledore was stunned to hear this. As he recalled the incident, he saw Professor McGonagall next to Hagrid.

Oh no! Hagrid is in danger!

Although Minerva might not care, Karl was different.

If he actually kissed Cat Mom in front of the kitten, it wouldn't be a matter of how well-done he'd be cooked, but rather he could be used as fertilizer directly.

Seeing the red-faced Hagrid leaning close to Professor McGonagall, Karl also raised the bludgeon above his head with both hands.

With that increasingly dangerous look in his eyes and the bulging veins in his arms, one hit from that bludgeon and Hagrid might just die!

Dumbledore urgently shouted, "Hagrid, stop! Karl, hold your bludgeon!"

The head table instantly fell silent, and all the Professors looked at Hagrid and Karl behind him.

Merlin's bikini! What is going on? A Christmas murder!

Professor McGonagall turned back blankly and saw the kitten full of murderous intent, "Karl? What are you doing?"

"I ate a bit too much, so I'm exercising. Minerva, you don't need to worry about me."

"There's no need to exercise at a feast, and such a dangerous weapon shouldn't be here. Put it down first."

Karl sneered, "Dangerous is good. One hit and you're out cold, you won't even feel the pain, right, Hagrid?"

Hagrid: (A°

Huh? Dumbledore, save me!

Chapter 86: Number 12 Grimmauld Place

In the early morning, Karl woke up in the Dean's office at Gryffindor.

Last night, Professor McGonagall confiscated his mace, but still wasn't entirely at ease. To ensure Hagrid wouldn't be ambushed, she brought Karl here to rest.

Karl got up, stretched, and then transformed the bed back into a sofa.

"Chirp~"

Fire Treasure flew out of the fireplace flames, happily greeting Karl.

"Good morning, little cutie, we have big plans today, are you ready?"

"Yi Ya!"

Fire Treasure held up two fiery maces, looking super cute—no! Super fierce!

"What big plans do you have?"

Professor McGonagall walked out of the lounge, giving Karl a warning look. "Don't you dare bother Hagrid."

"Minerva, don't worry, I was just playing around last night."

Karl showed a well-behaved smile. "Today, Shabi and I agreed to visit his family's Magical Menagerie."

"Is that so?" Professor McGonagall expressed doubt.

"Of course! If you don't believe me, I can swear, if I'm lying, then let Cedric, mmph—"

Professor McGonagall kneaded Karl's cheek, smiling helplessly. "What does Cedric have to do with it? When you swear, can you please not involve other people?"

"Mmph," Karl escaped Professor McGonagall's grasp. "Hmph! We're good brothers, he won't mind, just like I don't care if he swears on Shabi or Stebbins."

Professor McGonagall: —.

Goodness! You don't lose out on anything!

"Alright, you can go play, but you must promise not to cause trouble, understood?"

"Received!"

Karl gave Professor McGonagall a reassuring look, then went to the fireplace, grabbed a pinch of Floo powder, and threw it in.

After the emerald green flames rose, he stepped inside. "Diagon Alley! Leaky Cauldron!"

In Diagon Alley, Karl quickly found the Magical Menagerie after leaving the Leaky Cauldron.

Shabi was looking around at the entrance, seemingly having waited for a while. Upon spotting Karl, he smiled and waved.

"Here! Karl!"

"Hey! Shabi, Merry Christmas, even though it was yesterday."

"Of course, but we've already exchanged blessings with gifts, haven't we?"

Karl followed Shabi into the Magical Menagerie. Since it was still early, there weren't many customers.

There was only one Witch shop assistant, and countless cages filled with magical creatures.

For example, purple toads, poisonous snails, and even a group of black rats with bald tails?

Karl: (,)

"Can these even be considered pets? Will anyone really buy them?"

He walked around the shop and felt that, besides cats, ravens, and Puffskeins, there weren't many normal pets.

As for rabbits—well, although Karl liked them too, they usually appeared on the dining table.

The extra-large rabbit he received last Christmas was given to Tonks, and it's said to be growing ridiculously large now.

Shabi's expression was hard to describe. "Actually, quite a lot of people buy them. After all, everyone's aesthetic is different. There will always be perverts—ah, no! I mean customers with unique tastes!"

"Meow!"

Just then, a large ginger cat leaped onto the top of a cage, scrutinizing them from above.

"Oh? This little thing looks quite peculiar! What happened? Did it run into a tree?"

"Its name is Crookshanks, and it's always looked like this. It only arrived here recently."

Hearing Shabi's words, Karl looked at the large cat a few more times. He hadn't expected it to be Hermione's future pet.

Hmm, with that expression of being both crying and laughing, and looking like it's ready for an emergency assembly, no wonder it stayed in the shop for two years with no one showing interest.

After a simple breakfast, Karl waved goodbye to Shabi.

He left Diagon Alley through the Leaky Cauldron and returned to the Muggle world.

This wasn't Karl lying to Professor McGonagall, after all, he really did visit the Magical Menagerie.

It was just a small deviation in the perception of how long he was there, not a big problem.

Karl returned to the White Sand Street Orphanage, transformed into a Jungle Cat, and wandered around inside.

Although some people should still remember him, there weren't many traces of Karl left here.

The money he had originally intended to exchange for Galleons remained untouched due to Professor McGonagall's care, but this time he spent it all.

After the hired people delivered a large amount of clothes and food to the orphanage entrance, Karl turned and left.

Goodbye, I've found my home again. I wish you all can too, and find people who love you.

Late at night, a purple triple-decker bus appeared out of thin air in Grimmauld Place.

After Karl got off, it immediately vanished.

"Phew~ This Knight Bus is really something else. I bet a lot of people get motion sickness and throw up. Why isn't there a safe and comfortable mode of transport in the Wizarding World?"

Karl grumbled as he searched for his destination.

Relying on the faint moonlight and dim streetlights, he quickly arrived at houses 11 and 13.

"Found you, Number 12 Grimmauld Place, the House of Black."

Karl drew his wand and tapped it lightly. Invisible magical ripples spread outwards, and then a house with grimy walls and broken windows appeared.

Walking up the cracked stone steps, Karl extended a hand wreathed in black mist, completely corroding the already dilapidated front door into dust.

"Is anyone home? I'm coming in~"

"Yi Ya!"

Fire Treasure appeared above Karl's head, holding a ball of flame to illuminate the way.

As they surveyed the eerie and old room, a small figure appeared with a faint pop.

"Who are you? How did you enter my mistress's house! Get out immediately! You—!"

"Hmm?"

Under Karl's dangerous gaze, the old House-elf closed his mouth, beginning to tremble.

Because he saw terrifying black mist, bearing the aura of death, spreading wantonly behind the young Wizard. This dreadful feeling reminded him of the Dark Lord.

"Is your name Kreacher?"

Karl walked up to the House-elf, his eyes glowing with an eerie green light.

"Yes, I am Kreacher, a slave of the great House of Black."

"Alright, I'm here to take a box, the one Regulus Black entrusted to you."

Upon hearing this, Kreacher's eyes widened suddenly. "You—how do you know?"

Karl extended his hand to him. "You don't need to know that. Just give me the box."

"No! Kreacher cannot! That is the box the young master exchanged his life for! The box he told Kreacher to guard! Kreacher will not give it to you!" The House-elf let out a shriek and then knelt on the ground, banging his forehead against the floor. "Kill Kreacher! Kreacher has not fulfilled the young master's command! This is an unforgivable sin!"

"Levicorpus! Langlock!"

Karl immediately hung Kreacher upside down in the air, stopping his self-harming behavior, and at the same time sealed his mouth because he was causing quite a headache with his noise.

"Listen, Kreacher! Although I wouldn't mind just setting this place on fire, out of respect and admiration for Regulus, I can make a deal with you."

"As long as you agree to give me the box, I will help you retrieve Regulus's body from the cave and bury him in the House of Black's graveyard."

"Moreover, Regulus and I have the same goal: to destroy that box."

"Most importantly, you don't want your young master to become an Inferius, struggling painfully at the bottom of the lake, never finding peace and release, do you?"

In the eerie room, surrounded by terrifying black mist, Karl, with his eyes emitting an eerie green light, spoke thus.

Chapter 87: I'll Take You All for Revenge

The moon was dark, the wind was high, and the night was deep.

On the desolate seaside cliff, only the howling cold wind and the crashing waves against the rocks could be heard.

Carl felt the cold, damp air, and looking out, the world was swallowed by darkness.

The blurry, strange shadows all around were indistinct, as if countless ghosts were hidden within them.

"Is this the place?"

"Yes, Kreacher will not forget."

The old House-elf was trembling all over, and sorrowful tears streamed down his face; if it weren't for Carl's command, he would probably have already burst into tears.

"Very good, can you directly take me to the small island in the center of the lake within the cave?"

Carl did not want to follow Dumbledore and Harry's steps—swimming, hiking, boating, riddles, bloodletting, and breaking curses—this whole process was indeed a bit troublesome.

Since Lord Voldemort's magic couldn't stop a House-elf, he didn't need to bother.

Not to mention it was still winter; who in their right mind would go diving in the sea in the dead of winter? Carl certainly didn't want to.

"Yes! Kreacher remembers clearly! Poor Master Regulus drank all the poison there! When Kreacher was exchanging the locket, he saw Master being dragged into the water by—

Seeing Kreacher kneeling and preparing to bang his head against a rock, Carl helplessly pointed his wand at him, "Stand up! Hurry and take me there! Then find your master's body and take him away!"

Faced with Carl's scolding and command, the disciplined House-elf quickly got up.

"Right! Right! Hurry over! My poor Master! Kreacher has come back for you!"

Carl grabbed one of Kreacher's big ears, and with a crisp popping sound, two figures, one tall and one short, vanished from the spot.

"Pop!"

Carl, reappearing, looked around; he and Kreacher had arrived on a flat rock island.

Deadly dark lake water surrounded the island, seemingly boundless, with no opposite shore visible, and together with the cave ceiling, it was covered by an impenetrable, heavy darkness.

And in the endless darkness, a faint green light flickered not far away.

Carl released Kreacher and walked to the source of the light; in a stone basin above a Black base, there was a full measure of emerald green liquid, emitting a shimmering phosphorescence.

"Poison! It's this poison!"

Kreacher let out a sharp shriek of terror, his tear-streaked face showing an expression of extreme dread.

This time Carl didn't make him shut up, because he was worried that if he didn't vent his emotions, the old House-elf might completely break down.

Kreacher had once been forced by Lord Voldemort to drink this poison, and after being tormented by pain, he nearly died.

Later, he watched his master, Regulus, being dragged into the water by Inferi after drinking the poison.

These memories were a tragic and desperate torment for the deeply subservient House-elf.

And...

Carl remembered Dumbledore's reaction after drinking this poison in the original story; even the Principal was tormented, kneeling, curled up, trembling, screaming, and even wishing for death from the pain.

While this was related to Dumbledore's sad past, it was enough to prove how terrifying the poison was.

Carl could hardly imagine how an eighteen-year-old Regulus had managed to endure it.

"Kreacher, wait for me outside."

Hearing Carl's command, Kreacher anxiously glanced at the dark lake water, "But if Kreacher goes out, he won't be able to help you, there are many Inferi at the bottom, and poor Master is down there too."

"Just leave, don't worry. It won't be long before I take your master out."

Looking at Carl's calm eyes, Kreacher hunched his shoulders and nodded, "Kreacher understands, please—you must find Kreacher's master."

After the House-elf left, Carl took a deep breath, then directly transformed.

With a clear neigh, the Ice Phoenix once again descended upon the world.

Carl's eyes shone with brilliant divine light, piercing through the darkness, and the biting cold wind howled endlessly in the silent cave.

The dark, calm lake water completely froze before it could even ripple.

All the Dark Arts set up by Lord Voldemort were destroyed by the terrifying power of ice and snow.

"Crack!"

Carl gently flapped his wings, and the frozen lake water immediately cracked and moved, raising Inferi frozen into ice sculptures, gathering before him.

After careful identification, Carl finally found the brave eighteen-year-old boy among the Inferi.

"It is an honor to meet you, Regulus Black, and at the same time, I regret only meeting you now."

As Carl sighed, an ice coffin formed, protecting Regulus's body.

"As for you…"

Carl transformed back into human form, his gaze sweeping over all the Inferi—men, women, elders, children—

Their withered bodies were eerily pale from being soaked in the lake water, their sunken eyes seemed to be staring at something, and the emptiness within them held endless despair.

"You must be yearning for revenge, so come with me."

After Carl spread his hands, an endless surge of Soul-Devouring Night Mist erupted, sweeping through the entire cave with him at its center.

All the Inferi enveloped by the Black mist melted and dissipated, then, in an ominous eerie glow, transformed into shrieking vengeful spirits.

"Don't worry, it's only a brief wait, it won't be long."

As Carl's low words echoed, the Soul-Devouring Night Mist and the vengeful spirits moving through it, like a tide, returned to his shadow.

Kicking over the stone basin holding the poison, Carl put away the fake locket.

Then, placing his hand on the ice coffin, he Apparated with Regulus's body, vanishing instantly.

"Master! My Master! Kreacher finally sees you again!"

Seeing Carl and the ice coffin suddenly appear, Kreacher was startled at first, then cried out, wanting to rush over.

Carl helplessly stopped him, lest the fellow freeze to death on the ice coffin.

"I'm going back to the Black ancestral home first."

After speaking, Carl vanished again with the ice coffin; it was better to let the House-elf calm down.

"Noble little Wizard! Powerful little Wizard! Please wait for Kreacher!"

In the dark basement, Carl opened the package containing the Slytherin locket.

Last Christmas, he had destroyed one of the Horcruxes, the Ravenclaw Diadem.

So this Christmas felt like something was missing, which led to this busy night.

The Slytherin locket required Parseltongue to open, and Carl didn't have that skill.

But it didn't matter; you didn't necessarily need a key to open a lock, a hammer would also work.

"Fire Treasure! Go give him two slaps! Make Senior Tom come out to greet us!"

"Eek!"

Fire Treasure: (Mouth) The little guy, full of momentum, raised his Fiendfyre mace and slammed it down onto the Slytherin locket.

A faint scream came from the locket, and the long golden chain whipped violently like a snake.

But Fire Treasure didn't care about that; he wielded the Fiendfyre mace like a drum, pounding relentlessly.

When the locket began to ooze a viscous, Black liquid, Lord Voldemort, hidden inside, finally couldn't bear it anymore and let out an angry hiss.

"Stop! Stop it now!"

Carl snapped his fingers, and Fire Treasure flew to the side with the mace on his shoulder, ready to charge at any moment.

"Click"

With a crisp sound, the locket's small golden lid sprang open, and an eye appeared behind each of the two small glass windows.

"Who are you?"

"I'm your daddy!"

Chapter 88: Goodbye Tom, Hello Harry

Karl's sudden words were incredibly damaging, directly breaking Lord Voldemort's defenses.

He had been peacefully slumbering in the Horcrux, only to be suddenly roasted by Fiendfyre.

After reluctantly revealing himself, he was about to launch into a verbal attack when he heard a declaration of "I am your father."

Let alone Lord Voldemort, who was already a violent individual, even someone with the best temper would not be able to withstand such a greeting.

"You damned brat! Do you know who you're talking to—"

"Tom Riddle, of course I know who you are. In fact, we should be considered old friends, after all, your other Horcrux, Ravenclaw's Diadem, was destroyed by me."

Karl directly interrupted Lord Voldemort's threats, his expression gentle and polite, "This news is my Christmas gift to you. Although it's a bit late, I hope you like it."

Lord Voldemort in the locket was silent for a moment, then spoke again with a sinister tone, "Boy, you have successfully enraged me. This will be a disaster! No one can save you!"

"Really? I don't believe it!"

Karl shrugged, "I will also visit your other Horcruxes one by one. It's a pity there aren't many left, only three. Thinking about having to say goodbye to Senior Tom in the future, I actually feel a bit sad."

These words immediately infuriated Lord Voldemort, "Who exactly are you? Why do you know these things? You're seeking death! You're seeking death! I will definitely kill you!"

"See? So impatient. As a Dark Lord, can't you be as steady as me?"

A ghostly green light illuminated Karl's eyes. Soul-devouring dark mist condensed into a long whip in his hand, lashing out fiercely.

"Ah!"

Accompanied by a scream, the two small glass windows of the locket instantly shattered, and Lord Voldemort's soul was whipped.

"Senior Tom, I've brought you some old friends. They want to get to know you better."

Rolling Black mist surged from Karl's shadow, instantly filling the entire basement.

One by one, vengeful spirits appeared in the Black mist. After bowing to Karl, they all looked at Slytherin's locket with hateful eyes, their faces twisted with rage into an incredibly ferocious expression.

"W-What is this?"

Lord Voldemort's soul extended a head from the locket, staring in horror at the terrifying scene in the basement.

He didn't understand why this eerie Black mist and these strange specters could pose a fatal threat to him.

"This is impossible!"

"Nothing is impossible, Tom Riddle. Come and atone for your sins."

As Karl's words fell, the vengeful spirits immediately let out terrifying roars and pounced on Lord Voldemort's Horcrux.

"Damn it! You filthy, lowly things! Get away from me!"

Amidst Lord Voldemort's angry and panicked roars, his soul was torn apart and devoured by the vengeful spirits, becoming weaker and weaker.

"Senior Tom, I send Mr. Regulus Black's regards."

"Black? My servant… Ah!"

Amidst his confusion, Lord Voldemort's soul completely vanished, and Slytherin's locket shattered immediately after.

The vengeful spirits, their revenge accomplished, calmed down and waited in the Black mist for Karl's instructions.

"May you all rest in peace."

Karl bowed, his hand over his chest. The vengeful spirits dissipated, finding release, and the Black mist returned to the shadows.

"We should head back too, otherwise Cat Mom will definitely worry. Fire Treasure, what do you say?"

"Eyah!"

Fire Treasure flew over and high-fived him—well, Karl used his fingertips.

Putting the fragments of Slytherin's locket into his wristband, they left the basement and arrived in the equally gloomy living room.

Kreacher had been waiting there and immediately came forward when he saw Karl appear.

"Oh! Esteemed Mr. Orolin, please, what can Kreacher do for you?"

"Protect Regulus's remains. One day in the future, the great Mr. Albus Dumbledore will clear his name, and he will be buried with heroic honors. His bravery and achievements will become the glory of the House of Black."

Karl apparated with Fire Treasure, leaving the old House of Black, leaving only Kreacher screaming excitedly.

"Excellent! Excellent!"

Back at his home in Hogsmeade Village, Karl slept until noon before getting up and heading to Hogwarts Castle.

However, as soon as he stepped out of the fireplace in the Gryffindor Dean's office, he was met with Cat Mom's stern gaze.

"Hi, Minerva! Good morning—um—good afternoon!"

"Not good at all, Mr. Karl O'Linn. Can you tell me exactly how much fun the Magical Menagerie is, that it kept you out all night, playing until now?"

Oh no, oh no! She's using my full name again!

This feeling, infinitely close to being caught sneaking into an internet cafe, made his scalp tingle.

Karl quickly put on a well-behaved smile, "I sent you a letter by owl, you know, I asked for permission."

Upon hearing this, Professor McGonagall was so angry she laughed, "Was that asking for permission? That was an announcement!"

Realizing the situation was not good, Karl immediately activated his backup plan, sighing with a feigned sorrowful expression.

"Actually, Minerva, I visited the White Sand Street Orphanage and delivered some supplies there."

Professor McGonagall: (⊙_⊙)

Hearing Karl say this, and seeing him look so sad, Cat Mom's concern instantly outweighed her anger. She regretted losing her temper at her cat cub without first clarifying the situation.

Professor McGonagall immediately walked over and hugged Karl, gently stroking his head.

"Ah—so that's it. I'm sorry, child, it's my fault. I just—"

"Don't apologize, Minerva, you just care about me too much, I understand."

Karl looked up, his expression a little pitiful, "It's just that I haven't eaten yet. Can I go to the Great Hall first?"

This made Professor McGonagall even more heartbroken. Her cat cub was too sensible! How could he be hungry?

"Of course you can! Go quickly!"

"Mhm!"

Karl turned and walked towards the door, the corner of his mouth curling into a smile that was harder to suppress than an AK.

What do you call an acting master?

Soft-hearted Cat Mom! Easily manipulated!

Relying on his superb acting skills, Karl successfully escaped a predicament and was even given a holiday by Professor McGonagall, excusing him from several days of Transfiguration homework.

Hehe! This was truly like Qin Shi Huang eating Sichuan peppercorns and touching a live wire—winning so hard he was numb beyond belief!

He was happy all afternoon. When night fell, Karl left the Hufflepuff dormitory and headed to the Principal's office.

After all, he had just destroyed one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes, so he definitely needed to report it to Dumbledore.

He also planned to hand over the fragments of Slytherin's locket so that he could use the stone of destiny to repair it.

As for why he didn't go during the day, but waited until night…

It was actually because Karl cared about Dumbledore and was worried that the old man would stay up late without rest, so he went to persuade him.

Yep! That's it!

Walking up the marble staircase, when he reached the fifth floor, Karl heard faint talking.

He frowned, drew his wand, and walked towards the source of the sound.

In a disused classroom, Harry and Dumbledore were sitting on the floor, talking.

"...It is wrong to dwell on illusory dreams and forget real life. You must remember that. Now, you should put on this wonderful Invisibility Cloak and go back to sleep."

Harry obediently stood up, "Professor Dumbledore, may I ask you a question?"

Dumbledore smiled gently, "Of course."

"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"

"Hmm—a thick pair of wool socks, because I never seem to have enough socks."

Dumbledore sighed with a hint of distress, "Although Karl sends me wool socks at Christmas, those socks either roar or cry, forcing me to change and wash them frequently."

Harry: (⊙_⊙)

Respected Professor, aren't you revealing your bad living habits?

But the name "Karl" just mentioned? Is it Karl O'Linn?

Harry was a little curious. He had heard that name many times from Ron, Hagrid, and the Weasley Brothers.

He knew this was a very powerful young Wizard who had once used flames to burn a colony of Acromantulas.

It seemed that because of this incident, Ron showed great admiration for Karl O'Linn.

"That's right, a child with immense talent, far surpassing this old man."

Dumbledore's tone was very pleasant, and he winked at Karl, who had entered the room, with a smile.

"Thank you for your praise, Mr. Principal. Although I don't know if it's true, I believe it."

Karl came before Harry and extended his hand, "Hello, Mr. Potter, I am Karl O'Linn."

Harry was stunned for a moment, then became a little flustered.

Finally, under Dumbledore's encouraging gaze, he shook Karl's hand.

"Hello, Mr. Orolin, it's nice to meet you. I'm Harry Potter."

"Of course—you can call me Harry."