69novels Chapter 175 The Shadow at the Library Entrance
Chapter 175 The Shadow at the Library Entrance
Chapter 175 The Shadow at the Library Entrance
On Sunday morning, Hogwarts was shrouded in a damp, chilly mist. Many students were already coming and going through the library's heavy oak doors, catching up on their weekend homework. Karen and Fabian sat at a table near the entrance inside the library.
Karen held a modified brass pocket watch in his hand. Several extremely fine runes were engraved on the inside of the watch cover. He had temporarily modified it for this operation, referencing some functions of the memory construct with notification capabilities given to him by Professor Castor. He added vibration and heating to the pocket watches, as well as a synchronization function, to facilitate mutual reminders and notifications, since the six of them would not all be together this time.
The Eagle's Nest team had already dispersed. Ernesto and Wesley were positioned near Quirrell's usual route to the library, both carrying the same pocket watch.
George and Fred waited for Quirrell in the shadow of the statue near the library entrance, each holding a pocket watch that Cullen had modified. Cullen's fingers unconsciously traced the edge of the watch, his gaze calmly sweeping over their surroundings. He had deliberately chosen this time.
There was still some time before the library's peak morning hours, but many diligent students were already carrying books in and out of the main entrance, providing enough cover for the operation without being too crowded and obstructing the view.
Fabian adjusted his glasses, his peripheral vision fixed on an inconspicuous corner near the library entrance. Half an hour earlier, he had silently placed the "Shadow Bottle," covered in the concealment runes given to him by Professor Castor, deep within a crevice between the base of an ancient knight's armor statue and the wall. The location was hidden, the distance just right, and the retrieval route was meticulously planned—simply approach quickly amidst the chaos, bend down,
Reach out, pick it up, and then blend into the crowd to leave; it's an easy thing to do on the way out.
Time ticked by. Karen glanced down at her pocket watch; the hands pointed to 9:50. The appointed time was fast approaching.
Suddenly, a subtle but clear vibration came from the pocket watch in his palm, followed by a warm touch—a single vibration, a pause, then another. This was Ernesto's signal: the target had appeared and was approaching.
Karen discreetly slipped her pocket watch back into her pocket and gently nudged Fabian beside her with her shoulder. Fabian immediately understood, his body tensing slightly, his gaze becoming even more focused on the end of the corridor.
A few seconds later, Professor Quirrell's hunched figure, wrapped in a thick headscarf, came into view. He walked slower than usual, his steps unsteady, his sallow face bearing an almost numb weariness and panic.
Karen's grey-blue eyes narrowed slightly. He could see the back of Quirrell's head, where the purplish-black flame was leaping restlessly, but it was still normal and not much different from last time. However, something new was about to happen.
Quirrell kept his head down, seemingly wanting to get through the corridor as quickly as possible and into the relatively quiet library area. Just as he was about ten feet from the library doors, standing before a statue—
"Wow! Look who it is! Our dear, uniquely scented Professor Quirrell!" A vibrant voice, tinged with exaggerated surprise, came from above.
Everyone around instinctively looked up. There, Fred had somehow climbed onto the shoulder of the knight's armor statue, grinning as he leaned half his body out.
"Good morning, Professor! Your coin looks particularly—well—meaningful!" George's voice came from behind a pillar on the other side, as if he were holding something in his hand.
Quirrell abruptly stopped, raising his head in terror, his cloudy eyes widening instantly: "You—you—what...what do you want to do?"
"Nothing special, Professor! Just wanted to help you—wake up! And maybe add a little something to your headscarf!" Fred grinned, his hand hidden behind his back suddenly rising! A puff of shimmering pale gold powder was precisely thrown at Quirrell's thick headscarf!
Karen watched the puff of powder from the shadows, a subtle ripple of emotion stirring within him. 'An improved version of itching powder, with added micro-glitter dust for better targeting, and its adhesion tripled—the effect should be quite long-lasting because he purified and increased the amount of its components.' This was a trivial little gadget he'd made at the twins' request to 'enhance the prank's effect,' and now, watching it being used on Quirrell, aimed directly at Voldemort's hiding place, gave Karen a sense of participation.
The moment the powder touched the headscarf, Quirrell let out a sharp, inhuman gasp: "Ugh!" He jumped up as if burned, frantically scratching the back of his head, but dared not remove the headscarf. However, an even more devastating blow was yet to come!
Just as Quirrell was flailing his arms and legs, his genitals wide open from the sudden, intense itch, George darted out from behind a pillar with lightning speed! In his hand he held a seemingly unremarkable, dark brown sphere—also a "dung ball" modified by Cullen. George swung his arm, and the sphere traced a precise parabola, hitting Quirrell squarely on the back of his hand as he frantically scratched the back of his head!
"Pfft!"
There was no loud bang or pervasive stench like a typical exploding dung ball; only a dull thud, like wet mud hitting the ground. But the dark brown, viscous substance instantly exploded on the back of Quirrell's hand and the edge of a small coin, releasing an extremely concentrated, nauseating stench! The smell was so intense and concentrated, as if ten times the filth had been condensed into a small space, that even students a few feet away couldn't help but cover their noses and gasp in disgust.
"vomit--!"
"Merlin's stinky socks! What are those?!"
"Good heavens! Professor Quirrell!"
Quirrell froze, his scratching motion halting in mid-air. He looked down at the stench-filled puddle of filth on the back of his hand, felt the excruciating itch on the back of his head, and the foul odor emanating from his headscarf. A massive, indescribable sense of humiliation overwhelmed him like a tsunami. His sallow face instantly drained of color, his lips trembled, and his eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets with shock, anger, and shame. His expression seemed to say, "How dare you!" Even Karen, the mastermind behind the plan, felt this was going too far.
And at that very moment!
Karen's "Eye of Truth" clearly captured the sudden eruption of purplish-black magic power at the back of Quirrell's head! A violent rage, a chilling killing intent, and an extreme sense of humiliation—a feeling of being desecrated by ants from the depths of his soul—were present. The magical energy fluctuations were so intense that no further analysis was needed; it had undoubtedly met Karen's requirements. Now was the time to reap the rewards!
"Done!" Karen thought to herself, glancing in Fabian's direction as she twisted the knob of her pocket watch—an action signal!
Fabian was already poised to strike! Just as George threw the excrement, Quirrell froze, and the crowd erupted into a greater commotion and gasps—the moment everyone's attention was drawn to Quirrell and the filth on him—Fabian moved! He took two steps forward with remarkable ease, as if merely propelled by the commotion, his body leaning slightly forward, his left hand covering his nose as if he were one of the people leaving the library, overwhelmed by the stench. As he passed the knight statue, his right hand darted with lightning speed towards the crevice in the base!
There wasn't a trace of magical fluctuation! There wasn't a single unnecessary movement! His fingertips touched the cold bottle, and with a flick of his wrist, the "Shadow Bottle" covered in concealment runes was firmly in his hand, quickly and naturally retracting into his sleeve! The whole process was incredibly smooth and fluid, and amidst the chaotic figures and exclamations, it went unnoticed by anyone.
After succeeding, Fabian didn't linger. He immediately turned around and, along with several other students who were also disgusted and left, silently blended into the gaps in the crowd, quickly heading away from the library. Throughout, he didn't glance at Karen once, nor did he exchange any words, as if he was in a hurry to escape this foul-smelling place.
Karen's peripheral vision confirmed Fabian's successful evacuation. He remained standing in the same spot, his face bearing the same expression of surprise and slight disgust as the other onlookers, his gaze "concerned" as he looked at Quirrell, who was on the verge of collapse.
"You two despicable little bastards!" Quirrell finally regained a voice from his extreme shock. He pointed at Fred and George, his fingers trembling, his voice hoarse and broken, filled with deep-seated resentment.
Fred had nimbly slid down from the statue and joined George. Both wore innocent yet mischievous smiles.
He bowed exaggeratedly to Quirrell.
"Don't be angry, Professor! Just kidding, trying to lighten the mood!"
"Exactly! Have a wonderfully fragrant reading day! We'll head out first!"
After saying that, the two of them, under Quirrell's furious gaze and the students' complicated stares, chuckled and put their arms around each other's shoulders, then quickly slipped away.
Soon, Professor McGonagall's stern voice came from the other end of the corridor, dispersing the students who had come to watch, accompanied by Filch's curses. Karen, too, calmly turned and left with the crowd, as if she were just an ordinary student who had happened to pass by and witnessed a farce.
The Eagle's Nest door closed silently behind them, shutting out all the noise from the outside world. Only the slightly heavy breathing of a few people and the soft crackling of burning wood in the fireplace remained in the room.
"Merlin's beard!" Wesley was the first to exclaim, leaning against the door, panting heavily, his face a mixture of relief and lingering fear. "Fred and George! They really went all out! That dung beet—right to the bullseye! I bet Quirrell will never forget this day, and of course, that Mysterio. He's probably never even tasted dung before!" He recalled the sight above Quirrell's head.
She couldn't help but burst out laughing again, but immediately covered her mouth.
Fabian's face was still a little pale. He carefully took the "Shadow Bottle" out of his sleeve and placed it in the center of the alchemy table.
The bottle was still covered in dust and looked unremarkable. "I got it back. Nobody should have seen it." His voice trembled slightly, but more so with the relief of having completed his mission.
Ernesto walked to the alchemy table, his gray eyes fixed on the small vial, his brow furrowed. "I followed behind, and even from that distance, when Quirrell—no, when that thing got angry—I felt a chill run down my spine. Karen, did you see it 'crush'?"
Karen didn't answer immediately. He walked to the alchemy table, his gaze fixed on the unassuming bottle. He nodded, his voice low. "I see it. At the peak of its emotional outburst, there shouldn't be any problems." He extended a finger but didn't touch the bottle immediately. "Fabian, perfectly done. The recovery process is flawless." He looked at his red-haired roommate. "Wesley, keep watch."
"Of course! My eyes are the watchtowers of the eagle's nest!" Wesley puffed out his chest, his face full of pride, his previous tension replaced by a sense of accomplishment.
"What's next?" Fabian adjusted his glasses, his gaze behind the lenses filled with curiosity and a hint of nervousness. "Shall we open it and take a look?"
Just as Karen was about to speak, there was a knock on the Eagle's Nest door. However, the knocking sound was not like the one Professor McGonagall had knocked before; instead, it was a knocking rhythm that could be felt as excited.
The four exchanged a glance. The other three took out their wands and stood on either side in defense, while Wesley cast an Ironclad Charm and then ran to open the door.
Standing outside the door were Fred and George. Their faces beamed with the immense joy of a successful prank, and their red hair seemed to shine even brighter. Karen and the others immediately put away their wands and went to greet them.
"Hey! Karen!" Fred squeezed in, his eyes immediately drawn to the dazzling array of tools on the alchemy table. He rubbed his hands excitedly. "See that? See that? How's the effect? 'Precise Delivery,' guaranteed satisfaction!"
George followed him in, looked around the converted abandoned classroom, and whistled, "Wow! Guys, this is your secret base? The legendary 'Eagle's Nest'? That's awesome!" His gaze swept over the shimmering rune panels, the unfinished alchemical devices, and the Forbidden Forest map hanging on the wall, filled with amazement.
"The effect—is excellent." Karen gave a genuine smile, referring to the prank itself, which perfectly served its purpose as a stimulus. "Your aim and technique are as impressive as ever. Professor Quirrell will probably need to take a bath for a whole month."
"Hahaha! That's right!" Fred laughed triumphantly. "That little gadget you gave me, the 'Delayed Dust Disperser' and the 'Miniature Targeted Adhesion Charm,' is incredibly useful! The dust spreads evenly, and the adhesion charm precisely locks onto the coin—it's practically a prank god!" He was referring to the two miniature alchemical attachments Karen had provided during his previous "technical support," used to enhance the effects of the itching powder and the dung bead.
"Next time you need this kind of 'technical verification' or 'want to see a specific target,' feel free to contact us!" George patted his chest and said with a grin, "We guarantee excellent service and leave no trace! We're professionals!" He emphasized "technical verification" and "specific target" with a hint of knowing slyness in his eyes.
Although they didn't know Karen's true purpose, such a precise request spoke volumes, and they were happy to participate.
"Definitely." Karen nodded.
"Hey! Karen, looks like you guys have been to the Forbidden Forest?" George said, pointing to the unfinished map of the Forbidden Forest on the wall.
"You recognized me right away, looks like you've been there quite a bit!" Wesley chimed in.
"Hehe, pursuing our hobbies requires financial support. Fred and I sometimes go to the Forbidden Forest to find things, but we probably haven't been to as many places as you guys. There are quite a few places we haven't been to yet. But you're definitely not as familiar with the castle as we are. How about we exchange information on that?" George replied, and spoke with a hint of pride about his exploration of the castle.
The other three didn't take it seriously, but Cullen understood what George's achievement was: the Marauder's Map. Cullen immediately agreed to the Weasley brothers' request to exchange information on this matter.
Afterwards, the twins curiously examined the various novelties in the Eagle's Nest for a while, marveling at them. They were particularly envious of the alchemy table and instruments that Karen had used last semester. Having satisfied their curiosity and received Karen's affirmation once again, they left contentedly, arms around each other, leaving behind a lingering sense of joy.
The door closed again, and the Eagle's Nest returned to silence. But the relaxed atmosphere brought by the twins quickly dissipated, and the four people's gazes refocused on the small bottle on the alchemy table.
"Alright," Karen's expression turned serious again. He carefully picked up the "Shadow Bottle," feeling the cool ash wood against its surface. "Now, let's see what we've 'picked up.'"
He walked to the workbench of the portable alchemy workshop, a gift from Professor Castor, and carefully placed the bottle into a specially made, transparent crystal observation instrument, its inner walls engraved with stabilizing and isolating runes. Fabien, Ernesto, and Wesley held their breath, crowding around him, their eyes filled with tension, curiosity, and a hint of awe at the unknown. Inside the bottle might be sealed fragments of the soul of the most evil dark wizard in history.
Karen didn't immediately open the bottle; instead, he activated the protective runes around the observation instrument. A pale blue light membrane instantly rose, enveloping it. He picked up a small bottle of revealing powder sent by Nicolas Flamel and, with extreme care, dipped a tiny, hair-thin crystal rod into it. Then, through the protective light membrane, he gently tapped the crystal rod.
A few almost invisible grains of silver powder drifted down, passed through the light membrane, and sprinkled near the mouth of the Shadow Bottle.
In an instant, several extremely fine, almost pure black threads near the bottle opening suddenly lit up! They emitted an ominous, dark glow, and stimulated by the developing powder, they twisted and coiled extremely slowly and eerily within the bottle's interior, like startled venomous snakes, emanating a chilling, malevolent, and extremely unstable aura. Even through the powerful protective light membrane and the bottle itself, the sheer malice sent shivers down the spines of the three onlookers.
"Merlin—" Wesley gasped, instinctively taking a half-step back.
Fabian's face turned even paler, and he gripped the hem of his robe tightly.
Ernesto's grey eyes were fixed on the writhing black lines. He swallowed hard, his voice dry: "These are the fragments of the 'Mysterious Man's' soul?"
Karen's grey-blue eyes appeared exceptionally deep under the blue light of the protective membrane. He stared intently at the few slowly writhing wisps of light within the bottle.
The black threads, emitting an ominous glow, were so clearly visible under the illumination of the revealing powder that they seemed to come alive.
The Eye of Truth clearly saw that although these "fragments" were tiny, their internal structure exhibited an extremely unsettling state of "fragmentation" and "adhesion," filled with a violent sense of tearing and forcibly pieced-together cracks, as if they might disintegrate into even more vile dust at any moment, yet were forcibly bound together by a twisted will. The pure coldness, resentment, and decay they exuded were only slightly less intense than those emanating from Professor Castor earlier.
“Yes,” Karen’s voice was unusually calm, “this is the dregs of Voldemort’s soul. Extremely unstable, destructive, and—” he paused, “extremely eager to survive, even in this broken and filthy form. Horcruxes are indeed special.” He saw a faint but stubborn survival instinct at the core of the fragments, like a worm struggling in an abyss.
"What do we do now?" Fabian's voice trembled slightly. "Just—just leave it here?" He looked at the bottle, feeling as if it were an unstable magical bomb.
"No," Karen shook his head decisively, carefully closing the protective light membrane of the observation dish, but not removing the isolation runes from the crystal blood. He took out a specially made lead box sealed with layers of mithril wire and solidification runes, carefully placing the crystal observation container containing the Shadow Bottle inside, and tightening the lid. The complex sealing runes on the lid instantly glowed faintly, then fell silent, completely isolating the unsettling aura within the bottle. "This thing is too dangerous; it can't stay here long, much less be studied casually. It needs to be handed over to the right people for research."
Although this thing might be very precious to others, Karen knew that it would be the last thing they needed in the next few years. Moreover, if the condition was confirmed to meet the requirements, they could directly capture this remnant soul. There would be plenty of time and materials to study it then. He looked at his three roommates with a determined look in his eyes, "I will go to Headmaster Dumbledore myself, right now."
"Now?" Wesley asked, somewhat surprised. "No need—write a letter first, or—"
"These things can't be explained clearly with letters, and Phobos isn't a safe enough carrier," Karen said, clutching the lead box tightly. "Besides, the headmaster is probably waiting. He might not know our plan, but he definitely knows what we're going to do." He thought of Nicole...
Lemaître's letter mentioned that "Albus has been notified."
Karen looked at Fabian and the others: "You stay at Eagle's Nest and reinforce the defenses. Don't let anyone in until I get back."
"Don't worry, Karen!" Wesley patted his chest, though a trace of fear still lingered in his eyes at the sight of the black stockings, his tone was resolute, "Leave this to us!"
Fabian nodded vigorously, adjusting his glasses: "We'll guard this place and wait for your news."
Karen said no more, carefully concealing the lead box in a pocket inside his robe, enchanted with a Stretch and Protect Charm. He took a deep breath, pushed open the Eagle's Nest door, and strode out. The cold air of the corridor invigorated him; he needed to see Dumbledore immediately and then get the item to Nico and the others through him.