“The development of Runes has always progressed from simple to complex, from the earliest Runes to the Spell system used today. There were many branches along the way, including the Transfiguration path…”
[You have acquired new Runes knowledge. Runes experience +7]
[You have acquired new Runes knowledge. Runes experience +3]
[You have acquired new Runes knowledge. Runes experience +8]
[You have acquired new Runes knowledge. Runes experience +5]
[Your Runes progress has increased to LV2. You can acquire an additional ability.]
[LV2 Additional Ability, Rune Dissection: You can more easily distinguish Runes from Spells and ritual structures involving Runes.]
Quirrell explained the structural breakdown of the Transfiguration branch of Runes in great detail, almost as if he were afraid Will wouldn’t understand unless everything was thoroughly broken down and explained.
This allowed Will to grasp the material successfully and gain a considerable amount of experience.
He listened to Quirrell’s explanation with an intense thirst for knowledge, constantly asking questions of his own.
At this point, he no longer cared who was teaching him.
All he knew was that he was genuinely learning something new.
Watching Will’s eagerness to learn, Quirrell nodded in satisfaction.
“Thank you, Professor. Goodbye, Professor.”
Forty minutes later, Will walked out of Quirrell’s office.
His Runes progress had already risen to LV2 (12/200).
The Dark Lord truly was not someone to underestimate.
Although in the first few Harry Potter books, Lord Voldemort had essentially been portrayed as a children’s-literature villain who was repeatedly defeated, in this world, even a small amount of knowledge from him was immensely beneficial to Will.
He had already grasped the Transfiguration conversion principles behind Runes.
This branch of research was rarely explored and lacked a complete theoretical system, so it was still only in its infancy.
Yet Lord Voldemort had researched this field as well, which demonstrated just how profound his magical knowledge had been.
After leaving the office, Will was completely awake.
There would be plenty of time to sleep when he was dead.
Right now, he needed to strike while the iron was hot and study more knowledge.
He rushed to the Room of Requirement and began integrating everything he had learned into his notebook.
Several books on Runes were spread out beside him as he constantly flipped through them and recorded his own theories and conjectures.
[You have acquired new Runes knowledge. Runes experience +3]
Runes…
Transfiguration…
Spell structure…
Ritual structure…
Will constantly felt as though something was connecting the concepts in his mind, but he couldn’t quite grasp that fleeting inspiration.
Time passed like water until his stomach finally protested with a loud growl.
Unable to find a breakthrough that day, Will reluctantly left the Room of Requirement.
It was already dark.
He had even skipped Herbology in the afternoon and Astronomy in the evening.
Will walked through the corridors while continuing to ponder what he had learned.
By the time he finally looked around, he no longer knew which floor or corridor he was on.
A nearby door stood slightly ajar.
For some reason, Will felt an inexplicable impulse to push it open.
Inside was what appeared to be a disused classroom.
Desks and chairs had been piled against the walls, casting large shadows across the room.
Will slowly looked around.
He immediately knew what this place was.
A magnificent mirror stood before him, reaching all the way to the ceiling.
Its ornate golden frame was supported by two claw-shaped feet, and an inscription was engraved across the top:
“Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.”
The Mirror of Erised.
Will recognized it at once.
After a moment of hesitation, he walked toward it.
Since he was already here, how could he possibly resist looking?
Besides, Will had always been curious about this magical mirror.
What was his deepest desire?
The surface of the Mirror of Erised was like smooth, flawless crystal, clearly reflecting Will’s figure.
But it wasn’t the Will standing before it.
It was an older version of himself.
His expression was cold and emotionless, his delicate features accompanied by even colder silver-gray eyes.
He wore a pure black Wizard’s robe and walked alone along a gloomy, seemingly endless path.
As Will looked further, he saw the figure of himself continuing forward.
Then Wizards began appearing on either side of the path.
An adult Harry Potter.
Hermione Granger.
Neville Longbottom.
Many of his other Hogwarts classmates.
Then came several translucent figures that looked almost like ghosts.
Professor Flitwick.
Professor McGonagall.
Snape.
Sprout.
And others.
He even saw Sylvia.
Finally, there were enormous, broken black gravestones scattered along the path.
Each one bore the name of a legendary Wizard.
Tom Riddle.
Albus Dumbledore.
Gellert Grindelwald.
Herpo.
Gryffindor.
Ravenclaw.
Slytherin.
Hufflepuff.
Merlin…
Will was somewhat surprised.
What did this mean?
He had originally expected to see himself pushing his limits, accumulating countless abilities, and eventually standing shoulder to shoulder with the gods through sheer power.
But this scene…
The figure of himself was still walking along that dark and gloomy path.
This was his inner self.
Will thought for a moment before slowly exhaling.
“So that’s it… to surpass everything.”
The figure in the mirror continued walking.
The gravestone bearing Merlin’s name had already been left far behind.
A Wizard who pursued knowledge, just as the Sorting Hat had said?
That wasn’t bad.
The corners of Will’s lips gradually curved into a smile.
“My boy, what do you see?”
A gentle, kind voice suddenly sounded behind him.
Will turned around and saw the white-bearded old man standing there in a white nightgown.
“Good evening, Professor Dumbledore.”
“I saw that I became the greatest Wizard in the world.”
Will didn’t bother hiding too much.
“My boy, like thousands before you, you have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised.”
Dumbledore’s cup gave off the warm scent of hot cocoa.
“Of course, many of them also wanted to become the greatest Wizard.”
Dumbledore said kindly, then walked over to the Mirror of Erised and stared into it as well.
The scent of hot cocoa grew stronger, and Will’s stomach grumbled again, betraying him.
“It seems you’re famished, Will.”
No sooner had Dumbledore finished speaking than a long table laden with food appeared beside them.
Will’s favorite steak, sausages, roast meat, and a large pot of steaming hot cocoa were all laid out.
“Thank you, Professor Dumbledore.”
“You’re welcome. Young people sometimes forget to eat when they’re occupied with certain things.”
Dumbledore sat opposite Will and watched him feast, occasionally serving him a plate of syrup-drenched sweet cakes.
“I told Sprout and Sinistra that you needed to take a leave of absence. They thought you were sick.”
He paused before adding, “Sprout even wanted to visit you in the Hospital Wing.”
Only then did Will realize that Dumbledore had actually helped him take leave from his classes.
“I’m sorry for the trouble, Professor.”
Dumbledore shook his head.
“Quirrell is right. Intelligent and talented students always receive special treatment.”
“You know?”
“I know most things that happen within the Castle. Many times, that’s how I ensure the students’ safety.”
Dumbledore explained, “Of course, your private areas are an exception.”
Will didn’t think Dumbledore would be perverted enough to engage in mass voyeurism.
This was still a proper magical world, after all.
“Also, Miss Lestrange kept knocking on the door of the Room of Requirement until I went over. Only then did she return to rest.”
Will stopped eating, showing a rare look of guilt.
“I really shouldn’t have kept the Room of Requirement closed.”
Seeing Will’s reaction, Dumbledore breathed a sigh of relief before continuing.
“My boy, I must warn you not to become overly engrossed in the pursuit of knowledge and lose yourself because of it. Otherwise, you might eventually become a slave to knowledge.”
Will keenly noticed that Dumbledore’s expression had become unusually serious when he said this.
A faint sense of unease stirred within him…