Get comfortable, turn the page, and let’s see what this story has been hiding 🔥 ✦ After that, Elias and Flitwick’s research into Signs progressed at remarkable speed.
Flitwick quickly mastered the casting methods for the other Signs as well.
That meant their research could soon enter the next stage: converting magic from this world into spell models, parsing those models, transforming them into the kind of spell models Signs required, and then applying them to the casting of Signs.
At first, Professor Flitwick and Elias conducted the research together.
They soon realized, however, that the work was not particularly difficult.
It was simply enormous in volume and extremely tedious.
Having a Charms master like Flitwick spend his energy on such work was a waste.
At the same time, both of them realized something else.
If they completed this line of research, they would be opening a road no one had ever walked before.
They would also be creating a brand-new discipline on the level of Transfiguration, Charms, or Potions.
Elias and Professor Flitwick quickly made a plan.
Elias intended to hire an upper-year student as his assistant to handle spell model conversion.
To Professor Flitwick, that kind of work was dull.
To a student at Hogwarts, however, it would be an immensely valuable learning experience.
Flitwick praised Elias’s idea and enthusiastically provided a list of students he believed could handle the job.
Elias accepted the list, but he still said that he intended to recruit openly and give the students a fair chance to compete.
That evening, the young witches and wizards arriving in the Great Hall for dinner noticed a brand-new notice posted on the board.
Those who leaned in to read it were surprised to discover that it was a recruitment notice from Professor Elias Vale, the Magical Close-Quarters Defense professor.
The notice briefly introduced Witcher Sign Studies and the work an assistant would need to perform.
What truly caught everyone’s eyes was the excellent treatment offered to the assistant.
Professor Vale would provide a monthly salary of fifty Galleons, thirty House points for the assistant’s House at the end of term, valuable knowledge of Witcher Sign Studies and magical models, and a note in the future specialist book acknowledging the assistant’s participation in the research.
The students’ eyes shone.
Fifty Galleons in freely usable monthly pay was already a sizable amount to Hogwarts students.
Many of them were ready to rush straight to the Magical Close-Quarters Defense office and apply.
But as they continued reading, quite a few let out disappointed sounds.
Elias made the requirements clear.
The assistant had to be at least a fifth-year, had to have received an O in both Charms and Ancient Runes at the end of term, and had to submit one essay on Ancient Runes and one essay on Charms.
The strict requirements immediately dampened the interest of many students.
The few who met them, however, had already snatched food from their tables and were preparing to take dinner back to their common rooms so they could eat while working on the essays.
Hogwarts once again filled with discussion about Professor Vale.
This time, however, the talk focused more on speculation about Witcher Sign Studies, a subject no one had ever heard of before.
Rumors about it spread throughout the castle.
Some even claimed that Witcher Sign Studies was the method Professor Vale had used to become a witcher, and that anyone who learned it would turn into a witcher as well.
Those absurd rumors continued until Professor Flitwick stepped forward and gave everyone a detailed explanation of the subject he and Professor Vale were researching, the importance of Witcher Sign Studies, and the possibility that, if the research succeeded, it could become a major Hogwarts subject as soon as the next school year.
That news caused an uproar among the students.
Some younger students were still captivated by the high monthly pay of fifty Galleons.
Certain students from pure-blood families, along with some upper-years, had already grown serious.
They realized the enormous value hidden behind having one’s name printed in a book once the research was complete.
By then, many students had already left their seats and were hurrying toward the library.
Some slower students noticed what was happening, abandoned dinner, and followed the crowd.
Harry and Ron were shocked to see even Hermione quickly swallow a few mouthfuls of food and prepare to stand up for the library.
Ron hurriedly grabbed her before she could leave.
“Blimey, what are you doing?
Professor Vale said he’s only recruiting fifth-years and above!” Ron reminded her in surprise.
“The two essays at the end of the notice are what matter!
If the essays are good enough, Professor Vale will notice, no matter what year the writer is in!” Hermione anxiously pulled herself free of Ron, waved once, and plunged into the crowd as well.
Clever as she was, she had also recognized the enormous value of having her name in a book.
“Blimey.
Hermione’s gone mad over money,” Ron said to Harry as he watched her disappear into the flow of students.
Harry scratched his head.
He could tell Hermione was not working herself into such a state just for fifty Galleons.
Madam Pince was a strict and rule-bound Hogwarts librarian.
She was almost always in the library, guarding the books she treasured and watching the students who used them.
Madam Pince was severe with anyone who violated Hogwarts rules.
She questioned students about their visits and carefully inspected every book they borrowed for damage.
She could not tolerate any breach of library discipline.
Today, however, Madam Pince clearly felt overwhelmed.
The library doors were flung open.
Just as Madam Pince was about to scold the reckless students who had burst in, a huge crowd surged into the library all at once.
The crowd seemed to have already chosen its target.
The students rapidly occupied the shelves holding books on Charms and Ancient Runes.
Shelves that had been packed full moments earlier were emptied in an instant.
Some students even began fighting over ownership of a single book.
After settling several scuffles, Madam Pince finally lost patience.
She used the Sonorus Charm and, in a sharp, piercing voice, ordered the young witches and wizards to choose their books and leave the library.
The measure was clearly effective.
After being shouted at, the students finally came to their senses and restored order.
Once they had queued up to check out their books, they at last left the library.
Sitting in the Gryffindor common room, Harry and Ron watched in astonishment as Hermione stormed in carrying three books.
Her hair was messy from the pushing and shoving.
When she saw Harry and Ron, she only waved good night before rushing back to her dormitory.
Thanks to her small build, Hermione had managed to grab several books in the chaos.
Before Ron and Harry could react, a crowd of upper-year Gryffindors poured into the common room as well.
Some hurried back to their rooms.
Others sat down on the sofas and began muttering over the books in their hands.
Interestingly, the same scene was taking place in the common rooms of the other three Houses.
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CREATORS’ THOUGHTS EmberHollow Thank you for reading.
I hope this chapter pulled you deeper into the story.
Stick around, because there’s still a lot waiting just ahead.