r18novel Chapter 71 The Practice of Runes
Chapter 71 The Practice of Runes
Chapter 71 The Practice of Runewen (5k)
Ravenclaw's victory swept through Hogwarts Castle like a whirlwind. As Cullen and her roommates passed through the oak gates with the jubilant crowd, cheers still echoed between the high stone walls. Groups of students could be seen everywhere in the corridors, loudly discussing every exciting moment of the match.
"Butt's final dive! I bet Cedric never expected him to cut in from that angle!" A fifth-year Ravenclaw girl excitedly gestured, almost bumping into an oncoming Hufflepuff student.
"That interception of the ball was brilliant," her companion added. "Just as Cedric accelerated, Karen noticed several Hufflepuff students, though unable to hide their disappointment, politely made way for Ravenclaw's victory."
Cedric Diggory himself was being comforted by a group of fellow students. His expression was somewhat dim in the torchlight, but he still maintained a smile.
As they rounded a corner, they encountered George and Fred. The red-haired twins were busy peddling a candy called "Blue Hurricane" to the students who were watching, which supposedly made people cheer like Ravenclaws.
"Hey, little eagles!" George grinned, stopping them. "Want some victory souvenirs? Only three scoops each!"
"I'll make your celebration even better!" Fred said, but before he could finish, the candy in his hand suddenly exploded, spewing out a cloud of blue smoke, which startled the first-year students next to him, who screamed and jumped away.
"Oh, it seems this batch needs some adjustments," George said without batting an eye, quickly stuffing the remaining candy back into his pocket.
Karen couldn't help but laugh. Although there were problems with the product's quality control, the Weasley brothers' opportunistic sales tactics were truly impressive and made one admire their business acumen.
"We should go celebrate!" Wesley suddenly announced. "I heard the kitchen has prepared a special blueberry cake today!"
?
Fabian rubbed his temples: "Can you think of anything other than food? We just had lunch less than three hours ago."
"Of course, there has to be food for a celebration!" Wesley retorted righteously, tugging at Karen's sleeve. "Right, Karen?"
Karen was about to answer when he suddenly remembered his appointment with Professor Castor that evening. He gently pulled his hand away from Wesley's: "You guys eat well in the Great Hall. I'll go to the kitchen to get some food, and then I'll go to the Eagle's Nest to organize my notes. I have an alchemy class tonight."
Ernesto raised an eyebrow: "A class on Sunday night? Professor Victor is really strict."
"Something came up last night, so it was postponed to today," Karen explained. Actually, he had quite a few questions he wanted to ask Professor Castor.
Wesley sighed dramatically, "Alright, Mr. Genius. We'll save you a piece of cake if there's any left." He winked, then turned and followed Fabian and Ernesto, who had already walked away.
Karen turned alone onto the side path leading to the kitchen. As he moved further away from the main staircase, the castle's clamor faded into the distance. The corridor grew quieter, with only the echo of his own footsteps reverberating against the stone walls.
Pushing open the kitchen door, you're greeted by the warm aroma of food and the sounds of busy activity.
"Mr. Hawthorne!" Bobby's shrill voice immediately broke through the noise. The big-eyed house-elf darted to Karen, the tea coins around his neck fluttering with his movements. "It's a pleasure to see you, Bobby! I know Ravenclaw won the match!"
At least twenty house-elves were busy in the kitchen; some were baking pastries, some were washing dishes, and a few were arguing about a sauce recipe. Karen noticed that the shelves in the corner were already filled with cakes decorated with blue and silver frosting—clearly the blueberry cake Wesley had mentioned.
"Good afternoon," Karen said with a smile. "I'd like to trouble you to prepare some food to send to the Eagle's Nest—sandwiches,
"Pies and hot drinks will do. Also," he lowered his voice, "could you also prepare a blueberry cake?"
Bobby's big eyes immediately welled up with tears. "Of course, sir! Bobby will personally prepare the best food!" He bowed excitedly, his pointed ears slapping against his cheeks. "Bobby will also add an extra chocolate chip biscuit. Mr. Hawthorne has worked so hard!"
Before Karen could even thank her, Bobby vanished with a snap, only to reappear a second later in front of the food shelf in the distance.
They frantically stuffed all sorts of food into the basket.
After leaving the kitchen, Karen ascended the spiral staircase, passed through several secluded corridors, and finally arrived at the Eagle's Nest on the fifth floor. Pushing open the door, the afternoon sun streamed in through the high windows, casting geometric patterns of light on the wooden floor. It was much quieter here than the rest of the castle, with only the occasional birdsong breaking the silence from outside the window.
Karen neatly stacked several thick spellbooks on the table. These included books such as "Guardian Charm: Guardian of Light," "An Introduction to Consciousness Magic," and "Research on Alchemical Lifeforms." He then waved his wand, reading as he did so, while his quill automatically recorded his learning notes from the past two days on parchment.
The success of the Guardian Charm boosted his confidence, but the concept of an autonomous defense system still faces many technical challenges.
He closed his eyes, recalling the feeling of summoning his guardian spirit yesterday—the wondrous process of that joyful memory transforming into tangible magic.
"Emotional energy transformed into a magical entity—" Karen murmured to herself, her grey-blue eyes fixed on a spot in the air. "If this transformation mechanism could be combined with alchemy..." A soft popping sound interrupted his thoughts. Bobby appeared in the center of the classroom, carrying a huge silver tray piled high with sandwiches, pies, a large pot of steaming milk tea, his specially requested blueberry cake, and an unexpectedly acquired chocolate chip biscuit.
"Poppy has brought Mr. Hawthorne's food!" the elf exclaimed, carefully placing the tray on the table. "Poppy also prepared some extra pumpkin juice and fruit!"
Karen smiled and nodded her thanks: "That's perfect, Bobby. Thank you for your thoughtfulness."
The little elf's big eyes sparkled with joy as he awkwardly bowed. "It's my honor to be able to help Mr. Hawthorne!" With that, Bobby Apparated away, and the classroom returned to silence.
After finishing his meal, Karen continued to peruse the materials, paying particular attention to the chapters describing the principles of how magical items operate autonomously, trying to find a way to connect them with the Patronus Charm.
Time flew by as she focused on her research, and it wasn't until the sunlight outside the window turned golden-red that Karen realized it was almost time to meet Professor Castor.
After packing up her books and notes, Karen hesitated for a moment before leaving, then drew her wand: "Palmtops of Protection!"
A flash of silver light appeared, and the Snow Raven Guardian gracefully spread its wings, circling once in the classroom before disappearing. Karen nodded in satisfaction; it was another improvement compared to yesterday.
Upon arriving at the office, Karen gently knocked on the door, and it opened silently almost the instant her fingers touched the door panel.
"Come in, Karen," Castor's voice came from inside, deep and calm.
"Has yesterday's unexpected incident been resolved?" Karen asked, while observing Professor Castor's expression.
Castor nodded slightly, gesturing for Karen to sit down. "Some—personal matters." He clearly didn't want to elaborate, and instead asked, "I heard Ravenclaw won today's match?"
"Yes, Captain and Seeker Butt caught the Golden Snitch." Karen sat down in the armchair opposite the desk.
Setting aside the notes and books he had brought, he said, "Hufflepuff performed very well, but was just a little unlucky."
Castor's lips curled into a slight smile: "Luck is also a part of Quidditch."
After saying that, he tapped his wand lightly, conjuring two steaming cups of tea, and handed one of them to Karen.
Castor then sat down in his high-backed chair, placing his hands on the table. "I guess you're not just here to discuss Quidditch with me. I heard about your discussion on autonomous defense systems from Professor Flitwick. Tell me more about it."
Karen set down his teacup and pulled a piece of parchment from his notebook. "Yes, Professor. After these two days of research, I have some new ideas." He pointed to the densely packed diagrams and formulas on the paper. "The Patronus Charm proves that emotional energy can be transformed into autonomous magical entities, while the Sorting Hat demonstrates that alchemical creations can maintain their own consciousness for a long time. I'm thinking—."
“If we combine the two,” Castor continued, his eyes gleaming with interest, “we can create a defense system that is both autonomous and capable of recognizing threats.”
Just as Karen was about to continue her introduction, Professor Castor suddenly covered his left eye, his expression turning somewhat unease.
"What's wrong, Professor! Has the curse struck again?" Karen stood up and asked anxiously.
"It's nothing," Castor quickly regained his composure, though his face was still somewhat pale. "It happens occasionally. Getting back to the point, since your plan includes a Patronus Charm, how's your practice of it going?"
Knowing the professor was reluctant to discuss the curse, Karen smoothly changed the subject: "There's been some progress, but it's not stable enough yet." He drew his wand. "May I show it to you?"
Having received permission, Karen stood up, took a deep breath, and recalled that pure joy—"Palmtops of Protection!"
Silver light burst forth from the tip of the wand, coalescing in the air into a snowflake with outstretched wings. It was much clearer than the one summoned at the Eagle's Nest, the texture of its feathers clearly visible, and it shone like a small moon in the dimly lit office, casting a soft silver glow.
Castor's eyes widened slightly. "Excellent, especially for someone your age." He carefully observed the form of the guardian deity. "The raven is just like your owl. This is no coincidence; the form of the guardian deity often reflects the spellcaster's inner qualities."
The snow raven guardian circled once in the office before finally landing on Karen's shoulder, its silver light illuminating the faces of the master and apprentice.
It gradually dissipated after a period of time.
"It lasts much longer than yesterday," Karen put away her wand, "but it might not be enough in a real combat situation, and I don't know if I can summon it as smoothly as I can in a dangerous environment."
"That's already quite remarkable," Castor said sincerely. "Although it's only a preliminary grasp, many adult wizards might not be able to achieve this level."
"I've already reviewed the Guardian Charm and want to develop an autonomous defense system. How about your Ironclad Charm?"
Upon hearing the teacher's request, Karen demonstrated the Ironclad Charm again.
"I must say your idea is very creative." Castor's eyes sharpened after watching Karen's presentation. "But like building a tower, even the grandest design needs to be built brick by brick."
Karen's fingers unconsciously traced the shape of her wand. "Are you saying my foundation isn't solid enough?"
"It's not only not solid enough, but also not broad enough."
"You've just mastered the Patronus Charm, and the Ironclad Charm is only at a beginner level." Castor sat back in his high-backed chair, his hands crossed on the table. "And as for someone as active as Niven—" he shook his head, "you've only just begun to explore it."
"Karen, I know what happened last time might have made you feel insecure and want to be stronger to protect yourself, but you still have a lot to learn right now, there's no need to rush."
Castor didn't wait for Karen's reply. He walked to an old oak cabinet in the corner of the office, tapped his wand, and the cabinet door slid open silently, revealing neatly arranged metal plates inside. Each plate was engraved with shimmering runes, sparkling like a galaxy in the dim light.
"Give me your hand," Castor commanded, taking out a dark silver metal plate.
Karen extended his right hand, and the professor suddenly lightly sliced his palm with the edge of a metal plate. A sharp pain shot through him, and blood immediately seeped out.
"teacher?!"
"Quiet." Castor's voice brooked no argument. He grabbed Karen's wrist and pressed her bleeding hand against the center of the metal plate. "Feel these runes. Activate them with your magic, starting from the top left and proceeding clockwise."
Karen gasped. The moment his blood touched the metal plate, the seemingly still runes suddenly came to life, writhing like countless tiny silver snakes. A strange, stinging sensation spread from his palm throughout his body, as if an electric current was coursing through his veins.
"Concentrate!" Castor snapped. "Imagine your magic is a pen, and you must trace these runes stroke by stroke."
Karen gritted his teeth, forcing himself to ignore the discomfort. He could see that each rune was made up of countless tiny magical threads.
The metal plate suddenly became scorching hot, and Karen's palm felt as if it were pressed against a red-hot iron. He instinctively tried to pull his hand away, but Castor held it firmly.
"Hold on! The first time is always the hardest," the professor said seriously. "Runic learning is not something you can just talk about on paper; it requires resonance."
Sweat streamed down Karen's forehead. He forced himself to continue channeling magic, watching the silver threads gradually absorb his magical color. The first rune glowed blue, then the second, the third, but by the seventh rune...
His magic suddenly stagnated, and the rune network broke.
"That's enough." Castor released his hand. Karen immediately withdrew her hand and found that the wound had healed, leaving only a faint silver mark on her skin. The runes on the metal plate returned to calm, with only the first six still emitting a faint blue light.
"Six basic runes." Castor put the metal plate back in its place. "Not bad, but not enough to build a complete defense matrix."
“Runes aren’t just simple symbols, Karen.” Castor sat back in his high-backed chair, his fingertips lightly tapping the table. “They are living magical entities, resonating with the caster’s flesh and magic. Now you understand why I said your foundation wasn’t strong enough?”
Karen stared at the silver marks remaining on his palm, slowly seeping into his skin and disappearing. "I thought learning to use runes wouldn't be too difficult after making the magic lamp last time," he said softly, his throat tight from the pain.
"Pride is the biggest obstacle to progress." Castor's lips curled up slightly. "While your performance certainly gives you reason to be proud, you still need to adjust your mindset."
He took out his wand and waved it, and several rolls of parchment and a small wooden box flew out from the corner of the office. "These are my own advanced application notes on the Iron Shroud, as well as basic rune practice tools."
Inside the wooden box were a dozen or so metal pieces engraved with different runes, much smaller and with simpler runes than the one they had just used.
"Complete a set of basic rune activations every night before bed," Castor instructed. "Use these practice sheets first. Once you can activate twenty runes consecutively without interruption, then use the formal training sheets."
Karen carefully picked up a metal plate, this time without cutting her palm, and gently pressed her fingertips onto the rune. A faint flow of magic emanated from her fingertips, and the rune emitted a soft blue light, but it was far less intense than before.
"Very good, that's it." Castor praised. "Remember, Runeven requires patience and precision. Every turn, every arc contains a specific magical frequency. This exercise doesn't rely on talent, but on hard work."
And so Karen began to practice little by little.
"Control, Karen, control." Castor shook his head slightly. "Although I've already said in your previous experiments that your magic control is far beyond the level of your peers, it's still far from enough to achieve your goal."
The fire crackled in the fireplace, casting flickering light and shadow. Karen took a deep breath and tried again. This time he slowed down, and another rune lit up, its light weak but steady.
"Rapid progress," Castor nodded, "but it's far from enough." He took a silver pendant from the drawer.
Three tiny sapphires are strung on the chain. "These things have the ability to stabilize the mind and help you stay focused during practice."
The pendant felt cool to the touch, and when Karen put it around his neck, a refreshing sensation immediately spread throughout his body, making his mind exceptionally clear. He tried to activate the rune again, focusing his attention once more.
"That's enough for today," Castor finally said, glancing at the time. It was past midnight. "You have classes tomorrow. You can take these things back and study them," he said, handing Karen several notebooks and practice equipment. "We'll continue next week."
As Karen left the office, the discussions and exercises of the evening still echoed in her mind. The castle corridors were silent, with only the sound of her footsteps echoing on the stone walls. Perhaps even Filch was already asleep.
Although the realization of the autonomous defense system is still a long way off, Karen is no longer in a hurry. He knows that what he is learning now will play a role in realizing his vision in the future.