area51novel Chapter 148 Daily Life and Planning Ahead
Chapter 148 Daily Life and Planning Ahead
Chapter 148 Daily Life and Planning Ahead
Life at Hogwarts settled into a familiar yet slightly tense rhythm. Professor Quirrell's Defense Against the Dark Arts class, unsurprisingly, became the focus of the students' private complaints and jokes. The pungent smell of garlic, his halting, rote recitation of the textbook, and his obvious panic when faced with student questions all rendered this crucial course practically useless. The Ravenclaws, especially Cullen and his roommates, reaffirmed their previous consensus: expecting Professor Quirrell to impart any real skills was nothing short of wishful thinking.
The Quidditch tryouts took place on a sunny afternoon. The Quidditch pitch was bustling with excitement, and the blue and bronze flags of Ravenclaw School fluttered in the wind. Wesley, with his astonishing speed and indomitable spirit, stood out in the Chaser tryouts, repeatedly breaking through the defenses of the upperclassmen and accurately throwing his Quaffle into the ring. His almost reckless yet explosive flying style made Fabian on the sidelines sweat with tension, but earned him the captain's admiring glance. In the end, Wesley was selected for the Chaser reserve team, and even secured a chance to play this semester, so excited that he almost jumped off his broom.
Ernesto changed his mind and instead signed up for the Seeker reserve team selection. Although the Golden Snitch was far more cunning than the Quaffle in practice, Ernesto, with his calm judgment, precise micro-management, and keen observation, managed to get close to the target several times.
He just lacked a bit of luck and couldn't catch it in the end. The captain was impressed with his flying skills and tactical awareness. Although he wasn't immediately selected as a Seeker, he was listed as a key candidate for observation and encouraged to continue practicing. Zhang Qiu also appeared in the selection. Her performance was even better than Ernesto's. It seems that the Seeker position is indeed more sought after than others.
After the selection process, the four returned to the Ravenclaw Tower for a short rest. Wesley was still immersed in the joy of being selected, recounting the exciting moments of the selection process at length.
"The captain said I charge like a rampaging hippogriff! Haha! It doesn't really sound like a compliment, but I like it!" Wesley took a big gulp of pumpkin juice, his face beaming with excitement.
"Your speed is indeed amazing, Wesley," Fabian said sincerely, while tidying up the flight trajectory sketches he had made on the sidelines. "But Karen is right, if the smoothness of your sudden stops and changes of direction could be improved a little, it would be perfect. Look here—" He pointed to the trajectory line of a sharp turn in his notebook, "the angle is a bit too hard, losing a fraction of a second advantage."
Ernesto, polishing his Nimbus 2000, calmly replied, "Fabian's data is correct. Also, Butt's last words, rather than praising you as a hippogriff, were more of a reminder to pay attention to teamwork and tactical discipline. Chasing isn't a one-man show; it's different from finding, requiring much more coordination." He looked at Wesley, his eyes serious, "Don't get carried away."
Wesley scratched his head and chuckled, "I know, I know! I'll be careful! Ernesto, don't be discouraged, it's just a matter of finding the ball in the reserve. You fly so well, you'll definitely have a chance!"
Karen looked at her roommates and waited until they had finished their discussion before speaking: "Alright, the Quidditch selection is over, and everyone did a great job. Now, it's time for us to head to the Eagle's Nest. There are a few things that need to be set up, and it's time to officially start planning for the new semester."
Upon hearing the Eagle's Nest, the three immediately suppressed their excitement and their eyes became focused. It was their secret base, the place where they truly honed their skills.
Upon arriving at the Eagle's Nest, Fabian asked curiously, "Karen, you said you were going to set things up?"
"Hmm." Cullen walked to the center of the room, drew her wand, and said, "During the summer with Professor Nico, besides alchemy, I also learned some more practical protective magic theories that can be applied to the Eagle's Nest. Although Hogwarts itself has powerful protective magic, this is our private space, so it's always good to have a few more layers of protection. And—" He paused, his gaze sweeping over his three roommates, "our practice and research here also requires a more secluded environment."
He said no more and began to wave his wand. His movements were not fast, but each gesture was extremely precise, accompanied by a clear and steady incantation.
"FiantoDuri! (Indestructible!)"
Immediately afterwards, the first spell was cast. This spell did not directly form a shield, but rather merged into the eagle's nest, allowing it to better resist continuous impacts and penetrating magic.
"Repellolnimicum! (Expel hostility!)"
The second spell carries a gentle yet undeniable repulsive force field. It is not a powerful attack, but rather subtly makes malicious or unauthorized intruders feel uneasy and disoriented, instinctively wanting to leave the area.
"Muffliato! (Close your ears and plug your ears)"
Finally, Karen tapped the doorway and window with her wand. An invisible soundproof barrier silently formed, locking away all sound from inside the room, preventing anyone from hearing a thing.
As the incantation was completed, the air within the Eagle's Nest seemed to subtly shift. The light remained bright, but a sense of calm and stability settled in, as if one were within a fortress isolated from the outside world. Even knowing the castle itself was secure, this extra protection provided a sense of peace.
"Wow!" Wesley exclaimed softly, instinctively touching the wall. "Feels safer? Though I can't quite put my finger on what's changed."
"A very ingenious composite defense." Ernesto observed carefully, a complex look flashing in his eyes. "Especially that 'repelling hostility' spell, which combines psychological suggestion and spatial disruption. It's very practical and very suitable for our situation."
Fabian, on the other hand, was more concerned about the results: "This way, we can practice spells or discuss sensitive topics inside without worrying about being overheard by passersby outside."
"This is just basic protection." Karen put away his wand, his expression serious. "Next, this." He walked to the workbench, opened a velvet box, inside which were four silver-gray badges neatly arranged, the same style as the prototype he had shown earlier, with a rice-grain-sized citrine set in the center and fine runes etched on the surface. "Protective badges, improved version. One for each person."
He distributed the badges to his roommates. Wesley eagerly took one, examining it closely: "This is the one you just finished making? The one that can absorb environmental magic and deflect attacks?"
"Yes." Karen picked up hers, channeling a wisp of magic into it to activate it. A very thin, almost transparent force field instantly formed on the badge's surface, rippling like water before disappearing. "Its core function is environmental energy absorption and force field deflection. It passively absorbs free-floating, peaceful magic in the environment, such as sunlight, moonlight, and the basic magic field of a castle, slowly replenishing its energy. Once the shield is activated, it forms a miniature force field with a deflection angle, primarily targeting energy impacts, especially attacks like curse beams. It effectively deflects some of the impact, reducing the direct pressure on the core and improving defensive efficiency. Against direct physical attacks, the effect is much weaker. However, overall, it regenerates energy faster than the previous one, and the defensive area is also larger."
He gestured for everyone not to use it: "I've done a lot of testing and optimization since then, and it's much more stable than before. But remember, it's not invincible. It can still overload and fail when faced with powerful black magic or continuous physical attacks. But it can buy time and give you a chance to react."
Wesley immediately pinned the badge to his chest and patted it on the shoulder. "Great! Thanks, Karen!"
Fabian carefully fastened the clip and adjusted his glasses: "A very practical invention. Karen, you must have put a lot of thought into this, right? The rune structure looks very complex."
"We're partners," Karen said simply, then looked around at her three roommates, her tone becoming serious. "So, our goals for the new semester. First, deepen our foundations: Charms, Transfiguration, Potions—these core courses must be mastered. Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall have high expectations of us, and we should hold ourselves to even higher standards."
The three nodded in agreement. Karen's first-place finish in the grade last semester, Ernesto and Fabian's tie for third, and the talent they displayed in class all made them realize the importance of a solid foundation.
“Secondly,” Karen’s gaze sharpened, “given our ‘impressive’ Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this year, I think we can’t just sit idly by. We need to conduct regular ‘Defensive Charms and Combat Charms Training’ at the Eagle’s Nest.”
"Special training?" Wesley's eyes lit up. "Like the dueling techniques Professor Flitwick taught you privately last semester?"
"Similar, but not exactly the same." Karen nodded. "The scope includes, but is not limited to: the rapid activation and form maintenance of the Ironclad Charm."
The precision and speed of the Disarming Charm, the timing of the Obstruction Charm, the control of the Stunning Charm's power, and even some practical Binding and Breaking Charms. And most importantly—rapid reaction and tactical coordination under pressure.
He paused, looking at his roommates: "We are a team. In the face of real danger, individual strength is limited. We need to understand each other, to know what to do and how to support each other in an emergency. This is not to cause trouble, but to be prepared."
Karen's words were calm, but the seriousness beneath them made the atmosphere heavy. Fabian adjusted his glasses, deep in thought. "Karen is right. We can't count on Professor Quirrell. We can't afford to lose even our basic ability to protect ourselves. Besides, we encountered danger on the edge of the Forbidden Forest last semester, and Karen was attacked by Selwyn in the castle. Who knows what other unexpected events might occur in the castle this year?"
Ernesto pondered for a moment. "I agree. Practical training is indeed necessary. The techniques Professor Flitwick taught you privately, if systematically passed on to us, would greatly improve us. In addition, we can learn from each other and complement each other's strengths." He looked at Wesley. "For example, how your speed and impact can be converted into advantages in actual combat; how Fabian's observation and analytical skills can be utilized in teamwork."
Wes slammed his hand on the table: "No problem! I've been wanting to practice for ages! My hands are itching to get started after listening to Quirrell's endless chanting! When do we start?"
"Let's start next week," Karen decided. "Two fixed evenings a week, or afternoons when we don't have classes, at Eagle's Nest. We can coordinate the specific times. I'll draft the initial training content, and everyone can also suggest spells or combinations they'd like to focus on practicing."
Safety first. I will control the intensity and use practice wands and protective measures.
"Okay!" the three said in unison.
With the plan finalized, the Eagle's Nest was once again filled with a positive and uplifting atmosphere. Karen took out parchment and began sketching out the training syllabus. Wesley and Ernesto discussed the commonalities between Quidditch training and practical dodging. Fabian, meanwhile, pulled out his Charms notes, preparing to review the spells that might be used in the special training.
Seeing her focused roommates, Karen felt a little relieved. Although Quirrell and Voldemort hadn't caused any major damage in the original story, this was reality, not a story, and anything unexpected could happen; she had to be prepared.