Hogsmeade Village

Brewing potions was a lengthy process. If the brewing time could be effectively shortened, it would greatly help improve exam performance.

Wizette asked, "Why don't you go find Professor Snape after class?"

"I don't dare to ask..." Penelope's voice weakened slightly. "I remember last term, Robert plucked up his courage to enter the classroom, but before he could ask anything, he was kept behind to clean up."

Robert Hilliard was another prefect of Ravenclaw.

"And then what happened?"

"He didn't get to ask anything at all."

"Ahem..." Wizette coughed lightly. "Actually, Professor Snape isn't that bad... you just need to get used to the way he speaks."

Without comparison, there would be no contrast; Wizette felt that Professor Snape was... actually quite amiable toward him.

At least after he helped clean up, not only did he get points awarded, but he also had his questions answered by the professor.

The two issues Penelope mentioned were actually topics he had studied before the Christmas holidays, so he could answer them now.

He pointed to a line in the textbook and said, "This part requires using double-branched vervain. Chopping it and adding it to the cauldron can shorten the brewing time by ten minutes, but you need to switch to medium heat."

"As for the stirring speed... it's probably not about speed, but the force. Each time, you must stir all the way to the bottom, scraping against the sides of the cauldron..."

Following Wizette's detailed explanation, Penelope's face gradually brightened as she realized, "It seems so! He said the same thing back then! Thank you so much!"

"I'm glad I could help," Wizette smiled. "But I suggest you practice it once."

"If the procedure is correct, the brewing time for the Invigorating Draught can be shortened by fifteen minutes."

"How many times have you helped me now? I don't even know how to thank you," Penelope looked at him with admiration. "You're still the brave one, daring to ask Professor Snape questions."

"Oh!" She gasped, hurriedly fumbling to take out her prefect badge. "Bad luck, I have to go on patrol now. Goodbye!"

"Goodbye!"

After saying goodbye to Penelope, Wizette continued toward the common room.

He still had a lot to learn, such as studying Professor McGonagall's notes combined with Professor Flitwick's notes to understand the mysteries of non-verbal spells.

On Christmas Eve, he remembered not wanting to wake Luna and had cast a nearly non-verbal transfiguration spell...

Just as he was walking and thinking, Dumbledore's warm, deep voice sounded behind him: "Wizette, would you come with me to a certain place?"

...

Hogwarts Castle was vast; exploring it completely would be a very time-consuming endeavor.

Dumbledore led Wizette down a completely unfamiliar path.

"Wizette, I received your Christmas present. Those colorful sweets... they were wonderful!"

While gathering ancient magic, Wizette smiled and said, "Actually, I was a bit hesitant, feeling I should give you a book... but that felt a bit old-fashioned."

"Then Luna and I went to London and tasted quite a few interesting sweets, which led to that Christmas gift... I'm glad you liked it."

"Family!" Dumbledore whispered softly, his voice as melodious as a saxophone. "I liked it very, very, very much!"

"If possible, you could also give me some daily items... like woolen socks or more novel sweets, if you'll indulge this old man's unreasonable request."

Wizette smiled and replied, "Of course, I'll keep that in mind."

He followed Dumbledore through corridor after corridor, hall after hall, finally reaching the castle's back courtyard.

At the center of the courtyard was a massive circular fountain, and further beyond was a grand marble archway, flanked by two statues of winged boars.

The marble archway was Gothic in style, looking incredibly majestic, carved with all kinds of patterns.

The two winged boar statues crouched there, exquisitely sculpted and lifelike, looking as if they were ready to pounce at any moment.

Wizette asked curiously, "Headmaster Dumbledore, where are we going?"

"Hogsmeade Village," Dumbledore walked forward. "Under normal procedures, you wouldn't be allowed to go there until your third year."

"So... we need a bit of concealment." He raised his wand and tapped Wizette gently on the forehead.

Wizette felt a sensation like cold liquid trickling down his forehead, which instantly spread across his entire body, as if he had been doused with a bucket of cold water, incredibly refreshing.

He quickly looked down at his hands; where his hands should have been, he could see straight through to the ground. He seemed to have vanished into thin air.

"Headmaster Dumbledore, is this the Disillusionment Charm?"

"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure!" Dumbledore remarked with feeling. "Yes, just follow me, and try to speak as little as possible on the way."

Magic was everywhere in Hogwarts Castle. As they approached the archway, the iron gate ahead clanged open, revealing a wide stone bridge outside.

The stone bridge looked weathered by countless storms, every indentation upon it a mark of history.

Wizette followed Dumbledore's slow footsteps across the bridge, while opening the map in his mind.

Sure enough, after walking with Dumbledore for a distance, quite a few areas were lit up.

Wizette did not hesitate to absorb and store all the ancient magic closest to him.

Dumbledore seemed to sense something, looking down toward Wizette with a thoughtful gaze.

Around the bridge were students who had just finished classes, laughing and talking with large and small bags in hand.

The Disillusionment Charm provided an invisibility effect; as long as they didn't make any obvious noise, it was very difficult for these students to notice them.

Leaving the stone bridge behind, a countryside landscape unfolded before them. The dirt road was simply leveled, lined on both sides with all kinds of lush magical plants that occasionally swayed in the wind.

They followed this path until they stopped at a T-junction.

In the middle of the junction stood a crooked, tree-canopy-shaped signpost, with flamboyant handwriting listing the names of Hogsmeade shops and their directions.

Dumbledore seemed to deliberately slow down so Wizette could familiarize himself with the entire route.

Dumbledore's deep voice sounded: "We go this way, Wizette."

For some reason, even though Wizette couldn't see Dumbledore, he could clearly sense the headmaster's presence.

Wizette felt warmth in his palm, thinking of a possibility: *Perhaps it's because of the phoenix feather from Fawkes?*

Following Dumbledore's footsteps, Wizette saw a large pointed wooden door appear ahead, with a sign hanging on it.

The design on the sign was very interesting: at the top were two crossed wands, below were two boars about to clash, and at the very bottom was an arched wooden plaque reading 'Hogsmeade'.