novelraw Chapter 54 The Shelter of the Shadows
Chapter 54 The Shelter of the Shadows
As the setting sun painted the tower's stone walls crimson, Karen changed into a new robe and checked his belongings. Then he said goodbye to his roommates and headed to Professor Castor's office.
As Karen approached the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's office, he found the door tightly shut and the windows pitch black. Hesitantly, he raised his hand, about to knock, when the door silently opened by itself.
"Come in, Karen." Castor's voice came from deep within the room, echoing, and sounded different from usual.
Karen stepped into the office, and the door behind her closed automatically. The next second, all the torches on the wall suddenly lit up, and the flickering flames illuminated the room.
Castor's office was as tidy and mysterious as ever—the walls were covered with ancient black magic defense tools, the bookshelves were crammed with heavy tomes, and a huge alchemy workbench occupied the center of the room, filled with all sorts of strange instruments and materials.
But the figure that should have been behind the desk was nowhere to be seen. Karen noticed a folded parchment in the center of the workbench. Unfolded, the elegant italic lettering shimmered faintly in the candlelight:
"I have to go out temporarily, please wait a moment. You can browse the books on the third bookshelf on the left; perhaps you'll find something that interests you. —KG"
Karen walked to the designated bookshelf, his fingertips tracing the ancient spines of the books. He selected "Principles of Advanced Alchemy," a book heavier than he had imagined, its leather cover bearing some oxidized gilded patterns.
The contents of the book immediately captivated him, and Karen became completely engrossed in its complex diagrams and theories.
Time slipped away quietly as she focused on her reading. By the time the clock tower struck nine times, Karen had already filled three pages with dense notes.
Suddenly, a ball of golden-red flame appeared out of thin air in the center of the office, quickly expanding into a ring of fire. Within the flames, a tall figure gradually became clear. As the flames dissipated, Castor Grindelwald was revealed, with a majestic phoenix standing beside him—Dumbledore's Fawkes.
"Sorry, I had some things to take care of, that's why I was delayed," Castor explained simply, then waved for Fox to leave. The phoenix let out a melodious cry, was once again enveloped in flames, and disappeared into the air.
Karen noticed that his teacher was dressed differently today. His deep purple robe was edged with ancient silver runes, and he wore an obsidian ring on his left hand that Karen had never seen before, which gleamed eerily in the firelight. But what was most striking was Castor's expression. His sharp blue eyes gleamed with a light that Karen had never seen before, both dangerous and excited.
"How's your shoulder?" Castor walked to the workbench, tapped his wand lightly, and a teapot automatically started heating.
"Madam Pomfrey took some white styrax and is all better now," Karen replied, subconsciously touching her shoulder. "Professor, about today's events..."
Castor interrupted him: "Tell me first, after a day of thinking, do you regret it?" His sharp gaze went straight into Karen's eyes. "I mean, do you regret not killing those little bastards right there in the hallway?"
The question struck him like a punch to the chest. Karen opened his mouth, momentarily speechless. He recalled Selwyn's twisted face and vicious threat, and his own anger at the time…
"No, I don't regret it," he finally said firmly. "They didn't deserve to die. But..." He paused, "when they threatened my family, I almost lost control of myself."
Castor's lips curled into a satisfied smile. "An honest answer, very good." He poured two cups of tea, pushing one towards Karen. "You know, Karen, I had a similar experience when I was studying at Durmstrang."
Steam rose between the two men from the tea, and Castor's voice became distant, as if telling someone else's story: "Because of my special...family background, there are always people who want to prove they are better than me. At first, I chose to ignore it, but this targeting became more and more serious." His fingers tapped lightly on the teacup, making a crisp sound, "Until one day, I was surrounded by five people at the back door of the library. They used the Cruciatus Curse, just to hear me scream."
Karen held her breath, unable to imagine how Professor Castor must have protected himself back then.
"That conflict finally broke out completely. I killed the leader and then crippled two others with the Cruciatus Curse."
“After that incident, I learned two things,” Castor’s voice turned cold. “First, mercy is a luxury for the strong; second, fear is far more effective than respect.” He took a sip of tea. “Of course, I was fired afterward.”
Silence fell over the office, broken only by the crackling of the fireplace. Karen stared at his reflection in his teacup, his grey-blue eyes filled with complex emotions. He understood Castor's logic, but Dumbledore's warning echoed in his ears: the Unforgivable Curse corrupts the soul, and as a transmigrator, he knew this was true. Magic in the Harry Potter world relied on the power of the mind; casting a spell also affected the caster.
"You're worried about your family." Castor suddenly changed the subject, his tone becoming pragmatic. "The Selwyn family certainly has the ability to threaten them, especially since your parents, as Muggles, are completely defenseless."
Karen looked up abruptly, her heart pounding: "Do you have a way to protect them?"
Castor gave a mysterious smile and took out a roll of parchment from the inner pocket of his robe, unfolding it: "This afternoon I borrowed Fawkes and visited a few... old friends." The parchment was densely filled with various names, dates, and locations, "The Selwyn family has three magical material plantations in France, shares in two alchemy workshops in Germany, and a dragon blood smuggling business with Bulgaria."
Karen looked at the information in confusion, not understanding what it had to do with protecting her family.
"I've contacted Nicolas Flamel and the other members of 'the organization,'" Castor continued, tracing several key names on the parchment. "The French plantation was raided by the Ministry of Magic this afternoon for illegally cultivating poisonous tentacles; the German alchemy workshop has been reported for using prohibited materials; and in Bulgaria, an old friend of mine happens to be in charge of overseeing the dragon's blood trade..."
Karen's eyes widened as she began to understand what Castor had done: he had launched a precise strike against the Selwyn family's overseas economic resources.
“But that’s not enough.” Castor put away the parchment and took out a letter from another pocket. “This is a personal letter from the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in England, promising to ‘closely monitor’ the Selwyn family’s activities in the country. And this director owes Nico a considerable favor. Moreover, some insiders will guide the Minister of Magic to carry out a new round of investigations into the Selwyn family’s Death Eaters. In addition, Nico has contacted some friends who will protect your family during this time to prevent them from resorting to desperate measures, although I think the probability is very small.”
Karen took the letter, his fingers trembling slightly. The Ministry of Magic's seal on the letter gleamed in the firelight. He had never imagined that the bloated, slow-developing magical world of the original story could have such a complex and efficient power structure.
"Professor... I don't know how to thank you," Karen said sincerely, her throat tightening slightly.
Castor waved his hand dismissively: "Pure-blood families are all birds of a feather, bullying the weak and fearing the strong. As long as they understand that the price they pay for revenge far outweighs the benefits, they will naturally back down." He sneered, "Especially when the International Wizarding Federation also begins to investigate their connections with 'certain former Death Eaters'."
"Now, let's begin tonight's main lesson." Castor suddenly changed the subject, waving his wand, and the equipment on the workbench automatically arranged itself into a complex formation. "We don't have much time left, so we won't be doing experiments today. Let me expand your theoretical knowledge instead!"
As midnight approached, the class ended. Castor handed Karen the book, *Principles of Higher Alchemy*: "Read the first five chapters by next week, focusing on the alchemical applications of anti-curse techniques." He paused, his voice becoming serious. "Also, Karen, don't spread word about everything that happened today, including the measures I took against the Selwyn family. As for your roommates, you can tell them the gist of it, but don't tell them everything, understand?"
Karen nodded and carefully placed the book into his bag. He knew the weight of these secrets and understood everything Castor had risked his life for him.
"There's one more thing. Karen, you can try using that memory builder I gave you before. Your battle yesterday still had some shortcomings. The book has instructions on how to use it." Castor suddenly remembered something and pointed to Karen's bag.
As he left the office, Castor's last words stopped him at the door: "The world is more dangerous than you think, Cullen. Dumbledore likes to talk about love and forgiveness, but sometimes, fear and strength are the best protection." His voice was low and firm. "Never put yourself in a position where you are powerless to protect those you love."
Karen turned and saw his teacher standing at the boundary between firelight and shadow, half his face illuminated by the flickering flames, the other half hidden in darkness. In that moment, he seemed to see two Castors: one a stern but caring professor, the other Grindelwald, ruthless in achieving his goals.
"I understand, Professor. Thank you... for everything you've done for me."
Walking back to her dormitory, Karen's thoughts were in turmoil. Moonlight streamed through the high windows onto the ancient stone walls, and the castle was so quiet that she could hear her own heartbeat.
He suddenly realized that today was not only the day of his conflict with Selwyn, but also an important turning point in his magical journey—he had glimpsed the power game beneath the surface of the magical world and truly understood the double-edged sword nature of power for the first time.
In the dormitory, Wesley was already asleep, snoring softly; Fabian leaned against the headboard, reading by the magic lamp; Ernesto gazed at the starry sky by the window, his gray eyes reflecting the starlight. Seeing Karen return, the two looked at her questioningly.
"Everything will be alright," Karen said softly, giving them a reassuring smile. This promise was for her roommates, and for herself as well.
Outside the window, a bright moon hangs high, illuminating the ancient towers of Hogwarts. In a corner, the faint cry of a phoenix can be heard, echoing in the night sky like a harbinger of destiny.