The Prisoners of Hogwarts

Chapter 249 Rewards and New Course Content

Chapter 249 Rewards and New Course Content (5.4K) (1/2)

The first week of school, Friday afternoon.

The late summer sun shone through the high windows, casting dappled light and shadow on the spacious classroom in the basement of Hogwarts Castle.

The classroom was bustling with people, the atmosphere a mix of anticipation and slight restlessness.

Second and third-year students chatted amongst themselves, their eyes occasionally glancing toward the front of the classroom, where the heavy wooden door, engraved with runes, remained tightly shut, and a brand-new ranking list of the four academies was already hanging on the wall beside it.

There was a special excitement in the air, because almost everyone knew that in addition to starting the new school year, there was another important event today—the awarding of prizes to the champions of last year's "Transforming Corridor".

However, the school bell had already rung melodiously, and the classroom door had been silently closed, yet there was no one in front of the classroom.

"Where's Professor Lynch?" a student whispered.

He's never late—

Whispers began to spread.

Just then, silver magical writing suddenly rippled across the blackboard like waves, the handwriting steady and powerful:

[Instructing first-year students on basic training. Please wait ten minutes. — Lynch]

The appearance of the handwriting temporarily quelled the commotion.

The young wizards had no choice but to wait patiently. Conversations resumed, the topics revolving around the upcoming awards and speculations about the new school year's curriculum.

Ten minutes later, just as the appointed time arrived, the space in front of the classroom seemed to distort almost imperceptibly, and Lin Qi's figure was already standing there, as if he had always been there.

He remained as composed as ever, his impeccably tailored suit impeccably worn, and the crow perched motionless on his shoulder.

The entire classroom fell silent instantly, and all eyes were on him.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting." His voice carried steadily throughout the classroom. "The new school year has begun, and there are many things to do."

He didn't linger on the apology and immediately got to the point: "Before we get to the main content for this year, as I promised last year, I must first commend the college that won first place in the overall score in the 'Transforming Corridor' challenge last academic year, thanks to their perseverance, excellent teamwork, and stable performance under pressure."

He paused briefly, then scanned the group of students below wearing yellow and black academic gowns.

Hufflepuff School

He nodded slightly, then raised his hand to signal the students, who were barely concealing their excitement, to calm down. "This honor and award should have been given to you at the end of last year's academic year. Due to some unforeseen circumstances at the end of last semester, the award ceremony has been postponed until now. For this, I sincerely apologize."

His words were clear and steady: "As compensation, I have personally upgraded the prize money for this year's champion. I hope this slightly belated recognition will add an extra boost of motivation for everyone at the start of the new school year."

"Wow!" Applause and cheers immediately rang out, mainly from the Hufflepuff table and some students from the friendly schools.

Many Hufflepuff students, especially second and third-year students who had completed the full school year last year, wore genuine smiles of pride.

Cedric Diggory, Hufflepuff's newly promoted class president, sat in the crowd, smiling as he accepted congratulations from his classmates. His gentle and humble attitude won him even more favor.

"As a prize for the champion," Lynch continued in his clear voice without waiting for the applause to completely subside, while casually waving his right hand.

A soft light flashed, accompanied by a gentle, melodious magical sound, like shuffling cards, and a very cool-looking platform appeared in the open space in front of the classroom.

Its body is streamlined, and its material is neither wood nor gold, with a magical luster flowing on its surface like mercury.

At the center of the platform's desktop is a huge, slowly rotating phantom of the Hufflepuff School logo. On either side of the table are symmetrical card placement areas covered with subtle magical runes, as well as display areas for health points, mana counts, and other information.

Most importantly, everyone recognized what this was—it was the ultimate "Phantom Mirror Battle Table" used in the currently popular "Wizard Battle Cards" game, which was especially popular in schools!

Compared to the "commoner" way students usually play, where they just find a table in the common room or hallway and have to rely on words and imagination, this kind of table can truly project the wizards, magical creatures, and spell effects on the cards into a cool magical illusion through a magical contract, allowing for a near-realistic simulated battle. It is the equipment that all card players dream of!

"It's the most advanced phantom battle table!" a student couldn't help but exclaim.

"The mystery grand prize is this!?"

"Ah!! I should have tried harder!" A Wizards Battle Card fanatic lamented.

"That's so cool!"

Exclamations of envy rose and fell, especially from card enthusiasts, whose eyes were practically glued to the table radiating an alluring magical glow.

Even some students who aren't usually interested in games were attracted by the dazzling rewards.

At the Gryffindor table, Ron's eyes widened, his tone filled with undisguised envy and a hint of sourness: "Wow! The highest level! We almost won!" His voice trailed off, but Harry and Hermione beside him understood what he meant.

Harry looked at the battle table, a complex mix of emotions washing over him.

He had a good start to the Gryffindor season last year, and his individual performance in the corridors was once ahead, earning the house a lot of points. However, the "Lohart heroic sacrifice incident" forced him to spend a crucial few weeks in the infirmary, missing the final sprint.

Ultimately, Hufflepuff, under Cedric's steady and excellent leadership, united as one and came from behind to win the championship by a narrow margin.

Seeing this enviable award now, the regret of missing out on the honor welled up in my heart again.

Hermione wasn't particularly interested in this trendy game, and it wasn't because she, who preferred methodical strategies, was too easily predicted and defeated—her attention was more drawn to the spell cast on the table. She muttered to herself, "I wonder what variant of the projection spell it used; the energy consumption must be staggering—"

At the same time, a suppressed sneer rang out from Slytherin's side.

Draco Malfoy, leaning to the side and half-covering his mouth with his hand, whispered to Crabbe, Goyle, and a few other Slytherin students nearby, his voice low but loud enough for a small area to hear: "Look, a shiny new toy. I bet Madam Pomfrey's going to be busy treating those Hufflepuffs who faint from playing cards too much."

He chuckled sarcastically. "Honestly, such a high-class battle table is only worthy of my medieval legendary wizards with all their foil cards. Giving it to them to play with basic Hufflepuff cards is a complete waste."

His sarcastic remarks drew low, agreeing chuckles from several Slytherins around him.

Ron, who was nearby, overheard these sarcastic remarks. A surge of anger instantly welled up inside him. Forgetting the occasion, he abruptly turned and glared at Malfoy, his voice rising with rage: "Shut up, Malfoy! What can you do besides show off what your father bought? Card battles are all about tactics! Hufflepuff wins through real skill, unlike some people who only rely on their family connections and their foul mouths!"

Malfoy's face darkened instantly after Ron publicly refuted him. He turned around, his gray eyes flashing with malice, and his voice rose: "Oh? Tactics? Weasley, you call your pile of junk cards tactics? That's just poor man's self-consolation! Any one of my cards could—"

Just then, Lin Qi's calm and even voice rang out again. It wasn't loud, but it was like a cold stream that instantly permeated every corner of the classroom, bringing all the noise, whether it was cheering, talking, whispering, or snickering, to an abrupt halt.

His gaze didn't seem to be specifically directed at Slytherin; it merely swept across the entire room, yet everyone felt as if that gaze pierced through them.

"True glory," he began, each word clear and distinct, "stems from tireless effort and the ultimate achievement. It is forged by action, not by words, or—" His tone remained unchanged, yet carried an invisible pressure, "—the contempt and belittling of others' achievements."

He paused for a moment, and the classroom fell silent.

"Hogwarts rewards diligence and intelligence. If you disagree, the entrance to the corridors is always open. Earn respect through your own abilities, not through family background, rare items, or—a sharp tongue."

Although these words did not name names, the intention was all too clear.

Malfoy, who had just been refuting, froze instantly, a barely perceptible hint of panic flashing across his gray eyes.

He clearly hadn't expected Professor Lynch to be so perceptive, catching even his deliberately suppressed sarcasm perfectly.

He immediately composed himself, quickly sat up straight, and adopted a well-behaved posture of attentive listening. He didn't even dare to exchange glances with Crabbe next to him, but simply looked down at the table, as if the person who had just made sarcastic remarks was not him at all.

Professor Lynch's gaze lingered on Malfoy for a moment, then swept over Ron—Ron instinctively shrank back—before finally turning to face the entire student body.

"The reward has already been given to its rightful owner. Now, put aside all irrelevant emotions."

With a simple wave of his hand, Lin Qi caused the eye-catching Phantom Battle Table to disappear in a soft halo of light.

He turned to the still-excited Hufflepuff students and added, "After class today, the Stone Tower Merchant Guild's professional staff will properly install it in the Hufflepuff common room. Hopefully, it will bring everyone enjoyment and—more strategic dueling practice."

A small commotion spread among the badger cubs, but it quickly subsided, and everyone's attention returned to Lynch.

"Now," Lynch's calm voice drew everyone's attention away from the awards and back to the past, "let's temporarily shift our focus from this new honor and look back at the 'Channel of Change' with which you've spent an entire academic year."

His words seemed to possess a magical power, causing the students in the classroom to stare blankly, as if they could see that magical corridor full of challenges and unknowns.

"Recall every battle you fought, every puzzle you solved, every obstacle you overcame. In those moments, you were forced to use the magic you possessed constantly and frequently." He paused slightly, allowing fragments of memory to coalesce in the students' minds.

"What I want you to focus on is not the final victory or the score, but your most genuine feelings during those countless moments of casting spells." His gaze became more penetrating. "Was there ever a moment, or even just a few moments, when you uttered a spell and waved your wand, that you felt it wasn't just a successfully cast spell? But rather—an almost instinctive extension?"

He paced slowly at the front of the classroom, his voice low and guiding: "As if the flow of magic doesn't follow the rules of books, but rather originates from the natural surge of your will? The moment the spell is formed, not only is the effect remarkable, but it also brings an inner, indescribable smoothness and—pleasure?"

The classroom quieted down, and the students stopped casually reminiscing and began to truly examine their past experiences.

Many people wore expressions of contemplation, or even sudden realization.

Hermione raised her hand almost immediately, and after Lynch nodded slightly, she spoke quickly but clearly: "Professor, according to your previous work, *The Essence of Magic*, the success of a spell depends on the wizard's precise guidance of magical power. In the corridors, I did observe that the 'Repair Charm' and some ancient deciphering charms, such as those derived from Nirvana, seemed particularly effective when faced with puzzles requiring meticulous deconstruction and reconstruction of objects, or highly logical deduction. This seems to confirm some theories that when a wizard's mental activity is highly aligned with the spell's inherent requirements, the magical pathways become smoother, thus enhancing the effect."

"A very good theoretical starting point, Miss Granger," Lynch commented with a smile. "You've pointed out the positive impact of 'mental affinity' on spellcasting. This is indeed one of the important factors for achieving efficient spellcasting."

His gaze shifted to the others, steer the conversation to a deeper level: "However, beyond the alignment of minds, has anyone sensed that certain spells seem to have a more natural connection to your very existence—perhaps to the very source of your magic? As if they are easier for you to 'summon' rather than merely 'cast'?"

At this moment, on the Gryffindor side, Neville Longbottom timidly raised his hand, his voice not loud but clear enough: "Professor, I—I don't know if it's just my imagination—when I encountered those plants that needed to sprout magical seeds, or to soothe those raging Devil's Web vines—the Growth Charm and Sunlight Charm I used—it seems—it didn't take much effort? They—they just obediently completed the task." After he finished speaking, his cheeks flushed slightly, as if worried that he had said something wrong.

Meanwhile, a third-year student in Ravenclaw added, "I seem to have a special affinity for the 'Detect Charm' and the 'Levitation Charm.' I've almost never missed a turn when I needed to navigate through those constantly moving platforms."

At the Slytherin table, someone murmured in agreement, mentioning that they had an exceptionally high level of mastery over certain offensive curses or disintegration spells.

Lynch listened quietly to these fragmented sharing sessions until the noise gradually subsided.

"Thank you for sharing. Mr. Longbottom's feeling is not an illusion, and what you have described is not an isolated case." He surveyed the room, his tone certain. "This reveals an objective fact that is often overlooked in standard, integrated teaching: different individual wizards, different spells, and even different types of magical domains possess a natural, varying degree of compatibility." This compatibility transcends mere proficiency and knowledge; it goes deeper, closer to the essential attributes of your magic. It is about resonance, about an inner harmony.

He paused slightly, then stated clearly and forcefully, "Personally, I call this unique endowment latent within every wizard—magical affinity."

This concept elicited expressions of sudden understanding and curiosity from many students.

To illustrate this somewhat abstract concept more clearly, Lynch gave an example that no one could refute.

To more intuitively understand the existence and directionality of affinity, we can observe a well-known and obvious example—Mr. Seamus Finnigan.

Simo froze upon being called out, his face instantly filled with tension, not understanding why Professor Lynch had suddenly called him out.

Lynch's tone took on a slightly mocking tone: "Mr. Finegan has demonstrated a clear and highly targeted tendency in his practice of spells. Any spell possessing characteristics of 'explosion,' 'impact,' 'violent energy release,' or even 'energy runaway' seems to resonate with his own magical properties in an extraordinary way. This resonance is so significant that—" He made a rare, almost imperceptible change in his pace, "—enough to make the most basic levitation spell, known for its stability and gentleness, manifest in his hands as an extraordinary effect capable of causing the internal structure of a feather to become unbalanced and explode."

"Pfft—Hahaha!"

Harry and Ron couldn't help but laugh when they recalled the feather that exploded during their first-year Charms class.

The other students also burst into laughter.

Clearly, the various accidents involving Seamus's spells failing and exploding are already one of the most well-known jokes at Hogwarts.

At this moment, even Hermione, who is usually the most serious, couldn't help but smile.

After his initial embarrassment, Simo scratched his head and grinned in a self-deprecating manner, even with a hint of helpless pride that said, "Look, this is what I'm capable of."

Despite the humor, Lin Qi's example is still quite convincing.

Facts speak louder than words; the best example of this "affinity tendency" is right here among them.

As you can see, not only Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, but also many Ravenclaw and Slytherin students have put aside their initial skepticism or indifference, and their faces show genuine interest and serious thought.

Seeing that the students fully understood and were captivated by the concept, Lynch spoke again: "Therefore, the core objective of the Magic Studies class this year will no longer be simply to expand your spell list, but to guide you on a systematic exploration that points inward. We will do this through the construction of a theoretical framework, basic magic perception training, and a series of carefully designed diagnostic practices," his inner light swept across the young and promising faces, finally settling on Harry, who seemed to have grasped the concept, for a second before moving away, "to help each of you discover and verify that one or those spell domains that resonate most with your own magical fluctuations and can best extend your power. Find it, understand it, and then—truly master it. This will be the subject we pursue together this year."

The classroom was silent, but an invisible current seemed to surge in the air—a current of curiosity, anticipation, and a yearning to explore the unknown.