"Besides recording those with magical talent, the Book of Admission can also determine whether the people listed are healthy and alive. Anyone who loses their magic in an accident, or dies, has their name erased automatically," Sylas explained as he opened the dragonskin book.
The tome floated silently in front of him. Sylas turned to the second page, where the new student list for the year was displayed in clear ink.
He examined the entries one by one, and Gandalf stepped closer to scan the list with him.
"There are seventy-three first-year students from my territory," Sylas said. "Thirty from Hogsmeade, twenty-three from Bree, and twenty from Isengard, all normal. There are also thirty-one elves from the Valley, Lórien, the Woodland Realm, Dovenian, Linton, and Greyhaven. Seventeen Northern Dúnedain, and three Southern Dúnedain. No abnormalities."
He checked carefully and found no names dimmed or faded.
His gaze lingered a moment on the three Southern Dúnedain from Gondor. That region was far too close to Mordor, and Sylas could not help but feel wary.
If any place in Middle-earth might harbor hatred toward him, it would be Mordor.
His suspicions immediately drifted toward Sauron once again.
He made a mental note to observe a few students more closely, and eliminate any possibilities one by one.
Gandalf seemed to read his thoughts and said quietly, "If it is Mordor, the signs won't be obvious. We need to check all the students, including the second-years, one at a time."
Sylas nodded. That was exactly what he had been thinking.
"Gandalf," he said seriously, "I need you to keep a close eye on the first-years. Watch for anything unusual."
Gandalf nodded. "Leave it to me. We can't let a single person spoil the children's joy."
His flying lessons were the perfect place, during high-speed flight, a student's emotions were impossible to mask. With Narya's sensitivity to emotion and Gandalf's own insight, even the smallest flicker of malice would be noticed instantly.
"This semester, I will be taking over Arwen's History of Magic classes," Galadriel said as she descended the staircase, clearly having overheard everything. "I will watch over the second-year students."
Sylas did not refuse her offer. "I appreciate your help, Lady Galadriel."
Galadriel's expression softened, but she asked, "You aren't planning to tell Arwen about this, are you?"
Sylas shook his head, worry tightening his voice. "Her due date is approaching. Telling her now would only cause fear. Arwen cares deeply for her students, too deeply. If she knew there was a hidden threat among them, she would never rest."
Arwen was gentle, beloved by all her students, and since becoming pregnant her maternal instincts had only grown stronger. She treated every child as if they were her own.
"If Arwen learns a hostile intruder is hiding among the students," Sylas continued, "she'll be frightened, and she'll become a target."
He took a slow breath.
"That's why I want to send her to the Valley of the Dead… or Lórien. Somewhere safe. At least until we catch this rat."
"Only you can persuade her," he added. "If I suggest it, she'll suspect something is wrong."
Sylas could clearly feel how intense the malice directed at him had been.
And with Arwen heavily pregnant, close to giving birth, even the smallest danger could bring consequences he would never forgive himself for.
Sending her away was the only choice.
For a heartbeat, regret flickered across his face, regret that he had opened the magic school at all, unwittingly opening a door for enemies to approach.
But he crushed the thought almost immediately.
His regret hardened into cold anger.
Whoever infiltrated his school, whoever dared target his family, Sylas would find them.
And when he did, they would understand the full force of his wrath.
"I'll discuss this with Elrond. We'll take Arwen back to the Valley to recover. It has the best healers and the safest environment for her to give birth," Galadriel said with a firm nod.
She was just as worried about Arwen's safety. Even with herself, Gandalf, and Sylas protecting her, caution was still necessary. Arwen's condition left no room for risk.
This matter could not be delayed.
On the first weekend of the new school term, Elrond arrived at the castle after receiving Galadriel's and Sylas's letters, and personally escorted Arwen away to the Valley.
With Arwen safely gone, Sylas finally felt a great weight lift from his heart. Now he could focus fully on tracking down the hidden intruder.
Aside from Gandalf and Galadriel secretly watching the students in their classes, the many portraits scattered throughout the castle also became Sylas's eyes and ears, monitoring any unusual behavior.
Even Sylas himself frequently used the Crystal of Knowledge, quietly observing the individuals he found most suspicious.
Peeves, too, had been tasked with finding the "Intruder."
As the spirit of the castle, Peeves understood every corner, passage, and crawlspace even better than Sylas did.
Unfortunately, an entire month passed with nothing revealed.
The lurking figure seemed to sense danger and completely submerged itself among the students, never revealing the slightest hint of abnormality.
Neither in Gandalf's flying lessons nor in Galadriel's History of Magic class, even under the sharp perception of two of Middle-earth's greatest sages, did anything suspicious appear.
Every student had been discreetly observed. Every student thought and acted like a perfectly ordinary child.
It was as if the malicious presence Sylas sensed had been nothing but an illusion.
But Gandalf and Galadriel never doubted him. On the contrary, the lack of clues only made them more uneasy.
Someone capable of evading Sylas's Legilimency, Gandalf's insight, and Galadriel's ancient perception… and remaining perfectly hidden for an entire month… could only be extremely dangerous.
Meanwhile, during this first month, although the hidden enemy left no trace, Peeves had managed to make everyone in the school furious.
He liked to lurk in dark corners, and whenever a student passed by, he would jump out, grab their nose, and shriek, "Gotcha!"
He scribbled over the castle walls, scattered trash, and threw moldy bread and cheese at passing students.
He even disrupted classes, hiding under desks, then leaping out mid-spell to startle students and make their wands burst into showers of uncontrolled sparks.
Sometimes he even snuck into dormitories at night, stole pajamas and nightcaps, or pinched the noses and mouths of sleeping students just to wake them up in panic.
…
Eventually, both students and professors flooded Sylas with complaints, begging him to punish Peeves.
Seeing the chaos Peeves had caused, Sylas ordered him to stay away from the dormitories and not to disrupt any classes.
This brought huge relief to everyone.
As for Peeves causing mischief during break time, as long as it wasn't outrageous, the professors simply pretended not to see.
The students didn't truly hate Peeves, so they enjoyed turning his mischief into a kind of ongoing game of wits.
One night, in a dim dormitory, a student quietly pulled out a golden ring set with a sapphire.
The ring looked ordinary, innocuous, its magical signature was so faintly suppressed that anyone who didn't hold it directly would mistake it for a regular piece of jewelry.
But up close, one could sense the evil pulsing from within, a seductive and corruptive will radiating from the gemstone.
In the shadowy room, the student's eyes gleamed with malice.
A wicked smile twisted their face.
"Sylas… let me give you a surprise."
...
STONES PLZZ 💎💎
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