Chapter 233: The End of July
For the longest time, Sean had absolutely no concept of the family of his original body.
Were they people without magic, or wizards of the magical world?
As he walked into the tower, he felt a slight pang of curiosity.
Since the four founders placed it there upon the completion of the castle, the Book of Admittance had not been touched by human hands for a thousand years.
Normally, apart from the successive Headmasters of Hogwarts and the professor responsible for admitting students, no one was allowed to see the Book of Admittance and the Quill of Acceptance.
Now, his small bag was trembling constantly. The pouch Headmaster Dumbledore had given him wriggled out.
Sure enough, it took on the appearance of a Niffler. Crawling out of the bag just like a real Niffler, it pulled a letter from its belly and handed it to Sean:
I have always believed that for a wizard not to know his own birthday is a rather unfortunate thing. It means he has one less reason to celebrate with the world.
The letter burst into flames after a few seconds. At the same time, acting as a form of permission, the blurry Book of Admittance before Sean's eyes became clear.
"Thank you, sir."
Sean looked toward the north, where the Headmaster's office lay, and spoke softly.
Far away, past the corridors, the spiral staircase, and the bubbling kettle in the Headmaster's office...
Behind the kettle, Dumbledore blinked as if he sensed something.
Although he knew the Headmaster couldn't receive his thanks directly, Sean would remember this kindness.
He stepped forward and carefully opened the Book of Admittance. His movements were as cautious and full of anticipation as Professor McGonagall's when she opened it every year.
He wasn't just looking forward to the date; he was also incredibly curious about these two alchemical creations.
These were, without a doubt, among the pinnacle of alchemical creations at Hogwarts.
The Book of Admittance felt smooth to the touch, though the black dragon hide cover was peeling slightly in places.
As he turned the pages, time seemed to flow through his fingertips. For more than ten centuries, the names of every student admitted to Hogwarts appeared on these pages before being turned over.
Near the back, Sean saw his own name: Sean Green, born on July 27th.
Although there were no other records regarding his origins, the moment he saw that date, Sean felt a newfound connection between himself and the world.
Perhaps, as Headmaster Dumbledore said, a birthday gives a person one more reason to celebrate with the world.
While the two legendary creations were still clear, Sean seized the moment to observe them closely.
He saw that the feather of the Quill of Acceptance was not much different from the Augurey feather described in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. But strangely, Augurey feathers repel ink, and the silver inkpot beside it was empty.
So how did it write?
Sean stared at the silvery liquid flowing slowly from the nib, lost in thought for a moment.
"Sean—"
Hagrid's shout came from the doorway. Sean gently closed the book and walked quickly toward the door.
"How was it—Headmaster Dumbledore let me bring you here quietly—"
Hagrid, his beard bristling, went to pat Sean on the shoulder, then subconsciously pulled his hand back.
It was hard for him, but he restrained himself—and puffed out his beard in triumph.
"Hagrid, I am very grateful," Sean said.
"Oh, oh—no need, oh, really—grateful for such a thing—"
As Hagrid spoke, his voice grew smaller and smaller.
He was a straightforward and righteous man. Despite his massive frame, he was always moved to tears by the smallest things.
Outside the tower, Sean sensed that Hagrid felt much lighter. He was no longer thinking about hiding in his hut, waiting for Headmaster Dumbledore to expel him.
So, Sean easily made an appointment to meet him in the Forbidden Forest at dusk.
Hagrid repeatedly insisted to Sean that since they no longer had detention, young wizards were not allowed to wander the Forbidden Forest at night.
Of course, he automatically ignored the school rule that young wizards were not allowed in the Forbidden Forest at all.
The gloomy March had given way to a stormy April, with many nights filled with wind and rain. It was rare to have a clear day, so many young wizards were gathered at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
As evening approached, the students reluctantly returned to the castle.
Sean walked across the lawn, which had only been dry for half a day, moving in the opposite direction of the returning students.
Going against the crowd, he saw a few particularly bright stars already twinkling into existence.
Stars, Astronomy... it was connected to Divination magic. To put it simply, the movements of the stars could help a wizard who understood them predict the future.
This wasn't like Professor Trelawney's hit-or-miss predictions, but a true, traceable branch of magic.
Sean had always found Professor Trelawney's prophecies somewhat terrifying. In a short span of time, she could spout a hundred predictions. It would be fine if all hundred were fake, but somehow, one real one would always be mixed in.
And she herself wouldn't even know which one was real.
Could anything be more terrifying than that?
Sean didn't want to know his fate, but he was intensely curious about Divination.
Centaurs were mysterious creatures who had truly mastered the magic of prophecy. Sean didn't know if he could find them in the Forbidden Forest, or if the current Firenze had any interest in becoming a Divination professor.
But he wanted to try.
He always held the purest passion for magic.
The Forbidden Forest drew closer, and the label for Hagrid on Sean's Planning Map grew nearer.
There was a small booklet attached to the top left corner of the Planning Map, recording his combat performance before the obstacles last time:
Herbology helped him pass the Devil's Snare; Transfiguration created the flute to lull the three-headed dog; Charms helped him pass the key obstacle; Dark Arts helped him destroy the chess pieces; and the broom and paper airplane created by Alchemy bought him precious time...
It seemed knowledge truly was power.
Sean looked up at the night sky, now dotted with stars.
Magic... what else is waiting for me?
"There are two hours until curfew. I can only introduce you, but whether he agrees is another matter entirely," Hagrid said, noting they still had plenty of time.
Sean followed Hagrid into a clearing in the forest. The ground here was covered in soft moss, from which the trees grew. Their branches were thick with leaves, and beams of soft, dappled moonlight cascaded into the clearing.
Hagrid sat on the dirt with his back against a tree trunk, arms crossed tightly over his chest. He had no interest in annoying, incomprehensible astronomical knowledge, but he knew one thing for sure: Centaurs were not friendly magical beasts, and he'd better keep a close eye on Sean.
A tall Centaur stood in the center of the clearing where there were no trees. His eyes were astonishingly blue.
"Sean Green," he said.
Just then, more noises came from the forest, sounding like a stampede of hooves. Soon, a large group of Centaurs appeared before Sean and Hagrid.
"Firenze, you best remember, this is the knowledge of the Centaur herd!" shouted a Centaur who looked older, but not by much.
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