ps: Warmly celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Motherland, and wish everyone a happy holiday.
"Come in, the door is open."
Professor Bard's voice came from the office.
Albert's hand, poised to knock, froze in mid-air. Isabelle, beside him, glanced at him, pushed open the wooden door, and entered the office.
"You resigned?"
After Albert entered, he found that this was no longer the Defense Against the Dark Arts Office he was familiar with. Several large bookshelves along the walls had been emptied, and the expensive wool carpet and silk curtains were nowhere to be seen. The desk was completely empty, with only a leather briefcase on it.
"I resigned, and I'm leaving today." Professor Bardpointed to the sofa, motioning for them to sit down and talk.
A few days ago, nearly being ambushed by an Acromantula in the Forbidden Forest made Bard feel the threat of the curse closing in on him. Therefore, this Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor decisively submitted his resignation to Dumbledore. He didn't want to get hurt or inexplicably lose his life because of that damned curse.
Albert naturally knew the reason for Professor Bard's early resignation. The position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor was cursed, and proactively resigning before getting hurt was the wisest choice.
"Resigning is a good idea," Albert said. "Leaving before the curse comes for you is a wise decision."
"Shut up, Anderson." Katrina couldn't help but glare at Albert.
"No, no, I actually very much agree with Mr. Anderson's view." Professor Bard raised his hand to appease Katrina, smiling as he said, "The Defense Against the Dark Arts curse has always existed. I didn't come here to teach to get hurt or die from the curse."
Katrina was completely dumbfounded; she could hardly believe Uncle Bard would say such a thing.
"But... if you resign, what will happen to Defense Against the Dark Arts Class?" The girl still voiced her confusion.
"The knowledge I can teach everyone has already been taught in previous classes. The rest of this semester is for review and final exams," Professor Bard continued. "During the period before the exams, Dumbledore will find someone to substitute."
"It won't be Snape, will it?" Albert frowned slightly. Although Snape was an expert in Dark Arts, Albertreally didn't like him.
"It's Professor Snape," Professor Bard corrected.
"Alright, Professor Snape." Albert then remembered something else. "What about Mr. MacDougall's third part manuscript for Advanced Rune Studies?"
"Oh, you mean that. It's been postponed for now." Professor Bard's casual tone made it sound as if he was talking about what to eat for lunch today.
"Postponed?"
Albert was also stunned, not expecting such a reply.
"Yes, it's been postponed." Professor Bard looked at Albert. "The remaining final part seems to have encountered some bottlenecks, and Morg decided to postpone the third part."
Saying that, Professor Bard took out a briefcase, retrieved a document bag from it, and handed it to Albert. "You are also an expert in Runes. Morg thinks you'll be interested in it too. After reading it, if you have any thoughts, you can write to him."
"I understand." Albert nodded, wisely getting up to leave. He could tell Professor Bard had something to say to the MacDougall sisters.
Isabelle got up and followed him to the door.
"You don't have to specially see me off," Albert said, teasing Isabelle.
The next second, the wooden door in front of Albertslammed shut with a bang.
"What an unfunny fellow," Albert said, shaking his head as he looked at the closed wooden door. He turned and left the Defense Against the Dark Arts Office. He planned to go to the Library to finish his remaining holiday homework before studying what Professor Bardhad given him.
"That guy finally left," Katrina grumbled.
However, Uncle Morg seems to think highly of him.
Thinking of this, the girl felt a little depressed; the feeling of being completely outclassed was just too terrible.
"From the very beginning, you chose the wrong target," Isabelle said, sitting back on the sofa and reaching out to pat Katrina's head. "He is a true genius, destined to leave school with countless accolades. Competing with him is just asking for trouble."
Katrina was a little displeased. Was the gap between them really that big?
"Albert is very good," Professor Bard said with a smile. "He is the most talented Wizard I have ever met."
"Yes, just a bit of a mischievous streak," Isabelle said, shaking her head as she recalled the things Albert had done.
"Ravenclaw students are all quirky," Professor Bardsaid. "And geniuses are usually out of step with ordinary people."
Isabelle's face twitched. She believed Albert's mischievous streak had nothing to do with him being a genius.
"Uncle Bard, Albert Anderson is in Gryffindor, not Ravenclaw," Katrina reminded him.
"Oh, I know that, of course."
"Is there something you needed us for?" Isabelle pulled the conversation back.
"These are the items your father left with me." ProfessorBard took out an exquisite wooden box from his briefcase. The box had intricate patterns on it.
"It won't open." Katrina tried it, only to find the wooden box wouldn't open.
"It has magic protection; it can't be opened by ordinary means."
Professor Bard drew his wand, touched the wooden box, chanted a series of strange spells, and then said to the MacDougall sisters, "Just place your hands on the box, and it will open."
Katrina and Isabelle both placed their hands on the box, faintly hearing a subtle click. The wooden box opened automatically, revealing the items inside.
A letter, and... a key.
"This is Father's relic?" Katrina picked up the key, looking at it up and down in confusion. She remembered her father had died in a magical experiment when they were very young.
Isabelle picked up the letter, opened it, and began to read its contents.
The content of the letter was simple, introducing the key and the relics left for the sisters.
It was a Gringotts key. The items in the vault were not Galleons, but rather the archives and records of that magical experiment from back then.
"Why would Father give those to us?" Isabelle looked at Professor Bard, puzzled. "Did he want us to continue his research?"
"No, after he died, Morg sorted through some of his belongings. He believed these items were your father's legacy to you, so... he sealed up the original research materials." Professor Bard explained the origin of the key to the two of them.
"Thank you for your kindness, Uncle Bard, but we don't want those things." Isabelle decisively declined.
After all, that magical experiment was what caused them to lose their father, and Isabelle instinctively recoiled from these things. But she also understood Uncle Morg's meaning.
With Isabelle's talent, she could continue the research in the future and complete that magical experiment, which was also why Professor Bard gave the items to the two sisters.
"I can understand," Professor Bard nodded. "If you don't want them, I'll dispose of them myself."
"Isabelle." Katrina was very displeased that her sister had refused directly without asking for her opinion.
Isabelle didn't pay much attention to her sister's displeasure and asked, "Who are you going to give it to? Anderson?"
"Anderson would be a good choice," Professor Bardsaid after thinking for a moment. "Rowena would also work."
"Rowena Smith?" Isabelle frowned slightly. She was also a somewhat famous Wizard, a friend of her father's, and reportedly had worked with him before.
"Can't you two listen to my opinion?" Katrina protested unhappily.
"Your opinion?" Isabelle looked at her sister. "I don't want you to make a so-called choice out of spite."
"I'm not a child, I wouldn't do that," Katrina couldn't help but protest. "Since it was left to us by Father, I think we should keep it, not give it up. Maybe... maybe I can continue Father's magic research in the future."
A strange silence fell over the office.
"Alright!" Isabelle bowed slightly to Professor Bard. "We'll take the items. Thank you, Uncle Bard."
"You're welcome," Professor Bard said.
...
Albert, who had just stepped into the Library, suddenly stopped, then turned and left amidst the astonished gazes of others.
Albert had just been flipping through his notepad, and happened to turn to the page with a prediction about Ravenclaw's Secret Chamber, so he decided to try his luck at the Room of Requirement on the Eighth Floor.
He headed straight for the Eighth Floor Hallway, applying a Disillusionment Charm to himself in a secluded spot along the way to avoid being seen lingering near the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy teaching Trolls to ballet.
Upon reaching the entrance to the Room of Requirement, Albert closed his eyes and focused on thinking: "Enter Ravenclaw's Secret Chamber... Ravenclaw's Secret Chamber... Ravenclaw's Secret Chamber."
After walking past the spot three times, Albertimmediately opened his eyes and looked at the entrance of the Room of Requirement, but it was still just an ordinary white wall.
"Failed?" Albert murmured, looking at the ordinary white wall in front of him. "My phrasing is wrong... or that room isn't called Ravenclaw's Secret Chamber."
Albert pulled out his pen from his pocket, recorded his attempt in his small notebook, then closed his eyes again, concentrated, and continued walking.
I need Ravenclaw's Chamber of Secrets... I need Ravenclaw's Chamber of Secrets... I need to enter Ravenclaw's Chamber of Secrets.
After walking past three times, Albert opened his eyes again.
The door appeared!
"Success!"
Albert felt his heart quicken a few beats. After looking left and right to make sure no one was around, he quickly pushed the door open and entered the Room of Requirement.
Inside the door was indeed a Chamber of Secrets, a narrow Chamber of Secrets with no windows.
What met Albert's eyes was a wooden table, an armchair, and... a vertical banner hanging on the wall ahead, depicting Ravenclaw's eagle.
Other than that, there was nothing... annoyingly clean.
Albert stepped forward, lifted the vertical banner with Ravenclaw's eagle, looked at the solid wall, and murmured, "Alright, it really is 'Ravenclaw's Chamber of Secrets.' You got me!"
"Not a Chamber of Secrets, then..."
Albert left the Room of Requirement, watched the disappearing door, and frowned again, striding quickly.
I need you to become Ravenclaw's vault... Ravenclaw's vault... Ravenclaw's vault.
Albert opened his eyes again and found that the door had reappeared.
When Albert entered Ravenclaw's vault, he found it somewhat resembled the vault he had entered last time, filled with items hidden by former Ravenclaw students: old books, newspapers, boots, broken brooms, old robes...
A vault? Are you sure this isn't a garbage dump? Or does the Room of Requirement misunderstand what a "vault" is?
Albert's mouth twitched. He knew he had failed, so he didn't try to search, but obediently exited this so-called Ravenclaw vault.
After three failures, Albert was a bit disheartened and began to doubt whether Ravenclaw's secret treasure was truly in the Room of Requirement.
If Ravenclaw's secret treasure truly was here, why hadn't a related task appeared on the panel?
Just as Albert was about to leave, he noticed a new task suddenly pop up on his task panel.
Find Ravenclaw's Knowledge Vault.
You have keenly sensed the location of Ravenclaw's legacy. Why not try to enter Ravenclaw's Knowledge Vault?
Reward: Unknown.
Another unknown reward.
However, is Ravenclaw's vault called the Knowledge Vault?
This name is quite fitting.
However, when Albert tried to enter the Knowledge Vault, he still failed.
Albert was immediately confused. How could this fail? Was the task hint fake?
For the rest of the time, Albert continued to try, for example, Ravenclaw's room, or Ravenclaw's private Library.
Well, he did successfully enter the private Library. It was a circular room with only a round table and an armchair. The walls were entirely covered with curved bookshelves, and sunlight streamed through the skylight above, but... the task wasn't completed.
So, this was not the so-called Knowledge Vault at all.
If even a Library doesn't count as a Knowledge Vault, then what could possibly be considered a Knowledge Vault?
Albert was immediately conflicted. He sat in the armchair, propped his feet on the table, and pondered how to enter the Knowledge Vault.
"Could my initial guess have been wrong from the start?" Albert sighed lightly. Since the panel task could be triggered, it meant Ravenclaw's Knowledge Vault was indeed in the Room of Requirement.
Perhaps he should find a Ravenclaw student and ask if there were any legends about Ravenclaw.
As Albert was about to leave the Room of Requirement, he happened to glimpse an old wooden board with an eagle-shaped bronze door knocker on it, next to which was written Ravenclaw's famous quote: "Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure."
Could it be that only Ravenclaw students could find the so-called Knowledge Vault?
Albert suddenly remembered something: Ravenclaw's eagle-shaped bronze door knocker:
When you knock, the eagle ring will ask you a question.
If you answer correctly, you will be allowed to enter.
For the past thousand years, no one but a Ravenclawstudent has been able to pass this simple barrier.
Albert walked to the eagle-shaped bronze door knocker and gently tapped the wooden board twice.
The next moment, something unexpected happened: the eagle-shaped bronze door knocker in front of him actually spoke and asked a question.