He transfigured the iron basin back into a wooden table.
Argus took out the notebook that Voldemort had given him.
He had only glanced at it briefly in the office, but it had made his heart tremble.
"Unfortunately, your intentions are too obvious."
Argus smiled slightly and activated Occlumency.
Voldemort's notebooks were indeed valuable, and the knowledge within them was all genuine.
But for an eleven-year-old wizard like Argus, this Dark Arts knowledge was far too advanced.
Let alone if one wasn't careful—even if fully focused, it was only a matter of time before one was overwhelmed by evil thoughts.
But what Voldemort didn't know was that Argus's level of Occlumency was far beyond his imagination.
As long as he didn't deliberately delve into it, simply understanding the knowledge it contained was quite easy.
Even if Argus himself couldn't do the research, there were still Vinda, Grindelwald, and others!
Entrusting it to them would also be of great use.
Immersed in Voldemort's notes, Argus was startled awake as darkness fell.
He was filled with amazement.
Indeed, those who could become the Dark Lord were no ordinary people.
Argus didn't actually learn much, but even so, the afternoon he spent there was very beneficial.
The notes provided a clear and concise analysis of the origins of the Dark Arts.
Previously, Argus had held the misconception that the three major types of Dark Arts belonged to three different categories.
However, Voldemort presented a completely different viewpoint in his notebook.
Whether it was a curse, a hex, or a jinx, its essence stemmed from the evil intentions of the sorcerer.
The difference lay in the strength of the malice!
For example, a curse like Densaugeo or Rictusempra might seem like a minor hex, but it was actually a weakened or decomposed version of many other curses.
Many seemingly unrelated spells, through Voldemort's explanation and fusion, actually became the underlying foundation of a large number of complex Dark Arts spells.
"It's getting late. Let's go get something to eat first."
"We'll be going to the Forbidden Forest for detention later."
Argus closed his eyes, clearing away the evil thoughts that were eroding his brain.
He reflected on his conversation with Voldemort that morning.
From Voldemort's words, he could infer that the Dark Lord had probably already guessed where the Philosopher's Stone was hidden.
The reason for not acting rashly was the fear that failure would alert the enemy.
Therefore, he needed to go there in advance to gather intelligence.
Unfortunately, Argus, who was familiar with the plot, already knew what was hidden inside and had no intention of taking any risks.
He just needed to briefly mention Fluffy's existence when he met Voldemort next week.
Mentioning Fluffy's existence had fetched a price every time, and so had its origin.
Perhaps the method for dealing with Fluffy could be sold again.
Selling one piece of intelligence for three prices—that was a huge profit.
As for Voldemort's resurrection... that was a headache for Dumbledore.
Even in the original story, Dumbledore knew Voldemort's plans, and revealing the information only accelerated the process.
A remnant soul couldn't make a ripple!
After finishing their meal, they followed Hagrid into the Forbidden Forest.
Nothing happened along the way.
The peaceful days that followed made Argus feel more relaxed than ever before.
On the last day of his detention, Argus received a letter from Vinda Rosier.
The letter stated that she had acquired several well-located shops in Diagon Alley and that they could open at any time.
There was no other information.
For most wizards, owl messengers were not the best option.
Especially for important information, it was too easy to leak!
Vinda knew of Argus's situation and dared not describe the acolytes' current state in the letter.
She planned to find a suitable time and place to discuss the next steps with him.
The same applied to Argus.
After learning that the shop location had been chosen, he planned to talk to Hagrid about acquiring materials related to magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest that evening.
...
Late at night.
After completing their patrol, Hagrid and Argus walked to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Argus opened his mouth.
"Hagrid, if you have some time in the next couple of days, you can pack up the materials you want to sell."
"When the time comes, I'll just use Capacious Extremis to take the things away, saving you the trouble of making another trip."
"Ah! You really want to acquire it! I thought..." Hagrid's face showed a hint of surprise.
"Did you think I was joking with you?" Argus said helplessly.
"I haven't mentioned this to you these past two days because there are still some things to take care of at the store."
"Instead of letting you spend half a day struggling to find where to deliver it, it's better to leave it in your hands, Master of Fantastic Beasts."
"Your expertise in caring for magical creatures far surpasses that of so-called scholars!"
Argus's flattery was clearly an attempt to find a free scapegoat, someone to take responsibility if there were problems with the materials.
He spoke as if he trusted Hagrid implicitly.
Through Hagrid's beard, one could clearly see his face flushed with shame.
He scratched his head.
"I'm sorry, Argus. I shouldn't have doubted my friend..."
"It's alright. I'm only eleven years old. It's normal for a little wizard like me to have concerns when discussing big business with you."
"I've forgotten you're only eleven. Sometimes I really feel like I'm talking to an adult wizard."
Hagrid sighed. "Argus, I suggest you spend more time interacting with Harry and his peers. Young wizards who are too mature for their age are likely to miss out on the joys of childhood."
"I'll consider it."
...
The next day.
Although Argus had gone to bed late last night, his biological clock still made him wake up early.
While in Austria, Vinda had urged him to exercise every morning.
At first, Argus hadn't taken it seriously, thinking that wizards only needed to focus on magic.
It wasn't until he practiced magic with Vinda that he discovered that even without using magic to retaliate, Vinda could render him helpless simply by moving her body.
Only then did he realize that for a wizard, the body was just as important as magic.
Even someone as powerful as Dumbledore couldn't escape the constraints of his body.
From then on, except for some special circumstances that made it impossible for him to get out of bed, Argus exercised almost without fail.
After a day of classes, Argus discovered a problem.
The dormitory space was too small; it was okay for reading books occasionally.
If someone wanted to practice magic, it would probably cause quite a commotion.
"Looks like if I want to learn magic, I'll have to go to the Room of Requirement."
Argus remembered a legendary place in Hogwarts Castle.
The Room of Requirement was also called the Come and Go Room.
Legend had it that it appeared and disappeared only when one truly needed it.
It would be arranged according to the needs of the visitors, and even the Marauder's Map could not display it.
"If I go there to practice, I shouldn't have to worry about other people finding out."
He decided to do it!
Argus tucked the notebook Voldemort had given him into his pocket and, relying on his memory of the Room of Requirement, found the tapestry of "The Troll Beating Barnabas the Barmy" on the seventh floor of Hogwarts Castle.
After confirming that no one had seen him on the road, Argus silently prayed to himself.
"I need a place to practice magic."
Opposite the tapestry, a very smooth door suddenly appeared before Argus's eyes.
There were no warning signs whatsoever.
"Hogwarts really does hold a lot of secrets!"
"With this place, we won't have to hide anymore when practicing magic or conducting experiments."
Argus chuckled softly. He pushed open the door and entered.