"Salazar, where did you send my student?"
The first thing Rowena Ravenclaw did upon returning to Godric's Hollow was interrogate Salazar Slytherin.
Rowena was incredibly satisfied with Rey as a future student. Yet, the moment she returned, her daughter informed her that Salazar had shipped him off to some "trial grounds."
As a Ravenclaw, it was only proper that Rowena be consulted about her student's training.
Hearing Rowena's question, Salazar Slytherin turned his head in surprise to look at Godric Gryffindor beside him.
His expression clearly said: You didn't get Rowena's permission before asking me to teach Rey the Dark Arts?
Rowena caught the look immediately. Godric had acted on his own again. It wouldn't be the first time he'd made decisions without consulting the group.
The atmosphere instantly became awkward.
Facing the questioning gazes of his friends, Godric forced a smile and began a clumsy explanation.
Since the boy was already gone, Rowena had no choice but to accept Godric's reasoning. However, when she heard exactly where Salazar had sent them, her composure cracked. She asked sternly, "What if he encounters a Dragon Soul?"
"Highly unlikely. The odds of encountering a Dragon Soul upon entering the Valley of Evil Spirits are one in ten thousand. His luck can't be that bad."
"Besides, even if his luck is terrible and he meets one, it would be a massive, terrifying monster..."
The idea to have Salazar train Rey came from Godric, but Salazar was the one who sent him away. So, as soon as Rowena voiced her concern, the two men immediately chimed in to reassure her, their seamless coordination proving why they were best friends.
---
A massive, terrifying Dragon Soul?
Rey stared at the tiny, translucent, adorable green chubby dragon blinking its big eyes at him, and his face twitched.
According to Terence Barrow's explanation:
The Guide Spirits in this world operated on a principle of extremes. If the Guide Spirit appearing at the valley entrance was huge and terrifying, the main body—the actual challenge—would be weak. Conversely, if the Guide was small and cute, the main body would be incredibly powerful.
It was like people—those who lack something tend to show off to compensate, hiding their weaknesses behind a façade. That was why Terence had been so desperate to see his Guide Spirit's face from the start.
If she had a beautiful, normal face, he would have stepped back and let Rey take her. This was also why he hadn't explained the rules to Rey immediately.
The result was perfect for Terence. A hideous female ghost meant her main body wouldn't be that strong. Terence was glad he chose her. If he had let Rey take the first one, he would be the one facing this cute little dragon right now.
Terence clearly considered the chubby dragon a super-level threat. The moment it appeared, he and his Guide Spirit retreated a significant distance. Only Rey stood foolishly in place, thinking he had hit the jackpot.
The little chubby dragon wasn't as passive as the female ghost. It waddled right up to Rey and started biting his pant leg, giving him no choice in the matter.
The message was clear: You can't escape.
"What do I do now?"
Having been played, Rey re-evaluated Terence Barrow. Salazar Slytherin's student wasn't stupid after all. Terence possessed the quintessential Slytherin traits.
Cunning is our trait; deceit is the manifestation of wisdom. That unspoken motto defined the nature of a Slytherin—or at least most of them.
Facing Rey's question, Terence avoided eye contact, maintaining his aristocratic elegance as he slowly said, "You can take a step forward, just like I did, and accept its choice."
"Heh. This choice isn't exactly voluntary."
Rey laughed self-deprecatingly. He took a step forward. The little dragon immediately let go of his pants, delighted, and rolled over on the ground. If not for the tiny wings on its back, Rey would have mistaken it for a new breed of chubby puppy.
Perhaps feeling a twinge of guilt, Terence proceeded to explain everything he knew about this world.
The Valley of Evil Spirits was actually a separate dimension. Its principles were similar to the Undetectable Extension Charm used on tents, as Rey had suspected. However, how this dimension was formed remained unknown.
Since high-level wizards discovered this place, it had become a testing ground to purge one's own evil thoughts.
Everyone has dark thoughts. Wizards are no exception. For wizards researching the Dark Arts, the Specter Beads found here were essential magical items. They allowed one to practice Dark Magic without losing oneself to it.
It wasn't that the Specter Bead was holy or could block the temptation of Dark Magic. Rather, when faced with that temptation, the evil thoughts generated by the wizard would be absorbed into the bead, preventing them from corrupting the wizard's true nature.
---
After listening to Terence's explanation, Rey gained a deeper understanding of the wizarding world.
It seemed the Harry Potter movies from his past life had only shown the tip of the iceberg.
He knew too little!
"So, do we just follow the Guide Spirit now?"
"You can follow the Guide Spirit, observe it, and find its weaknesses. You can use that information when you face the main body."
Terence answered every question now, holding nothing back. Perhaps he felt that since Rey had encountered such a deceptive Guide Spirit, his future was bleak, and this was the least Terence could do for his teacher's friend's student.
"So basically, I'm on my own."
Rey sighed internally. Although he was annoyed by Terence's deception, he didn't dwell on it. He didn't blame his predicament entirely on Terence's cunning.
After all, Terence had no obligation to tell him everything. Besides, encountering this cute dragon was ultimately just bad luck on Rey's part. And at the end of the day, they were students from the same future school.
"OK, understood. I'm heading out."
Rey exhaled, clearing his mind. He waved to Terence and strode forward. The green chubby dragon paused for a moment, surprised, before scrambling to catch up.
"Catch."
Just as Rey started moving, Terence tossed him a smooth, egg-sized stone inscribed with magical runes. "It's a one-time teleportation array. Pick a direction, then throw it hard at your feet. It'll transport you three hundred meters."
This was a lifesaver. Rey hadn't expected Terence Barrow to part with such a valuable item so easily. In a critical moment, it could save his life.
"If you give it to me, what will you use?"
"Relax. With my Guide Spirit looking like that, do you think I need it?" Terence replied with supreme confidence.
Rey pocketed the stone and nodded. "Thanks. I owe you one."
"Hmph. Your favor isn't worth much. If you really want to thank me, promise me you won't compete with me for Helena."
Terence snorted, clearly dismissive of Rey's gratitude. His mind was still entirely focused on monopolizing Helena.
Rey shook his head helplessly and reiterated, "I promise, I won't fight you for Helena. Besides, I really don't have any romantic interest in her!"
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