After thinking it over for a long moment, Lewis dismissed the Mind Shield he had maintained all this time.
The moment he did…
The constantly shifting Boggart instantly settled into a single form.
The students stared in confusion.
A gigantic three-dimensional picture frame appeared before them.
The Muggle-born students immediately recognized it.
It was…
A television.
The screen displayed a grainy, snow-filled image.
In the middle of it stood an old, abandoned well.
Suddenly…
A pale, ghostly hand gripped the edge of the well.
Moments later, a woman dressed in white, with long black hair hanging over her face, slowly crawled out.
She crept toward the camera.
Closer.
Closer.
Then…
She passed directly through the television screen.
Her long black hair spilled across the floor.
Lewis found himself staring straight into her eyes.
Hidden beneath that curtain of black hair was a pair of eyes overflowing with malice and hatred.
They locked onto Lewis without blinking.
"Grrr… gggghhh…"
A strange bubbling sound escaped her throat.
It was indescribably eerie.
Many students screamed on the spot.
There was simply something deeply unnatural about her.
Anyone meeting her gaze felt cold sweat break out across their forehead.
A chill ran down their spine.
Lewis recognized her immediately.
Or rather…
He remembered the nightmare from his previous life.
The figure before him was none other than the infamous ghost from The Ring—
Sadako.
The original Japanese film had premiered in 1998.
Naturally, none of the Hogwarts students had ever seen her before.
Yet every single one of them was thoroughly terrified.
Like most ghosts, Sadako possessed sinister supernatural powers.
But what truly cemented her legend were two unprecedented abilities.
The first…
Her cursed videotape.
Anyone who watched it would inevitably become her victim.
The second…
The scene unfolding before their eyes.
Sadako could crawl directly out of a television screen.
This combination of a traditional vengeful spirit and modern electronic media had completely revolutionized horror.
Lewis had no doubt that if Sadako truly existed…
She would literally conquer the world.
He had never been afraid of horror movies.
Except for one.
The Ring.
It was the only horror film he had watched as a child.
Even after arriving in the Harry Potter world, Hogwarts' ghosts had never frightened him.
Not even Bloody Baron.
In Lewis's eyes, most ghosts were actually rather lovable.
Especially Helena Ravenclaw.
Not only was she beautiful, she'd practically handed over Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem herself.
One could truly call it the pinnacle of filial piety.
But seeing Sadako again…
Even now…
Lewis still felt lingering fear.
Fortunately…
He immediately thought of a way to deal with her.
Though…
He worried it might be a little inappropriate for children.
"Riddikulus!"
Lewis shouted.
Sadako suddenly realized something was wrong.
Her chest began swelling larger and larger, as though someone were inflating her.
The skinny ghostly girl rapidly transformed into a breathtakingly voluptuous beauty.
Unfortunately…
She had become so… generously endowed…
That she became completely stuck halfway through the television screen.
No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't squeeze herself out.
Instead…
She simply let out soft, pitiful sobs.
The terrifying ghost had instantly transformed into a gorgeous but adorably helpless beauty.
The students stood frozen.
Especially the boys.
Lupin reacted the fastest.
Without hesitation, he shoved the television back into the wardrobe and slammed the door shut.
"Excellent spell."
"And… a very creative imagination."
Lupin looked at Lewis with a rather conflicted expression.
"But perhaps…"
"You could imagine something a little more appropriate for children next time."
The students, however, had already expressed their opinions.
The girls all blushed furiously.
None of them dared look at Lewis anymore.
Meanwhile…
The boys exploded into applause.
They cheered.
They whistled.
They shouted as though Lewis were some legendary hero.
Even the Slytherins joined in.
As expected…
Humanity was at its most united when it came to appreciating beautiful women.
Thus…
With the classroom filled with cheerful laughter, Professor Lupin hurriedly concluded the lesson.
Their homework was a seven-inch essay on Boggarts.
Even after class ended, the students continued enthusiastically discussing Lewis's solution.
Many regarded it as one of the most practical anti-Boggart techniques ever invented.
From this day forward…
Hogwarts students would undoubtedly have a brand-new way of thinking whenever facing a Boggart.
Lewis, however, didn't join the discussion.
The moment class ended, he slipped away to a secluded corner.
"Magnificent Mansion."
Using the spell, he returned to the tower hidden within his demiplane.
He had left in such a hurry because…
Today's Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson had rewarded him with something entirely unexpected.
He couldn't wait to study it.
Inside the underground laboratory, Lewis examined his newest gains.
You have witnessed the magical creature known as the Boggart and observed its countless transformations and its ability to blur the line between illusion and reality.
You have comprehended that the true essence of the School of Illusion lies in the continuous conversion between reality and falsehood.
You have obtained: Illusion School Specialization.
Having mastered the specialization of every Arcane School, you have begun integrating all branches of arcane knowledge into a unified whole.
As your understanding of magic continues to deepen, you inevitably approach the limits of Arcane power itself.
You have comprehended both the unity and opposition that exist among every magical school.
Advanced Class Unlocked: Arcanist
Arcanist Level +2
Arcanist Class Features
Lv.1: Arcane Mastery
Lv.2: Basic School Abilities
Lv.3: Preferred Metamagic ×2
Lv.4: +2 Attribute Points
Lv.5: Intermediate School Abilities
Lv.6: Master Craftsman
Lv.7: Preferred Metamagic ×2
Lv.8: +2 Attribute Points
Lv.9: Advanced School Abilities
Lv.10: True Arcana
When your total Arcane caster level reaches Lv.21, or your Arcanist class reaches Lv.10, you will unlock the Legendary Arcanist progression.
Arcane Mastery
You have integrated every school of magic.
Whenever you gain a level, you automatically learn the basic spells of every Arcane school.
Basic School Abilities
Your profound understanding of Arcane magic grants each school a unique enhancement.
Abjuration
Your dispelling and counterspell magic becomes significantly more effective.
Breaking other people's spells is much easier.
Conjuration
Any creature you summon gains additional vitality.
Divination
Concentration spells you cast can continue functioning even after you stop concentrating on them.
Enchantment
Hostile actions no longer reduce the success rate of your charm spells.
Creatures under your enchantments are also less likely to break free because of your hostile behavior.
Evocation
Your offensive spells automatically avoid friendly targets.
Illusion
Your illusion magic becomes substantially more realistic and far more difficult to see through.
Necromancy
The undead you summon become much harder to suppress or dispel.
Transmutation
Your alchemical abilities are greatly enhanced.
Universal Magic
You gain one opportunity to summon a magical familiar.
This familiar may originate from any world, but it will always be the companion most perfectly suited to you.
Lewis had never expected that an ordinary Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson would complete his final Illusion School Specialization.
Even less had he expected that collecting every specialization would unlock such an overwhelmingly powerful advanced class.
Just looking at the Arcanist progression…
At only Level 2, it already granted an entire collection of School Abilities.
Any one of those abilities could easily qualify as a major talent on its own.
It perfectly matched Lewis's philosophy.
He wanted everything.
He intended to master every path.
Compared purely as advanced classes…
This so-called Arcanist was unquestionably superior to Jaina's Kirin Tor Archmage.
He could clearly feel his overall strength had nearly doubled.
At his current level…
He was confident he could completely suppress Snape.
Even against a fully restored Voldemort…
He believed he could exchange several rounds without falling behind.
Only now did he truly consider himself among the strongest wizards in the magical world.
Still…
The most pressing matter wasn't testing his newfound combat power.
It was trying out the Universal Magic ability obtained from the Basic School Abilities.
Thinking back…
Ever since becoming a wizard…
He had never actually contracted a magical familiar.
Now…
It was finally time.
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