Harry Potter and the Secret Treasures

Chapter 348: Hermione’s Test

Hearing her words, everyone was stunned.

This was far from the scene that Ron had seen in the illusion. Hermione was not in danger, and no monsters attacked her, but she returned to Hogwarts’ classroom.

She saw a male professor in the illusion that she had never seen before. Who would it be?!

“In the illusion, I suddenly appeared in a classroom on the Third Floor of the school.” Hermione recalled, “It was a classroom I had never been to. It was decorated in a strange, medieval style, with thick curtains hanging on the walls and glittering Armor and weapons on the side near the window.”

“There is no room like this on the Third Floor.” Ron interjected, “There is only the Charms Classroom and the Trophy Room on that floor. At the end of the dark corridor, is the trap door guarded by the three-headed dog, Fluffy. It leads to the secret chamber where Dumbledore hid the Philosopher’s Stone.”

“But I’m sure I went back to the Third Floor of the castle. I saw the One-Eyed Witch statue outside the door. I was in the big round classroom next to it.” Hermione said.

“That statue is surrounded by walls, Hermione!” Harry reminded.

Behind the One-Eyed Witch Statue, there was a secret tunnel leading to Honeydukes Sweetshop in Hogsmeade. Evan had used this passage this year because he was not old enough to be allowed to go to Hogsmeade.

Therefore, he was very familiar with the terrain near the secret passage.

As Harry and Ron said, there were no rooms but walls.

But Hermione couldn’t have mistaken the One-Eyed Witch Statue. It was very peculiar. It was said to be that of an orphan that was handed down when the school was established a thousand years ago, probably by the original owner of the castle, being part of the collection of the Slytherin family.

Now that Hermione saw the statue, she must have returned to the castle in the illusion, but it should not be the actual Hogwarts.

Gryffindor’s own test of illusion, the precious statue handed down from the establishment of the castle, the classroom decorated with medieval aristocratic style…

Evan suddenly thought that Hermione might have returned to Hogwarts a thousand years ago.

Seeing that everyone was still discussing the decoration of the classroom, he hurriedly interrupted. “Hermione, you just said that there was a wizard who gave you a lecture. How did he look?”

“I still remember. That wizard is very powerful, and it is hard to forget once you’ve seen him.” Hermione closed her eyes and thought for a while, then slowly described, “He is about forty years old, handsome, with fiery red hair, with an indescribable temperament, wearing an old-fashioned Muggle aristocratic costume…”

“I don’t see what’s great about him!” Ron snorted and muttered. “It sounds like Lockhart, another liar!”

“He is not a liar, that wizard is very strong. All the magic he taught me is very profound and complex.” Hermione retorted, “After I listened to his lecture, I had a sudden sense of openness. There was a lot of knowledge that could not be found in the library.”

“That’s what you said about Lockhart last year.” Ron said stubbornly, “Although he can’t actually even cast magic, there are still many girls who adore him. You are always liable to be deceived by the flashy appearance.”

His eyes followed Hermione’s and looked at Evan standing beside her.

Evan had been staring at Ron’s hair. He was thinking of Hermione’s evaluation of the wizard. A wizard with red hair was very rare. Among the people he had met, besides the Weasleys, only Godric Gryffindor himself had such hair.

Hermione also wanted to argue with Ron, but she heard Evan saying, “In addition to red hair and Muggle aristocratic costumes, the wizard had a slender scar on his left eye. He carried a long sword with him and put it with his wand.”

“Yes, you’ve seen him too?!” Hermione said in surprise.

Everyone turned their heads and looked at Evan in surprise. It was not clear how he knew the mysterious wizard who appeared in Hermione’s illusion.

“If I’m not mistaken, the wizard you met is Godric Gryffindor!” Evan smiled bitterly. “Remember, I went back to Hogwarts a thousand years ago last year and saw the Four Founders of the school. Each of them had a very unique temperament, and it is hard to forget when you’ve seen them.”

There was a silence for a couple of seconds, and everyone accepted this fact with difficulty.

“This is incredible!” Harry exclaimed. “It’s hard to imagine that you actually saw Gryffindor in the illusion. He also taught you magic in person.”

“I don’t know…” Hermione looked at Evan and seemed to be scared.

“But all I met in the illusion were the Acromantulas!” Ron whispered. “Hermione, what did Gryffindor say to you, and why did you fail?”

“He taught me a lot about profound and esoteric magic. It was getting more and more difficult to learn, from the most common Transfiguration to the rare Alchemy.” Hermione said, “I feel that I have spent a long time in the illusion, every time he finished a magic, he asked me questions. In the end, he asked an Alchemy question. I didn’t answer it. A voice told me that I had failed, and then I went back here again.”

It didn’t sound much like a test to get Gryffindor himself to teach you magic.

Even if Hermione failed in the end, it was a rare experience. If she could master all the magic she had learned in the illusion, her strength would be greatly improved.

Anyway, it was better than Ron’s experience of being simply frightened.

Everyone was amazed, and Evan and Hermione whispered the last question she didn’t answer about Alchemy.

He had recently read many ancient magic books and had some understanding of this aspect.

Since Ancient Times, Alchemy had been the cornerstone of magic, as well as Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, etc. Because the knowledge involved was too esoteric and complicated, only students who passed the Ordinary Wizarding Level test could be involved. This was an optional course for the sixth and seventh years, and it also had the lowest pass rate.

It’s well known that Dumbledore was a famous alchemist.

His exposition of the twelve uses of Dragon Blood was considered to be an inter-era study of magic, and as a result, he received the Order of Merlin First Class.

“Remember, anything can happen in fantasy, and it is completely real.” Sirius said, “There are many different ways of testing. It is not impossible to encounter Gryffindor like Hermione. James had seen him there in that year.”

“My father had also seen Gryffindor?!” Harry asked in surprise. “Sirius, had he been taught magic by Gryffindor like Hermione?”

“Well, no!” Sirius shook his head and said,” He told me that he and Gryffindor had a duel in the illusion, but he failed in the end.”