Hogwarts: Bourne Returns from Warhammer

After the start of school, in addition to wandering in the ocean of knowledge every day, Bourne devoted most of his energy to finding "informal purchasing channels" for magic portraits.

Ever since that vision in that Mundungus guy's head: a magical portrait that transformed into something monstrous like a "Candle Man" and was killing people at the Dominatrix's auction.

Byrne put figuring it out high on his mental to-do list.

In the story of Harry Potter in his memory, in the second year of school, Voldemort had a Horcrux in the form of a diary causing trouble, and in the end he created a basilisk and gave it to the protagonist group to "gain experience."

At the beginning, because the power of that thing was weak, it was not able to use many tricks.

Therefore, although it is impossible for Byrne to leave Voldemort's Horcrux unpurified, for now, he has not devoted all his energy to this matter.

However, regarding the informal channels for purchasing magic portraits, even with the investigation direction pointed out by Mr. Holmes, Bourne had a difficult time finding clues.

The reason is also very simple. He now has to go to school at Hogwarts Castle every day and has no time to go to Knockturn Alley to check the water meters of those black market merchants.

Finally, he thought of a way.

He wrote a letter to the famous Borgin's Bock's store in Knockturn Alley, expressing his willingness to pay a high price for a magical portrait of unknown origin, and hoping to place a purchase notice in the store.

Bourne paid 13 gold galleons for this letter as a pit fee to win the letter from the shop owner.

The money was drawn from all the remuneration he received from working as a librarian's assistant and participating in patrols in the Forbidden Forest throughout the last year.

As for why he was given 13 gold galleons as a pit fee, that was just his personal habit, and it was definitely not because he wanted to be loyal to anyone (rubbing hands).

Moreover, while doing these things, Bourne also had to be careful not to be seen.

Because those Aurors who were dispatched by the Ministry of Magic and stationed in Hogwarts Castle are now secretly "protecting" Bourne and Harry Potter.

They are well disguised.

At least, judging from ordinary people's standards, not to mention Tonks' ability to "change his appearance" anytime and anywhere, even using the very skillful Disguise Charm can prevent other young wizards from realizing that there is something new in the school. Several Aurors.

However, it is obviously impossible for these people to obtain the true inheritance of the Raven Guard, and Bourne can still easily notice their stealth.

But precisely because of this, he could only endure this unpleasant "feeling of being spied on" for the time being. When he went to places like the Owlery, he had to go around the castle corridors and entrance halls every time, relying on groups of small wizards as cover, and then getting rid of the secret protection of those people.

"Why do you always follow me?" Bourne thought about this question several times helplessly. "Even if others don't know, but Kingsley, who is responsible for giving orders to other Aurors, doesn't he know that even if Peter Pettigrew sneaks in? Back at Hogwarts, that guy's first target should be Harry Potter."

Later, he finally figured out the answer to this question: because Harry was always accompanied by a professor.

Gilderoy Lockhart has been having a seizure lately, pestering Harry whenever he has nothing to do.

He might have been able to break into the Gryffindor common room if he hadn't been unable to figure out the password that changed at least once a day for the portrait of the Fat Lady guarding Gryffindor Tower.

The reason why he did this was that there was always Colin Creevey around Harry Potter. The first-year kid particularly liked photography, and Gilderoy Lockhart himself liked being photographed very much; Secondly, although he was given up on the idea of ​​starting "Hogwarts Weekly", he still wanted to drag Harry Potter along with him to write replies to his loyal readers.

Almost every night from Monday to Friday, Lockhart would ask Harry to help him write replies.

"I don't even have time for night walks!" Harry Potter complained to Bourne and his roommates more than once in the dormitory.

If Lockhart hadn't promised him a few extra points every week, Harry would have thought he would have given up on writing a reply in a day.

According to Harry, the Defense Against the Dark Arts office on the third floor had been "horribly" altered by Lockhart: there were countless frames of Lockhart's pictures hanging on the walls, illuminated very brightly by many candles; There was even his signature on it; there was also a large stack of developed photos on the table.

"And that lady 'Gladys'!" Harry had memorized the names of the fans who wrote to Lockhart the most. "The first reply of the day was always to Lady Gladys, God bless her - she was possessed."

The time spent in Lockhart's office felt as if Harry was crawling on a giant conch.

And he had to let Lockhart talk endlessly, only occasionally answering "Me", "Ah", and "Yes".

Sometimes, Lockhart would have one or two words blowing into his ears like a harsh wind, such as "Fame is a fickle friend, Harry", or "Remember, a celebrity must have the airs of a celebrity." .

As the candle burned shorter and shorter, the flame danced on the many animated Lockhart faces that watched them.

"That feeling is terrifying," Harry told his roommate. "It's comparable to having Snape standing behind you watching you play with the cauldron in Potions class."

Neville felt this too.

On a Friday night, Harry was writing the address of "Veronica Smythely" with his sore hands - incidentally, he felt that this was the thousandth envelope he had written. ——"The time is coming soon," Harry thought painfully, "Please come soon..."

Suddenly he heard a sound, a sound entirely different from the crackling of the candles or Lockhart's chattering.

It was a voice, a voice that was bone-chilling, breath-stopping, cold and vicious.

"Come... come... let me tear you apart... tear you apart... kill you..."

Harry suddenly stood up from his chair, and a large lilac-colored ink stain appeared on the street name of the address "Veronica Smythely".

"What?" Harry looked back at Professor Lockhart.

"I know!" said Lockhart. "It's been at the top of the bestseller list for six months! An unprecedented record!"

"No," said Harry frantically, "that voice!"

"Excuse me," Lockhart asked, confused. "What was that sound?"

"That...that voice said...didn't you hear it?"

Lockhart looked at Harry in shock, apparently not hearing anything.

"What are you talking about, Harry? You're probably a little sleepy, aren't you? God - look what time it is! We've been here for almost four hours! I can't believe it - time flies, yes no?"

Harry didn't answer.

He strained his ears to hear the voice, but it was no longer there, only Lockhart was still nagging him.

In the end, Harry walked towards Gryffindor's tower alone with full of doubts.