Hagrid

The prefects' bathroom on the seventh floor was indeed legendary. The spacious area boasted a luxurious bathtub made of snow-white marble, filled with warm water that emitted a faint, relaxing aroma (likely from some magical bubble bath solution). The mermaid on the wall, holding a salmon, slept soundly behind the glass window, moonlight casting shimmering ripples on the water's surface.

Silas submerged himself entirely in the warm water, only his head peeking out. He felt as though the fatigue and the lingering scent of vinegar were being soaked out of his very bones. His Levitating Cloak, meanwhile, had found a dry hook to hang itself on, its collar twitching as if also enjoying the tranquil atmosphere.

"Whew... I finally made it out alive," Silas sighed, closing his eyes in contentment. But after only a few seconds, he remembered the hole in the wall and the system's notification about emotional buffs. He couldn't help but call out in his mind, "System, let's chat. What's the deal with that emotional buff? And how should I allocate my skill points next?"

[It is my pleasure to serve you, Host!] The system's voice became a bit more serious. [Firstly, regarding the emotional buff: intense emotional fluctuations can indeed greatly enhance magical power in a short period. This is common to many magical systems, and your Vishanti Magic is no exception. Anger, fear, extreme joy, or unwavering conviction can all act as catalysts for magic. However, the drawbacks are also obvious—control will drastically decrease, making it easy to lose control, and it consumes an immense amount of mental energy. It is recommended as a last-resort burst ability rather than a regular tactic.]

Silas nodded thoughtfully. This was easy to understand, similar to a power-up or berserk mode.

[As for the skill tree,] the system continued its explanation, [as you can see, after the second tier, the 'Vishanti Origin' begins to branch out into more refined paths. They are primarily divided into two major directions: Energy Shaping and Energy Release.]

As the system spoke, the semi-transparent skill tree interface in front of Silas expanded again. Above the already unlocked nodes of Ring of the Ragaddor (Energy Shaping) and Claws of Denak (Energy Release), two new, faintly glowing skill paths extended upwards from each.

The system guided Silas's attention: [Look, along the 'Energy Shaping' branch from 'Ring of the Ragaddor,' the next tier unlocks two spells:]

1. Seraphim Shield: The icon depicts a massive, heavy shield phantom made of countless golden hexagons. The system explained: [This is a comprehensive upgrade of the Ring of the Ragaddor! No longer a small ring, but a solid energy shield wall that can change size and shape at will, with incomparable defensive area and strength. Imagine a golden greatshield as sturdy as a wall!]

2. Vishanti Holy Sword: The icon is a long sword made of pure white light, its blade inscribed with runes. [This shapes Vishanti's holy energy into a sharp blade, possessing extreme effectiveness against evil spirits and dark creatures. This is a powerful weapon against Dementors, much more useful than chocolate!]

Silas's eyes lit up. A shield and a light sword! These were practical combat tools!

[Now, looking up the 'Energy Release' branch from 'Claws of Denak',] the system continued its introduction, [the next tier is:]

1. Balzar's Lightning: The icon shows several flickering, greenish-blue energy lightning bolts. [Note, this is not the 'Borsat's Thunder' commonly used by Doctor Strange. This is a different lightning magic, greenish-blue in color, extremely fast, with some paralyzing and penetrating effects.]

2. Hogus Ancient Lord: The icon for this skill is more abstract, resembling flowing energy transforming into harmless entities like butterflies and ribbons. [This is a very exquisite transformation spell! It can convert incoming energy attacks from enemies into harmless entities before they make contact, such as... butterflies, flower petals, ribbons, and so on.] The system spoke in a tempting tone, [Imagine turning an incoming curse into a swarm of beautiful cyan butterflies. How elegant, and how infuriating! It can be used in conjunction with your light shield, making it impossible to defend against!]

Silas looked at the enticing icons on the skill tree, his heart itching with desire. The absolute defense of the Seraphim Shield, the evil-slaying power of the Vishanti Holy Sword, the swift strike of Balzar's Lightning, and the artistic counter of Hogus Ancient Lord... each one made him eager.

"Looks like I need to put in more practice," Silas scooped up a handful of hot water and splashed it on his face. "I need to master the Ring of the Ragaddor and Claws of Denak first, otherwise these advanced skills will just be like Kyōka Suigetsu."

He leaned against the smooth edge of the bathtub and began to plan his upcoming "training" schedule. He had to make good use of this "pre-adaptation period" at Hogwarts. At the very least, he should be able to fill in the hole in the wall himself before the next semester began, right?

Just as he was lost in thought, a faint, almost imperceptible sound of footsteps, along with the rustling of something being dragged on the ground, seemed to come from outside the bathroom door...

Silas jolted upright in the water, his gaze turning alertly towards the entrance.

"No way... Filch? So dedicated?"

Hearing the suspicious footsteps and dragging sounds outside the door, Silas's every lazy muscle was instantly replaced by vigilance. He really didn't want to be caught by Filch and confined before school started, or worse, have it discovered that he was not only out after curfew but also illegally using the prefects' bathroom!

"Gotta go, gotta go!"

He made a decisive move, not even bothering to dry himself (the warm morning breeze would dry him soon enough). His hands rapidly drew circles in the air. Perhaps his potential was triggered by the crisis, as the portal opened unusually quickly and stably this time, leading directly to his soft four-poster bed in his Ravenclaw tower dormitory.

He scrambled out of the bathtub like an eel, still dripping, and plunged into the portal, landing precisely on his bed. The portal closed behind him with a "poof," cutting off everything from the bathroom.

"Okay, I got away..." Silas let out a long sigh. The relaxation after intense tension and the warmth of the bedding made his eyelids feel as heavy as lead. He was too lazy to even take off his wet robes, muttering a single sentence before his head hit the pillow and he instantly fell asleep.

He completely forgot that his loyal (and perhaps slightly temperamental) Levitating Cloak was still hanging forlornly on its hook in the prefects' bathroom.

The collar of the Levitating Cloak twitched in confusion. Sensing Silas's aura disappear instantly, it seemed to freeze. Then, it floated down, aimlessly circling twice in the empty bathroom, still lingering with moisture and fragrance. Finally, it curled up dejectedly in a corner, like an abandoned red rag. (If it could speak, it would probably whine and draw circles, thinking, "Damn, I think I've been abandoned... This heartless host!")

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the windows of the Ravenclaw tower, waking Silas. He stretched contentedly, feeling refreshed. Then, he habitually reached for the cloak that should have been draped over the back of his chair—

His hand grasped empty air.

"Huh? Where's my cloak?" Silas snapped awake, sitting up abruptly and looking around. The dormitory was empty, except for him and the still-scorched large pit on the wall.

Just then, he felt a strong, resentful "gaze." He turned his head and saw the dark red Levitating Cloak floating silently at the dormitory entrance like a mournful ghost, its collar drooping, the entire "cloth" exuding an aura of "I'm very unhappy, come comfort me."

Silas blinked, completely oblivious to the root of the cloak's displeasure (or rather, he hadn't even considered that possibility). He jumped out of bed, walked over, grabbed the cloak, and casually threw it over his shoulders, muttering, "Why are you by the door? Never mind, let's get going!"

Cloak: "..." (If it could speak, it would surely be shouting now: "Why am I by the door?! I slept on the cold bathroom floor all night! And you have the nerve to ask?!")

But Silas completely ignored the cloak's silent protest (or rather, he couldn't interpret a cloak's emotions). He walked to the window, looked at the open space in front of the castle below, and decided to skip the trouble of going downstairs.

"I'll just fly down!"

He pushed off the windowsill with one hand and vaulted out neatly! Although the Levitating Cloak was still angry, its professional ethics (or perhaps its instinct to protect its host) made it immediately function, steadily supporting Silas as he slowly descended towards the lawn in front of the castle like a red parachute.

Just as he was about to land, a booming voice like a bell rang out:

"Hey! You there, kid! You're Silas, aren't you?"

Silas jumped in surprise, almost losing his balance. He turned his head and saw a giant, as large as a small mountain, with a thick black beard, striding towards him from the direction of the gamekeeper's hut. He wore a moleskin coat and carried a pink umbrella (even though the weather was clear).

The giant had a simple and enthusiastic smile on his face. "Professor Dumbledore asked me to take you to Diagon Alley today to buy some school supplies! By the way, I'm Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper."

Silas landed and adjusted his robes (the cloak took the opportunity to retaliate by tightening around him), replying politely, "Thank you, Mr. Hagrid. I understand, let's go then!"

He thought to himself that this was a good way to avoid the main entrance of the castle and the curious stares. So, he raised his hand, preparing to open a portal directly to the backyard of the Leaky Cauldron in front of Hagrid.

Golden sparks crackled and began to gather at his fingertips.

Hagrid's black eyes, like beetles, widened instantly, his mouth opening wide enough to swallow a dragon egg. His huge fingers trembled as he pointed at the gradually forming ring of sparks in front of Silas, letting out a roar of utter shock:

"Merlin's—Merlin's beard!!!"