A Leap to the Heavens

In the game, there's a term called a "hoarding squirrel."

It refers to someone who stockpiles resources like a squirrel, only to use them at crucial moments.

Basil was just that kind of person.

So, the newly acquired data for Hagrid required Gems to activate its Echo.

He resisted the urge to check it for now.

Just like Harry, Neville, and Ron, and Malfoy.

He walked with a smile, led by Hagrid, along a narrow path and through a dark forest.

They finally arrived before a black lake.

On the high slope across the lake stood a majestic castle, its spires piercing the sky, its windows twinkling under the starry night.

"That's Hogwarts!" Basil murmured dreamily.

In his mind, the gray, unmoving fortress suddenly gained color.

Time seemed to stand still.

His body vanished from where he stood.

He appeared in the small world in his mind, composed of Hogwarts castle, mountains, a lake, a dock, the Quidditch Pitch, and the Forbidden Forest.

It began to slowly enlarge.

Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade, and London also appeared at the edges of the illusion.

He now realized that what was in his mind was a real, existing small world.

And now, the two worlds began to overlap.

[Ding! Personal Information Panel Updated]

[New. Identity: Hogwarts Preparatory Student (20 Gems issued daily)]

[Sizzle sizzle. Initiating self-check]

[Achievement Component Missing. Library Component Missing. Arena Component Missing. Ball Component Missing. Homework Component Missing]

[Forbidden Forest Component Missing...〖Historical Corridor〗 Vanished]

[Grimoire Component Unique〖Connect Parallel Worlds〗 Changed to〖Adjacent World Travel〗]

[Hogsmeade. Diagon Alley. London Not Activated]

As the two worlds overlapped, Basil returned to his original spot.

Simultaneously, vast streams of information flooded his mind.

In the game, the main cheat for players who were transmigrators was the [Grimoire].

Furthermore, in the Harry Potter world they transmigrated to, they were the only transmigrators.

All player social interactions, duels, team-ups, and club formations relied on it.

The 〖Historical Corridor〗 was a projection of the future created by the [Grimoire] using the transmigrators' spatial-temporal talents to gather the temporal turbulence generated by the Time-Thief after he disrupted a large number of Time-Turners in the Forbidden Forest.

The [Echoes] in the game were obtained by fighting within these projections.

The so-called 〖Connect Parallel Worlds〗 meant exactly what it said: after adding other players as friends, one could travel to that player's world with permission.

And the current 〖Adjacent World Travel〗.

It relied on the similarity of world natures and the attraction between the system and its lost components to travel.

This information had been obtained before, requiring 30,000 Gems.

Now, it just had a cause and effect, and a formal name.

As for the activation of Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, and London, it was estimated that he would need to reach those locations himself.

He had previously gone to London and Diagon Alley without them activating.

This was because the Hogwarts in his mind had not yet officially merged with the Hogwarts of this world.

And after the merger, the Hogwarts in his mind had not disappeared.

Its phantom still existed.

So, now with just a thought, Basil or his spells could appear anywhere in Hogwarts.

He could go to the Potions Master's office to dance, or to the Headmaster's office to pick his toes.

Standing here, he could directly cast a Scouring Charm on the back of Quirrell's head in the Great Hall.

The [Quick Map] in the upper right corner of the game had merged with the entire castle in a more concise way.

He could zoom in to view all the buildings in Hogwarts.

Including, but not limited to, the bathrooms and the girls' dormitory.

This meant that the Magical Plants in Professor Sprout's greenhouse had also fully opened their doors to him.

He could blink his eyes, 'take pictures,' and create summoning cards.

If not for the missing Forbidden Forest components, the magical creature database could have been collected in this manner as well.

This was not a fantasy.

The current Hogwarts was already considered one with Basil.

He was Hogwarts.

Even if his physical body in the material world died.

His soul would not go to the afterlife.

As long as equivalent Gems were spent, he could be resurrected at any location within Hogwarts.

If he died in another world, an additional 100 Gems would be charged as a cross-border fee.

"Then now, why the hell would I be afraid of Voldemort!" Basil couldn't help but think.

He lightly reached into the air with his right hand, and the red Philosopher's Stone appeared in his palm.

He stuffed it into his pocket, and the next second it returned to its original place.

Now, he suddenly wanted to run to the Headmaster's office and tell Dumbledore, "I am the Headmaster!"

"Look down!" Hagrid's roar startled Basil, who had been immersed in the Hogwarts in his mind.

Without realizing it, he had already boarded the small boat being pushed forward by magic.

He was with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Since a small boat could only hold four people, Neville consciously found another boat.

Now, the small boat in front of them had approached the cliff.

They were about to pass through the ivy curtain covering the cliff face, enter the dark tunnel, and head to the dock beneath the castle.

However, Basil, who was still behind, could see everything around him.

The lights from the castle reflected on the lake, so it wasn't pitch black all around.

Basil also noticed the only boat with three people.

Draco Malfoy was in the same boat with Crabbe and Goyle.

Basil guessed it was more likely due to the weight of the two chubby guys.

"Basil, that annoying Malfoy is staring at you!" Hermione wrinkled her nose.

"No," Basil was very surprised, "He's looking at Harry."

Harry and Ron didn't pay attention.

They were both immersed in the solemn atmosphere of going to Hogwarts.

Basil narrowed his eyes; he was happy and needed something to liven things up.

"Betrayal! This is shameless betrayal!" Draco stared intently at the four-eyed boy.

He had met him first.

But Harry Potter had chosen others.

The pure-blood traitor Weasley, the pure-blood disgrace, Neville Longbottom, who was more like a Squib, and a distant relative from the Granger family.

Had the Malfoys truly fallen?

In just one summer.

Everything had changed.

Their family no longer held a board seat at Hogwarts.

Several shops had been searched and confiscated under various pretexts.

Even Goyle seemed a bit disobedient.

Without his permission, he had reached for that pile of snacks.

"No, this isn't real!" Malfoy roared in his heart.

Unaware, the vines on the cliff were slowly moving, reaching out towards him.

With a splash!

In the dark tunnel, Hagrid, who was in front, held his lantern and looked back.

"Who fell into the water!"

Screams echoed continuously.

The voices of Crabbe and Goyle were drowned out.

At the bottom of the deep lake, a giant tentacle wrapped around Malfoy's body as he fell.

It directly passed by the small boats and lifted him in front of Hagrid.

Hagrid didn't think too much about it; he took off his moleskin coat and wrapped it around Malfoy.

But the coat was too big on Malfoy; he looked like he was covered by a black circus fur tent.

His thin, sharp face poked out from the collar, full of fear.