The Dark Lord, the Revolutionary, the New Star, and the Prophecy

Snape lifted his teacup and took a sip. "Occlumency?"

"This is the Sorting Hat." Dumbledore added sugar to his own teacup, one lump after another. "For Vizet, Occlumency is extremely important."

"Being able to freely control his emotions, to send and receive even the most extreme feelings with ease—in that case, an Obscurus rampage would become controllable..."

Before he could finish, Snape flatly refused. "Don't ask me."

"I'm not planning to ask you about this." Dumbledore seemed to have expected that answer. He smiled and shook his head. "I have a more suitable candidate."

"Who was the intruder?" Snape abruptly changed the subject, his gaze turning sharp. "What's in the Fourth floor right corridor? Could it be... the Dark Lord has returned?"

"It can't be confirmed yet." Dumbledore let out a soft sigh. "I've only heard some rumors and found a few clues. We still need to obtain evidence."

"Obtain evidence?" Snape's eyes flickered, as if he were considering something. "Could it be related to the thief who broke into Gringotts? What was being kept in the vault?"

"An alchemical product powerful enough to attract Voldemort, something worth risking his life and making such a huge commotion for."

"It's the Philosopher's Stone! Only it could attract the Dark Lord's attention!"

"Severus, you're too perceptive... It makes it very difficult for me to continue communicating with you and share more information."

"That's your freedom, but I have to reiterate my earlier point. Hogwarts truly is 'safe'!"

Dumbledore laughed and followed Snape's words. "This kind of safety is maintained by all of us together, and it needs your help as well."

His smile resembled that of a hunter who had captured a beast. "Besides you, I'll ask the other professors to help improve Hogwarts's security."

"Perhaps I didn't come at the right time." Snape's expression darkened. "From the moment I knocked on the door, it was a mistake!"

"You came at exactly the right time." Dumbledore narrowed his eyes. "Even if you hadn't come to see me, I would have visited you myself and made this request sincerely."

"I feel like there's more to your words..." Snape grew wary. "What else are you planning to do? Have you identified the intruder?"

"It can't be confirmed for now, but there will be a moment when he gives himself away." Dumbledore gently shook his head. "It's getting late. The new academic year has already begun. Let's all do our best!"

Deep Night, a female portrait in the Headmaster's Office suddenly spoke. "Just as you predicted, someone did go to that room."

Dumbledore, who was still working, raised his head. "Wilkins, who was it?"

Wilkins said, "Quirinus Quirrell. He didn't open the door directly. Instead, he kept probing it with magic."

"As expected of a Ravenclaw. That was a very clever approach." Although Dumbledore spoke words of praise, his tone revealed an indescribable disappointment.

"That isn't his style. Things are developing in an even worse direction... The final candidate can now be confirmed." He picked up his quill and wrote the last name on the list.

The list contained not only the newly added Quirinus Quirrell, but also Minerva McGonagall, Snape, Rubeus Hagrid, and several others.

At dawn, when the first ray of sunlight shone through the window and into the dormitory, Vizet happened to open his eyes. The sounds of overlapping snores and dream mutterings echoed beside him.

His head felt completely empty, as if he had taken in too much information yet ended up unable to remember any of it.

"One, two, three... Yesterday, I maintained the 'Guardian Meditation' for at least five hours."

This was the longest he had ever maintained the "Guardian Meditation."

With the help of the Meditation Method, he had experienced a wondrous magical night, sensing everything that happened here with his entire body and soul.

The "Guardian Meditation" could restrain his emotions internally, keeping the Obscurus contained within his core;

Externally, it could heighten his perception and even increase his spellcasting speed, giving it a feeling of being equally suited for offense and defense.

The only thing he needed to pay attention to for now was the duration of its use. He could not keep his perception heightened all day yet.

There was an extra sheet of Parchment on the desk, with all the classes written inside a grid.

Vizet picked up the Class Schedule and glanced over it. Both of his classes that morning were Potions Class, while he had one History of Magic class in the afternoon.

Vizet first walked around the dormitory, absorbing the Ancient Magic Power contained within it, before heading to the washroom.

After washing up, Vizet arrived at the Common Room. He planned to review his textbooks once more, a habit he had developed in his previous life.

It was not yet seven, but quite a few people were already in the Common Room. They held all kinds of reading material in their hands, engrossively reading their books.

"Morning! Did you sleep well?" Cho Chang sat in a corner of the Common Room, her voice soft. "Are you settling in?"

"Pretty well." Vizet nodded. "I'm really looking forward to today's Potions Class and History of Magic class. They both sound very interesting."

"Looks like I'll have to pour cold water on your excitement." Cho Chang teased him. "As for these two classes... you'd better prepare yourself mentally."

"Professor Snape will appear silently behind you, so don't get startled. As for History of Magic, if you see someone sleeping, that's perfectly normal."

Vizet asked curiously, "History of Magic? Why is that?"

Cho Chang explained, "Professor Binns is the oldest professor here. He's a ghost, and supposedly the school's only History of Magic professor."

"He speaks in such a slow, drawn-out way, and that classroom is... especially comfortable. Even I occasionally fall asleep."

Vizet smiled dismissively. "That's quite amazing too."

"It's wonderful to see you so full of energy." Cho Chang smiled as well.

Vizet sat in the Common Room for a while longer. Only when his stomach began to growl did he decide to go have breakfast.

He had not gone far from the Common Room when a sudden burp reached his ears, followed by his colliding with a woman reeking of alcohol.

The woman was as thin as a bamboo pole. She wore a pair of thick, oversized black-rimmed glasses that magnified her eyes several times over.

She was covered in decorations. Countless strings of beads and chains hung around her slender neck, while all kinds of bracelets and rings adorned her bony arms. She had the classic appearance of a charlatan.

That judgment was based on his previous life, of course. After all, magic truly existed in this world.

The sky had only just brightened, and Vizet could tell that the corridor was completely empty. The woman had appeared out of thin air.

He stood up first and said calmly, "Sorry, ma'am. I didn't notice you appear."

"Burp!" The woman belched, and the nauseating stench of alcohol spread through the air. "It's fine... This is the guidance of fate."

Her voice was weak and feeble, and somewhat slurred. "Yes, I knew it long ago. I saw in my Crystal Ball that I would bump into someone this morning."

Vizet felt somewhat speechless. He had no idea what this dazed and mysterious woman had come to the school for.

"Since you're all right, I'll take my leave." Vizet gave her a brief greeting, not intending to involve himself with the woman any further.

However, the woman suddenly widened her eyes, her pupils spinning rapidly.

She opened her mouth wide, looking as though she had suffered some kind of fit.

Vizet instinctively took two steps back, but the woman followed at astonishing speed. Her fingers, like Spider legs, clamped around his arm.

The woman spoke in a harsh, saw-like voice. "O Dark Lord clad in a hero's armor, defeating the revolutionary... He has found the New Star... The New Star has made him recall the past..."

"He will pass down the armor and the sacred sword... The Dark Lord of old will return. The disguised Dark Lord must defeat the Dark Lord of old... The New Star will give the disguised Dark Lord a reason to cast off his shackles..."

"Will it be the Dark Lord of old who brings down the old fear... or will the disguised Dark Lord bring a new disaster... The future remains unknown... The New Star's gradual rise... will illuminate the road ahead..."