Star Child

Mid-August, Hogwarts School, fifth floor.

The librarian, Irma Pince, was a somewhat thin woman who had worked at Hogwarts for over twenty years. Her skin had a pale complexion from working year-round in the sunless library.

In contrast to this was her deep, full voice, brimming with energy.

"This is the office Dumbledore has arranged for you, Mr. Jones," she said.

Mu En's voice emerged from the dim corridor, followed by a figure with a cat's head.

Mu En had considered it for a while. Since he was at Hogwarts and surrounded by wizards, he decided not to hide his appearance anymore.

Just like Porco.

He was a little surprised, "I get an office too?"

Pince explained, "Of course. Hogwarts has ample rooms and classrooms. All professors and staff have their own offices and dormitories."

As she spoke, she handed him a brass key. "Would you like to see your future residence first, or learn about your work content?"

Mu En took the key. "Let me see the library first."

Upon hearing this, she turned and walked quickly. "The library is on the fifth floor, just one wall away from you. By the way, can you repair books?"

Mu En followed her, saying, "I know a little. Of course, if they are ancient texts containing unique Dark Magic, it might be a bit troublesome."

Pince couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief upon hearing this. "That's wonderful. Honestly, some children really don't know how to take care of books.

Seeing those books gradually age and have their pages fall out in the hands of generations of young people, I truly feel heartbroken sometimes!"

"I completely understand. Books are carriers of knowledge, and knowledge is the least that should be defiled," Mu En agreed, nodding.

Pince shook her head repeatedly, full of regret. "Yes, although I strictly demand they take care of them, I can't keep an eye on everyone all the time. This also leads to many books being discovered damaged when it's already too late to restore them with spells."

Mu En could feel that Pince's words would become much longer whenever she talked about books.

Perhaps this couldn't be described as just taking care of books anymore.

It should be called respect; she respected those books.

Turning a corner, led by her, Mu En soon entered the Hogwarts library.

Bookshelves, two to three people high, were arranged in neat rows. On brass plates outside the shelves were various classifications. Transfiguration, Charms, History of Magic, Magical Creatures...

Pince put her hands on her hips and proudly introduced, "This is the library with the richest collection in all of Europe. We even have 'Transfiguration Today' from its first issue to the present.

Don't let these books seem small on the shelves; it's because they've been subjected to the Shrinking Charm for storage. As soon as you take them off the shelf, they will quickly return to their original size."

As she spoke, she led Mu En towards the depths of the library.

"Regarding work, it's mainly about watching these young wizards and keeping them in line when they're noisy.

I'll be responsible for book borrowing.

You don't need to worry about cleaning either; house-elves come to clean every night."

"Hogwarts has house-elves?!" Mu En was somewhat surprised. "A History of Hogwarts" didn't mention this.

"Yes, but most people don't see them. A house-elf that isn't discovered is a good house-elf!" Pince nodded.

"Alright, it seems, just as Dumbledore said, this job... is quite idle!"

"And repairing books!" Pince reminded him.

Mu En couldn't help but chuckle. "I will. When I used to plunder... collect books, I often encountered damaged ancient books. So, without being too modest, I'm quite skilled at repairing books!"

Pince heard the confidence in Mu En's voice and was genuinely happy, nodding. "That's really great. In that case, I won't disturb you further.

You can go and arrange your office now. Of course, you can also wander around Hogwarts if you wish."

Mu En nodded and returned to the front of his office, opening his own office door with the brass key.

The spacious office contained only a brand-new desk and chair; there was nothing else.

It was completely empty.

Mu En glanced around casually and saw a curtain behind the office. Walking through it led to a short corridor, no more than a meter or two long, with another wooden door at the end.

Opening the door, he found a bedroom and a private bathroom.

After checking that everything was in order, Mu En closed the door again and took out a piece of Silver Chalk.

"Should I inform Dumbledore..." Mu En suddenly thought of this. He could feel the omnipresent magic arrays throughout the castle.

Complex, varied, and seamlessly integrated.

"Never mind, I'll try it first..."

With that thought, holding the Silver Chalk, he drew a somewhat distorted star rune on the door.

Although Lucifer always spoke of things like demons, in reality, both he and Calcifer, who had a contract with Hal, were Star Children who did not wish to perish.

Once the rune was drawn, Mu En gently placed his hand in the center of the star rune and began to activate the array.

The next moment, overflowing starlight splashed out from the lines of the star rune, like brilliant sparks and embers.

The wooden door began to vibrate uncontrollably, the sound of banging echoing from here and spreading into the hallway.

Mu En's robes fluttered in an unseen wind, yet his figure remained light as he stood before the door.

The starlight faded after a moment.

He slowly opened the door, and upon looking again, he saw that the first floor of Moonlight Castle had changed before his eyes.

Lucifer extended from the fireplace and shook his head bitterly, "This castle is like a living thing... we really can't coexist."

As he spoke, the gaps between the door frame began to crack and stretch inch by inch.

Mu En nodded, "I'll go ask Dumbledore."

As he spoke, the distance between him and the room began to stretch, and with a bang, space distorted.

Moonlight Castle was once again expelled from this place.

Mu En scratched his head helplessly, walked out of the office, and looked at the oil paintings on the corridor walls...

He greeted a girl in a green dress who was having a picnic, "Hello, sorry to bother you. Do you know where Dumbledore's office is?"

"The gargoyle on the third floor is the entrance to the Headmaster's office." She stood up and slightly lifted her skirt in response, then asked, "Are you a new teacher?"

"Not really, just a handyman," Mu En replied.

"Then I'll take you. Hogwarts' corridors are a bit complicated and change all the time."

"Won't that delay your picnic?" Mu En asked.

The girl showed an embarrassed smile, "I've been picnicking for one hundred and thirty-five years."

"Uh... alright, thank you for your trouble."

With that, the girl went through the picture frame first, moving to a painting of a church prayer next door, and waved slightly, "This way!"

The plump monk leading the prayer held his Bible, his face full of anger, "Heavens, Cendrillon, don't make a scene in church!!"

"Hehe." The girl jumped, then quickly ran to the next picture frame, which was a huge portrait as tall as a person, and her figure also became as tall as a normal person.

At the same time, she also greeted the old man in ancient formal attire posing in the painting, "Sir Earnest, good noon."

"Cendrillon, good afternoon!" The Knight replied with a smile, nodding slightly.

Mu En followed her, watching her cheerfully greet everyone in the paintings they passed, while constantly reminding himself which way to go.

"You're very lively," Mu En praised.

Cendrillon stood in a golden wheat field, borrowed a straw hat from a gleaner and put it on her head, laughing, "Lively? I'm sorry, I don't quite understand."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I don't understand what 'lively' means. My artist gave me everything; under his brush, I should be like this. For me, this is just my instinct. Good noon, Madam Liane!"

"Do you have memories?" Mu En asked again.

"Of course, but not many. I can only remember things within a few weeks."

"Then can you think?"

Cendrillon's eyes curved, and she showed a sly smile, "Guess why I offered to take you to the entrance of the Headmaster's office on the third floor."

As they spoke, they quickly arrived at the gargoyle on the third floor.

"I'll go up and announce you. If permitted, I will bring the password."

After leaving her last sentence, she disappeared.

"That... Mr. Cat!" Suddenly, a somewhat panicked voice spoke. Mu En looked in the direction of the voice and saw a knight fighting a dragon speaking.

"What is it?"

The knight raised his hand and stopped the dragon, "Wait a moment!"

Then he turned around, panting slightly, "You should stay away from that girl."

"Why?" Mu En asked, somewhat strangely.

"As a painting, she has gradually started to cross boundaries," the knight said.

"Cross boundaries?"

"Yes, people have their boundaries, and so do those in paintings. You should stay away from her. Paintings that cross boundaries bring bad luck."

"What does that mean..."

"Sorry, it's hard to explain. It's something between us paintings."

After speaking, the knight turned around and beckoned to the giant red dragon, "Let's begin!"

The red dragon nodded, then breathed out flames. The knight hurriedly raised his shield