This thing is way more exciting than a wand, Ezio!

After walking out of the Potions classroom, Harry suddenly realized just how...

Well, it was too late to say anything now.

Harry sighed. He had been awarded ten points in class today, but that would likely be the last time he ever earned points in Potions. Although Snape's final glare had been directed at Ezio, Harry felt as if a catastrophe was looming over his own head.

"What are you worried about?" Ezio smiled at Harry. "Snape won't give you a hard time. It's me he hates; he even grinds his teeth in hatred for me."

"But after what happened today, I don't think any professor would..."

"At the Leaky Cauldron, you met a lot of people who welcomed you warmly, right, Harry?" Ezio suddenly changed the subject.

"That... well, yes. They were all so enthusiastic, I couldn't handle it at all." Harry nodded. Recalling that scene, he still had a headache; it had been so incredibly awkward.

"But if you had the time to chat with them, you would have discovered some very interesting things." Ezio led Harry outside the castle, and the two sat on a railing.

"I did chat with them, though it was before you arrived. There are quite a few interesting people in the Leaky Cauldron. If you buy them a drink, they'll tell you many stories about the wizarding world."

"And among those people, there were even some of your parents' former classmates."

"Really?!" Harry whipped his head around, staring at Ezio's profile.

"Of course. There were no fewer students back then than there are now. Gryffindor had at least thirty people per year. Your parents were very dazzling during their time at Hogwarts. Your father was a Gryffindor Quidditch player, and your mother—she was a genius girl praised by every professor."

"I heard a lot of things about them. Do you want to hear?"

"Of course, anything at all!" Harry said, somewhat eagerly.

"Then let's start with your father. He was a troublemaker, a very traditional Gryffindor. He loved adventure, enjoyed wandering at night, and was keen on breaking school rules while trying hard not to get caught. Back then, he was a headache for many professors. Along with him were three others: Sirius Black, who was like a brother to him; Remus Lupin, who was excellent in both character and learning but had a frail body; and their little follower, the cowardly Peter Pettigrew."

"The four of them formed a prank group at school called the Marauders."

"That sounds a bit terrible." Harry grimaced and said, "Why do I get the feeling my father was a bully when he was at school?"

"Isn't that the norm for Gryffindor? Using pranks to mess with others, just like how some idiots in Slytherin like to use their fists to do the talking. They're both house specialties."

"Fair enough, that makes sense." Harry could only shrug at this. Based on what he knew of Hogwarts so far, that statement was indeed accurate. "Then what about my mother?"

"Your mother was beautiful and smart. Both professors and other students held her in high regard. Your eyes are the same emerald green as hers."

"I've heard people tell me that."

"But you definitely haven't heard that Professor Snape actually knew your mother before they came to school. Before she was with your father, her relationship with Snape... well, it should be said it was quite good. Some people saw them talking together and such."

"Is... that so?" Harry looked somewhat incredulous.

"Yes. An excellent Gryffindor girl and a Slytherin boy talking together isn't very common. But Snape back then wasn't like he is now. He was bullied terribly at school, and the person who told me this also gave me a piece of explosive information."

"Oh?" Harry pricked up his ears, looking at Ezio with a gossipy expression.

"Snape was once hung upside down by your father and had his pants pulled down in front of many people. It was your mother who stopped your father's actions. But surprisingly, Snape and your mother, who used to chat together, had absolutely no contact after that. Even stranger, your mother, who had never liked your father before, started dating him in their seventh year, married him the second year after graduation, and then had you."

"How is that possible!" Harry almost jumped off the railing. "That makes no sense! My mother stopped that incident back then, so shouldn't Snape..."

"Perhaps because he lost all face in front of the girl he liked, he did something hopelessly stupid."

Ezio said this, and Harry fell silent after hearing it.

"But we don't know the specific circumstances; only the people involved do. But don't be stupid enough to ask about this; Snape will tear you apart."

"I'm not that foolish." Harry scratched his hair. He couldn't figure these things out at all, so he decided not to think about it.

"But it's clear that Snape feels guilty toward your mother. Asphodel symbolizes death and eternal rest, and Wormwood refers to bitterness and sorrow. He is telling you that he expresses grief and regret for your mother's death. Perhaps he regrets that he shouldn't have let go at that time or something similar."

"Bezoar represents protection and salvation. As your mother's child, he doesn't want you to be harmed, and Wolfsbane represents caution and danger. He is reminding you to pay attention to your own safety."

"At the Sorting Ceremony, he was also very concerned about you, Harry. When you were sorted into Slytherin, he almost jumped up. Maybe you didn't look closely, but I did."

"So that was... how it was?" Harry said softly, seemingly understanding a little more.

"So, even for your mother's sake, Snape won't give you a hard time. As for me, I don't care if Snape gives me a hard time, because he definitely will."

"When Snape came for a home visit during my enrollment, I almost slit his throat." Ezio grinned. "It's only natural that he doesn't like me."

"Huh?!" Harry seemed to have heard something truly incredible.

"Take a look at this." Ezio reached into his pocket and pulled out a compact MP5SD suppressed submachine gun. "Want to fire a few rounds? It's the real deal."

Tapping the barrel with his wand, Ezio chambered a round.

"Are you sure you need to carry this thing around while at school?"

Harry's eyes widened as he cautiously took the heavy, real weapon.

"Won't this cause trouble?" Harry asked again, carefully.

"I cast a Silencing Charm on it. This thing is completely suppressed now. Just shoot at the ground, unless someone is burrowing underground."

"Oh! Awesome!"

Instantly perking up, Harry learned how to aim, disengage the safety, and fire under Ezio's guidance. He pulled the trigger, muzzle flashes flared, and countless sprays of dirt kicked up from the ground where he had aimed.

"This thing is way more exciting than a wand, Ezio!"

Harry reluctantly handed back the submachine gun after emptying the magazine.

"But if a wizard is prepared in advance, a Shield Charm can block all bullets. Whether it's magic or firearms, they both have their strengths and weaknesses. The combination of technology and magic is the right choice to play to one's strengths and avoid weaknesses. That's also why I said those things to Snape earlier—the things that sounded so rebellious."

"Wizards really need to change. They always try to live in the Middle Ages or even earlier. It's a regression—a regression of culture and civilization. It's shameful."

"A simple cleaning charm could clear the fungal carpet off the floor of the Leaky Cauldron, yet have you ever seen a wizard do it?"

Harry shook his head; he had vivid memories of the filth in the Leaky Cauldron.

"That is to say, the vast majority of wizards in the magical world are lazy, stagnant, and dead to the past. But Hogwarts, where we are, is the place most likely to bring about change. Whether it's Snape or the other professors, at least they have enough intelligence to think correctly about what is right."

"But you seemed to go a bit too far today," Harry said, speaking the truth. "Snape is going to hate you for this."

"If I had spoken to him obediently and politely, he wouldn't have paid any attention at all. I believe he needs to be slapped awake by the facts. But if he doesn't intend to change, then I'll just have to skip Potions and study on my own. Compared to Transfiguration and Charms, self-studying Potions is much less difficult. Potions is complex, but it has rules to follow, unlike Transfiguration and Charms. Those two subjects are truly disciplines based on experience. Magic is something that cannot be quantified; idealistic things are just too abstract. Science cannot explain everything, at least not yet."

"You're doing all this..." Harry thought for a moment, a realization dawning on him, "...actually so that you can master the power magic can bring you faster and more efficiently, right?"

"Smart, Harry. After all, I've been impatient for a long time. Every bit of delay means fewer clues I can find. It's been nearly two months since Giovanni died. He must have started to rot by now. Damn it all to hell!"

Ezio cursed, his heart truly heavy with the matter.

Harry gradually began to understand what Ezio had been doing lately. Although he couldn't fully grasp his intentions, he understood Ezio's ultimate goal.

Even if some of the methods seemed inappropriate in Harry's eyes, he could understand the sentiment behind them.

"So, can we learn scientific potion-making now?"

Suddenly, Harry remembered the reason Ezio had brought him out.

"Of course, but learning this isn't difficult. The only challenge is that we must learn how to mix magic with the potion without using a wand to stir it."

"Remember the Transfiguration class, right, Harry?"

"Yeah, of course, that was this morning's class."

"In Transfiguration, aren't we learning to master how to let magic drill out of our bodies through our wands?"

"It's just that we don't want to let this magic wrap around something, but rather control it to fuse with the potion. The steps for scientific potion-making are foolproof. Once you solve the problem of magic, the rest is not a problem at all."

"In other words..." Harry suddenly realized, his face showing surprise, "When I was practicing Transfiguration, I was actually learning Potions?"

"Substitute practice. The relationship between them is very close. What Potions lacks is the control of magic, and coincidentally, Transfiguration is the same."

"Then shall we start now?"

"You can start by practicing turning a wooden stick into a needle." Ezio waved his wand to summon a broken twig from the ground, then cut it into small sticks the size of toothpicks. "Someone is looking for me; I should have a word with him."

"Who?"

Harry looked around, but he didn't see anyone at all.

"Professor Dumbledore, your Disillusionment Charm is truly superb."

Ezio said to a certain Translucent figure behind him.

"Actually, it's an Invisibility Cloak."

Dumbledore suddenly revealed himself. "I heard about what happened in your Potions class, and of course, I also brought this to give to Harry."

Dumbledore held up a silvery cloak that looked like liquid. "This is the Invisibility Cloak your father lent me to study. I believe it should be returned to you now, Harry."

"But how did you discover me?" Dumbledore asked, looking at Ezio with curiosity.

"People make noise when they walk, and they also stir up the wind."

Ezio pointed to his ears. "I accidentally heard a familiar set of footsteps."

"This is my father's Invisibility Cloak?" Harry took the light, incredibly soft and smooth silver cloak.

"Yes, it is a very precious magical treasure. As long as you hide behind this Invisibility Cloak, no magic can detect you."

"Unless you make the sound of footsteps, just like me."

Dumbledore nodded at Harry, then looked to the side. Ezio stood up and walked away with him.

Passing through the corridor outside the castle, Dumbledore led Ezio through a small secret passage that led directly to the eighth floor of the Gryffindor tower, the floor where the Headmaster's office was located.

"There's actually an elevator in Hogwarts, even if it is magically powered."

"People will always spend effort on being lazy. Compared to walking up stairs, an elevator is indeed a great way to slack off."

Dumbledore smiled as he spoke. "Magic has brought too much convenience to the wizarding world. In daily life, it can satisfy almost all of people's needs. The progress of the world comes from people's endless desires and yearning for the unknown, doesn't it? I must admit that wizards are indeed inferior to Muggles in this regard."

He pushed open the door to the Headmaster's office and led Ezio inside.

"Because wizards have too many things, and this burden of happiness has crushed their bodies and stopped their progress. Laziness is also an innate human nature."

Ezio sat in the chair opposite Dumbledore and said calmly.

"Indeed." Dumbledore sighed slightly. "Everything has its two sides, or even multiple sides. We cannot simply look at something from one perspective; that is narrow-minded."

"So, are you choosing to support my ideas?"

"Why not? I cannot find a reason to refute you, because what you are doing is generally positive and beneficial to Hogwarts, the students, and even the professors. From the perspective of the Headmaster of Hogwarts, I think this is a good thing."

"Although from my personal perspective, your methods are a bit extreme, I cannot overly blame a child who is trying hard to do something meaningful and good."

"Including the one in the Slytherin common room?"

"Hmm..." Dumbledore pondered for a moment. "Do you know? Last night, the past Headmasters of Hogwarts had an argument here, especially Headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black. He firmly believes that it is correct to drive the idiots and fools out of Slytherin, but this matter cannot be done by you."

"Because I'm Muggle-born?" Ezio shrugged, then turned to look at the past Headmasters of Hogwarts staying in their frames.

"The Sorting Hat said you were a terrible old man, and I completely agree with that now."

"Silencio!"

Ezio whipped out his wand with a swift motion, silencing the headmaster who had only just opened his mouth and hadn't even managed to utter a single syllable. The man was so furious that he began jumping up and down within his portrait frame, shouting something with exaggerated gestures and intense emotion.

"Oh, you've really done it now, you've killed the old hat," the Sorting Hat remarked from atop the cupboard, opening its mouth. "But I won't deny that this fellow was a truly terrible headmaster. Back in the day, he actually threw me onto the floor quite roughly and even stepped on me! And I was once worn by Gryffindor himself!"

Currently at 91/100 investments. I would appreciate it if you kind readers could lend a hand and click; the bonus chapter for tomorrow is already prepared.