Acromantula-Dragon in the [Shadows]

"That was incredibly rude, Nick, turning away our guests just for the sake of your crackpot theory."

The voice sounded like it belonged to a girl, clear and sweet.

And, as it happened, a girl appeared, her black hair braided into pigtails.

She wasn't a conventionally beautiful girl. Her eyes drooped at the corners, her nose was flat, and her mouth was wide, but together these features gave her a peculiar charm.

"That is not a crackpot theory, Perenelle." Nick, who looked more like a girl's father, pouted childishly after she appeared. "I've tested it. As long as you get more than seven miles above the ground, the [Gaze] weakens as you ascend."

"Please, come in, you two," Perenelle said.

"Yes." Gemma looked awkward, almost leaning against Harry.

Harry's attention, though, was focused more on the cauldron in the middle of the room.

Only after entering the room did he get a proper look at it.

He realized that it seemed more like an engine shaped like a cauldron.

A transparent crystal canopy, a periscope connected to the glowing dome, an exquisite steering wheel, and a device beneath the high-backed chair that looked like bicycle pedals...

Its purpose was obvious.

"This is the control panel for the 'Ant Nest'!" Nicolas Flamel's voice rose several decibels. "Leaving our little house and packing it into a pocket to move would be too much trouble. This is more fun, too."

"And we can observe the neighbors without even leaving the house."

As he spoke, he had already settled into the high-backed chair and pulled a lever that seemed to be made of fish bones.

The gleaming silver periscope turned, and an image appeared on the wall, which was covered in white roots.

At the edge of the image, a green-and-gold jewel beetle with a metallic sheen hurried past. The breeze from its wings sent a few tiny blades of grass fluttering like fallen leaves.

"This is a close-up view. I can also—" Nick hurriedly shut his mouth and stopped what he was doing.

Perenelle had already come to Nick's side, arms crossed and an unhappy look on her face.

"I almost forgot you were supposed to be on a date." Nick rose sheepishly and headed to the left side of the room.

There was a shelf built into a hollow in the wall, like a peanut that had been scooped out and fitted with dividers.

It was packed with little crystal bottles full of colorful liquids, metal discs, tiny silver scales, and all kinds of tools made from bird bones and fish spines.

He took down an object like a pair of goggles and put it on.

"Why don't we get straight to the point?"

He looked at Harry.

"Albus wasn't lying to me..."

"Your blood, your limbs, even your shadow are all coursing with unusual magic."

"Extremely powerful magic."

"Your right arm seems not to exist in the magical spectrum. Your life field seems to naturally suppress the life around you..."

"No, wait. There's life incubating in your shadow. No, a dragon!"

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!"

Nicolas Flamel seemed like a different person. No longer gentle and refined, he spat as he bounced around like a monkey.

[Retirement Rejection of a Six-Dynasty Veteran] complete. 100 experience points, Gold Magic Knowledge 1, and Gold Talent Entry 1 received.

Huh?

How did I complete it?

Harry was very surprised.

But what surprised him even more was that Nicolas Flamel could detect [Shadow].

A combination of Dark Magic power brewed from negative emotions, [Dark Qi], and [Desperate Path of the Big-Headed Hairy Monster].

He could even sense the Acromantula-Dragon within it.

Of course, the Acromantula-Dragon was still inside the wooden enclosure Dumbledore had enchanted.

It all went back to the Big-Headed Hairy Monster.

It was also known as the Russian Demon, and looked like a gray stone about the size of a watermelon.

The so-called [Desperate Path] was actually a [Negative Energy Space] inside its body.

It was simultaneously its eyes, mouth, and stomach.

It hunted by projecting its [Negative Energy Space] ahead of itself to create a [Desperate Path]. It would follow its prey, making it step onto the path until it was exhausted and fell into despair.

Then it would retract the [Desperate Path], manifesting a pitch-black mouth on the ground to [Swallow] its prey.

It seemed powerful, but it was too weak.

In fact, the Big-Headed Hairy Monster often came to grief. Even Muggles could drive it off with a kick if they discovered it.

But the Gold Grade [Desperate Path] had now merged completely with Harry's mind, his negative emotions, and the shadow cast by [Dark Qi].

Even though he hadn't yet drawn the Shadow Corps spell, Harry's shadow had already begun to develop the ability to nurture life.

Human emotions could naturally brew [Non-Existence].

In fact, a Patronus was [Non-Existence] brewed from positive emotions, though few wizards could keep one around permanently.

And that was without adding [Dark Qi].

The Acromantula-Dragon, a genuine Dark Magic Creature, made the perfect template.

A [Shadow] that had nurtured life could also provide stronger, more stable Dark Magic power.

It was much like forming a [Nascent Soul] through cultivation.

But that was exactly what made Nicolas Flamel so astonishing.

"Are you surprised?" Nicolas Flamel said with a smile. "Looks like the rumors were true. The Boy Who Lived really does wield stronger Dark Magic than Voldemort."

[Ding, ding, ding! This rotten old geezer dares question the Savior Lord's legitimacy! Prove it to him with undeniable facts and blind his muddy old eyes!]

[Reward: 10 experience points, Silver Magic Knowledge 1]

"The brighter the light, the darker the shadow." Harry returned his grin with a sunny smile.

Gandalf's Flash Spell activated!

The holy light of the Maiar from another world combined with [Righteous Qi].

At that moment, brilliant light shone all around Harry, like the blazing sun.

It illuminated even the shadows, leaving nothing but light.

"Ah, my glasses!"

With a crack, the lenses of Nicolas Flamel's "goggles" fractured.

"That was only part of the truth," Harry said gently. "The darkness you saw was merely a reflection of my dazzling light."

"The darkness you see is merely a reflection of my dazzling light!"

"That's brilliant!"

"How dare a mere Nicolas Flamel slander Harry!"

It was now the following afternoon. Neville muttered to himself as he wrote it down in [Potter's Quotations].

[Ding, ding, ding! [Glory of the Savior] quest complete. Reward: Bronze Magic Knowledge.]

"He's just too old, with too narrow a view," Harry said.

"So, in the end... did you two go on a date or not? Did Nicolas Flamel agree or not?" Hermione and Draco asked in unison.

"Hmph, women." Ron was suddenly brimming with confidence. "Hermione, you may be better at studying than I am, but you still have a narrow view. You don't know how to focus on the Greater Good."

"How foolish, Granger. They already spent the night out together, and all you care about is whether it was a date." Draco sneered.

Hermione ignored him completely and stared straight at Harry.

"Maybe we did, maybe we didn't. It all depends on what you consider a date, Hermione," Harry said calmly. "As for Nicolas Flamel, he's more than happy to contribute to the Space Program."

"Brilliant!" Ron exclaimed. "I'm definitely going to keep a frog from the moon in my fish tank!"

"Your idea of the Greater Good is a frog?" Hermione scoffed.

"Wait, Ron." Harry suddenly thought of something. "Isn't there a particularly round purple stone in your fish tank, with red spots shaped like maple leaves?"

"Yeah, I found it in the grass."