First Meditation

The holiday passed quickly, though it had not been long to begin with—no matter what a holiday was like, it was always too short when school was waiting.

At the beginning of January, Hogwarts, quiet for several days, became bustling once more. The students had finished their Christmas break and returned to school. The next holiday would not come until Easter.

Ron sat upright, waiting for class to begin.

The seriousness with which he now treated Professor He's lessons made Harley and Hermione feel as though he had become a different person.

He arrived twenty minutes early for every class, and after class, he would compare his notes against the blackboard to see whether he had made any mistakes.

His dormitory, the dining hall, the classroom, and the library formed the four points of his daily route. His twin older brothers complained bitterly behind his back that there was another Percy in the family, but Ron acted as though he had heard nothing.

Ever since he had scored ninety-seven on the exam, he had received an unprecedented level of enthusiasm from his mother when he went home.

During those days at home, he practically felt as though he only had to hold out his hands for clothes and open his mouth for food.

His mother used to wake him every morning, but now no one bothered him even if he slept until eleven. She even thoughtfully prepared hot meals for him—not leftovers, but food specially made for him, and lots of it.

He ate so much beef that his lips broke out in blisters. Not to mention the Christmas presents, none of which were alike.

Oh. So this was the wonderful thing about studying?

Ron Weasley secretly decided that, if he wanted to keep enjoying this special treatment, he had to work even harder than before.

At the very least, he had to be better than Fred and George—he had to stay better than them.

Back to the matter at hand, He Shenyan entered the classroom at exactly nine in the morning. Not a minute early, not a second late.

He looked around the classroom, then suddenly smiled. "How was everyone's Christmas?"

After receiving a chorus of satisfactory answers, he pressed both hands downward to signal for the students to quiet down.

Then he said, "Just as I said before, after the Christmas break, we will begin our first meditation training. I have already taught you all the basic theoretical knowledge, and you have learned it very well. Especially Mr. Ron Weasley, who came first in the last exam. Please give him a round of applause."

Ron listened to the applause with his face blazing red. Harley silently jabbed him with her elbow. Ron could no longer keep a straight face. He bared his teeth as he rubbed his ribs, but his face blossomed into a grin. Hermione, however, became somewhat sullen.

"Of course, before we begin meditation, I must remind you all of its dangers. Since you must completely immerse yourself in your soul to find that mysterious little palace, it is very easy to lose yourself during the process. I hope none of you will secretly practice on your own. In three days, we will add a meditation training class. There will be dedicated training sessions every Wednesday and Fridays afternoon. So please do not train privately."

He paused, emphasizing his next words. "You will not die, but you will become a mindless idiot. Understand? Your body will still be alive, but your soul will be lost."

"Now then, please have Mr. Ron Weasley come forward and demonstrate for us."

Ron stood up nervously and walked onto the platform.

He Shenyan produced a blanket from nowhere and laid it on the floor, then had him sit cross-legged. Quiet laughter came from among the students, but He Shenyan merely glanced calmly in that direction, and the laughter vanished.

He softly told the uneasy Ron, "There is no need to be nervous, Mr. Weasley. Just follow my instructions. This process is quite interesting. Relax, all right?"

Ron nodded.

He Shenyan took a bottle of potion from the podium and opened it. A refreshing fragrance drifted out.

Ron's heart tightened. He knew this was a calming potion used to aid meditation. He quickly closed his eyes as he had been taught in theory class. He Shenyan's voice seemed to come from the moon. "Imagine the place where you feel safest. It can be anywhere."

Ron's room appeared in his mind. Posters of his favorite Seekers covered the walls and the back of the door, and some of them were already worn and torn.

The wardrobe was yellow and constantly creaked. The floorboards were old, but they were also very shiny. There was a carpet beneath his bed.

Ron opened his eyes and discovered that he was actually standing in his room at home. Everything felt real and believable, yet it was filled with a hazy sense of unreality. He felt his body growing lighter and lighter until he began to float, his head touching the ceiling.

"Do not indulge yourself, Mr. Weasley! You are here to seek the truth, not to wallow in a comfortable, safe corner!"

Ron opened his eyes. His floating body suddenly plunged downward. He smashed through the floor and fell between the broken Wooden Boards, dropping straight into boundless darkness. His consciousness shifted back and forth between Lucidity and sleep, while all kinds of blurry images flashed past.

At one moment, he felt as though he were inside the sun, his tongue blistering from the heat. The next, he felt as though he were in the ocean, nearly drowning while enormous creatures swam past him. Then He Shenyan's voice appeared again. "Wake up!"

His lowered head snapped back. He looked as though he had just been pulled from the water, and his entire body was soaked through.

His wet red hair hung over his forehead. Hermione and Harley watched him anxiously. A finger appeared before his eyes and waved back and forth as he heard the professor ask with concern, "How many is this?"

"One." He was still dazed.

Four fingers rose again. "How many is this?"

"...Five?"

"Not bad. You do not seem to have any serious problems."

He Shenyan smiled.

He pulled Ron up from the mat and asked, "How did it feel? Do not be afraid to describe any problems. Everyone's meditation experience is different. Although this attempt failed, you only need to tell us what you felt."

"Uh, at first I was in my room, and then I started floating. Professor, your voice appeared, and I began falling. I smashed through the floor, but beneath it was darkness. I kept falling in there, and I saw some very strange things..."

As he spoke, Ron's complexion gradually regained its color. He even asked impatiently, "Can I try again, Professor?"

"Of course. Not. What are you thinking, Mr. Weasley? There are still so many people waiting. Go back to your seat. After class today, get some proper rest and eat something sweet to replenish your energy."

That was what He Shenyan told him. Ron obediently returned to his seat and sat there with a blank expression, his mind still replaying those mad images. He did not even hear Hermione and Harley's quiet questions.

He Shenyan continued, "Please have Mr. Neville Longbottom come forward."

Neville walked onto the platform with a pale face. He Shenyan had him sit cross-legged as well, and the fragrant potion gradually relaxed him. He Shenyan said again, "Mr. Longbottom, please close your eyes and relax, all right?"

Neville did as instructed. His consciousness gradually sank and sank, all the way down to his home. The home from when his father and mother were still Lucid.

Neville let out a scream and fainted.

He Shenyan frowned. He announced that class was over, then hurried out the door with Neville in his arms, leaving behind a crowd of first-year young wizards buzzing with discussion.

These are the two updates I owed from yesterday. Also, please vote.