Where Did This Demonic Wind Come From?

Aberforth gave him a warning glance.

"Barnes, control your curiosity. The less you know about some people and things, the more secure you'll be."

After being rebuffed, Barnes rubbed his nose sheepishly, gave an awkward smile, and wisely shut his mouth, not daring to ask another question.

Aberforth wasn't in a hurry to go upstairs, leisurely tidying up the bar and attending to customers. Tom, on the second floor, was bored and started "sightseeing" in the bedroom.

He also knew his limits, not rummaging through personal belongings, but only looking at the furnishings displayed in the room.

After scanning the area, my gaze was instantly drawn to a giant Two-way Mirror on the wall.

"Wow, that's extravagant!" Tom couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement.

The Two-way Mirror Daphne gave him was only the size of a palm, making it easy to carry around.

But if this giant mirror in front of us were to be smashed and disassembled, we could easily make hundreds of regular-sized pieces. This is a top-tier collectible.

Of course, he was just imagining it; the magical rules of the Two-way Mirror were there for all to see.

Even if it shatters into pieces, the only connection is the single image on the other side; shattering it into pieces won't make a difference.

Tom raised his hand to try and activate the mirror, wanting to check what was happening on the other side.

Despite several attempts, the mirror remained completely still and unresponsive.

Either it was sealed away by layers of high-level magic, or... the opponent was already completely destroyed.

His gaze swept past the mirror and he noticed that on the other side, covered by a thick velvet cloth, the outline of a portrait was faintly visible beneath it.

With a thought, he connected remotely to the Study Space and spoke jokingly to Ariana inside.

"Guess if this is a portrait of yourself? Want to see it for yourself?"

He knew that behind this portrait lay a secret passage leading directly to Hogwarts.

Ariana, in the Study Space, was conflicted. She desperately wanted to watch, but was constrained by politeness. After hesitating for a long time, she finally responded in a barely audible whisper.

"But... is it really okay to touch other people's things without permission?" she said softly, expressing her concern.

Tom had just sighed helplessly and was about to say a few words of comfort when a sudden gust of wind rose from the ground outside the window.

The howling evening wind violently blasted open the old wooden window, and the window frame slammed against the wall with a loud bang.

A gust of wind swept into the room, directly pulling the velvet cloth covering the portrait off.

The full portrait was revealed.

Tom's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed with feigned surprise, "Wow, this luck is like a godsend! It's pure divine intervention!"

Ariana, inside the space, silently rolled her eyes dramatically.

Fate my foot! This wind is definitely someone's doing something underhanded.

She couldn't help but smile, looking at the portrait with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.

The smile on her face froze instantly the next second.

"Pfft--"

Tom, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but burst out laughing, making no attempt to hide it.

"This artist understands abstract art! This style... are you sure it's not based on a weathered, forty-year-old Ariana?"

"Tom!!!"

Ariana, inside the Study Space, instantly bristled, and a faint black mist rose around her.

She shouted angrily, "Even when I'm old, I could never be this ugly! This artist's skills are terrible!"

Noticing that the little girl was about to go on a rampage, Tom quickly suppressed his smile.

Manipulating the Study Space to suppress the restless, Obscurus energy, I hurriedly switched to a soothing mode.

"I was wrong, I was wrong!" Tom admitted at lightning speed. "It's a problem with the portrait, it has nothing to do with you!"

"You're so adorable, otherwise why would I go to all this trouble to be so good to you?"

These words are straightforward and honest, typical of someone who only cares about looks, yet they perfectly capture the young girl's feelings.

Ariana's anger subsided considerably in an instant, but the sight of the abstract portrait on the wall still made her grit her teeth in fury.

The woman in the portrait was timid and reserved. Upon seeing the stranger Tom, she immediately panicked and hid behind a large tree.

It only peeked out with half its face showing, looking cautious, weak, and pitiful.

"She's not nearly as lively as me! And she dares to act cute like that!" Ariana was consumed by jealousy, growing angrier the more she looked at her.

He wished he could unleash Reductor Curse to smash this ugly portrait to pieces, and then pay a top artist to repaint a stunning new version.

She frantically hinted to Tom, "The wind... could be a little stronger!"

Tom pretended to be clueless, feigning that he didn't understand her implied meaning.

Just kidding, if Aberforth really destroyed the portrait of his sister that he treasured, he'd probably have to replicate Gellert Grindelwald's treatment.

Hunted down by two Albus Dumbledore, Dumbledore showed mercy to Gellert Grindelwald, but he might not be so lenient towards this outsider.

Just as Ariana was still tirelessly urging him to take action, the bedroom door was suddenly pushed open from the outside.

Aberforth walked in carrying a cloth bag in one hand and a tray in the other. As soon as he looked up, he saw the naked portrait by the window, and his face instantly darkened.

Tom reacted quickly, blaming the weather. "I didn't touch anything. A gust of wind came just now, and it was too strong, so it blew you away."

Aberforth stared at the messy window and the portrait, his expression slowly calming.

In his view, no one would be so bored as to deliberately make a fuss over an old portrait.

"So what if you saw it? It's nothing."

Aberforth casually placed the cloth bag on the ground, put the tray on the table, and explained in a flat tone.

"I'm just afraid that making too much noise will frighten Ariana; she's always been afraid of strangers."

"Ariana?" Tom asked, feigning confusion.

"Ariana Albus Dumbledore"

Aberforth walked up to the portrait, and the girl in the portrait, who had been timid and hesitant, instantly revealed a gentle smile.

A gentle light appeared in his eyes as he softly introduced her, "This is my sister, and also your principal's sister. Isn't she adorable?"

Tom, with a straight face, spouted nonsense. "Not cute at all."

Aberforth changed instantly, and he swiftly drew his wand.

He stared intently at Tom, ready to unleash a curse at the outspoken brat.

Tom quickly added, "What I mean is, the portrait doesn't capture even a fraction of her cuteness!"

"The real person is absolutely well-behaved, gentle, sensible, and considerate—countless times more beautiful than her depiction in the painting!"

His tone was sincere and resolute, as if he had truly seen Ariana in person.

Aberforth's anger, which had just been ignited, dissipated.

An image of her younger sister involuntarily surfaced in her mind, and a gentle smile quietly crept onto her lips.

"What you say is true; Ariana is indeed a rare gem."

Meanwhile, Ariana in the Study Space was completely blushing and stunned.

Her face was burning hot, and she buried her face in the blanket, not daring to show her head. Her heart was pounding very fast.

So Tom really thinks highly of her?

[Ariana's popularity continues to soar! +1, +1, +1...]

In the blink of an eye, Ariana's approval rating soared past 90, firmly surpassing Gellert Grindelwald and taking a commanding lead.