Wheelchair War God Speedruns Hogwarts Chapter 22

In the original story, the Three-Headed Dog was a magical creature Hagrid had raised to guard the Philosopher's Stone. Its only weakness was that music could lull it into a deep sleep.

Perhaps next time, she could try taming it again while it was drowsy.

Vera gently closed her eyes. The Magic Circuit slowly circulated within her body, displaying the Resonance Value that had appeared during the battle.

With the battle over, this portion of Resonance Value had also finished converting.

Twenty-five points of Resonance Value, once converted, raised her maximum mana by five points. Her Magic Circuit experience had also risen from sixty-two to eighty-seven, leaving Control · Beginner Rank within reach.

At first, Vela had thought that the experience she gained through constantly studying and practicing spells was already fast enough. She had not expected battle-earned experience to be so absurdly plentiful.

Beating up Malfoy alone had brought such gains. In the future, she definitely needed to make this sort of activity routine and systematic, striving to increase her strength quickly and restore her legs as soon as possible.

After the initial excitement faded, endless exhaustion washed over her. Vera's breathing gradually steadied.

She unconsciously curled up, hugging Nox a little tighter.

The kitten purred comfortably in her arms, its warm body rising and falling with each breath.

On Saturday morning, as sunlight streamed through the window into the dormitory, Hermione was already fully dressed and sitting at her desk, flipping through her textbooks.

Vera wheeled herself to the window and saw Harry sleeping soundly with a pillow in her arms, her messy black hair scattered across her face.

"Should we wake her?" Hermione turned and asked softly. "Hagrid's tea gathering is this morning, and she still has Quidditch practice afterward."

Clearly, Hermione had already figured out Harry's entire schedule.

Vera gently shook her head. "Let her sleep a little longer. She spent too much energy last night, and she'll need to save her strength for Quidditch practice later."

She wheeled herself over to Harry's bed and gently brushed the loose strands of hair away from the girl's face.

Harry wrinkled her nose in her sleep and rubbed against her pillow like a kitten, but she did not wake up.

Hermione seemed to notice something. She looked strangely at Vela's profile. "Vela... why do I sometimes feel like you treat Harry..."

"What is it?" Vera withdrew her hand and turned to Hermione as if nothing had happened.

Hermione hesitated, seemingly choosing her words. "It's just... sometimes, it feels like you pay especially close attention to Harry."

After the room fell into an unusual silence, Vela's eyelashes cast faint shadows in the morning light. Only after a long while did she say, "She's the Chosen One. The entire wizarding world pays attention to her."

Hermione frowned. "That's not what I meant, but... um... I can't explain how it's different."

At the very least, she could tell that most people around them looked at Harry with curiosity or eager interest. There were also people like Malfoy, who deliberately put on disdainful, contemptuous airs.

But Vela was different. Although eleven-year-old Hermione could not yet put that feeling into words, a girl's intuition told her that Vela regarded Harry in a particularly different way.

That conclusion sometimes left Hermione, caught within their three-person friendship, at a loss.

After all, strictly speaking, Hermione Granger had not made any friends in primary school. When it came to friendship, her understanding was almost completely blank.

Yet because of that, she found herself unconsciously wanting to pay even more attention to these two hard-won friends by her side.

Vera fell silent for a moment, then suddenly asked softly, "Hermione, what kind of person do you think Harry is?"

Hermione froze for a moment. After thinking for a while, she answered, "She's very brave, and very kind. Although she's a little impulsive sometimes, she's always willing to help others... Why?"

"Nothing." Vera turned her wheelchair toward the window. "I was just curious about what you thought."

Hermione still wanted to ask more, but she was interrupted by sudden movement from the bed.

"Mmm... what time is it?" Harry groggily opened her eyes, her glasses hanging crookedly on her nose and her black hair as messy as a bird's nest.

"Half past nine." Hermione immediately turned to her. "You promised to have tea with Hagrid at ten, and you have Quidditch practice afterward."

Harry abruptly sat up. "What? I overslept!"

She jumped out of bed in a panic, grabbed her school robes, and pulled them on. "Hermione! Why didn't you wake me earlier?"

Hermione helplessly spread her hands. "Vera said to let you sleep a little longer..."

Harry's movements paused. She turned to look at Vela, a flicker of hesitation passing through her green eyes, but they quickly regained their usual brightness. "Then I'll go wash up now! I'll be quick!"

She grabbed her toiletries and rushed into the bathroom, leaving Hermione and Vela smiling at each other.

"Oh, right," Harry asked, sticking her head out while squeezing toothpaste onto her brush. "Vera, are you really not coming with us? I can carry you!"

"Don't be silly." Vera spoke gently. "Hagrid's hut is so far away, and you need to save your strength for practice afterward... Go on. Remember to say hello to Hagrid for me."

After Harry and Hermione left, the dormitory finally became quiet.

Vera wheeled herself to the window and watched the two girls cross the lawn toward Hagrid's hut.

Nox lightly jumped onto the windowsill, amber eyes watching her owner.

"I should be leaving too." Vera softly spoke, then turned her wheelchair and left the room.

Fifth-Year Transfer Student

As soon as she entered the common room, she saw quite a few students who had already returned from breakfast gathered in twos and threes, discussing something.

As Vela wheeled past, she vaguely caught words like "Malfoy," "night wandering," "detention," and "points deducted."

It seemed last night's events had already spread.

Vera did not stop. She passed straight through the common room and arrived at an abandoned classroom on the third floor.

With a flick of her wand, she pushed open the window. The sunlight outside was just right, and a breeze brushed through her silver-gray hair, bringing rare refreshment.

"Peeves." Vera spoke lazily. "Come out. I know you're nearby."

A head popped out from the ceiling. Peeves appeared upside down above the window frame, watching her warily. "You said you wouldn't use that strange magic on me!"

Vera gently shook her head. "I'm not here to cause you trouble. I still have to thank you for your cooperation last night."

Peeves flipped through the air and grinned smugly. "Peeves keeps his word! That little brat from the Malfoy family was caught red-handed by Filch. I heard Snape made him scrub potion bottles for a whole month! And twenty points were deducted!"

The corners of Vela's lips lifted slightly. "Besides that, I wanted to ask you about something..."

Her fingertips lightly brushed the wall bricks, and a golden pattern quietly seeped into the ancient stone. "I want to know something... about this castle."

The relaxed expression Peeves had only just regained instantly turned wary again. "Cunning little Black, what are you planning?"

If there was anyone in this world who understood Hogwarts best, it was neither Dumbledore, the headmaster, nor the portraits that had remained in the castle for decades or centuries. It was the poltergeist before her.

Unlike the other ghosts, Peeves had been born alongside Hogwarts itself, a being tightly bound to the castle.

However, considering Peeves's chaotic nature, anything she asked him might very well be reported to the Dumbledore he feared just as much—

Given her current identity and her increasingly close relationship with Harry, Vela did not want the strongest wizard of this era to notice her too early.

"What am I planning?" Vera frowned slightly and looked down at her insensate legs, unable to stop herself from giving a bitter smile. "What do you think I can do in this state?"

Showing weakness was a little trick she had learned from Harry.

Sure enough, Peeves suspiciously floated over and looked her up and down. "Then why are you so interested in the castle?"

Vera gently stroked the wheelchair's armrest, her voice low. "I just... want to find some way to move freely. This castle has too many secrets. Maybe one of them can help me."

Peeves tilted his head and studied her, seemingly judging whether she was telling the truth.

A moment later, he suddenly grinned. "Peeves knows lots of secrets! But why should I tell you?"

Rather than answering directly, Vela raised her hand and lightly traced a fingertip across the window frame. A golden Magic Circuit pattern flashed and vanished.

Peeves's smile instantly froze. A hint of caution flashed through his black eyes, and after a long pause, he said, "About a hundred years ago, I met a student similar to you. Except... you're much weaker than she was."

Vera's fingers paused slightly, surprise flashing through her eyes. "A hundred years ago?"

Peeves flipped through the air and blinked mischievously. "Aha! At last, something even you don't know!"

Vera calmly withdrew her hand. "I was merely curious. Who else, like me... was interested in the castle?"

"A transfer student who only arrived in fifth year." Peeves floated onto the windowsill and sat down, swinging his short legs. "Just like you, she was always asking questions about everything."

A transfer student entering fifth year a hundred years ago...

Deep in thought, Vela continued asking, "What was her name?"

"Why should Peeves tell you?" Peeves made a face at her. "You do have a way to trap me, but that's all. Your power is still far from enough."

Vera immediately frowned. Just as she was about to say something, a stern voice suddenly came from the corridor—

"Peeves!" Professor McGonagall appeared in the doorway. "Are you bullying first-years again?"

Peeves cackled. Taking advantage of Vela's distraction, he immediately passed through the ceiling and fled.

Professor McGonagall strode into the classroom. When she saw that the student inside was Vela, her expression tightened slightly. "Miss Black, are you all right? Peeves didn't harass you, did he?"

Vera disappointedly withdrew her gaze, slowly turned her wheelchair, and obediently shook her head. "I'm fine, Professor. He... didn't have time to do anything yet."

Professor McGonagall looked her over from head to toe. Only after confirming that she showed no signs of having been bullied did she let out a breath of relief. "Why are you here on a weekend morning?"

"I just wanted to find somewhere to do my homework." Vera lowered her eyes somewhat dejectedly, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the fabric over her legs. "There are too many people in the library..."

Professor McGonagall's gaze fell upon Vela's powerless legs. A trace of pity flashed through her usually sharp eyes.

She gave a light cough, and her tone softened. "There are indeed many quiet places in the castle that are suitable for studying. But you must still pay attention to your safety. Certain areas of Hogwarts are not safe for first-year students."

Vera raised her head, silver-gray hair gleaming softly in the sunlight. "Thank you, Professor. But... I would rather explore this castle myself. After all, this is where I will live for the next seven years."

Professor McGonagall nodded approvingly. "Your courage is commendable. If you encounter any difficulties, you may come to a professor for help at any time."

"I'll remember that, Professor." Vera answered obediently.

After watching Professor McGonagall leave, Vela wheeled herself to the window and looked thoughtfully toward the distant Forbidden Forest.

That transfer student from a hundred years ago whom Peeves had mentioned... without question, she should have been the protagonist from Hogwarts Legacy.

In this world, that transfer student seemed to have been a girl as well?

Of course, gender was not important. What mattered was that this person's existence itself confirmed the reality of the mysterious area beneath Hogwarts that Vela had sensed before.

In the game, that mysterious place was called the Secret Vault. It lay deep beneath Hogwarts, with its entrance hidden near the Room of Requirement.

Inside were spheres of Ancient Magic energy.

However, in the game's story, the protagonist could choose whether to absorb that power, so Vela did not know whether that transfer student from back then had absorbed it.

But... she would keep it in mind for now.

Her current strength was still nowhere near enough for her to explore the Secret Vault alone. She should proceed gradually and slowly improve her abilities first.

Friendliness +10

Thus, that morning, Harry and Hermione went to Hagrid's hut, while Vela stayed in the abandoned classroom and practiced spells all morning.

Whenever she exhausted her mana midway through, she would calm herself and begin working on the rest of her homework.

By the time her mana was depleted and all her homework was complete, it was already close to noon.

With a thought from Vela, a status panel displaying her current condition appeared on her retina:

\n[Name: Vera Black]

[Age: 11]

[Attributes: Strength (3), Agility (1), Magic (3), Intelligence (7), Charm (8), Luck (2)]

[Physical Condition: Lower-body paralysis (repairable)]

[Ancient Magic Learning Status: Multicast (Beginner)]

[Talents: Shadow Affinity (Black bloodline talent), Ancient Magic Affinity]

[Magic Circuit Bonuses: Basic spell power +20%, mana recovery speed +30%, spell learning speed +50%]

[Magic Circuit Skill 1: Circuit Vision]

[Magic Circuit Skill 2: Basic Healing (Passive)]

[Magic Circuit Skill 3: Mana Tracing]

[Current Magic Circuit Level: Awakening · High-Tier (96/120)]

[Mana Reserves: 1/96]

[Mana Recovery Speed: 19.5/hour]

After this period of study at Hogwarts, Vela's overall strength was only one step away from breaking through to Control · Beginner Rank.

She had even already decided that taming the Three-Headed Dog would have to wait until her Magic Circuit reached at least Control · Intermediate Rank. At that point, with the reward, she could rise another level.

In order to restore her legs as quickly as possible, she had to maximize her gains during this period.

She lightly exhaled, wheeled herself out of the abandoned classroom, and prepared to head to the Great Hall for lunch.