Ravenclaw Tower

The reason this skill had turned out this way was also because Ryan had deliberately cultivated it in that direction. After all, genius was one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.

With exceptional talent, that ninety-nine percent perspiration practically did not count for anything. Even inspiration could be forced through by grinding proficiency.

But coming up with something himself was different from forcing it through by grinding proficiency. Ryan consciously wanted to link his skills together, achieving an effect where one plus one was greater than two.

Elsewhere, at the stone gargoyle on the eighth floor of Hogwarts.

"Cockroach Cluster," said a huge, burly man who looked like a brown bear at first glance. The stone gargoyle jumped aside, and the wall behind it split in two, revealing a moving spiral staircase.

The man stepped onto it. As the staircase rotated round and round, carrying him higher and higher, he finally arrived before the door to Dumbledore's office, with its brass knocker.

The man knocked on the door.

"Come in," Dumbledore's voice said.

"Good evening, sir," the man said as he entered the headmaster's office.

"Ah, good evening, Hagrid. Have a seat," Dumbledore said with a smile. "I imagine you've come to see me because of news about that unknown phoenix?"

"Yes, sir. I searched all over the Forbidden Forest. I even asked Aragog and Bane. You know Bane's terrible temper, but his words carry more weight among the centaurs. Otherwise, I would've gone to Firenze." Hagrid's beetle-like black eyes gleamed excitedly beneath his hair.

"Hagrid, don't get too excited. Perhaps it was merely passing through," Dumbledore reassured him.

"Or perhaps—"

"Or perhaps what?" Hagrid hurriedly asked.

"No, it's nothing. It should only be a legend. I had thought Fawkes might have a new companion. Though its kind has always lived alone, Fawkes shouldn't have only an old man like me for company."

"No, no, Professor, how could you be old?"

What Ryan did not know was that after Herpo the Foul developed the magic of Phoenix Metamorphosis, no one else had ever learned of it. Herpo had been far too cautious.

As a result, Ryan did not use Phoenix Metamorphosis to travel to Hogwarts again for quite some time.

If not for the information he gleaned through letters and from subtly probing Penelope—especially from Hagrid's big mouth—Ryan likely would never have appeared at Hogwarts in the form of a phoenix again.

Late at night, in the deserted Ravenclaw Common Room, Penelope flipped through a book alone as she waited for the time Ryan had arranged in his letter, as well as the unimaginably incredible form he had mentioned.

The Ravenclaw Common Room was a large circular chamber, more airy than any other room Ryan had seen at Hogwarts. Elegant arched windows lined the walls, hung with blue and bronze silk.

During the day, the surrounding mountains could be seen, their scenery beautiful. The ceiling was domed and painted with stars, while the dark-blue carpet below was also covered in stars. There were tables, chairs, and bookshelves in the room, and in the alcove opposite the door stood a tall white marble statue.

It was Rowena Ravenclaw. Beside the statue was a door leading up to the dormitories. The statue wore a faintly mocking smile, beautiful yet somewhat intimidating. Above her head was an exquisite marble replica of a circlet, inscribed with tiny words.

Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure.

Suddenly, a beautiful creature appeared silently at one of the arched windows.

It was Ryan. After much practice, he could now control the popping sound of teleportation while in phoenix form.

Ryan lightly tapped the window with his beak. It had to be said that Ravenclaw had truly been a brilliant witch. Even in phoenix form, Ryan could not enter without someone opening the window for him. The place was saturated with the magic Ravenclaw had laid down, still enduring after a thousand years. If Harry Potter had been recovering in Ravenclaw Tower after breaking his arm in the second year, Dobby likely would not have been able to appear and meet Harry. After all, Dobby was not a Hogwarts house-elf, unless Dumbledore used his authority as headmaster to give him a back door.

Penelope glanced at the time beside her. It was exactly midnight. Just then, the sound of small stones lightly striking the glass window caught her attention.

That was a phoenix. An immortal bird!!!

Could it be the headmaster's phoenix? Penelope thought.

After her excitement subsided, Penelope noticed a blue ribbon tied around the phoenix's right claw.

"Ryan!!" Penelope exclaimed, rising to her feet and opening the window for him.

In his letter, Ryan had said that he happened to have no classes the next morning. At midnight, in the Ravenclaw Tower common room, he would meet Penelope in a form she had never seen before. She would be able to recognize him by the blue ribbon.

Penelope was utterly astonished. Unable to stop herself, she asked in a lowered voice, "Is it Animagus magic? How could it be? How could you be a magical creature?"

Ryan lightly pecked Penelope on the head with his beak, then spoke directly into her mind through Telepathic Communication. "It's not that magic. This is my metamorphosis. You could say it's another me."

Holding the phoenix, Penelope blushed slightly. "This is so incredible."

"This is magic unique to me." More accurately, it was two spells. He had only mastered Telepathic Communication in ten days because he insisted on communicating silently with Jack whenever they encountered a language barrier. The next time he met Fawkes, he would not be unable to understand anything. Besides, unlike a Patronus, Phoenix Metamorphosis could not speak.

Without this skill, if he came to see Penelope in phoenix form, would he have to communicate by writing on the floor or shaping words out of magic? That would be far too troublesome.

"It's amazing," Penelope marveled. Meanwhile, Dumbledore, who was still speaking with Hagrid, seemed to notice something and revealed a mysterious smile.

At that moment, a small figure crawled out from beneath the sofa.

"Hehe, Ryan, that's you, isn't it?" the small figure whispered, pointing at the phoenix.

Moonlight shone upon her face, revealing a crafty smile.

"Kate!" Penelope exclaimed.

"Kate!"

Hearing Ryan's voice in her mind, Kate could not help but start despite being prepared for it.

"Kate, what are you doing here? Didn't you go to sleep ages ago?"

"Penelope, you were acting so strangely today. You went to bed at ten. There had to be something suspicious going on."

"Ahhh, I meant, how did you know Ryan was the phoenix? You peeked at my—my letter!" Penelope could barely keep her voice down.

"I didn't need to peek. When you were in the library, I was right behind you. It's your fault for not noticing. I only wanted to give you a fright."

Ryan could not help feeling surprised. Would Kate be there every time I went on a date from now on?

I just figured out how to reply to readers using the Writer Assistant. Everyone, please vote and leave comments. This is my first book, and I will definitely finish it. The more we interact, the more inspiration I'll have.