Chapter 35. Family library.
Having finished, he turned, picked up the tome on the podium, and walked straight into his office. The heavy wooden door slammed shut behind him with a "bang," cutting off all of Edward's expectations.
The wind in the corridor, carrying the damp scent of the Black Lake, drifted in through the open window and blew against his face, cold and biting. Edward gripped the research proposal in his hands tightly. A flame uncontrollably flared up from his fingertips, the orange-red light licking at the edge of the paper and leaving a charred mark. He hurriedly gathered his focus and extinguished the flame, but the writing on the page was already slightly blurred.
An indescribable sense of irritation surged in his heart.
Professor Flitwick's recommendation, Professor Snape's refusal - the gates of the Restricted Section felt like a chasm lying before him, cold and heavy. He did not know who to turn to, nor did he know how to proceed. Those secrets regarding the fire within him were like a fog, right before his eyes, yet impossible to disperse.
Edward did not return to his dormitory but walked straight to the library. He needed to find a place to calm down, and he also needed to see if there were any clues he had missed or overlooked in the books in the open section.
The library was quiet, with only sunlight streaming through the tall glass windows, casting mottled light and shadow on the floor. Madam Pince, the librarian, sat behind the counter wearing thick reading glasses, flipping through a thick ancient book without even raising her head. Edward walked to a familiar bookshelf and pulled out a copy of "A Brief History of Elemental magic," but he had no heart to even turn the pages. He leaned against the bookshelf, his fingertips repeatedly rubbing the gold-stamped characters on the spine, his mind a tangled mess.
Just then, a hushed discussion came from the next bookshelf.
"Are you sure this recipe is correct? 'Advanced Potion-Making' clearly states that Mandrake juice must be diluted three times before being added to a Draught of Peace!" It was Hermione's voice, carrying a bit of earnest stubbornness; the rustling of pages was clearly audible. "The proportions in Professor Snape's Potions class are too aggressive; they don't conform to the principle of energy conservation in Potions at all!"
"But Professor Snape said..." Ron's voice was muffled, as if he were chewing on a Chocolate Frog. "He's a Professor, could he be wrong?"
"Professors can be wrong too! Especially when it comes to Harry!" Hermione's voice rose slightly, then she hurriedly lowered it. "Look here, the records regarding asphodel root and wormwood are completely the opposite of what he said!"
Edward's gaze shifted slightly.
Hermione Granger.
That Gryffindor witch whom he had completely dismissed the idea of befriending after the Sorting Ceremony. He had to admit that this Muggle-born witch possessed a knowledge base and spirit of inquiry far beyond her peers, even being able to find errors in Professor Snape's Potions class.
Wait.
Knowledgeable.
A thought suddenly flashed through Edward's mind, like lightning cutting through a fog. Among the students at Hogwarts, there were many heirs of pure-blood families. Malfoy, Greengrass, Parkinson... these families had been passed down for hundreds, even thousands of years. In their private libraries, there might be some rare editions or secret knowledge that even the Hogwarts library did not possess. Those ancient books recording blood magic or elemental resonance might just be hidden in some family's study.
This thought made Edward's eyes light up. He closed the book, put it back on the shelf, turned, and walked quickly out of the library.
In the Slytherin common room, warm yellow light reflected off the silver and green silk curtains. A few first-years were gathered around the fireplace, whispering about the fun parts of Flying class. Draco sat on the central sofa, holding a glass of butterbeer, bragging animatedly to a few older students about his family's collection of books.
"...My father's private library has many out-of-print Potions tomes! And there's a rare edition on the twelve uses of dragon's blood that even the Ministry of Magic doesn't have a copy of!" Draco's voice carried a hint of smugness. Seeing Edward enter, he immediately waved excitedly. "Edward! Come here! I was just telling the older students about our Malfoy family collection!"
Edward walked to his side, without any unnecessary pleasantries, and went straight to the point: "I want to ask you all, in your respective family collections, are there any records regarding Elemental Transmutation and bloodline magical resonance?"
Draco paused, then patted his chest, looking confident: "Of course! What doesn't my father's library have? But..." He scratched his head, his confidence fading slightly. "I don't think I've seen any similar books. Older students, what about you?"
Several Slytherin older students shook their heads. An older student with platinum blonde hair spoke thoughtfully: "the House of Black's collection should be the most extensive among the pure-blood families, right? I heard that in the old house at Grimmauld Place, there are ancient books passed down from the ancient wizarding era, covering everything from Charms, Potions, and Magical Creatures, and even secret traditions regarding the Dark Arts."
"That's right!" another shorter older student chimed in. "Our family's collection is mostly copied from the House of Black. If even the House of Black doesn't have relevant records, then it's highly unlikely other families would have them either."
The last glimmer of light in Edward's eyes was completely extinguished.
He had almost forgotten.
the House of Black was one of the oldest pure-blood families since the founding of Hogwarts, and its collection was far more extensive than those of the Malfoy, Greengrass, or other families. In the old house at Grimmauld Place, he had almost gone through every tome he could find, from "The Origin of Ancient Charms" to "The Atlas of Blood magic," yet there wasn't even a trace of records regarding "fire bloodline resonance."
If there was no answer in the House of Black's collection, what new discoveries could there be in the family collections of other Slytherin students?
Draco watched the disappointment on his face and finally sensed something was wrong. He put down his butterbeer, leaned in, and asked with concern: "What's wrong? What book are you looking for? I can write to my father and have him help you look! the Malfoy family has extensive connections!"
Edward shook his head, his tone so indifferent that no emotion could be detected: "No need."
He turned and walked out of the common room, the flame at his fingertips flickering in his sleeve, just like his current mood. The silver and green curtains brushed against his hem, leaving a cold sensation.
The Slytherin family collections were no longer a hope. Then, the only remaining options were the other houses.
Edward looked up toward the other end of the Castle. There, the Ravenclaw tower soared into the clouds, and the eagle emblem at the top shone with the light of wisdom in the afterglow of the sunset.
Ravenclaw was known for its erudition, and the students in the house were mostly obsessed with obscure magical theories; their families might hide some unique tomes. After all, among the four houses of Hogwarts, there was never a lack of gifted geniuses, nor a lack of sealed secrets.
As night deepened, the surface of the Black Lake shimmered with rippling light, like scattered silver. Edward stood by the corridor window, watching the shadows of the Forbidden Forest in the distance swaying under the moonlight, a renewed determination flashing in his eyes.
Although the doors to the Restricted Section were tightly closed, his path had not yet reached its end.
He would find other ways to unlock the secret of the fire within him. No matter the cost.
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