Everyday Life of a Top Student at Hogwarts

Chapter 246 Preliminary Analysis and Preparedness

Chapter 246 Preliminary Analysis and Preparedness

The aftershocks of the disastrous first lesson in Defense Against the Dark Arts continued to reverberate within Ravenclaw Tower.

Ernesto's anger was almost palpable, while Wesley, addressing every willing student, exaggeratedly recounted Lockhart's "Sparkling Collapse" with exaggerated tones and gestures, eliciting gasps and incredulous head-shaking from those around him. Fabian was the most dejected, slumped in his armchair, sighing at the third-year textbook list and calculating the wasted class time.

Karen didn't participate in these discussions. Lockhart's antics were within his expectations, and things were actually much better than the Cornish elf chaos. At this moment, the lead box in the seamless pouch at his waist was the real threat that required his full attention.

"I'm going back to Eagle's Nest for something," Karen told her three roommates, her voice calm but with an undeniable focus. "There are some things I need to take care of."

Ernesto looked up, Wesley stopped performing, and Fabian sat up straight. They all understood Karen's unspoken meaning. Something dangerous was about to happen.

"Do you need any help?" Fabian pushed up his glasses, trying to shake off his frustration.

"Not for now. I'll do some preliminary checks to determine the security level." Karen shook her head. "Later, I might need your help to keep watch or—observe me."

"Observing you?" Wesley asked, puzzled.

"Just in case." Karen didn't say much, just patted the bag at his waist, and turned to walk towards the exit of the Ravenclaw tower. He left the noise in the lounge behind.

Leaving the lounge and walking through the quiet corridor, Karen quickly arrived at the abandoned classroom on the fifth floor—the Eagle's Nest. He skillfully tapped the door lock a few times with his wand, dispelling several of the warning and protective spells he had set up, and then pushed the door open and entered.

The room remained unchanged from when they left. Unfinished alchemical apparatus and parchment sketches lay scattered on a makeshift workbench made of several old tables. In the corner sat several boxes enchanted with the Unblemished Stretching Charm, containing their materials and spare parts. A faint scent of old wood, parchment, and magical materials filled the air.

Karen locked the door behind her and applied several more soundproofing and protective spells to ensure everything was secure.

He didn't linger in the outer room, but went directly to the alchemy workshop in the secret chamber.

Karen didn't touch the diary first, but instead began setting up the space with remarkable efficiency. He waved his wand, and layers of invisible magical barriers enveloped the small workshop space: "Peaceful Guardian—Protect All—" Then, he took out several thin, coin-like pieces, no bigger than a fingernail, from the workshop's materials cabinet, their surfaces etched with fine runes. These were simple "emotional fluctuation alarms," ​​a byproduct of his summer research into Horcruxes. They were highly sensitive to intense, unnatural fluctuations in emotional magic.

He placed these small pieces in the four corners of the workshop and around the workbench where he planned to conduct his research. Whenever his mental state fluctuated violently due to the influence of the diary, these alarms would emit sound waves to alert him.

After doing all this, he carefully removed the seamless stretch bag and took out the lead box. The cool metallic touch made him shudder. He placed the lead box on the sturdiest alloy workbench in the center of the workshop, the surface of which was already engraved with some basic protective and stabilizing runes.

He took a deep breath, focusing intently. In his eyes, the world shed its appearance, transforming into a tapestry of countless flowing...

A complex picture formed by shimmering, interwoven magic. His gaze was fixed on the lead box.

The lead box effectively prevented the magic of its contents from leaking out, but under the deep scrutiny of the "Eye of Truth," Karen could still detect an extremely faint, yet inherently cold, source of magic within. It didn't emanate the violent, greedy dark energy of a diadem, nor was it filled with tearing pain and frenzy like the soul fragments she had previously captured from the basilisk. The diary's magic was more restrained, more concealed, like slippery seaweed in deep water, carrying a soft, continuous pull, accompanied by extremely faint, mentally manipulative fluctuations.

It doesn't rush to make a scene, but patiently and cunningly waits for its prey to come to it, using whispers and enticement rather than strong mental attacks.

Karen maintained her observation through the "Eye of Truth," while her mind raced, combining her knowledge from the original work with her understanding of soul magic and dark magic items gained recently, to analyze and deduce:

Its magical power is far lower than the crown's, even weaker than the previously captured fragments of wandering souls—which aligns with its status as one of the earliest Soul Weapons. However, its danger lies not in its power, but in its rationality, which far surpasses that of other Soul Weapons.

Furthermore, its captivating and mentally manipulative properties may require active communication to trigger. Writing is the most likely way, using ink as a medium to establish an initial mental connection. This is similar to a continuous, low-intensity "telepathy," but more covert and deceptive. It reads the writer's thoughts, emotions, and memories, seeking out weaknesses, desires, and fears.

Then, based on this information, it will respond and manipulate in a targeted manner, gradually deepening the connection and making the holder dependent and trusting. This process itself will slowly absorb the holder's life force and magic to nourish itself. The ultimate goal—maybe complete spiritual parasitism, or some form of magical symbiosis—is to ultimately achieve self-resurrection or the ability to act autonomously.

At this point in the analysis, a clear research and coping strategy formed in Karen's mind:

We can't study it directly like we did with the crown; these kinds of Horcruxes that still possess reason are hard to find. We can try other methods of research first. We can use our own memories to deceive it. The Occupy Central technique must be maintained perfectly throughout, without the slightest lapse.

I must disguise myself as an ordinary student who stumbled upon this diary by chance, possesses some magical abilities, but also has my own troubles and ambitions. I must absolutely not reveal that I know it's a Horcrux, or that Tom Riddle is Voldemort. I must guide it, making it believe I am a useful, manipulated, and controllable target.

Every contact must take place within this highly protected workshop. The duration of each contact must be strictly limited.

With the initial plan drafted, Karen shut down the "Eye of Truth," feeling a slight mental fatigue. But instead of resting, he immediately left the inner workshop and returned to the main Eagle's Nest chamber. He needed to inform his roommates of some of the situation to establish a safety net.

He summoned his Patronus and flew towards Ravenclaw's tower. Shortly afterward, there was a knock on the Eagle's Nest door, and Wesley, Fabian, and Ernesto entered. All three still bore the lingering resentment of Lockhart's lessons, but even more so, curiosity and seriousness about Cullen's summoning.

"Karen, what's up? Is there any news about what happened before?" Wesley asked impatiently as soon as he came in.

Karen shook his head, gesturing for them to sit down. "We haven't even started researching yet! But there are definitely some connections. Follow me." He led the three into the inner workshop. Seeing Karen so solemnly opening the alchemy workshop, and feeling the lingering effects of the protective magic still present, the three's expressions turned serious.

Karen pointed to the lead box on the workbench. "Remember when I mentioned that Voldemort created multiple Horcruxes to avoid death?"

The three nodded, their faces slightly pale. The battle in the Forbidden Forest and the Basilisk incident had given them a direct understanding of the term "Hornet."

"I found another one." Karen's voice was calm, but the words were like a thunderclap. "It's in this box."

"What?!" Wesley nearly jumped up. "How did you get it? When? Where?"

"This morning, from Ginny Weasley," Karen said succinctly. "The specifics don't matter; what matters is that it's here now, instead of continuing to seduce a freshman."

Ernesto gasped. "The Weasleys' youngest daughter? Merlin—is she alright?"

"She probably hasn't realized she's missing anything yet. From my initial examination, she hasn't been corrupted yet; she's just carrying it, which is fortunate," Karen explained. "This Horcrux is special; it's not as directly aggressive as the ones we've encountered before. It's more cunning, using written communication to infiltrate and manipulate minds."

He briefly explained the possible mechanism of the diary and his research plan to disguise himself and make limited contact with it.

"This is too dangerous, Karen!" Fabian was the first to object, his face filled with worry. "Do you know what that thing is! To talk to it? Even if it's just a disguise—"

Karen's tone was firm. "There's no need to worry too much. I've already examined this Horcrux, and its condition is far worse than the other one we found before. Besides, I have extensive experience dealing with them in France. I've taken considerable physical and mental precautions."

"But you can't guarantee it'll all be foolproof!" Wesley exclaimed urgently. "That's Voldemort!"

"So, I need your help." Karen looked at her three roommates with a sincere gaze. "I need you as my backup and insurance. I'll be in regular contact with it from here. And during this research, I need you to observe me and closely monitor my behavior every time I leave the workshop."

He took out three parchments, on which were lists of unusual behaviors that required special attention:

Have you started writing things down frequently and secretly (especially outside of research note time)?

Has your personality undergone any inexplicable changes? For example, have you suddenly become taciturn, irritable, or prone to anger, or have shown ambition or made statements that are inconsistent with your usual personality?

Do you show an unusual interest or obsession with certain things (such as lineage or power)?

Are you trying to travel alone to some dangerous or remote place?

Is there any instability in the magic fluctuations? (You may not be able to detect this, but if there are other anomalies, it can serve as evidence.)

"These are my guesses about what might happen. If I exhibit any anomaly on this list, especially a combination of several," Cullen's voice was extremely serious, "don't hesitate, don't try to ask me yourself. Immediately, the very first thing, report to Headmaster Dumbledore. If you can't reach the Headmaster, use the Two-Way Mirror to contact Nicolas Flamel or Professor Castor. This is of utmost importance."

He distributed the parchment to the three men. "Remember, if I were truly influenced, I might have lied, covered things up, or even tried to stop you. So don't believe me back then. Trust this list you're seeing now, and trust your own judgment."

A hush fell over the workshop. Only the faint hum of the alchemical devices in the corners broke the silence. Wesley...

Fabian and Ernesto looked at the list in their hands, then at Karen, whose expression was calm yet unwavering, and felt a heavy sense of responsibility and pressure. They realized that Karen was engaging in an extremely dangerous gamble, her opponent being a fragment of the soul of the darkest wizard in the wizarding world.

Finally, Ernesto was the first to raise his head, his gray eyes flashing with determination: "Understood."

"We'll be keeping a close eye on you, Karen. For your own good, and for everyone's." He carefully folded the parchment and put it in his pocket.

"Yes!" Wes nodded vigorously, his face still showing worry, but even more so determination. "Go ahead and chat with that lousy book! We'll take care of things outside!"

Fabian took a deep breath and adjusted his glasses: "I will record your subtle emotional changes and behavior before and after each time you enter the workshop, and conduct comparative analysis. This should provide some objective data."

Seeing his roommates' understanding and support, Karen felt a warmth in his heart. He nodded, "Thank you. These are just backup plans; if things go smoothly, we won't need them at all. Relax and don't worry too much. Well then, let's begin. You guys go back first; I'm going to make the first contact attempt."

The three left the workshop, their footsteps fading into the distance. Karen locked both the inner and outer doors again, reinforcing the defenses once more. He returned to his workbench, gazing at the lead box with a calm, serene expression. The Occlumency technique activated silently, an invisible yet robust mental barrier protecting his true thoughts and memories. Simultaneously, a meticulously crafted, pre-designed false personality and memory template were prepared.

He opened the lead box. The black-covered, slightly worn diary lay there quietly, as if it were just an ordinary piece of stationery.