Harry Potter and the Hidden Treasure (Volume 2)

Chapter 323 Swift Improvement

"Severus, what about the two children?"

"Draco was frightened. He was bitten by an Acromantula. The poison spread throughout his body. There is a trace of dark magic in his soul, one that is unfamiliar to me. He is in a very serious condition, but he will not die," Snape said stiffly. "Lucius simply took him away. He asked me to tell you that this will not end here. He will complain to the Board of Governors and the Ministry of Magic about this."

"It is indeed serious, I regret Mr. Malfoy's ordeal," mentioned Dumbledore calmly; his eyes did not stray from the red plaque in front of him. "Regarding this matter, I have an unavoidable responsibility. I should have uncovered what was hidden in the Spider's Lair before, so that it wouldn't..."

"What on earth is that creature?" asked Snape. "Why did Salazar Slytherin leave that thing roaming the school?"

"I do not know, we can only speculate for now," Dumbledore gently touched the plaque in front of him with his wand, and it did not seem to react, "probably the same as the basilisk snake last year, Salazar must have left a legacy for his Heir."

Snape's face was solemn, apparently in disagreement with Dumbledore's assessment.

"The ruins in the deepest part of the catacombs have collapsed, and no one can enter anymore," he said shrewdly, "Only the Wise One himself claimed to have seen the creature, right...?"

"The imprint left on this is very malevolent, not something a young wizard could accomplish," explained Dumbledore, "And why would he lie?"

"Obviously, it would be because..."

"Enough, Severus!" said Dumbledore, with a warning tone in his voice, "I trust him, just as I trust you completely. Instead of discussing such vague matters, you should tell me how Mr. Mason is faring at the moment."

"It is a great honor to have your trust!" said Snape sarcastically, "It seems he is not in severe trouble. There is no trace of dark magic. On the contrary, his inner magic is very powerful, much stronger than what I saw this morning when he arrived. His magic is rapidly increasing, surpassing that of a young wizard by far. At this rate, he will soon be similar to mine. I wanted to examine him, but Black did not allow me to touch him, probably because he thought I would take the opportunity to kill him."

Dumbledore nodded and remained silent.

"Headmaster, this is too abnormal. No one's magic increases without any reason. I believe it is necessary to check the Wise One's wand and see what kind of spells he has been using. If necessary, even Veritaserum can be used to verify the truth of his words," Snape hesitated for a moment, and spoke unwaveringly, "You too have been in that cave. You should know what happened inside."

"Magic is marvelous, Severus," Dumbledore looked up and said, "The world is full of unknown secrets. No one can guarantee that they have mastered everything."

"You are evading the issue. You know what magic he used on it. It is demonic fire," Snape said angrily. "This is not a magic a young wizard should master. We must act immediately."

"What do you think should be done?" asked Dumbledore, "Expel him or send him to Azkaban? If it weren't for him saving Mr. Malfoy, unleashing Salazar's magic in the ruins to defeat the unknown creature, the consequences would be unimaginable."

"But..." Snape seemed hesitant.

"What matters is the heart, not the magic itself," said Dumbledore gently, "You should understand this, Severus, after so many years..."

"I don't understand, I promised to help you, only for Lily and her son," Snape turned around and, before frowning, said: "I will watch out for you. If he makes any other dangerous and crazy moves, I suggest he be rooted out while we still can."

He finished and left Dumbledore's office without looking back.

Dumbledore was seated in his chair, pondering over matters known only to him. The portraits on the wall stirred once more and resumed their discussion on the topic Snape had just mentioned.

As Snape had articulated, Evan sensed his magic growing rapidly.

For over half a month since returning to Hogwarts, a significant amount of magic was being poured into him from the Slytherin's Locket hanging on his chest.

With the influx of this magical power, Evan's own magical level increased swiftly.

Most of the exotic magic eventually dissipated, yet a small fragment remained, merging with Evan's magic, and that endured permanently.

Now, his body brimmed with strength, devoid of any signs of side effects.

The specific principle was clear, and he comprehended what was unfolding.

Upon concluding the use of that potent magic to vanquish the beast, Salazar's shadow eventually transmuted into innumerable silver planktons, all converging into his Locket.

Each plankton harbored potent magic; Evan had only ingested a fraction of them before, recovering all the magic he had expended.

The mighty power amassed over the past thousand years had poured into Evan's body from the Slytherin's Locket, transforming his physique.

And these magical powers could only be absorbed by Evan. He attempted to pass the Locket to Harry and Hermione, who had visited earlier, but there was no response.

Dumbledore, professors McGonagall, Snape, and Sirius were aware. Despite their astonishment, they all deemed it a positive development.

Snape brewed potions for Evan daily, aiding him in absorbing this magic as much as possible.

With Sirius overseeing the potions, Evan had no qualms about Snape potentially tampering with them, even as Snape's glances grew increasingly peculiar.

The benefits of heightened magic were evident. Several spells Evan previously struggled with could now be effortlessly wielded. He felt stronger than ever before. With his current combat prowess, if he were to duel Snape again, victory would be within reach.

Presently, Dumbledore visited Evan at the school's infirmary almost every night.

He inquired about Evan's well-being and imparted numerous tricks on magic employment and a few rare incantations.

Naturally, he expounded more on his outlook on life, hoping Evan wouldn't be corrupted by formidable forces.

Owing to Dumbledore's personal guidance, Evan's recent advancements had been monumental.

In every aspect, he felt more sanguine about the future.