0172 Strange Question

Words : 1989 Updated : Sep 21st, 2025

Adrian had originally anticipated that after hearing his careful flattery, Lockhart would puff up like a peacock as he basked in the praise. He expected to see that familiar smugness across his face, perhaps accompanied by a lengthy monologue about his various achievements and conquests. But unexpectedly, Lockhart remained completely calm, his expression almost unnaturally composed. "Really?" Lockhart asked, his voice carrying an odd note of genuine uncertainty. He nodded slightly, and continued asking. "Then... let me put it this way—if we set aside the identities of author and adventurer, if we strip away all the accolades and fame, could I truly be called powerful?." Adrian was slightly stunned. He thought. This wasn't like the Lockhart who was always immersed in self-glorification, who seemed to live and breathe for public adoration and recognition. This version of the man before him seemed almost... vulnerable. Thoughtful in a way that felt very wrong, like seeing a lion suddenly question whether it knew how to hunt. Adrian examined Lockhart carefully once more. He found nothing obviously wrong with the man's appearance—his golden hair remained perfectly styled in its usual way. His glittering pink Valentine's Day robes were also perfectly pressed and arranged. Subtly, Adrian activated his connection to the Tree of Wisdom, requesting a discrete analysis of the man standing in front of him. The response came back clean—no possession, no Imperius Curse, no Polyjuice Potion deception. Every magical signature confirmed that this was indeed Gilderoy Lockhart, seemingly unchanged and uncontrolled by any external force. "Well..." Adrian found himself momentarily at a loss for words. Only after several seconds of silence did he manage to respond: "What do you think, Professor Lockhart? How would you answer your own question?" Adrian had turned the question back on its asker, hoping to buy time while he tried to understand what was happening to him. Unexpectedly, Lockhart didn't rush to deflect or change the subject as he usually did. Instead, he fell into what appeared to be deep, earnest thought. An eerie silence filled the corridor, broken only by the distant sounds of students chattering in other parts of the castle and the occasional creak of stone. "Professor Lockhart," Adrian finally said, lowering his voice as he leaned closer, "are you encountering some kind of trouble?" This version of Lockhart was so different from his usual persona that Adrian couldn't help but feel genuinely concerned. Just then, as if a switch had been flipped somewhere deep within his mind, Lockhart's eyes suddenly blazed with an extraordinary brightness. His lips curved into a triumphant smile. "Professor Westeros, just wait and see," he said loudly, speaking each word with particular clarity: "Before long, you'll see a brand new me." Adrian's frown deepened, "What do you mean by that, Professor?" "You'll understand when the time comes. I'll prove myself." After delivering this cryptic statement with the air of someone making a solemn vow, Lockhart turned abruptly and began hurriedly walking away. As he turned around, Adrian saw in his eyes an incomparable, unprecedented confident radiance. Lockhart's figure quickly disappeared around the corner. Adrian stood puzzled in the empty corridor for a long time. But from his understanding of Lockhart, Lockhart was probably about to start some new drama. Perhaps because of Lockhart's Valentine's Day theatrics, the panic that had been suffocating the school began to lift. Discussions about the mysterious petrification incidents gradually faded from the corridors as well. After that puzzling conversation with Adrian, Lockhart suddenly became less active. Adrian encountered Lockhart several times in the corridors, but their interactions were brief and strange. Adrian encountered Lockhart several times in the corridors. What was noteworthy was that his mental state seemed to be getting better and better—he looked spirited and confident every day. Perhaps he was preparing something in private. Who knew? Time moved with the pace of the Scottish highlands, and soon the calendar had turned to the end of February. Winter had reached its final phase, but the weather was still very cold. At noon, when the pale winter sun hung low in the gray sky, Adrian led Luna along a path on the cold edge of the Forbidden Forest. The trail was slick with melting snow that refroze into dangerous patches of ice, forcing them to pick their way carefully through the risky terrain. Luna walked beside him with her typical dreamy pace, seemingly unbothered by the harsh conditions. Her radish-shaped earrings swayed gently in the bitter wind. "I apologize for asking you to come out in such miserable conditions, Luna," Adrian said, his breath forming thick clouds of white mist in the air. Luna shook her head with a gentle smile, "It's perfectly fine. I rather enjoy winter walks—they're when you can see things most clearly, when the world is stripped down to its basics. But where exactly are we heading?" "The Forbidden Forest," Adrian replied simply, gesturing ahead to where the dark trees were. In fact, they were already within the boundaries of the Forbidden Forest. T Luna swung her arms casually as they walked. She suddenly seemed to remember something, and tilted her head with curiosity: "Isn't the Forbidden Forest supposed to be off-limits to students?" "Ah, yes. It's explicitly forbidden for students to enter without supervision because it contains creatures and magic that can be extremely dangerous—centaurs, acromantulas, and worse things that prefer to remain hidden," Adrian confirmed, then added with a slight smile: "But with a professor accompanying you, there's no violation of school rules." "How wonderful," Luna's eyes lit up with delight, her expression brightening greatly: "I've never had the opportunity to explore here before. Father always said the Forest holds secrets that most people are too afraid to discover." "If we're fortunate today, you might even catch a glimpse of unicorns," Adrian said, his voice taking on a note of anticipation, "They're particularly active during the winter months when the forest is quieter. Or perhaps, after we finish our business here, we could take some time to explore and see what magical creatures are there." "Mm," Luna nodded enthusiastically, her face glowing with excitement: "Though I'd rather spend time looking around for signs of Crumple-Horned Snorkack habitation." The two gradually went deeper into the Forbidden Forest. Adrian led Luna through a grove of dead trees, around the edge of a small lake that was partially frozen over with ice, and finally into a small circular clearing. In this place, a beech tree stood majestically. This ancient beech was truly magnificent and frighteningly tall. Its trunk was so thick and massive that it would require at least four or five adults holding hands to embrace its full circumference. The tree's branches extended in all directions, like the outstretched arms of a giant offering shelter to any who sought it. "It looks remarkably healthy for this time of year," Luna observed, tilting her head back to take in full of the tree's canopy. Yes, this extraordinary beech tree was precisely why Adrian had faced the cold and brought Luna to this location. He had discovered this tree one of his exploration walks several weeks ago. From the very first moment he had laid eyes on this tree, he had known instinctively that it was far from ordinary. He could vaguely sense its specialness, but couldn't be completely certain. That's why he brought Luna here—perhaps Luna's abilities could help her see something and confirm his suspicions. Adrian stepped forward and gently placed his hand on the beech tree's trunk, and turned to ask Luna: "Luna, do you notice anything special about this tree?" "Something special?" Luna echoed, taking several steps backward to get a better perspective of the entire tree. She squinted slightly, her pale eyes taking on that distant, unfocused look. Her gaze moved from the tree's base to its highest branches, then shifted to examine the space around both Adrian and the beech. "Hmm..." She glanced at Adrian with a thoughtful expression, then focused her attention on the tree once more, "Oh, if this counts as special—all the little spirits that usually float around you have been drawn away by the tree, not a single one remains near you." Adrian nodded thoughtfully. It seemed his intuition hadn't led him astray—this ancient beech tree was indeed highly sensitive to the Mutation Factor that he emitted. In other words, this tree possessed exceptional magical talent and was absolutely worth his time and effort to nurture. Adrian closed his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling the cold air fill his lungs completely. He reached deep within himself, accessing the precise control over his magical Factor that he had been practicing for weeks. When he opened his eyes again, a subtle hint of green light flashed briefly in his pupils. "What about now?" He asked softly. Luna blinked in surprise, then looked carefully around Adrian's sides and behind him, her eyes scanning the space where she had previously seen the colorful spirits dancing. In her unique vision, all the tiny, colorful spirits that had been floating around Adrian like a cloud of magical fireflies had completely vanished, as if they had never existed at all. "How amazing," She said, her voice filled with genuine puzzlement and admiration, "Did you somehow hide or dismiss the little spirits that were following you? I can't find even a trace of them anymore." "Something like that," Adrian replied with a mysterious smile. Yes, Adrian had recently learned to have complete control over the Mutation Factor that emanated from his body. Adrian's Mutation Factor was linked to his magical power, produced as a natural byproduct of his enhanced magical nature. This meant that he only needed to temporarily withdraw his magic power from the surface of his consciousness to halt the production and emission of Mutation Factor. However, completely withdrawing one's magical power required considerable concentration and practice to master safely. It was like learning to hold one's breath for long time— it was possible, but required careful training to avoid adverse effects. He had only recently perfected this technique, achieving the level of control necessary to use it reliably. Just over ten seconds after Adrian successfully withdrew his magical power and cut off the flow of Mutation Factor, the massive beech tree in front of them suddenly began to respond. The ancient tree started to tremble, its enormous trunk swaying slightly as if caught in a powerful wind, though the air around them remained still. Snow that had accumulated on its branches began falling creating a shimmering snow mist in the sunlight. "It seems very anxious," Luna observed softly, her voice filled with empathy as she watched the tree's distressed reaction. This reaction was far beyond Adrian's expectations and hopes. It appeared that this ancient beech tree was even more extraordinary than he had thought. After he cut off the supply of Mutation Factor, the tree was actually showing clear signs of emotional distress and anxiety, as if it had become dependent on or bonded to his magical energy. "Eldra," Adrian called out mentally, activating his connection to the Tree of Wisdom. [I am here] Without delay, Adrian requested a analysis of the beech tree's current condition. The information flowed into his consciousness: [Species: Beech Tree (Fagus sylvatica magicus)] [Level: 1 (Awakened)] [Status: Rapidly Growing (50% progress to next level)] Adrian felt a surge of amazement at the analysis results. The tree had grown and developed so fast—he was genuinely astonished by the rate of its mutation. It was important to remember that this was only his second visit to this tree. Including his previous brief encounter, he had spent a total of perhaps fifteen minutes in its presence. ________________ You can read more chapters on: /IamLuis

0172 Strange Question

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