Chapter 109 "Hufflepuffs Heirloom"

Skyler returned to the bedroom, where Daphne and Astoria were waiting.

"I, Daphne, in the name of Greengrass, I've reached out to some junior classmates who have familial ties with us. They're all Slytherin, and the foundation for the Serpentis Vigil has been laid," Daphne reported.

Astoria chimed in, "I've got no issues here. Hestia and Flora from the Carlo family have also agreed to join."

Skyler held the twin sisters, Hestia and Flora, in high regard. With the bloodline of the Carlo family, one of the 28 sacred pure-blood families, and wielding wands crafted from the same magical animal materials, the twins' combined spellcasting created a remarkable bonus effect—greater than the sum of their individual powers.

Recalling historical instances, Skyler couldn't help but humorously envision the prospect of Harry Potter and Voldemort teaming up against a common enemy.

"Good work!" Skyler commended. "How many members do we have in the organization now?"

"Following your instructions, I've refrained from contacting senior students for the time being. Even our class is unaware of our activities, so the primary force consists of 3rd and 2nd-grade students," Daphne informed.

Skyler planned to entrust senior students of the Wakanda family to Nariel, but Nariel's loyalty and abilities were still under evaluation. Skyler aimed to keep the plan discreet and avoid drawing attention from the Ghost Society.

The students in the same class were kept in the dark due to Draco's peculiar behavior. Skyler didn't want to unveil his plans until things were clearer, and considering Blaise's mother was still his adversary.

As for the first-year students, they've just entered the school and may not be acquainted with the school's daily life, lacking a sense of confidentiality. Skyler, therefore, decided not to consider them at this time.

"In the 4th grade, we have only three students— you, me, and Morag. In the 3rd grade, there are six students, and in the 2nd grade, including Astoria, there are ten students," Daphne informed. The total count of 19 students exceeded Skyler's expectations, a positive outcome.

Skyler meticulously examined the list Daphne provided, expressing satisfaction with her organizational skills. After praising her, he inquired, "Anything else? When should we convene our first full-staff meeting?"

Daphne frowned, organizing her thoughts before stating, "Skyler, have you ever heard of the 'Ghost Society,' a student organization?"

Skyler nodded, acknowledging that even Daphne was aware of the Ghost Society.

Daphne continued, "This organization is quite mysterious, and I don't possess much information about it. I stumbled upon its existence while recruiting members. I heard that your brother was invited... As for his acceptance, I'm unsure."

"It's beneficial for you both to be aware of the Ghost Society. I'll discuss it with Morag. For now, don't concern yourselves with their affairs. They operate in a more concealed manner than we do, so I'm confident they won't casually interfere with us. We just need to remain cautious."

For the time being, Skyler preferred to avoid conflict with the Ghost Society. While dealing with groups like Lestrange and Selwyn was acceptable, engaging with the enigmatic Ghost Society at the organization's inception seemed unwise.

Additionally, based on Skyler's inclination to read between the lines from his previous life, provoking smaller entities could attract attention from larger, more formidable adversaries. Behind the Ghost Society loomed the Knights of Walpurgis, capable of leveraging the legacy of two Dark Lords, making them formidable adversaries.

In the subsequent period, Skyler immersed himself in four pursuits: the "Book of Ancient Dragons," beauty potion crafting, dwarf pup breeding, and advanced usage of the iron armor curse. As time swiftly passed, October 1 arrived.

The Serpent Vigil Club organized its inaugural meeting within the confines of Newt's suitcase space. New members, filled with curiosity about this mysterious space, developed an even deeper admiration for Skyler's magical prowess.

The meeting commenced with a self-introduction ceremony to acquaint members with one another. Daphne then proceeded to articulate the pre-designed articles and regulations, emphasizing the paramount rule that the organization's existence must remain undisclosed to outsiders.

Violators faced severe punishment, solidifying the Serpent Vigil Club's status as a completely secret underground student organization.

Daphne went on to present the three primary objectives of the Serpent Vigil Club such as: Strengthening Organizational Cohesion, Members from higher grades being obliged to mentor lower-grade members, and fostering mutual assistance and communication among peers. Maintaining positive interactions was deemed essential.

Regular Duel Training: The organization would conduct regular dueling training sessions to enhance members' practical combat skills. Skyler would personally supervise this activity, prompting cheers from many members.

Resource Sharing: The organization aimed to pool efforts in constructing a shared library within the suitcase space. Each member, predominantly from Slytherin and hailing from wizarding families, could contribute by copying family collections. Future members from Muggle backgrounds would be encouraged to conduct research or fulfill organizational tasks. A fair charter would calculate their contribution value, allowing them to exchange it for equivalent resources in the library.

There is no need to worry about the initial resources of the library, as Skyler himself, along with the Greengrass family collection—subtracting some private collections that should remain confidential—accounts for more than 500 books.

Drawing inspiration from Hermione's creation of Dumbledore's Army in the original work, Skyler presented each member with a Golden Galleon bearing a changeable charm as their membership card. These coins would alter during member calls, be it for full-fledged meetings or actual combat training, displaying the time and location of the gathering.

With these preparations complete, the Serpentis Vigil's inaugural session officially concluded.

"I believe everything is in order. If you have any questions, then please ask them before we finally conclude our first meeting and celebrate the formation of Serpentis Vigil." Skyler said while looking toward other students.

The other students looked at each other in silence for a few minutes before Skyler finally raised his hand, "To a better future where we stand as the pioneer to pave a new path in this wizarding world!"

Following his speech, the members erupted in cheers while shouting Skyler's name.

[The club Serpentis Vigil has been established!]

The following day, before dawn, Skyler arose and ventured into the castle dungeon with a specific destination in mind—the kitchen

Emerging from the Slytherin lounge, Skyler navigated a broad stone corridor adorned with images of various foods. Swiftly locating a large portrait featuring a silver bowl overflowing with fruits,

Skyler lightly touched a vibrant green pear within the image. To his surprise, the pear squirmed and chuckled, transforming into a sizable green doorknob. Grasping the doorknob and pulling, Skyler found himself in the legendary Hogwarts House-elves kitchen.

The kitchen mirrored the size of the auditorium above, with cabinets filled with tableware and four long wooden tables positioned identically to the four college tables in the auditorium. Breakfast for the students was already laid out on the tables, and House-elves would magically deliver the food to the waiting tables above during mealtime.

Spotting Skyler, a little elf approached and inquired, "Sir, what's the matter?"

"The restaurant isn't opened yet, so I thought I'd take a look in the kitchen," Skyler replied with a polite smile.

The implication of the restaurant made the House-elf widen his eyes as he realized Skyler's background.

"Please come with me, sir." The House-elf grasped Skyler's hand and led him to a table, where six other house elves hurriedly approached, carrying a large silver tray adorned with a jug of milk, ham, omelet, toast, salad, and pumpkin porridge.

"Thank you, little guys," Skyler said gratefully as he poured himself half a glass of milk. After savoring the delicious meal, he inquired, "Since it's my first time here, may I explore the surroundings?"

"Of course, sir!" the House-elf nodded eagerly.

Skyler's primary interest lay in the cold storage of food. After all, wizards didn't utilize Muggle refrigerators, and as far as he knew, there was no specific curse for cooling items in the wizarding world. The so-called "Freezing Spell" essentially fixed the casting target and halted movement.

As Skyler strolled around, he observed the hundreds of little elves in the kitchen, deftly wielding their long fingers to command kitchen tools and utensils. They executed various cooking procedures in a remarkably orderly manner.

Approaching the end of the kitchen, Skyler finally reached a small room dedicated to storing ingredients. A rune was engraved on the door, and he recognized it as "Isa," signifying "ice" and "still."

The magic Talisman emanated immensely powerful waves of magical energy.

By this point, Skyler had become well-acquainted with Gurunis's spells, understanding the intricacies of their difficulty. Despite his extensive knowledge of ancient magical texts, mastering a Gurunis Talisman like "Guardian" took significant time and effort—from his first encounter in the Silver Spear test level to assisting Astoria in expelling a curse, he could only achieve a semi-finished Gurunis magic.

Until the moment Lockhart blows himself up, Skyler succeeds in materializing the magic in desperation, completing the entire process of Gurunis's spellcasting. While this achievement might seem remarkable today, he had only mastered the guardian Talisman, just a drop in the vast sea of Guruni magic talismans.

It was said that wizards in the Middle Ages were well-versed in using Gurunis to cast spells, a fact that filled him with admiration and yearning for that era in the wizarding world.

Whether it was the four founders of Hogwarts or the three Peverell brothers who crafted the Deathly Hallows, their proficiency in using Gurunis magic talismans was unparalleled. Skyler couldn't help but marvel at their achievements.

Whether it was the Invisibility Cloak of the Deathly Hallows or the door of the kitchen cold storage, after nearly a thousand years, they could still emit such powerful magical fluctuations. This was undeniably amazing and a goal Skyler aspired to achieve in the future.

Skyler opened the door and stepped inside.

As he entered the freezer room, the "Isa" magic talisman emitted a dazzling white light, transforming into a pure white beam shooting toward Skyler!

Knowing the potency of Gurunis's spells, Skyler refrained from employing the Shield Charm to absorb the attack. Instead, he raised his right hand and swiftly traced the "Eihwaz" rune with his index finger.

A small palace phantom immediately enveloped Skyler, and the collision of the two Gurunis' charms produced a sizzling sound, canceling each other out.

This action attracted attention. All the house elves rushed over to witness the commotion. They cleared a path to the left and right, revealing an aisle.

An elderly House-elf, leaning on a cane, approached Skyler slowly and uttered in an aged voice, "The one foretold in the prophecy, you have finally revealed yourself..."

This venerable elf identified himself as Goober, the eldest elder among the more than 100 house elves residing in the Hogwarts kitchen. Having lived in Hogwarts since birth, he was elected as the elder and inherited a prophecy from his predecessor, Bram.

According to the prophecy, a Hogwarts student would eventually arrive in the kitchen, activate the magic on the freezer, and successfully resist it on the spot. Throughout the years, countless students had entered the kitchen for food, yet none had shown any interest in triggering the mysterious magic.

Goober gestured with his crutches towards an inconspicuous corner of the freezer and invoked a peculiar elfin magic. Instantaneously, a silver-accented stew pot with a primitive design materialized.

"Person of the prophecy, you are the heir chosen by Hufflepuff. Take this saucepan. It is Hufflepuff's most treasured collection. When used to cook, it enhances the flavor of food..."

Skyler, as the young master of the Malfoy family, was perplexed. Why would he, with three house elves at his disposal, need to cook himself? Sensing Skyler's disappointment, Goober explained further, "Do not underestimate this saucepan. Hufflepuff was one of the most powerful wizards of her time. Do you seriously believe the keepsake that she left behind would be as simple as that? Do you seriously believe that Hufflepuff herself would leave something without any meaning?"

Goober touched a pattern on the front of the stew pot with his fingers, transforming it into a crucible. "As long as you inject a little magic power here, it can become a crucible. If used to refine potions, it can increase the success rate and shorten the refining time..."

Upon hearing this, Skyler expressed pleasant surprise. Advanced potions such as compound decoctions, veritaserum, and blessing potions often posed risks, even in the hands of a potions master.

Moreover, the extended refining periods added to the challenges. If the crucible could enhance success rates and expedite the process, its value would be immeasurable.

[ Hufflepuff's Crucible is obtained!]

With the obtainment of Hufflepuff's treasured possession that's meant for her successor, Skyler has started concocting a plan of his own inside his head on what kind of Potions he will make once the preparation is all done.