Ancient Rune

An hour later, Jon left the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom with a serious expression, following a group of Hufflepuff students.

Several students around him were still excitedly discussing what Moody had taught in class:

"Professor Moody is incredibly knowledgeable!"

"I never expected to learn about black magic in such detail!"

"What if the Ministry of Magic finds out what we're studying? Will Moody and Dumbledore get into trouble?"

...

Ignoring their whispers, Jon fell into deep thought.

Based on the content of the lesson, Jon had a vague idea about something.

If his suspicions were correct, he desperately needed to acquire knowledge about black magic!

There was no doubt that Moody (Barty Crouch Jr.), as a trusted Death Eater of Voldemort, possessed extensive knowledge of dark magic.

If Jon genuinely wanted to learn about black magic, Moody would be an excellent teacher!

However, for the sake of safety, it would be wise to keep some distance from him. It wouldn't be interesting if something were to go wrong, like an Imperius Curse or similar. Furthermore, judging by Dumbledore's actions and the way Professor McGonagall reacted, it seemed that the headmaster was keeping a close eye on Moody's activities.

Moreover, Dumbledore had hidden all books on dark magic in the library many years ago.

As a young wizard from a non-pure-blooded family, it was exceedingly difficult for Jon to gain access to knowledge about dark magic.

He would have to wait and see!

Jon went to the Great Hall to grab a bite to eat and then returned to the Hufflepuff common room.

To his surprise, he found Zacharias Smith reading in the common room.

"Did the sun rise from the west?" Jon asked curiously, leaning over.

Zacharias proudly flipped through the book in his hands and showed Jon the title: "Advanced Transfiguration Guide."

"How did you manage to get this book?" Jon asked, astonished.

"I borrowed it from the library!" Zacharias exclaimed excitedly. "I tricked that big oaf Hagrid by telling him I wanted to borrow a book on magical creatures. He signed it without even looking at the IOU, and then I borrowed it from Mrs. Pince!"

"Are you really planning to practice becoming an Animagus?" Jon had already guessed Zacharias' intentions.

"Of course!"

...Unfortunately, Zacharias' enthusiasm lasted only fifteen minutes.

When several members of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team found him, he tossed the prohibited book aside and handed it to Jon.

"It's too complicated!" he complained. "I've never seen such a complex Transfiguration technique. The process alone takes over a year, and you have to prepare at least five advanced potions. I swear it's beyond my capabilities!"

"So, your plan to sneak into the girls' bathroom lasted longer than this?" Jon teased.

"Yes, I give up!" Zacharias shook his head and stood up. "I'm off to play Quidditch... Jon, if you're heading to the library, could you return this book to Madam Pince for me?"

"Sure, I'll take care of it!" Jon picked up the "Advanced Transfiguration Guide" that Zacharias had discarded and put it in his backpack.

"Thanks!"

...

While Zacharias headed to the Quidditch Stadium to let off some steam, Jon still had an Ancient Runes lesson to attend. After resting for a while in the common room, he hurried to the third floor of the castle.

The course sounded rather dull, and as a result, there were fewer students taking it compared to other classes.

With no more than a dozen students, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw gathered in the classroom, sitting quietly.

Jon found a seat and sat down.

"Hello!" Luna Lovegood, a Ravenclaw girl with long, light blonde hair, turned her head from the front row and blinked at him. "Jon Hart, right?"

"Yes, Miss Lovegood!" Jon smiled and nodded.

"I noticed you in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class this morning!" Luna said softly. "What seems to be troubling you?"

"Maybe!" Jon vaguely deflected the topic. "Perhaps I've been busy with coursework... By the way, you're taking this class too?"

"Of course!" Luna replied cheerfully. "My mother once told me that if you turn these ancient magical texts upside down, you can find ancient spells hidden within. So, I've been looking forward to this class."

"Really?" Jon responded awkwardly.

Engaging in a conversation with Luna Lovegood was quite challenging because her thoughts were difficult to keep up with.

In a way, her thinking was quite eccentric!

Their conversation was interrupted as Professor Bathsheda Babbling, the Ancient Runes teacher, entered the classroom.

"I have a sense of familiarity in the smell around you..." Luna sniffed the air vigorously before turning back around and opening her textbook.

...

Professor Bathsheda Babbling was a young witch, appearing to be in her twenties. Her attire was slightly plain and even a bit disheveled.

She wore a black robe that seemed a bit faded, and thick black-rimmed glasses framed her face.

Professor Babbling sat at the front of the class, took out the class roster, and began taking attendance. Due to the small number of students, the process was quick.

"Welcome to your first Ancient Runes class!" Professor Babbling's voice was clear. "Many students consider this course to be just learning some useless ancient script and not truly magical... I hope you don't hold that opinion. Now, please open your books!"

Jon opened his copy of "Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms" and was taken aback.

In an inconspicuous corner of the book, there was a depiction of a man hanging upside down, emitting a faint light from his head.

"What's this..." Jon had opened "Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms" many times before but had never noticed this detail.

"Please turn to page three!" Professor Babbling instructed. "Regarding the origin of magic, it remains a topic of much debate... However, the most compelling theory in magical history suggests that modern magic has its roots in ancient Nordic magic!"

"While ancient Nordic magic has largely been lost to time, their written language, known as Runes, has survived. We believe that we can decipher some clues about ancient magic through the study of these texts!" Professor Babbling paused and continued, "As described in an ancient Nordic poem on page three of your textbook—"

"Hanging from a swaying tree for nine nights,

Pierced by a spear;

Sacrificed to myself,

An offering to Odin,

On the tree that none know!

No bread for sustenance, no drop to quench thirst.

Only mystical runes falling from the tree,

I gazed downward and grasped the runes,

Whispering as I picked them up, filling my heart..."