Chapter 154: Ravenclaw's Fortune

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We are 90% there.

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"Come in, the door's not closed."

Professor Brode's voice came from the office.

Albert's hand, which was about to knock on the door, froze in mid-air. Izabel glanced at him, pushed open the wooden door, and walked into the office.

"You resigned?"

After entering, Albert noticed that this was no longer the familiar Defense Against the Dark Arts office he knew. The several large bookshelves along the walls had been emptied, and the expensive wool carpet and silk curtains were nowhere to be seen. The items on the desk were all gone, replaced by a leather briefcase.

"I resigned, and I will be leaving today." Professor Brode pointed to the sofa, gesturing for them to sit down and talk.

A few days ago, Professor Brode had almost been attacked by an Acromantula in the Forbidden Forest, and he felt the threat of the curse closing in on him. That's why the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor promptly submitted his resignation letter to Dumbledore. He didn't want to risk getting injured or losing his life for that cursed position.

Albert naturally understood the reason behind Professor Brode's early resignation. The position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor was cursed, and it was the wisest choice to resign before getting injured.

"Resigning is a good choice," Albert said. "Leaving before the curse finds you is a wise decision."

"Shut up, Anderson," Katrina couldn't help but glare at Albert.

"No, I actually agree with Mr. Anderson's opinion," Professor Brode raised his hand to calm Katrina and smiled. "The curse in Defense Against the Dark Arts has always existed. I didn't come here to teach to get hurt or die because of a curse."

Katrina was completely dumbfounded. She could hardly believe that Uncle Badger would say such words.

"But... if you resign, what will happen to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class?" the girl couldn't help but voice her doubts.

"The knowledge I can teach everyone has already been taught in the previous lessons. The remaining time this semester will be for review and final exams," Professor Brode continued. "Before the exams, Dumbledore will find someone to substitute."

"It won't be Snape, will it?" Albert frowned slightly. Although Snape was an expert in Dark Arts, Albert didn't really like the guy.

"It will be Professor Snape," Professor Brode corrected.

"Okay, Professor Snape," Albert remembered something else. "What about Mr. McDog's manuscript for 'Advanced Magical Text Analysis' Part Three?"

"Oh, you mean that matter? It has been postponed for now," Professor Brode spoke casually, as if discussing what to have for lunch today.

"Postponed?"

Albert was also taken aback. He didn't expect to receive such an answer.

"Yes, postponed," Professor Brode looked at Albert, "The remaining final part seems to have encountered some obstacles, so Moag decided to postpone Part Three."

Saying that, Professor Brode took out a file folder from the briefcase and handed it to Albert. "Since you are also an expert in magical texts, Moag believes you might be interested in it. After reading it, if you have any thoughts, you can write to him."

"I understand," Albert nodded, sensibly getting up to leave. He could tell that Professor Brode had something to discuss with the McDog sisters.

Izabel got up and followed him to the door.

"You don't have to specially see me off," Albert looked at Izabel and teased.

The next second, the wooden door in front of Albert slammed shut.

"What a guy without a sense of humor," Albert looked at the closed door, shaking his head, and turned to leave the Defense Against the Dark Arts office. He planned to go to the library, finish the remaining few holiday assignments, and then study what Professor Brode had given him.

"That guy finally left," Katrina muttered.

However, Uncle Moag seems to have high expectations for him.

Thinking about this, the girl felt a bit gloomy. It felt terrible to be overshadowed in every aspect.

"From the beginning, you chose the wrong target," Izabel sat back on the sofa and reached out to pat Katrina's head, reminding her, "He is a true genius, destined to leave the school with numerous accolades. Competing with him will only make you feel uncomfortable."

Katrina felt a bit dissatisfied. Was the gap between them really that big?

"Anderson is quite good," Professor Brode smiled. "He is the most talented wizard I have ever encountered."

"Yes, but he has a bit of a dark sense of humor," Izabel recalled the things Albert did and shook her head.

"Ravenclaw students are all peculiar," Professor Brode said. "And geniuses usually move to the beat of a different drum from ordinary people."

Izabel's face twitched. She believed that Albert's dark sense of humor had nothing to do with him being a genius.

"Uncle Badger, Albert Anderson is in Gryffindor, not Ravenclaw," Katrina reminded.

"Oh, I know that, of course."

"Do you have something to discuss with us?" Izabel brought the conversation back on track.

"This is something your father left with me." Professor Brode took out a delicate wooden box from the briefcase. The box was adorned with intricate patterns.

"It won't open." Katrina tried, but the wooden box wouldn't budge.

"It has magical protection on it. Ordinary methods won't work."

Professor Brode took out his wand, tapped the box, and chanted a series of strange incantations. Then he said to the McDog sisters, "Place your hands on the box, and it will open."

Katrina and Izabel both placed their hands on the box and faintly heard a small click. The wooden box automatically opened, revealing the items inside.

A letter and... a key.

"Is this our father's legacy?" Katrina picked up the key and examined it. She remembered that their father had died in a magical experiment when they were very young.

Izabel picked up the letter and opened it, starting to read its contents.

The contents of the letter were simple, introducing the key and the legacy left for the sisters.

It was a key to Gringotts, and the items in the vault were not Galleons but the archives and records of that magical experiment years ago.

"Why did our father leave these things to us?" Izabel looked at Professor Brode in confusion. "Did he want us to continue his research?"

"No, after his death, Moag sorted through some of the belongings and believed that these things were your father's legacy to you. That's why... he sealed away the research materials from back then." Professor Brode explained the origin of the key to the two sisters.

"Thank you for your kindness, Uncle Badger, but we don't want those things," Izabel decisively declined.

After all, it was that experiment that took away their father, and Izabel instinctively rejected those things. But she also understood Uncle Moag's intention.

With Izabel's talent, she could continue the research in the future and complete that magical experiment. That was why Professor Brode entrusted the items to the two sisters.

"I understand." Professor Brode nodded. "If you don't want them, I will take care of it myself."

"Izabel." Katrina was dissatisfied that her sister didn't ask for her opinion and just rejected it outright.

Izabel didn't pay much attention to her sister's dissatisfaction and asked, "Who are you planning to give it to? Anderson?"

"Anderson is indeed a good candidate," Professor Brode pondered and said, "Romina also works."

"Romina Smith?" Izabel furrowed her brow slightly. She was also a somewhat famous wizard and a friend of their father. They had reportedly worked together in the past.

"Can't you listen to my opinion?" Katrina protested, dissatisfied.

"Your opinion?" Izabel looked at her sister. "I don't want you to make so-called choices out of stubbornness."

"I'm not a child. Why would I do that?" Katrina couldn't help but protest. "Since it's something our father left for us, I think we should keep it instead of giving up. Perhaps... maybe I can continue our father's magical research in the future."

A strange silence fell upon the office.

"Alright!" Izabel bowed slightly to Professor Brode. "We will take the items. Thank you, Uncle Badger."

"You're welcome," Professor Brode said.

...

Just as Albert walked into the library, he suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned away amidst the bewildered gazes of others.

Albert had just been flipping through his notebook and happened to come across the page with his predictions about Ravenclaw's secret treasure. He decided to try his luck at the Room of Requirement on the eighth floor.

He made his way to the corridor on the eighth floor and, in a secluded spot, cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself to avoid being noticed by others while he hovered near the tapestry where the gargoyles were doing ballet.

As Albert walked towards the entrance of the Room of Requirement, he closed his eyes and focused his thoughts: Ravenclaw's secret treasure... Ravenclaw's secret treasure... Ravenclaw's secret treasure.

After passing that spot three times, Albert immediately opened his eyes and looked towards the entrance of the Room of Requirement, but all he saw was an ordinary white wall.

"Failed?" Albert murmured as he looked at the plain white wall in front of him. "Maybe my approach was wrong... or perhaps that room is not called Ravenclaw's secret treasure."

Albert took out his pen from his pocket and recorded his attempt in his notebook. Then, he closed his eyes again, concentrated his thoughts, and continued walking.

I need access to Ravenclaw's secret chamber... I need access to Ravenclaw's secret chamber... I need to enter Ravenclaw's secret chamber.

After passing three times, Albert opened his eyes again.

The door appeared!

"I succeeded!"

Albert felt his heart racing a bit faster. After looking around to make sure there was no one nearby, he quickly pushed open the door and entered the Room of Requirement.

Inside the door was indeed a secret chamber, a windowless and narrow one.

What caught Albert's eye was a wooden table, an armchair, and... a vertical banner hanging on the wall ahead with a depiction of a Ravenclaw eagle.

Apart from that, there was nothing... a clean and irritating emptiness.

Albert approached and lifted the banner with the Ravenclaw eagle. He looked at the solid wall and muttered, "Well, it is indeed the 'Ravenclaw's secret chamber.' You got me!"

"If it's not a secret chamber, then..."

Albert left the Room of Requirement and, as he watched the disappearing door, he furrowed his brow and walked away with big strides.

I need you to transform into Ravenclaw's treasure vault... Ravenclaw's treasure vault... Ravenclaw's treasure vault.

Albert opened his eyes again and found that the door had appeared once more.

As Albert entered Ravenclaw's treasure vault, he discovered that it resembled the vault he had entered last time. It was filled with items hidden by former Ravenclaw students—old books, newspapers, worn-out boots, broken brooms, and tattered robes.

Treasure vault? Are you sure this isn't just a place for piling up junk? Or is it that the Room of Requirement has a different understanding of "treasure vault"?

The corners of Albert's mouth twitched. He realized he had failed, so he didn't attempt to search and simply left the so-called Ravenclaw treasure vault.

After three failures, Albert felt a bit discouraged. He began to doubt whether Ravenclaw's secret treasure was really in the Room of Requirement.

If Ravenclaw's secret treasure is really here, why hasn't the panel presented any relevant tasks?

Just as Albert was about to leave, he noticed that a new task suddenly appeared on his panel.

Find Ravenclaw's knowledge repository.

You keenly perceive the location of Ravenclaw's legacy. Why not try to enter Ravenclaw's knowledge repository?

Reward: Unknown.

Another unknown reward.

But, does Ravenclaw's vault really go by the name of knowledge repository?

That name does seem fitting.

However, when Albert tried to enter the knowledge repository, he failed once again.

Albert was at a loss. Could it be that the task prompts were false?

For the next while, Albert continued to make attempts—Ravenclaw's room, Ravenclaw's private library.

Well, he did succeed in entering the private library, which was a circular room with only a round table, an armchair, and curved bookshelves covering the walls. Sunlight streamed in through the skylight above. However... the task wasn't completed.

So, this clearly wasn't the so-called knowledge repository.

If a library doesn't qualify as a knowledge repository, then what does?

Albert became a bit conflicted. He sat on the armchair, put his feet up on the table, and pondered ways to enter the knowledge repository.

"Could my guess have been wrong from the beginning?" Albert sighed softly. Since the panel task was triggered, it meant that Ravenclaw's knowledge repository was indeed in the Room of Requirement.

Perhaps he should find a Ravenclaw student and ask if there were any legends or stories about Ravenclaw.

As Albert was about to leave the Room of Requirement, he happened to notice an old wooden board with a bronze door knocker shaped like an eagle and the Ravenclaw motto written beside it: "Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure."

Could it be that only Ravenclaw students can find the so-called knowledge repository?

Albert suddenly remembered something—the bronze door knocker of Ravenclaw:

When you knock, the knocker will ask you a question.

If you can answer correctly, you will be allowed to enter.

In the past thousand years, aside from Ravenclaw students, no one has been able to pass this simple barrier.

Albert walked up to the bronze door knocker, raised his hand, and lightly knocked on the wooden board twice.

The unexpected happened next—the bronze door knocker in front of him actually spoke and asked a question.

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=> Sailing with Whitebeard: Starting with a Question

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(End of this chapter)