radicalducati Chapter 167 Homework Questions and Answers and Nico's Letter
Chapter 167 Homework Questions and Answers and Nico's Letter
Chapter 167 Homework Questions and Answers and Nico's Letter
In the aftermath of the initial tension, life struggled to return to a semblance of normalcy. While discussions about the Forest Ban hadn't subsided, they were gradually overshadowed by the new curriculum and the upcoming Quidditch season, thanks to the professors' deliberate emphasis on discipline and academic importance.
The presence of Filch patrolling the castle and the occasional strange Auror still reminded the students of the horrors of that night. The Forbidden Forest was guarded more strictly, and Karen and the others no longer had the opportunity to enter and investigate what happened on Halloween night.
Professor Quirrell remained on sick leave, and the Defense Against the Dark Arts class was temporarily taught by Professors Flitwick and Sprout in rotation, focusing on theoretical review and basic defense spells. Professor Snape reappeared in class, his face as black as the bottom of a pot, his aura so low it could make a mandragora rustle, and he was deducting points at an alarming rate, as if venting all the anger he had accumulated since the Forbidden Forest incident on his students. Gryffindor bore the brunt, with Harry being a particular target.
Friday afternoon, Charms classroom. Professor Flitwick, though still bearing a lingering trace of fatigue, stood on the podium...
His passion for Charms still inspires his students. However, contrary to the schedule, he did not continue the previous teaching progress today.
"Children," Professor Flitwick's voice was unusually heavy, "given the terrible disaster that occurred in the Forbidden Forest last week, and the dark threats it exposed, I think it's necessary to temporarily adjust today's lesson. Our topic today is—Protection Spells."
A slight commotion arose from the audience. A protective spell? That seemed far too complex for the younger students.
"I know it's too early for first-year students to master these spells," Professor Flitwick nodded understandingly. "The purpose of today's lesson isn't to teach you how to cast them immediately—that requires a lot of practice and more refined control of magic. Today's focus is on 'understanding'! Understanding the importance of protective spells, their types, basic principles, and the role they play in crucial moments! Knowledge is the first step to power!"
He stood atop the pile of books, waving his wand and tracing several shimmering runes and a simple shield model in the air: "Protective spells are a wizard's first line of defense against danger! From the simplest 'Protego,' to the more powerful 'Protego Horribilis,' 'Protego Totalum,' and then to specific threats like 'Salvio Heia' and 'Repello Inimicum,' they constitute a vast defensive system! Their core principle lies in resisting, deflecting, or absorbing external magical energy and physical impacts to protect those who or what need protection."
Professor Flitwick explained the classification, basic functions, and significance of protective spells in a clear and concise manner.
After the class ended, most of the students left. Karen, notebook in hand, strode to the podium.
"Professor Flitwick, may I ask you a question?" Karen asked respectfully, "How do protective spells remain stable when resisting very powerful and continuous magical impacts? I feel that simply channeling and deflecting them may not be enough."
Professor Flitwick's eyes lit up: "Good question, Mr. Hawthorne! Explain your thoughts in detail?"
Karen opened her notebook and pointed to the sketches: "For example, in the face of an attack as powerful as a flood, won't the protective structure collapse? Is there a way to make it stronger and more resilient? Or, can we design a more effective way to quickly and safely deflect some of the enormous impact force?"
Professor Flitwick nodded approvingly: "You've got the point!" He gestured for Karen to come closer and pointed his wand at the sketch: "You see, your idea for an auxiliary circuit is good, but the path is too narrow. It will break down first under pressure. We need a wider and stronger path, and the material itself must be strong enough." He used his wand to build a model in the air to demonstrate.
"You're absolutely right to guide the direction of the impact!" Professor Flitwick continued, several rotating points of light illuminating the model. "The traditional approach is to distribute the force evenly. A more advanced method is to set up special 'points' or controllable magical vortices. When the impact is too strong, they can burst or rotate at high speed, instantly and directionally ejecting a huge amount of energy! For example, diagonally upwards or downwards, like opening a safety valve to release pressure." He demonstrated the process of the model releasing energy through the light points to reduce pressure under high pressure.
"So that's how it is!" Karen's eyes lit up; this was very helpful in solving his problem of overloaded protective badges!
Professor Flitwick patted Cullen on the shoulder: "Excellent research direction, Hawthorne. Master Nicolas Flamel is an authority on combining special materials with protective magic; consult him more often."
"Thank you so much, Professor! I understand so much now!" Karen said sincerely, her notebook already full of key points.
"Discussions are always welcome," Professor Flitwick smiled kindly. "Keep this enthusiasm and depth, and your future in magic is limitless."
With a wealth of new insights and research directions, Karen returned to the Ravenclaw Tower. As soon as he stepped into the common room, Phobos fluttered its wings and landed on his shoulder, nuzzling his cheek affectionately, a thick parchment letter with a faint herbal scent tied to its leg.
It's a letter from Nico and the others!
Karen hurried back to her dorm and opened the letter. Nicole's elegant and flowing handwriting came into view:
Dear Karen:
Greetings. I hope this letter arrives when you have recovered from the unpleasant Halloween saga. Sarah in Beauxbatons and several friends at the Ministry of Magic in Paris have sent word that the events at the Forbidden Forest of Hogwarts have deeply troubled us. Castor, though he doesn't say it aloud, is also paying close attention. Please remain vigilant and act with caution at all times. Although Dumbledore is temporarily away, Hogwarts' defenses are not weak; however, danger often lurks within. Safety first, my child.
Getting back to the main point. Regarding the new design concept you mentioned in your last letter—the idea of integrating it into the protective badge's energy cycle system—Casto and I are both extremely pleased! It's a brilliant idea that combines the rhythms of natural magic with alchemical creation; it's brimming with creativity!
Regarding your issue of "fluctuations in environmental energy absorption efficiency causing intermittent shield instability," I have carefully considered the rune combination sketch you drew. The core idea is correct, but the "resonant frequency" between the runes may need fine-tuning.
I suggest you try embedding a miniature, inverted variant of the "Laguz" (flow) rune between your existing "Ansuz" (communication) and "Sowilo" (energy) runes. Instead of guiding water flow, it symbolizes the imagery of "moonlight reflected on calm water." Specific stroke order and mana infusion instructions are attached to the back of the letter. This variant acts as a subtle regulator, helping the energy-absorbing structure better lock onto the stable frequency of the moonmoss, filtering out some overly active environmental noise, and improving the stability of energy conversion. You can first test the effects of this miniature rune array on a small crystal carrier.
Regarding your question about the excessive energy loss of the 'Deflection Field' when subjected to physical impact, you might consider making subtle adjustments to the angle of the shield's curved surfaces. Combined with a specific arrangement of 'Eihwaz' (defense/resilience) runes, this could more efficiently convert kinetic impact into a flowing stream of magic, rather than a direct clash of energy. This requires precise spatial configuration and rune placement. Your talent will be a significant asset in your research; make good use of it.
I look forward to hearing about the progress of your experiments. Remember, in the path of alchemy, patience and precision are often more important than speed. Perenel and I are at our secluded abode, ready to welcome your letters at any time.
Wishing you academic success and peace and good fortune.
You are sincere.
Nicole Lemacalen read the letter repeatedly, a warm feeling welling up inside him. Nicole's concern was meticulous, and the suggestions he offered directly addressed the key bottleneck in his current research!
Karen muttered to himself, his fingers unconsciously tracing runes on the table. He carefully put away Nico's letter, his gaze fixed on the window. Dusk was falling, and the castle lights were gradually coming on. Nico and Castor were watching him from faraway France, while Professor Flitwick was guiding him inside the castle. Though the road ahead was fraught with shadows, he was not alone. The beacon of knowledge always shone brightly ahead. He took out a parchment and began writing a reply to Nico, reporting his understanding and raising new questions.
Inside the Eagle's Nest, the alchemy table shone once more, accompanied by the focused figure of the young man and the rustling sound of his pen gliding across parchment. The mysteries of magic were being gradually revealed through the clash between theory and practice.