Hogwarts Headmaster's Office, outside the door.

"Ah..."

Professor Flitwick glanced at the slowly closing stone statue behind him, then peered down the quiet corridor, sighing softly with a worried expression. It seemed that the Ravenclaw children would likely have to spend another night in the hallway.

[Unless the question of the Eagle Arch is answered, one cannot enter the Ravenclaw common room.]

This was the rule laid down by Rowena Ravenclaw a thousand years ago, and even as the head of the house, he could not violate it.

Just as Dumbledore had told him, perhaps the difficulty of the bronze eagle ring's questions had recently increased, but this was mostly based on the upcoming teaching progress. As time passed, the questions that might have troubled people for centuries would eventually become common knowledge. This was an inevitable law of human civilization and development.

It was just that, in the transition phase between the old and new eras, it would be slightly more difficult for a short period.

Vast and complex knowledge could also be the most stubborn prison, especially for that old man who was over six hundred years old.

On the other hand, although Nicolas Flamel had always been humble and polite in his words, it could not conceal the pride that the great alchemist had exuded since entering the castle – if there hadn't been a hint of a "challenge to the establishment," Nicolas Flamel wouldn't have made such a request, right?

Fortunately, the speed of the new generation's rise at Hogwarts far exceeded people's expectations.

Perhaps a year ago, Ravenclaw House did not have many little wizards worth looking forward to, but since the moonlight shone into the Ravenclaw tower this year, this house finally had hope of soaring after many years.

Filius Flitwick smiled slightly, and said meaningfully in a low voice.

"Professor Nicolas Flamel, welcome to Hogwarts..."

…………

Meanwhile, in the Headmaster's Office behind Professor Flitwick.

The fire was crackling merrily in the fireplace, and Fawkes the phoenix had hidden its head under its wings, resting peacefully.

On the other side of the room, Grindelwald and Dumbledore were happily sharing sweet treats.

These were mostly collected by the old dark wizard from the streets and alleys of Salzburg, while on outings and when Aeliana wasn't paying attention – since Aeliana Kaslana took charge of the Hogwarts kitchen and began strictly controlling their sugar intake, these two centenarians had very few opportunities to eat desserts without restraint.

Faced with house-elves and Fluffy who turned traitor, even hiding food in the office had become a luxury.

"So, Albus," Grindelwald said happily, "is this really okay? After all, he's an old man of six hundred and sixty-six years old. Letting him sleep in the corridor on his first night at Hogwarts, are you really good friends?"

"Ah, I think it's quite good..."

Dumbledore said with a chuckle, "Anyway, the Ravenclaw sleeping bags are quite warm, he should like this novelty."

"I originally thought he would think about it for a while, after all, that question doesn't seem difficult at first glance?"

Grindelwald commented casually while enjoying the sweet and crispy cream cake.

"However, your Ravenclaw's bronze eagle ring seems to really have a problem. If this continues, it won't be long before that girl completely breaks that poor door knocker, right? A Sphinx wouldn't ask a question it doesn't know the answer to itself."

Although Grindelwald's attainments in alchemy were not very high, it did not prevent him from seeing the principle of the bronze door knocker.

Obviously, when Rowena Ravenclaw refined the bronze eagle ring more than a thousand years ago, she mostly referred to the Sphinxes who liked to give riddles and puzzles – for nearly a thousand years, those human-headed lion-bodied creatures had been used by wizards to guard their most precious places and things. Rowena had merely created an immortal metal guardian.

Dumbledore did not answer immediately.

He was patiently savoring the last Mozart chocolate ball. Unlike Grindelwald, Dumbledore didn't have many such opportunities. Then, he looked at Grindelwald with a smile that was not quite a smile, and said.

"Who told you that question has no answer?"

"Hmm?" Grindelwald raised his eyebrows, somewhat curious.

"I mean, today's Ravenclaw eagle ring can be passed."

Dumbledore licked his fingers and took out a somewhat old newspaper from the drawer and placed it on the table.

"But – didn't you just tell Flitwick..."

Grindelwald asked, this was different from what he had heard from the side just now.

It was precisely because this question could not be solved that Professor Flitwick dared to let Nicolas Flamel run into a wall, and that little girl, Aeliana, would reuse the old trick to use it as a bet to negotiate terms with Flamel.

Dumbledore did not answer immediately, tapping his fingers thoughtfully.

"Well," Dumbledore said carefully, "I think probably... Flamel deliberately conceded defeat."

"What's the point of doing that?" Grindelwald asked.

His eyes swept over the newspaper in Dumbledore's hand, "American mathematicians Appel and Haken successfully prove the Four Color Theorem using electronic computers," such a bold text title was written in the center of the yellowed page.

The first-generation Dark Lord frowned. He didn't know when Dumbledore had developed the habit of reading Muggle newspapers.

"Well," Dumbledore sighed softly, "In 'Hogwarts, A History', Ms. Rowena Ravenclaw did propose this conjecture, but until now, no one in the magical world has been able to prove it."

"But those Muggles did it?" Grindelwald grinned, "So Nicolas Flamel chose to give up? That's interesting, I didn't know that the great alchemist now rejects Muggle knowledge to such an extent."

Dumbledore raised his head, looking out the window somewhat absentmindedly.

"I think, it's not because of the knowledge itself..."

Dumbledore didn't finish his words. He waved his hand gently, letting the golden-red curtains block the steel behemoth that could not be seen with the naked eye in the sky, turned around, and began to silently clean up the messy dessert table.

He suddenly felt Nicolas Flamel's weariness.

As the Headmaster of Hogwarts, he was also similarly at a loss and resistant when facing the new educational reform.

The magical world had some quite glorious history, and the older people were, the easier it was to confuse history with reality.

As long as he was a little patient, even just comparing a little bit of scientific progress with the coincidence of magical civilization, he could realize that wizards' sights had led the Muggles by at least several centuries... As a pioneer who stepped onto the track hundreds of years in advance, losing to the Muggles' alchemy, that was probably the most uncomfortable thing, Dumbledore thought secretly.

In any case, Nicolas Flamel would probably have a hard time falling asleep tonight, right?

…………

On the other side, under Hannah's guidance, the girls finally returned to the Hufflepuff common room.

Different from the cold and orderly Ravenclaw House, in Danilova's opinion, this wonderful room located underground in the castle looked like Uncle Mauser's underground greenhouse, filled with the fragrance of grass and soil in the warm air.

This was a round, spacious room, filled with worn, soft armchairs and rickety old tables.

It was getting late, so Aeliana and the others didn't stay in the hall for too long, skillfully followed the tree-hole alleyway dotted with fireflies, and drilled down to the girls' dormitory on the lower floor, comfortably shrinking into their room.

Hufflepuff House does not have all the same layered dormitories as Gryffindor.

More accurately, the dormitory structure of male and female students is not exactly the same.

If you want to make a comparison, the girls' dormitory is more like rooms growing on a potato root, separated along different forks to the inside, which can lead to different small rooms, a bit similar to hotels in later generations.

However, compared to the flat and regular hotel rooms, the Hufflepuff girls' dormitory is obviously much more complicated.

Due to the uncertainty of the underground environment, some large dormitories can accommodate dozens of people to live together, while some small rooms are only enough to arrange beds for two or three people, so the Hufflepuff dormitory will be readjusted every once in a while.

Naturally, as the "Head of House" of Hogwarts, Aeliana naturally had the privilege of choosing a small room.

Moreover, considering that this year's nighttime research may lead to frequent night trips, it was obviously quite necessary to move out of the previous dormitory, and as Aeliana's exclusive navigator in Hufflepuff, Hannah was naturally also adjusted to the same room.

Otherwise, relying solely on the White-Haired Ball's tendency to get lost, she might never be able to return to her bed.

"Okay, this is our room, welcome—"

After shuttling through the complicated dormitory corridors for a few minutes, Aeliana, who had returned to her small nest, finally regained her usual confidence. The White-Haired Ball skillfully kicked off her shoes, stepped on the furry carpet, and said proudly.

This was not the public occasion of the other girls' dormitories.

The thick mud-stone mixed magic walls were no less effective in sound insulation and warmth retention than the top sound-absorbing walls of later generations. No matter how loud the sound in this room was, the other Hufflepuff girls in the surrounding dormitories would not hear anything.

In other words, this was her and Hannah's exclusive secret room.

"Come on, come on, let's go take a shower first, I'll teach you how to use the bathroom..."

Aeliana gently closed the door, rubbed her hands with anticipation, and was about to start undressing to enjoy the night.

But before she could do so, Hermione spoke first.

"Um... about Professor Apocalis... and Salzburg... what exactly is going on... I mean... Miss Theresa Apocalis, don't you have anything you plan to tell us?"

Hermione's voice was both nervous and full of curiosity, her amber eyes fixed on Aeliana's face.

Danilova, who was sitting on the chair by the door taking off her socks, suddenly froze when she heard this.

Wait! Theresa Apocalis?!

She had heard that name mentioned once before by that reckless wizard, Frank.

According to the conversation she overheard, Danilova was very clear about the importance of this name in the trajectory of their family's destiny - Theresa Apocalis, this was the name of the "Miss" of the Destiny Group.

And with Hermione's voice, Luna Lovegood also leaned quietly on the bed, raised her head, and looked at Aeliana.

Perhaps the only one in the entire room who was still grinning foolishly was Hannah.

"Hmm? Why are you asking that?" Aeliana's eyes flickered, "Didn't the professor already explain it? At the end of the school year, Professor Apocalis went to the orphanage where I was to go through the adoption procedures, so I now temporarily have two names, that's all. As for Salzburg, and more things, I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're lying, Aeliana. It's been like this from the beginning!"

Hermione Granger said somewhat angrily, "About that name, Theresa Apocalis, that was the pen name you came up with for yourself when we were organizing the 'Hogwarts History' together before, it was a fake name!"

"Just a coincidence, I did borrow the professor's surname at the time, so later..." Aeliana said calmly.

"That surname doesn't exist in this world at all!"

Hermione interrupted quickly, looking at the eyes of the White-Haired Ball, and said extremely seriously.

"Apocalis, this means the Apocalypse in the Bible, meaning what kind of impact the phenomena, signs, prophecies, or revelations of the prophets will have on the entire world. In the past two months, I have checked all no less than fifty books about surnames in the magical and non-magical worlds, and no one, nor could anyone, use this as a surname."

"So..."

Aeliana raised an eyebrow and asked softly with interest.

"So, Professor Apocalis is also using a fake name!"

Hermione took a deep breath, looked into Aeliana's eyes, and said word by word the guess she had been holding back for a long time.

"In other words, it's not that you secretly used the professor's surname! If my guess is correct, on the contrary, the name Otto Apocalis was made up by you, your reaction to this name is more sensitive than the professor's--"

"A very bold and interesting guess, Granger..."

Aeliana was silent for a few seconds, clapped her hands lightly, and said with a smile in a low voice.

"So, if we think about this story later, even if these are true, what can it explain?"

"Yeah, Hermione, what's the problem with this?"

Hannah stood between the two, blinked at Hermione, who was holding her arms, and Aeliana, who was leaning on the door. Although she didn't know what they were talking about, even a simpleton like her could sense that the atmosphere was not quite right.

"Because of the Destiny Group, the Destiny Group controlled by the Apocalis family..."

A trace of fear and unknown hesitation flashed in Hermione's hazel eyes, and she asked in a trembling voice.

"Whether it's in the records of the magical world, or in the streets and alleys of Salzburg, there are too many traces of this ancient and long-standing magical financial group, so real and reliable that there are no loopholes... The only problem is that if there is no such family..."

"Then, where exactly is that fake city we went to today?"

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Gu Ya~ Another 4200-word little chapter~ Completed!