Chapter 19: The Clue to the Disillusionment Charm

Originally, with a stable life at Hogwarts, Hofa should have been able to live a lazy and comfortable life like everyone else. 

Every day, he could sleep, attend classes, eat, and play games with his friends. 

However, in reality, he couldn't do this. Perhaps other students could, but Hofa couldn't. 

He was different from others. Europe was a society that valued connections, bloodlines, and family, especially in Britain. 

Other students could relax and have fun, knowing that their families would support them if anything happened. 

At Hogwarts, every student had relatives, whether they were Muggle-born or pure-blood. 

Even Tom Riddle, who came from the same orphanage as Hofa, had relatives, whether he liked them or not. 

But Hofa had only himself. 

Facing an uncertain future, he couldn't rely on anyone else. 

The countdown to the war was about ten months away. 

This sense of urgency constantly pressed down on him, like the sword of Damocles hanging over his head. 

As a result, he always felt a sense of insecurity. 

Even though he had learned some basic spells and acquired a book on advanced Transfiguration, it didn't make him much more optimistic. 

Hofa often asked himself: Could his body block bullets? Could he traverse a battlefield filled with gunfire unscathed? 

If the answer was no, then he had no choice but to keep striving. 

Strive to become stronger. 

Learn everything that could benefit him. 

So, when the weekend arrived and the sky was just beginning to lighten, Hofa was already out the door with the thick book he had worked so hard to borrow, while his roommates were still sleeping in the dormitory. 

Borrowing the book didn't mean Hofa could immediately become an Animagus. There were too many intricacies to master. 

But compared to having no guidance at all, this was a significant step forward. 

Now that he had some free time, he needed to thoroughly study the Transfiguration techniques in this mysterious book. 

After a quick breakfast, as Hofa was about to leave, he saw Professor Merrythought of Gryffindor at the base of the clock tower, checking the list of students heading to Hogsmeade. 

Hogsmeade was a wizarding village near Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. 

It was also the headquarters of the 1612 Goblin Rebellion. 

The school's rules stated that only third-year students and above could visit Hogsmeade on specific Saturdays, and they needed a guardian's signed permission. 

A group of third-year students stood on the lawn, dressed in their usual attire, each face beaming with joy. 

Hofa was unimpressed by their behavior. They were in a treasure trove but didn't appreciate it. After all, Hogwarts was one of Europe's most renowned magical sanctuaries. 

Wouldn't it be better to spend that time learning a few spells in the library? 

Wizards, after all, if they didn't study magic, could they even be called wizards? 

In Hofa's view, a wizard, regardless of their moral alignment, needed to possess a strong sense of independence, endure solitude, resist temptations, and devote most of their energy to exploring the true mysteries of the universe and philosophy. 

Of course, he didn't need to go to the library now. What he wanted was already in his arms. 

Stretching his legs, Hofa held the book and jogged slowly along the grounds toward the Black Lake. 

The calm lake reflected the rolling hills and the mysterious castle on the shore, its waves shimmering with a silvery glow. 

The white clouds in the lake looked like blooming snow lotuses. 

In the distance, he could see some stone drainage channels built during King Arthur's time. 

After finding a secluded spot by the Black Lake with good lighting, Hofa eagerly opened the thick book he had borrowed with excitement and anticipation. 

But after flipping through the pages, the smile and excitement on Hofa's face gradually faded, replaced by calmness and seriousness. He realized he had been overly optimistic. 

This book could be considered a comprehensive guide to Transfiguration, with the process of becoming an Animagus clearly explained. 

Every step, every flow of magical energy was detailed, but the more he understood, the more Hofa realized the profound complexity of Transfiguration. 

Becoming an Animagus was no simple low-level spell; it was an extremely difficult and intricate magical process requiring over a dozen steps and hundreds of magical transformations, all completed in a very short time. 

Even for those with exceptional talent, it would take at least a year of diligent practice to succeed. 

At least a year… 

The task of exploring the school was still temporarily out of reach. 

Hofa looked up from the book, his brow furrowed. 

He wasn't particularly interested in the secrets hidden within Hogwarts. He wasn't like Voldemort, with a compulsion for collecting or grand ambitions. 

But with World War II looming and facing an uncertain and unpredictable future, Hofa felt the urgency of time. 

The knowledge he had obtained from the system was limited, and he had only acquired two-thirds of the spell fragments. It would be best to complete them as soon as possible. 

Otherwise, in the face of the terrifying war, he would have no cards to play. 

Would he have to search for the Disillusionment Charm? 

Hofa felt a wave of frustration. 

Becoming an Animagus required a lot of time, and the Disillusionment Charm was nowhere to be found. 

The task of exploring the school was still delayed, which was becoming problematic. 

"This is troubling," Hofa muttered to himself, holding the book. 

He practiced a few meditation techniques to calm his restless emotions. 

He then diligently resumed his studies. 

No matter how slow the progress, doing something was better than doing nothing. 

By the Black Lake, Hofa immersed himself in solitary study. 

From time to time, he pulled out prepared parchment and a quill to take notes, occasionally using his wand to practice movements and magical flows. Mastering the process of Animagus transformation was arduous, but learning brought him joy. 

The sun gradually rose, the morning light faded, and the shapes of the clouds changed repeatedly. 

The morning passed in the blink of an eye as Hofa studied. 

By noon, Hofa felt hungry. 

But not wanting to waste time, he decided not to return to the school. Instead, he picked some berries by the lake, eating them while gazing at the reflection of the castle in the distance, giving his eyes a rest. He decided to continue his magical studies in the afternoon. 

Just then, a voice suddenly called out, "Hofa!" 

Startled, Hofa quickly stood up from the lakeside and looked around. 

There was nothing. 

Only the branches swaying in the breeze and the waves lapping against the pebbles. 

"Am I hearing things?" Hofa muttered, flipping a page in the book. 

But just as he was about to continue reading, the voice called again, "Hey, Hofa, are you deaf?" 

Hofa jumped to his feet, closed the book, and drew his wand, cautiously scanning his surroundings. 

"Who's there? Who's speaking?" Hofa asked with a stern expression. 

"Silly boy, stop looking. It's me!" 

Only then did Hofa realize something was off. The voice was right next to him, like a whisper. 

He touched his ear and felt his silver earring. 

He recognized the voice's owner. 

Hofa exclaimed in surprise, "It's you, Indor!?" 

"Who else would it be?" Indor said lazily. "What, have you made so many friends at Hogwarts that you've forgotten your partner's voice?" 

Hofa sighed and put away his wand. 

He felt both happy and annoyed. 

So, this tricky goblin had installed a Bluetooth-like device in his earring. No wonder he hadn't left any contact information when they parted ways. 

In a way, Indor could be considered his first friend in this world. 

Indor's voice came through the earring, curious, "If I remember correctly, today's your day off, right? How's life at Hogwarts treating you?" 

"Ha!" Hofa tossed a berry into his mouth and scoffed, "Why do you care so much? Did your scam get exposed?" 

"Not at all," Indor sighed. 

"But I need your help with something urgent, very urgent. Can you meet me now?" 

"Meet you?" Hofa was stunned. He looked around. 

"How? I'm at Hogwarts." 

Indor asked, "Do you know Hogsmeade? I'm at the Three Broomsticks. Just come by before dark." 

Hofa was shocked, "Are you crazy? How can I leave? I'm only a first-year. Getting caught going to Hogsmeade now could get me expelled." 

"Oh, come on," the goblin chuckled. "Rules are meant to be broken. Every Hogwarts graduate I know has broken at least ten school rules that could've gotten them expelled, but they all graduated just fine. Let me tell you, there are many secret passages in your school…" 

"Stop right there!" Hofa immediately interrupted. "I'm only 11, as tall as you. I'd be spotted the moment I stepped out of a secret passage. How could I meet you?" 

Indor sounded surprised on the other end, "Huh? You've been at Hogwarts for almost a month. Don't you know any concealment spells? Like the Disillusionment Charm, the Confundus Charm, or the Polyjuice Potion?" 

The mention of these only deepened Hofa's frustration. 

He snapped, "Hey, do you know them? If you do, teach me. Once I learn, I'll go wherever you want." 

"Teach you?" Indor sounded puzzled. "Goblin magic isn't something human wizards can learn. You have your own magical system." 

"Then why bring it up?" Hofa retorted irritably. "If you can't help, I'm hanging up." 

"Wait, wait!" Indor quickly interjected. "Don't be hasty. I can't teach you, but someone at your school can." 

Hofa paused, then asked eagerly, "Who?" 

"Well, I don't know exactly who. But my former partner once told me that when he was at school, he joined a club. It was a spell-focused club, and every new member was rewarded with any spell of their choice, as long as they passed the club's test." 

Hofa's eyes widened. 

"There's a club like that?" 

"Of course, Hogwarts has many clubs." 

"Where is it?" Hofa asked impatiently. 

"I don't know. I'm not a student there," Indor said with a hint of annoyance. "But I gave you that earring, didn't I? My former partner also wore a goblin earring. His name was Nemon. Go to the school's club registry and ask around. You might find something." 

Hofa closed the book and stood up. 

He turned and began walking back toward the school. 

Indor continued chattering on the other end, "If you learn any concealment or confusion spells, remember to come to Hogsmeade and meet me. I'll be waiting at the Three Broomsticks." 

Hofa was no longer listening. His mind was completely focused on the Disillusionment Charm. 

Without a doubt, mastering Animagus transformation required a lot of time, but spells were different—they could be learned quickly. 

If he could learn the Disillusionment Charm, many of the school rules that restricted him would instantly become irrelevant. 

Indor kept saying something about it being urgent and that Hofa must come, but Hofa didn't respond.