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Sean thought Roger might be right, but was there a concept of mercenaries in the wizarding world too?
"Quidditch always makes one feel much younger, don't you think?"
Dumbledore said with a smile, glancing inadvertently at Minerva, whose eyes were somewhat brimming with tears.
"Perhaps you are right."
Sean took the tilted trophy, the massive object nearly hitting him on the head.
"Oh, be careful."
Dumbledore reached out a hand and said cheerfully.
Behind him, the professors all laughed heartily.
Sean felt a bit embarrassed and struggled to carry the trophy away.
Dumbledore looked very happy, smiling as he chatted with Professor McGonagall about her past participation in Quidditch matches.
"Minerva, I remember you didn't think the trophy was heavy back then."
Dumbledore sighed with emotion.
"Albus, the trophy hadn't been made heavier by you back then."
Professor McGonagall glanced at him, then suppressed her excitement to look at the little wizard swaying as he held the trophy, surrounded by everyone.
Finally winning the Quidditch Cup, Ravenclaw's excitement lasted for at least a week.
Even the weather seemed to be celebrating. As June approached, the days became cloudless and sweltering, making one want nothing more than to stroll down to the grounds with a few pints of iced pumpkin juice, plop down, maybe play a casual game of Gobstones, or watch the Giant Squid swimming dreamily across the lake.
On this day at the edge of the Black Lake, Roger rubbed his hands together in excitement.
"Green, are you saying..."
"Yes, it has such an effect. It can bring about some illusions from your heart, but you must remember that they are only illusions."
Sean said.
In his hand was a deep black stone, with the symbol representing the Elder Wand running straight down it, and the triangle and circle representing the Invisibility Cloak and the Stone still clearly visible.
Sean subconsciously concealed the pattern.
The Resurrection Stone, rather than fulfilling a wizard's desire, seduced them towards death.
For a mentally sound wizard without too many regrets, it allowed them to at least see illusions of their loved ones;
But for those wizards in exceptional pain, it was an emissary sent by Death to lure them to their demise.
So, Sean chose a few "fairly happy" wizards from the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. At least they wouldn't recognize the concealed Resurrection Stone, nor would they be lured by the spirits summoned by it.
"It is a special alchemical creation, Captain Davies, please be careful."
Sean handed the Resurrection Stone over.
"Just summoning some illusions, as long as it's not rats—"
Roger Davies laughed but was still a bit cautious.
He closed his eyes and turned the stone over three times in his hand.
Soon, there was a result. Both Sean and he heard slight movements around them, like frail bodies moving their feet on the twig-strewn earth by the Black Lake.
Roger could see that they were neither ghosts nor flesh-and-blood living people.
They were more like... memories that had become almost solid.
Not as substantial as living bodies, but much more real than ghosts.
They walked towards Roger, each face wearing such a loving smile.
"Grandpa..."
Roger said in surprise.
But Sean could see nothing.
"Only I can see you?"
Roger glanced at Sean and asked.
"Others can't see, because you are part of me. I think I understand..."
Roger seemed to be muttering to himself.
And Sean knew that the entities formed by the condensation of those memories had appeared.
Roger kept speaking excitedly, talking for a long time with Grandpa Davies, whom Sean couldn't see.
After an hour, Roger wiped the corners of his eyes.
"How can there be such a wonderful creation!"
Roger looked at Sean, still somewhat in disbelief.
"Can you help me describe it in detail?"
Sean asked.
It seemed Roger wasn't affected much.
Does this prove that for happy wizards, the Resurrection Stone isn't actually as painful as imagined?
"Of course—"
Roger was very willing.
"I knew it was an illusion, but it was too realistic. He was just like my grandpa's real soul, but he didn't seem to have much emotion. My grandpa would definitely laugh his head off hearing I won back-to-back championships..."
...
For a long time, Sean experimented with the efficacy of the Resurrection Stone.
The members of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team saw their deceased relatives more than once by the Black Lake.
Their descriptions helped Sean complete an important task.
That was to understand the Resurrection Stone and clearly realize that he possessed this legendary alchemical creation.
Summer days became more pleasant each day.
Wizards wished they could lie on the lawn and sunbathe all day.
But they couldn't. With exams looming, students couldn't frolic outside and had to stay in the castle, forcing their brains to concentrate while tempting summer breezes wafted in from the window.
Only a very few wizards were still walking freely, such as a certain well-known Mr. Green from Ravenclaw.
He occasionally appeared in the castle, busy but unhurried.
Sometimes a Ravenclaw would hang onto him crying, saying strange things about wanting to experiment with some stone for a while longer.
Unfortunately, wizards soon had no time to care about this matter.
Exam week began, and the castle was unusually quiet.
During lunch on Monday, some second-year students came out of the Transfiguration exam room, looking listless and pale, comparing grades while complaining that the questions were too hard. One question actually asked them to turn a teapot into a tortoise.
Hermione made a fuss about how her tortoise looked like a sea turtle, which annoyed others greatly because, in their view, this was something not to worry about at all.
"My tortoise still had a spout for a tail, how terrible..."
"Should tortoises breathe steam?"
"My tortoise's shell still had a willow pattern, do you think points will be deducted?"
Sean was the last to enter the exam room. Professor McGonagall was looking at him gently.
"This is simple for you, but I hope you don't look down on such practice."
Professor McGonagall said.
There were exactly ten people in the exam room. Sean could see Justin, Neville, and Ron were all there.
"The exam begins—"
Just as Professor McGonagall finished speaking, Ron was the first to complete the exam. Although he had some sweat on his forehead, he looked relatively relaxed.
"Not bad."
Professor McGonagall commented.
Then came Justin, Harry, Neville... When they all walked out of the exam room, Sean was still pondering something.
He raised his hand. Surprisingly, there was no wand in his hand.
Minerva McGonagall vaguely sensed something and watched him calmly.
After another two months of memory integration, Sean had mastered more than just wandless magic. Now, he tapped his finger lightly on the tortoise.
The tortoise soon began a marvelous transformation.