The cloak looked like shimmering silver in his hand, truly feeling as if he were holding a handful of water. This material reminded Rhys of the robes worn by those pseudo-gods in the Nordic regions—robes with a similar texture.
However, it wasn't the material that amazed Rhys the most; it was the enchantment imbued within the cloak.
It wasn't enchanted with something as "ordinary" as a Disillusionment Charm, but rather a complex set of spells that even Rhys found somewhat challenging to decipher.
What puzzled Rhys was that this intricate combination of spells ultimately only achieved an invisibility effect, and one that he could see through.
It was like assembling a top-tier computer only to use it for playing poker.
At first glance, the Invisibility Cloak seemed unimpressive. To uncover its secrets, Rhys would need to study it over a longer period, but he wasn't close enough to Harry to make such a request.
Trying it on, however, was still an option. With Harry's permission, Rhys draped the cloak over himself.
Yet, even with the cloak on, Rhys didn't discover anything extraordinary about it; it seemed no different from a regular Invisibility Cloak, except perhaps more comfortable to wear.
Using rare materials and complex magic to create a mere piece of art? Rhys felt there was something off about it.
Now wasn't the time to delve into the mystery. Delaying any longer might make Harry think he was running off with the cloak. Rhys took off the Invisibility Cloak and handed it back to Harry.
"It's different from any other Invisibility Cloak I've seen before."
Harry smiled, "Indeed, Ron also said it was quite unusual."
Ordinary Invisibility Cloaks typically lose their effectiveness within months to a few years, but Harry's cloak, said to be his father's relic, had lasted at least eleven years.
Perhaps its extraordinarily long-lasting enchantment was one of its special attributes, Rhys mused, while also planning to look up information on Harry's father.
After some casual conversation, the unusual combination of two Gryffindors and two Slytherins began their exploration of the castle.
"Come on, let's squeeze in; the cloak is quite big," Harry said, spreading the cloak and motioning for them to join.
To be honest, the cloak clearly couldn't accommodate four people comfortably, even if they were first-year students. Daphne tried to control her expression but couldn't hide her disdain. She didn't want to squeeze under the same cloak with those two.
The airtight cloak would block air circulation, meaning she'd be breathing in their exhaled air. The thought of their warm breaths on her neck gave Daphne goosebumps.
Harry felt a bit awkward, unsure of what to do. He couldn't exactly kick Ron out from under the cloak, could he?
Fortunately, Rhys, unfazed, eased the tension.
"Let's do it this way, Harry, you and Ron take the cloak. Daphne and I will use the tool I mentioned."
He suggested that it would be easier for him and Daphne to use the Disillusionment Charm instead of squeezing four people under the cloak. Rhys then casually took out a small trinket, turning it with a flourish to cast the Disillusionment Charm on himself and Daphne.
Harry was curious about the tool Rhys used, but since he wasn't very familiar with Rhys and Ron was urging him to get moving, he suppressed his curiosity for the moment.
"So, where are we going?" Daphne's patience was wearing thin as they wandered the corridors. She didn't want to waste her time on aimless wandering, so she asked directly.
"I'm looking for a tall suit of armor. There's a magical mirror in a nearby room," Harry explained.
Daphne felt her frustration rising.
How many suits of armor were there in Hogwarts Castle? This question might stump even Headmaster Dumbledore. Rhys wasn't sure either; during their time, they used stone beasts.
While she didn't know the exact number, Daphne was certain that Harry's approach was unreliable. Trying to find a specific suit of armor in the castle was like trying to buy cold medicine but only remembering that it had "capsule" in the name.
As they continued their search, Rhys glanced at Harry. "What kind of mirror are we looking for, exactly?"
"It's a magical mirror!"
"How magical?" Rhys was curious about the uniqueness of the mirror Harry mentioned.
"The mirror can show the viewer's family. You can come with me to see it," Harry said.
The previous night, he had ventured out alone under his Invisibility Cloak. Unfortunately, he ran into Filch again and accidentally stepped on Mrs. Norris's tail, leading to a long chase through the castle corridors.
He had finally hidden in an abandoned classroom to escape.
In that room, Harry had found a mirror that left a deep impression on him.
Through it, he saw his parents for the first time.
Harry's words made Daphne fall silent.
After a while, she took the initiative to help Harry recall the surroundings of the armor he mentioned.
Pooling their efforts, the four of them soon found the classroom.
It wasn't difficult. They brought Harry to the place where he had encountered Filch and then analyzed his escape route, prioritizing the locations with abandoned classrooms.
When they opened the door and saw the mirror inside, Rhys froze.
He felt an extremely familiar sensation emanating from it.
Unable to resist, he walked up to the mirror and placed his hand on it.
Memories flooded back like a tidal wave....
...
A carriage ambled along the road, the four occupants reclining in the most comfortable positions they could find.
"Is there a way to see how clothes would look on us without actually wearing them?" Rowena suddenly posed this question.
The other three people in the carriage were speechless.
"How troublesome can wearing clothes be?" Godric frowned. Why was Rowena always thinking of ways to be lazy? First, she invented a spell to make the carriage drive itself, then she came up with the idea of capturing candlelight in containers to automatically illuminate at night.
"Some formal attire is really complicated to put on!" Rowena explained.
"You could make a magic mirror. The mirror could read your thoughts and then display them on its surface," Salazar Slytherin suggested. "That way, you could imagine the outfit in your mind, and the mirror would show how you look after wearing it."
"Great idea! I'll make such a mirror right away."
When Rowena Ravenclaw showed the framework of her mirror, even her friend Helga Hufflepuff couldn't help but tease her for having a few screws loose.
They had thought that Ravenclaw would just make a simple vanity mirror, but she ended up crafting a massive copper plate that could reflect a full body, and then polished it into a giant mirror.
"Polishing it myself saves money!" she said, confidently.
However, Ravenclaw's magic mirror didn't achieve the effect she had envisioned....
_____
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