Chapter 104
This achievement brought a genuine smile to his face as he thought, "One more level until I can create the next-grade potion." The thought alone made him smile in a way that fluttered the heart of a certain bird, who quickly turned away to hide her reaction. With one step closer to his goals, Gray decided to unwind. His version of unwinding involved throwing himself into engineering—but not before taking a moment to glance around. It was already nighttime in Pangea, and his light posts illuminated the area, creating a modern and homely atmosphere. Smiling at the thought, "Maybe I should continue," Gray got to work.
He began designing a new project alongside his goal of reaching level 12. First, he brainstormed ideas, aided by a comprehension potion that quickly inspired him with a concept. Frantically, he began jotting down his ideas on a large sheet of paper. Meanwhile, Raven, whose heart had finally calmed, came down to check on him. She found him bare-chested, sketching furiously. Though he no longer had as much muscle as before, he had begun to develop natural muscles through labor, giving him a lean and visibly toned physique. His veiny hands drew her attention, making her excuse herself once again. Moments later, Gray had another idea and, without warning, disappeared, reappearing in front of Raven and startling her. All he did was pluck a feather before vanishing again, leaving Raven confused. She sighed, thinking he was up to something ridiculous once more.
Indeed, Gray was. He summoned his wand and began digging a large pit in Pangea. He poured several arcane potions, which he had created for an experience boost, into the pit, transforming it into a radiant blue pool. But Gray didn't stop there. Waving his staff wildly, he chanted loudly in Latin, "Claustrum Magicae et Confluxus Arcanum," locking the magic within the pool and drawing energy from the surrounding area. Laughing madly, he exclaimed, "Why didn't I think of this before? With this, you'll recover even faster!" He continued adding magical herbs and potions, making the pool increasingly dense with magic.
At this point, Gray grabbed Raven, who seemed to have given up resisting and allowed him to drag her along. Before long, she noticed the immense concentration of magic in the pool. Before she could process what was happening, Gray threw her into it. She resurfaced, glaring at him unhappily, but soon grew uncomfortably as her body began absorbing the pool's magic. Unable to stop the process, she quickly cocooned herself, her form radiating with an intense magical aura. Gray stood by, watching the transformation unfold, a triumphant grin on his face.
-scene change-
In the entry hall, chaos erupted as students gathered on the stairs, whispering in fear. Another unearthly wail shattered the air, drawing Gray's attention to the center of the commotion. There stood Trelawney, disheveled and frantic, spinning wildly at the base of the stairs, her wand clenched tightly. "You cannot sack me!" she shrieked, her voice trembling. Umbridge stood above her, a cruel smile spreading across her face. "I can do whatever I wish!" she retorted smugly. "This is my home!" Trelawney cried, tears glistening in her eyes. But Umbridge, unrelenting, pointed toward the door. "Not anymore. Now remove yourself from this castle!" Just then, she bumped into Gray, who, unlike many students, didn't move out of the way. "Now she is getting pretty annoying," he thought as he frowned. Umbridge looked at him.
As the tension thickened, a commanding voice broke through the din. "She will not be leaving." The crowd parted like a wave, revealing Dumbledore descending the stairs with measured grace. Umbridge bristled. "I have the authority, Headmaster!" she snapped. "Oh, I agree, Professor Umbridge. You do have the power to dismiss my teachers. However..." Dumbledore's calm gaze rested on Trelawney, who stood trembling yet hopeful. "You cannot send them from this castle. That is still my decision. Professor Trelawney will remain here." Umbridge sputtered, her fury barely contained. "And what of her quarters when I appoint a new teacher?" she challenged. Dumbledore smiled faintly. "Happily, that will not be necessary. I have already found a successor." As he spoke, the great oak doors creaked open, and Firenze, the ebony-skinned centaur, entered with dignified strides. "This is Firenze," Dumbledore announced, silencing the room. Gray looked at the centaur for a brief second before leaving.
Later, in the library, Gray was going over schematics that looked like a ship as Harry, Ron, and Hermione huddled together, their voices hushed. Ron broke the silence first. "So you're saying this weapon You-Know-Who's after is in the Department of Mysteries?" Harry nodded firmly. "It's got to be." Hermione chimed in, her expression grim. "That's probably what Sturgis Podmore was doing in the Ministry when he was arrested." Harry added, "And why Mr. Weasley was attacked. That must be what the Order's guarding!" Ron frowned, puzzled. "But why the Department of Mysteries?" Hermione's tone turned matter-of-fact. "It makes perfect sense. It's something top secret the Ministry's been working on." She picked up a copy of the Daily Prophet, her face darkening. "Look at this. There's been a mass escape from Azkaban."
Ron's eyes widened. "Bloody hell!" They then turned towards Gray, who was not paying attention. Hermione said, "Is everything okay with you, Gray?" Ron backed her up. "Yeah, you are returning to that dead boy persona," which made Gray chuckle as they sighed in relief. "No, it's just that I have been trying to study. Anyways, what is going on?" Harry then pointed to the page, recognizing the faces of ten witches and wizards. "They're all Death Eaters," he murmured. Hermione nodded, her fear palpable. "Yes." Harry clenched his fists. "Voldemort." "Oh, so they are planning on regrouping again," Gray said before shrugging. Harry and Hermione looked at each other before Ron said, "Why are we even bothering? It's not like they even pose a threat to him." But Hermione interrupted him. "Yeah, but Gray is not going to be with us all the time, ready to rescue us when we are in danger," she said. Harry agreed. "Yeah, remember why we made the DA. It's so that we can all protect ourselves," which made Gray smile. "Guess this is how professors feel when they see their students excel," he said, before hermione suddenly thanked him for helping Navill's parents. Which he just shrugged as it was no problem.
The seasons had changed, and the snow had melted across the Hogwarts grounds. The sky was clear, and the sun shone brightly, signaling the arrival of spring. Inside the Great Hall, a happy Gray smiled as he ate his breakfast while chanting, "Hakuna matata, hakuna matata," making Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who were eating breakfast at the Gryffindor table, look at him. So did all the other students as they watched Gray full-blown start to sing. "Why is he singing?" asked Jamal's friend as he leaned towards Jamal, who answered, "Yeah, maybe he hit his head on something." Although several other students were fully infatuated with his voice and were falling head over heels for him.