Hogwarts is the cradle of wizardry, its secrets known only to the founders, and no one else knows how many there truly are.
As time passes, Hogwarts has stood unyielding in the magical world, its long history contributing to its immense depth of knowledge and power.
Countless books are housed in its library, and countless wizards who have walked through its doors regard it as a sacred place in their hearts.
Hogwarts nurtures wizards, and wizards protect Hogwarts.
Power resides in the wizards, knowledge lies within the library, and Hogwarts' library can be said to be the largest in the wizarding world.
This was not Zhao Lun's first visit, and each time he came, he was struck by the sheer number of books contained within.
The library's space is vast, filled with books, each of which is imbued with magic. Every book possesses some form of enchantment.
These magical books fill the entire library; at times, they move, restless and dynamic, creating a sea of books in motion.
While ordinary libraries are quiet to foster a good reading environment, Hogwarts requires tranquility to accommodate the books, which are almost like living beings.
If there is too much movement or noise in the library, it can disturb these enchanted books, and when they are disturbed, they can cause significant trouble for the library's caretakers.
The librarian, Madam Pince, is a slender, book-loving witch, with an appearance that has been slightly neglected due to her focus on her duties.
She has never displayed any notable magical talents but possesses a unique ability to immediately locate and punish students who damage books.
She is strict and meticulous, deeply devoted to the books she oversees, and enforces strict discipline in the library. To those entering or exiting, she always looks at them with suspicion, as if expecting them to be thieves or vandals.
If she finds anyone damaging a book, she doesn't hesitate to use a feather duster to strike them, along with magical punishments, and they will also face consequences according to the school rules.
Perhaps because of this, the library is seldom crowded. Even if there are students, they can rarely endure her presence and often leave quickly.
Zhao Lun had been here several times. Based on his recollection of Madam Pince's demeanor, he wasn't particularly bothered by her attitude and simply read as he pleased.
There are a few restricted books in the library, which can only be accessed with a professor's permission. Zhao Lun didn't concern himself with these but instead focused on books about geography.
Geography in the magical world is far more fascinating and detailed than anything a Muggle could imagine.
The books told tales of realms such as the divine world, hell, enchanted forests, and floating hidden islands.
From these books, Zhao Lun found clues about elves and hidden islands.
The books containing these stories were placed on the outermost shelves, not drawing much attention. Most students simply treated them as whimsical stories, not believing in their contents. These places, after all, are so elusive that even wizards may not be able to find them, with many considering them nothing more than fabrications.
Zhao Lun paid no mind to their dismissals. He simply flipped through the pages, recording the information in his light brain, saving the in-depth study for later, as there was no need to do so under Madam Pince's watchful gaze.
When he read, he always chose a quiet corner to sit in, carefully turning the pages without the hurried, distracted air that other students had.
His composed behavior over the past few days had earned him Madam Pince's favor.
Today, when Zhao Lun returned, Madam Pince merely glanced at him before resuming her duties.
Two hours later, when Zhao Lun left the library, his eyes were tired from reading.
It was still early, so he didn't return to his dorm. Instead, he sought out Fred and George, who happened to be free. They had promised to show him some of the academy's secrets, and Zhao Lun wasn't about to miss this opportunity.
Some stairs would disappear today, some concealed doors would reveal themselves, and secrets would surface.
Zhao Lun, eager for the adventure, didn't come empty-handed. As soon as he saw the twins, he tossed them two items.
"Hey, catch!"
They caught the items and looked down at them.
"Peaches? How did you get these?"
The peaches were large, like the legendary peaches of immortality, their fragrance sweet and tempting.
The twins had never seen such large peaches before.
"I grew them myself. Yes, these are peaches from the East, only I have them."
Zhao Lun had a fondness for peaches, especially those from the divine realms. Once he tasted them, the ordinary peaches from the outside world could no longer compare.
"Hmm... this is the best peach I've ever had!"
Fred, his mouth dripping with juice, was utterly delighted.
"Yes, this is the best fruit we've ever had," George agreed, matching his brother's expression.
Having tasted his peaches, the twins grew closer to Zhao Lun, and their introductions to the academy's secrets became even more earnest. When they spoke of certain secrets, they also shared how they had discovered them and used them to have fun or pursue their desires.
Zhao Lun listened intently, fascinated. He thought to himself that if given the chance, he would definitely try these adventures for himself.
Life continued, and Zhao Lun had now spent half a month at school.
The lessons were quite easy for him. He could complete most assignments swiftly, leaving him with ample time to indulge in other activities.
Other students often saw him either playing or reading a random book while eating fruit.
As a first-year student, the workload was light, and with his background in Chinese education, Zhao Lun found the courses here to be a breeze. Besides, he had the advantage of his light brain.
The pace of his life seemed leisurely to the point of enviable ease.
His performance had made him quite well-known, and many students recognized him.
After finishing his studies, he spent most of his time in the library, reading book after book.
Students who came to the library would often see him.
To the casual observer, it seemed like Zhao Lun was simply flipping through books, but in truth, he was recording the knowledge contained in them.
He often encountered Hermione in the library.
"Hi, Allen!"
Every time they met, Hermione would greet him softly and then settle down to read in a quiet spot.
"Hi, Hermione!"
Zhao Lun would smile and greet her in return.
She would nod and continue reading.
Afterward, if they were still there, they would leave together.
Both of them enjoyed reading and could always find topics to discuss, chatting happily.
"How are you settling in?"
"I'm doing well. This place is quite interesting, and I'm learning a lot of useful things."
This time, they left together, and as they spoke about their experiences here, Hermione was genuinely happy.
Her curly hair swayed, and her bright, youthful face radiated joy.
Zhao Lun glanced at her and silently rated her beauty.
Beauty is subjective, and to those around her with a Western perspective, her beauty might have seemed rather average.
But to Zhao Lun, whose aesthetic was shaped by Eastern standards, he found her beauty to surpass that of many girls. Only a few could rival her.
Of course, this was his personal view, and at this moment, she was still young, just a girl.
With the new week came more routine.
With his light brain, Zhao Lun found studying very convenient. Many things could be remembered after just one reading, which solved problems that other students struggled with. Even in magical practice, as long as he recorded the professors' demonstrations, he could privately rehearse them using his light brain until he had mastered them.
What was unfortunate, however, was that the electronic devices he had prepared were severely affected here and could not function properly.
Zhao Lun didn't believe it at first, but when he tried an electrical test, the device made a popping sound, followed by a burnt smell, signaling the area was an electronic dead zone.
There was nothing to be done—the magnetic energy here was so strong that it interfered with the operation of electronic devices.
Class, life, reading in the library, practicing magic, and occasionally admiring the older students or hanging out with the twins filled his days.
Western girls mature quickly; by second year, their figures are no longer childlike, and by third year, they are considered full-grown beauties.
Over the past week, the most active students were Harry and his friends, who were always causing trouble. Inevitably, Draco Malfoy would appear to provoke Harry.
This guy always found ways to annoy Harry, teasing him until Harry was fuming, and then he'd smugly walk away.
And now, a new conflict was brewing.
During flying lessons, Norway had another mishap—his wrist was broken and he had to be taken to the infirmary by the professor.
Without the professor present to maintain order, Malfoy once again showcased his personality by provoking Harry, and a new spectacle began.
Zhao Lun, casually eating fruit, silently recorded the scene. The real-life drama unfolding before him amused him greatly.
He was enjoying himself, but others were not as pleased.
"Allen, with all this noise, don't you think you should intervene?" Hermione came up from behind him, looking at him as though she had misjudged him. She looked so cute, Zhao Lun couldn't help but laugh.
"Heh." Zhao Lun chuckled at her expression, deciding to tease her.
He wiped the smile from his face and said seriously, "No! You shouldn't interrupt them."
"You shouldn't interrupt them?! Are you sure?" Hermione asked, her tone laced with disbelief as she repeated it.
"Didn't you notice why Malfoy is acting this way?"
Zhao Lun's tone was mysterious, and he leaned in to ask softly, "Do you know why?"
Hermione, intrigued by his mysterious manner, asked, "Why?"
"Didn't you realize? Boys often do this kind of thing because they like someone!"
"Is that really the reason?" Hermione paused and then laughed.
"Do you know who Draco likes?"