"But, in the end, there's only ever one basilisk. It looks like once I expand my pet space a bit more, I'll have to save up some money, set up a proper ecosystem, and then capture some eight‐eyed spiders so they can breed in my world."
Only by doing that can I ensure a constant stream of experimental subjects.
"With an ecosystem, even the magical creatures I catch will have a place to live. Even if ordinary magical beasts don't reproduce as vigorously as the eight‐eyed giant spiders, they can still multiply."
Just the thought of it made Dylan's heart race with anticipation. His suitcase wouldn't just house dragons and shadow beasts anymore—it'd be filled with adorable little spiders, plus centaurs, unicorns, mermaids, night steeds, and horned camel beasts… It'd essentially become a little world of its own, teeming with magical life!
"The first ecosystem I unlock has to be a forest. As for deserts, grasslands, mountains, and the like—those can come later," he mused.
After all, a forest is a complex ecosystem: besides trees, there are various plants and even small water sources that can be integrated. Other environments—even if they include vast lakes or tiny seas—are just too uniform to support a diverse array of magical creatures.
"Wouldn't it be amazing if I could just transplant the Forbidden Forest here? Hmm—if I ever become headmaster of Hogwarts, that might not be impossible."
Even though Dylan was only a second-year student, that didn't stop him from dreaming big.
"And then there's Ron's little Spot. Maybe I can get the Ministry to overturn Sirius's case so he can serve as one of my test subjects—after all, I shouldn't just be off killing those dark wizards who try to ambush me over the summer."
At the thought, Dylan sighed softly. Otherwise, he'd still have a few adult wizards available as test subjects.
"What a pity…"
Dylan raised his wand and, in one swift motion, fifty beams of red light shot out. In the next instant, within the cockroach breeding ground he'd magically cordoned off, fifty little critters were struck by his Heart-Piercing Curse.
——————
**[Message]: Congratulations on completing the advanced refinement task for the Heart-Piercing Curse!
[Message]: You have unlocked a new property for the Heart-Piercing Curse—*Pain Propagation!*
——————
"Finally—I've cast the Heart-Piercing Curse ten thousand times."
It was truly a labor of love, but thanks to his rapid spellcasting ability, targeting ten thousand creatures wasn't such a huge deal. The real challenge was gathering those ten thousand subjects. Everyone knows that a swarm of cockroaches produces countless offspring—each cockroach can spawn several broods. So, almost as soon as the little ones were born, they were obliterated under Dylan's Heart-Piercing Curse and Sectumsempra. The cycle continued: once the older cockroaches' reproductive rate dropped and the youngsters matured, Dylan would clean up the previous wave, and then start all over again—endlessly generating and exploiting resources.
"Sometimes I think the refinement tasks this system gives are a bit over the top—how many wizards are there in all of England anyway?"
"My Heart-Piercing Curse has already unlocked three refinement tasks and requires me to cast it on ten thousand creatures! And what about the final task? Will it be one hundred thousand? Even if I killed every wizard in England, it still wouldn't be enough!"
Not to mention, if I rounded up all the wizards from Europe too, it still might not fill that gap.
So, for future refinement tasks, I'll really have to rely on those little cockroaches… Oh, and the little spiders as well.
Dylan glanced at the new property he'd unlocked:
——————
**[Pain Propagation]:**
When you cast the Heart-Piercing Curse, any unfortunate soul struck by your slicing magic will pass on their own cardiac agony to three enemies within a four‐meter radius. For a period afterward, that ill-fated trio—and the original victim—will all suffer the delightful torment of heart palpitations.
**[Note]:** Those who are infected cannot be re-infected.
——————
Raising an eyebrow at the description, Dylan mused, "So, one cast of my spell is effectively worth four casts? I originally thought the pain would spread endlessly, but it only reaches three nearby foes."
That didn't really matter, though—after all, he had another property: *Rapid Spellcasting!*
If enemies came at him in large, scattered groups, not only would he not be afraid, he'd actually get excited! He could simply unleash fifty spells, each infecting three foes, to cause a massive burst of damage in an instant! 😈
No matter how many dared to attack, he'd just take them all down!
"The Heart-Piercing Curse is still one refinement away from its final property, but this is only the third task—it already requires me to cast it on ten thousand creatures. I'll wait for the final one; first, I need to refine my other spells."
Even by an adult wizard's standards, the number of full-level spells he'd mastered was impressive. Besides the ones he'd earned through achievements, Dylan had honed several spells himself—nineteen in total. And many of his spells were already practiced to level 8, even 9—just one more push away from full mastery!
"Next, I might consider refining some more conventional spells, especially Transformation Spells—I'm already at level 9 on those. Once I master Animagus, I bet I could bring a Transformation Spell to full power. Then there's the Flight Spell and other offensive spells—but I can't let my progress on the Unforgivable Curses fall behind, either. Whether it's the Soul-Stealing Curse or Avada Kedavra, everything must keep pace."
Just thinking about it made Dylan's head throb.
So busy—he wished he could split each minute in half!
"Wonder if my Life-Stealing Curse could, through refinement, evolve directly into an Avada Italian Life-Stealing Cannon… Judging by the trend with the Heart-Piercing Curse, I think that might be possible."
After emerging from his pet space (his magical suitcase), it was already late. Dylan freshened up and lay down on his bed.
"Professor McGonagall's birthday is coming up soon—I think it's on October 4th, right? And Professor Flitwick's isn't far behind, maybe the 17th?"
He had to prepare their birthday gifts in advance. With less than a week until October, no matter how busy he was, Dylan would never forget this.
"But what kind of gift should I give? It can't be too shabby, but it also can't be too extravagant—otherwise, it might completely outshine the gift I'm giving to Professor Snape, and who knows what that haughty creature would do!"
One thing was certain—throughout the entire semester, Professor Snape might not even spare him a decent look! Not until next January! By then, Dylan would have to rack his brain for yet another gift for Snape. And that might even make Professor McGonagall and the others jealous…
"Sigh, keeping things balanced is truly an art! Why can't these professors just tell me what they really want? If the price is right, I'd throw money at it; if it's too expensive—I'd grit my teeth and pay up."
Shaking his head, Dylan decided he'd think it over again in the morning. Cradling Coalball—now fully grown and still occupying a good chunk of space—he slowly drifted off to sleep.
---
The next day was as busy as ever, yet he managed to steal a few moments for himself. Since it was a holiday and there were no after-class tutoring sessions from the professors, even though Dylan still had plenty of books waiting to be read, he could spare a little time to plan birthday gifts for the professors.
"Maybe I could make Professor McGonagall a handmade journal on Transformation Spells—ideally with a dash of Quidditch flair."
Dylan stroked his chin, pondering the feasibility of the gift. Of course, by "handmade" he meant crafted solely by the magic of his wand.
—For a wizard, magic is his craft!
After racking his brain some more, Dylan settled on the gift for Professor McGonagall and also decided on something for Professor Flitwick.
"Doesn't Professor Flitwick love conducting? Then I'll give him a magical music score box—one that displays sheet music and doubles as a music box for casual listening."
After all, there are plenty of songs; I vaguely remember that if crafted with spells, they might not be completely perfect, but as a demo they'd be just fine. Dylan figured Professor Flitwick would really like that.
Besides, whether it was Professor McGonagall or Professor Flitwick, Dylan believed neither of them would ever show off their gifts in front of Professor Snape. So he didn't have to worry too much about his gift being so high-end that it might spark Snape's jealousy. (Besides, Snape isn't that petty, really.)
Determined, Dylan set to work. Over the following hours, he attended classes, read books, conducted experiments, snuck into the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid, brewed potions at a steady pace, and whenever he encountered problems, he sought answers from the professors—all while simultaneously crafting birthday gifts for the two professors. Luckily, both Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall had postponed their extra tutoring sessions, giving Dylan more time to pursue these side projects.
"Hey, you're still working on gifts for the professors?"
In the Gryffindor common room, Hermione spotted Dylan tucked away in a corner and walked over.
Dylan nodded. At that moment, he was busy making a Transformation Spells journal for Professor McGonagall. The journal was simple enough to create, but he wanted her, upon opening it, to immediately see a miniature Quidditch pitch. Professor McGonagall could even use a Transformation Spell on it to simulate an actual Quidditch match.
"Your technique is really meticulous," Hermione remarked.
"Thanks for the compliment," Dylan replied.
Hermione smiled and sat down beside him, clutching a stack of hefty magic books. "The magical world jigsaw map you gave me is so fascinating—I've already put it together."
Hearing that, Dylan paused and glanced over.
"Already finished? That map is pretty complex," he teased.
The jigsaw was the birthday gift he'd given her not long ago. Since Hermione's birthday was in September and school had already started, she got to receive her gift in person—unlike Harry, who had to have his mailed.
"I haven't been reading much lately—I've been busy with that puzzle," Hermione said, her eyes sparkling and cheeks blushing slightly.
"Every time I complete a piece, it creates a 3D wonder and even explains various aspects of the magical world—it's even more impressive than reading a book," she added.
—As first announced in Book 69!
"I guess you'd be interested in that—I'm glad you like it," Dylan replied.
Hermione's smile softened further as she said, "Ron's been pretty down lately because you haven't given him a birthday gift."
Dylan shrugged and refocused on the journal. "Well, that's just how it is. When we first met, I didn't know his birthday. Later, after asking around, I found out his birthday had already passed in March—he never told me!"
He snorted lightly, "Maybe he didn't consider me a friend if he didn't want to share his birthday."
Hermione, smiling, gently stroked a book's edge and said, "You're not wrong—if he'd told us earlier, we could all have given him gifts!"
Then, suddenly, she asked, "Enough about him—Dylan, isn't your birthday also in March?"
Dylan nodded, "Yeah, March 18th—just one month after Ron's."
"Why didn't you mention it on your birthday?" Hermione pressed.
Dylan shrugged nonchalantly, "On my birthday, I gave my mom a gift. As for me—I really don't care much about celebrating."
After all, having lived through several lifetimes, he didn't think there was much to celebrate.
Hermione paused and then, with a slight pout, said, "It's the anniversary of your arrival in this world—it still deserves proper celebration, at least with a gift to show our affection."
Dylan blinked, and as magical energy danced along the tip of his wand over the journal, he replied, "I appreciate your sentiment—so I'm really looking forward to what you'll give me next year."
Even though Dylan wasn't really paying attention to Hermione, her eyes lit up with excitement as she said, "Don't worry—I can start preparing your gift right away!"
Dylan chuckled, "It's only October—my birthday isn't for another five months. Why don't you think about what you'll give me for Christmas first?"
Hermione, momentarily taken aback, fluttered her eyelashes and nodded earnestly, "Alright, I'll give it some serious thought!"
At that moment, a flash of light shimmered from the tip of Dylan's wand and then slowly faded away. A smile spread across his face as he straightened up, "Finally, it's done!"
Curious, Hermione peered at the Transformation Spells journal Dylan had crafted for Professor McGonagall. Its cover was made of soft, deep brown leather, and when opened to the first page, golden ink outlined a Quidditch pitch. The wooden stands were neatly arranged, and the flags bore the emblems of the different houses; the Golden Snitch, Quaffle, and the three goalposts all looked remarkably lifelike.
Dylan waved his wand lightly and cast a Transformation Spell.
"Swish!"
In an instant, the once-still Quidditch pitch sprang to life. Players on broomsticks darted across the field like lightning, chasing after the trail of the Golden Snitch.
Hermione's eyes widened in surprise, "That ability is a lot like the map you gave me."
"Although I bought that jigsaw map, I did give it a little magical tweak," Dylan admitted.
"Alright, tomorrow is Professor McGonagall's birthday. Thankfully, we have today off; otherwise, we might not have made it in time," Dylan sighed in relief.
The journal might have seemed simple at first glance, but every page had been imbued with spells that would deliver surprises every time Professor McGonagall flipped through it—a true labor of love. Especially the Quidditch pitch: Dylan had even sourced a diagram and meticulously traced it with his wand—essentially, it was as if he had drawn it by hand.
"I've also prepared a gift for Professor McGonagall, but compared to yours, mine is much more modest," Hermione confided, holding a stack of books with a conflicted expression.
"How could that be? A gift is a token of affection—no matter if it's small or grand, Professor McGonagall will surely be delighted," Dylan countered.
Dylan looked at Hermione in surprise, "And if your gift is too expensive, Professor McGonagall might even refuse to accept it."
Hermione thought for a moment, nodding slowly, "I guess Ron and Harry definitely didn't prepare gifts for her."
Dylan smiled mysteriously and lowered his voice, "Actually, Harry plans to give her a giant monster doll transformed by his magic, and Ron's is going to be a three-headed dog."
Hermione's eyes widened, "A doll? Transformed by magic? Are you sure their Transformation Spell is up to the task?"
"Even if it is—why a three-headed dog and a giant monster? The symbolism doesn't quite add up…"
"Hahaha~"
Dylan laughed out loud, "That symbolism is indeed a bit off—I tried advising them, but they insisted on transforming other dolls. Besides, they haven't seen much; a three-headed dog and a giant monster are among the stronger creatures they've encountered, and the transformation requirements aren't too high."
Hermione looked even more puzzled, "If strength is the point—Arnold, I mean Beta—couldn't even a Coalball suffice?"
Dylan shrugged, "If it were Beta, how would they explain having seen it? And as for Coalball—haven't you forgotten Professor McGonagall's Animagus?"
"But Coalball is a Shadow Beast, not a house cat—if we were to describe it, it should be a lynx," Hermione insisted.
Dylan shrugged again, "Anyway, Ron and the others think that way—I can't do anything about it; if they want to give a gift, so be it."
Hermione slapped her forehead, "I just have a feeling their gifts will leave Professor McGonagall utterly humiliated in front of Professor Snape—she'll definitely be laughed at!"
"No way!"
Then, Ron's voice suddenly rang out, and soon his figure appeared beside Dylan and Hermione. Harry joined them as well.
Seeing them, Dylan raised an eyebrow, "Did Quidditch practice just finish?"
Harry nodded lightly, "Today, Wood let us out early."
Ron chimed in, "I've honed my Transformation Spell to a whole new level just to make that three-headed dog model! Professor McGonagall will definitely notice—it'll be perfect!"
"—And she certainly won't be laughed at by Professor Snape!"
Harry added with a grin, "Even though a giant monster is ugly, it's not so easy to transform—and I'm not just conjuring a giant monster, I'm recreating the scene of Dylan attacking one, not merely a doll!"
Hermione looked surprised, "That kind of transformation isn't easy, and it has to be maintained continuously. Are you sure that after you give the gift, the model won't eventually revert to a heap of mush in her office?"
Ron scoffed, "We're using stone for the transformation—there's no way it'll turn to mush!"
Harry chuckled, "I don't think so—Ron and I have our Transformation Spells down pretty well now."
Seeing their inexplicable confidence, Hermione sighed, "Then, good luck to you both."
Meanwhile, Dylan neatly packed away the Transformation Magic Journal he'd made for Professor McGonagall, shot Hermione a playful wink, and shrugged. "See? The determination of a young buck—you just can't convince him otherwise. Better to respect his fate!"
Not lingering any longer in the common room, they all headed to the dining hall for dinner. Today was Saturday, and Professor McGonagall's birthday was tomorrow, on Sunday. After dinner, Harry and the others probably hadn't finished their doll projects, so they hurried back to the dormitory to tinker with their Transformation Spells.
Dylan, on the other hand, went with Hermione to the library. He returned a few of the restricted books and borrowed some new ones. Perhaps because he'd been coming in almost once a week for the past month, Madam Pince was giving him some odd looks—but she was too proper to pry. Dylan, worried she might mention it to the professors, offered a brief explanation when borrowing books:
"Madam Pince, I'm here to return these."
She glanced at him coolly as he placed Professor Lockhart's signed note before her for verification.
Taking the opportunity, Dylan said, "The books here aren't very appealing, but Professor Lockhart insists I study a few for his tutoring—do you have any recommendations?"
Madam Pince raised her eyes, "You could always refuse; reading too many of these books can affect your mindset."
Looking rather helpless, Dylan replied, "I know, but you know how Professor Lockhart is. When he insists, I really can't refuse."
She frowned slightly, "Would you like me to inform Professor Dumbledore for you?"
With a trace of gratitude, Dylan shook his head, "Thank you, but no need—the other professors are fine with me studying this, so I'll continue."
Madam Pince nodded gracefully, "In that case, please go ahead and put the books back properly."
Dylan smiled, "Alright, Madam, thank you for your kindness," and walked elegantly into the Restricted Section. Before disappearing inside, he turned back and winked at Hermione.
Hermione, however, chose not to follow—one reason being she didn't want to risk tearing off her own signed name from the queue, and another because she wasn't really interested in restricted texts. The professors said the contents of those books were dark rituals and forbidden magic—overuse could warp one's mind, or worse, turn you into a hideous creature.
—And frankly, dark wizards are pretty ugly anyway.
Hermione definitely didn't want to end up like that.
*(Chapter End)*