Wade didn't have anything particularly important or secret to do. He simply wanted some time alone now that his work was finished.
He had spent so much time leading the effort to launch this magical version of television, and he understood better than anyone else the vast potential of the streaming mirrors.
After all, even Muggle television stations hadn't yet launched high-definition broadcasts!
The streaming mirrors offered not only crystal-clear images and immersive sound but could also be resized, even small enough to fit in a pocket—though only wizards who knew the appropriate spells could achieve this transformation.
Marchionne saw a business opportunity in the streaming mirrors, the Weasley brothers saw alchemical potential, the audience saw unprecedented entertainment, and the contestants likely saw a brief glimpse of their public humiliation.
But Wade knew that from now on, the streaming mirrors would take over a significant—perhaps even the majority—share of the wizarding world's media influence.
Right now, The Daily Prophet frequently criticized the Ministry of Magic and mocked government officials.
But when push came to shove, they were nothing more than the Ministry's mouthpiece, unashamedly rallying to Cornelius Fudge's defense.
They could portray a highly respected old headmaster as a scheming madman. They could label the underage savior of the wizarding world as a vain little fraud. They could fabricate stories and weave lies to whitewash the dark forces.
However once the streaming mirrors became widespread, The Daily Prophet's status would undoubtedly face a tremendous challenge. People might not even bother reading newspapers anymore.
When that time came, the reins of public opinion would fall into new hands.
And the public, ever gullible, would be easily deceived and led astray.
Wade didn't know whether Dumbledore foresaw such a future, but if he did, he had said nothing.
…
Avoiding the crowds, Wade made his way to the owlery.
The environment there wasn't the best, but it offered a clear, wide view of most of the maze and, most importantly, peace and quiet.
Most of the owls perched on their racks, half-asleep with one eye open and the other closed.
Some lay sprawled flat, with their eyes completely shut and their fluffy, stout legs stretched straight out as if they were dead.
A few owls, startled by the sound of footsteps, blinked at him in confusion. Their eyes followed Wade for a while, but seeing that he had no offerings of food, they quickly lost interest.
Suddenly, Wade noticed an owl with a slightly bald patch on the back of its head. Suppressing a laugh, he walked over and gave it a gentle pat.
The owl tilted its head and looked at him in puzzlement, and then let out a soft cooing sound. It didn't shy away, nor did it lean in to peck at his hand.
It seemed quite docile.
Nothing like the fierce, aggressive owl that could summon reinforcements for nighttime brawls.
Wade played with the owl for a while before heading up to the platform on the roof of the owlery, only to discover, to his surprise, that someone was already sitting there.
"—Professor?"
Wade exclaimed in astonishment.
Sitting there was none other than Professor Murray, who rarely visited the school.
"Oh—Wade," Professor Murray turned and smiled. "It seems you've also discovered this secret spot—the view is quite lovely, isn't it?"
"Of course," Wade replied, though his mind was filled with questions. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to ask directly, "Professor, weren't you supposed to attend the European Alchemists' Union banquet?"
This event had been scheduled over six months in advance. Professor Murray was supposed to have left for Luxembourg yesterday afternoon, and they had even postponed an alchemy class because of it.
Professor Murray shrugged helplessly and said:
"The banquet had barely started when the hosts got into a fight with the guests. To make matters worse, some embarrassing fool managed to vanish his own pants…
I realized today was the first public debut of your streaming mirrors and thought I'd use a Portkey to come back."
"Then why didn't you go down below? It still smells a bit up here."
Professor Murray's expression shifted slightly, and he quickly replied, "Don't let Dumbledore know I've returned! If he finds out, he'll definitely put me to work! Just look at your poor house head—he's already worked himself to the bone!"
In the distant maze, Professor Flitwick was flying near the walls on a broomstick. He seemed a bit awkward, likely because he hadn't ridden a broom in a long time.
While Professor McGonagall maintained order outside the maze, Professor Flitwick was busy rescuing students who had fallen into traps, been cornered by magical creatures, or, in some cases, were already being carried back as trophies to nests.
Using magic, he would pluck them out and send them back to safety.
Despite being as small as some of the children he was saving, Professor Flitwick was working tirelessly and couldn't afford even a moment's rest.
Of course, Professors Sprout, Snape, Madam Hooch, and Madam Pomfrey were also hard at work. As for Filch and Hagrid, they were even busier.
The only person who seemed to be enjoying herself was Professor Trelawney, who sat comfortably in a chair, leisurely watching the spectacle and laughing so hard she was nearly in tears.
This wasn't because Dumbledore showed her any special favoritism, but rather because even someone as trusting as Dumbledore wouldn't dare entrust her with anything difficult or important.
Wade twirled his wand, conjuring a small whirlwind that swept away the dust on the balcony outside the owlery.
Professor Murray obligingly lifted his legs to allow the dust to roll off the floor and out of sight with the breeze.
Afterwards, Wade sat down beside him and apologized, "I'm sorry, Professor... I seem to have caused you all a lot of trouble."
Professor Murray chuckled and replied, "How could this be considered trouble?"
"Seeing the students here display a vitality unseen in a thousand years, learning magic joyfully through play—this kind of scene is better than anything else."
"I imagine Professor McGonagall and the others feel the same way, which is why no one has ever blamed you for this, have they?"
"—It does seem that way," Wade said with a small laugh after a moment of silence.
"Having wonderful teachers like you and Professor McGonagall is a great blessing for students like us. I'll never forget the help I received from the professors at this school."
He reflected, his voice carrying a note of nostalgia, "Back in my first year, when I miscast a spell and got myself injured—if you hadn't found me, I might not have made it."
Professor Murray thought for a moment before saying with some confusion, "Weren't you just running a fever that time? And injured too? What spell did you miscast?"
Wade blinked and met the professor's white-haired gaze. After a brief pause, he suddenly realized, "Ah... I think I might have mixed up the memories."
"You can even get that wrong?" Professor Murray shook his head in mild exasperation. "Yet you never seem to mix up any pronunciations or symbols in ancient magical texts."
"My brain is just too occupied with more important things, so it's easy for me to forget other details," Wade explained, then pulled a panoramic telescope from his pocket, along with a duplicate one he handed to Professor Murray.
"Use this to watch! You can zoom in and out, replay, and even pause—it's incredibly clear!"
"Thank you," Professor Murray said with a smile, accepting the telescope without hesitation.
Wade watched him for a moment. Once the professor started using the telescope to observe the maze, Wade raised his own and began looking through it as well.
On the screen, Harry and Michael were just stepping into the maze.
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⭐Harry Potter: Becoming a Study God (HP:BSG)- +235 Chapters
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