NOVEL WEB 024 The Skynet
The time in Hogwarts was always comfortable and peaceful, unlike the hustle and bustle of the outside world, where people seemed like clockwork puppets, constantly running around to make a living. Bryan hadn't noticed how quickly the two weeks had passed. Tomorrow would mark the beginning of the second half of the semester and the first day of school.
Traditionally, Hogwarts held a school opening dinner to celebrate the admission of young wizards and the start of the new school year. However, this year was different. Due to the panic caused by the previous semester's terrorist attacks, Headmaster Dumbledore had decided to hold a banquet in the Great Hall in an unconventional way to inspire the students.
As Bryan watched through the corridors of Hogwarts, he noticed Professor Snape striding purposefully on the third floor. The nearby young wizards quickly stepped aside, avoiding the indifferent and fierce potions professor.
Snape was accustomed to such scenes, paying no attention to the students as he walked briskly around a few corners. He eventually stopped in front of a classroom that remained unused throughout the year.
"Come in, Professor Snape," a sudden voice from inside the classroom startled Snape just as he was about to knock on the door. He pushed the door open and saw Bryan standing with his arms folded across his chest, a smile on his face as he stared at a wall.
"Headmaster Dumbledore sent you to invite me to the dinner party?" Snape asked, entering the room and closing the door behind him, a sneer playing on his lips. "It seems that you, Bryan Watson, are almost omniscient, just like our great Headmaster."
"I saw you coming out of Headmaster Dumbledore's office, and since you didn't go anywhere else and came directly towards me, I made a guess," Bryan replied, raising his eyebrows. He pointed at the wall, a little proudly showing off the fruits of his labor. "Take a look at the effect, Professor Snape. I stayed up for several nights and ran around the castle under the Disillusionment spell. I finally completed all the work just a day before school started. The screen debugging is done, and if I may evaluate it myself, the effect is very good!"
Snape ignored Bryan's self-proclaimed achievement and turned his attention to the wall. It was divided into hundreds of small squares, each displaying flashing pictures. His complexion changed slightly as he observed the scenes unfolding before him.
In those pictures, Harry and Ron were seen leaving the school hospital. They were on their way to inform Hermione about the upcoming banquet and inquire if she wanted to attend. In another picture, Crabbe and Goyle were waiting in the owl shed for Draco Malfoy, who had just entered. Soon enough, Malfoy emerged with owl feathers on his head, cursing and throwing an owl onto the rafters, much to the amusement of Crabbe and Goyle.
There was also a picture showing a black and thin curly-haired boy demonstrating something to someone near the statue of the humpbacked witch on the fourth floor. He whispered something to the statue, and its humpback opened, revealing two identical red-haired boys climbing out one after the other. They greeted their friend enthusiastically and proudly showed him the butterbeer they had bought from the Three Broomsticks.
Filch was depicted catching two first-year students who had been secretly tossing large dung eggs into the bathroom. He grabbed them by the collar and marched them fiercely towards his office. On the way, he encountered Percy reprimanding Sally for using the Leg-Locking Curse on Padma Patil, causing her to fall into a puddle outside the second-floor bathroom. Filch, unimpressed, grabbed Sally by the collar and led her to his office.
As Snape observed the various scenes unfolding within the pictures, he watched the people walking, talking, and interacting with each other. Their smiling faces caught his attention, but when his gaze landed on Bryan's smiling face in one of the pictures, his expression changed.
Indeed, on the night Bryan returned to school, he had already planned what he was going to do. However, Snape had to admit that at the time, he hadn't paid much attention to the whimsical idea of his talented student. It wasn't until now, with Hogwarts displayed so vividly before him, that Snape realized the power of Bryan's creation.
"How did you do it?" Snape asked, his voice subconsciously lowering, his eyes reflecting a hint of fear. "I know you've arranged various gadgets throughout the castle... How did you manage to prevent them from being discovered?"
"It's quite simple," Bryan replied casually, appearing relaxed. "I cast the Disillusionment Charm and other powerful spells to protect all the panoramic binoculars. The little wizards won't be able to find them, and even the professors won't notice them unless they search deliberately."
Snape couldn't help but feel a sense of disbelief. He considered himself a vigilant person, but he hadn't sensed being observed throughout his journey. Bryan continued his explanation, dismissing the achievement as if it were an easy task.
"In fact, the principle behind this is straightforward. It's similar to the Wizard Wireless Network (WWN) in Radio that transmits signals through the magic magnetic field. However, my setup transmits images instead of sounds. I made adjustments to the interference spell and aligned the binoculars according to the varying strength of the magic magnetic field in different locations within the castle. The process was exhausting, but it seems to have paid off. By the way, Professor Snape, next time I see Headmaster Dumbledore, could you help me put in a good word for some overtime pay?"
Snape's sallow face turned even paler, and uncertainty filled his expression. "Speaking of Dumbledore," he hesitated, "does he know what you're doing, Bryan?"
Bryan didn't provide a direct answer. Instead, he noticed Percy Weasley, recognizable by his red Weasley hair, sneaking into the basement of the Ravenclaw Tower during his patrol. Suspicious of Percy's behavior, Bryan approached the wall and searched for the corresponding picture. There it was, in the corner near the window—a snapshot of Percy embracing a beautiful girl with long, curly brown hair, passionately kissing her.
"Tsk tsk!" Bryan exclaimed. "Being a prefect is quite convenient. If only I were a prefect back then, maybe I wouldn't have... Oh well, I forgot I don't have a girlfriend."
Bryan's playful comment evoked a brief smile. Then he addressed Snape's question. "Maybe he knows, maybe he doesn't. I'm not entirely sure, Professor Snape. When I returned this time, Headmaster Dumbledore's reaction wasn't what I expected. I thought he would keep a close eye on me, but he ended up ignoring me."