Perhaps it was the change in environment, but Vison woke up unusually early.
When his eyes opened, the sky outside remained black, with only a scattering of faint stars twinkling. The room was quiet, save for the occasional hoot of an owl beyond the window.
Vison sat up in bed, rubbing his forehead. He still wasn't fully accustomed to this new environment, but it didn't delay his next move.
He bent down, rummaged beneath his bed, and pulled out a suitcase—the very one he had left here during his interview.
Grasping the handle, he lifted it lightly and then tossed it onto the empty space beside the bed.
The suitcase flipped once midair before landing with a soft thud. In mere seconds, the flat case expanded and transformed. A door now stood upright in the center of Vison's room.
This was his backup portal to the plantation.
Vison had tested it already: while Apparition didn't work within Hogwarts, this portal—crafted from mutated wood imbued with spatial positioning traits—bypassed those restrictions.
Of course, this wasn't something he could reveal lightly. The existence of this door meant Vison could bring outsiders in and out of Hogwarts freely.
A dangerous loophole.
Should Dumbledore discover this, Vison was certain the headmaster would never permit such a risk to remain within the castle walls.
The door swung open without a sound, and Vison stepped through.
The scenery shifted around him.
For safety, he had positioned the entrance beneath his Whomping Willow.
If an intruder ever stumbled inside... Vison could only hope the tree would at least leave behind a recognizable corpse.
Inside, his plantation mirrored the outside world: night still clung to the sky.
Lupin was off duty at this hour, leaving Vison the only soul present.
From afar, the Devil's Snare sensed his arrival. Its vines stirred and stretched eagerly toward him, waving like an excited pet.
"Don't do that," Vison said with a soft chuckle, gently pushing the vines aside. "Want to come out with me? Not now. But soon, I promise."
Unconvinced, the Devil's Snare tugged insistently at his hand.
"Alright, alright," Vison sighed, patting the vine's head. "When it gets light, I'll take you out."
The plant had developed a parasitic trait and had grown fond of clinging to Vison, often pestering him to take it for walks.
Still, Vison didn't mind. If anything, the plant offered an extra layer of protection; in case of an attack, it could defend him.
Even if an attack at Hogwarts was unlikely.
After soothing the Devil's Snare, Vison continued toward the Tree of Wisdom.
"Eldra," he called softly.[Name: Eldra (Tree of Wisdom)]
[Species: Oak]
[Level: 3]
[Characteristics: Object Analysis, Soul Connection]
[Status: Growing (99%)]Finally, the tree's growth had reached a critical threshold.
But Vison knew from experience that when Eldra's growth meter hit 99%, it required a trigger to break through.
The first time this happened was during his fifth year, shortly after his sister had been injured. That event had awakened the tree's "Soul Connection" ability.
The second time was after his world travels, when the tree gained "Object Analysis."
Now, for this third evolution, Vison suspected it had something to do with Harry.
Every time the tree's progress bar shifted, it happened when Harry was nearby.
But that was just a theory.
Vison wasn't sure what exactly needed to be done.
For now, all he could do was wait.
After inspecting Eldra, Vison strolled through the plantation, letting his presence wash over the various plants.
This ritual was essential. By circulating his magic around the plantation, he allowed the flora to absorb traces of it—triggering mutations under his unique influence.
By the time he returned to his office through the portal, dawn had broken.
The Devil's Snare clung to him as promised, wrapping itself in fine, reticulated patterns up his arms.
Hidden beneath his wizard robes, the vines remained unseen by others.
Vison glanced at the schedule pinned to his wall and sighed.
His calendar was disturbingly empty.
He only needed to teach three classes a week—one for the third years, one for the fourth, and one for the fifth—all taught across the four houses combined.
No wonder Professor Kettleburn had so much free time back when he was studying dragons.
Vison recalled seeing Professor McGonagall's timetable once—so densely packed it left no breathing room.
Compared to hers, his own schedule was frighteningly vacant.
It made him feel almost guilty.
"...Forget it," Vison muttered. "If I'm idle, then I'm idle."
Noticing the time, he decided it was nearly breakfast and left his office for the Great Hall.
As he walked the familiar corridors, passing portraits, suits of armor, and moving staircases, a wave of nostalgia washed over him.
But if Vison felt sentimental, the Devil's Snare was outright thrilled.
Hidden under his robes, its curious vines extended in secret, reaching out to touch anything and everything like a mischievous child.
Its enthusiasm came to a swift end, though.
As they passed a suit of armor, the armored figure's greatsword suddenly swung down, slicing through one of the Devil's Snare's exploratory vines.
The sharp pain taught the plant a harsh lesson, and it immediately retracted, no longer daring to approach the suits of armor.
Eventually, Vison halted before a staircase, frowning.
The stairs had split into two paths—left and right.
He didn't remember them behaving this way before.
Just as he hesitated, a ghostly figure appeared, floating into view.
It was the Fat Friar, Hufflepuff's resident ghost, plump and smiling in his monk's habit.
"Left, Professor Vison," the Fat Friar advised warmly.
As a fellow Hufflepuff, Vison trusted his guidance.
Unlike Peeves, the Friar was known for his honesty and kindness.
"Thank you," Vison said with a nod, stepping onto the left staircase. As he did, he turned and added, "Do you still remember me? Six or seven years ago, I was a student here..."
The Friar chuckled, his round belly jiggling with mirth.
"Of course I remember! Don't think this ghostly head of mine is empty—my memory's better now than when I was alive! Haha!"
Vison offered an awkward laugh in return.
The old castle, with its quirks and characters, hadn't changed a bit.
And yet, for Vison, everything felt just a little different.
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