[Comprehensive] Those years when I memorized the Analects of Confucius

Gold and stone are open.

Kong Yun raised his head.

The one standing in front of him at this moment was not any familiar face he had seen before, but a boy who made him unable to detect any fluctuations in magic power and looked only about 13 years old in appearance.The boy was wearing a patched shabby black-gray cotton-padded jacket. He seemed to be attracted by the fragrance of the tea, but at this moment, the corners of his lips were slightly pursed, and his eyes were fixed on Kong Yun.

Before Kong Yun could react, Draco was already a little displeased. The junior Slytherin squinted his eyes and said indifferently, "Is there something wrong?"

The boy obviously hesitated for a while, but he didn't answer Draco. He hesitated and took out an old booklet from his pocket, but his eyes were still fixed on Kong Yun, his voice was hoarse and cautious. "...Excuse me, do you know the words in this book?"

Kong Yun looked down.

Although the book in front of me is old, it can be seen that it is the result of the other party's careful preservation. The handwriting on the cover has traces of liquid contamination, and it has become blurred. Only one word can be vaguely discerned: Geometry.

……geometry?

"Not to be disturbed by Muggles, no worries about diet, a safe and aboveboard research environment." Salazar said: "This is why you rejected me? But Hogwarts can give you what you want. you."

"You know what I mean, Salazar." Shipley scratched his hair and said expressionlessly: "I admit that your idea is great, if it succeeds, it will definitely give the development of the magic world, The situation of wizards brings a qualitative leap, but this is not an easy thing, I think you should also understand how difficult it is to really do this, right?"

Before Salazar could speak, he sighed and continued: "As I told you earlier, I am living a very good life now. I have everything I want. I have no interest and no energy for my future. Unpredictable things are risked, and to me, it doesn't make any sense at all."

"I don't want to get involved in any trouble, you know what I mean?"

It seemed that he did not expect his attitude to be so firm, and Salazar and Helga fell silent for a while.

As the founders of Hogwarts, they will only understand better than Shipley the risks of building a school.

First of all, Hogwarts does not plan to charge students. In other words, at least in the early days of the school, all expenses of the school will be borne by the four people and some interested sponsors. Once the funds are insufficient, the school will directly risk of bankruptcy.Besides, would those wizarding families accept the school?Can Hogwarts keep students safe?Can the school maintain its simplicity and not become a tool of some institution or organization?

No one can guarantee these issues. Before Hogwarts is actually established and becomes the school they dreamed of, even as the founders, they cannot make any guarantees for sure.

This made Shipley seem to breathe a sigh of relief, the potions master stood up straight from the chair, and showed a relaxed smile: "Okay, we finally meet again, can't we talk about some interesting topics? Speaking of which, how are Godric and Rowena?"

Helga looked at him: "Everything is fine except that we are still with us and working towards a common goal."

The man's body froze suddenly.

"You still remember, don't you?" Helga said softly, "Didn't we agree? Build a real paradise for wizards, so that all little wizards can grow up safely and happily. End the days of having to hide and hide like this..."

Before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by the man.

"I don't remember." He said viciously.

Helga opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but held back. The red-haired witch stared at him silently. There was something in his eyes that Shipley didn't want to understand. He simply turned his head and spoke in a nonchalant tone. Said: "Whatever you say, I will not become Hogwarts' Potions Professor, I will disappoint you——Anyway, please find someone else."

After saying this, he resumed his casual expression: "I'll prepare tea and snacks, you can chat casually."

I don't know if he was convinced by his attitude. When he came back with a small plate of pastries, neither of them mentioned the topic of Hogwarts. Helga only asked that they could stay for a while. — until they find a suitable replacement.

Maybe they're just trying to convince themselves slowly.thought Shipley.It's a pity that he will never be persuaded by anyone, and the behavior of Helga and Salazar is just a waste of time.

He thought about it, but he agreed to them straightforwardly: "Of course, you can stay as long as you want."

In the following time, they began to seriously discuss the issue of replacements, as if they had really given up trying to persuade Shipley.

Shipley occasionally joined their conversation, but more often he just listened quietly.

Many people may be surprised that Salazar, Helga, Godric and Rowena can become friends. After all, they are not the same kind of people at all, but Cypri Stuart, who is a mutual friend of the four It seems that this is not a strange thing: no matter how great differences they have on certain issues, the mood and ideals that hope to change the situation of wizards and promote the development of the wizarding world are always the same.

Maybe the means and methods are different, but the ultimate goal is the same.

Just like now, Helga and Salazar can discuss future plans in an extremely harmonious and pleasant way: how to protect Hogwarts from being discovered and disturbed by Muggles?How should the course be organized?How to change the living environment of wizards to the greatest extent, and escape from the darkness of sneaking and hiding?

"Maybe we should also consider the issue of writing." Helga said: "Not every little wizard is literate, we must take this into consideration."

"You are right, and this must also be taken into consideration."

The two chatted intently. In fact, if Godric and Rowena were here, the inspiration and ideas between them might collide with more intense sparks, but even if only Salazar and Helga were alone, Enough to paint those plans and visions.

Shipley listened boredly for a while, his dark eyes were calm.

Is it really meaningful to build a so-called little wizard's paradise without a strong enough economic strength and power to support it?Those wizards who are obsessed with power and black magic, want to provoke a war between wizards and Muggles, and hate Muggles, will they really let such a pure land exist?

Is a future like this, with no hope and possibility in sight, really worth fighting for?

Shipley didn't know, and didn't want to know.

The sound of his friend seriously considering the student's diet was still echoing in his ears, but Shipley felt a little annoyed. Instead of disturbing the two of them, he got up alone and left in silence.

Shipley originally planned to go to the window sill to take care of the flowers and plants.

Before he got close to the flower pot, a light but undeniable tea fragrance immediately attracted his attention firmly. As a tea fanatic, Shipley's eyes lit up all of a sudden!

Following the faint tea fragrance in the air, his eyes quickly locked on the three figures outside the door.

During the chat just now, Shipley had already learned from Salazar and Helga that the two teenagers who came with them were students of Hogwarts. At first he didn't feel anything, but this After a while, his eyes fell on the two teenagers outside the door, and Shipley's mood suddenly became a little subtle.

It can be seen that their Transfiguration is used quite well.Not only that, but the movement of the young man's hands and feet when he picked up the teacup revealed an indescribable dignity.It's not simply imitating the etiquette of Muggle nobles, but a natural demeanor out of self-confidence and calmness.

But that wasn't what troubled him the most.

What made him feel hard to say was that no matter how you look at it, these two are more like young wizards from a typical pure-blood wizard family with a long tradition. They are sitting at the table and chairs, sipping tea slowly, While teaching a Muggle teenager to read.

Are pure-blood wizards so good-tempered these days?

He was still in a trance, noticing his arrival, one of the teenagers greeted him politely: "...Mr. Stuart, what's the matter?"

Shipley was about to turn around and leave.

However, the young man abruptly stopped him from turning his head and leaving with one sentence: "I happened to make a pot of tea, Mr. Stuart, would you like to have a taste?"

Reason told him that he should refuse.

but……

His gaze unconsciously fell on the exquisite celadon teacup. Unlike English tea mixed with sugar cubes or the sweet aroma of milk, the tea in front of him was crystal clear, and the mellow tea fragrance was indescribably refreshing and cold. He liked it very much, but it was another taste that he couldn't refuse.

It looks very unusual at first glance.

I really want to try it!

Shipley gritted his teeth, but in the end he couldn't hold back the temptation of the smell of tea, and sat down unceremoniously, the man coughed lightly, and said cheekily: "Since you have said so, then I will force myself to watch it." Let's see how good your tea is."

Very shameless.

I don't know if it's like repelling each other, Draco squeezed the teacup in his palm, and suddenly had the urge to smear the other's face with the tea in his hand.

Kong Yun was not angry, he was still very confident in his tea making skills, and now he just smiled and poured a cup for the other party.

Shipley picked up the celadon white flower teacup and took a sip. The fragrance of tea entered his throat from between his teeth and cheeks, so the pure and cold chestnut fragrance also flowed down his throat, spreading the cool breath all the way to the In the bottom of my heart, even the unspeakable irritability disappeared.

Then he just stayed where he was and refused to leave.

Kong Yun didn't care, he still lowered his head, and earnestly taught the Muggles around him how to read - he always treated Muggles equally, and he didn't mind helping one or two if he was able and not too troublesome.Draco didn't want to get involved, he had never had a good impression of Muggles, let alone offered to help them, but if he had to watch the two have a harmonious atmosphere, one teacher and one student...

"This word is a term and should be pronounced exhaustively," he corrected.

Satisfied with the tea in the cup, Shipley turned his head idly and stared at the two little wizards who were teaching Muggles literacy seriously.

He could see that even though he was stumbling and ignorant, the Muggle boy was studying extremely seriously, his brows were furrowed, but his eyes were surprisingly bright, as if he was doing something earth-shattering, with a heartfelt desire Focus and joy.

Shipley had no reason, and felt a little uncomfortable.As the figure of the boy gradually disappeared from the corner of the street, he said coldly: "You don't need to teach him these things."

Closing the book in his hand, Kong Yun raised his head with a puzzled expression.

"For Muggles, learning words and knowledge is meaningless, because most of them have problems with their lives—" Shipley said, with a low and hoarse voice: "I'm afraid you don't understand, this era is for Muggles, mean something."

"Knowledge does not bring good luck. Knowing how the world works will not make him well fed and clothed. Instead, it will make him a different kind. This is an era without knowledge, art, or even thought. A time without hope. You think you are helping him, but you are only hurting him."

Kong Yun did not refute his meaning.

He listened to all the words quietly, and then asked: "So, do you want to make a bet?"

Shipley looked at him.

The boy's expression was calm and firm, and he seemed unmoved at all, which made him feel amused, and indeed he chuckled lightly.The man straightened up and said indifferently, "Okay, what are you betting on?"

"Bet on whether he can maintain such love and obsession, and persevere." Kong Yun said: "If he can't do it, you can drink this kind of tea every day I stay here; if he can , you have to admit that your thinking is wrong—how?"

Shipley agreed to the bet.

When Salazar and Helga asked about the almost childish bet, he explained: "It was just a joke—what reason should I not agree to a bet I know I will win?"

"It sounds interesting." Her gaze fell on the young man who was quietly reading outside the door. Helga smiled and said with great interest, "Why don't you add me too?"

"what?"

"If he loses, Helga and I won't bother you about Hogwarts anymore. Within my ability, I promise you one thing; if he wins, you have to follow us." Go back to Hogwarts and become our Potions Master—do you dare to accept?"

Shipley frowned and said nothing.

Salazar laughed, with a provocative taste: "Why, don't you dare?"

"Don't provoke me, Salazar." Shipley hooked the corners of his lips, and smiled indifferently. He looked at the friends in front of him and said slowly: "Although I don't know where your confidence comes from." ...However, I agree to this bet."

Kong Yun didn't know about the added bet.

According to Salazar and Helga, because of Mr. Stuart's refusal, they decided to find another suitable wizard as the Potions professor at Hogwarts. Delay in a small village for some time.

And this unexpected bet was able to continue.

The next day, the Muggle boy came as promised, but it was a little later than on the first day.

After the first day of getting along, the attitude of the teenagers has become a lot warmer. In the gaps between studies, they will also chat about other topics, about the teenager's work, or family, but more often, they will talk about The book that is regarded as a treasure by teenagers.

Perhaps because of his personality, most of the time, the young man is shy and reticent. He only talks about the old book called "Elements of Geometry". In his dark eyes, it is Shipley from unseen light.

"An angle greater than a right angle is called an obtuse angle, and an angle smaller than a right angle is called an acute angle..."

"A straight line intersects two other straight lines in the same plane. If the sum of the two interior angles on the same side of the straight line is less than 180°, then the two straight lines must intersect on this side after being infinitely extended..."

"Why are there such wonderful things in the world? They are so interesting. I have never been exposed to such interesting things." He said happily, his face full of joy and longing.

As they left that day, they exchanged names.

"I'm Clarence Cook," he said reluctantly, "I really hope you can stay here a little longer."

The fourth day, the fifth day...

It's strange to say that at the beginning, he knew only a handful of words, but Clarence was very efficient in learning "Elements of Geometry". His understanding of knowledge was detailed and thorough, and occasionally he could say something Kong Yun was amazed by the insight that this lonely and indifferent young man when he first met had more and more smiles on his face.

Shipley did nothing.

When the three young men were sitting in a corner of the village, happily discussing knowledge about line segments and angles, Shipley just sat silently on the sidelines, watching coldly.

On the sixth day, until the end of their usual agreed time, Clarence was belatedly arriving with a despondent look on his face.

The young man pursed his lips, and silently spread out the book in his hand: It can no longer be called a "book". The book, which was originally well preserved, was roughly torn into several pieces, and some parts were covered with some liquid. When dyed together, the handwriting and graphics become more blurred.

Kong Yun guessed that it might be tears.

"My father forbids me to read this book. My mother thinks that I have been bewitched by the devil. She said that reading such strange things is meaningless. It is better to chop more firewood, so that at least at night we will not be able to read this book." It's going to be so cold." He said sadly, "I may...not be able to explore that world anymore."

Kong Yun was silent for a long time, and asked him: "What about you? Do you still like these things?"

Clarence did not answer the question.

He dropped the wreckage of the pieces that he once regarded as treasures in his hands, and left without looking back. Draco noticed that when he turned around, he secretly wiped his face, but he didn't say anything in the end .

The seventh day, the eighth day, the ninth day...

Clarence did not come again.

On the tenth day, the sky began to snow, and the sky that had been bright for less than a week was covered by gray dark clouds. However, the quiet village became lively. It's the look of fear and panic.

"He's going to be burned," Shipley told him.

Kong Yun nodded.

This is no surprise.Draco thought.

Although he is a wizard, it does not mean that he is ignorant of European history: in that long and silent era, there were very few wizards who were actually burned to death, and more innocent Muggles. Among the melons, there are many human beings who are called "scientists" by later generations of Muggles and have made outstanding achievements in the fields of mathematics, art, and physics.

Because they don't understand, they fear, resist, and regard it as an abyss and a devil, wishing to purify it with flames.

Draco watched the junior Hufflepuff raise his head and look up at the gray-black sky above his head, and the snowflakes all over the sky were falling down like velvet, so the whole world fell silent.

Shipley's expression was still indifferent, but he suddenly missed the sunshine of the past few days in his heart.

It's annoying to agree to a strange bet for no reason. It's also annoying to watch a few little wizards and Muggles discussing those meaningless things in front of your door, but the warm sunshine and the freshness in the eyes of the teenagers are so annoying. It made him feel that everything didn't seem so bad.

No, no, none of that matters anymore.

What matters is that he has won.

What a bet, what Hogwarts, let these meaningless troubles go to hell——

"It's good for young people to have lofty ideals, but they should also pay attention to the reality in front of them." Shipley said, but there was no joy on his face: "This is the era."

In an era where there is no hope for Muggles or wizards, all hope will be crushed by the deeper darkness before it emerges.

"you lose."

Kong Yun ignored him.

He put on the pure black wizard robe. The soft robe wrapped his body tightly and warmly. Hufflepuff's yellow and black scarf was still wrapped around his neck. Kong Yun touched the cuffs to make sure. After his wand stayed there steadily, he stepped forward and walked into the snowstorm.

"Where are you going?"

No one answered his question.

As if he understood what the other party was going to do, the junior Slytherin bent his lips and showed a thoughtful smile, then he also took steps and followed.

Shipley frowned, instinctively having a bad premonition, he opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Salazar, the man looked lazy, but there was an unignorable glint in his dark eyes. Guang Guang: "Don't worry, Shipley." He turned his head and looked at the back of the two children walking away side by side with Helga, saying meaningfully: "It's not over yet."

When the three of them came to the small square of the village, the central area where firewood was piled up was already full of people.The priest in a white robe stood there, muttering something in a low voice, and several men were busy arranging firewood. Clarence, as the victim, was already tied to a simple frame at this time, and it seemed that he might be burned to death at any time. .

"What do you want?" Shipley asked.

Kong Yun's footsteps did not stop because of his question.

There were not many people in the village. The boy lowered his head and easily passed through the crowd of onlookers. Shipley saw that he seemed to be reciting something in a low voice. It was not like a spell, but more like an ancient song. Poetry, and there was no light shining from his wand, but the Muggles present seemed to have fallen into a dream, watching him stop in front of the shelf without any reaction.

The only one who is not affected is the one who is tied to the rack——

"It's you." Clarence said blankly.

Most of the time he is always like this, his reaction is slow, taciturn and restrained, only when he talks about those wonderful geometric worlds, he will be as enthusiastic as the summer sunshine, until Kong Yun stands in front of him, He also had a dumbfounded expression and didn't react at all.

"Your book." Kong Yun said, and handed over the "Elements of Geometry".

Under the effect of magic, the "Elements of Geometry" that was torn into pieces and then thrown on the ground was easily restored to its original form - of course, this is also thanks to Clarence.Even though the books were torn into pieces, he carefully collected them piece by piece.

The young man took the small booklet and subconsciously showed a faint smile: "Thank you."

Kong Yun looked at him: "Do you still like those things?"

"I thought I shouldn't like it." Clarence said, with a deep, blank expression on his face: "I think what my father and mother said is right, maybe I was just bewitched by the devil to go crazy I am equally fascinated by them. Knowing that these things mean nothing to me, they neither keep me warm nor feed me."

"But..." His voice gradually lowered: "Just now, when I thought that I might die, I suddenly remembered that I still have a problem that I haven't figured out - what is the algorithm of the exhaustion method? How about it?" He looked at him with a serious look: "Can you tell me?"

"I have no way to tell you the answer to this question." Kong Yun said, which made the boy's expression become depressed: "But you can find the answer to this question by yourself."

"Am I... to find the answer?"

"Now you know, these things can neither keep you warm nor make you full, and even your family and friends don't approve of your hobbies." Kong Yun asked him: "If I had to do it all over again Given the opportunity, would you still choose it?"

Clarence froze.

The young man frowned and thought about it for a long, long time until the shoulders of both of them were covered with a thin layer of snow. Kong Yun reached out and patted the snow off, and he heard him say: "If I work hard every day to complete Be more careful about the work that mother gave me, and if no one finds out, then I can... figure out the answer I want?"

Kong Yun then smiled.

For this question, he never gave any answer.The junior Hufflepuff turned around and walked calmly to those people who were temporarily trapped in the illusion. He drew out his wand and said in a low and calm voice, "Forget everything."

After finishing this, he turned around, faced the bewildered and bewildered Muggle boy, and said softly, "Remember what you said today."

——This is the last sentence hidden deep in the heart of the young man named Clarence Cook, the young magician he met in that winter adventure like a fairy tale dream, before parting.

Many years later, when scholars of later generations talked about the mathematician named Clarence Cook, their words were always full of surprise and admiration. It was hard for them to imagine that in such a backward, ignorant and far away from the economic center, In a small village, there will be an ordinary peasant boy who, with his love for geometry, deceives everyone around him. With his lifelong research and exploration, he has left a strong mark in the history of European mathematics.

But this is all for the rest.

When Kong Yun returned to Shipley, the potion master changed his previous demeanor and gave him a vicious look: "You are cheating!"

The junior Hufflepuff raised his head, gave him a strange look, and asked, "When we agreed to bet earlier, did we say that no one can intervene?"

Shipley was speechless.

After a while, he seemed to remember something, and retorted loudly: "But how can this count? If you hadn't intervened in this matter, Clarence Cook would have died, and he still couldn't hold meaningless Persevere in what I have, this can only prove that my idea is correct!"

"You're right, if I hadn't intervened, Clarence would have died—but that's exactly what I want to say." Kong Yun looked directly into the man's angry eyes calmly: "For us, many times , It’s not because you see hope that you do something—but, only by doing so can you see hope.”

Shipley froze.

"Besides..." the junior Hufflepuff raised his head and stared at him seriously: "Mr. Stuart, are you really not interested in becoming Hogwarts' Potions professor at all? "

"If you really want to escape the invitation of Professor Hufflepuff and Professor Slytherin, you can leave this village directly for a while, and go to a place that no one knows, but you didn't leave, but you knew that you would be killed. When recognized, it becomes a sofa."

"From the very beginning, you never thought of rejecting this invitation completely, did you?"

Seeing the potion master in front of him becoming more and more silent, even showing a wavering expression involuntarily, Kong Yun smiled softly, and he finally announced with a smile:

"Professor Stuart, you lost."