Virginia is deeply immersed in the
Restriction Section in the library now. She stays there all day except during
classes or having meals or sleeping. She reads from the rise of wizardry several
thousand years ago to later when the witch burning took place. She watches as
witches were burnt, hanged, or wizards beheaded, and sorcerers got into hiding
gradually, not revealing their magic power. Magic, then, became a taboo.

  And
then came Merlin, who empowered magic and led sorcerers to a new path. She went
through many books but still couldn’t find detailed information. All were
filled with a sense of fairy tales and mystery, like Mose’s split of ocean.

  In
the long river of wizarding history, Virginia gradually discovers a problem,
which can only be discovered by an unbiased perspective like hers.

  What
is magic?

  She
has different understandings from other sorcerers. Maybe it’s because she doesn’t
perceive herself as a witch in essence, like when she cleans her bedroom by
hand, or learns only defensive magics instead of those charms that make lives
convenient.

  Looking
through all these books, Virginia discovers that magic is psyche in essence,
powerful psyche and firm will, these are the true nature of magic. The inner
magical power is only a path, such as the wand, which helps you realize your
magic. A good or powerful wand can destroy you if there’s not an equally
powerful psyche and will.

  Powerful
witches and wizards have either powerful psyche or firm will and determined
spirit, or both. There’s no exception.

  As
for spells, they are a manifestation of psyche. When your will is strong
enough, you can utilize language to realize your magic power through your wand.
The magical power is similar to the water in a cup, and your psyche helps you
master your strength when you pour it out.

  She
begins to think about how spells were created at first. Strong thirst is the
only explanation, and then fluent language is needed to show it.

  This
quirky idea has entangled her, and Virginia starts her experimentation as
though possessed by it. She often remains in her dorm and mutters strange words
while holding her wand. She looks up the dictionary yo find words that
demonstrate certain meanings, and then she trys them out, but still she hasn’t
ever succeeded.

  She
calmed down gradually and realized her ignorance of trying to reach something
far beyond her grasp.

  This kind of thing
touches on the essence of magic, so how can it be mastered by someone like her
who has only known magic for a short while. This is like the difference between
using a computer and inventing one on your own.

  So she
finally becomes calm and returns to her daily ritual of study, although in a
hidden corner in her heart she still harbors her exotic idea.

  Compared to
the surrounding environment of Hogwarts, Virginia seems to be living in her own
world. She never gets as nervous as the other people, for she always carefully
avoids getting entangled into this chaos. She trys to skip all the potential
troubles.

  So when
Virginia becomes more involved in the students, she finds out many things she
failed to notice before. For instance, some people even believe that Harry
Potter killed Albus Dumbledore. This is so ridiculus, though most people do not
believe in it, and Gryffindors, in particular, always refutes it fiercely.
Virginia also noticed that quirky senior schoolmate of her Ravenclaw, Luna
Lovegood. Blond bushy hair looks strange indeed, and she speaks strangely as
well, but it sounds reasonable somehow each time.

  And there’s
the fantastic radio station which broadcasts only occasionally in specific
periods at night. There’s always a crowd in Ravenclaw’s Common Room who sits
beside it. These are mostly upperclassmen, and there are a few students from
first and second years as well.

  Virginia has
never listened to it. That “Potterwatch”, she heard, was formed by people from
the Order of the Phoenix. Well, the name is rather heroic.

  Today she
finished battling with the door hook and came in.

  “Virginia,
you are back so early today. Have you finished with your dinner?” Olivia’s soft
voice comes right into her ears.

  “Yes, I have
already finished my dinner.” Virginia replied with a smile. She is still a bit
nervous, for she really hopes the others won’t invite her to listen to the
radio.

  “December is
coming. Are you going home for Christmas?” Olivia asks her. Virginia thought
she was very lovely.

  Nevertheless,
she was still shocked by the question. She forgot about Christmas completely,
for it is still a month away. She suddenly discovers that she is already in
Hogwarts for three months. Busy she had been, with intense workload and careful
precaution, these are her entire life.

  Would she go
home for Christmas?.... Thinking about this question, her heart thumped rather
fast. She could see her parents, could eat the biscuits made by Mum, could hear
Dad call her “little princess”, all these are much too appealing for her. But
she knows she can’t; she just can’t go home yet.

  “Virginia?”
Olivia’s voice dragged her out of her deliberation.

  Virginia wore
a confused expression and said, “I don’t know. I haven’t thought of it yet. It’s
still very early.”

  “Oh, I want
to ask you… Maybe you could come to my home for Christmas if you do not go
home.” She sounds a bit awkward, “I know this is a bit sudden, but I always see
you alone…. So I thought it would be more excited if there are more people.”

  Virginia
smiled truly. She says apologetically, “Thanks very much for your invitation.
Though I still haven’t decided where to go at Christmas, I’m afraid I cannot go
with you. I’m really sorry. Maybe next year I can have the honor.”

  That was a
formal and polite refuse. Olivia looks a little regretful, “Alright, I just
thought you might agree if I talk to you early.”

  At this time
the radio suddenly sounds, and a voice comes, “Welcome to Potterwatch. I am
host River.” In the Common Room many people are attracted to the voice, but
Virginia went out of the Common Room, for she has more important things to do.

  Ever since
she came to Hogwarts she was trying to make a Portkey. Just now in the Restrict
Section she felt she was nearly successful. It’s just there might be a minor
problem.

  She kept
pondering during dinner. She felt it’s not because of the lack of magical
power. She must have failed because of a detail in the process. She recalled
Professor Flitwick’s words that she has to locate the destination very clearly
and accurately in her mind.

  Maybe she has
to pin the destination in more complexed details in her mind. For example, she
might have to locate the destination in her bedroom beside the window instead
of just within the house in Spain.

  Holding the
angel tightly in a grip, she felt it vibrate slightly. She looked at it and saw
it emit bluish light. This was an unimaginable feeling. She suddenly realized
why she always failed before. It was because of the ownership of the house.

  Professor
Flitwick once said that if you locate the destination in others’ house, you
have to ask for the owner’s permission at first. She failed before because she
located the destination at her London’s house. She was not the owner of the
house, and she obviously hasn’t asked for her parents’ permission. As for her
house in Spain, it was bought in her name, so the owner is her. She does not
need to ask for the owner’s permission and so succeeded at once.

  She stared at
the angel briefly and then put it back to her chest. She understands that it
must be strange that next time she touch the angel she will land in Spain. She
laughed to herself and thought of illegal migration.

  It seems that
now that her safety is guaranteed she has more confidence. She is still very
scrupulous but is bolder than previously.

  Christmas is
coming, and the castle finally has some well-hidden pleasure. The Carrows,
however, are more brutal than before. They persecuted not only Muggle-borns but
also some half-bloods. Two first-year Gryffindors beared the Cruciatus Curse.
Virginia thought if it wasn’t for Professor McGonagall’s furious defense, the
two young wizards can never endure through the Cruciatus Curse and come out
alive.

  McGonagall
points out clearly the origin of the two wizards’ wazarding blood, but the
Carrows weren’t restrained. Only when Severus Snape was there would they pay
attention. It seems that they do not want to offend the favor of the Dark Lord.

  Virginia felt
more dangerous than before. Finally in a Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson
her name was noticed on the register roll despite of the Neglecting Charm she
gave to herself.

  Now it’s near
the end of the class. Virginia felt so unlucky. Amycus Carrow stared at her
fixedly. Virginia raised her head but still looked at her feet.

  “Your surname
is Winchester,” she seems to be enjoying herself as though a cat taunting the
mouse, but still she is a bit confused, “It’s so strange. This seems to be the
first time I notice you. Where were you hiding before?” Her melicious voice
makes Virginia rather nervous, but she still kept herself calm, “I am always
here, professor.”

  “Oh, Ms.
Winchester, you are not a pure blood, I believe. I have never heard the surname
Winchester. Who are your parents?”

  “My mum is a
Germany, and dad a British. They moved to England later. As for wizarding
blood, I never asked before I came to Hogwarts. In fact, my mum’s family has
several wizards….” Virginia recited her lies in composure.

  “Lier!” A
spell was coming from her wand suddenly. Virginia didn’t attempt to escape, and
the spell hit the wall behind her, scraping her face. The students in the
classroom all exclaimed.

  “I didn’t,
professor! My mum’s surname is Auerbach. If you doubt that, you are insulting
my mum’s family!” Virginia sounds rather furious. This kind of fury is very
real, but the reason is different from her performance.

  Amycus Carrow
seemed to have shrinked from her defense of her blood lineage. “I will
investigate about that. It doesn’t require a long time to know whether you’re speaking
the truth.” Amycus’s voice still sounds evil. “If I know you are lying, Ms.
Winchester….” She didn’t go on but went out of the classroom.