Indeed, judging from the current situation, the seals still seemed to be in good condition. That Baku might truly have been a one-off anomaly.
Rhys consoled himself with that thought, and with Helga also assuring them she would make time to check on the state of the seals, the worry in his heart finally eased.
The three of them sat around the table, chatting casually. To lighten the mood, Helga even brought out some snacks and drinks, which made Rhys feel even more relaxed.
Looking at the scene before her, Helga couldn't help but recall the days when they had just founded Hogwarts. After a day's hard work, the four of them would sit around a table, chatting and teasing one another.
She had thought such a scene would never appear again in her lifetime, yet now, it had come to pass in another form—almost fully restored. The only pity was that the table meant to seat four was now one person short.
When Helga shared what was on her mind, Rowena remained silent, but Rhys began to break out in a cold sweat.
He glanced first at Rowena, then at Helga, and thought back to their reactions when he first reunited with them—and to what they did to him afterward.
After some consideration, he decided that perhaps it would be better to delay the plan to find Godric. Knowing his old friends' temperaments, once Godric was found, he'd probably want to beat him up again…
Not that he feared that guy—it was just that, judging from his recent experience, dealing with just Rowena and a half-involved Helga was already exhausting. If Godric got added into the mix, he wasn't sure he could handle it.
"That guy Godric said he was going to look for you—did you ever see him?" Rowena asked, glancing at Rhys.
Rhys shook his head.
"A thousand years have passed…" A trace of sorrow appeared on Helga's face. Though she didn't finish her sentence, the meaning was clear enough.
Rhys shook his head again. "The three of us are still alive—concluding that Godric has already returned to dust might be a bit too hasty."
"You're right." Helga nodded slightly. "Maybe he's like me—accidentally stepped into a ruin and ended up being brought a thousand years into the future by you."
Rhys: "…"
He didn't think the world could be that coincidental.
"Why not just ask Trelawney to do a divination—did you know? The current Divination professor at the school is a descendant of the Trelawney family."
Rowena looked up, and Helga's eyes widened in surprise.
All three of them had personally experienced the Trelawney family's skill in Divination—they knew that this family really did have genuine talent.
"I never heard of that!" Helga exclaimed, as if she had discovered a new continent. "She's really from the Trelawney family?"
Rowena: ?
"I thought you were a professor—how have classes already started and you still don't recognize your colleagues?" Rowena found the situation rather ridiculous.
"She's been staying in the West Tower the whole time, keeping herself secluded to avoid contaminating her Inner Eye," Rhys explained on Professor Trelawney's behalf.
"Oh, that makes sense!" Helga slapped her thigh in realization and immediately declared that she'd go visit the seer at the West Tower sometime soon. Rowena agreed wholeheartedly—a descendant of the Trelawney family was indeed worth a proper visit!
Meanwhile, Trelawney herself had no idea that, just like that, she'd gained two highly devoted believers inside the castle.
Seeing that the two were placing far too much faith in Trelawney, Rhys quickly poured some cold water on their excitement. "But this Trelawney isn't as consistent as her ancestors. Most of the time she's bluffing or tricking people."
Helga and Rowena exchanged a glance—Exactly, they both thought. That was the classic Trelawney flavor! Judging by the effects of her curse, this descendant clearly had very pure blood.
Public trust in Sybill Trelawney had always followed a spiral curve. Those who knew nothing about Divination were easily fooled by her; those with some knowledge often thought she was a fraud. But once someone studied Divination as deeply as Helga and Rowena had, they would end up believing in her once again.
Misled by the Trelawney family's generational curse, it would be difficult for Helga and Rowena to see Trelawney's true level with clarity! Righ!?
Seeing the expressions on his two old friends' faces, Rhys understood that not a single word of what he'd said had gone in.
He could only smile helplessly—once Helga experienced it for herself, she'd come to believe him.
After chatting for a while longer and realizing it was getting late, Rhys and Helga left the sealed chamber together. Just before leaving, Helga clutched Rowena's hand, teary-eyed, and promised she'd come back to visit in a few days and keep her company.
"You don't necessarily have to come down here to see me… Why don't you all figure out a way to let me out instead?" Rowena suggested. She figured it was better to teach people to fish than to hand them fish—why not just find a way to release her from the seal? That way, they could see each other every day.
Helga instantly went quiet. After a long pause, she replied like a broken record, "Rowena, just stay safe in the seal. I'll definitely come visit you in a few days. By then, I'll see if I can figure out how to make food that even ghosts can taste."
Rowena: "…"
So you just don't want me to come out, do you?!
Helga: How could that be?You're my best friend. It pains me to see you stuck down here.
But the seal is a critical place, a matter of utmost importance—it needs to be guarded by a wise and powerful witch. Who else could be more suitable than you?
After waving goodbye to Rowena, Helga quickly dragged Rhys out of the sealed chamber.
Once they stepped outside, she let out a long sigh of relief—Rowena being stuck in the seal might look pitiful, but if that woman, already on the verge of madness from boredom, were to be released, then she and Salazar would be the pitiful ones. Maybe even Headmaster Dumbledore would be dragged into it.
But as the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility—and Dumbledore might not actually be able to clean up the mess Rowena would make if she got out.
After leaving the dungeons, Rhys and Helga parted ways. Rhys headed toward his house's common room, while Helga made a beeline for the West Tower.
The moment Rhys entered the Slytherin common room, he spotted Daphne sitting in a corner.
At the moment, the girl was slumped in an armchair, staring blankly at the ceiling, looking exactly like a salted fish stranded on the shore.
Rhys couldn't help but grow curious—what on earth could have made this lively, fire-dragon-like little girl look so deflated?
Upon closer inspection, Rhys discovered the answer: she was working on the homework assigned by the professors—and judging by the look of it, it was the Defense Against the Dark Arts assignment Helga had given.
His footsteps didn't snap Daphne out of her daze. It wasn't until Rhys sat down beside her that she realized who had arrived.
The girl's eyes lit up instantly.
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