Hogwarts: Don't call me Wandmaker

Chapter 52: Secret Passage and the Whomping Willow
Hogwarts Castle was quiet late at night, with only an occasional dim oil lamp swaying slowly between the floors.

"That's Filch on patrol."

"I know this." Xi Lun glanced at Fred, who was explaining the situation. "But, can you really get outside the castle without opening the door?"

"George, it looks like we're being questioned." Fred raised his eyebrows.

"Then let our new students see what Weasley is capable of," said George, and he walked over to stand in front of a portrait.

Xi Lun looked over subconsciously and saw a landscape painting with endless wheat fields, herds of cattle and sheep, and a barn.

George reached out and clapped his hand three times on the barn in the lower left corner.

Boom, boom, boom!

A man who was not in the portrait appeared, walked over cursing, and pulled open the barn door.

Then the portrait split in the middle, like an opened door, revealing a dark passage behind.

"Fred, you go first." George said, and as soon as he finished speaking, Fred dived into the passage.

"Why don't you go in and take a look..." George looked at Xiren and stretched out his hand as a gesture of invitation.

Xi Lun didn't hesitate and followed him into the passage.

It was dark inside, but relatively flat. Xiren held his wand and walked forward cautiously.

After about ten minutes, a staircase leading upwards appeared in the passage, and Fred was waiting for him on the stairs.

When Xi Lun walked over, he raised his hand and pushed open a trap door above his head.

A ray of moonlight shone in from outside, and Xiren knew that they had left the castle.

"What are you waiting for? Go up and take a look!" George's laughing voice came from behind.

Xi Lun walked out of the passage and found himself in a fairly spacious room. With the moonlight coming in from the window, he could see a row of cabinets on the left and a bench in front of the cabinets.

"The Quidditch team's locker room." Fred picked up a blue Quidditch jersey hanging on the cabinet, took a look at it, and put it back in its place.

"Too bad it's from Ravenclaw."

"We've been trying to convince Wood to exchange dressing rooms with Ravenclaw."

"It's a pity that he never agreed."

"Why?" Xi Lun asked curiously.

"Who knows? Maybe he can't bear to leave our current locker room." said George, who was the last to walk out of the tunnel.

"Well, one Galleon for a convenient secret passage like this is a good deal, isn't it?"

"It's a bit expensive, but worth it." Xiren opened the door and looked at the quiet Quidditch field outside.

"By the way, does Filch know about this secret passage?"

"I don't think so." Fred thought for a moment and said, "The last time we used this secret passage was last year, to explore the Forbidden Forest."

"Then we were caught by Hagrid and given a good scolding by Professor McGonagall."

"But this secret passage is still here and has not been sealed."

"So we think Filch doesn't know."

"But we can't rule out the possibility that he did it on purpose, hoping to lure us back over and catch us in the act."

"He always does this kind of trick."

It sounds like this secret passage is not that safe.

Xi Lun frowned, feeling that the one Galleon he had just paid was a bit of a loss, but then he thought, Fred and George were talking about what happened last year, and no matter how patient Filch was, he couldn't keep an eye on it for a whole year.

"By the way, if you also want to go to the Forbidden Forest, I advise you to come back with us now." Fred opened the trapdoor hidden in the floor again.

"Even at night, Hagrid can always find you in the dark forest." "That's our bonus advice."

After saying this, the two men jumped into the passage and left. They had other things to do and did not plan to act with Xilun.

"I remember that." Xi Lun said. He had no intention of going to the Forbidden Forest.

The reason I chose to go out at night was just to avoid Professor Sprout.

I don’t know if it was a coincidence or for some other reason, but every time Xi Lun approached the Whomping Willow, before he could do anything, the other party would quickly appear and drive him away.

And the reason was very sufficient. It was very dangerous near the Whomping Willow and first-year students were not allowed to approach. Xi Lun had no way to refute it.

That's why he chose to act at night and sought help from the Weasley brothers who were familiar with all the secret passages.

So far so good.

Xi Lun walked out of the locker room. The clouds were very thick tonight. Only half of the Hogwarts Castle was covered by moonlight, while the other half was dark.

Fortunately, I can still see the road clearly.

Xi Lun did not try to hide himself and soon arrived at the place where the Whomping Willow was.

The Whomping Willow looked even quieter at this moment than it did during the day. It stood there quietly, as if coated with a layer of silver frost under the moonlight.

As if sensing Xilun's presence, several branches that were dozens of feet long and as thick as a giant's thighs suddenly shook violently.

The overwhelming sense of power and heavy oppression made Xi Lun subconsciously take a step back.

He picked up a stone the size of an egg and swung it hard towards the tree trunk.

The stone hit an inconspicuous scar, and the Whomping Willow, which had been restless just now, instantly became silent.

"Very good." Xi Lun reflexively glanced at the greenhouse next to him without any reaction.

Although the lights in the greenhouse were still on, they were probably to take care of the habits of some special plants, not Professor Sprout.

Xi Lun breathed a sigh of relief and took out a wand from his backpack.

This was the first time he took the initiative to get branches. Normally, wand makers would exchange with the Bowtruckle, but the Whomping Willow was obviously not very welcoming to those little guys, so Xi Lun had to do it himself.

He quickly climbed up the Whomping Willow and found a good spot.

Following the customary rule among wand makers not to take the main trunk, Xi Lun set his sights on several dangling twigs.

This position is equivalent to the spikes of the fang geranium or the roots of the mandrake. It is designed to increase the lethality. Even if it is removed, it will not have any effect on the Whomping Willow.

Xi Lun found his position and waved his hand suddenly.

"Difendo!"

The Cutting Spell is a low-end version of the Shadowless Divine Blade, and is mostly used to cut materials or prune branches.

There was a sharp friction sound and sparks flew from the branches.

It’s so hard, Xilun pursed his lips, it felt like he was cutting a piece of stone.

Fortunately, the spell is not completely useless. If you look closely, you will find a coin-sized gap on the branch.

Xi Lun continued with all his strength and cast two spells in a row.

"Crack!" The branch finally broke.

But at the same time, the Whomping Willow began to wake up gradually, and Xi Lun could clearly feel that the tree trunk under his feet shook slightly.

In addition, a window in the castle opposite suddenly lit up.

Siren wasn't sure if anyone had heard the sound of the cutting curse. Without hesitation, he quickly slid down the tree trunk, grabbed a branch from the ground, turned around and rushed into the shadows under the castle.

(End of this chapter)