NABC Chapter 268 A Frank Dialogue
Chapter 268 A Frank Dialogue
Chapter 268 A Frank Dialogue
The dueling club meeting ended abruptly in an eerie and unsettling atmosphere. Students left the Great Hall in small groups, whispering amongst themselves. The conversation invariably shifted from the astonishing confrontation between Cullen and Snape to the explosive news that Harry Potter was a Parseltongue. Suspicious, fearful, and curious glances continued to fall on the Gryffindor side. Harry, protected by Ron and Hermione, walked quickly with his head down, clearly sensing the distance between him and his companions.
Karen didn't go forward immediately. He first exchanged a few words with his roommates, praising their performance. Wesley had just successfully disarmed Fabian three times, and Ernesto had tripped a Slytherin with a clever obstacle charm before leaving the Ravenclaw group under the pretext of going to the library to look up some information.
Instead of going to the library, he took a shortcut and waited at a relatively quiet corner of a corridor. Soon, he heard footsteps and hushed conversations.
"—I have no idea what that is! I just don't want it to attack Justin!" Harry's voice was full of distress and confusion.
"We all know, Harry," Hermione's voice said, trying to comfort him, "You did the right thing."
"But the way they look at me—like I'm some kind of monster—Parsleyan—what is that? And why is everyone so scared?" Harry asked.
"That's a very rare ability, Harry," Ron said, his voice sounding a little nervous. "To be able to talk to snakes—"
It's said to be the symbol of Dark Magic. You know, Salazar Slytherin was a Parseltongue, so the Slytherin symbol is a snake. Everyone says the Man of Darkness is too—”
He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear.
Harry stopped in his tracks, his face growing even paler. "So—they think I'm in cahoots with Slytherin and with Vader?"
Just then, Cullen emerged from the shadows and calmly greeted them: "Harry, Ron, Hermione."
The three were startled and looked up sharply. When they saw it was Karen, they relaxed slightly, especially Harry.
"Karen." Ron nodded, his tone warm.
"A brilliant duel, Cullen," Hermione said instinctively, with her usual admiration for outstanding students, but then glanced at Harry with concern.
"Thank you for your compliment, Miss Granger." Cullen nodded slightly, then turned to Harry, her tone calm, devoid of any surprise or fear, as if discussing a normal academic matter: "I saw what just happened, Harry. You commanded the snake in a strange language, didn't you?"
Upon hearing this, Harry tensed instantly, his green eyes filled with urgency: "I didn't mean to! I just—"
Karen raised her hand to interrupt him, her tone still calm: "Relax, Potter. I'm not here to criticize or question you. On the contrary, I'm very interested in the rare talent you've displayed."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all stunned and looked at him in confusion.
"Interested?" Harry repeated, not understanding what Cullen meant.
"Yes." Cullen nodded, his grey-blue eyes fixed on Harry with pure curiosity and inquiry, which eased Harry's tense nerves slightly. "Like everyone's been saying, the talent you've shown is indeed Parsleyan."
"Parsleyan? What is that? Everyone talks about it, but what exactly is it?" Harry was still unfamiliar with the term.
"This is an extremely ancient and rare magical talent," Karen explained. "Those who possess this ability can understand the language of snakes and communicate with them, even influencing or commanding them to some extent. It's not magic learned later in life, but rather more like an innate bloodline instinct or soul talent."
He paused, then, seeing Harry listening intently, continued: "It is precisely because of its rarity and incomprehensibility, and the reputation of some famous Parsley speakers throughout history, such as Salazar Slytherin, one of the founders of Hogwarts..."
The ancient, infamous dark wizard Helbo, and even Voldemort before him. The circumstances surrounding these figures have led many to misunderstand and fear this ability, associating it with dark magic. This is a prejudice, Potter. Language and abilities themselves are neither good nor evil; the key lies in how the user wields them. The fact that you used it today to stop an attack and save your classmate proves this point.
These words were clear, objective, and neutral, greatly alleviating Harry's anxiety. This was the first time he had heard someone analyze the ability that had gotten him into trouble so calmly, instead of simply labeling it "evil" as before.
"Really? Really?" Harry asked hesitantly. "But this ability—it does sound a bit—"
"Unusual? Yes," Karen admitted. "Anything beyond the comprehension of ordinary people will raise suspicion. But that doesn't mean it's inherently bad. Like the Fiendfyre curse, it's considered extremely dangerous dark magic, but in the hands of someone skilled in its control, it can also be used for protection and alchemy. The key is control and understanding."
Ron and Hermione exchanged glances; what Cullen said made a lot of sense.
"You—you seem to know a lot about this?" Harry looked at Cullen, his eyes filled with hope and curiosity.
"I'm interested in all sorts of ancient and rare magical phenomena," Karen said candidly. "Parsley is one of them. It's a very unique magical language phenomenon that involves the resonance of magic with the frequencies of specific beings. Its operating mechanism is very different from the modern spell system, which is valuable for understanding the nature of magic. So when I saw that you have this talent, my first reaction was academic curiosity, not fear."
His candid attitude earned Harry some trust. Harry felt that Cullen was different from those who looked at him differently; he genuinely wanted to understand the situation, rather than simply judging, and Harry was willing to believe Cullen.
"I—I've been able to talk to snakes since I was little." Harry hesitated for a moment, but still said it. He needed to confide in someone who seemed to understand. "Once at the zoo, I accidentally knocked a python's glass off, and it almost bit my cousin—but I didn't know what it was called before, and I didn't know that other people would be so afraid." His tone was aggrieved and troubled.
"That's normal. When a hidden talent suddenly emerges, it always brings confusion," Karen said, expressing her understanding. "The lack of understanding from others may make you feel isolated, but you don't need to blame yourself or be afraid. It's just a part of you, just like your excellent flying skills."
Harry's expression brightened a bit when flying was mentioned.
Karen looked at Harry and offered his long-held suggestion: "Harry, I have a proposal. My research on Parsleyan is currently limited to theory, lacking practical examples and data. You, on the other hand, are a rare, readily available case. If you're willing, perhaps we can make a fair exchange."
"Exchange?" Harry asked warily.
"Yes," Karen said calmly. "I can help you understand the Parseltongue ability more deeply from my research perspective. It has possible origins, its magical principles, and how to better control it, rather than being passively influenced by it."
In exchange, I hope you can provide me with some research assistance, where it is convenient and safe for you, such as recording some voice samples from your interactions with snakes. Of course, these operations will be conducted under absolutely safe and non-invasive conditions, combined with some simple and harmless tests, to help me refine my related magical theories.
He added, "This is entirely voluntary. You can refuse or terminate it at any time. My volition is solely for academic research, nothing else. And all information will be kept confidential."
Harry considered it seriously. Cullen's attitude was sincere, and her terms sounded fair and harmless, even beneficial to him—she could figure out exactly what this ability that was troubling him and causing him trouble was. Moreover, Cullen had helped him before (at the station, and about Hagrid), and seemed like a trustworthy person.
Ron and Hermione were also whispering among themselves.
"It sounds like—it doesn't seem like there's any downside?" Ron said uncertainly. "At least he can tell Harry what's going on."
"Cullen is a recognized genius in Ravenclaw, and both Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall value him highly," Hermione whispered, her research instincts making her instinctively interested in Cullen's proposal. "If he can really explain Parsley from a magical theoretical perspective, it might be a good thing for Harry. And all he wants are some sound samples and tests, which sounds quite professional."
Harry glanced at his two friends, then at Cullen's calm and honest gaze, and finally nodded. "Okay, Hawthorne. I agree. But I need to know exactly what the test is, and—if I feel uncomfortable, I'll stop."
"Of course, that's your right." Karen gave a faint smile. "I'm glad we reached an agreement. So, shall we schedule a time to discuss the specifics another time? It's not convenient here."
"Okay," Harry agreed, feeling inexplicably relieved.