Chapter 150 Ares' Secret War
"Actually, I never really believed in divination."
Bruce lowered his voice and said to Hermione, "The future should be changing, with infinite possibilities."
If the future cannot be changed, there is no need for him to embark on this journey with Katum.
One thing he firmly believes is that one's destiny is in one's own hands.
What does that mean?
For example, Bruce rushed forward, grabbed Professor Trelawney, raised his fist, and asked her a question -
"Do you think this fist will fall on you in the next second?"
If she says no, I will punch her.
If she says yes, change the fist to a slap.
This is called taking your destiny into your own hands.
"Now, I ask you to split into groups of two and each drink a cup of tea until only the tea leaves are left."
Professor Trelawney began to assign class tasks, and she explained in detail the method of tea leaf divination.
"Use your left hand to swirl the tea leaves in the cup three times, then turn the cup upside down on the tray. When the last drop of tea has seeped out, hand the cup to your partner to interpret."
Bruce and Hermione were naturally grouped together as they were already sitting at the same table.
After finishing the tea in the cup, Hermione handed her cup to Bruce.
Bruce handed her the cup as well.
"I think I see a vortex, which means--"
Hermione spun the teacup, then turned to page 4 of her textbook, "Seeing the Future Through the Mist." "This means that something big is going to happen next, but you will stay out of it."
“There are big things happening on Earth every day, and I can’t possibly be involved in every one of them.”
Bruce shook his head, then looked at Hermione's cup. "There are three ripples in your teacup, which means you might want to go swimming, and this-"
He suddenly frowned.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked.
"I can't really tell." Bruce said, "This shape is too strange, a bit like a dog, and a bit like a wolf."
"Let me see." Hermione stretched out her hand, asking Bruce to hand her the cup.
At this time, Professor Trelawney was walking around the classroom, looking at everyone's tea cups and giving some instructions.
She was listening to a conversation between Neville and his partner, Dean Thomas.
"There's a cross in your teacup."
Dean said, referring to the textbook, "That means you will have 'trial and pain'."
Neville's round face turned pale instantly, and he leaned his head over to look at his teacup.
"Is this a cross?" Neville stammered. "It looks like a sword to me."
"What's the connection between you and the sword?"
Dean asked back, "You're a wizard, you don't have the opportunity to handle a sword, I think you're more likely to experience suffering and pain - sorry, I didn't mean to curse you."
Professor Trelawney poked her head in, trying to see whether there was a cross or a sword in the cup.
At this moment, she heard the conversation between Hermione and Bruce.
"——A bit like a dog, and a bit like a wolf."
She immediately turned around and said to Bruce, "Child, hand me that teacup!"
Bruce handed her the cup.
Professor Trelawney took just one look and then suddenly gasped and screamed.
Then she sank down in the armchair, put her hands over her chest and closed her eyes.
"Poor child...poor child..."
"What's wrong with you?" Hermione asked back with a frown.
The cup in Bruce's hand was hers.
"My dear, you are in trouble!"
Professor Trelawney's eyes shot open. "That great, grim dog that haunts the graveyard! It's an omen - the worst omen - an omen of death!"
For a moment, all the other students showed horrified expressions and looked at Hermione anxiously.
But Hermione, the person involved, seemed very calm.
“I don’t think it’s ominous,” she said.
"That's because you have no perception of the future."
Professor Trelawney said regretfully, "My poor child, today's class ends here. Please pack your things..."
She refused to say another word, nor to look at Hermione again.
The students packed their textbooks in silence, occasionally glancing at Hermione with complicated looks.
Bruce closed the textbook and whispered to Hermione, "I told you that divination is not accurate. If Trelawney wasn't a teacher, I'm afraid the next step would be to ask you for money."
"I didn't believe her."
Hermione said, "It's strange to say, this is the first time I feel that class is a waste of time. Trelawney teaches useless things."
Bruce nodded in agreement.
They then left the classroom, then avoided the crowd of classmates, found an empty corner, started the time converter, and returned to nine o'clock.
Started going to the third class.
With such a fulfilling course schedule, Hermione quickly forgot the unpleasantness in the Divination class.
What a sign of death.
It's all just a hoax.
……
Bruce finished his morning classes and lunch when he saw Katoom flying over from the direction of the dormitory.
"You slept all morning."
Bruce said, "What did you do last night?"
"Children shouldn't ask about adults' nightlife casually." Katum laughed, "Some things are not convenient, you know."
"It's definitely not something serious."
Bruce walked towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom with his textbook, ready to attend Professor Lupin's first class.
On the way, he continued yesterday's topic with Katum.
"Were you a little too harsh on Cedric?" Bruce said. "I didn't know your so-called methods were so unethical."
“I think it’s quite creative.”
The owl said, "You can't always play by the rules when dealing with Barbatos - by the way, what class are you going to take now?"
"Defense Against the Dark Arts," Bruce said.
"That's it, take your leave."
Katoom shook his head, "I'm afraid Lupin's first class isn't the right fit for you."
"Why?" Bruce asked.
"He'll bring a Boggart to class. You know what a Boggart is, right?"
"I know." Bruce nodded.
It is a creature that can shape-shift and turn into something that people fear.
"That's right!" Katoom said, "I can imagine what the Boggart will become in front of you without even thinking about it."
What else could it be?
It can only be the bodies of the Wayne couple. Although Bruce has been through a lot, he still can't stand it if he sees such a scene again.
Not only that--
"The spell Lupin is going to teach you isn't very suitable for you either."
Katoom said, "It's a spell that forces the Boggart to change into a funny shape."
What kind of circumstances could turn the bodies of the Waynes into something so funny?
Katum didn't dare to think about it.
That's a bit too hellish.
"Then you don't need to ask for leave."
After hearing this, Bruce felt that this class was not suitable for him, but he still chose not to attend the class.
"Just find an excuse to get by. I won't waste any class."
As we were talking, we arrived at the classroom.
The Defense Against the Dark Arts class is taught by Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students together.
Just as Katum said, Professor Lupin led everyone to a large cabinet which contained a Boggart.
After teaching everyone the funny spell, the professor asked all students to try to deal with this annoying monster once.
When everyone was excited and eager to try, Bruce came to Professor Lupin with a bitter face.
"I'm sorry, Professor."
“I can’t attend this event, it would be very painful for me,” he said.
Lupin signaled the students to begin, and teaching assistant Yoshimoto was in charge of the order of classroom activities.
Then he pulled Bruce aside and sat him down.
He said in a friendly manner, "Any questions, Bruce?"
"Because what I fear is the painful memories from the past."
Bruce said, "Professor, you may not know my background-"
"No!"
Lupin put his finger to his lips, signaling Bruce to stop talking.
"I know more than just your background."
He suddenly said, "I know more of your secrets. You don't need to hide them from me. Didn't Gordon tell you everything?"
Gordon?!
Bruce looked up in surprise.
Then he saw Lupin's gentle expression.
"Are you Ares?" Bruce asked with a frown.
"No, no, no, I'm still Lupin."
Professor Lupin said, “But Ares’s memory is open to me, and he recognized your identity when he first saw you on the train.
"Bruce from Gotham City, am I right?"
Ah this——
Bruce was speechless. He had prepared sufficient reasons, but now they were completely useless.
Lupin continued, "Besides, even without Ares, I know that you are special. Don't forget that Gibberne and I once followed Jason and caused a lot of trouble for others."
Bruce thought about it and realized that this was true.
Given Jason's cold-outside-but-warm-hearted personality, he asked Bruce to take care of Lupin before leaving, which shows that he really regarded Lupin as a friend.
In this case, there is no guarantee that Jason will not tell Lupin his true experience during some superhero-style chat.
"So, your identity is not a secret to me."
Lupin gestured to Bruce to rest assured, "But don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Of course, Ares would not bother to do that either."
"Then trouble you."
Bruce thought about it and asked a question that he was very curious about.
"Professor Lupin, does Ares know how he came into this world?"
Bruce once asked Gordon this question, and Gordon had no idea.
But as a god, Ares might know something about the inside story.
Unfortunately, reality still disappointed Bruce.
Lupin shook his head: "Ares doesn't remember the details, and he doesn't seem to care about it. He is concentrating on doing his own thing. This is why I want to talk to you today.
"Bruce, I may have done something irreversible when I became Ares, but I don't remember what it was."
Can not remember?
Bruce was puzzled: "But Gordon said that even if cognition changes, there will be no gaps in memory."
"But it's different if it's deleted proactively."
Lupin sighed and said, “What Ares did, he had to hide from me too. He deleted that part of his memory and only kept the initial thoughts.
"Bruce, Ares seems to want to start a small secret war inside Hogwarts."
Hearing the word "secret war", Katum, who had been silent, felt something in his heart.
Isn't Ares from DC? How did he know about Marvel's Secret Wars?
But he soon realized that he had misunderstood. This secret war did not have any connotation and was really just a literal meaning.
"Even if I become Ares, I am still myself at heart."
Lupin explained, "When I came to Hogwarts, the thing I wanted to do most was to teach students well. After becoming Ares, this idea has not changed.
"It's just a pity that Ares and I have conflicting ideas. His definition of a 'good student' seems to be different."
Bruce's expression suddenly turned serious.
What kind of person does the God of War consider a good student to be?
The answer is probably self-evident.
Either he is an extremely powerful person or a bloodthirsty war maniac.
"Now, Ares has chosen his students."
Lupin said very seriously, "I don't know who it is, but I am sure that there are students in Hogwarts who have been brainwashed by Ares' will!
"Bruce, I will try my best to find that person. Please help me keep an eye on those around me. If there is anyone who looks strange, be sure to tell me!"
It was just a small favor and Bruce didn't mind helping.
Seeing Bruce nod, Lupin felt relieved.
"Then let's keep in touch later."
Lupin said, "You are the only student I can trust right now."
After saying this, he returned to the classroom.
Bruce was still standing in that corner, looking serious.
"Katum, I remember you told me yesterday that Ares was Wonder Woman's mortal enemy and that they had a deadly battle during World War I, right?"
"That's what I said." Katum nodded.
"That's weird!"
Bruce looked at the owl, "If it was a fight to the death, and Wonder Woman was the winner, then Ares didn't live past 1918.
"In that case, how did he know me?"
Bruce said word by word: "In 1918, even my grandfather wasn't born yet!"
(End of this chapter)
