"Well, yeah, there are wizards there," Potter shrugged. "I don't understand what you're getting at, Richie."
- Let's go, my friend, let's find some living portrait.
Harry nodded his agreement and followed Richard. The cool castle corridor was draughty, making the boys shiver. They soon stopped at a portrait of a man dressed in an elegant, dark green sixteenth-century doublet. His chestnut hair was sparse and short, his face thin, and his chin pointed. A massive cross hung around his neck.
"Good afternoon, sir," Richard addressed the portrait. "Do you have a little time for a chat?"
"Young men," the man in the portrait bowed politely. "Podrick Cruikshank at your service."
"Earl Rich, Richard," Richard bowed politely in response. "And Mr. Harry Potter. Pleased to meet you, sir."
"Oh, Count!" Podrick rejoiced. "It's a great honor to meet you. Do you have any questions for me?"
"Yes, Mr. Cruikshank," Richard said, under Harry's puzzled gaze. "If you don't mind, I'd like to run a little test. Can you answer a few questions?"
"A test?" Podrick asked, surprised. "Count, you don't look like a Ravenclaw. Well, ask your questions."
- Are you a wizard?
"Yes, Count. What doubts can there be?" Podrick protested.
Then came a stream of questions from Richard. The man in the portrait answered some willingly, others not so much. After about half an hour, Harry Potter lost interest in the conversation. He stood there, looking lost, counting the stones in the wall. He had been standing in one place for so long that his legs were cold and tired. Suddenly, Richard shook him by the shoulder.
- Harry, what are you staring at? Or is there something interesting there?
"Huh?" Potter turned to his friend. "No, nothing. Are you finished?"
Richard beamed with happiness. He nodded in response.
"Richie, so what was all this for?" Potter asked. "Did you just want to talk to the portrait?"
- Harry, don't you understand what's going on?
"I hope you can explain," Harry didn't want to admit that he didn't understand anything and didn't want to understand.
"Easy!" Richard replied. "I gave the portrait of the esteemed Podrick Cruikshank a Turing test. And it passed all three stages!"
- A?!
Harry Potter's glassy eyes showed confusion.
- The Turing test, Harry!
- Uh-uh... What is this?
Potter's question made Richard dramatically roll his eyes to the ceiling and take a deep breath.
- Roughly speaking, an artificial intelligence test. And her portrait passed. Do you understand what that means?
"No..." Harry thought for a moment and grabbed his unruly hair. "The portrait is intelligent, right?"
"Yes, Harry, the portrait is sentient. It just doesn't have all the memories of the original. But that's nonsense. The main thing is that living portraits can make decisions and, using special charms, interact with reality. That's a breakthrough, Harry! All I need to do is find the information on how to create living portraits, and I'll have artificial intelligence in my pocket."
Richard himself didn't bother searching for information in the library. It was a waste of time. He took the path of least resistance-he approached the older Hufflepuff students and announced he would pay fifty Galleons for copies of books containing information on creating magical portraits. Within three days, five sixth- and seventh-year students brought him a whole stack of literature. After making copies of the books, Richie sent them to Arthur Weasley with instructions to devise ways to create an AI and control artifacts with it.
It so happened that literally a day after this, Hermione called Richard.
- Hello, I'm listening.
The girl's voice was excited and joyful. She spoke quietly, almost whispering:
- Richie, I found it!
- Did you find it?
Hermione's voice dropped to a whisper, barely audible over the speaker.
- Yes, I found the book I needed.
Richard immediately understood what was being said. He tensed up like a cat about to pounce on a sparrow.
- Hermione, my heart's delight, let's meet after dinner by the greenhouses.
"Um... I don't have the book," Granger said sadly. "The charm... It didn't work on it. It must be enchanted."
- Got it. In that case, we'll meet at the greenhouses anyway.
After classes and during dinner, Richard constantly caught Hermione Granger's impatient gaze on him.
"Your Gryffindor girlfriend is going to stare a hole in you, Richie," Justin Finch-Fletchley remarked.
"Be jealous in silence, Jas! Maybe someday girls will be chasing you in droves."