The Old Ones of Hogwarts

Chapter 157, Section 156: The Strongest Defense Against Dark Magic!

Chapter 157, Section 156: The Strongest Defense Against Dark Magic!

June is the month when the weather starts to get hot.

As the end of the semester quietly approaches, the sky seems to resonate with it. The school has been embraced by the scorching sun for days, and an indescribable tension and anticipation permeates the air.

It can be said that everyone's emotions are complex and subtle.

The scenery outside the castle was becoming increasingly beautiful, but in the Hogwarts campus, which was gently caressed by the heat, the young wizards found it difficult to enjoy the joy and coolness of summer – after all, everyone knew that June meant the arrival of final exams, something that almost all young wizards did not want to face.

Of course, there are a few exceptions.

For those diligent young wizards who are well-versed in magic spells and ancient texts, exam week is like a long-awaited feast. Their eyes gleam with confidence; the moment they look forward to most this semester is turning countless days and nights of hard work into excellent grades.

However, not everyone can face this test with such a calm mindset. Some young wizards, perhaps due to last-minute cramming, feel overwhelmed and anxious when faced with mountains of review materials and intricate magical theories. This group makes up a slightly larger proportion of Gryffindor students.

Some wizards attempted to use underhanded tactics, such as having their family members find out about the exam questions in advance, but they would obviously experience for the first time the feeling that their parents' connections were ineffective.

No one could find out the exam questions in advance, not even the descendants of pure-blood families. There were many Slytherin students who looked unpleasant and were ridiculed by their own headmaster, Professor Snape.

Hufflepuff students are also actively preparing, but they spend the least amount of time in the library on average. Few people know that the students of this school are also restless.

Moreover, they don't have high expectations for grades. Passing is considered a fulfillment of all their efforts this year, and better grades are simply a pleasant surprise.

Their refusal to engage in cutthroat competition is unique in the entire Hogwarts. Of course, this doesn't mean that Hufflepuff's young wizards don't do well in their exams every year. On the contrary, they sometimes even outperform Slytherin, and are actually the house with the fewest failing students in the entire school.

Ian always felt that, in addition to a good attitude towards exams, this was also inextricably linked to the fact that most holiday homework was outsourced to these diligent little badgers.

As the saying goes, "Read a book a hundred times and its meaning will become clear." Being able to repeatedly complete the professors' homework from different perspectives will surely lay a good foundation for Hufflepuff students.

Perhaps the Hufflepuff students themselves didn't realize this—in comparison, the Ravenclaw students reached new heights of intensification during the final month.

There are no better grades, only the best grades. Perfect scores are required in all subjects that require exams. This is an obsession among almost all Ravenclaw students.

As for those scheming boys and girls who know they have weaknesses and can't get full marks, all sorts of deceit, trickery, and Sun Tzu's Art of War, along with various excuses and reasons like "I'm going out for a stroll" or "I'm going out to play," become their pretexts and reasons to fool and deceive their classmates.

It wasn't particularly cunning; it was just a normal "learning-to-fight" tactic.

"What the hell are these guys? They're still secretly studying with exams in a few hours. Are they all thinking of making a name for themselves in the final exams?"

Because of Grindelwald's frightening remarks, Ian didn't sleep well all night. The next day, when he was preparing for his exam, he came out of the Room of Requirement before dawn.

however.

As he returned to his dorm to change, he encountered classmates who were still secretly studying in many inconspicuous corners along the way. He even felt that these guys were more elusive than Albus Dumbledore.

The little wizard who was studying inside the chandelier called out "Good morning, little professor," which startled Ian quite a bit, mainly because the little wizard's head was still covered with a cardboard disguise.

The design on it resembled the chandelier's surroundings, but the way it was worn, resembling an inverted triangle, almost made Ian think he had woken up to find himself transported to a Hogwarts version of Silent Hill.

"What the hell is this! Did you start gambling on the final exams too?" When Ian returned to the dorm, he noticed that William's dark circles were even darker than Iron Eater's.

His desk was piled high with almost all the books he had worked on that semester.

"Standard Spells, Beginner's Guide", "A History of Magic Explained", "Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration", "Dark Magic: A Guide to Self-Defense", "A Thousand Magical Herbs and Mushrooms"... Although William had already read these books thoroughly, he still worried every few hours that he might have forgotten some of the contents.

"Oh, right, we have an exam today."

Michael, however, still maintains a sleepy, unawakened attitude towards life.

Not only did he not study all night, but he was also woken from his deep sleep only when Ian walked over and slapped him. This little black guy was probably the most unruly of all the Ravenclaw students.

"Aren't you going to launch a surprise attack before the battle?"

Ian watched as Michael slowly got out of bed. He glanced at the covers, saw no books, and realized that his roommate was different from the other scheming boys in the college.

"It's just an exam, why make it sound like going to war?" Michael had a good attitude. He didn't actually study secretly; he just paid more attention in the last few weeks of class.

In fact, in the last few weeks of the semester, professors no longer teach students new knowledge. Instead, they help students consolidate what they have already learned in class to prepare for the final exam. In this respect, Hogwarts does not seem to be much different from most Muggle schools.

"Exams are the real battlefield."

William finally put down his book, turned around, and replied with utmost seriousness, "To ensure a flawless exam, we need to control any variables that could cause errors in our scores."

talking.

William let out a long sigh of relief and patted the textbooks on the table again.

"I'm confident I can get straight O's. I've thoroughly studied the textbooks in the last month. Surely the professors won't test us on anything outside the textbooks?"

He wanted to be more confident, but his voice carried a hint of trepidation. One could only say that William looked exactly like a Gryffindor student suffering from "pre-exam anxiety."

The only difference is that Gryffindor students worry about failing some subjects, while William worries about not being able to get the best grades in all subjects—Excellent (O), Good (E), Pass (A), Poor (P), Very Poor (D), Terrible (T), which are the Hogwarts standards for judging exam results.

"Don't worry, if you can't get all O's with all your effort, I don't think many people can," Ian kindly comforted his roommate.

however.

Unexpectedly, William sighed heavily, his voice even more worried, "It's different. Everyone's talent is different. Even if I don't compare myself to classmates with ridiculously high talents like you, I'm still far behind. For example, Michael doesn't study every day when he comes home, but he was still able to point out several mistakes in my knowledge last night."

"That's the difference in talent. I think there must be quite a few people like him in school." To be fair, there's a reason why William was so anxious and restless, staying up all night to study. After all, it's one thing to have a classmate like Ian who's far ahead of the competition, but his other roommate, who's always laughing and chasing girls, is also learning faster than him.

If this happened to most people, they would definitely feel very insecure.

"I'm studying hard too."

Michael failed to empathize with William's feelings and retorted somewhat helplessly while brushing his teeth, saying that William's dislike of learning what he had already learned did not mean that he had not studied hard.

"Is it possible that, besides me, only Michael is a little better than you in our grade?" Ian had actually noticed Michael's "academic genius" qualities long ago. As a junior professor who had been secretly tutoring the young wizards, he was quite certain that there was no other person like him among the first-year students in the entire Ravenclaw school.

William was clearly inexperienced and didn't realize this. He thought that such situations were the norm in other dormitories. He didn't know that he himself was a rare genius.

"Can you guarantee that Ravenclaw is like this? You can't guarantee that the other houses are like this either. I've heard that the top student in several years isn't from our house. It's like asking if you would believe that the best student in the second year is actually a Quidditch player who plays all day?"

"There are gifted people, there have always been, and there are many, many more. I can't imagine what it would be like to go home and be disliked." This kind of behavior of William is generally referred to as self-destructive internal conflict in clinical practice.

The witch doctor Ian immediately made a diagnosis and devised a treatment plan.

"Don't move."

He ran to the table, opened a drawer, took out a quill pen, dipped it in ink, and, under William's questioning gaze, walked up to William and pressed down on his head.

"What are you doing?"

William felt Ian writing on his forehead.

"I've cast a ritual spell on you to reduce your internal strife and boost your confidence." Ian finished writing quickly and then chanted a spell in a mocking manner.

"Babble Lippo, Barboripe~"

Ian's wand circled William's head three times.

William was immediately pleased by the serious look on his face.

"Thank you, Ian."

His heartfelt gratitude even made him want to sit and wrap his arms around Ian's waist.

Ian dodged it.

After all, William's unique fondness for underwear makes it difficult for Ian to judge whether he is of good or bad character.

"Can this magic increase one's luck?" Michael, having finished washing up, came out of the bathroom and curiously approached to ask.

"Of course not."

Ian shook his head.

"What about increasing wisdom?"

Michael pressed on with more questions.

Ian continued to shake his head. "This is just a confidence rune, it only reduces internal friction. It's good enough that it doesn't lower your intelligence. How can you expect it to increase your intelligence?"

His words surprised Michael.

"Is this some kind of magical script? It feels a bit like Chinese." Michael tried to touch it, but William grabbed his hand with extreme vigilance.

"Don't even think about undoing the magic Ian cast on me. I feel so much better now, and I'm very confident." William was clearly demonstrating the powerful effect of psychological suggestion.

Ian didn't actually cast any magic.

"Yes, the Chinese magical script contains great terror and great magic." Ian clapped his hands and announced that the mission was accomplished, then put the quill pen he had taken out back into the drawer.

"Can I have one too?" Michael eagerly pulled out his quill pen. Ian hesitated for a moment, then decided to do the same for everyone and drew a few strokes on Michael's forehead as well.

"Didn't you say you didn't care about exams?"

Ian was quite helpless.

"I just don't care about studying, because studying would take away from the time I have to write love letters to Rebecca," Michael chuckled, sounding quite reasonable.

"You asked for this yourself, didn't you?"

Just as Ian put down his pen.

"And ritual magic?"

Michael remembered the process better than Ian, the "founder of magic." Left with no other option, Ian could only pull out his wand and pretend to whack it again.

"Babble Lippo, Barboripe~"

Although nothing happened, Michael's joy was palpable.

"It's amazing! I feel more confident now!"

It can only be said that psychological suggestion works equally on any naive little wizard. Michael's loud and boisterous remarks reminded Ian of his childhood before he transmigrated, when he was obsessed with internal energy cultivation.

He thought he was about to master his supernatural skill, and even when he was climbing over railings, he felt light and agile. However, in the end, he found that he was just suffering from indigestion and bloating. No one could explain why he actually felt light and agile. So, the power of suggestion is truly amazing.

"Why don't you draw one for yourself too?"

William picked up a mirror and examined the mysterious "magic runes" on his forehead. Curious, he asked Ian about it, thinking that Ian should use such good magic.

"No, no, I'm just too confident and too happy right now. I can't draw these magical runes anymore, otherwise I might get so overconfident that I'll become arrogant."

Ian quickly refused and threw away the quill pen in his hand.

His behavior didn't seem to bother his roommate, and the two of them admired themselves in the mirror for a long time before finally putting it down and heading to the exam hall with Ian after being urged by him.

Along the way.

William and Michael stood tall and proud, looking as if they had truly been "blessed" by magic. They immediately became the most confident young wizards in their exams.

This will indeed help them perform better to a great extent. As long as they are not overconfident, they will definitely perform a few points better than normal.

Ian isn't entirely a conman either.

He was trying to salvage the mindset of his good roommate and good tool, William.

This is not.

William didn't even continue muttering about the content he had already memorized, nor did he forget the answers because of nervousness. Ian felt that at least he had saved William's grade in a class.

"I'm such a good person."

While waiting outside the exam hall, Ian gave himself a thumbs up. It was another win-win day for him, as he not only gained merit but also received gratitude from his roommate.

Oh no, perhaps it's a win-win-win situation; he also experienced the joy of being a fun-loving person.

"What's wrong with your two roommates? They've carved words on their heads." Aurora was quite puzzled when she arrived at the exam hall, watching as William and Michael entered the exam hall first after the door opened.

"I don't know."

Ian made a blank look.

"What words were engraved?"

His puzzled expression was definitely Oscar-worthy. To be fair, when Aurora mentioned that it was a word, Ian already realized that this Germanic girl must have studied Chinese.

This is not.

Aurora frowned and responded.

"The people you hang out with are really weird. If they really believe in that kind of gimmicky stuff, they should at least have something like 'guaranteed victory' or 'guaranteed win' engraved on their clothes, right?"

"If I'm not mistaken, what they have 'Don't eat cilantro' tattooed on their foreheads? I don't think those four Chinese characters have any pre-exam blessing meaning in the East, right?"

It must be said that Aurora is definitely a good girl in some ways; she doubted her own knowledge but did not doubt that Ian and Ian's roommate were mentally unstable.

"Oh, I see."

Ian looked as if he had just realized something.

"You must have known all along."

Aurora watched the little wizard's performance quietly.

No, that's not it.

Ian stared at her innocent, big eyes.

"I understand, you drew it for them."

Aurora didn't possess any mind-reading abilities; she simply knew her close ally very well. "Do these four words have any positive meaning? If so, could you tell me?"

The diligent and studious German girl tilted her head.

"Um?"

Seeing that Ian remained silent for a long time, she raised an eyebrow, looking puzzled.

"I'll tell you what positive meaning you're referring to, and I'm obviously responding to your request," Ian explained the reason for his silence.

His explanation was very simple and easy to understand.

Not speaking doesn't mean there's any positive meaning behind it.

"..."

however.

Aurora was stunned for a long time before she came to her senses.

"To be honest, when it comes to pranks, I think the Gryffindor twins are way better than you," she commented on Ian's behavior with a hint of helplessness.

"I'm helping William gain confidence. Look how confident he is now." Ian and Aurora entered the examination room together and looked at William, who seemed completely at ease.

perhaps.

Behind these four words lies a mysterious and unseen power of self-confidence.

……

The first exam was actually just a theoretical exam, or more simply, a written test. The first-year students from the four colleges were shuffled and divided into two classrooms to take the exam.

To prevent anyone from attempting to cheat using the magic pen, no one is allowed to bring their own quill pens and ink to the exam; only the stationery provided by the school is permitted.

This point had been repeatedly mentioned by the professors before the exam. Even the entrance to the exam hall was marked with graphic signs, and the reference images under large prohibition symbols were from Ian's work.

Answer pen.

This was a product that Ian had improved and started selling a month before the exam. The ban caused many young Gryffindor wizards to wail in despair.

However, Ian's mood didn't fluctuate much. He didn't need to cheat to answer the questions, and he had already sold almost all the answer pens he could.

There is no refund service. Ian plans to sell the remaining inventory when school starts next year. He'll find rich Harry and the new Slytherin students to clear out the inventory without any problem.

"I'm so bad!"

While answering the questions with ease, Ian reflected on himself in his mind. By the time he had finished reflecting, he had completed all the test papers.

Seeing that he couldn't hand in his paper and leave early, Ian could only play with his pen out of boredom. The pen and ink he used were the exam supplies that Professor Flitwick, who had just been proctoring the exam, had given him.

It's a quill pen that effectively prevents cheating. Writing with it is a bit more difficult than with a normal quill pen, but fortunately, Hogwarts gives the young wizards plenty of time to answer questions—the kind of ample time that would make even the most fortunate candidates in his previous life weep.

"What a beautiful sight."

As Ian watched his classmates still writing furiously, the quill pen spinning rapidly in his hand, its speed like an engine, Irving caught Professor Flitwick's attention.

"Put away your magic, Mr. Prince. If you've already finished the test, check it carefully a few more times so as not to disturb the other students' thinking and answering."

It can only be said that different worlds, but the same kind of proctors. Of course, the test takers may also be extremely similar; no matter how strict the anti-cheating measures are, it is impossible to prevent some test takers from taking the risk.

There were students who wrote cheat sheets inside their clothes, some who were daring enough to write them directly on the back of their hands, and even some cheating geniuses who used a method that Ian thought was Braille to carve them into their mouths.

Ian watched the Gryffindor student whose tongue was moving wildly around in his mouth while answering the question, and he couldn't help but marvel at how Gryffindor truly produced so many talented people.

One of them always manages to come up with some unexpected and ingenious ideas. Ian, who finished the exam early, witnessed the chaotic scene, but Professor Flitwick, who was in charge of proctoring the exam, only stopped him from playing with the quill pen.

For students who cheat.

Professor Flitwick chose to ignore it, and instead took a mirror and started trimming his nose hairs on the podium. He spent the entire morning doing so, and Ian suspected that he was carving some kind of miniature relief on his nose hairs.

As the exam time came to an end, everyone handed in their papers in a harmonious manner. Each person had a different expression on their face; some were elated, while others were smug.

There were even dejected people who knew they were going to fail the exam.

"Great, everyone is doing very well."

After giving his shrill evaluation, Professor Flitwick gently waved his wand over the exam papers while tidying them up, and seventeen or eighteen papers floated out from the stack.

"I want to remind you all that, first of all, cheating without being caught is cheating; cheating that is caught is just being stupid." Professor Flitwick didn't care what subject the exams covered.

With a wave of his hand, he branded the letter "T" onto all the exam papers that had been pulled out, representing the lowest possible grade.

"Especially Miss Ariel, although I am not your Transfiguration professor, I hope you can respect my eyes and not be so blatant when cheating next school year."

"Of course, you did a good job turning the cheat sheet into a hairband and tying it to your wrist, but we're obviously not testing the practical application of transfiguration."

"As for Miss Daphne Greengrass, although you were serious and focused throughout the exam, I hope you can return to your own examination room next time."

"To be honest, the idea of ​​giving up one's own exam results and using compound decoction to help Mr. Roger Skylart take the exam is not a wise or correct idea."

"Think about it, how much of the money you received from Mr. Roger Skylarant will you have left after paying off the loan you took out to buy the potion from some mysterious force at the school?"

……

Professor Flitwick was clearly aware not only of all the cheating that occurred in the exam hall, but also of some recent events and transactions at the school.

As he discussed how to purchase the potion, he glanced helplessly in Ian's direction. Ian paid no attention; he was focused on "Mr. Roger Skylart's" embarrassed, blushing face.

Say something.

Ian didn't understand Daphne Greengrass's actions either. He thought she wanted to steal the exam papers, but he didn't expect her to use them for such an outrageous transaction of grades.

It can only be said that she truly lives up to her reputation as a pure-blooded heiress; even her approach to making money is different from ordinary people, leaving even a money-making expert like Ian somewhat in awe.

"That despicable Professor Flitwick!"

"Why didn't he expose us when we were cheating?!"

"I finally understand why that little devil went to Ravenclaw. The wizards at Ravenclaw are all dirty-hearted. Professor Flitwick must be very happy to see us looking so embarrassed after all that effort."

"Ah, this is truly a lesson that will never be forgotten."

……

After the theory exam.

There were quite a few young wizards who shared Daphne Greengrass's frustration. After all, it was the final exam of the first year, and many of them were considering cheating to get good grades.

All I can say is that the older students couldn't stop laughing when they saw these little wizards. They'd been there, and they clearly derived from the distorted joy of seeing others get caught in the rain – a joy born from their own experience of being exposed for cheating. Of course, this distorted joy wasn't entirely without meaning.

"This is too...magical." While moving between exam rooms, Ian witnessed a senior student successfully use the Guardian Charm with this distorted joy.

One can only say that the magic of the mind can sometimes be so wondrous.

It was only a coincidence, really. After entering Professor Flitwick's one-on-one spell practice exam room, the question Professor Flitwick gave Ian was the Patronus Charm, a profound spell.

It was clearly not a test for all young wizards, or even all students in all grades, but rather a test that Professor Flitwick gave to Ian alone.

"Quick, let me see, let me see!" Professor Flitwick rubbed his hands together impatiently, making it hard not to suspect that he was abusing his public power to satisfy his personal desires.

People at Ravenclaw are naturally curious. Professor Flitwick had studied Ian's Patronus Charm for quite some time, so it's understandable that he couldn't suppress his curiosity about it.

"Is this really the title?"

Ian sighed helplessly.

"Well, in principle, a wizard should keep their patron saint a secret, but... I'm your headmaster, of course I won't betray you!"

Professor Flitwick chuckled and rubbed his hands together again.

Ian felt that his dean was implying that he should reveal his principles.

"Protect the Gods."

It wasn't something he needed to hide as a trump card, and Ian genuinely didn't think Professor Flitwick would use it to harm him, so he openly displayed his Patronus Charm.

Countless silver threads, like the most dazzling shooting stars in the night sky, burst forth from the wand, intertwining and swirling in the air, radiating a soft yet resolute light.

It illuminated everything around the protagonist.

As the silver threads continued to intertwine, a sight that astonished Professor Flitwick began to appear. The originally erratic silver threads gradually coalesced into the shape of a young girl.

The girl had long, smooth silver hair, and her eyes were like the brightest stars in the night sky. Her skin was crystal clear, as if it had been sculpted by moonlight and morning dew.

"Merlin's underwear! A human guardian spirit! Now I know why you kept stammering when I asked you! This is truly an unbelievable miracle!"

Professor Flitwick stared dumbfounded at the figure in mid-air. He had had some vague guesses all along, but he never expected that Ian's situation was even more exaggerated and outrageous than the dozens of possibilities he had guessed... even absurd! Such a guardian deity could very well change many common sense things in the wizarding world!

"Can she talk? Is she someone who lives somewhere? No! She has a ghostly quality to her! Unbelievable! This is truly unbelievable!"

"Perhaps you can use your guardian spirit to improve our wizards' views and understanding of many things!" Professor Flitwick's knowledge and insight were indeed remarkable. He circled Ariana more than ten times, until he became dizzy, before finally stopping.

"I think she can communicate... Her name is Ariana, and she is my..." Ian introduced his guardian spirit in a rather subtle way.

He hadn't figured out how to introduce Ariana yet.

"Oh my god! The little dwarfs from fairy tales!" Ariana, who had already opened her eyes, immediately interrupted Ian's thoughts with a gasp. The girl wore a long dress woven from silver threads, the hem swaying gently like a feather dancing in the wind, both light and dignified.

However, its loud and boisterous appearance seems somewhat out of place with its overall design.

"I'm not a dwarf; I just have some fairy blood," Professor Flitwick retorted to Ariana, showing no sign of being offended or annoyed.

"I'm sorry, sir, I made a mistake." Ariana bowed and apologized immediately, feeling somewhat ashamed. She mainly suffered from her lack of worldly experience when she was alive.

"Oh, it's nothing. I know you don't mean any harm. After all, you still think I'm a character from a fairy tale, hahaha. Maybe I do have some of the charm of a dwarf."

Professor Flitwick started circling around Ariana again.

He was dizzy once.

He excitedly approached Ariana, raised his hand to touch her dress, and turned to Ian with an amazed voice, exclaiming in admiration.

"She is a wise soul! This is a form of guardian deity never seen before, in history! Little Ian! You are making history! And I believe you are also witnessing history!"

His voice, though still somewhat shrill, was brimming with excitement. With just a brief observation, Professor Flitwick gleaned a great deal of information.

"I can't hold on much longer, Professor."

Ian stepped forward and quietly slipped a few candies into Ariana's hand, whispering that they were part of his exam. Ariana nodded, seemingly understanding.

"Okay, okay, no problem, that's enough. I also think that such magic can't last long, even if your magic power has reached a level that amazes me."

Done.

Without any hesitation.

Professor Flitwick ran to his desk and drew a big O on Ian's report card. Just as Ian and Ariana waved goodbye and were about to undo the spell, Ariana looked at the wall behind Professor Flitwick, smiled as if at the portrait on the wall, and then slipped back into Ian's wand.

"Phew~"

Ian breathed a sigh of relief.

"You must possess extraordinary blood! It's a connection that transcends life and death! You will become the first wizard to explore this realm using the Patronus Charm!"

"This is far more promising than those terrifying, ghostly spells you've been so obsessed with researching!" Professor Flitwick wanted to have more of a conversation with Ian, but unfortunately, there were quite a few junior wizards who still needed to take exams, and more than one grade of junior wizards needed to complete their final exams.

Therefore, he could only remind Ian of his own ideas when Ian finished the test and left the classroom. Clearly, the professor still couldn't forget the little wizard's idea of ​​creating "sterilization magic".

He pointed Ian to another research direction that he felt wouldn't cause much harm. And after Ian left, Professor Flitwick didn't immediately let the next student into the classroom.

"Thanks."

A voice came from behind Professor Flitwick.

"You're welcome. Actually, you also solved a problem for me. How to give little Ian a test question had been troubling me for several nights and kept me up all night."

He turned to look at the portrait on the wall, where the figure gradually became clearer from its transparent state.

"Albus, there must be something between you and that little girl of Ian's," Professor Flitwick said, looking at the old headmaster, who was dressed up in a purple robe, a rare sight for him.

"Why would you think that?"

Albus Dumbledore did not respond directly.

"Of course, you can tell by looking at it."

Professor Flitwick stated that he was not blind and could see the complex expression on Albus Dumbledore's face and his tearful eyes.

……

Compared to Professor Flitwick's exam questions, Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration exam questions were much simpler, even though Transfiguration is the most difficult exam for students every year. However, this does not include the young wizards who possess high-level Transfiguration abilities and the extraordinary trait of "Shaping Everything."

Before the exam begins.

Professor McGonagall first put pressure on Ian.

"Mr. Prince, I hope you'll grow up a bit next year and stop embarrassing us professors all the time." The stern vice-principal is the professor every junior wizard fears most.

Ian was no exception.

He immediately demonstrated his craftsmanship.

"I'm sorry for causing everyone so much trouble. I will definitely be more strict with myself and restrain my behavior next year." Ian figured that there shouldn't be any senseless people causing trouble next year.

His assurance was firm and confident, which eased Professor McGonagall's expression somewhat.

"Very good, remember, fairness is the most important thing!" Professor McGonagall deliberately raised her voice when she said this, she was really quite helpless about the college's score situation this year.

"Okay, Professor."

Ian ignored what Professor McGonagall was scolding him about, and he remained steadfast in his craftsmanship, never finding a chance to straighten his back since entering the exam room.

"Let's begin the exam now."

Professor McGonagall didn't intend to make things difficult for the young wizard. Instead, she looked at a button on her desk and said, "For the other students, their test was to turn this button into a mouse. Of course, this is already a test that reflects the overall improvement in the first-year students' abilities compared to previous years, thanks to your efforts."

"As for you, I naturally have different requirements. Your test questions need to be a bit more special than those of other young wizards, after all, we all know how special you are."

Professor McGonagall tapped the table with her finger.

"What do I need to turn it into?"

Ian blinked to indicate his acceptance.

After a moment of silence, Professor McGonagall spoke softly, her eyes slightly trembling, "A flying broom, please. Remember, I want a flying broom, not a broom."

This is clearly a very targeted proposition from her.

The question given to Ian was not a test.

Rather, it was a challenge to Gump's fundamental Transfiguration principles. Clearly, as a Transfiguration professor who was sometimes disturbed by young wizards late at night in her spare time, Professor McGonagall had long been aware of Ian's level of Transfiguration and some of his strangeness. Now, she simply wanted to verify her suspicions.

His mindset is quite similar to Professor Flitwick's.

"Okay, Professor."

Ian had finally gotten his chance to manifest before the cat, and he immediately cast his Transfiguration spell, without making the slightest attempt to conceal his uniqueness.

All I saw was...

As Ian uttered the most basic, simplest, and unspecific transmutation spell, an invisible force emerged from the wand and quietly spread outwards.

The buttons began to change.

The once smooth surface began to ripple, like waves on water. Then, these ripples converged into streams that spread outwards along the edge of the button. The button's color changed from silver-white to a fiery gold, radiating light as if flames were burning inside, yet no heat leaked out.

As the incantation continued, the button's shape began to change drastically. No longer round, it gradually stretched and twisted, as if countless tiny hands were pulling and reshaping its structure from within. The button's texture also underwent a dramatic transformation, gradually changing from a hard substance to a flexible and elastic material.

"really."

Professor McGonagall watched with a complex expression as Ian completed the test.

In the golden light, the outline of the broom began to emerge, first the slender handle, then the broad broom head, with each "hair" clearly visible.

It shimmered with the unique radiance of magic.

It floated quietly in mid-air. What was once an inconspicuous button had now transformed into an exquisite flying broom, inlaid with tiny, shimmering magical runes. The broom's tail was soft and glossy, as if it could carry its owner soaring through the sky at any moment.

"You have an extraordinary talent, Mr. Prince. It will lead you in the direction that all of us Transfiguration researchers dream of, making you an irreplaceable Transfiguration master."

"Your story will surely be recorded in the history of Transfiguration."

Professor McGonagall gently stroked every inch of the broom, feeling the magical power it contained, and she sincerely expressed her expectations and evaluations for Ian's future.

"I can't think of any flaws in such magic." Professor McGonagall gave Ian a big O and handed him a slightly yellowed notebook.

"I'm really curious about what your Animagus form will be like. These are my recently compiled and revised notes. I hope you can take some time to study them during your vacation."

Professor McGonagall doesn't usually give young wizards any special tutoring, but she clearly felt that she had encountered an unusual situation, and that individualized instruction was the proper way to teach at Hogwarts.

"By Merlin! Is this your notebook?"

Ian was overjoyed to receive the notebook.

"I will guide you in the study and practice of Animagus transformations next semester. I hope you will not start trying it during the holidays because of your recklessness."

Professor McGonagall looked at Ian with a look of appreciation for his talent, and solemnly admonished him, clearly not wanting Ian to have any regrets for the rest of his life due to some impulsive behavior.

"Thank you for your generosity! Don't worry, Professor, I'll definitely come back next semester to learn this dangerous magic from you again." Ian was also a person who valued his life. He still had a lot of other magic he could learn, so of course he didn't have any irresistible urge to risk learning Animagus magic.

"It would be best if you could really keep it in mind."

Professor McGonagall waved her hand.

Ian took his leave.

The next young wizard began his first-year exams—the young wizards who walked out of the exam room one after another with dejected expressions fully demonstrated that Transfiguration was indeed quite difficult for them.

Ian didn't stay for long.

He also has a practical potions test from his good uncle, Professor Snape.

to be frank.

Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick both gave Ian a high evaluation of his exam, and Uncle Snape was the same way, they were just expressing the same feeling in different ways.

"This is fucking weird!"

Seeing the super-quality potion that Ian had created using [Limit Fusion], Snape had an incredulous expression on his face, and he also expressed his praise for Ian in his own way.

There's something wrong with your hands!

Snape examined Ian's hands repeatedly, but found nothing amiss. Yet, he had clearly witnessed Ian using ingredients that shouldn't produce such a high-quality potion to create something impossible. He stared intently at Ian, only to find Ian looking completely bewildered.

"Isn't this how you brew potions?"

That's an incredibly irritating expression.

And it was the kind of performance he was so self-assured about. If it weren't for the many students waiting for their exams, Snape would have argued that he'd spend the whole day with Ian.

"Get out of my sight right now, you unruly little brat!" Snape gave Ian an O, but also added his own loud roar.

Ian was freed.

The students who entered the exam hall after Ian suffered the most.

"With just these ingredients, even that brat could make Potions, so why can't you? Don't you sneak out of Slytherin every night to sneak into that ridiculous after-school tutoring class of that brat? Did he discriminate against you because you're not a Ravenclaw student and never gave you Potions lessons?"

Say something.

On the topic of transferring anger to others.

Snape truly deserves to be called the number one at Hogwarts.

……

Several exams in a row again.

When Ian arrived at the Defense Against the Dark Arts practical exam room, his heart began to race again. He remembered Grindelwald saying he would give him an unforgettable exam.

Ian wasn't worried about any of the courses this year, except for Defense Against the Dark Arts, which worried him for a long time. Heaven knows how the unscrupulous Defense Against the Dark Arts professor would try to make him sick.

"Professor, what are you doing outside?"

Upon arriving at the examination hall.

Ian saw Professor Lockhart, his face dark and sullen, squatting at the entrance of the exam hall, cursing and swearing. Ian's questioning was like igniting a powder keg.

"You can dodge this year, but you can't dodge next year. Sooner or later you'll have to take the test, otherwise all my preparation will have been for nothing!" After saying this fiercely, Grindelwald left angrily.

Somewhat confused, Ian looked towards the exam hall door.

soon.

The young wizard who had taken the previous exam walked out excitedly. But when the Sorting Hat called Ian's name and he stepped inside, he realized why Grindelwald looked like he'd been insulted.

"Headmaster Dumbledore."

Ian saw the people sitting in the exam room.

That was Albus Dumbledore, dressed in a pure white robe.

Good afternoon, Ian.

Albus Dumbledore sat behind a long oak table etched with the marks of time, his figure seemingly one with the room steeped in history. Outside the window, the last rays of the setting sun shone through the stained glass, casting a soft, divine glow on his long, silvery hair and beard, gilding the legendary wizard.

Is this you now?

Ian tentatively asked.

Ever since Albus Dumbledore began studying time travel, he has never been able to figure it out, so he would relentlessly try to figure out which version of Albus Dumbledore he was facing each time.

"Actually, all you need to know is that everyone you've met is me, and everyone is trustworthy. Then you won't have so many questions." Albus Dumbledore chuckled and offered this advice before unusually answering the young wizard's question, "Today, the person you met can indeed be seen as me at the right time."

Albus Dumbledore's eyes were deep and warm, like two bottomless pools of water, full of wisdom and carrying a hint of something Ian couldn't quite understand.

"You can't possibly not be able to tell anymore, can you?" Ian asked with some concern, leaning closer and trying to wave his hand in front of Albus Dumbledore's eyes a few times.

This behavior left Albus Dumbledore somewhat helpless.

"Of course I'm not confused. In fact, I'm more lucid than ever before. Rest assured, I won't get lost in the search for time." Albus Dumbledore placed his hands lightly on the table, the occasional soft rustling of his fingers making a slight noise, and his tone was light and cheerful.

"What exactly are you researching?"

Ian gave the old headmaster in front of him a deep look.

"To understand the past, you need to understand the future. Clearly, I am studying the past, the present, and the future." Albus Dumbledore seemed to be implying something.

Can a time machine travel to the future?

Ian was somewhat surprised.

That expression seemed to have touched upon a blind spot in their knowledge.

"That's precisely why we need to investigate. I'll share the results with you once I have them," Albus Dumbledore said with a kind smile, before Ian could ask any further questions.

He interrupted Ian's curiosity with his words.

"I think what you need to ask here today isn't about me." With that, Albus Dumbledore opened a drawer in the middle of the long table.

"I was just about to ask what was going on when I saw our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher walk away cursing. You have no idea how awful the things he said to you were."

It's hard to say whether Ian exaggerated or not in his words.

"Ignore him. The exams he prepared are too dangerous for you or the other students. I'm worried they'll leave you with too much psychological trauma."

"Therefore, he has been temporarily stripped of his authority as a professor to conduct assessments." Albus Dumbledore showed no emotional fluctuation and simply pulled an exam paper from his drawer and handed it to Ian.

"Wasn't the theory exam in the morning?"

Ian was quite puzzled.

He took the exam paper from Albus Dumbledore. He was puzzled before seeing the contents of the exam, and he became even more puzzled after seeing them.

The above content is not only unrelated to Defense Against the Dark Arts, but also consists of seemingly very simple questions. Could it be that Albus Dumbledore is using connections to get a good grade?

That's unnecessary!

"It's not like I can't rely on my own abilities!" Although that's what I thought to myself, Ian still subconsciously took the quill pen that Albus Dumbledore handed him and started answering the questions.

"This is your final exam for Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Albus Dumbledore watched with a smile as Ian answered the question.

"But none of these questions involve defense against dark magic!" Ian looked up at the old headmaster, increasingly confused. He had already answered a series of nonsensical multiple-choice questions.

"Believe me, compared to other tests, this is the best test of your defense against the Dark Arts." Albus Dumbledore said, seeing that Ian remained unmoved.

After a moment of silence, he could only helplessly confess.

"It's a psychological test form."

Say something.

Ian had actually predicted this long ago.

Albus Dumbledore's answer now directly confirms this.

"Hiss~ Is this supposed to be a Defense Against the Dark Arts exam!?"

Ian was full of question marks, but he still continued answering the questions. He was a well-rounded little wizard, so of course he wasn't afraid of any psychological test.

Proficient in psychology?

Gold content?

understand?

"We all know that using black magic can have a subtle but irreversible effect on a wizard's psyche. This kind of erosion is hidden and difficult for anyone to detect."

"So many wizards who study dark magic regularly test their mental state in different ways," Albus Dumbledore patiently explained.

"That's why I had you take this psychological test." Albus Dumbledore's gaze fell on the form Ian was filling out.

"If you can still maintain a suitable mental state after casting hundreds of black spells every day, then you already have the best defense against black magic."

Well, how should I put it?

All I can say is that the old principal truly lives up to his reputation. Ian felt there was something strange about his argument, but he couldn't think of a way to refute it.

"You mean I can use dark magic to fight dark magic?"

Ian scratched his head as he worked on the problem.

"As the headmaster, I would never teach a junior wizard like that."

Albus Dumbledore blinked.

"I will only tell him that magic can fight magic."

His voice sounded very sarcastic.

(End of this chapter)