The aroma of food filled the air, the laughter of students intertwined, and Ian took a deep breath, enjoying the vibrant atmosphere as he walked into the hall.
He headed towards the defensive line of Ravenclaw's long table.
Just took a glance.
Ian would always choose to honestly return to his own college to dine after not seeing Aurora. Along the way, many senior wizards cast glances his way.
No way around it.
This is how campus celebrities are.
Wherever they go, they are the focus.
Ian chose a vacant spot that was made available for him, noticing that the house-elves had introduced some innovative dishes, with plates adorned with uniquely designed but extremely enticing food.
Color-changing pumpkin pies, automatically layered creamy soup, and even curry that adjusts spiciness according to the eater's taste—the house-elves, who awakened their inventive talents last school year, have honed their skills. Now, it's really hard to encounter those fearsome dark dishes.
To be honest.
Not that Ian had any particular fetish; he simply missed the previous times a bit, those challenging years when eating felt like gambling with one's life.
"Stimulating times are gone forever."
Ian scooped a spoonful of pudding that emitted a faint song, took a taste, and found the flavor good. The song began to resonate in his mind. One had to admit this was yet another successful culinary innovation. In those days, he had experienced the era of dark cuisine with "biting a pie that spewed green flames" and "drinking soup that revealed lively fantastic beasts."
Seeing Ian was almost done eating.
The surrounding classmates immediately gathered around.
"Senior Prince, the wrist movement of the Wingardium Leviosa spell..."
"Young Professor, could you enlighten me about Ancient Magic Rune knowledge..."
"I'm about to graduate, could you guide me on the relevant exams?"
...
It was not only students from the same year, but also quite a few senior students. After a year of fermentation, even the seniors had put aside their former pride.
No way around it.
Those first seniors who put aside their pride and sought guidance from the little wizard all saw impressive graduation results. Their level of magic usage improved significantly.
No one could resist such temptation.
Pride, dignity?
Please!
This was Ian!
The Merlin of the New Era!
Age doesn't matter; it's all an illusion!
To be guided by him is the real dignity!
No one knows who first started this saying, but since it quickly became popular, more and more seniors came to seek Ian's guidance and even participated in his small group tutoring sessions.
"One by one, please."
Ian's voice was clear and steady, explaining in an orderly manner that made the little wizards nod frequently. At this moment, a brown bushy head emerged from the crowd.
"Ian, I want to ask about page 58 of 'Standard Spell· Beginner'..." It turned out to be first-year Hermione. Hermione looked at Ian with her bright eyes full of curiosity.
Upon seeing Hermione, Ian smiled slightly and promptly provided her with an answer, perhaps even more detailed than to others, considering Hermione's father had paid tutoring and protection fees.
The little wizard was a person of great integrity. Hermione again sought Ian's guidance on a first-year magic learning puzzle, and Ian listened carefully before explaining it in detail to her. Moreover, he astutely pointed out some small bad habits Hermione had when casting spells. Hermione listened intently, occasionally showing a look of sudden understanding.
"Wow, Senior Ian, you're so clear in explaining things!" Hermione said excitedly, her eyes full of admiration, even adding "Senior" to Ian's title once more.
Who says she lacks emotional intelligence?
"Can I come to the Ravenclaw common room tonight to participate in your small group lesson?" Hermione had been looking forward to this day for a very long time.
Hmm.
Although school had just started, for a student like her eager to improve, it indeed felt like an eternity, especially when everyone around was describing Ian's small classes turning the unpolished into jewels.
"Of course, there's no problem. Just come directly at that time. The door knocker will ask you a question. As long as you don't say you're looking for me, I believe its question won't stump you."
Ian looked at Hermione's eyes full of yearning.
He nodded with a smile.
Upon receiving the affirmative answer, Hermione's little face flushed with joy, and after repeatedly thanking him, she left with somewhat floaty steps, showing that her emotions were indeed quite overwhelming.
Another segment of helping classmates.
As the time was nearing class, Ian finally paused his consolidation of knowledge.
Defense Against the Dark Arts Class.
This was the one class the little wizard dared not skip.
He jogged to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and upon entering and seeing the familiar "Grindelwald" image at the podium, he breathed a small sigh of relief.
It seemed the old Grindelwald was still mysteriously absent. When Ian entered just in time, "Grindelwald"—actually Aurora disguised as Professor Lockhart—was tapping the podium with her magic wand.
The little wizard recognized instantly.
They immediately recognized the true identity.
It seems.
Aurora didn't go for lunch at noon, likely preparing lessons under Grindelwald's false identity. This German girl was very focused when she put her mind to it.
"Class is about to start." Aurora, seeing Ian enter, was momentarily filled with a hint of undetectable tension as she shot Ian a fierce warning glance.
As if warning Ian not to cause any trouble today!
"No problem!"
Ian understood Aurora's intention, nodding lightly. Aurora breathed a sigh of relief, but she still didn't completely let down her guard around the little wizard.
"Alright, students..."
Aurora began the class.
Although she was very adept at imitating Grindelwald's emphasized manner of speaking, her teaching style was somewhat by-the-book, lacking any fierce or risky attempts.
It was a far cry from the bold Aurora Ian was previously familiar with.
"After all, she has changed!"
Ian sighed.
Listening to Aurora's monotonous explanations, he felt his eyelids grow heavier, with drowsiness gradually creeping in. Aurora's dull voice seemed to have a hypnotic power that let his thoughts drift away.
Soon.
The little wizard began to snore.
And upon seeing this scene.
Aurora, disguised as Professor Lockhart, breathed a sigh of relief. After approaching Ian, she glanced at the incense disc under his desk, her mouth slightly rising.
"Whistling softly~"
Ian had no idea how long he had slept.
Upon waking up.
The sky was dark.
"Damn! The magic potion will be ruined! Aurora didn't do me any favors!" Ian certainly knew why he had fallen asleep; he merely went along with it so that Aurora could be at ease.
However.
Such a thoughtful friend was actually reciprocated by Aurora's scheme—he looked at the six incense discs under his feet, quickly realizing that Aurora must have increased the dose.
"Even legends can't withstand this solid state potion! And only I fell for it! She's really something!" Ian mused, his figure breezing out of the empty classroom like the wind.
The corridor was also empty.
Only the flickering shadows cast by the torches on the walls stretched his shadow long, then quickly devoured it in the darkness. Outside the castle, the night was heavy, with the moonlight blocked by thick clouds, leaving only a few sparse stars to adorn the sky—Hogwarts at curfew was eerily quiet.
Along the way.
Ian didn't even encounter a ghost.
The little wizard's footsteps echoed crisply along the stone corridor as he hurried to the spiral staircase, rushing up towards the direction of the Room of Requirement.
But just as Ian reached the eighth floor.
It planned to activate the Room of Requirement according to the usual way.
He hadn't even started pacing back and forth.
Suddenly.
The sound of three sets of footsteps emerged.
Immediately.
Several somewhat familiar voices rang in Ian's ears.
"Hermione! Trust me! Harry Potter's recent behavior is really off! There's definitely something wrong! Perhaps... I'm just saying perhaps he's not even the Harry Potter we know!"
"Then what is he?"
"Who knows, Neville, you trust me, my intuition is really strong anyway."
...
It was Hermione, Neville, and Ron.
The trio in the new timeline on a night adventure.
Listening to the tone.
They seem to be forming a team to tackle... the Savior?