The Old Ones of Hogwarts

Chapter 231-230: Zhang Gui Huo, 2 against Merlin?

Chapter 231, Section 230: Returning to Principal Huo, a Second Battle with Merlin?

I've been away from home for a few days.

To give it a makeover.

But he can return as a youth.

Ian's eyelashes were gently brushed by the golden candlelight. The moment he opened his eyes, Nick Lemaître's peculiar, figurine-like globe was slowly spinning on the bookshelf.

The parchment scrolls emitted a distinctive odor in the air, along with a scent that was a mixture of sulfur and metal—the peculiar smell of the Hogwarts alchemy professors' office.

Dumbledore's deep eyes, peering through his half-moon spectacles, were fixed on Ian, his expression tense, as if trying to confirm his safety. His robes were embroidered with intricate silver patterns, and he held the Elder Wand in his hand, its tip gleaming faintly; clearly, the magic used to guide Ian had come from this powerful wizard.

Nicolas Flamel stood to one side, a hint of weariness on his face, but a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes. In his hand he held an old book, its pages yellowed and its edges worn.

Perhaps this is the ancient text that the alchemy professor used to find a way to guide Ian.

"Hogwarts!"

Ian looked around intently.

Apart from Professor Nicolas Flamel and Headmaster Dumbledore, there was no one else in the office. His gaze finally settled on an oil painting hanging on the wall.

The oil painting depicting him and Helpo made the young wizard quite uneasy.

"Thanks to Merlin's blessing, you were finally rescued." Nicolas Flamel's voice carried a hint of relief, his fingers gently stroking the pages as if giving thanks to the ancient book.

Alchemists always held knowledge in a ritualistic reverence. Dumbledore, standing beside him, nodded slightly, his gentle smile still familiar and reassuring.

"Merlin probably doesn't want to favor me."

Ian chuckled and replied to his alchemy professor.

"Oh?"

Nick Lemaître instantly seemed to understand something.

"It seems your experience is indeed fascinating."

He couldn't help but sigh.

It's clear that they had at least guessed that Ian had indeed met Merlin.

"Welcome home, Ian." Dumbledore smiled and stepped forward to hug Ian, his voice filled with warmth and concern, his gaze lingering on Ian for a moment.

Then, he narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he had seen something, and a trace of emotion flashed in his deep eyes. "I can tell that you have had a very exciting journey."

This is clearly not just about Ian having actually met Merlin; the greatest white wizard of this century has already sensed the legendary status that Ian possesses.

"Indeed, a lot has happened," Ian said with emotion, recalling the various events of the past, his thoughts flooding back to that short but unforgettable period of time.

He composed himself for a moment, then looked again at the distinguished old principal. "You've changed quite a bit too. Has it been quite some time since I left?"

The reason Ian had this doubt was that he could also sense that Dumbledore, who was standing in front of him, was already a legend, just like him.

It was especially noticeable when the magic still lingered on the Elder Wand.

This is no small matter.

No wonder Ian was worried that he had been missing for a long time.

"You're very lucky. It's only been a few days since you disappeared." Dumbledore reassured Ian, looking down at the Elder Wand in his hand with a gentle smile.

"As for the changes in me... I can't let the younger students surpass me so easily, can I?" He joked as if it were a casual remark.

However, Nicolas Flamel revealed the truth: "In order to find a way to bring you back as soon as possible, Albus had no choice but to abandon his original plan and quickly complete his own promotion."

"After all, bringing you back from over two thousand years ago is far more difficult than opening a time portal," the alchemy master said with a sigh.

Upon hearing this, Ian looked thoughtful and gratefully glanced at his old headmaster—he could, of course, understand what Nicholas Lemay was trying to say.

Albus Dumbledore gave up some better possibilities in order to save himself.

I sensed the little wizard's gaze.

"This achievement has already far exceeded my original expectations." Albus Dumbledore chuckled, hoping that the young wizard wouldn't feel any pressure.

Ian opened his mouth.

I also didn't know how to respond.

"Sigh, it was my carelessness. I chased after them without thinking it through." Ian was indeed quite annoyed about it, but he couldn't really be blamed for being too reckless.

Riddle didn't give him much time to think at the time.

Moreover.

The Sorting Hat did say he was qualified for Gryffindor.

"This is not your fault. We all know that Tom is not an easy character to deal with. He not only fooled Nick, but also successfully deceived me."

"We all underestimated him... Well, perhaps it's because we've faced Voldemort for so long that even I have forgotten that he was indeed a gifted wizard."

Albus Dumbledore gently comforted the young wizard.

"Indeed, a clumsy Voldemort, a cunning Tom." Ian agreed with Dumbledore's assessment, feeling a deep connection to the situation, as he too had been influenced by a misunderstanding of Voldemort.

Everyone says Voldemort only likes to eat big melons.

However, few people remember that young Tom was indeed both intelligent and brave—in fact, if the ancient timeline had not been so dangerous, Riddle's plan would definitely have been a brilliant scheme.

"By the way, I have a question for you."

Just at this time.

Nicolas Flamel seemed finally unable to contain his curiosity any longer. "Speaking of which, do you know why our first attempt to guide you suddenly stopped and we could no longer sense you through your clock?"

This is clearly why Albus Dumbledore was so eager to elevate him to Legendary status; Big Ben was originally supposed to serve as a beacon guiding Ian's return after he used it for time travel.

It was precisely because he suddenly and completely lost contact with Ian that Albus Dumbledore and Nick Flamel went to find out which era Ian might have fallen into.

"Because when I came back, there were three people returning in total, which I think caused the guiding power to be overloaded." Ian took a deep breath and said Riddle's previous judgment.

This is indeed the most likely scenario.

"I see." Nicholas Lemay nodded as if he had just realized something, a look of understanding flashing in his eyes, clearly acknowledging that this situation would indeed affect Ian's return.

but.

Hearing the little wizard's answer.

Dumbledore seemed to realize something. He was first taken aback, then his eyes flickered slightly, and he looked at the little wizard who was still frequently looking towards the wall.

"Mr. Malfoy wasn't saved?" the old headmaster asked abruptly. He and Nick Lemaître had clearly investigated what had happened to Ian that night.

Ian sighed.

"Malfoy is doing well. Despite some accidents and disasters, Riddle is almost cured of him. However, he and Riddle were left behind in Merlin's time."

"This return was so sudden that I didn't have time to prepare at all." Ian could understand why the return was so quick; Dumbledore and Nick Flamel must have wanted to bring him back as soon as possible.

"Riddle... he's been resurrected after all." Nick Lemaître's voice carried a hint of surprise, his brow furrowed slightly, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes.

Obviously.

From Ian's words and the events involving the three people mentioned earlier, Nick Flamel had roughly pieced together the events. He and Dumbledore were both among the most intelligent people of their time.

of course.

Clearly, Dumbledore realized this even earlier. Upon hearing Ian's response, the old headmaster was not surprised, but simply nodded calmly.

Ian's answer seemed to confirm his suspicions.

However, compared to the old headmaster's composure, the young wizard's thoughts were quite complicated. Ian was somewhat worried about Riddle, and he looked at Dumbledore and asked.

"Would this affect history?" he asked, his gaze unconsciously falling on the oil painting on the wall, clearly worried that Riddle had completely altered history in the past.

"This is a clue that Dumbledore and I found while investigating where you fell," Nick Flamel explained in a low voice, following Ian's gaze.

His fingers gently traced the edge of the oil painting, a hint of emotion in his eyes and a touch of wistfulness in his voice, "It was hidden in a dusty temple."

I looked at the little wizard again.

The alchemist's eyes held undisguised admiration.

"Ian, you've done something truly remarkable." He could, of course, discern the scene depicted in the painting, and he was genuinely awestruck by Ian's ordeal. In fact, ever since realizing that Ian was already a legend, Nicolas Flamel had been at a loss for words to describe Ian's achievements.

A legend at the age of twelve.

It is also a dark legend that has defeated countless people in the past.

What an amazing achievement!

"I suppose this could be considered a kind of alteration and distortion of history?" Ian's gaze lingered on the painting for a moment before finally shifting to Nick Flamel and Dumbledore.

The former principal did not respond.

He simply looked at his old friend beside him.

Nicolas Lemaître smiled slightly, a deep glint in his eyes.

The latest novel is first published here!

Whether it's distorted or altered depends on how you view history. Perhaps everything has already happened, and we only see history when you fill in the gaps.

As he spoke, he pulled a thick history book from the bookshelf and handed it to Ian. Ian took the book; the gold lettering on the cover shimmered faintly under the light.

This was from a history book written by the editor of "The Quibbler." He turned the pages and his gaze fell on Nicolas Flamel's account of Pompeii, which had already been folded.

All I saw was...

The book actually contains his memories of history.

Pompeii has disappeared.

Experts and navigators speculate that it disappeared due to a volcanic eruption.

However, this history book presents a view that contradicts the mainstream, stating that some wizards have researched and believe that the original Pompeii was relocated due to a disaster—yes, the old Pompeii was moved after the volcanic eruption, and the city that disappeared later was not the original Pompeii.

This view truly surprised Ian.

It's exactly the same as the history he remembers.

Yet, upon closer examination, it possesses an indescribable peculiarity.

"Perhaps I should know where the original Pompeii ended up?" Ian suddenly thought to himself, and for some reason, the image of the fallen city he had seen in the illusion suddenly appeared in his mind.

Just at this time.

"Your biggest worry right now is that Riddle will influence history, isn't it?" Dumbledore asked in a low voice, his tone carrying a calmness as if he could see right through Ian's thoughts.

"Um."

Ian nodded.

"No need to be so nervous." Dumbledore waved his hand gently, his face as calm and composed as ever, his gaze deep and peaceful. "Ian, history is like a rushing river, flowing in its own direction. We cannot fully control it, nor can we predict every turn. But one thing is certain—until the source of the tide reaches us, nothing is set in stone."

As he said this, his gaze shifted slightly to Ian, a meaningful glint flashing in his eyes—it was unclear why the old headmaster was so confident in this.

"What do you mean?"

Ian tentatively spoke, but Dumbledore had already turned around and patted him on the shoulder.

"don’t worry."

Dumbledore's voice remained gentle, but it possessed a very special charm: "I will handle this problem. Leave the rest to me."

When Dumbledore spoke, his expression was incredibly resolute, and his voice was steady and powerful, as if it possessed some kind of magic.

"Yes, Professor." Ian looked at Dumbledore, and for no apparent reason, the tension that had been building up inside him eased, and a strange sense of relief welled up inside him.

This is one of Albus Dumbledore's unique charms.

Anyone who has traveled to Hogwarts knows that Dumbledore's assurances always make people feel at ease, as if as long as he is there, all problems can be solved.

He gently rubbed his temples.

With a sense of relief, Ian was finally able to start sorting out his experiences.

"Professor," he suddenly spoke, his voice tinged with curiosity, "I've always wanted to ask... how were you and Professor Lemaître able to find me so precisely?"

The young wizard only saw the painting related to Pompeii, but found no evidence that connected him to the era of King Arthur.

He was a Ravenclaw student.

There is an innate and irresistible curiosity about the unknown and about knowledge.

Upon hearing this, Dumbledore and Nick Flamel exchanged a glance, a hint of a smile flashing in their eyes. "You're a smart kid, Ian, but you've overlooked an important detail."

"What details?" Ian pressed, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. Dumbledore didn't answer directly, but instead turned his gaze to the ancient time-tamper on Ian's chest.

Ian looked down at the golden device in his hand, then followed Dumbledore's gaze to the enormous Big Ben behind him. Embedded on the clock face was a time-tamper identical to the one in his hand.

"this!?"

Ian seemed to realize something.

He strode to Big Ben and examined the time converter closely. Every detail of it was exactly the same as the one in his hand; it was truly unbelievable.

This couldn't be explained by standard equipment, especially since even the wear marks in some places were similar. To verify the incredible idea that had arisen in his mind, Ian subconsciously scratched his time converter with his wand, then looked up and stared intently at Big Ben.

as predicted.

Even the time converter embedded in Big Ben has started to show the same scratches.

"This is really... peculiar."

Ian muttered to himself, his eyes darting around.

"Yes, it's very peculiar."

Dumbledore's voice came from behind him.

"But it must not be a coincidence."

The old principal's voice carried a hint of regret.

Upon hearing this...

A thought suddenly struck Ian. He looked at Dumbledore and said, "I think someone can tell us the answer."

As they were talking.

The image of the junior student who lived across from his dormitory came to mind.

"Oh?"

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes. He clearly hadn't expected Ian to say something like that. Even Nick Flamel looked at Ian with some surprise several times.

"It seems you know something we don't."

Nicolas Lemaître sounded somewhat excited.

"Is it dangerous?"

He wasn't hesitant; on the contrary, he was eager to try.

"Guaranteed to win."

Ian's response was somewhat irrelevant.

Well, how should I put it?

Confidence is essential.

He wasn't afraid of a one-on-one fight, let alone a two-on-one or three-on-one fight—thinking about this, Ian was also a little curious, wondering if Grindelwald had also become a legend.

(End of this chapter)