mesbooks Chapter 138, Section 137: A New Prophecy! Grindelwald's Worry!
Chapter 138, Section 137: A New Prophecy! Grindelwald's Worry!
Chapter 138, Section 137: A New Prophecy! Grindelwald's Worry!
After escaping from his chance encounter with Snape in the dark, Ian returned to the Room of Requirement, reflecting on how he had been too careless during his recent nighttime outings.
"You still need to keep an eye on the live map when you're out at night."
Ian felt he almost got another detention, and even if Filch, who patrolled at night, didn't dare to arrest him, it didn't mean he wouldn't run into other professors in the dark.
Neither Professor McGonagall nor the other three deans would show favoritism or abuse when it came to upholding school rules and imposing punishments. Professor Snape, in particular, was more likely to add some personal emotions to the decision.
"There are countless school rules, but the most important one is not getting caught."
Ian absolutely didn't want his good uncle to catch him doing something wrong again. His good uncle would really make him clean the toilet, and he had already had enough of being a latrine cleaner at the beginning of each cycle.
to be frank.
During one of the cycles, Ian even mobilized Dementors to do his work, which frightened several young wizards who didn't sleep at night to the point that they fainted.
That cycle was truly chaotic, and Ian suffered even more punishment from Snape. Perhaps the professor he "fears" most in Hogwarts now is his good uncle.
Snape was indeed very good at tormenting people.
"Get these materials sorted out for me, I'm about to finish a masterpiece!" Ian, watching the gurgling potion, pushed the Dementor with the good alternative materials he had found.
The Dementors, already well-trained, immediately began to work diligently and without complaint.
"Pyp pyp pyp pyp~"
It handled potion ingredients with more skill and professionalism than many novice wizards. Ian glanced at the Dementor a few times, a look of confusion on his face.
"How did you become so skilled all of a sudden?" When Ian left the House of Requirement not long ago, this Dementor wasn't nearly as adept and professional as he was when helping out.
He hadn't expected that in just a few hours, the Dementors seemed to have gone to some kind of potion-making school for advanced training, and even their level of understanding with him had significantly improved.
"You must be secretly working hard behind my back! Quietly gaining intelligence! Good, good, good! You'll definitely be the King of Dementors in the future!" Ian once again painted a rosy picture for his Dementor.
He became increasingly satisfied with his non-human assistant, whose efficiency had greatly improved.
[After careful preparation, your Potions Mastery proficiency has increased by 3.]
[After careful preparation, your Potions Mastery proficiency has increased by 2.]
[After careful preparation, your Potions Mastery proficiency has increased by 3.]
Followed by.
I was busy for most of the night again.
Ian finally completed his first attempt to verify his hypothesis as his proficiency improved. This was definitely the most difficult potion he had ever brewed besides the [Infinite Power Potion].
Of course, if cost were not a concern, it wouldn't be this complicated. But saving a few hundred Galleons in half a night is definitely worthwhile for Ian.
Furthermore, just as most people should have the right to enjoy technology, potions should also be people-oriented. Potions that are too expensive cannot be considered truly good potions.
"We need to find a lab technician to test it." Ian gently shook the reagent in the container, and in an instant, the previously dull-colored reagent became brilliant.
The color of the medicine is very striking.
It seemed to contain endless starlight, radiating a captivating and mesmerizing aura. It was the secret Ian gleaned from the "awakening" step of Morgan's aphrodisiac formula.
It can awaken dormant or never-before-seen magic within a wizard, and can help wizards whose magical activity has been permanently damaged due to excessive casting of spells to return to their peak.
Simultaneously.
Its greatest function is to help Squibs gain the right to use magic—many people may not know that Squibs also possess magic within them.
Some Squibs possess magical power comparable to that of powerful wizards. However, compared to the magical power of normal wizards, the magical power of Squibs is never active from birth. Of course, it's also possible that their magical power is deactivated due to acquired reasons, which is why wizards can sometimes become Squibs.
The potion Ian brewed was specifically designed to solve this problem. It's foreseeable that if the potion were taken outside, all the Squibs would absolutely go mad.
"This will definitely earn me a Merlin Medal, maybe even a First Class Merlin Medal. And my merits will increase exponentially every day while I sleep, just like my wallet."
Ian believed this potion would cause a sensation, just like the "Infinite Power Potion." He was far more daring than Snape; why wouldn't he do something that could bring him both fame and fortune?
To benefit the wizarding community.
It can also benefit oneself.
It's definitely a win-win situation.
"It's not just about Galleons; their fame will last for generations. What man could resist that?"
Ian stared at the tiny specks of starlight in the potion, muttering to himself. He already had a plan in mind; first and foremost, Snape must not find out about this potion.
Otherwise, Uncle Good would definitely forbid him from tinkering with this kind of potion just like he forbade him from selling the "Infinite Power Potion." Of course, Ian could understand Uncle Good's thoughts and concerns.
The wizarding world will inevitably undergo a major transformation, and turmoil means danger. Ian is not one to shy away from trouble, and he has his own assessment of the level of trouble. This potion, which can give Squibs hope, is far less earth-shattering than the slight possibility contained in the [Potion of Infinite Vitality].
It's simply because the profits are too great.
This could potentially cause chaos among pure-blood families around the world.
Snape definitely couldn't handle it.
However, Ian felt that he was fine.
His strength is already quite good.
Moreover, he did not intend to keep it all to himself.
The little wizard plans to bring Aurora and Ariana on board, so that the surviving friends can share the big money with him, and the friends in the Mystic Realm certainly won't refuse to build a few chocolate factories in the Mystic Realm.
With the Grindelwald and Dumbledore families' names attached, the trouble caused by the immense profits will be much less, and Ian certainly won't be afraid of the remaining troubles from the unaffiliated.
"Prince's Magic Restoration Potion is renowned among wizarding families worldwide!"
Ian was quite proud when he named the potion, even though it was derived from Morgan's assignment. But who could blame him when he understood rounding better than anyone else?
Morgan is long gone, and as his student, he naturally has the right to inherit his teacher's achievements. Rounding it up, he might even have the right to name the potion.
"Of course, I still have some self-respect." Ian took out another piece of paper and quickly drew Morgan on it, then stuck Morgan on the reagent like a brand logo.
And so.
The packaging design, which future generations may not understand, was so hastily created in the Room of Requirement. Perhaps even Ian himself has not yet realized where his decision will lead the future.
The foundation of the throne.
It has already emerged silently.
There was only one Squib in the entire Hogwarts. Ian wanted to find test subjects, and the first person that came to mind was naturally that annoying and irritating warden.
"Filch is still in the infirmary, but Mrs. Pince has already left—she's getting old and her fighting ability seems to have declined." Ian confirmed Filch's location on the Marauder's Map.
It wouldn't be difficult for him to sneak into the infirmary, since he was already very skilled at using the Disillusionment Charm and could easily evade Madam Pomfrey's sharp eyes.
There are very few wizards at Hogwarts who can see through Ian's Disillusionment Charm, and Madam Pomfrey is clearly not among them. Although the school nurse is an excellent wizard, she is only excellent.
"This is just the first attempt, and it's not a good deal for this guy, since the effect won't last long." Ian sneaked into Filch's sleeping room.
Filch, who was still paying his share of the grain tax to Mrs. Pince despite his injuries, slept soundly.
"You have to pay to be my guinea pig!" Ian also looked down on the meager sum in Filch's pocket, after all, the Hogwarts administrator's monthly salary wasn't much.
He simply dripped a few drops of potion into Filch's mouth, then slapped Filch's already swollen face before hiding in a corner, maintaining his invisibility.
"Damn it! Who! What brat dares to play a prank on me! Does he have a death wish?!" Filch woke up with a start, roaring furiously before realizing he was in the school infirmary.
"Was it a nightmare? — Tonight's dreams were so chaotic — Damn it, even if it was a nightmare, I'll settle the score with those brats!"
"Once I'm fully recovered, I'll randomly grab a few unlucky guys and punish them severely!" Filch muttered to himself through gritted teeth, while simultaneously raising his hand to touch his swollen face, which was inexplicably painful.
"Hiss~"
The sharp pain made Filch gasp. His heart clenched, and the next moment, a kettle beside him exploded in his intense emotional turmoil.
"Boom!"
The sound of the kettle exploding startled Filch.
"What's going on? No—I—I feel magic!?" Filch exclaimed, his face filled with disbelief.
He disregarded his need to rest in bed and, upon realizing that his body had undergone some kind of change, clearly felt something he had never felt before in his entire life.
"Da da da!"
Filch immediately jumped out of bed and followed Ian, who had knelt and rushed out of the school infirmary, back to Filch's messy room.
"By Merlin above! Heaven has finally heard my prayers!" Filch was filled with shock and ecstasy. He had actually crawled under his own bed.
Some floorboards were pried open.
Filch pulled out an old wand from inside—every Squib cannot cast spells, but every Squib harbors a lifelong desire to possess magic. This was probably something Filch had prepared for himself in his early years; many Squibs secretly kept a wand for themselves.
I've seen magic.
But they cannot access magic.
Only those who have experienced it can understand this kind of pain.
Cruel, and desperate.
It's absolutely comparable to the cruel reality of someone having a long-cherished "white moonlight" in their heart, only to have that "white moonlight" ask for 500 yuan for an overnight stay when they meet again, while the person in question can't even afford 500 yuan.
"Flames are raging!"
Filch's pronunciation of the spell was very accurate; he must have practiced secretly over the years.
As soon as he finished speaking, a flame indeed shot out from the wand in his hand. Although it was fleeting, it made Filch tremble with excitement.
"It's magic! I can have magic now!"
Filch's voice was filled with ecstasy and a hint of sobbing. He had dreamed of such a moment more than once over the years, but the miracle that the Squibs had been hoping for and yearning for had never happened.
however.
The reason is unknown.
Tonight he saw miracles and hope.
"Merlin has truly opened his eyes!!!" Filch was moved to tears. He raised his wand and was about to try other spells, but after chanting the spell again, he did not receive any response.
Even the spells that hadn't been completely successful before were no match for him; this time, there was absolutely no effect. Filch hurriedly and frantically chanted incantations, but the magic power within his body began to rapidly return to dormancy.
"No!!"
Filch screamed in terror. He tried to grasp the magic he had managed to sense with such difficulty, but he couldn't even slow down the rate at which the magic was fading away.
The hope he had so painstakingly grasped vanished like smoke, leaving no trace. This feeling caused Filch a pain even greater than death itself.
"Don't do this to me! Don't give me hope and then take it away!"
He was in Aihao.
Admittedly, born Squibs are all pitiful, but Ian couldn't feel sorry for Filch. After all, everyone knew about the guy's malice and jealousy towards the young wizards.
Unlike those who are in the darkest places but still truly yearn for the light, Filch is the type who, being in darkness himself, wants to drag everyone else into darkness as well.
He showed absolutely no gratitude to Hogwarts for taking him in.
He even attempted to offer assistance when Voldemort attacked the school.
The students' aversion and dislike for him was not without reason, nor was it because he was a dud, but because his own character was extremely vile and despicable.
"My medicine does seem to be working."
Ian witnessed Filch fall from heaven to hell, and then to an even deeper level of hell. He shook his head, remained invisible, and turned to leave the room.
Ian didn't open the locked door; instead, he simply passed through the wall. His mastery of compound magic was so refined that it far surpassed that of most adult wizards.
of course.
Of course, there are people in the world whose skills far surpass his, and there's more than one at Hogwarts. Ian had just left Filch's room, and although he hadn't activated his Disillusionment Charm, he was still caught red-handed.
"Pfft, you have so much energy in the middle of the night, you're a good candidate to help me with chores."
Grindelwald had returned at some point, and he grabbed Ian, who was in stealth mode, with a precise twist of the back of his neck.
The professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts had eyes that seemed capable not only of prophecy but also of seeing through illusions.
"What kind of work?"
Ian's figure slowly came into view.
"Move things."
Grindelwald spoke succinctly, grabbing Ian and heading towards the office—the little wizard sighed heavily, already pondering how to connect his mind to the Marauder's Map.
"Don't you guys sleep at night?"
Ian was helpless.
He was always given all sorts of chores by Snape, and Grindelwald also loved to make him a free porter, things that house-elves were clearly very good at.
"The Christmas holidays are over, and I've prepared a new surprise for you little wizards." Grindelwald said with a smile, clearly enjoying being a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
"A Dementor? Or some other terrifying creature?"
Ian wanted to sound out Grindelwald on behalf of his classmates.
"Oh, yes, we have them all."
Grindelwald opened the office door. The room was brightly lit, and to Ian's surprise, Aurora, whom he had recently parted ways with, was also in the office.
The German girl sat quite obediently in front of a stool.
Ian thought she was probably being scolded.
Because he had already seen a late-night snack on Grindelwald's desk, and next to the snack was a cup that Grindelwald had poured into the trash can.
It smelled of residual truth serum.
of course.
The love-hate relationship between the grandfather and grandson was a storyline that, to Ian, whose eyes were wide open, couldn't compare to the story behind the late-night snack on the table.
"You fried the dragon egg?!"
Ian stared in disbelief at the large plate of fried eggs spread out on it.
"Didn't you say dragon eggs are a top-quality ingredient?"
Aurora tilted her head, looking somewhat puzzled. She wasn't surprised that Ian had been captured by Grindelwald; perhaps Grindelwald had come out specifically to capture Ian.
"That was just something I said to you when I got back—" Ian felt a pang of sympathy for the fried eggs on the table, and he secretly glanced at Grindelwald, who had put him down.
The young wizard was already wondering to himself, could it be because his adventure with Aurora had been exposed? He also suspected that Grindelwald had deliberately waited for him at Filch's door.
"I have no appetite. You can eat if you want."
Grindelwald sat down in his office chair and then pushed the dragon egg in front of Ian. He seemed quite mild-mannered, not at all like someone who was about to get angry about Ian and Aurora.
Come to think of it, Grindelwald has done his fair share of robberies.
"Could there be some special seasoning in there?" Ian was indeed tempted, but he didn't dare to act. He looked suspiciously at Grindelwald and then at Aurora.
The little girl lowered her head.
This made Ian even more hesitant to take a bite.
"The problem is the tea; the fried egg is cooked perfectly." Grindelwald tore off a piece of fried egg and put it in his mouth, gesturing towards the empty teacup on the table.
"You added too much truth serum—"
Ian smelled the teacup.
He began to give Aurora face-to-face guidance.
Grindelwald wasn't annoyed. Instead, he chuckled and said to Aurora, "Heh, make another cup of the tea you served me for your accomplice. Let him broaden his horizons."
Just as Ian was feeling confused, wondering what was so enlightening about this, he saw Aurora hesitate for a moment before pulling out a large bucket of truth serum. It was the same bucket she'd given the black market merchant earlier—a high-purity truth serum so potent that Ian doubted the merchant could even wake up.
"Coo coo coo~"
Under Ian's watchful eye, Aurora picked up the teacup on the table, poured a large amount of truth serum into it, and then, seemingly out of nowhere, tossed in a few tea leaves.
"It's ready."
Aurora's tone was quite regretful.
"??????"
Ian was stunned.
What kind of magical way is this to brew tea?
It's outrageous enough that people add water to truth serum, but to actually use it to make tea?! And with such a ridiculous expression, you're even looking at Grindelwald with a regretful look?!
"Are you running a fever?"
Ian touched Aurora's forehead.
"????"
Aurora turned her head away speechlessly, ignoring Ian.
"You should teach her, give her more common sense—that's what she lacked most in her childhood, to the point that she's not even as good as our Muggle studies professor now." Grindelwald, as a victim who hadn't been successfully tricked, actually offered his advice with a heart full of concern.
"......
Ian felt that this family might not be quite normal.
"Let's talk about what kind of chores we need to do?"
He chose to change the subject.
"Take those three boxes over there to the underground classroom." Grindelwald gestured towards the corner again, but didn't continue to try to persuade Ian and Aurora to plot against him.
"Okay!"
Ian used a levitation charm to control the three boxes. He was afraid Grindelwald would make him move them by hand, but thankfully, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor wasn't as twisted as Snape. Carrying the boxes, he made his way to the underground classroom that Grindelwald had renovated. Ian noticed that Grindelwald and Aurora had followed him out.
"What's inside?"
After putting down the box, Ian still asked a question out of curiosity.
"I already told you these are things to prepare for class. They correspond to three possible dangers. You can try them out if you want."
Grindelwald smiled and gestured for them to proceed.
"Would you like to try it?"
Ian looked at Aurora.
The German girl shook her head frantically.
"Then I won't try it."
Ian had a feeling that something was amiss.
He knew Grindelwald's nature very well.
"Alright, it's fine to face it with other classmates in class after school starts." Grindelwald didn't insist; he just said in a slightly regretful voice.
"However, you should also be mentally prepared. You may not be able to perform well this time. In front of the young wizards, you may just as badly as they are."
This is clearly a provocation tactic.
But it can be described as an open conspiracy.
Ian really falls for that.
His curiosity was immediately piqued.
"Choose one of the three. Unless a Bulbasaur crawls out of it, I won't even be surprised." Ian immediately chose the middle box.
"You really know how to choose."
Grindelwald raised an eyebrow. "I can tell you now that it contains something truly terrifying, something even our Headmaster Albus Dumbledore wouldn't want to face in the classroom."
His words sounded very serious.
He seemed quite serious.
"I don't believe you put my other good friend in there." Ian didn't waste any more words, directly prying open the lock of the box and lifting the tightly closed seal.
at this time.
Aurora had long since drifted away from the little wizard.
Grindelwald also took a few steps back.
His gaze was fixed on the pitch-black box, exuding an extremely serious aura that made Ian a little nervous, prompting him to pull out his wand, ready to ignite it at any moment.
"Boggart."
Ian's gaze sharpened.
Something was discovered to be changing in the darkness—a Boggart could see into a person's heart and become what that person feared most. The spell to deal with a Boggart was the Boggart Exorcising Spell "Humiliation Humiliation," which would transform the Boggart into what the person facing it considered most ridiculous.
of course.
If a large number of people gather in front of a Boggart, its threat level instantly decreases, as it becomes unsure of what form to take to intimidate everyone. What the Boggart truly fears is laughter; when a heartfelt laugh erupts, the Boggart explodes into wisps of smoke and vanishes without a trace.
"Yes, it's Boggart."
Grindelwald's gaze never left the box that Ian had opened.
Aurora, standing some distance away, also looked on with curiosity.
Both of them seemed eager to know the fear in Ian's heart—Ian swallowed hard and stared directly at the figure that slowly emerged from the darkness.
This is a man with blue eyes, a tall and thin old man, wearing white crescent-shaped glasses, with a crooked nose and a long white beard.
"You're afraid of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore?" Aurora's voice held a hint of disappointment; she probably thought Ian's fears would be of something more wondrous and uncommon.
"That's not surprising. Who isn't afraid of our principal? After all, anyone who truly knows him is afraid of him. I suppose our—" Grindelwald looked at Ian with amusement.
however.
He hadn't finished speaking.
When Albus Dumbledore emerged completely from the box, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's voice abruptly stopped, and the half-smile on his face froze.
Aurora's eyes widened as well.
All I saw was...
Albus Dumbledore had a face growing on the back of his head, very clearly and vividly, the same old face that Grindelwald had when he wasn't using any disguise.
not only that.
The mouth on that face was huge, constantly spewing out fierce fire.
"My professor! My friend! Isn't this terrible enough?" Ian looked terrified, and he quickly knelt down and took a few steps back towards the door.
"Damn brat!"
Grindelwald's face turned ashen.
Ian, who was already close to the door, immediately turned around and ran away. In the blink of an eye, he was gone, leaving only Grindelwald and Aurora in the empty classroom.
"Go back!"
Grindelwald flicked his wand, and Boggart instantly reverted to his original form, slamming into the box. The box's seal snapped shut with a massive padlock.
"I think I underestimated this kid!"
Grindelwald walked up to the three boxes.
"Isn't what he's afraid of precisely you and Headmaster Dumbledore?"
Aurora seemed to still trust her friend, though it was also possible she was just covering something up for Ian. Grindelwald, however, didn't respond.
The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor simply opened the other two boxes, and under Aurora's somewhat bewildered gaze, raised his wand and completely destroyed the other two Boggarts.
"Did you do this on purpose?"
Aurora frowned after regaining her senses.
"It was just something I did on the side."
Grindelwald looked back at the door Ian had left through.
"Unfortunately, we didn't get to see the real answer."
With a soft sigh.
In Grindelwald's whitening eyes.
The reflection showed a scene only he could see—Ian Prince standing atop a giant bone dragon's head, surrounded by terrifying Fiendfire that almost completely obscured the sky.
This scene only happened once.
There was no further information.
Grindelwald had no idea what he was seeing.
But he knew.
The scene that accompanied last night's "awakening" dream must contain something extremely terrifying.
Because in the picture.
The slightly older young wizard seemed to be ruling over the world, but the wand in his hand was slowly slipping from his grasp toward the ground, and a genuine look of terror appeared on his face.