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In the corridors of Hogwarts Castle, the winter sun was not particularly warm.
It shone through the castle's windows, casting dappled light on the cold stone floor, but it couldn't disperse the faint white mist that accompanied Ian's every breath.
"It's really frustrating; my souL form is actually from the Twilight Zone..." Ian grumbled, passing by groups of cheerful young wizards, their laughter a sharp contrast to his dejected expression.
Setting aside the fearsome dark arts, the spell Ian had most eagerly anticipated after arriving in the magical world was the Patronus Charm. Alongside Animagus transformation, it was one of the most fascinating branches of magic in his eyes.
Before, Ian had suspected he might not have a Soul Form at all, a consequence of his rather unconventional origins. He had even considered researching the magical theory and venturing into the Twilight Zone to capture a suitable spirit. After all, it was teeming with mystical creatures. Yet, the cruel truth hit him harder than a Bludger.
Indeed.
The concept of a Patronus bound to a distant, mystical realm might sound poetic, even awe-inspiring. But when that realm was nearly inaccessible, the brilliance of the idea became nothing short of tragic.
Ian had all but accepted that his Patronus Charm might remain stuck at its current progress for the rest of his life.
''Name:'' Ian Prince
''Occupation:'' Bloodline Sorcerer
''Magic Power:'' Level 8 (Undergoing Transitional Surge)
''Skills:''
- [Wisdom's Insight (This skill cannot be upgraded)]
- [Patronus Charm (Level 0) 49/50]
...
Professor Flitwick's astonishment was entirely understandable.
A magic power level of 8 already surpassed most adult wizards in the world, verging on the pinnacle of human capability. Ian's strength was considerable, his abilities nearly unrivaled among his peers. Yet, even with such profound reserves of power, the mutated nature of his Patronus Charm presented a seemingly insurmountable obstacle.
"It's not that I can't cast it," Ian muttered to himself. "But according to Professor Flitwick's theory, the anomalous nature of my Patronus Charm is so absurd that even a wizard with a level 9 magical core would struggle to sustain it."
Ian could hardly summon a simple object with a Summoning Charm without some level of effort. Expecting his enhanced magic to bridge the vast gulf between realms was nothing short of delusional.
The sheer difference between life and death, the physical and the spiritual, demanded a magical force far beyond anything Hogwarts had ever taught.
"Even Merlin himself would probably struggle with this!"
With a resigned sigh, Ian pushed aside his fixation on the Patronus Charm. Worrying wouldn't change the reality that his magic remained powerless against the challenge.
"I'll deal with it later. For now, it's class time. I'll save my brooding for tonight's emo session." Ian broke into a jog, hurrying toward the next classroom. First-years had now entered the dreaded four-class-a-day schedule, and punctuality was important.
After Charms, a brief forty-minute break awaited, followed by the ever-intimidating Potions class, a subject where tardiness was met with an immediate reprimand. Fortunately, Aurora had already claimed a seat in Ravenclaw's section.
"Here, something good for you." Ian grinned, dropping a small glass vial into Aurora's hands. He took delight in sharing his experiments, and this bottle contained one of his latest potion innovations.
"What is this?" Aurora asked, staring curiously at the grayish liquid swirling inside.
"If you encounter an enemy you can't defeat, toss this at them; it can temporarily render an ordinary wizard as powerless as a Squib, and it even weakens the strength of more formidable ones."
"I call it the Forbidden Potions Agent. Reasonably priced, though the ingredients are a bit tricky to come by," Ian said, beaming with excitement. After the success of his Infinite Firepower Potion, he had once again outdone himself.
Crafting such a potion was, of course, partly thanks to Professor Morgan's experimental love potion. But Ian couldn't deny that his knack for unconventional thinking had also played a pivotal role.
It was a practical creation, though regrettably, not something he could patent.
"I could help you gather the materials," Aurora offered, slipping the potion into her robes. After a pause, she added, "Would you like some Veritaserum? I can brew a few bottles once I'm done with my current project."
"Legilimency is far more useful than Veritaserum. I'm a Legilimency Master, after all!" Ian declared proudly, lapsing into the enthusiastic bravado that boys often displayed in front of their friends.
"Then can you Legilimize my grandfather for me?" Aurora asked, her eyes bright with curiosity.
Ian faltered.
"I'm not quite a Master at 'that' level..."
Swiftly steering the conversation away, Ian avoided further embarrassment.
Just then, Snape finally arrived. After missing several days of class, the Potions Master walked in with an air of restless distraction. Ian noticed him casting frequent glances toward the window, undoubtedly concerned about Quirrell and whatever trouble he might be stirring within the castle.
"If he knew your grandfather was at Hogwarts, I doubt he'd get a wink of sleep tonight," Ian murmured to Aurora, noting the ever-darkening circles beneath Snape's eyes.
"I remember your uncle's a Death Eater," Aurora remarked knowingly. She had an impressive grasp of Hogwarts' complex web of alliances and rivalries.
"There's competition even among Death Eaters," Ian replied, purposefully avoiding any mention of Snape's double-agent status. He knew when to hold his tongue.
"So you're watching the Muggle Studies professor because you want to help your uncle get rid of his rival and climb the ranks?" Aurora's vivid imagination leapt to the most dramatic scenario possible.
However.
Ian wasn't about to lose this battle of absurdity. "A Death Eater who doesn't aspire to become the Dark Lord isn't much of a Death Eater. Once Voldemort falls, I fully intend to become the nephew of the third-generation Dark Lord."
"My dear uncle has an excellent sense of style, he does love black, after all. Perfect Dark Lord material," Ian continued with mock sincerity, clearly enjoying the ridiculous notion.
Aurora, on the other hand, seemed to take his words quite seriously. Her gaze shifted thoughtfully to Snape, who was preparing ingredients at the teacher's desk, oblivious to their conversation.
Snape eventually noticed Ian and Aurora's whispering. After several unsuccessful attempts to silence them with his infamous glare, he chose to redirect his frustration.
"Mr. Cherv, kindly refrain from mining your nose for potion ingredients. One Point from Ravenclaw for your utter lack of decorum."
The chastised student shrank in embarrassment as muffled snickers spread through the classroom. Ian and Aurora, however, carried on with their hushed conversation, seemingly immune to Snape's wrath.
"Now, we begin the practical portion of the lesson," Snape announced coldly. "A moment where fools proudly display their incompetence."
Despite his ominous tone, Snape's eyes remained glued to the Slytherin side of the room. The notorious duo, Sinjid and Giggs, had once again taken their places. With their penchant for bizarre experimentation, they frequently managed to turn even the simplest potions into hazardous concoctions.
Their notes appeared to hail from some forgotten era, and no one, not even Snape, could predict what disastrous results awaited today.
"Bang~"
Sure enough.
Even with Snape's vigilant supervision, they still managed to cause a burst of green smoke from the cauldron when Snape's gaze was diverted.
"Merlin's beard! Who told you to add so many frog skins? Are you trying to turn us all into toads?" Snape's reflexes were no doubt sharpened by years of enduring catastrophes in the potions classroom.
It was a close call
(To Be Continued…)