LRAB Chapter 166, page 165: Security Measures! Ian's Birthday!
Chapter 166, page 165: Security Measures! Ian's Birthday!
Chapter 166, page 165: Security Measures! Ian's Birthday!
The encounter in the alley was an unexpected interlude.
However, for Ian, who had been struggling for many days without obtaining Lupin's blood, this interlude was truly like someone handing him a pillow when he was about to fall asleep.
It took Ian a whole afternoon before he and Lupin finally left Knockdown Alley, satisfied.
"What did you do to them?" Lupin was still in shock after an entire afternoon. He hadn't managed to glean any useful information from the werewolves, who were missing limbs. Being brutally beaten by a mere wizard was indeed a humiliating experience that was difficult for the proud werewolves to talk about.
"Of course, it's about making them accept my profound principles wholeheartedly." Ian fiddled with his bulging money bag, which contained blood from dozens of different werewolves.
Of course, in addition to the diversity of blood samples, Ian also had the werewolves collect other bodily fluids themselves, as he was quite interested in the werewolves' reproductive ability and whether their breast milk was also infectious.
However, none of the books on werewolves contain similar content, so the young wizard had no choice but to study it himself to fill this academic gap.
"What profound truth?" After returning to the Wu family orphanage, Lu Ping immediately began cleaning up the blood that remained in his room. He had also suffered many non-fatal injuries in the previous battle.
Although he had treated the wound and cleaned up most of the blood remaining in the room when he returned, he still needed to be meticulous just to be safe. If a child accidentally came into contact with his blood, it could very well lead to an irreparable tragedy.
Children as young as a few years old dare to put maggots in their mouths, and licking unidentified liquids from certain places is just basic skill. Many cases of children being poisoned actually stem from such bad habits.
"Of course, the wands have the final say. Truth only exists within the wand's range... Didn't you see how much clearer their eyes became after they gained this knowledge?" Ian stared at the vein on Lupin's arm that was easiest to draw blood from. He actually wanted some samples from people who hadn't drunk the [Awakening Potion].
Lupin felt a little uneasy under the little wizard's gaze.
"All I saw was your coercion and forced sale..."
Mentioning this incident inevitably brought back memories of the werewolves' tragic state.
A few silver dollars could buy a large amount of blood from a werewolf's body. This deal seemed better than paying him copper knuckles. The dark wizards of Knockturn Alley didn't dare to do this kind of business of exploiting werewolves.
"I only used American hegemony a little bit, and the victor certainly deserves to have the power to set prices for the experimental subjects." Ian already felt he had been very generous.
At least he didn't capture the werewolves and put them in captivity.
If this isn't good, then what is?
"How much werewolf blood did you get your hands on?" Lupin didn't even want to recall the large syringe Ian had used, which looked thicker than his forearm.
"A few dozen kilograms, that's not a lot."
Ian roughly estimated what he had gained from this trip.
"..."
Lupin really didn't know how to comment on this answer, which actually sounded somewhat unsatisfying, since blood transactions in the market were all calculated in units like "ounces".
"What use are you to all that werewolf blood?"
This is what he doesn't understand the most. It's not that he hasn't met experts in potions; his best friend's beautiful wife is a potion genius.
"I've realized that there might be a lot of treasures hidden in the werewolf virus. I'm afraid the amount of blood I have isn't enough to decipher the secrets of the werewolf virus." Ian never considered himself just a simple potion maker, and he also believed that some methods from the scientific side could be applied to the magical side as well.
There may not be any bad viruses in this world; the bad ones are perhaps just people who misuse viruses.
"I have a feeling you're thinking of doing something incredibly evil... I will still report today's events to Dumbledore." Lupin wiped the sweat from his forehead, a chill running down his spine.
Now things have calmed down a bit.
He had also thought about many things, and the only reasonable explanation for what had happened before was that the little wizard's strength probably couldn't be judged by common sense.
It's no wonder they're a mix of five families!
Such terrifying strength!
After vaguely realizing that the person in front of him might be a terrifying little monster, Lupin finally understood why Albus Dumbledore needed someone to keep an eye on Ian.
He was not even twelve years old.
Their strength was already far greater than that of an adult wizard like him.
In some ways, this might be even more worrying than the Dark Lord... At least the Dark Lord always has a purpose when he does bad things, while the little wizard might do bad things just out of curiosity.
As a member of what was once the biggest group of troublemakers, Lupin never imagined that a powerful little wizard could inadvertently cause such a disaster!
"If you hadn't chosen to leave so early, you could have given a more detailed report and known what it meant to have a little wizard display his might and a vicious werewolf tremble in fear."
Ian made no secret of boasting about his achievements. He said Lupin had run away when he was rushing from Diagon Alley to Knockturn Alley, otherwise he would have insisted on showing Lupin his impressive skills.
As for the so-called "snitch".
When has he ever worried about that kind of thing?
"I know you're amazing, alright?" Lupin sighed heavily, his eyes falling on Ian's money pouch. "You really don't have any extremely terrifying alchemical artifacts hidden on you?"
Even though he had accepted reality, he still felt a sense of unreality... Perhaps even Albus Dumbledore at less than twelve years old didn't possess such power.
As one of the core members of the Order of the Phoenix, the fact that Lupin could have such thoughts shows how much the situation created by the young wizard had shocked this down-on-his-luck werewolf.
"What kind of horror do you want to know? I see if I have any. If you mean weapons of mass destruction, I don't think I have any suitable examples right now." Faced with the "inquiry" from the "supervisor," the little wizard chose to tell the truth and tilted his head to respond.
however.
Despite his honesty and enthusiasm, this was clearly not the answer Lupin wanted to hear. Sweat was already pouring down the forehead of the down-on-his-luck middle-aged man.
He felt that perhaps he shouldn't have been so foolish as to ask that question. If he hadn't asked, he wouldn't be so anxious and his mind wouldn't be trembling like this right now.
"Has Hogwarts become this tolerant now...?" Lupin seemed to realize his own foolishness as soon as he uttered these hoarse words.
This is not.
The little wizard's answer immediately silenced Lupin.
"If Hogwarts can tolerate werewolves studying in the school, then why can't it tolerate someone like me who is full of thirst for knowledge? I don't mean to insult you by saying that."
"I was just illustrating how inclusive Hogwarts is, and I get along really well with it." Sincerity can indeed be a killer move at times.
Ian only used one sentence.
This made Lupin never want to dwell on the issue again.
"It's almost lunchtime, you should go eat." He wanted to be alone for a while, not because he was hurt, but mainly because he wanted to process what had happened during the day.
"Are you planning to drink this [Awakening Potion]?" Ian took out the potion that Lupin had given him earlier, but Lupin shook his head after a moment of hesitation.
"With the bottle of wolfsbane you gave me, at least I won't have any problems tonight... As for this drug of unknown origin, I don't think it's a wise choice to just drink it casually."
Lupin must have struggled with this decision for a long time, and when he finally looked away from the [Awakening Potion], there was a hint of struggle in his eyes. This already showed great willpower; just as one cannot understand the fear of a full moon without being a hero, one cannot comprehend the fear of a werewolf without being a werewolf.
"Then let me figure it out first."
Ian thought Lupin's judgment made a lot of sense. Although they hadn't found anything unusual about the werewolves, no one could say for sure whether the Awakening Potion would have any long-term side effects.
There's no such thing as a free lunch, nor is there a cheap one... That guy impersonating a Gryffindor ancestor might just be conducting "clinical trials" with werewolves from Knockturn Alley. Those experienced in human experimentation know that Phase I and Phase II "clinical trials" are most prone to various problems.
"I'm not in a hurry."
Lupin seemed hesitant to speak.
He actually trusted his other half, Prince, even more.
of course.
This applies only to potion-related aspects.
However, this trust, which is limited to potion-making skills, is conditional: as long as the potion brewed by that half of Prince is not brought to his mouth, it is fine.
"Are you afraid I'll ask my uncle to do the research together?" Ian immediately understood the awkward expression on Lupin's face. He also knew a lot about the feud between Lupin's group and Snape.
"You used Legilimency on me?"
Lupin was horrified.
Ian never imagined that seeing such an expression on someone else's face could be so satisfying.
"Does this even require mind reading?"
He sensed the joy that Morgan had once felt, so he was also laughing very happily at this moment.
"I don't want to sow discord within your family. After all, we're in different positions. But from my perspective, Snape isn't someone you can trust."
Lupin's tone revealed no emotional fluctuation; he simply stated his opinion of Snape. It wasn't prejudice, but rather, as he said, everyone's position is different.
For this down-on-his-luck werewolf, the deaths of his best friend and his best friend's wife were all inextricably linked to Snape, so of course he wouldn't have any trust in Snape, the former Death Eater.
"Don't worry, even the [Awakening Potion] has its flaws. I'm sure I can create the perfect Wolfsbane Potion, and this honor... I intend to keep it all to myself."
Ian blinked, his face serious.
"..."
Lupin felt relieved by the young wizard's honest answer, but in reality, his feelings at that moment could only be described as indescribably complex.
"You could actually be a little... less honest." Lupin didn't mean to corrupt the young wizard, but he wanted to make his interactions with the young wizard a little less awkward.
"OK."
Ian nodded in agreement and pulled out a small notebook.
"You're not going to take notes on all of this, are you?"
Lupin felt he was finally sensing some of the Ravenclaw student's aura in Ian.
however.
He didn't know.
Today, sunny. After Lu Ping deserted at the last minute, and then ran back to clean up the mess for an hour after I finally solved the problem, he started encouraging me to lie more.
What the young wizard was writing down in his notebook was actually a tattletale he planned to tell Albus Dumbledore. After all, Lupin couldn't be the only one allowed to tattle on him, could he? In fact, Ian had been recording tattletales for several days, and he still maintained his style of only telling the truth.
"I need to go eat."
Having made his notes in his notebook, Ian didn't answer Lupin's question. He packed his things and headed straight for the door to Lupin's dimly lit room.
"By the way, you're not going out tonight, are you?"
After Ian opened the door, he suddenly stopped.
He turned around and asked.
This surprised Lupin slightly.
"Of course I won't go out. I'll lock the door and wait quietly in the room for my transformation to finish. Don't worry, I've already taken precautions to protect the windows and door."
Lupin showed Ian his series of precautions.
The little wizard nodded slightly.
"Yes, that's good. Senior has prepared so well, I'm sure you won't mind if I add some extra protective measures?" Ian asked in a slightly frivolous manner.
"Uh...of course not."
Lupin hesitated only slightly before nodding in agreement. He was already familiar with the young wizard's alchemy skills; someone who could study under Nicolas Flamel was certainly no weakling.
"Are you going to reinforce the walls of my room?" Seeing the little wizard take out a coil of silk thread and start drawing on the wall, Lupin immediately wanted to do his part in the renovation of this safe house.
only.
He had just walked up to the little wizard when he saw what the little wizard had taken out, and his body immediately froze, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead once again.
"These things... they're probably going to explode, right?" Lupin watched as Ian fixed the small square boxes to the wall, the constantly flashing red light on them making his heart pound.
As the "Moonface" on the original Marauder's Map, the down-on-his-luck werewolf's alchemy skills were at least above most ordinary wizards, so he immediately recognized the danger of these small boxes.
"Of course, if you install them in your room, they will produce an explosion powerful enough to tear an adult troll apart if the structure of the walls is severely damaged."
Ian glanced at Lupin with some surprise; he truly hadn't expected Lupin to have such good taste. After saying that, he continued installing the small square boxes in Lupin's room.
"Forehead……"
Lu Ping's forehead was sweating even more profusely.
"What happened to the promised safety precautions?"
He subtly reminded the young wizard that he didn't need such a thing.
only.
"It's just a safety precaution. Don't worry, this kind of explosion is very safe. It only explodes inside, not outside, so it won't affect innocent people who might be passing by."
The young wizard's confident explanation left Lupin speechless. After a moment of hesitation, he finally understood what Ian meant by the safety measures.
So that's how it is.
It means kill me.
Are you safe now?
"..."
Lupin remained silent, looking sullen. He watched as Ian finished arranging the room, then saw Ian wave to him before opening the door and running towards the dining room.
"Click~"
After using magic to close the door and lock it, Lupin finally couldn't hold back any longer.
"Wu's Orphanage... there must be something to this place..." Looking at the densely packed, pulsating little square boxes on the wall, Lupin wasn't sure if he was imagining things. He thought of another wizard who had come from here, and felt a sense that the student had probably surpassed the master.
"Asking me to keep an eye on a guy like that... Dumbledore trusts me too much!" A thousand words were in his heart, but in the end, they all turned into a sigh from Lupin.
He hasn't even considered running away yet.
This is absolutely true loyalty to Albus Dumbledore.
……
Time passed day by day. After returning from Knockturn Alley, Ian focused on his research and studies, and every day of this long vacation felt both free and full of plans.
Time slipped away quietly amidst the scratching of pen on paper. A fulfilling life, with small discoveries and progress every day, eased Ian's anxiety about the "cooling-off period" of the dreamlike illusion.
The most direct manifestation of this emotion is that he used to beat the black-robed skeleton every morning, noon and night, but now he only beats the black-robed skeleton a few times in the morning and evening.
The trunk given to him by Albus Dumbledore was only used to store clothes and odds and ends, and was not as spacious as Newt's, which meant that the black-robed skeleton had nowhere to hide inside.
Whenever it was beaten and howled in pain, the Dementor would hide in a corner and secretly chuckle. This was perhaps the only joy that Ian's Dementor could derive.
This kind of joy is absolutely precious to Dementors.
Otherwise, it wouldn't still be happy to witness Ian beating up the black-robed skeleton every time Ian beat it up, and the black-robed skeleton would take its anger out on it afterwards.
"You're such a jerk!" Ian would sometimes vent his anger on the Dementors. In the sweltering summer, without air conditioning, he would often release the Dementors to use as air conditioning.
The effect is far superior to any clam air conditioner. The temperature will drop to a refreshing level in a second. Just stuff a Dementor into the ventilation duct and the temperature in the old building will become quite comfortable.
The effect completely surpasses Aurora's [Corpse Preservation Spell]. Yes, Ian also frequently communicates with his close friends; the Dark Phoenix's delivery speed is only slightly slower than the internet.
However, Aurora was often busy, and the speed of her replies was always uncertain. Ian guessed that perhaps she was secretly studying practical courses during the summer vacation.
If not.
The [Corpse Preservation Spell], [One-Second Bone Removal Spell], [Skull Fountain Spell], and [Fungus Outburst Spell] were all spells that Ian considered quite sinister, and he would never let Aurora share them with him time and time again.
In particular, the last one, the [Fungal Burst Curse], is incredibly powerful, capable of instantly transforming all the food residue in a target's intestinal cavity into maggots.
It's really hard to imagine what kind of mental state Aurora was in when she researched these improved spells. Perhaps it's because she thought young wizards were always more fond of these kinds of evil spells?
"Even someone like me from the underworld finds these spells absurd..." Ian didn't discourage Aurora's desire to share; he also shared his research findings with the Germanic girl.
He didn't have any particularly noteworthy new achievements in the field of spells, but through studying the blood of werewolves, he successfully discovered some key ingredients in the [Awakening Potion].
This led to a breakthrough in his work on improving the Wolfsbane Potion; however, for several months, the polluting properties of werewolves remained a problem that plagued him.
This is something that even the [Awakening Potion] cannot eradicate completely. It is indeed not a problem that can be solved easily. Without making any breakthroughs, Ian turned to researching two products.
That is the [Werewolf Potion], which is made based on the infectious nature of werewolf blood, and the [Rapid Healing Potion], which is extracted and made based on the self-healing ability of werewolf blood.
First, the advantage of the [Werewolf Potion] is that it doesn't need to enter the target's body; simply applying it to the target's body is enough to successfully transform them into a werewolf. However, the disadvantage is also obvious: this transformation is permanent, making the transformed person indistinguishable from other werewolves born from normal infection.
"It's still because the infectivity is uncontrollable."
This shortcoming isn't insurmountable; it's just that Ian doesn't have a solution yet. The limit he can reach is the effect of the [Rapid Healing Potion].
Users can heal all their physical ailments and injuries within thirty minutes. Because it only extracts certain key components related to self-healing from werewolf blood, its infectivity is very low. As long as you don't drink it continuously for ten or eight days, you basically don't need to worry about turning into a werewolf after drinking it.
of course.
It also has its drawbacks.
That is, the cost is extremely high.
It takes ten kilograms of werewolf blood to extract one bottle of [Rapid Healing Potion]. Similar potions exist in the wizarding world, but they are not as effective and are much cheaper.
"Anyway, at this stage, neither of these two works can be considered a mature work." Ian was not discouraged; he knew that overcoming the difficulties was only a matter of time.
As his [Potion Mastery] level increases, he will one day be able to perfect these two potions. His confidence, stemming from his cheat-like nature, ensures that he will never be confused.
"Studying and research always make me feel fulfilled." Sometimes when Ian rests, he lies in the courtyard of the orphanage and watches the sunset paint the sky orange-red.
As the sun rises and sets once again, time slips away silently like sand through our fingers. Life goes on day after day, weaving a unique chapter that belongs to summer.
It's another morning.
On a day gently embraced by the warm sunshine, the courtyard of the orphanage was filled with laughter. This day was a special one for Ian.
July 7th—that's his birthday.
Although the orphanage was simple, every inch of it was filled with love and hope. Director Elena, a woman who always wore a gentle smile, had secretly planned a small surprise for Ian. She knew that for every child, a birthday was not just about growing older, but also proof of being remembered and loved.
So almost every orphan receives a celebration arranged by Ms. Elena on their birthday, and for most of them, it's the day she found them. Without pen and paper, without needing to keep records, Ms. Elena never forgets the beginning of her story and the stories of each child.
As the midday sun quietly climbed through the windows, the orphanage's small dining room was decorated in a warm and unique way.
Colorful balloons swayed gently, and a hand-painted banner that read "Happy Birthday Ian" hung on the wall. A more elaborate meal than usual and a small cake were always present.
Make a wish.
Ms. Elena personally placed a celebratory hat on Ian's head.
"Um."
Ian closed his eyes, silently made a wish, and then blew out the candles that symbolized his turning twelve. The children, who had been eagerly anticipating the moment, all received a small piece of cake.
"What did you wish for?" Lupin was also at Ian's birthday celebration, and he was curious about what kind of desires a child like the little wizard might have in his heart.
"you guess?"
Ian blinked but did not answer.
The little girl Mia next to him, who had been staring at the cream he had picked out of his plate, also reluctantly looked away from the cream for the time being.
"Wishes won't come true if you say them out loud, Uncle Lupin, you must be up to no good." The little girl spoke righteously and firmly, her childish voice filled with the innocence of a child.
"..."
Lupin had no idea how to respond. He had only wanted to take this opportunity to talk about the little wizard's ambitions, but he never expected to be seen as a villain in the child's eyes.
"It was my fault."
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Seeing that the children were all looking at him, he could only put on a ashamed expression and admit his mistake. The little wizard laughed happily and silently took out his little notebook to write down what had happened that day.
Today, the weather is sunny. Senior Lu Ping had ulterior motives towards me, almost leading the naive me to fall for his tricks. Fortunately, I'm well-liked, which prevented me from having a truly heartbreaking experience.
He seemed to still be writing the truth, only he had learned to use rhetorical devices more frequently, and the little wizard had clearly mastered the art of exaggeration.
"What are you doing?"
Mia curiously leaned closer to see Ian's little notebook.
however.
Ian, who quickly tucked the notebook into his arms, prevented the little girl from succeeding. If you were to ask who in the entire orphanage was the most talkative, it would undoubtedly be this mischievous girl, a quintessential Gryffindor.
"Where's my present, Mia! Didn't you prepare a birthday present for me?" After putting away his notebook, Ian used his self-righteous demand to divert Mia's attention.
"How could that be! Of course I was prepared!" Mia immediately took out the birthday present she had prepared, which was a small box wrapped in beautiful paper.
"Ian, this is the sound of the sea. I hope you are as happy as I am when I hear the waves every day." Inside Mia's gift box was her most cherished seashell necklace, which she had treasured for a long time.
"Me too! Me too! I've prepared a gift for you as well!"
"Look at mine first, Ian! Look at my present first!"
"This is all my wealth! It can only belong to you!"
……
Mia was the starting point.
The children rushed to Ian, each clutching their gift boxes. They had prepared heartfelt gifts for Ian with their sincerest affection.
Tom, a little boy with a shy smile, gave Ian a small piece of wood that he had carved himself. The wood wasn't smooth; it was even a bit rough, but it had the words "Best Brother" carved on it.
Then there's Jack, who gave Ian a Bible, its pages yellowed and its cover worn. But Jack said the book had kept him company through countless lonely nights, giving him endless comfort and strength. Now, he wanted to pass that strength on to Ian, wishing God would always protect him.
Daniel also gave a book as a gift; he gave me a copy of his grandmother's "The Witch Doctor's Code." Ian flipped through it and, even from the perspective of a feudal wizard, thought the book was really too outrageous.
Some of the recipes.
Just hearing it makes me want to vomit.
It's said that this book has been passed down through eighteen generations of Daniel's family... Of course, Ian couldn't refuse a friend's gift, and he thanked Daniel with a smile. Perhaps if he took this book, Daniel could break the "curse" that their family's average lifespan wouldn't exceed thirty years.
"This! This is my gift!" Catherine clutched a drawing she had made herself tightly in her hand—a drawing of Ian and all his friends running happily on the grass.
She excitedly handed the painting to Ian, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"It's a very good painting. I think I should frame it and hang it in my room, next to my Van Gogh paintings. Perhaps you will become an exceptionally talented painter in the future."
Ian encouraged Catherine.
"I...Ian, I...I don't want to just be a painter, you know that."
Catherine's eyes held a mixture of exaggerated joy and apprehension, a longing for the magical world that had always resided in the little girl's heart.
"No problem, of course no problem... You'll definitely get what you want. Here, have a drink." Ian poured a glass of blue sparkling water for Catherine.
The little girl didn't hesitate.
He gulped it all down and swallowed it all.
She was still somewhat unsatisfied.
The other children immediately started clamoring for drinks too, and Ian happily poured a glass for everyone, though the water he poured was much lighter in color than Catherine's.
Fortunately, the children didn't care about that; they just wanted to drink the beverage that Ian, their older brother, had poured. The sound of children gulping down water echoed throughout the restaurant.
"This is my gift."
Lupin then awkwardly handed over a small box. Ian opened it and found a greeting card inside; the box itself probably cost less than the card.
"Thank you, Lupin."
Ian also gave Lupin a smile.
he knows.
This down-on-his-luck werewolf was truly poor. Squeezing out even a little money to buy him a greeting card, complete with a box, was probably a major financial blow for Lupin.
"You know my situation..." Lupin clearly felt that his gift was too meager, so his expression was quite embarrassed and awkward.
"On your birthday, being happy is the most important thing."
Ian gave Lupin a hug.
He was a very sentimental little wizard, so he decided not to tattle on Lupin for three days as a small reward for Lupin spending money to buy him a gift.
"You haven't seen my gift yet!"
One after another, children brought Ian gifts.
Each gift carries the orphans' deepest blessings and care for Ian. They may not have a fancy appearance or an expensive price, but the pure affection they convey is more precious than any material possession. In Ian's eyes, these gifts are not just objects, but also a testament to the deep friendship between him and his friends in the orphanage.
These are cherished memories of the happy times they spent together. In this large family where no one is related by blood, Ian is not alone, and no one is alone.
The celebration and joy lasted all day. Besides the blessings and company of his family, Ian also received gifts from his friends at Hogwarts after returning to his room. However, just as Ian had taken a shower and was about to open his gifts, he heard hurried footsteps outside his door.
"Knock knock knock~"
Someone is knocking on the door.
The knocking was equally urgent.
"Who is it? I'm already asleep."
Although Ian sensed the emotions and thoughts of the person outside, he still asked the question knowingly, mainly because he didn't want to open the door and communicate with others after changing into his bathrobe.
"Ian! It's me! It's Lupin!"
The honest werewolf clearly didn't grasp the subtext of Ian's words. He continued knocking on the door as he spoke, the deafening noise shaking the entire door frame.
"Why!"
With no other option, Ian could only put on his clothes, wave his wand, and in the next moment, his sleeping room transformed into an incredibly spacious laboratory—he had made a tiny magical modification to his room, allowing the ordinary room and the laboratory to overlap in this small world.
Even a noseless creature that's disliked by everyone can build a fireplace, so a little wizard can certainly renovate his own room.
"What's the matter so late at night? Don't you usually stay out at night?" Ian opened the door and let Lupin in, clearly annoyed by Lupin's disturbance.
"Today is different!"
Lupin glanced around, not even bothering to marvel at Ian's transformation of the room.
"What's going on with that little girl?" His gaze fell on Ian, his eyes carrying a hint of probing, and his seemingly calm voice couldn't hide his rapid breathing.
Clearly, Lupin's inner self was not as calm as he appeared to be.
Which little girl?
Ian sat down at a lab bench and began unpacking gifts from his classmates. Michael had given him a magic oven, though it was unclear whether he'd taken apart his own oven from home.
"It's huge!"
Looking at the oven, which was a full two meters long and half a meter wide, Ian couldn't help but cover his mouth in genuine amazement. He was now beginning to suspect that Michael had somehow acquired a crematorium.
Compared to its size, which can easily handle making enough barbecue for twenty people, the ability to cook barbecue without electricity seems like an essential feature for any murderer or robber.
"Hiss~"
Lupin was also stunned by the size of the oven, but he was clearly still not in the mood to care about it; the thing that had kept him up most of the night was just too terrifying.
"Of course it's that little girl named Catherine. I've already observed her; she should be a Squib." Lupin swallowed, his voice quite hoarse.
"and then?"
Ian did not turn around.
He continued sitting at the table, unwrapping the gifts.
Qiu Zhang prepared a beautiful magical bouquet for Ian. The bouquet was not only colorful and fragrant, but more importantly, each flower contained a different kind of magic.
They emit different scents depending on the weather conditions.
"This is incredible! Just now, I sensed her magic activating. If nothing unexpected happens, she will awaken her magic next year!"
Lupin's voice was filled with extreme shock and a hint of horror.
"This should be a good thing, why do you look so flustered?" Ian stopped what he was doing and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
"It seems my sister will be my junior in school soon." He finally put down the gift box in his hand, turned around and asked Lu Ping, who looked very serious, in a light tone.
"Do you know when the list of new students is entered into the Admission Book?" This was something Ian hadn't researched before, but he felt that the troublemakers from back then might have been involved.
"The year before the start of the school year..."
really.
Lupin knew the answer.
They may not have access to the Book of Admission and the Pen of Acceptance, but they had studied and investigated this legendary artifact of Hogwarts during their student days.
"It seems there's still plenty of time." Ian was in a great mood, putting aside the idea of taking out his notebook to recall things three days later, and generously decided not to bother Lupin for disturbing him late at night.
"My gut feeling tells me this must be related to you." Lupin had witnessed Ian's impossible achievements in magic, so he felt that Ian's achievements in potions might be the same.
This is a little wizard who cannot be judged by common sense or fathomed by normal thinking.
"Don't trust your intuition, trust science... no, trust magic." Ian corrected his wording in time, but that didn't stop Lupin from seeking the answer.
"Magic has proven over thousands of years that it is almost impossible for someone who has become a Squib to regain it... And today, without anything major happening, a little Squib's life has been reversed..." Lupin's meaning was very clear.
He still suspects that the dramatic changes in Catherine are related to Ian.
Of course, this wasn't the real reason why Lupin was so sleepless that night, and why he was willing to break the rules he set for himself to come and find the little wizard to find out what was going on.
"Was it the kind of water you gave her to drink?" Lupin was not a stupid person. On the contrary, Gryffindor students, if they were willing to think, were not much worse than Ravenclaw students.
He only briefly reviewed the events of the day before immediately noticing something amiss, and it was this very amiss that made it impossible for him to remain calm.
"I remember you gave that water to all the children." This is what Lupin finds most chilling: Catherine wasn't the only one who drank that blue potion.
If... things are really as he thinks... this would cause far more than just a catastrophe.
"I know what you're worried about. Don't be so sensitive. The water Catherine drank will only affect the Squirt." Ian saw Lupin's determined expression and knew that denying it was pointless.
"So! It really is what I thought!?"
Lupin's pupils suddenly contracted violently several times. Although he had expected it, he still felt a sense of disbelief when he received the definite answer.
"Maybe, probably, perhaps?"
Ian used several uncertain words in succession.
"..."
Lupin was still not quite used to the little wizard's personality. He clenched his fists and paced back and forth in the room, looking increasingly uneasy and worried.
"Have you told anyone about this? You should tell your uncle, no, you should tell Dumbledore directly. You probably don't understand how much danger such a potion could bring you."
Lupin was indeed worried about the young wizard's safety. Of course, his complex emotions also included concern about the chaos that would ensue if the potion were made public.
"You know, I know, no one else knows. If it gets out, hehe, then you'll definitely be the one to blame." Ian wasn't actually worried about the danger of being coveted by others.
He is not only very strong now, but he also has many trump cards to protect himself.
"Um?"
Upon hearing Ian's words, Lupin abruptly stopped pacing back and forth. "Then you might as well not have told me at all! Damn it, why didn't you just tell me it was a miracle from the God your dean worships?!"
To be honest, the down-on-his-luck werewolf was indeed somewhat regretful at this moment. Knowing such a secret, even if he didn't tell anyone, he would probably have an extra layer of psychological burden every night before going to sleep.
If time could flow backward.
He hoped the young wizard would tell him it was a miracle from God.
He would truly believe it.
Even if you don't believe it, you have to pretend to believe it.
"Although Catherine is also a general believer in God, even if God truly exists, have you ever seen Him actually help all His believers?"
Ian turned back around and began unwrapping the gift.
"But your potion, your invention..." Lupin hesitated for a moment, then chose to explain the seriousness of the problem to the young wizard in a more tactful way.
"You should have kept it hidden until you were truly qualified to use it. Seriously, I bet your uncle wouldn't have dared to use the same potion if it came from his own hands."
"The trouble this thing could cause is immeasurable... I'm not saying you can't use it to help those poor Squibs, but you should at least discuss it with Headmaster Dumbledore." Lupin felt that by using Albus Dumbledore's name, the potential consequences of its release and use might be somewhat controllable.
"My skills are not bad, are they?"
Ian tilted his head slightly.
"Look, a wizarding family extending an invitation." He held in his hand an invitation from the Greengrass family, which was sent along with a gift from Miss Daphne Greengrass.
Perhaps even the gifts themselves were chosen by Miss Daphne Greengrass's parents and sent in Miss Daphne Greengrass's name.
If not.
Ian would have to suspect that Miss Daphne Greengrass had some kind of masochistic tendency.
"Profits can be a powerful motivator, child." Lupin glanced at the invitation in Ian's hand and sighed heavily. He felt that the young wizard might not yet fully understand the treacherous nature of people in this world.
"I can't just let Catherine's hopes of going to Hogwarts be dashed, can I?" Ian actually knew what Lupin meant, but he felt he already had a good enough response.
"What you said is indeed true, but..."
Lupin wanted to say something more.
Ian shook his head, interrupting him.
"No buts, Senior Lu Ping. You should understand the importance of family better than I do. Making your family happy is more valuable than anything else."
With a wave of his wand, the young wizard transformed the laboratory back into his room. The gifts the children had given him during the day were now carefully arranged in the room.
"Catherine prayed to God every day with Ms. Elena, but even though she had the blood of a witch, God still chose to play a joke on this believer of His."
"I was just correcting God's cruel joke... Wizards, magic, that's the meaning of our existence: to control our own destiny while also changing the destiny of others."
Ian responded softly.
"You..."
Lupin looked somewhat taken aback.
"What do you mean?"
He wasn't truly misunderstanding; however, at this moment, a voice within Lupin seemed to be telling him that he might soon be able to glimpse the truest thoughts of the young wizard before him.
"It's a very simple principle."
Ian looked at the painting that Catherine had given him.
He's up there.
There are people he cares about.
"My friends and family may not receive a response from God, but they will certainly receive one from me... There should be nothing that is impossible before a wizard."
Ian’s tone was quite gentle yet firm.
"Even if God forbids it, it can't stop me from agreeing."
In this room where there are only two people.
She stared at the senior student whose expression was gradually turning horrified.
He reiterated his understanding of "the wizard is the god".
[P.S.: This chapter is from the beginning; the next chapter will be about the start of school.]
(End of this chapter)