Hogwarts Raven

Chapter 159 Chapter 158: A new story! The beginning!
It was drizzling in the sky. The dusk in London was like an old painter accidentally spilling his palette, dyeing the sky a hazy mixture of gray-blue and dark purple. The drizzle was weaving silently, forming a veil covering the entire city. Although the rain was not heavy, it was enough to make the air moist and heavy, interweaving with the unique smog in London, forming an indescribable, almost tangible mist.

"This is terrible weather."

Ms. Elena opened an umbrella and handed one to the little guy. Raindrops slid down the ancient black umbrella, making a fine and crisp sound.

"Is there such heavy smog even in summer?" Ian was also a little surprised. This layer of fog not only blurred the outlines of buildings in the distance, but also made the pedestrians nearby appear hazy, as if everyone was a vague silhouette in this city, hurriedly passing through the fog of history and reality.

There is a reason why many movies exaggerate the heaviness of London. When you are there, you can really feel the fusion of two completely different eras in this once glorious city.

"It's all because of those damn capitalists." Ms. Elena did not notice that the little guy lowered his head guiltily. She was still complaining angrily like most British people today.

"The economic environment is getting worse and worse. Homeless people can often be seen on the streets, but the capitalists' factories are still operating 24 hours a day."

"They told people there were no jobs, no profits, and they were frantically cutting people's incomes while trying to use fewer people to do the work that two or even three people could do."

"It's ridiculous. What do you mean by no profit? They don't even stop their factories for a quarter of an hour even though there is no profit. Huge amounts of pollution are emitted into the air every day."

Ms. Irene angrily accused the British capitalists.

"Didn't I hear that our country has trade unions that can protect the interests of workers and the eight-hour work week?" Ian didn't really know much about the employment situation in the UK.

Before he traveled through time, the only channel he had for understanding Europe was a certain forum.

"Oh, the union only protects their own interests, kid, you have to know that the workers who can join the union are not the same class as the workers who actually do the work."

"Children can join unions only if their parents are union workers... As for the real working people and dock workers, the Prime Minister doesn't include them when calculating the living standards of workers." Ms. Elena had a look of grief on her face as she recounted the current situation of the British Empire, which has had to rely on whitewashing to keep up appearances in recent years.

"It's especially difficult this year. Those masters have lost their channels to plunder other people's wealth and have come to exploit ordinary people. Can you imagine that Sir Charlie's family can only eat barbecue out of the freezer?" The Sir Charlie that Elena mentioned is a down-and-out nobleman who lived a few blocks away.

However, no matter how poor they were, their daily life was always good, and even a knight had to start being frugal in food, which shows that the economic situation of the British Empire was indeed not as good as before.

"Is it related to the return of the area in the East?" Ian heard some meaning from Ms. Elena's words. Before a certain area returned to the embrace of the Eastern Dragon, the British Empire would plunder hundreds of billions of wealth from there every year. The people there had been exploited and oppressed by the British.

"It's all about the greed of those gentlemen! These guys are just a bunch of hungry beasts! Just wait and see! One day they will all be hanged on lampposts!"

"A civilization that develops through plunder will ultimately be unsustainable. The sins of those masters will also devour us as well!" Ms. Elena may indeed have a unique vision.

She seemed to have seen the moment when the sun of the British Empire would eventually set.

"Your topic is a bit heavy." Ian agreed with Ms. Elena's opinion, but he felt that he was not old enough to talk about the rise and fall of the British Empire.

"Ah, I've seen too many bad things recently... You're right, we shouldn't talk about these things when you go home." Ms. Elena touched Ian's head.

"Of course, our orphanage is not that hard. We still have many kind-hearted people donating to us, especially the gentleman who has donated large sums of pounds to us over the years."

"He donated more this year... maybe it's because you went to study at that school. When he donated, he told me impatiently that he and you were classmates after I asked him about it."

Ms. Elena's tone was full of gratitude. "Although he was a very difficult man to get along with, I believe he must be a very good person."

"Just like the professor who took you to that school, both of them gave me the same feeling." Ms. Elena's words made Ian's eyes flicker slightly.

"Then this gentleman is quite arrogant."

Ian's tone was somewhat amusing.

"You're right."

Ms. Elena immediately nodded in agreement.

"So, in fact, life in the orphanage can still be maintained, and you don't have to ask your professor to bring back your scholarship for us. It should be used to allow you to complete your own studies."

Took a long time to go around.

It turned out that Ms. Elena wanted to persuade Ian.

"Don't worry, I have money to use. My classmates at school are all good people. They like to buy my handicrafts very much. I have made a lot of money because of them."

Ian took out a stack of British pounds he had prepared in advance. In order to make the performance more realistic, these British pounds were all small denominations and did not look brand new.

however.

This still aroused Ms. Elena's suspicion.

"How come I don't know what other handicrafts you can make?" She looked at the little guy in front of her with suspicion and did not take the pounds that Ian handed over.

"Of course I learned it when I entered school. I have a good talent." Ian forced himself to look sincere, without revealing a trace of guilt in his tone.

"That's right. Aristocratic schools always teach students all kinds of strange skills." Ms. Elena seemed to believe it, but still did not take the pounds from Ian.

"Take it for yourself. You will need money a lot in the future."

Ms. Elena patted Ian on the back of his head with relief.

She continued walking forward with Ian.

On the streets, the sunlight reflected the faint light of the puddles, like mirrors inlaid on the cobblestone road, reflecting this city that was still dusty after being washed by the rain.

"What's for dinner tonight?"

Ian took the initiative to change the subject.

"Of course, your favorite carrot and cabbage stew."

Ms. Elena responded with a smile.

The setting sun poured down the winding path like molten gold.

The figures of Dean Elena and Ian were stretched into long strips by the afterglow of the setting sun. The little guy walked on the familiar street and felt unprecedented peace and tranquility in his heart.

It seemed as if the anxiety of being unable to enter the hazy fantasy world for several consecutive months had been relieved.

Home always has such magical power.

It can soothe the many negative emotions in the hearts of every wanderer returning home.

"The children have been talking about you all the time." Ms. Elena insisted on helping Ian carry the luggage, and she chose the biggest one. She wanted to take good care of the children, but there was also a hint of unwillingness to accept her age.

Compared to the dean that Ian saw when he was a child, Ms. Elena's face has become more wrinkled, and her originally beautiful long golden hair has turned into more neat gray short hair.

Years of hard work and burdens have made this woman, who is only in her early fifties, look much older than her actual age, especially her hands, which are covered with wrinkles like a dead tree.

"I often dream about them, too." Ian followed behind Ms. Elena, dragging a small suitcase that looked the lightest but was actually the heaviest and quite dangerous.

Compared to before she went to Hogwarts, the director of the orphanage seemed thinner and older. As a devout nun who grew up in a church family, she dedicated her whole life to one orphan after another, but she was unable to let the God she believed in slow down the speed at which time passed through her body.

"After you went to school, I lost your help. Those naughty kids made me angry many times. Without your restraint, the troublemakers were causing trouble everywhere all day long."

"Fortunately, I sent them all out successfully. Little ones who like to play mischievous things are always more favored by adoptive families. I think this must be related to the book you left for them." Ms. Elena was recounting the trivial things that happened in her daily life. An inadvertent glance made the little one lower his head guiltily.

Before he left the orphanage to go to Hogwarts, he did leave a copy of "Guide to Choosing Parents" for the little ones, which detailed how to identify a loving family and how to gain the love of adults. His purpose was of course to hope that his younger brothers and sisters could find a good home.

It is difficult to see any future for orphans staying in an orphanage. Being adopted by a good family is the best destination for most orphans. Couples who are eligible for adoption are generally middle class.

"It's mainly because they are lucky. It has nothing to do with me..." Ian tried to argue, but Ms. Elena obviously didn't believe him.

"Anyway, the books you left behind really helped the children a lot. At least they knew how to get along with adults. I think you are the smartest kid in our courtyard."

Ms. Elena touched Ian's head and took Ian towards the orphanage. She didn't have her own car. The old car that picked Ian up before came from a kind old neighbor.

Ian has always felt that the old man next door has a crush on his dean, Elena, but he has never found any evidence or opportunity, so he has never been able to make this possible twilight romance happen.

Although nuns devote almost their entire lives to God, after witnessing many sufferings in the world, Ms. Elena actually has little faith in God left.

If it weren't for the need to continue to receive relief grants from the church, Ian thought that Ms. Elena would have "returned to secular life" long ago. Ms. Elena's thoughts have always tended to be pragmatic.

"The smartest child... I heard you say similar things to Catherine and Mia. Oh, yes, and Daniel, you also praised him when he collected the maggots in the toilet and tried to feed everyone, but behind my back you told me to quickly get all the maggots into the mud in the backyard."

Ian counted how many children Ms. Elena had praised as the smartest ones, and his names came out one by one, almost covering all the little ones in the orphanage.

"Hahahaha~"

Ms. Elena, who was exposed, did not seem embarrassed at all. Instead, she burst into laughter. The two of them talked and laughed until they finally returned to the old house that looked a little shabby.

Wu's Orphanage.

The outside of the orphanage is still mottled, and the gray walls are covered with traces of rain. Time has left an indelible mark on this historic orphanage.

"Welcome home, kid."

Ms. Elena walked forward and pushed open the door. The iron door had long been rusted, and the door hinges creaked harshly due to years of disrepair. There was originally some auspicious pattern carved on the lintel, but it was now blurred, leaving only scratches of varying depths, recording the curious touches of children passing by.

The dim light of the gas lamp spread out in the rain, like a signal that night was coming early.

Pushing open the slightly heavy door, the slightly desolate scenery in the courtyard looked quite quiet, and a smell of food and disinfectant came to Ian's face. This was a very familiar smell in his memory. It was like an invisible bond, connecting him to every corner of this small world.

"It's really cabbage and radish stewed with meat!"

Ian rushed to the kitchen. There were many children waiting in the kitchen like him, waiting for the meal to be served. When they saw Ian coming in, they immediately burst into cheers.

"It's him! It's him! The man who brought the cabbage stew! Our king!"

"Ian, I miss you so much! No one kicks my ass when you're not around!"

"Oh my God! Ian, you've grown so tall! When you threaten to crawl under your crotch if I don't obey you tomorrow, I think I won't feel your crotch is too narrow anymore!"

"I want a hug! Ian! I want a hug! Mia, get out of here!"

……

The children started chattering.

They gathered around him, greeting him in a flurry. Some asked him about the interesting stories of his trip, while others were eager to know what treasures were hidden in Ian's suitcase.

"There are dangerous goods in here!"

Ian quickly stopped a few curious little guys.

"Welcome home, little Ian."

The aunt in charge of cooking in the kitchen also had a look of surprise on her face. She missed the time when Ian helped her cook, and the little guy could always get some meat from various places.

"Aunt Marilyn, let me see if your cooking skills have gotten rusty!" Ian was about to use his iron hand to scoop food out of the pot, but as expected, the kitchen chef, Ms. Marilyn, hit his hand with an iron spoon. This familiar pain made Ian grin and smile at the same time.

"Be well behaved, little one. Take your brothers and sisters out to wash their hands and get ready for dinner. Remember to wash them three times." Ms. Marilyn gave Ian instructions.

"Ok."

Ian nodded honestly.

but.

Before leaving the kitchen with a group of friends, he walked up to Ms. Marilyn and stuffed a handful of bills that Ms. Elena had previously refused into Ms. Marilyn's apron pocket.

"This is the money Dean Elena asked me to give you so that you can buy more milk for the children." After saying this, Ian ran out.

"Wait for me! Ian! You haven't hugged me yet!"

"Oni said you might not come back, take us to give her a slap in the face!"

"Ian! Ian! I'll give you all the meat I had last night! Can you tell us a story about the outside world?" A group of children immediately ran out after Ian.

Ian brought them in front of Dean Elena, and the little guys calmed down a little. This scene made Dean Elena's face full of forced smile.

"After dinner, distribute the gifts you brought back. Don't let them eat a bunch of snacks and then go without food at night." Ms. Elena returned the suitcase to Ian.

She also roughly guessed what Ian wanted to do.

"If we don't share it with them now, they won't be able to eat at night." Ian knew the psychology of children too well. He opened his big suitcase and took out a big schoolbag from it.

All the children looked at him with shining eyes.

I saw.

In the eyes of a group of children who were looking at him with admiration and ecstasy, Ian was like an omnipotent magician in their hearts, and he directly shook a large pile of snacks onto the stone slabs under the eaves. All kinds of snacks poured out like a rainbow, and the various snacks were as colorful as a rainbow, instantly attracting the attention of all the children.

Chocolate bars, potato chips, jellies, and brightly packaged fruit candies… these may be commonplace in the eyes of city kids, but they are rare treasures here.

"Come and get it, there's a share for everyone!" Ian shouted with a smile. The children were stunned for a moment, then burst into excited cheers.

In front of an old house.

The young figures huddled together.

However. .

Surprisingly, they did not loot.

Although the children's eyes were shining with desire for delicious food, they did not flock to him as Ian had expected. Instead, they all looked at Ian.

“I want that chocolate bar!”

A little girl pointed shyly, and after getting Ian's nod, she carefully picked one up with a satisfied and happy smile on her face.

“Can I have this potato chip?”

A little boy followed suit and asked the question, his eyes sparkling with curiosity and excitement. After getting a positive answer, he gently picked up a bag of potato chips as if it was the most precious treasure in the world.

"Take whatever you want!"

Ian spoke to his friends helplessly.

then.

After hesitating for a moment, the little ones all stretched out their tender hands, and each child took only their favorite snack, and each took only one. Their little hands gently touched the packaging, and their eyes sparkled with cherishment and gratitude for this gift from Ian.

When all the children found their own "treasures", Ian discovered that there were still a lot of snacks left on the table. They lay there quietly but no one reached out for them.

"Take some more!"

Ian picked up the snacks helplessly and stuffed them into the hands of the child next to him.

"You have to eat too. We've all eaten, so what are you going to eat during the holidays?" Catherine, who was chewing on a piece of candy, looked at the big brother who had just returned home with an innocent face.

"Yes, yes, these are all we have."

The other children all agreed with Catherine's point of view. They all learned to cherish, share and be grateful. The adults who silently contributed to the orphanage taught these children very kindly.

"Tsk, I've eaten enough. Do you know what an aristocratic school is?" Ian used a little trick and distributed all the snacks to his friends with a look of disdain.

"Long live Ian!"

"So many! So many! I can hardly hold them all!"

"Ian! You are the real God!"

"When I grow up, I want to go to school like you! And bring back delicious food for everyone!"

……

The little guys' minds are so simple.

The unexpected gains made everyone extremely happy. Their clear and melodious laughter penetrated the tranquility of the evening and added some vitality to this slightly dull space.

Ian's eyes swept across those young faces one by one. He could call out the names of some of the children, but for others, he still looked unfamiliar to him as if he had met them for the first time.

This is the orphanage. Some people leave, some stay, no matter they are new or old, Ian feels that as long as they enter this door, they are all his family.

"Of course, Tom is an exception."

Ian muttered under his breath.

"Ah? What's wrong with me?"

"Are you talking about me?"

"Ian, are you calling my name?"

……

Children have sensitive ears.

Ian muttered softly.

This immediately attracted several children named Tom to look over in confusion.

"..."

Ian couldn't help but shook his head.

"I'm talking about a classmate of mine at school, um, a classmate I'm not very familiar with." Ian walked into the house with his younger brothers and sisters, and he first went back to his dormitory.

Everything remains the same, simple but tidy.

His bed was carefully made, as if silently welcoming his return.

"I clean the house for you every day. I cleaned the house for you three times this morning." Catherine came out from the crowd and proudly asked Ian for credit.

She was one of the children who was most looking forward to Ian's return to the orphanage.

"Okay, okay, you're the best. I'll tell you a story tomorrow." Ian winked at Catherine, the only child in the orphanage who knew that he was going to learn magic.

“I want to hear a story, too!”

"Yeah! Catherine can listen to stories! We want to listen to stories too!"

"Ian! Don't you remember you promised me that when I grow up, you would tell me the story of Orphan? Look at my head now. It's already very big."

……

Everyone's chattering was really noisy, and Ian had a headache so he could only agree to all of them. "Just eat your meals tonight, and I'll tell you all stories tomorrow."

The words fell.

A group of children immediately swarmed to the place where they washed their hands. Only Catherine remained standing there. Ian thought she might want to ask something about Hogwarts.

"Sneak into my room at night?"

Ian felt like an evil bad guy after saying this, but he really just felt that things about Hogwarts could only be told to this special little girl behind the back of other children.

"Yeah."

Catherine jumped for joy immediately, but soon turned her gaze back to the snacks she was holding, her childish face looking quite conflicted.

"what happened to you?"

Ian walked up with concern.

"I was thinking about which snacks I should give to Miss Elena and her friends, as well as that strange uncle that Miss Elena picked up." Catherine expressed her worries without hesitation.

"Don't worry, I have prepared gifts for them, so you don't need to share these things... Eating too much junk food is not good for them as elderly people."

Ian first comforted Catherine, and then asked curiously, "What's the matter with this weird uncle that Ms. Elena picked up?"

He was a little alert.

This is Britain.

There are many men and women who try to sneak into orphanages to do some evil things. If you study history in detail, you will know that copper smelting originated in this continent.

"You know, we are all children picked up by Miss Elena. She often picks up children from outside, but a few weeks ago she picked up an uncle who didn't like to talk."

"That uncle is a very good person. He often teaches us how to write and draw. But he only comes out before six o'clock. No matter what happens after six o'clock, he won't come out."

Catherine's description piqued Ian's interest.

"Can you take me to find him?"

Ian put away his luggage, stuffed the small suitcase into the closet and locked it, then followed Catherine to a corner room that, in his memory, should have been unused.

"Dong Dong Dong~"

Catherine knocked on the door for Ian.

"Is Hogwarts fun?"

Finally, she couldn't help but asked in a low voice.

"Of course. When you reach school age, I will take you to Hogwarts, where you can walk sideways." Ian touched Catherine's head with a doting look on his face.

"Do all magicians walk sideways?"

Catherine's ideas are somewhat novel.

"Um... this is a metaphor. It means you don't have to worry about being bullied at school. If anyone messes with you, just tell me and I'll help you beat that guy up."

Ian explained to Catherine while holding back a laugh.

The little girl was thoughtful.

"I understand!"

She suddenly slapped her forehead.

"You're the school bully!"

Catherine's eyes lit up as if she had discovered something extraordinary.

"I'm not a school bully. I only bully school bullies." Ian quickly defended his reputation. His serious look did not scare Catherine.

"Then I understand! You are the school bully among bullies! The bully among bullies!"

This is obviously a smart little girl.

"..."

Ian wiped his eyes helplessly.

"Let's knock on the door. Is he not in the room?"

He changed the subject.

"No, this uncle will not leave the room every night." As she said this, Catherine raised her little hand again, clenched it into a fist and knocked gently on the door.

The force is very small.

Maybe the people inside couldn't hear clearly.

"I'll do it."

Ian said as he raised his fist and slammed it against the door.

"Boom boom boom!"

The violent movement caused the door frame to shake a few times.

"Is this the aura of a school bully?"

Catherine's eyes lit up, as if she was sure of her judgment.

"who is it?"

Before Ian could open his mouth to correct her, a tired voice came from inside the door. Perhaps the other person was sleeping soundly when Catherine knocked on the door gently before.

"Uncle, my brother is back and he said he wants to see you." Catherine shouted towards the door, then lowered her voice and whispered to Ian about the situation.

"I don't think he will see us. As long as it's past six o'clock, even if it's raining gold coins outside, I don't think this uncle will step out of his room."

She had just finished her somewhat confident argument.

"Kaz~"

The old wooden door was opened.

"Who did I hear talking about gold coins? Where can I pick up gold coins?" A messy-haired head poked out of the door. He had an unkempt beard and a slightly weathered face.

Although he looks to be in his thirties, he already has wrinkles and white hair at such a young age. There are many extremely gray hairs mixed in with his light brown hair.

All I can say is that the appearance alone fits Ian's stereotype of a homeless person.

"what?"

When the little girl saw the door opened and the "strange uncle" walked out, she was dumbfounded.

"Uncle Lupin may be in a good mood today. This is my brother, the uncle that Miss Elena rescued." Catherine's face turned red and she was very embarrassed. The feeling of being slapped in the face made her unable to stay where she was. She immediately introduced the two people to each other and rushed towards the restaurant.

Cabbage and radish stewed with meat.

Who doesn't love?

If you go too late you won’t be able to grab it.

This is how the little girl psychologically defended her behavior.

"Lupin?"

Ian looked at the tall and thin man who came out in confusion. He was wearing a tattered cotton coat with traces of repairs all over it.

"Remus Lupin?"

Ian asked again with some suspicion to confirm.

"It's Remus John Lupin... Do you know me?" The man who looked quite weathered corrected Ian's words, which was equivalent to verifying his identity that perhaps not many people still remembered.

of course.

Although Ian didn't know much about this person, he still knew some general information. Not only because of his memories from his previous life, he also asked professors at school about this poor man.

The main purpose is to study wolfsbane potion. There are many werewolves in the world, and if we can make cheap and easy-to-use wolfsbane potion, we will definitely be able to gain the favor and enthusiasm of the werewolves.

Say something.

Ian did find out something. Werewolf is indeed an infectious disease, not the shortcut version of Animagus that he had originally guessed. Just like the famous "dragon pox", werewolf is also a magical disease, or more precisely, an infectious disease called "lycanthropy".

It spreads among people through contact with saliva and blood. Trying to discover a new Animagus by helping werewolves get rid of the side effects of being a werewolf is not feasible.

"Know something?"

Ian blinked in response.

Anyone who knows the background of the Harry Potter world knows that Remus Lupin is a very dangerous werewolf. When he was four years old, his father offended the werewolf Fenrir Greyback.

In revenge, the werewolf broke into the bedroom through the window and bit little Lupin. Lupin became a werewolf from then on. His parents tried various ways to save him but to no avail.

He and his parents thought that he could not go to Hogwarts because other parents would not want their children to be close to a werewolf, but after Albus Dumbledore became the headmaster, he came up with some ways to allow Remus to go to Hogwarts. From then on, Lupin became a die-hard fan of Albus Dumbledore.

It was precisely so that Remus Lupin could complete his studies at Hogwarts that Dumbledore ordered the planting of a Whomping Willow on the school grounds.

The Whomping Willow covers the passage leading to the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade. On full-moon nights, Remus Lupin would use this secret passage to transform into the Shrieking Shack.

The purpose is of course to ensure the safety of other students and Remus himself. This is a little-known past, and many people may only know the story of Lupin and Potter.

"Well, since you know who I am, I don't need to introduce myself." Lupin looked a little surprised, but he still breathed a sigh of relief and put the cheat sheet hidden in his sleeve back into his trouser pocket.

The sharp-eyed Ian saw the densely packed small handwriting on the note, which contained a fabricated identity background, describing the person as living on the streets due to bankruptcy due to failed investments.

to be frank.

Ian felt that as soon as Lupin stood here, he felt a sense of desolation. There was nothing wrong with his identity and background, but he doubted that Lupin could tell about his experiences when he was rich.

"Were you a wealthy businessman before your investment failed?"

Ian shared the information he had seen.

“That’s indeed the case in the background setting.”

Lupin answered the little wizard's question calmly.

"Can you tell me how many eggs the rich businessman eats in the morning?" Ian is a person who will verify his doubts, so he immediately started to interrogate Lupin.

"Forehead?"

Lupin subconsciously seemed to be asking for the note.

"No cheat sheets."

Ian's words made the down-and-out werewolf feel helpless.

"I think... at least five, with some grilled sausages and vegetables." He could only think about it for a while and give an answer based on his own imagination.

"..."

Ian seemed to see a Western version of a rich man eating a bowl of braised chicken with rice and throwing away another bowl of braised chicken with rice. He found it hard to imagine that such a person with so many flaws could actually gain the trust of Ms. Elena.

"You didn't cast a Confusion Charm on our Headmaster, did you?"

Ian looked at the somewhat reserved young werewolf in front of him with a strange expression.

"Of course not. Ms. Elena is a very kind person, and she wouldn't ask me such weird questions." Lupin sighed helplessly.

"To sneak into a place, you have to make relevant preparations first. Catherine said you have been in the orphanage for several weeks, but you can't even memorize the fabricated identity information!"

Ian seemed to have seen something very incredible.

"What can I do? I'm not a Ravenclaw... Maybe you don't know, but I'm from Gryffindor, so memorizing has never been my strong point." Lupin may indeed be considered an outstanding wizard, but he seems to have the same problem as most outstanding Gryffindors.

"Even if you are a Gryffindor, the most basic thing when you take money for work is to make money with conscience, right?" Ian seemed to remember something after he said this.

"Oh, by the way, there is something that might interest you. That is, Gryffindor didn't get many points this year, but Ravenclaw got more." His somewhat nonsensical remarks left Lupin stunned for a long time.

"I didn't take the money..." He answered in a faint voice after a long while.

Ok.

Now we know who the truly conscienceless capitalist is.

"It's okay. I'll give you some." Ian took out a heavy purse and handed it to Lupin. The purse was full of copper Knuts, which he had begun to dislike.

One gold Galleon was equal to four hundred and ninety-three copper Knuts, so this full bag of money didn't even contain enough money to make up one gold Galleon. Ian felt embarrassed to deposit it in Gringotts.

of course.

Lupin, who is used to being poor, will definitely not mind.

"Are you trying to bribe me?"

Even though his eyes were on the purse, he still did not give up his integrity to take it. As an adult wizard, his pride did not allow him to accept charity from the little wizard.

"This is the reward you deserve."

Ian stuffed the purse into Lupin's clothes. I don't know if Lupin felt it was too cold in the summer or for some other reason, but he subconsciously hugged his clothes, which looked quite funny.

"Dumbledore said you were very rich and told me to be polite to you." Lupin looked around as if trying to save his dignity, then moved away from the door he was blocking.

"Want to come in and talk?"

He seemed to be certain that the little wizard might have many doubts in his heart.

"Dumbledore asked you to protect me?" Ian walked into the somewhat simple room. He felt that he had guessed why Lupin appeared in the Wood Orphanage.

"Dumbledore asked me to keep an eye on you to prevent you from causing any trouble in the Muggle world. He said you brought back some very, very dangerous...things?"

Lupin didn't seem to have any detailed knowledge of Ian's situation. Perhaps he had indeed been wandering before and was then conscripted by Albus Dumbledore.

"Oh, how much our headmaster distrusts me. I would never rashly blow up my own home." Ian's indignant response did not make Lupin feel at ease.

"What!? You brought back explosives!?"

Lupin widened his eyes in uncertainty. In his memory, Dumbledore was talking about special magical creatures. He thought he was going to take care of another Newt Scamander.

Who would have thought... that a genius in blasting would appear!
"I am a metaphor!"

Ian quickly defended his image once again.

"Well, at least I didn't bring back any explosives."

Lupin visibly breathed a sigh of relief, but the little wizard's silence made his relaxed expression stiffen again.

"So, there are still explosives, right?"

The corners of Lupin's eyes began to twitch wildly.

He gradually realized that the task assigned to him by Albus Dumbledore was not simple.

This is just a first-grade little wizard!
"How can potions be called explosives..." Ian's response did not seem to be very confident, so he simply chose to change the subject and continued speaking.

"That's great! With you here, I have something to do during this holiday, and you can help me conduct some interesting experiments." Ian rubbed his hands, looking eager to try.

Lupin seemed a little unsure.

"Dumbledore told me that you are proficient in Potions and Alchemy. Although I did well in both subjects when I was in school, I have forgotten a lot of things now."

"I'm afraid I can't provide you with much help or guidance." It's not known whether Lupin was being modest, but this was not important to the young wizard.

"It's okay. I don't need you to teach me or anything." Ian waved his hand with a smile. His nonchalant look made Lupin feel a little confused.

"So what do you need me to do for you?"

He asked patiently in a calm tone.

The little wizard's eyes sparkled.

"Of course you will cooperate with me in the experiment!"

Ian seemed to have seen the moment when he would make his first fortune in the wizarding world by using the wolfsbane potion.

"So, let me help you?"

Lupin looked as if he had suddenly understood something.

"Of course that's no problem!"

He gave a helpful smile.

however.

The next moment, the smile on the future werewolf professor's face froze.

"No, no, no, what I mean is, I do experiments, and you are the experiment I want to do!" Ian grabbed Lupin's arm, which had an unusually dense amount of hair.

"Look! What a worthy subject of study!"

Ian carefully plucked a few hairs from Lupin's arm.

"..."

Lupin watched the little wizard's behavior. The expression on his face changed continuously, which was quite interesting. After holding it in for a long time, he asked in a hoarse and bitter voice.

"You knew I was a werewolf?"

He obviously hadn't expected this. He thought Ian was just saying he knew a little about him and was just expressing his knowledge of him studying at Hogwarts.

"What's the difference between a werewolf and not a werewolf? It sounds so strange. I only know that you are a family member once you enter the door of our orphanage. Of course I have to help my family solve the problem!"

Ian tried to convince Lupin with a righteous excuse.

"What kind of experiment would you use your family as?"

Lupin was not fooled.

"That requires breaking down what kind of family they are... Oh, it looks like Dumbledore hasn't told you the story of how I used the magic of love to influence another rebellious and evil family member."

Ian said as he pulled out another syringe.

The little wizard in front of me took out this thing.

Lupin, who had been raising his hand while Ian was fiddling with his arm, was suddenly startled, retracted his arm, and looked at Ian with a serious expression, as if he didn't know the characteristics of a werewolf.

"Maybe you are really good at potions, you are a Prince after all, but that doesn't mean you can perform such a dangerous operation as extracting the blood of a werewolf."

"It doesn't matter if I lose some blood, but you may be irreversibly infected. I think you will learn this kind of knowledge in your Defense Against the Dark Arts class in a few years." Lupin is indeed a kind-hearted man. He seriously warned and reminded Ian.

Staring at the little wizard in front of him.

Lupin felt that he already knew why Albus Dumbledore asked him to keep an eye on this first-year student. He really found it very unbelievable that the guy who had such a bold intention to draw blood from a werewolf would be a Ravenclaw who was always known for his rigor and meticulousness?

"You took my payment..."

Ian looked at Lupin's bulging clothes dimly.

"??????"

It was at this moment that Lupin suddenly realized that he had been tricked by a first-year wizard. The copper coins that he paid attention to while all the other dogs ignored him were actually the reward for him?

Who would recruit experimental subjects and only give them such a few coins?
Lupin was quite speechless and took out his purse without saying a word, intending to return it to the little wizard. He once again reminded himself in his heart that there is probably no free lunch in this world.

Ian didn't answer it.

"Of course I know how dangerous werewolf blood is." Ian put on dragon leather gloves. He had also studied the issue of werewolf blood and infectiousness. In the magical world, werewolf blood was like some kind of hermaphroditic virus that spread through wounds and could be passed on to offspring by the infected.

"It's precisely because we know how dangerous this disease is that we have to cure it, right? For everyone." Ian began to preach again.

"You actually call this a disease?"

Lupin sneered.

"It's a curse! A very terrible curse!"

He finally showed his poor academic side.

"Let me make a bet. If I can cure this disease, you will work for me for a hundred years." Ian was full of confidence. He already had a direction for his research on improving the wolfsbane potion.

All that was missing was a live werewolf experiment and a virus sample.

"What kind of job?"

Lupin frowned.

"That's something we'll talk about later."

Ian showed his cautious side as a Ravenclaw student. He was ambitious and wanted to do something as good as General Jin printing US dollars in the wizarding world. This was a big deal, so Ian would not casually tell others that he was going to set up a banknote printing factory in the future.

"I don't think I can live a hundred years."

Lupin couldn't help laughing. He thought the little wizard was just joking. Seeing that the little wizard still wanted to draw his blood, he immediately pulled down his sleeves.

"It's okay, you can ask your son to help you finish the unfinished work." Ian looked at Lupin's arm with some regret. He felt that the nanny Dumbledore found lacked trust in him.

"You actually think I will have offspring?"

Lupin smiled bitterly as if he had heard some hellish joke, "This is impossible. You know, no father would want his child to be born a werewolf like himself."

talking.

Lupin also sighed heavily.

The tone is sad.

He has also had a girl he liked.

"So, cure the disease first, this is the most important thing." In order to demonstrate his strength, Ian took out a bunch of difficult potions that he had brewed himself.

however.

Not only did this fail to convince Lupin, but it made Lupin's eyes widen in shock.

"You emptied Snape's little coffers!?"

He looked in disbelief at the potions that Ian had placed all over the room.

"Good uncle still has a small treasury!?"

Ian's eyes suddenly lit up again.

"Uh... So that's not it. If you give up your attempt to study me, I think I would be willing to tell you where Snape's little vault is."

Lupin's tone sounded a little regretful. He still wanted to persuade the young wizard not to attempt any dangerous operations. He was a little worried that Ian would go to Diagon Alley to find other werewolves to conduct so-called research.

"Forget it, I can earn more if I can solve the werewolf problem." Ian's perseverance was revealed at this moment, leaving Lupin at a loss as to how to respond.

"I'm going to find Dumbledore."

The only thing he could think of was "suing the principal."

"Dumbledore will support me. Don't you know that everyone in school calls me Ian Dumbledore!" Ian has already figured out how well Lupin knows him.

He simply took advantage of the power of others to bully others.

"Ok?"

As expected, Lupin was stunned for a moment, and his expression gradually became one of surprise and doubt.

“Anti-inflammatory!”

Ian whistled.

"Look, this is my phoenix!"

He caught the Black Phoenix that came out of the void in his hand. In order to increase the persuasiveness, he also tried to hold down the struggling Phoenix and dye the Black Phoenix's hair on the spot.

"Jiejiejiejie~"

The Black Phoenix's terrified screams echoed in Lupin's room. The young werewolf felt that his brain capacity was not enough, and for a moment he could not tell whether Ian was telling the truth or a lie.

"Although it looks a little strange, and its cry is a lot more abstract...but the feeling of Apparition just now..." Lupin had to convince himself that the "black chicken" Ian caught might really be a phoenix. He suddenly realized that the serious and concerned expression on Albus Dumbledore's face when he called him here might not just be because he was worried about a Hogwarts student.

"Really, I made a wolfsbane potion. It's so powerful." Ian failed to catch the Black Phoenix who was struggling and using Apparition. All he had was a mouthful of phoenix hairs and his hands were stained with saliva from the phoenix's "revenge".

"This is not a question of whether you can make wolfsbane potion..."

Lupin still wanted to persuade the little wizard.

however.

"Dong Dong Dong~"

There was a knock on the door outside.

"Ian, Ian, it's time to eat. Can you ask Uncle Lupin if he wants to eat?" It was Catherine's childish voice, with a bit of anxiety about the cabbage stew being snatched away by other children.

"Eat first, and we'll talk about this later."

Ian put everything back into his purse.

"You guys eat. I won't go out tonight. Although it's not a full moon night, but... I have to make everyone adapt to my habits." Lupin breathed a sigh of relief and waved to the little wizard.

"Mr. Lupin, think about it carefully. Do you want to stay in a dark corner all your life, or embrace the hope of being in the sunshine? Even if it's just a glimmer of hope, I think you should grab it." Ian turned around and spoke to Lupin seriously. Under Lupin's evasive gaze, he opened the door and walked outside.

The little wizard did not close the door.

Took Catherine to the restaurant.

inside the room.

Lupin was left sitting down on the ground in an ungraceful manner. He looked at the lit corridor outside the door and the light radiating from the corridor into the dim room.

"There is no hope...wolfsbane potion is not hope."

The young werewolf raised his hand and flicked it gently. Magic power surged and the door of the room was closed by him. He and the entire room were shrouded in darkness again.

……

the next day.

After the rain, the sky clears up.

It was a bright morning at the orphanage in London.

Sparrows chirped on the branches.

The sun shines through the clouds, gently shining on this quaint and slightly weathered building, giving it a warm and soft golden glow. In the yard of the orphanage, the moist soil exudes a faint fragrance, intertwined with the fragrance of flowers and plants, making Ian, who wakes up early for morning reading, feel refreshed.

The children came out of their rooms one after another, wearing neat but slightly old clothes, their faces full of anticipation and curiosity for the new day. Some children chased and played in the yard, with laughter coming one after another; others sat quietly on the benches, enjoying this rare tranquility and beauty.

of course.

There were also little ones who came over and pestered Ian.

"Ian! You are such a lucky star! The day after you came back, another kind-hearted person came to donate money!" Catherine wanted to act like the flattering adults on TV.

however.

The childish little face looks like a husky.

Quite funny.

"Kind person? Where is he? Take me to see him!" Ian suspected that it was his good uncle who had disguised himself and came to the orphanage again. He was eager to try and immediately asked Catherine to lead the way.

It's not the weekend.

Which fundraiser comes to the orphanage to collect donations so early in the morning?
"Here! Here! The uncle who donated the candy also asked his daughter to share some candy with us! It's not as delicious as the ones you gave us! But it's also very delicious!"

Catherine's style of leading the "Royal Army" was the same as always. She had always liked to tell Ian about things since she was a child, and then take Ian to the places where the visitors were to listen to Ian's boastful comments.

"They are in Miss Elena's office!" Catherine brought Ian to the door of the dean's office, but because the door was open at that time, she panicked and grabbed Ian and hid behind the wall.

"It's that kind-hearted man! His daughter is so nice! She gave me two candies!" Catherine was still chattering, and Ian had already looked at the donor who came out.

A middle-aged man with a daughter in her early teens.

"I think this donation will be very meaningful. I can tell from the smiles on the faces of these children that it will all be used where it should be used."

The middle-aged man was still talking to Dean Elena.

He was about forty years old, tall and slender, with elegant manners. He was wearing a well-tailored dark suit, a neat white shirt and an exquisite tie, showing the typical British gentleman style.

"Of course. We have detailed records of every expense. Donors and other outsiders have the right to supervise our spending." Dean Elena was all smiles. It was obvious that the donation was a considerable amount. She seemed very serious in front of the middle-aged man who made the donation.

Although she would not normally criticize others for the amount of donations, she always worried that she would offend generous donors for some reason.

Rich people all have weird personalities.

If you are not careful, you may offend the other person.

"Although I usually do charity work with my wife, I have never donated such a huge sum of 20,000 pounds to any charity."

"It is not a small sum for me either. Don't be afraid of laughing at me. I am here today for some selfish reasons. I hope God can forgive some of my mistakes."

"At least... don't punish my daughter." The middle-aged man looked at the silent girl beside him. The little girl with fluffy brown hair seemed absent-minded.

"She has been... encountering some strange things recently." The middle-aged man sighed heavily, his tone worried, but he did not tell Ms. Elena the details.

In fact, Ms. Irina has encountered many similar situations.

For people in the UK.

It is common to try to obtain divine protection at the last minute, especially among wealthy people, so Ms. Elena knows exactly how to respond.

"I will always pray for this child, and I also believe that the merciful God will never let such a lovely child suffer such tragic suffering."

Ms. Elena temporarily turned back into a devout believer.

Her remarks made the middle-aged man very happy.

But the little girl looked up at Ms. Elena.

"If there really is a God in this world and God responds to people's prayers, there would be no famine in Africa and many poor countries."

"Ma'am, excuse my rudeness, but maybe you should watch more of the science and education channel every Saturday..." Although she was worried, the little girl still weakly retorted.

of course.

She was mainly talking to her father who had forced her to come here to donate money without telling her mother. The little girl was not opposed to donating money to help others, but she was somewhat disdainful of the so-called theories of gods and ghosts.

"That kind of weird thing has happened to you several times. Why are you still unwilling to accept the reality?" The middle-aged man rubbed his daughter's head hard without saying anything.

"There must be a reason. Maybe we need to..." The little girl wanted to say something, but suddenly, she looked up and saw Catherine and Ian hiding behind the corner.

"It's him! It's him! It's him! Dad! Mom and I met him! And after we went back, strange things started happening to me!"

"This guy called out my name right away! He must have cast a spell on me!" The little girl immediately raised her hand excitedly and made a sharp popping sound.

It's hard to imagine that a teenage girl could raise her voice to a level that's almost like a soprano.

"Ok?"

The middle-aged man and Ms. Elena looked over immediately and found that Catherine stood up with her hands raised, her red face full of panic.

"I didn't...I met this lady for the first time today."

She thought he was talking about herself.

Ian laughed, shook his head and followed him out.

"She's talking about me, Catherine."

The little wizard first signaled Catherine to leave quickly.

Then he looked at the familiar little girl not far away, and he couldn't help feeling a little emotional. After all, he thought he would have to wait until school started before he could meet the members of the trio.

"Miss Hermione Granger, you believe in science so much, why do you talk about witchcraft all the time?" Ian sighed helplessly.

That's right.

This little girl who was taken to the orphanage by her father to donate money in an attempt to use some "mysterious power" to get rid of strange things was Hermione, whom Ian met before going to Hogwarts.

I can only say that fate is sometimes so unexpected.

"me……"

Hermione was speechless for a moment because of Ian's words.

She hesitated for a long time, her ears turned red, but she still couldn't explain it clearly.

"You can tell me that witchcraft may be the science that has not yet been explained by science." Ian gave a kind reminder, but it made Hermione blush even more.

"Dad! He's the one Mom and I met!"

The little girl could only hide behind Mr. Granger for help. Dean Elena was a little confused at first, but after hearing Hermione's complaint, she immediately understood what was going on.

"Little Ian is one of the older children in our orphanage. Sometimes he goes out to earn some money to help me relieve the pressure from living expenses."

"If he has accidentally offended you and your family in the past, I apologize to you on his behalf..." Dean Elena said, and waved Ian over in a panic.

"It's not what you think. I don't think the child has done anything rude. My wife has high praise for him. It's just that my daughter is a little willful sometimes."

Mr. Granger didn't pay attention to Hermione's complaint. He looked at his daughter who was becoming more and more anxious, and then looked at Ian, who was outstanding in temperament and appearance.

"Young sir, are you a fortune teller?"

Mr. Granger's eyes flickered slightly.

He didn't use a questioning tone.

However, Dean Elena hurried to help Ian explain.

"He is a good kid, and he was admitted to a very good school with free tuition. I think you must have misunderstood him. He does not have any talent as a fortune teller."

Ms. Elena's face was full of tension.

"which school?"

Mr. Granger still kept smiling, but he suddenly asked a question.

"Forehead……"

After hesitating for a moment, Ms. Elena answered Mr. Granger's question, "If I remember correctly, it should be Hogwarts School for Gifted Youngsters."

"That's the name, right? Little Ian."

After she finished speaking, she looked at Ian with some uncertainty.

"Yes, that's the name."

Ian looked up at Mr. Granger, smiling brightly. If Ian remembered correctly, he was a dentist with a high income in the UK. Medicine is a high-paying profession in the West, so the Granger family should at least be a middle-class family, and excellent dentists can get a generous salary of hundreds of thousands of pounds every year.

"Hogwarts School for Gifted Youngsters..." Mr. Granger groaned. He often attended gatherings of wealthy people and was very sure that there was no such school in the UK at least.

"It was after I met you that strange things started happening to me. You have to tell me why!" Hermione's courage increased significantly as she hid behind her father.

"I told you we would meet again, and here we are again. Who knows, we might even become classmates." Ian shrugged, leaving Hermione bewildered.

Ms. Elena also looked a little confused.

"So, is there really such a school?" Only Mr. Granger seemed to realize something, and looked at the little boy in front of him with some doubt.

"Of course it is there, and has been there for thousands of years."

Ian also responded.

"A thousand-year-old prestigious school?"

Mr. Granger's pupils were shaking violently, and it was obvious that he was very uneasy, but due to his excellent self-control he did not show it too much.

"Hogwarts specializes in recruiting special children...I mean gifted children." Ian looked at Ms. Elena and corrected his own words in time.

"I understand."

Mr. Granger didn't know what he understood.

He looked deeply at the little boy in front of him, and then looked at his daughter with some affection, "You stay here, Miss Elena and I have something to discuss."

These words not only made Hermione slightly stunned.

Even Ms. Elena was confused.

“Are you going to take back your donation?”

She asked cautiously.

"of course not."

Mr. Granger had already walked towards the office, and Ms. Elena followed him with trepidation, leaving the two children, Ian and Hermione, standing in the corridor.

"I just didn't expect God to respond so quickly, so I think I need to give more..." I don't know what Mr. Granger understood.

He was obviously going to increase his donation to the orphanage.

"Is your father planning to donate some money to the orphanage?" Ian said to Hermione, who was at a loss as to what to do and couldn't find a place to hide.

"I do not know what you're talking about."

Hermione jumped onto a chair and successfully surpassed Ian in height.

"Did you cast a spell on me because I had a debate with you? I've looked up a lot of books on the subject!" She mustered up the courage to question Ian.

"Why do you think I'm such a stingy person?"

Ian looked at Hermione, who was a little apprehensive. He probably sensed her mind and emotions, and confirmed that Hermione was probably going through the period of uncontrolled magic explosion that all young wizards would experience.

"Isn't it you?"

Hermione's eyes became a little dazed.

"I thought you didn't believe in witchcraft and magic."

Ian spoke again with interest.

"Haven't you ever heard of a saying? After eliminating all impossible possibilities, the remaining possibility, no matter how absurd, must be the truth."

It seems that Hermione is also reading the Sherlock Holmes stories.

"Didn't I tell you this when we first met?" Ian knew very well that Miss Beaver's fear of him came from the fact that she had never understood magic.

"Ah!? You said that!?"

Hermione's mind was obviously a little confused, and she couldn't recall the relevant memories for a while. Of course she couldn't remember, because Ian was just teasing her.

"I'm lying to you. I never said that. I just told you to believe that there is magic in this world. I think you have realized that you and I are the same kind of people."

Ian was of course well aware of Hermione's current slightly ostrich-like contradictory psychology.

After all, he really can read minds.

"I knew you didn't say that!"

Hermione immediately started to yell again, staring at the young wizard with an indignant expression. She was almost climbing to the ceiling, but at least she was still very imposing.

"Yes, I not only remember what I didn't say, I also remember what you promised." Ian looked at the little witch who had unknowingly climbed up the wall like a spider.

"what?"

Hermione had a bad feeling in her heart.

She climbed higher.

"Paji~"

Due to the instability of magic power.

She fell from the wall.

He was saved in time by Ian using a levitation spell.

"This……"

Hermione, who was suspended in mid-air, finally realized what was happening. She looked at Ian's raised hand in disbelief, or to be more precise, her eyes were fixed on the wand in Ian's hand.

"Is there really magic?!"

she exclaimed.

The little wizard responded.

"So, Miss Granger, when is the table? I have been preparing the big square table with thorns for you for a whole year." He just smiled and said the words that Hermione least wanted to hear.

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(End of this chapter)