From Hogwarts to Strixhaven.

Chapter 186 Christmas Vacation
"This is too dangerous, Ivy." The old wizard refused to give in. "Hatching a basilisk is against the Statute of Secrecy!"

"The basilisk was not hatched by me, but by Salazar Slytherin. Besides, there was no Statute of Secrecy at that time." Ivy argued, "We can work together to cast a spell at the entrance of the Chamber of Secrets to prevent anyone from entering the Chamber by mistake. Under the magic of Parseltongue, it will continue to sleep and will not cause any harm to the teachers and students in the castle."

The old wizard just shook his head and didn't answer.

"I could have found a container - like a bag - and taken it away, but I didn't do that," Ivy said sincerely, "because I respect you, and I think you have the right to know what happened in this castle."

"Some magic is not suitable for research, Ivy. When they were first created, they were doomed to a dark future." Dumbledore advised, "You are still young, don't go too deep into this."

"If dangerous power is not studied, it cannot be controlled." Ivy's eyes were firm, and he waved his staff to take a scale from the basilisk. "Even if you can stop me, you can't stop other wizards who want to study black magic. Human curiosity is endless, and only correct guidance can prevent it from causing greater damage. Suppressing it blindly will not solve any problems, but will make it erupt more violently."

"Muggle society is not unrelated to the wizarding world. You should know that in the first 40 years of this century, two wars broke out that swept the entire world. The reason why there was no third world war was precisely because Muggles invented a weapon that could destroy the entire world. They foresaw the worst consequences, so they took the initiative to restrain the scale of the war." Ivy stared into the old wizard's eyes and began to introduce him to the theory of nuclear deterrence.

"Muggles have had a much greater impact on the world than wizards..." Dumbledore exclaimed, "Their wisdom is also amazing... I can allow you to study the basilisk, but the premise is that I must be present... until you find a way to control its gaze."

Ivy smiled with satisfaction. Although this result was different from what he had expected at the beginning, it was still acceptable because mutual compromise was the essence of negotiation.

Then the two of them jointly set up a spell at the entrance of the secret room to prevent others from entering. The spell also had an ingenious structure that acted as a lock, and the keys were held by the two wizards respectively. Even if one person wanted to quietly break through the magic blockade and enter the secret room, the other person would know immediately.

Ivy still has a lot of things to deal with this year. The research on the basilisk can be put on hold. Now all he has to do is ensure its survival.

The basilisk scales that Ivy had removed with a spell were handed over to Dumbledore, who used them as evidence to prove to the Ministry of Magic that it was a basilisk, not a giant eight-eyed spider, that caused Myrtle's death fifty years ago, thus clearing Hagrid's name fifty years late.

As the Chamber of Secrets incident came to an end, the magical creatures that always appeared in various places in the castle seemed to have calmed down. At least before the Christmas holidays, no strange things happened in the castle again.

This also made many students more convinced that it was Lockhart who had figured out everything.

Although Ivy was also very curious about what the embarrassed Lockhart had faced that day, he had made up his mind to stay away from Defense Against the Dark Arts before the start of the semester. How could he go back on his word now?
As snow covered the castle and the students left on the Hogwarts Express, silence gradually became the theme of the castle.

During this time, Ivy was busy making Christmas gifts for his friends, and planned to send them all out by owl mail by Christmas.

The gift to Cassandra was a small watering can, a specialized version of an alchemical pot.

The original Alchemy Pot could magically pour out a variety of liquids without having to fill it up beforehand, including acids, poisons, beer, honey, and wine. However, the maximum volume of each liquid varied, ranging from 8 ounces for acid to 12 gallons for salt water.

Ivy changed the shape of the alchemy pot into a small and exquisite watering pot, and the liquid inside was changed to pure water, but the maximum volume became one cubic meter, which means that the total weight was one ton.

Using it to water magical plants is of course a basic function. In addition to this, Ivy also gave it the magic power to change the local weather.

As long as you hold a watering can, you can summon a small dark cloud and make it rain in an area no larger than 10 feet.

The amount of precipitation can also be adjusted freely, whether it is a drizzle or a downpour, it all depends on the mind of the holder of the watering can. However, as long as the one ton of water in the watering can is completely consumed, the dark cloud will automatically disperse until it is filled again the next morning.

The Christmas gift given to Harry was a skeleton key that could open any Muggle lock as long as it could be inserted into the keyhole.

I heard that Harry's uncle often locked up all his magic props, so Ivy made this magic prop specially for him.

As for Hermione, Ivy originally wanted to give her a book, but considering that she was in a bad mood recently, she gave her a set of naughty cards instead.

This deck looks exactly like a normal deck of playing cards, but its owner can use a thought to sense the remaining cards that have not been touched, and can exchange the cards in his hand with the cards in the deck that have not been touched.

If the owner does not take good care of the deck, the face cards and joker cards in the deck may play tricks and deliberately provide wrong information, causing the owner to lose the game.

As for Ron, Ivy gave him an exceptionally sturdy hamster wheel and a Muggle booklet on "Proper Exercise and Diet Planning".

Ostensibly it was for the sake of his pet Scabbers, but in reality it was a prison prepared for Peter Pettigrew.

Dumbledore was given a pair of wool socks, and Hagrid was given Norbert's fallen baby teeth.

There was also Fleur, who was studying in Beauxbatons, France. Ivy gave her a music box.

The music box is shaped like a shell. It will open when you tap it twice with the magic wand. Inside is a mermaid who looks 80% like Fleur and she will sing a beautiful song.

As for the Lucius family, Ivy gave them a set of Muggle economics books and attached a short letter asking him to study them carefully.

----

At the Christmas dinner at Hogwarts, the students who stayed on campus ate with gusto, but the professors sitting on the other side of the long table were not so happy.

Because Lockhart also stayed in school.

He told a joke that he thought was funny, but he was the only one who laughed so hard that he couldn't breathe.

Professor Flitwick buried his face in his hands, embarrassment written all over his body, for Lockhart had been a Ravenclaw when he was at school.

Professor McGonagall calmly moved her plate a little further away, as if she was afraid that Lockhart's saliva would get on it.

Professor Snape was not affected at all, for his eyes were fixed on Harry, and he didn't even notice that his plate was empty.

"Give me a piece of apple pie, Severus!" Lockhart said eagerly, hoping to break the tense atmosphere at the table.

However, this only made the atmosphere on the professor's side more sinister.

"No, thank you," Snape said stiffly, and then he was the first to leave the party. Before leaving, he cast a disdainful look at Lockhart's face, because Lockhart had been bragging in the staff room recently about how he defeated the monster in the Chamber of Secrets, causing the professors to stop going there for tea.

"Severus looks really bad," Lockhart shook his head regretfully, "He seems to have lost his appetite! Perhaps I should prepare him an appetite-stimulating potion? The last wizard who drank this potion swallowed a cow alive!"

"I'm afraid Severus is the Potions professor at Hogwarts." Professor McGonagall pointed out the point incisively.

Lockhart was like a pheasant with its neck strangled, completely embarrassed.

Then he rolled his eyes and tried to think of a way to ease the embarrassment.

Then he decided to brag about his prowess in the chamber.

"Why does it sound like the houseboat?" asked Professor Trelawney, who was hearing Lockhart's boast for the first time. She seldom dined in the Great Hall, except at Christmas.

"Maybe Gilderoy had a fight with the oars. Are they as strong as my wooden legs?" Professor Keltburn joked, raising his wooden arm.

"There's no room for that beast in a place as small as the boathouse," Lockhart said triumphantly. "Just imagine its slippery scales, steel-like teeth, and venomous stings! Although I'm a well-known adventurer, a best-selling author at Flourish and Blotts, a recipient of the Order of Merlin, a third-class medal, an honorary member of the Dark Arts Defense League, and a five-time winner of the Most Charming Smile Award from Witch Weekly - I don't solve the nightmares of all the teachers and students in the school with a smile."

Professor Trelawney glanced at him suspiciously through the ridiculous giant lens, and then said: "Anyway, I'm going back to the tower. Sitting with mortals for a long time will make my "third eye" clouded. By the way, Gilderoy, be careful with your hair. I accidentally glanced at your teacup just now, and the tea stains told me this. I think I need to remind you."

Lockhart was visibly stunned for a moment, then he smiled again: "That's very thoughtful of you, Sybil."

After enjoying their desserts, the professors left one after another, and soon only some leftovers were left in the auditorium.

----

The next morning, Ivy stood in an empty classroom, admiring the scenery and letting the cool wind outside the window cool his brain.

The snow scene at Hogwarts is beautiful, and the students playing snowball fights in the open space undoubtedly adds a lot of vitality to the school.

Due to the bloody incident, there are fewer students staying on campus for the holidays this year than in previous years, but it is still more than enough to organize a big battle with more than dozens of people.

"A salvo of ten thousand bullets!"

A senior student who had a huge pile of snow stuffed up his neck retaliated, and many snowballs formed spontaneously and flew towards the red-haired children.

Ivy recognized the Weasley brothers and sisters, and the one who pulled out his wand to fight back was also a red-haired Percy, who became the prefect last year. It seemed that his brothers and sisters did not like this hypocritical brother.

"I'm sorry! Professor McGonagall!" Percy's ears turned red.

One of the snowballs hit Professor McGonagall right in the face as she went out to breathe the cold winter air.

Professor McGonagall glared at Percy, spat out the snow in her mouth, and then commanded the snowman to attack without mercy.

"Oh!" Harry and Hermione were startled. The snowman they built suddenly came to life. The chubby creature used Filch's broom as arms and ran fast in the snow with two legs like short pillars. It soon caught up with the Weasley brothers and sisters.

Then, the snowman pulled up his head with crooked facial features, used his pointy carrot nose as a crosshair, and swung his broom arm and threw it out.

"Ouch!" Amid Ginny Weasley's scream, Ron was hit accurately on the back of the head and fell to the ground on the snow which was as thick as a quilt.

His two older brothers breathed a sigh of relief and immediately started laughing at their younger brother.

But before they could laugh a second time, the snowman pounced on them and pressed them down, burying them in the snow.

Percy, the instigator of the incident, was not having an easy time either. A snowman with its head held high was chasing him around. The Gryffindor prefect, who had neglected exercise, was obviously no match for the snowman in running, and thus became the third grave in the snow.

"Ten points for Gryffindor," Ivy heard Professor McGonagall say haughtily.

Ivy was beginning to want to join them. Maybe he could create an avalanche and bury everyone?

Just as Ivy was thinking about what pattern to carve on the snow wave, the phoenix-shaped guardian angel brought a message: "Get ready, we're leaving for Little Hangleton today."

That was Dumbledore's voice. Using the Patronus to deliver messages was also his unique invention.

Ivy had planned to check what gifts he had received today, but it was obviously not the right time, so he prepared his own ritual and left the empty classroom.

Today he deliberately added some spells from the school of protection to his prepared spells, including the 1st-level protection from good and evil, the 3rd-level remove curse, and the 6th-level spell nullification ward.

Because he remembered that Voldemort had placed a lethal curse on Marvolo Gaunt's golden ring.

Although Ivy himself is a master of curses, it is always a good idea to be prepared.

The 6th-level spell-nullifying barrier can continuously exclude all spell effects within a 10-foot radius and can last for one minute.

A 3rd level remove curse spell ends the curse and severs the connection between the cursed item and its wearer. If Dumbledore had put on the ring in an insane way, this spell would have saved him from losing an arm.

As for the 1st-ring Protection from Good and Evil, it can give the protected target an advantage against certain types of creatures. Ivy felt that Voldemort should be considered an undead creature at this point, so this spell should be able to work.

(End of this chapter)