From Hogwarts to Sturhaven

Even though Hagrid made his assurances repeatedly, Professor McGonagall still glanced at him with a suspicious look several times, as if Hagrid were about to pull a fire-breathing dragon out of his pocket.

“Speaking of ‘that thing’,” Professor McGonagall paused for a moment, “what exactly happened to Professor Quirrell? Dumbledore? You weren’t at school the day he disappeared. Hagrid reported to me that a unicorn carcass had been found in the Forbidden Forest, along with large areas of charred remains… What exactly happened in the Forbidden Forest? You could have kept quiet about it before, but now the inspection team is going to visit the magical creatures in that forest, and we can’t let anything happen to them!”

“Minerva…” Dumbledore shook his head. “I can’t tell you right now, but I can assure you that there are no other dangers in the Forbidden Forest.”

"And what about Professor Quirrell?" Professor McGonagall persisted, "Although he wasn't very dedicated in his teaching, he was still my student!"

“Quirok is a dark wizard who has sided with Voldemort,” Dumbledore said softly after much hesitation.

Upon hearing that name, Professor McGonagall and Hagrid both shuddered in unison: "What? How is that possible! The Mystic was defeated eleven years ago! Besides, I practically watched Quirrell grow up, how could he be a dark wizard?"

“I’ve said enough about this, Minerva.” Dumbledore glanced at Hagrid’s cabin, then turned and walked toward the castle. “Voldemort is not completely gone; he could return at any time, so we must remain vigilant.”

Professor McGonagall quickly followed, but after only a few steps, she turned back and reminded Hagrid, "Don't tell anyone about the Mystic, okay, Hagrid?"

“I promise, Professor McGonagall!” Hagrid nodded vigorously.

“Alright, I wish you and Sylvanas a successful presentation. We will build that magical creature... that base at Hogwarts.” Professor McGonagall patted Hagrid’s arm as encouragement, then quickly caught up with Dumbledore.

Harry and Ron exchanged a glance behind the cabin, both seeing their own pale faces reflected in each other's eyes.

“The Mysterious Man!” Ron gasped for breath, as if someone had grabbed him by the neck, though he had simply forgotten to breathe. “Dumbledore said the Mysterious Man would return!”

"He's found us!" Harry was still savoring Dumbledore's gaze before he left. There was a certain determination in those icy blue eyes, but when he looked at Harry again, there was always a sense of sorrow in them.

"Who?" Ron's face paled even more, and he asked pleadingly, "Hagrid?"

"Dumbledore."

Chapter 109 Where is Little Dragon?

"Do you remember why we're here, Harry?" Ron asked, noticing Harry's absent-mindedness, and decided to distract him.

"Uh... help Hagrid feed the dragon?" Harry stopped thinking about Dumbledore, since he hadn't deducted any points from Gryffindor anyway.

“Yeah! Hagrid has already opened the door and gone in. Shall we go see the dragon? Maybe we can ask about the unicorns in the Forbidden Forest while we’re at it…” Ron pointed to the wooden wall behind him with his thumb and asked in a “what the heck” tone, “We already know Professor Quirrell is a dark wizard, so knowing a little more about his crimes won’t make a big deal.”

After only a brief moment of hesitation, Harry agreed with Ron. After all, things had already come to this point, how much worse could it get?

So the two knocked on Hagrid's wooden door and heard his familiar, gruff voice: "Who is it!"

"It's me! Harry!"

"And Ron!"

The door opened, and Hagrid looked behind them. There was no one on the path, so he gladly invited them inside.

The interior furnishings were different from what the two were familiar with; they were surprisingly clean and tidy. The tableware that had been scattered everywhere had been neatly put back in its place, and the chicken feathers and empty brandy bottles scattered all over the floor had disappeared. There was a pleasant grassy scent in the air, and even the black marks that Xiaolong had burned on the table had disappeared.

"What is this...?" Harry and Ron felt their brains couldn't keep up. Was this still that messy but cozy little cabin?

"Where's Little Dragon?" Harry asked. "Don't tell me it was all just a dream!"

"Hehe, of course it wasn't a dream." Hagrid grinned slyly. "It's well hidden, isn't it?"

"Wow, that's amazing!" Ron exclaimed, gesturing to show its size. "I remember when I came last week, it was almost half a person's height, and it's only going to get bigger now! Where did you hide it?"

“It wasn’t me, it was Ivy who hid it!” Hagrid was in high spirits, even humming a tune. “Did you know? The Ministry of Magic and the Board of Governors are going to build a base for magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest, and Dumbledore recommended me to be the manager there. Then, I can legally keep Noberta there!”

"Ivy's doing this too?" Ron asked skeptically. "Even if he's a wizard over a hundred years old, he couldn't possibly persuade the Ministry of Magic to react in such a short time. My dad says they're a bunch of slow-moving bureaucratic snails, spending decades discussing legal matters that only require talking. How could they possibly send someone to Hogwarts to investigate so quickly?"

“His Slytherin friends also helped.” Hagrid shrugged, seemingly unconcerned. “That’s what he told me.”

"Stop talking about that!" Harry interrupted, not wanting to hear Ron complain about the Ministry of Magic's slow-paced bureaucracy. "Where did he hide the little dragon?"

“I don’t know either,” Hagrid readily admitted. “Because I had to cooperate with the Ministry of Magic’s review team, it was obviously not appropriate to keep Nobita in the house. He took Nobita away with him in his pocket that day. Maybe he’s somewhere in the castle now?”

"In your pocket?" Harry asked.

“It must be some kind of magic, right?” Hagrid wasn’t too sure either. “Anyway, Norbert disappeared in an instant. He even decorated my house, saying it was to leave a good impression on the inspection team.”

“Ivy must be insane!” Ron groaned. “Keeping a dragon in the castle! What if it sets something on fire…”

“Don’t worry, Ron. Ivy has plenty of ways to deal with Norbert, and besides, it’s just a small dragon,” Harry reassured him.

"Breathe!" In the secret map room beneath Hogwarts Castle, unknown to anyone, Ivy was trying to play the role of a dragon trainer.

"call!"

Norbeta obligingly spewed out a bright spark, not because Ivy was naturally drawn to the little dragon, nor because of the effect of Howling Flame sitting to the side, but all because of a 4th-circle charm spell, Charm the Monster.

Despite possessing one of the best magic resistance abilities in the HP universe, Norbert struggles to resist magic from the D&D world, which may be related to the fact that Norbert has not yet fully developed.

After all, the charm monster requires a perception immunity, and the little dragon, which is only a little over a month old, obviously has no attribute advantage. Moreover, its immature mind cannot distinguish the effect of the spell, so even if the charm monster's effect wears off, the little dragon will not feel anything is wrong.

After playing with the little dragon, Ivy gave Xiaoyan the order to guard the secret room, and then went to another secret room.

As Ivy's mage pet, Howling Flame's loyalty grew stronger over time. Magical creations, of course, cannot defy their creators, and Ivy felt it was time to find an opportunity to endow it with a higher level of intelligence.

Upon arriving at the House of Requirement, Cassandra was already waiting for a long time.

The first batch of Chinese biting cabbage planted in spring has matured and it's time to harvest.

Ivy will teach her a spell to shrink and preserve cabbages so she can throw them out in case of danger.

Using herbal plants in combat is undoubtedly a green and environmentally friendly method, so Ivy can teach openly without having to hide it from Cassandra's memories as before.

“Lord Doom.” Cassandra remained very respectful, but Ivy sensed that this was not just a greeting; she had more to say. “...I found something.”

Ivy raised her eyebrows, waiting for her explanation.

“Ever since I first discovered the Room of Requirement, I’ve often come here to wander around, not just to tend to the plants, but because this room gives me a sense of peace,” Cassandra said. “But one time, when I was trying to hide a pile of Moonfox droppings (which are excellent fertilizer for magical plants)… I found a messy room, filled with everything imaginable: mountains of tables and chairs, books scattered all over the floor, and all sorts of discarded items…”

“And… a crown… I found it on a broken bust…” Cassandra’s face showed considerable struggle, and after a long while, she gasped, “I believe it’s a Ravenclaw relic… Only a wizard like you is worthy of it…”

Cassandra pulled out an object wrapped in black cloth from behind her back. It looked like a ring. When she lifted the cloth, a glittering crown appeared in front of Ivy.

Ivy confirmed its truth at a glance, because the proof of its identity was engraved on the top: "Extraordinary wisdom is mankind's greatest treasure."

Chapter 110 What is the essence of the soul?

“You really surprise me, Cassandra.” Ivy took the Ravenclaw tiara from Cassandra and examined it closely. “I have to admit, you have once again exceeded my expectations.”

"How should I reward you for resisting the temptation of the four great treasures and personally handing them over to me?"

This was a scene Ivy had never imagined. Although he knew that Voldemort had placed Ravenclaw's crown in a "hiding room" in the Room of Requirement, Ivy had never been interested in spending time on it because that place was practically a collection of all the mysteriously missing items in the castle.

There's not enough time to study magic, so how could there be time to spend searching for Ravenclaw's crown?

His original plan was to leave the search for the Ravenclaw Crown for later, and not to rely on himself to find it. Golems or groups of invisible servants were always considered his best helpers. Both possessed low-level intelligence and were completely obedient to the spellcaster, thus posing no risk of being controlled by the Ravenclaw Crown.

After all, Voldemort's Horcruxes caused considerable casualties in the original books, Tom Riddle's diary almost led to the closure of the school, Slytherin's locket even orchestrated a split in the trio, Nagini was responsible for several deaths, and the Gaunt family ring directly killed the greatest white wizard of the century.

Although Ravenclaw's tiara and Hufflepuff's cup don't appear prominently in the original books, and even seem rather rushed, Ivy wouldn't underestimate Voldemort's cunning or his mastery of dark magic. Even without any fatal curses, Voldemort could easily handle one or two spells that affected the holder's emotions.

According to Ivy's perspective, Voldemort did indeed imbue Ravenclaw's crown with dark magic that could influence the emotions of those around it. This magic would cause the wearer to develop an uncontrollable greed, solely for the purpose of possessing the crown.

Therefore, Cassandra's ability to offer Ravenclaw's crown despite Voldemort's dark magic was indeed beyond Ivy's expectations.

“I’m so grateful… I’m just glad I could help you.” Cassandra lowered her head, trying to compose herself.

“Haha…” Ivy chuckled. “You’re quite modest, but I still prefer your rebellious side. Alright then, I’ll tell you the truth about the Ravenclaw tiara.”

“This is Voldemort’s Horcrux.” Ivy’s words made Cassandra look up sharply, her eyes flashing.

“Since Voldemort turned Ravenclaw’s crown into a Horcrux… does that mean that the other relics of the four leaders might also be Horcruxes?” Cassandra quickly deduced the truth.

But Ivy didn't directly answer her speculation: "Let's find a time, I'll let you see how I torture Voldemort's soul. For someone like you who takes revenge as his motivation, the torture of an enemy is no less than the finest wine."

“But…didn’t you say that we have to destroy the Horcruxes to kill Voldemort?” Cassandra’s first question was still about the Horcruxes.

“Destroying a Horcrux is indeed a shortcut to eliminating Voldemort, but for me, it’s possible to remove Voldemort’s soul fragments from the Horcrux while preserving its original physical container.” Ivy prepared to show off a little.

With a flick of his magical hand, Ivy scooped a handful of soil from the flowerpot Cassandra used to grow cabbages. A flash of multicolored magical light, and the soil vanished, replaced by a gleaming silver metal cage. This was thanks to the Philosopher's Stone, which allowed Ivy to easily change the form of matter.

Since the overall mass remains unchanged before and after the transformation, the silver cage created using this method is quite small. However, it is sufficient for the sixth-circle spell, Soul Cage.

It's the same old routine: use the 5th Ring Drain spell to clear a path, completely weakening the magic Voldemort left behind, and also taking the opportunity to absorb the negligible magic from the soul fragments.

The energy drain spell lasted for less than half a minute before Ivy felt the dark magic effect on the Ravenclaw crown completely disappear. A few seconds later, a silvery-white mist fell from the crown and drifted into the silver cage that Ivy had made with the Philosopher's Stone.

"That is... a fragment of Voldemort's soul?" Cassandra asked, lost in thought, her hands clenching tightly involuntarily.

“That’s right, that’s a fragment of his soul,” Ivy replied, lifting the cage containing the fragment of Voldemort’s soul to get a better look at its appearance.

The piece in the diary depicts Tom Riddle in his youth, looking exactly like a sixth-grade student. Ivy is very curious about what this fragment of soul will look like. Based on the timeline, it was found by Voldemort in the Black Forest of Albania after he graduated from Hogwarts.

After working as a clerk in Borgin Burke's Dark Arts shop for a year, young Tom disappeared for ten years. When he reappeared ten years later, he was applying for the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts. By this time, Tom had become so deeply mired in the swamp of dark magic that his face looked as if it had been burned by flames.

Ivy was very curious about how the fragments of soul in the crown would reflect Voldemort's appearance—whether it was the handsome but malnourished, sunken face he had just graduated with, or the completely disfigured appearance he would have ten years later due to his mastery of dark magic.

When the new-colored mist finally stopped churning inside the silver cage and took shape, Ivy and Cassandra were both stunned.

"So ugly...?" Cassandra was incredulous. The Dark Lord, who once held sway over the British magical world and stirred up storms, was completely different from his former self.

“He’s like a wrinkled lump of flesh…even a toad covered in bumps is better looking,” Cassandra couldn’t help but say.

Indeed, neither the handsome and dashing child form nor the evil and terrifying complete form could be seen on this body composed of silver mist.

It was a slimy, limp, ugly thing. Although it looked like a curled-up infant, it had no hair, but was covered in fine, dense scales. Where its eyes should have been, there were only two slits squinting together. Its nose was two thin, elongated nostrils. Its chin looked as if someone had shaved it off, and its mouth was flat and narrow, making one wonder if it even had lips. Its limbs were twisted and unnatural, making one suspect it was disabled. Fortunately, it was currently in spirit form, and apart from the silvery mist, no other color could be seen on its body. If it were pink or flesh-colored, its ugliness would soar to the terrifying level.

“I have to admit, I didn’t expect it to turn out like this.” Ivy shook her head, feeling somewhat incredulous and a little ridiculous. “Look at what Voldemort’s Horcruxes have done to him. He’s neither human nor ghost, extremely weak, and insane.”

After the laughter subsided, a new question arose in front of Ivy: what was the difference between the soul fragments in the diary and the soul fragments in the crown?