Hogwarts Raven

"Since Dumbledore personally invited Ian to Hogwarts to study magic, the waiting period of half a month had felt excruciatingly long.

However, after encountering the mysterious figure in a black cloak while trying to sneak a peek at the "Leaky Cauldron," Ian decided to abandon the idea and confine himself to the Orphanage.

The mere thought of the potential darkness within the magical world made him shudder. He was an adult soul, yet even as a college student, how could he possibly handle such a situation?

All he could do was be obedient.

At his desk, Ian flipped through the books in front of him, occasionally furrowing his brows in thought, silently writing down words in his notebook before softly pronouncing them aloud.

Self-study always demanded a great deal of self-discipline. Even with his inherent talents, this couldn't be changed.

Each increase in his language proficiency signified a new understanding, a small but significant epiphany.

But these moments of enlightenment were dependent upon diligent study.

Of course, upgrades did indeed provide a sense of "understanding," akin to a profound revelation.

Ian was learning.

Just then,

Knock knock knock.

A knock on the door interrupted his train of thought. Ian turned to look at the door and responded, "Come in."

Creek.

The door opened, and the person who had knocked was Catherine. She leaned against the door frame, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Ian, do you want a chicken leg? The chefs said they have extra chicken legs tonight!"

She held out the chicken leg like a prized treasure, offering it to him.

At Catherine's feet, a short white cat darted into the room. Its agile figure jumped onto the table, half-crouching down.

Catherine was startled at first, then stopped in her tracks. After seeing the cat clearly, she exclaimed, "Jilly! You little troublemaker!"

Ian swatted the cat's rear, picked it up, and comforted Catherine, "It's alright, Catherine. I've already given it a lesson."

Catherine nodded with a slightly pouty expression, still upset at the cat.

Ian smiled and reassured her, "Jilly didn't mean it, Catherine. Just relax."

"Alright, Ian."

Children's moods were always fleeting as Catherine couldn't help but ask, "Ian, when can we go to the magic school?"

Ian smiled at the little girl.

Indeed, magic held an undeniable allure. But he still needed to remind Catherine.

"Catherine, remember, we agreed to keep this a secret."

Catherine immediately covered her mouth. "Ian, I..."

Ian smiled and said, "Of course, just keep it between us, it really doesn't matter. But if you want to learn magic, considering your age, you might have to wait a few more years."

"Mm-hmm, I will eat more and grow up quickly. Ian, let's go play with Noen and the others!"

Facing the little girl's hopeful gaze, Ian shook his head with a smile and turned to glance at the language books on his desk.

Originally, he had planned to reach level 5 in language proficiency to unlock extraordinary traits.

However, Catherine's interruption disrupted his focus. If he forced himself to continue studying, his efficiency would likely be low.

He glanced at his attribute panel.

Name: Ian Prince

Occupation: Bloodline Sorcerer

Magic Power: Level 4

Skills:

Language Proficiency (Level 4): 500/800

Biological Dissection (Level 5): 64/1600

Free Fighting (Level 3): 85/400

Psychology (Level 6): 42/3200

Psychology Extraordinary Traits: Mind Perception

Biological Dissection Extraordinary Traits: Butcher's Instinct

After several days of intense studying, his language proficiency had reached level 4, and he was just 300 points away from reaching level 5.

In other areas, since he hadn't gone out to do any divination recently, Psychology hadn't increased. The same goes for Biological Dissection, which is why his language skills have improved so quickly.

Time is limited, after all.

"Let's go."

Ian put the cat down.

The white cat immediately nimbly ran out of the room, and Ian followed Catherine out of the room.

In the yard, the children were playing soccer. When they saw Ian, the kids were very excited. Ian, though not much older than them, often played a parental role. He wasn't strict, but he gave them a lot of care and attention.

"Hey! Ian, come join our team!"

"No way! Ian finally came out to play, he should be on our team so we can win!"

The kids almost started fighting over him.

Ian chuckled helplessly. "Alright, alright, let me be the Keeper!"

Soon, Ian would be leaving the Orphanage for Hogwarts, and he was starting to feel a sense of indescribable reluctance for the people and things here.

…

At night, under a starry sky,

Ian finished washing up and lay down on his bed. Though the day had been very fulfilling, he still couldn't shake his longing for something he had always desired.

"When will I be able to practice magic skills?"

Soon,

Sleepiness began to wash over him.

He slipped into a deep and peaceful slumber.

The clear sky was like a freshly washed sapphire, crystal-clear, with fluffy white clouds like carefully sculpted cotton candy, floating lazily in the air. Sunlight pierced through the gaps in the clouds, casting dappled shadows, like fairies playing, adding liveliness to this peaceful scene.

And again, the Twilight Zone took hold.

Ian spread his arms wide, taking a deep breath, enjoying the tranquility of this world.

He saw a fairytale-like forest stretching out before him beneath the picturesque sky.

The trees were lush, their green leaves rustling softly in the breeze as if whispering ancient secrets. Small animals darted through the underbrush, and butterflies and bees fluttered from flower to flower. A winding stone path led deeper into the forest, its end shrouded in darkness.

This time, Ian didn't see Ariana.

Ian had become accustomed to this; after all, time flowed very differently between the two worlds.

In the real world, only seven minutes had passed, while in the Twilight Zone, it felt like half a day had gone by.

Every time Ian entered the illusion, days would pass within it, and sometimes even months of time would seem to elapse. The passage of time here had no accurate standard.

To be honest, the last time he encountered Ariana was actually a coincidence.

Ian walked along the grass towards the path. Strange creatures occasionally darted out from the bushes, glancing curiously at him before disappearing. He continued down the winding path, with sunlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves, creating scattered spots of light on the ground.

He wasn't sure how long he had been walking.

He eventually came upon a small town hidden in a valley.

The town was small, but its facilities were relatively well-equipped; an ancient post office stood quietly, the sign of a bar swayed gently in the breeze, and the spire of a church reached up into the clouds, solemn and dignified.

Everything seemed normal, but the town, which appeared harmonious, lacked the energy of life. All the shops were tightly shut, and the interiors were empty.

It felt like a strange town from a terrifying movie but without the eerie and sinister atmosphere.

"The town of the dead."

The scene in this town reminded Ian of what Ariana had once told him: that there had once been people here, but gradually, they all left. Perhaps these souls had simply forgotten their attachments in the Twilight Zone, or maybe they had completed their attachments and moved on to the next mysterious adventure.

"A place without popularity, you can definitely feel the solitude." Soon, Ian passed through the deserted streets and reached the small house where Ariana lived.

"Hmm? Where is she?"

The door to the house was tightly closed, and Ian walked up and peered through the similarly closed window. It was eerily quiet inside, just like the shops— no sound or movement.

Ian found this odd.

In the years past, Ariana had never left the area near this town. This was the first time Ian couldn't find her.

He had wanted to ask Ariana what the mark she had left for him was. Could this disappearance have something to do with the gift she had given him?

Ian began to feel uneasy.

At that moment, a voice suddenly broke the silence of the street. It was elegant, yet somewhat aloof— a deep, regal voice.

"Oh, heartbroken little boy, are you waiting for that poor little girl?"

Startled by the voice, Ian quickly turned around.

A woman stood in front of him. Her eyes were like deep black sapphires, slightly tilted at the corners, with thick lashes fanning out like a fan over her beautifully arched eyes.

She was an elegant, stunningly beautiful woman— perhaps a young woman? She wore a black robe with golden embroidery, exuding an air of cold majesty and solemnity.

However, such a splendid appearance seemed completely out of place in this simple town.

(End of this chapter)