The Old Ones of Hogwarts

Chapter 96, Section 95: The Magic Potion of Happiness! The Youth Riding a Phoenix

The plight of the cheap senior sister is truly pitiful.

A lifetime of guilt.

A lifetime of feeling indebted and an unforgivable sorrow.

Who could have imagined that in the end all of this was just Morgan the witch's punishment for her—how thoroughly must one have control over people's hearts to devise such a cunning scheme!

Wasn't it said that Morgan only trained top-notch henchmen for his enemies? The books in the library aren't chat logs or social media posts; how could the accounts in biographies be false?

Ian felt sorry for his cheap senior sister for three seconds. Of course, he felt most sorry for himself. After all, the evil witch's methods of punishing disobedient students were really vicious. If he didn't want to have the same experience as his beautiful queen senior sister, he definitely couldn't let this petty evil witch catch him doing anything.

Seeing that the witch was still staring at him with her face propped up, Ian immediately became wary and chose to take sides.

"Senior sister has committed many evils in her life, and this punishment is clearly what she deserves. Teacher, you are obviously doing this out of good intentions, hoping that she will learn a lesson in her next life."

Ian felt that his quick thinking and resourcefulness were quite effective.

however.

The witch raised an eyebrow slightly. "You think I'm punishing her? Heh, it's because I learned her soul-stealing technique that I have a certain fondness for her, isn't it?"

It has to be said that this is a rather tricky angle. If we don't call it a punishment, are we supposed to call it a reward?

Ian was completely caught off guard and had no idea how to defend himself.

"Isn't that your Soul-Sealing Technique?" He could only try to change the subject. At this moment, Ian finally understood just how easy it was to deal with the girls at Hogwarts.

"I've always studied the soul, not manipulating other people's consciousness. That's just one branch at most, but it's good for you to learn it for now."

"She actually has some talent too." The witch's expression showed a hint of nostalgia, as if she was reminiscing about her past when she was still alive.

Upon hearing this, Ian blinked and moved closer to the witch.

"What about me? Do I have talent?"

He wasn't trying to make any comparisons; he was just curious whether wizards in the distant past were more advanced than they are now, or whether they simply followed the rules of evolution.

"If you can use your little pig brain to learn what I've taught you sooner and fix those guards damaged by the bad guys, then I'll admit you're my best student." The witch didn't discourage Ian.

Instead, she cheerfully spoke up. In this respect, she was much more likable than Snape.

Anyway, Ian was very happy.

"Maintaining the 'activated' attribute for a long time is a challenge, but it's definitely not going to be a problem for me." Ian looked at his alchemy skill, which was about to be upgraded, with great confidence.

The application of Transfiguration is key; alchemy and Transfiguration are closely related, since when alchemy was first developed, it sought to access the realm that belonged exclusively to the gods.

The witch yawned.

"Teacher, are you sleepy? Can the soul get sleepy too?"

Ian was somewhat surprised.

The witch looked at him. "I'm just a little bored. Maybe I've been here too long. Perhaps you should bring me some interesting books."

This is clearly a requirement.

"Could you reveal the secrets of cutting-edge black magic?" Ian thought that the only thing he hadn't learned in the book Aurora gave him was some curses. Perhaps he could take some time to visit Hogsmeade Village.

"What I want is a book with a huge plot twist, something that can help me pass the time." The witch squinted at Ian and snorted coldly in a slightly dissatisfied tone.

"Do you think I'm the kind of dark witch who likes to study black magic?"

Faced with this clearly bombshell question, Ian immediately shook his head like a rattle-drum.

"I understand, you want to read books like 'Three Wild Men,' 'The Domineering Witch Falls in Love with Me,' and 'The Headmaster of Hogwarts and the Man He Had to Tell His Story'!"

Ian has always had a good grasp of concepts.

The witch immediately nodded in satisfaction. "Yes, that's it. My apprentice, you've had enough of being here. You can't slander me like the others do."

"I don't enjoy studying black magic; I just like teaching it to others—it's just a hobby." This woman seemed completely unaware that this was far more evil than studying black magic.

Ian didn't dare to comment further.

He immediately launched into another round of warm greetings and auspicious words, but perhaps because of the earlier so-called "slander," the petty witch Morgan began to seemingly casually test his progress in alchemy. Fortunately, Ian had never slacked off in his alchemical studies, which prevented the witch Morgan from seizing the opportunity to punish him.

"Aren't you curious why I'm still so fixated on that mirror after I've died?" the witch suddenly asked, startling Ian, who was still secretly relieved after passing the test.

Without waiting for his answer, the witch spoke softly, as if answering her own question, "That mirror holds a secret, which I think I only truly understood not long ago."

Her tone carried a hint of wistfulness, and a subtle, almost imperceptible sadness. For a witch like Morgan, it was truly remarkable that Ian could sense such emotions.

"Is it a secret between life and death?"

Ian's curiosity was piqued.

The witch sighed softly, her gaze falling on him for only a moment before turning back to the perpetually dark, dreamlike place outside, as if it had never seen a sunny day.

"It is the capriciousness of fate, my apprentice."

It seems many people like to mention this word, and the more powerful the wizard, the more awe-inspiring their tone.

However, the witch's voice contained more of an indescribable sadness.

Is it related to King Arthur or Merlin?

Ian felt that even if he asked the witch about such a private matter, she might not give him an answer.

However, how can you know the answer to some things without trying them?

Ian was about to ask a question.

The witch raised a finger and interrupted him.

"Perhaps you should go to your friend's town."

She clearly didn't want to continue the discussion, and Ian, of course, wisely chose to shut up immediately. However, he still had two questions he needed to ask the legendary witch.

"Teacher, I would like to ask you two more questions." Ian calculated in his mind how much longer he could stay. Since his magic level had been raised to the basics, he could stay in this land for almost half a day.

"Go ahead and ask."

The witch leaned against the back of the bench, placing her hands on either side of it.

Her posture was elegant and composed, and her long hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall, adding a touch of untamed and wild beauty to her noble and beautiful appearance.

"Here's the thing, I'm learning a spell, but it seems I've hit a roadblock."

Ian saw Morgan Witch's signal in his eyes. The wand that had been transformed from the picture frame in his hand was still there, so he waved the wand and began to chant a spell.

"Protect the Gods!"

It wasn't as handy as his own, but it was still quite useful. A silver substance flashed at the tip of the wand, but the light just drifted around like mist.

The swaying silver light merely expanded and filled the space, failing to fully unleash the power of the Guardian Angel's spell.

Even as Ian continued to output damage, and the entire castle had transformed from a dark place to a fairytale-like hue under the silver glow, the data on his personal panel remained as stable as ever.

【Guardian Spell (Level 0) 49/50】

There was absolutely no sign of progressing further. Ian really couldn't understand this situation, as he had clearly grasped the magic extremely thoroughly without the slightest oversight.

"You might also be suited for a spell called [Reappearance of the Tower]—but that will have to wait until you've repaired my guards." Morgan the Witch's eyes, like the deep night sky, silently watched this scene, her tone filled with amazement and感慨, "You don't lack happiness, but you lack the key to forming this spell."

A very sharp critique.

It perfectly aligned with the increasingly strong feelings in Ian's heart.

"Yes, my professor said that the Patronus Charm summons a soulmate, someone from the same place as the Dementors, who will pave the way for the wizard after his death."

Ian explained Grindelwald's doctrines, including Grindelwald's views on Dementors.

He felt that the legendary witch, now deceased, should know more about this than Grindelwald did.

"Your professor is very diligent in his studies. It seems there are still some quite talented wizards in later generations." The legendary witch raised an eyebrow with a hint of surprise.

Her words clearly confirmed Grindelwald's views on the Patronus Charm and Dementors.

"Then, teacher, what about my soulmate?" Ian blinked, bringing up the same question he had asked Grindelwald again to his mentor in the dreamlike illusion.

Compared to Grindelwald's previous bewilderment and confusion, the legendary witch's lips curled into a subtle smile, as if she was not at all surprised that Ian could not summon the Patronus.

"Every wizard has their own soulmate. Why don't you guess why you don't have one?"

The witch's tone was somewhat teasing.

Ian blinked.

"Could it be because my soulmate fell in love with a wild guardian spirit and got kidnapped?" His response was clearly a wild idea that the witch hadn't expected.

The witch's expression stiffened slightly for a moment before she sighed, "What on earth is going on in your head every day? How come you always come up with such bizarre and outlandish ideas?"

She covered her forehead with her hand, not knowing if it was because of Ian's answer that she felt a headache. "Soulmates can't be taken away by some wild guardian spirit, because there is no such thing as a wild guardian spirit. Only when a dead human walks further ahead and faces a choice between two paths will that person's soul give birth to the guardian spirit you mentioned. It will guide the soul that makes the choice and let it experience a life it has never experienced before."

"This chapter of my life—let's call it the Wizard."

Morgan the witch sat on the bench and looked up at Ian.

"So, my apprentice, you shouldn't ask me why you don't have a soulmate—you should ask yourself what makes you different from other wizards."

Her eyes seemed to see into the very essence of all things in the world.

Although the witch's voice remained soft, the information conveyed in her words was extremely explosive. Ian, who was so shocked that his heart was in turmoil, could only turn away from her gaze.

He felt a little guilty.

Some secrets may be exposed, but some secrets can only remain secrets. At this moment, in his shock, Ian roughly understood why he could not summon his guardian spirit.

As a time traveler.

Perhaps he lacks the same cycle of reincarnation as other wizards?

"Can the dead return to the mortal world? As a wizard?" This was both Ian's way of changing the subject and something that Ian found utterly unbelievable.

"That's exactly right."

The witch nodded slightly.

"Reincarnation? It can be like that?"

Ian still felt something was off.

"Yes-----can it be like that?" The witch seemed speechless at Ian's repeated confirmations. She stared at Ian with a strange expression that was hard to describe.

"To be honest, you're the last person who should have asked that question—"

A very strange sentence.

Before Ian could unleash his "100,000 Whys" combo...

The witch glanced warily at Ian's bulging baggage. "Now it's time to ask your next question. After you ask, you need to leave half of the food in your luggage. Some people don't deserve it; you can only take some to that little girl. If I find out you gave that girl any favors—"

"hehe."

The witch didn't finish her sentence.

But the cold smile on her face already told Ian what was going on.

After learning the witch's identity, he once again felt the witch's heartfelt resentment and dissatisfaction towards Pandro, as if he had solved another mystery about her identity.

perhaps?

perhaps?

"The second question is actually quite simple, teacher. You have extensive knowledge of potions. In your time, were there any potions that could bring people boundless joy?"

Ian hadn't forgotten that his friend couldn't cast the Patronus Charm either. He had figured it out: the Half-Blood Prince definitely couldn't concoct that kind of shortcut-based happiness potion.

Otherwise...

He already used it himself.

Why does she always have a gloomy face like she's going through menopause?

"A magic potion that makes people feel happy?"

The witch looked Ian up and down, but didn't ask why. She suddenly had an expression of realization, and then, with a bright smile, she started tearing her dress again.

"Um... Teacher, couldn't you write it on the old books I brought? Even though I can't take things out of this world, I should be able to take the things I brought in back, right?"

Ian had wanted to ask this question for a long time.

Are you saying you're looking down on my stuff?

The witch's voice was displeased.

Ian watched as the witch's smile vanished, and she looked up at him. He quickly continued to explain, "I just felt that such methods would be a kind of drain on you, since your dress has never grown back. If possible, I don't want you to suffer any harm because of me."

Words of great concern.

This softened the witch's expression.

"You will understand the significance of doing this, but not today—perhaps you should have more trust in your teacher, which will eventually make you grateful to me."

The witch's tone was full of meaning as she handed Ian yet another piece of the dress.

"Of course I trust you, just as I trust my mother." Ian had already collected two pieces of the dress today, and he felt that if this continued, sooner or later he would see the witch shivering from the cold.

"How come I remember you saying you were an orphan?"

The witch glanced sideways at Ian.

It's not an insult.

It's worse than insulting someone.

Ian didn't even dare to curse in his heart. He looked down at the fragment of the dress in his hand, which contained a very complicated potion-making recipe.

"After reading your textbooks, I have a general understanding of what materials are left from your era. I think you should be able to find those materials in your time."

"I've improved some ingredients that may have become less common, and I've also modified the potion's effects. This will be a very, very long-lasting potion. — Happy Potion."

The witch's dress was missing a large piece, but she didn't seem to care much.

How long does it last?

Ian casually stuffed the shards of the dress into his robe.

"Don't keep your friends waiting."

The witch didn't respond, but simply turned and walked towards the castle. Ian watched her somewhat lonely figure, thinking that while he was repairing the guards, he should have made her a few more magical pets. Perhaps the days in the dreamlike realm were truly unbearable; having a few interesting pets would surely help pass the time.

A lynx cat that automatically weaves stories might be a favorite pet of the witch.

"My alchemy is the most meaningful alchemy, which can benefit the living and help the dead!" Ian did not dare to disobey the witch's warning. He left a lot of snacks on the long table, only took Ariana's portion, and then ran out of the empty and gloomy castle with his lighter bag on his back.

"Pandero might blame me, but Morgan could really punish me by turning me into a pig." Faced with the choice between his friend and his own safety, Ian chose the latter.

He walked along the dimly lit ancient road.

In front.

The tranquil jungle under a clear blue sky wasn't far away.

Every piece of land in the dreamlike realm is actually connected, but just like animals divide their territory, the souls that stay here live in their own exclusive areas for a long time.

Each soul influences the area it inhabits, so the boundary between the two territories looks very distinct; even just a step away, Ian felt the temperature change considerably.

The scenery is the same.

Crossing a barren meadow, the path beneath his feet gradually softened and became vibrant—compared to the dark clouds and gloom over Morgan's place, Ian was greeted by a breath of fresh air as he crossed the boundary, with soft echoes between fallen leaves and twigs. It was as if a horror story had transitioned into a fairy tale.

"It's still this kind of environment that soothes the mind."

Ian heard the sound of flowing water in the jungle.

I saw towering, lush trees whose branches intertwined to form a verdant canopy, blocking most of the sunlight and allowing only dappled light to penetrate, carpeting the ground with a shimmering golden blanket. Wildflowers of all kinds—red, yellow, and blue—bloomed in profusion, like a magnificent painting unfolding before my eyes.

"There are no wild fruits to eat at Professor Morgan's place!" Ever since Ian ate the golden apple that Pandro brought back not long ago, he had always felt that he could encounter other magical fruits in the dreamlike realm. When he saw a very tall green fruit tree, Ian climbed up it without saying a word.

"The color of this fruit clearly indicates that it increases Avada proficiency; it's an Avada fruit."

Ian, who for the time being can't cast spells without a wand, was hanging precariously from a high tree.

He gripped the branch tightly with his hands and, with some difficulty, managed to pick a fruit from it.

however.

After taking a bite, he spat it out several times and immediately threw the fruit away in disgust.

"This should probably be called a bitter fruit!" Just as he was about to climb down, Ian was surprised to find that the fruit he had thrown had hit a stranger on the head.

"Um?"

He was a young man.

As he was being hit on the head by a half-eaten fruit, he was squatting on the ground picking up something. Its gleaming surface revealed it to be a fragment of a formal dress that had fallen from Ian's robe.

"This is something you dropped, isn't it?"

The young man saw Ian slide down from the fruit tree, but instead of scolding him, he smiled and handed back the tattered dress he had picked up to Ian.

"Sorry, I didn't know you were downstairs."

Ian quickly put away the "text" given to him by Teacher Mara, this time placing it close to his body in the inner pocket of his robe, and hurriedly apologized to the wanderer's soul that had been hit.

This was a young man who was considerably taller than Ian and had an outstanding appearance. He had a healthy wheat-colored complexion, a straight nose, and his face looked somewhat familiar to Ian.

He was quite certain that he had never seen this soul.

Do you live nearby?

Ian was wary of the other person, who might be a bad soul pretending to be a good person, but he was also curious.

"You look so different from us, it's a unique and terrifying talent."

The young man did not answer Ian immediately, but stared at the little wizard in front of him with some surprise. Just as Ian was thinking about how to fool or explain that he was a living person.

"I don't live here. In fact, I'm on my way to the next part of my journey," the young man answered Ian's question, not paying much attention to Ian's unusual behavior. For a soul that has already given up its obsessions, the appearance of a living person in a hazy illusion obviously wouldn't bother him much.

"I just wanted to see my mysterious aunt before I left." The young man's gaze fell on Ian's hand, but he quickly turned his head back to look into the distance.

"She was much more pitiful than me in the past, but she will obviously have a lucky period." Another strange soul, I wonder what she did for a living.

Does your aunt live nearby?

Ian thought he might have run into a relative of Professor Morgan.

After all, we're looking for our aunt.

"I've already seen her, so it's time to muster up the courage to move forward." The young man simply smiled in response, then suddenly turned back as he was leaving.

"By the way, little one, you should still be in school, right?"

I don't know why this young man, who clearly has a soul that has resolved its obsessions and is even better than Professor Morgan,

Why would Ian be curious about his age?

"First year, Hogwarts."

Ian wasn't sure if the other person was really an old guy, or if he even knew about the school he attended. Hogwarts' thousand-year history was hardly ancient in this land.

"Indeed, she's not very old."

The young man nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"I understand the budding feelings in your heart. However, if you have a girl you really like, using aphrodisiacs is definitely not a wise choice."

"That's a crime, and Azkaban would be beckoning you the moment you step in. -- If I were you, I'd have more confidence in my good looks."

Done.

The young man turned around and continued walking forward without looking back.

He raised his hand and waved.

It was like saying goodbye to Ian.

Within the curtain of the sky, space distorted, and a fiery red bird flew in from nowhere, as if wanting to accompany the man on his journey.

Under the green fruit tree.

Completely bewildered, Ian paid no heed to the phoenix appearing in the dreamlike illusion.

He stood there stunned for a few seconds.

"Holy crap!"

The young wizard, his face filled with terror, pulled out the fragments of Morgan's dress.

"A magic potion of happiness!?"

[P.S.: Huge debt, to be repaid double tomorrow]