In contrast, Grindelwald's academic focus is entirely different. Moreover, the key is that seeking Grindelwald's assistance requires Ian to conceal everything related to the Misty Illusion Realm.
After all, the Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts still doesn't know that Ian possesses such abilities. To explain the situation he has encountered without mentioning the Misty Illusion Realm, he needs to concoct a pile of lies.
"Could it be that our good brother has returned to Hogwarts Village with Abeforth?"
Ian's choice of address was reasonable enough, for as Ariana's good friend, he could discuss matters with Albus Dumbledore on equal terms, even if he didn't round things up.
"Hogwarts Village?"
Ariana curiously tilted her head in mid-air.
"Yes, your brother Abeforth seems to usually live in Hogwarts Village... Let me see, I remember there are indeed several passages in the school leading directly to Hogwarts Village." Ian searched the Living Map for a while; there were quite a few secret paths leading to Hogwarts Village.
That's aside from the well-known Whomping Willow.
Behind the Hunchbacked One-Eyed Witch Statue, there's also a usable path. This is the tunnel connecting Hogwarts with Honey Duke's, often used by Harry to sneak to Hogwarts Village.
It's located on the third floor of Hogwarts Castle in Ganghilda's Corridor.
To enter the passage, you need to tap the Hunchbacked One-Eyed Witch Statue with your Magic Wand and recite the "Divide and Depart" spell, after which the statue's hunchback opens, revealing a stone slide.
"The third floor is closest to us, but I think I should visit another place first." Ian stowed away the Living Map but didn't immediately head for the location of the secret path.
"You seem quite busy today..."
Ariana evidently hadn't realized Ian's situation yet. She tilted her head, not urging Ian to take her to see her family, but rather asked with a concerned tone.
"Do you need any help from me?"
Young girls always like to care for others.
"Not for now... I should first undo the Patronus Charm, then contact you later, okay?" After Ariana nodded, Ian ceased the magic spell.
The shimmering silver brilliance gradually vanished in the Owl Shed. He needed to leave the eighth floor and go downstairs, for the twins who roamed at night were still undergoing Filch's punishment.
"This thing keeps flashing; it's really annoying." Ian glanced at the Ouroboros pattern on the back of his hand that showed no sign of "screen off" as he stepped out of the Owl Shed.
"Even if there's a true test, it should give me some hints, right?"
Ian dashed towards the direction of the basement, for indeed the one who ties the bell must untie it, likening that perhaps he had to return once to the Underground Palace because the ominous-looking Ouroboros mark on his hand evidently came from there.
In the restroom on the second floor.
"It's you! You're the murderer!"
Myrtle had just witnessed Ian speaking Snake-man at this point, and it took all her courage to peek out from the toilet, only to see Ian running into her "private ghost room" again.
"Plop~"
The frightened ghost girl plunged back into the toilet. Ian currently had no intention of explaining himself to her; upon finding the faucet with the Ouroboros carving, he began his study.
"The mark was not left here; it must have been planted in the Underground Palace." Ian found no magical traces upon inspecting, which might also be due to his insufficient skill level.
"Open!"
Yet Ian was more inclined to believe that the "Curse Seal" was indeed applied to him in the Underground Palace. Ah, he finally found a fitting name for this persistent pattern branded on his hand.
"Creak creak creak~"
Accompanied by Ian's Snake-man speech, the faucet with the carving began to twist. In no time, a mechanical whirring echoed successively within.
Soon.
The entire sink descended underground, revealing a hallway Ian was already familiar with, and he fearlessly plunged into the inky darkness.
The glow from his Magic Wand illuminated the path below, as Ian, with the aid of his Light Magic, retraced the journey he'd once made over the course of forty minutes by spiraling down the staircase.
Familiar stale air, familiar old surroundings. The rocky walls began to light up with deep-red candles, distinctly different from the deep-blue ones that had originally illuminated his first entrance.
"There are changes..."
Ian continued to the end of the path, where the flames burning on the walls all glowed deep red. He entered the Underground Palace once more, facing the Slytherin and Hufflepuff statues hugging together.
And in the center of the Underground Palace lay the enormous dragon skeleton.
"Could it be my mischievousness that led Slytherin to pull such a prank on me?" Ian raised his Magic Wand and cast a spell targeting the two massive statues.
"Stone block move!"
Ian reckoned superstitions that could be trusted should indeed be trusted; regardless if it was due to statue control, he moved the statues back to their original placements.
Loud commotions arose in the Underground Palace, and once both statues were embedded back seamlessly into the stone wall—thousands of candles newly dyed deep red flickered slightly.
The lights in the Underground Palace briefly wavered.
The alterations disappeared in a flash.
"Thank heavens, finally, someone... Little Wizard, what is this place?"
Suddenly.
A disheveled man emerged from the massive dragon bones, startling Ian immensely, who swiftly aimed his Magic Wand at the abrupt appearance.
The green glow from Ian's wand was intensely sinister.
"Mr. Prince! You can't kill your professor!" Upon seeing the green glow, the emerging man's expression was filled with tension and disbelief.
He noticed Ian's trembling hand.
Convinced it was due to Ian's excessive nervousness and inexperience.
"Don't be nervous, Mr. Prince, I believe we met not long ago, right... Hmm, likely just these few days ago, yet you seem distinctly taller?"
"Could my memory be mixed up, no, it was just days ago, or maybe last month, could it be last year?" While the man muttered in bafflement, he seemed mentally unhinged.
Ian's hand continued to tremble.
"This... how is it possible..."
His voice shook even more fiercely than his hand—Ian's behavior was evidently not due to nervousness and inexperience; he simply could not subdue the overwhelming emotional waves within!
"Expelliarmus!"
A flash flew from Ian's wand, disarming the man who was stealthily reaching for his waist, causing the man's wand to soar high, and himself thrown against the dragon bones.
"Cough! Cough! I wasn't attacking you! I was drawing out my memory for preservation! Clearly, my memory isn't quite right." The man lay coughing uncontrollably.
"Impossible... truly impossible..."
Even after lowering his Magic Wand, Ian's hand continued to slightly tremble.
"I'd wish to say, your magic's might... equally... impossible too..."
He looked up at the approaching Little Wizard, feeling unnerved by the overwhelming Magic Power exhibited in the recent spell.
"Professor Ronnie Ehrlich... you oughtn't be alive now." Ian's expression and gaze were extraordinarily complicated, trying his utmost to contain any shivering in his voice.
It's impossible to blame his emotions for being so tumultuous.
Considering!
This was someone truly without a single remnant body, now standing before him alive! Witnessing the bewildered expression in the former Professor of Dark Arts Defense's eyes.
Ian's attention shifted to the statue sitting in the wall emitting greenish glow, as if gazing directly back at him with deep-green eyes.
"Salazar Slytherin!"
In Ian's soft voice, it contained enigmatic complexity and awe.
He was caught within a temporal loop, yet it was more than merely a loop; the mysterious founder living a millennium ago had ventured beyond the realm of temporal manipulation.
This Wizard accomplished yet another supposed impossibility—his power revealed a miracle of revival before Ian's eyes in the Underground Palace!
Seemingly flaunting his prowess.
With unknown intentions...