"Damn it! That was meant for me!" Pandro was one step too late, and Ian had already picked up the gift box. Frustrated, Pandro kicked the nearby tree but didn't demand the box.
After all.
It's the boys' unspoken rule.
Whoever gets it, keeps it.
"Can't open it!" Ian found himself unable to untie the ribbon on the gift box, which also made him frustrated. Pandro immediately took delight in his misfortune.
"Hahaha! Beg me, and I'll tell you why!"
His laughter quickly came to an abrupt halt.
Because Ian stuffed the gift box into his money bag, preferring to take it home for his own research rather than granting Pandro's wish, which made the initially joyful boy feel rather stifled.
"Here's your Christmas gift."
Ian pulled out a set of armor from his money bag, something he had plagiarized and stitched together from various tokusatsu and anime productions. Apart from the auto-wearing feature, it had no other function.
However.
The cool appearance alone attracted Pandro's attention. His flamboyant personality loved such things, and he immediately broke into a delighted grin.
"Will I get a Christmas gift?"
Ariana approached with eager anticipation.
"Of course!"
Ian pulled out another well-decorated gift box.
"Why is her gift wrapped?"
Pandro, busy tinkering with the armor, voiced his discontent.
"Do you know how expensive cardboard boxes are now? If you want the armor packed in a box, I'd go bankrupt!" Ian wasn't entirely exaggerating.
Just like Christmas Eve apples.
The merchants in Hogwarts Village would seize the opportunity to cash in on Christmas.
"I can give this gift box to you."
Ariana happily opened the elegantly wrapped box.
Inside was a tiny train, another alchemical creation by Ian, which he named the Story Train. By just providing a keyword, the train's compartments would weave various stories.
The stories never repeat.
But you could keep your favorite story.
It's an inspiration drawn from Grindelwald's storybook.
"This is truly a great idea!"
Ariana quickly got the hang of using the train.
Watching the young girl lovingly holding the train, Ian promptly took out the Ring of Patronus, moved to Ariana's side, and asked.
"Want to take a look back in the mortal realm? I found a special loophole technique!" Ian boasted proudly about the Ring of Patronus.
However.
The girl just looked puzzled.
"I almost forgot, while I was researching this thing, you were all outside chasing dragons." Ian began explaining to his two friends about the Resurrection Stone and the insights he gained from it.
Of course.
He didn't skip over Lady Ravenclaw's contributions. Ariana listened with great interest, while Pandro looked utterly amazed.
"My heavens! You're incredible, to get hold of the Resurrection Stone!"
His wide-eyed expression was somewhat exaggerated.
"..."
Ian pushed this guy aside and turned towards Ariana again.
"So, you want me to be... the Christmas gift for your brothers?" Ariana had been playing with Ian since childhood, so her perspective could sometimes be sharper than Ian's.
"???????"
Ian felt Ariana's words had a peculiar flavor, yet he couldn't pinpoint the issue. Seeing the young lady raise her hand, he immediately placed the ring on her finger.
"Does this really work?"
Ariana's cheeks turned a little rosy.
"Just try it and see!"
Ian took out the wand temporarily transformed by Morgan, and without reverting it to its original form, he directly cast the Summoning God Guardian spell. Silvery threads instantly sprang from the ring and wrapped around Ariana.
At the same time.
Silvery brilliance gushed out from Ian's wand—finally converging into one mass, completely enveloping Ariana in the threads, causing her to exclaim.
"This is truly... peculiar."
She clearly still stood on the soil of the Misty Illusion Realm. However, above Ian's wand appeared her head, her entire form exhibiting a silvery texture, the girl full of wonder.
Soon.
Ariana's "Patronus Spirit Body" solidified completely, making the whole grassy area feel exceptionally dreamy, as if there were two Ariana.
One with the unique soul body, the other a shiny silver "spirit body." Ariana found herself in this state with a sword strapped to her waist.
She didn't draw it, merely tried touching the surrounding trees.
"This magic could immortalize you!" Pandro, witnessing it all from the side, was no longer exaggerated in expression, instead sincerely expressing admiration.
"I ask not just for this..." Ian truly wanted to inquire where Pandro was buried, thinking he might extract natural dragon Magic Runes from his buddy's remains.
The Path of Legends.
Who could resist it!
"What sort of look is that! Whatever you're thinking, stop it!" Pandro felt a chill, immediately rushed forward to grab Ian's head and shook it vigorously.
As if hoping to shake out all Ian's bad ideas.
"Ugh, let's talk later; I feel it's time to return." Using magic within the Misty Illusion Realm slightly accelerated Ian's return to the mortal world.
Just then.
Once the words fell.
Ian's body promptly turned transparent.
The boundary between life and death was crossed once more.
From dazed to alert.
Ian sat up the moment he opened his eyes, aiming to surprise Dumbledore, but found he wasn't in the dorm with injuries.
"Is this the Room of Requirement?"
Ian felt quite confused.
He opened the door to the Room of Requirement and stepped out.
Outside.
Silence prevailed.
The eighth-floor corridor at night was devoid of people.
"Child, have you scrubbed your toilet? Snape's words were just banter; if you haven't completed his task, he'll definitely punish you more disgustingly." Silly Barnabas suddenly spoke, his tone filled with concern, as if worrying for a little wizard.
"What are you talking about? I still need to clean a toilet?"
Ian was momentarily stunned.
His mind couldn't quite catch up.
"Don't tell me you've forgotten... It's the punishment from Snape before." Silly Barnabas looked at Ian with a peculiar gaze, his expression seemingly believing Ian was feigning innocence, as who would forget something so recent.
"Wasn't that ages ago?" Ian thought Silly Barnabas might truly have been knocked silly by a giant, but when he looked at the clock hanging in the corridor, his expression froze.
Bone-chilling cold.
Rose up his back.
He suddenly raised his hand.
The Ouroboros imprint silently glowed.