"I want to learn this magic! Professor."
Ian watched in awe.
"Certainly, you will also possess this magic in the future." The old headmaster turned his head to gaze at Ian with extremely gentle eyes, a few hints of profound meaning concealed in his calm tone.
"Indeed, there isn't anything... But, the consciousness of the future returning to the past body isn't something impossible to achieve." Perhaps only Grindelwald was seriously examining the map, pondering the issue.
His words gained Albus Dumbledore's acknowledgment, but after nodding his head, the old headmaster continued speaking as if to remind or verify with Ian.
"But evidently, our Mr. Prince is not in such a situation, his mind and he himself do not belong to our time, nor to this space."
Albus Dumbledore's voice carried a few tones of certainty.
Grindelwald upon hearing this,
looked at Ian with some surprise.
"I find it hard to imagine, without examining my memories, you can keenly discover so many things." In reality, Ian had long discovered this peculiarity.
When he pulled out the Living Map in the corridor, Ian had also confirmed the absence of another self in the school. Aside from the ring given to Ariana still existing, the things he made and obtained after this day in his own time were all still in his Money Bag.
This clearly belongs to an exceedingly peculiar, contradicting time loops and time travel situation.
"Your height, child, I must say, you grow taller very quickly." Albus Dumbledore smiled lightly, stating his basic detective judgment.
Just as Ian was about to inquire what situation he had encountered.
"If that is really the case..." Grindelwald seemed to recall something, he irritably raised his wand, merely pointing at the wash basin in front.
"Boom~"
The wash basin was directly blown apart by his magic, along with the pipes inside shattering. Amidst the continuously gushing water, the secret passage Ian had crawled into before was revealed before the three.
"Uh..."
Ian found it hard to evaluate this act of vandalism. He felt Grindelwald indeed was somewhat overreacting, hence threw a "look at him" gaze at Albus Dumbledore.
"Our Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts realized an issue he couldn't accept, understandably." Albus Dumbledore watched with a smile at Grindelwald, who had burrowed himself into the passage.
"Let's follow in, go see our resurrected Professor Ronnie Ehrlich." Saying that, Albus Dumbledore also led Ian into the secret passage. He turned and used magic to repair the damaged entrance, somewhat covering for his old friend.
"Are you leading the way?"
Albus Dumbledore looked at the winding downward path ahead.
Grindelwald had already run out of sight.
"All right, all right." Ian felt somewhat bewildered, unable to comprehend what in his time loop experience was something Gellert Grindelwald couldn't accept.
As Ian lit his wand, Dumbledore also pulled out a small box, upon opening, the light sources inside began to automatically float out, hanging onto the walls.
"Light Extinguisher?"
Ian was astonished.
"No, this was originally my latest creation, intended as your Christmas gift." Albus Dumbledore smiled and winked at Ian.
He evidently knew Ian's night wandering habits very well.
Everything remained undisclosed.
"Ah! But I don't know how long until I reach my Christmas." Ian could distinguish the seemingly simple function in Dumbledore's hand involved profound creation principles, indicating Albus Dumbledore's indeed notable prowess in Alchemy.
"Don't worry, we will help you."
Albus Dumbledore's words seemed to calm one's mind. Accompanying the duo down the spiraling stairs, new light sources continuously emerged on the walls.
They all came from the small box in Dumbledore's hand, disappearing after a period, saving the hassle of recovering the light sources.
Though Dumbledore said he followed Ian, he indeed maintained the pace, leading Ian ever closer to the ancient and mysterious underground palace.
"Hogwarts indeed still has many secrets I have not touched or known." Albus Dumbledore's gaze occasionally landed on the forks between the stairs.
They evidently lead elsewhere, though Ian hadn't explored them yet, as Hogwarts' highest authoritative figure, the old headmaster could only deduce the possible destinations of most hidden passages.
"I heard when Hogwarts was first founded, it wasn't just to serve as a school." Ian also noted the various directions of different forked paths encountered along the way.
"Yes, in that era the living conditions for wizards were extremely harsh, here as a sanctuary for wizards, the considerations naturally surpass just teaching and imparting knowledge."
Albus Dumbledore agreed with Ian's statement.
"Indeed, many secret passages have their stories. In my view, the Four Founders were always prepared for a large-scale attack on Hogwarts."