"Let's go, the time is ripe."
Albus Dumbledore appeared somewhat hurried, raising his magic wand to strike down the Dementor that drew a cold breath against him, then pulled the little wizard away from the Room of Requirement.
"Am I leaving the loop?" Ian realized he hadn't done anything yet, feeling as though the two old men had completed the work. He quickly stuffed all the magic potions into his money bag.
"Yes, the time has come."
Albus Dumbledore walked ahead.
"Your research never includes me, but I've discovered something myself." Ian said, pulling out a bottle of potion and handing it to Albus Dumbledore's face.
"It's evident this loop isn't limitless nor devoid of costs; the quality of magic potion materials I scavenged in later loops has noticeably declined."
"This potion is as bland as the diluted ones from Diagon Alley." Ian, indeed conducting his investigation, realized the power supporting this loop was weakening.
Perhaps.
By experiencing a few more times, taking more things away, he might escape the loop. Of course, there was also the possibility of being permanently stuck outside the real world after the loop collapsed—no one could tell for sure. Precisely because of this awareness, Ian refrained from emptying the whole of Hogwarts in each loop.
"Not bad, your discovery has indeed made me even more confident." Albus Dumbledore's expression didn't change as he turned to look at Ian's potion with a flicker in his gaze.
"Did Arthur King's side reveal any clues?" Ian was still concerned about the Professor of Alchemy's situation; during these loops, he had observed and probed the other multiple times.
However.
Apart from encountering him once in the library, his Living Map had no further effect on Arthur King, leaving him unable to grasp any other suspicious clues about him.
"He is not trouble that we need to deal with, though he himself should be considered a nuisance." Albus Dumbledore seemed little worried about Arthur King.
Every loop was like this.
"Alright, after I exit, I'll investigate further." Ian found himself somewhat reluctant to leave the loop, considering how eager he was to get out initially.
But with each ample looped time for learning and occasional indulgence, he began to truly appreciate the wonder of this loop.
Time passed.
The delightful feeling gradually emerged.
After all, the development path of the Ten-Mile Slope Sword God indeed captivated people. Despite repeated occurrences, he received direct guidance and training from various professors, significantly enhancing his strength.
"When the time comes, I will also offer you assistance." Albus Dumbledore led Ian first to the Headmaster's Office and took the Sorting Hat from there.
"What will happen to you after I leave?" Honestly, Ian remained somewhat reluctant to leave, after receiving selfless help each cycle from the old headmaster and Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
"This question, perhaps you should seek the answer yourself. Even if I were to tell you now, you wouldn't fully grasp it, for understanding time and fate adequately is required."
Albus Dumbledore walked with Ian through the corridors. He seemed to avoid the question, as Ian thought everything here would vanish into thin air after he left.
Earlier, the old headmaster had mentioned everything here was but a possibility abandoned by fate.
"Are you shielding me from sadness?" Ian leaned closer to Albus Dumbledore, and the old headmaster silently handed him the Sorting Hat.
"If sacrifice holds meaning, it's not worth mourning; when the old departs, others naturally fill the void." Albus Dumbledore stopped before a resting area.
His earnest voice suddenly came to a halt.
"Are you ready?"
Albus Dumbledore turned to Ian.
"Ready for what? Can this help me break out of the loop?" Ian looked with surprise at the door before him, recognizing it as the faculty lounge.
"Your discovery aligns with our conclusions: No matter how intricate, this loop remains within the confines of magic."
Albus Dumbledore explained to Ian, "Yes, it's still a form of magic, and as long as it's magic, methods to break and eliminate it can be found."
"Our final answer requires three individuals whose magic reaches its limit to cast spells together. So, little Ian..." Saying this, Albus Dumbledore directly kicked open the door before him.
Not using magic.
Just using his foot.
It seems that Gryffindor College always holds this sentiment.
"Come embrace your moment of maximum magic power in the human world." Albus Dumbledore walked straight in, with Ian following closely to see a startled and disconcerted Professor Quirrell.
This unlucky fellow had been blasted by Ian earlier today and was now cautiously applying a potion to his wounds, hurriedly covering himself with his cloak upon seeing Albus Dumbledore enter.
"Headmaster... what... what's going on?"
Professor Quirrell, hiding the scars on his behind from the explosion, showed an expression of confusion and panic, displaying slightly better acting skills than Arthur King.