https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-39-Sorry-We-Don-t-Sell-Love-Potions-to-young-wizards/13437951/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-41-The-Deathly-Hallows-and-Gifts/13437953/
Chapter 40: Christmas
In Diagon Alley or Knockturn Alley, unless he was brewing Polyjuice Potion or had improved his strength, Ivan had no intention of going there alone. It was too dangerous for a first-year young wizard to go there by himself.
Ivan turned and left, but before he did, he bought a bottle of Odor-Removal Potion to eliminate any lingering scents. After tossing twelve Sickles to Old Rick, Ivan left without a backward glance.
He knew of a place where he could find Bonesnatcher and Bloodroot, and that place was Snape's Potion Storage.
Although this plan carried significant risks, Ivan had no other options.
Following the same route back, he was fortunate that the owner of Honeydukes was busy serving customers, allowing Ivan to pass through the cellar smoothly.
Exiting the secret passage, Ivan immediately headed to the Room of Requirement.
"I need a Potion Brewing Room." Ivan said aloud.
In the next instant, Ivan opened the door to the Room of Requirement and found himself in a strange space filled with various bottles and jars, as well as a large amount of potion-brewing equipment.
The only thing that disappointed Ivan was that the cabinets and bottles used for storing potions were empty, not even the most basic herbs were present.
"The Room of Requirement, it seems, has its limits", Ivan said disappointedly. He had hoped to find some potion ingredients for free.
Ivan found a cabinet and stored all the materials he had purchased there, making it convenient to access them when brewing potions in the future. He only kept the Odor-Removal Potion to eliminate his scent.
After doing all this, Ivan left without hesitation. On his way back, he noticed Quirrell wandering on the fourth floor, looking rather suspicious.
Ivan had a sudden idea and took out the Marauder's Map to check the locations of Snape and the other professors. A plan began to form in his mind.
Over the next few weeks, Ivan kept an eye on Snape's movements using the Marauder's Map, occasionally checking on Quirrell as well. Before he knew it, Christmas had arrived.
As December approached, the weather became increasingly cold. A heavy snowfall a few days before Christmas covered everything in a thick layer of snow. When Ivan woke up in the morning, he found Harry and Ron shivering, forced to wear extra sweaters under their large Robes.
Ivan brought the two of them to the common room to warm up by the fireplace. He used a Transfiguration Spell to create transparent wind barriers to block the draft, making the common room warmer.
However, this made things difficult for the owls delivering mail. Several of them crashed into the wind barriers, causing a pile of envelopes to scatter on the floor. Ivan went to the window and removed the wind barrier.
Outside, the poor Quirrell was being pelted with magically enhanced snowballs, causing him to run around in a panic. Ivan even saw a particularly solid snowball hit Quirrell's back of the head, which made him worry for the Weasley brothers.
These two were probably the only ones brave enough to pull such a prank on Quirrell. It might just be the highlight of their lives.
In the afternoon, Ivan and Harry finished their last Potions class. The entire Hogwarts was buzzing with excitement because the long-awaited holiday was starting tomorrow. More importantly, they could finally go home!
However, Ivan was not at all happy about it. He did not want to go back, at least not until he figured out his memories. It was safer for him to stay at the school.
So when Professor Mcgonagall came to register the students staying at school, Ivan signed up without hesitation, as did Harry.
"Are you not planning to go home, Ivan?" Harry asked, puzzled.
"Sure, I'm more comfortable here than at home", Ivan replied with a smile.
Harry seemed to find a kindred spirit and started complaining to Ivan. He even wished he could stay at Hogwarts forever instead of returning to his aunt and uncle's house.
What made Harry even happier was that Ron and the Weasley brothers would also be staying, as their parents were going to Romania to visit Charlie this year.
The only thing Harry found a bit disappointing was that Hermione had to go home. Otherwise, this Christmas would have been perfect.
After Ivan, Harry, and Ron signed the stay-at-school application, they were blocked by Malfoy on their way back.
"Huh? Look what I found? A bunch of unwanted kids planning to stay at school", Malfoy exclaimed dramatically, then turned to Ron.
"And Weasley, your mother probably thinks she has too many kids and doesn't want you anymore."
"Malfoy!" Ron angrily lunged at him with a punch. Malfoy drew his wand to cast a spell in retaliation, and his two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, also moved in.
Before they could act, Ivan cast a Disarming Charm, taking Malfoy's wand away. The remaining two big, dumb brutes were taken down with two Leg-Locking Charms, leaving them sprawled on the ground.
With no means to fight back, Malfoy had to endure a right hook from Ron.
Ron was about to continue, but an invisible barrier appeared in front of Malfoy, blocking Ron's punch.
Snape, looking stern, descended the stairs. With a casual wave of his wand, he lifted the spells on Crabbe and Goyle, then turned to Ivan and the others.
"Engaging in a fight in the school and recklessly using magic, ten points from Gryffindor!"
"Professor, it was Malfoy", Harry tried to argue, but Snape cut him off.
"Make that fifteen points!"
Ivan stopped Harry and Ron from speaking further. From the way Snape had casually lifted the spells, it was clear that the three of them together wouldn't stand a chance against him.
Since they couldn't win and Snape was a professor, arguing would only result in more trouble.
Snape didn't further harass Ivan and the others. He gave Malfoy a disappointed look and then turned and walked away.
Malfoy angrily got up from the ground, glared at Crabbe and Goyle who had been easily taken down by Ivan, and followed Snape, passing the three of them with a swollen face.
"Snape is just out to get us. I bet it was him who caused your Broomstick to malfunction last time, Harry!" Ron said indignantly.
"Over this term, Snape has deducted nearly a hundred points from Gryffindor", Harry nodded in agreement. Compared to the harmless Professor Quirrell, Snape was more likely to have done it.
Ivan didn't try to defend Snape this time. Snape had a way of making everyone hate him, and even Ivan felt some resentment towards him.
But this worked out well for Ivan. He had been hesitant about sneaking into Snape's Potion Storage to steal Bonesnatcher, but now he didn't think about it as much.
All he needed was the right moment.
(End of Chapter)
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