Chapter 431: Ivan: Damn Dumbledore!
Chapter 431: Ivan: Damn Dumbledore!
"Damn surprises!" Ivan slammed his hand on the table, cursing angrily.
He had been working so hard to pass the buck to Dumbledore and stay out of it, only to find that the responsibility had come full circle and landed back on him!
As for how Dumbledore knew what was happening here, Ivan speculated it might have something to do with the Time-Turner.
With the Time-Turner, he couldn't even determine which version of Dumbledore had sent the letter, or how much the old man knew.
And the "surprise" Dumbledore mentioned in the letter didn't interest Ivan at all.
He had worked so hard these past few years, and all Dumbledore ever did was award House points. It was getting boring!
If Dumbledore had given him Fawkes or a Philosopher's Stone, that would have been a real surprise.
Thinking about this, Ivan sighed and picked up the small bottle on the table, opening it to take a look.
"Is this Dumbledore's beard?" Ivan pinched a white hair, examining it closely, and said confidently.
Dumbledore had likely sent this to make it easier for Ivan to use the Polyjuice Potion.
However, it seemed the old Headmaster wasn't all-knowing after all. This time, he had miscalculated. Ivan didn't need the Polyjuice Potion to transform into Dumbledore's appearance.
Ivan stroked his chin, a sudden realization dawning on him.
No wonder he had felt something off about Dumbledore earlier. It was probably a future version of himself using blood magic and a Boggart to transform into Dumbledore's form.
Wait, if I can become Dumbledore, then can't I just award myself House points?
Ivan immediately caught on to this. Although he didn't know what surprise Dumbledore was talking about, he could certainly give himself some perks, like adding a few hundred or even a thousand points!
His academic scores would soar.
Moreover, the phoenix now belonged to him!
Ivan suddenly turned to look at Fawkes, who was perched on an olive branch, dozing. He had always wanted to obtain the phoenix's blood, but Dumbledore had always been a hindrance.
Now, Dumbledore had actually delivered the phoenix to him.
Perhaps sensing something amiss in Ivan's gaze, Fawkes, who was preening his golden-red feathers, suddenly flared up, emitting a burst of flames as a warning.
Ivan shook his head helplessly. It seemed the phoenix still had a temper. He would need to approach this carefully.
"But what about Sirius?"
Compared to the benefits of assuming the Headmaster's identity, Ivan was more concerned about this troublesome matter.
The list Dumbledore left him clearly hinted that he could write directly to the Wizengamot to appeal Sirius's case, bypassing the Ministry of Magic.
However, even if the Wizengamot acted quickly, it would still take some time before the retrial. The Ministry of Magic would surely get wind of it, so he needed to find a way to pressure the Ministry to prevent them from playing any tricks behind the scenes.
Ivan's head ached more and more the more he thought about it. Dumbledore was really carefree, leaving the task of clearing Sirius's name to him.
What could be so important that it outweighed this?
Ivan worried, then shook his head. As the most powerful wizard in the current magical world, Dumbledore was unlikely to have any serious issues. The real problem was on his end.
While thinking of a plan, Ivan tidied up the letters on the table and left the Headmaster's office, heading for the Great Hall.
The time wasted was enough for the Professors to gather all the Young Wizards from the four houses in the Great Hall.
For a moment, the place was quite lively. The students whispered to each other, speculating about what had happened. When they learned that Headmaster Dumbledore had summoned them here, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Recently, Sirius Black had infiltrated the Gryffindor dormitory, the Dementors had collectively gone berserk, and Dumbledore, who was the mainstay, had been absent for a long time, causing unease throughout Hogwarts.
Now that they knew the headmaster had returned, their hearts, which had been on edge, finally settled.
Ivan, upon entering the Great Hall and hearing these comments, immediately felt a mountain of pressure. He was the only one in all of Hogwarts who knew that the Dumbledore on the stage was a fake!
"Hals, over here!"
From the Gryffindor bench, George and Fred were waving at him. When Ivan walked over, they immediately leaned in, eager to ask.
"Rumor has it that Sirius was caught. Is that true?"
"Why would you think that?" Ivan said, puzzled.
"Because someone saw a lot of Professors rushing to the same place, and now they've all come back. We suspect the Professors must have gone to catch Sirius!" George said with conviction.
Unfortunately, they weren't going to catch anyone; they were the ones who were caught!
Ivan shook his head with a strange expression and didn't answer their questions, just saying that Professor Dumbledore would explain everything later.
George and Fred, seeing that Ivan was unwilling to reveal anything, reluctantly gave up.
Not long after, the "Dumbledore" who had been speaking with the Professors stepped forward, pointed his Wand at his throat, and, with the aid of a Sonorous Charm, said loudly.
"Silence!"
The loud voice echoed throughout the Great Hall, capturing the attention of all the Young Wizards. Countless eyes focused on the stage.
Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued.
"I believe everyone has seen the announcement from the Ministry of Magic about Sirius Black, the Azkaban escapee. However, I think your understanding might be incomplete! We need to go back to the wizarding war that started over a decade ago."
Dumbledore's sudden shift to the history of the wizarding war puzzled the Young Wizards, but they were soon captivated by the story he told, immersing themselves in it.
When they learned that Harry's parents had been hunted down for resisting the Dark Lord, the Young Wizards from all four houses began to murmur, their faces showing concern.
Only when Dumbledore mentioned that the Potters had used a powerful spell to protect their home did everyone breathe a sigh of relief.
"Professor, if that's the case, how did Harry's parents die?" A few brave Gryffindor Young Wizards mustered the courage to ask.
Others also looked at him with puzzled expressions. Many in the wizarding world knew that Harry's parents had died at the hands of the Dark Lord.
If the spell was as powerful as Dumbledore described, capable of hiding them from the Dark Lord, how did they die?
"Because someone betrayed them, revealing the Potters' hiding place to Voldemort!" Dumbledore said without hesitation.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
