https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-560-What-Are-You-Hiding-From-Us-/13449218/
Chapter 561: Ivan: I'm in a Tough Spot!
Chapter 561: Ivan: I’m in a Tough Spot!
Seeing Harry and Ron’s “misery,” Ivan immediately realized he had said the wrong thing and quickly shut his mouth, pretending to look at the owl cage hanging nearby.
Hermione huffed, snatched the book she had thrown back from Harry, and then glared at Ivan, annoyed that he had exposed the events of last summer without any restraint.
Especially when she saw that Ivan was completely unresponsive, the young witches became even angrier...
Ivan looked helpless. It seemed he couldn’t win whether he spoke or stayed silent.
What a hassle...
Ivan was quite troubled. In his previous life, although he lived for eighteen years, a significant portion of his later years was spent in bed. As a sickly person, he really had no experience in comforting others.
He couldn’t rely on the clichéd scenes from movies and TV shows to win someone over, could he? He would definitely get killed!
Just as the compartment was about to fall back into a long silence, a familiar, drawling voice floated in from the open door.
“... Did you know? Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang instead of Hogwarts. He knows the headmaster there.
Sigh, you know what he thinks of Dumbledore—too fond of Muggle-borns—Durmstrang doesn’t allow those lowlifes to enroll. But Mother didn’t want me to go so far away...
Father also told me that Durmstrang’s approach to Dark Magic is much more reasonable than Hogwarts. Students at Durmstrang actually learn Dark Magic, unlike us, who study that rubbish Defense Against the Dark Arts...”
Ivan turned his head to look outside the compartment.
Malfoy, dressed in Slytherin robes, was walking down the train corridor with his head held high, accompanied by his two cronies. He was incessantly criticizing Hogwarts’ flaws and injustices, putting on an air of superiority.
As he passed this compartment, Malfoy deliberately raised his voice and said in a mocking tone, “Oh, of course! For some people, Hogwarts is probably the best place, because they can only attend school here!”
His two cronies, Goyle and Crabbe, promptly chuckled and chimed in.
“Malfoy!” Ivan frowned. He could clearly tell who Malfoy was mocking, but as he reached for his wand, a hand stopped him.
“Do you want Gryffindor to lose points?” Hermione glared at Ivan, tiptoeing to the compartment door and gently closing it to block out Malfoy’s voice.
By then, Malfoy had already taken off with Goyle and Crabbe, having seen Ivan’s movement to draw his wand. He certainly didn’t want to stick around and get beaten up.
“Let him go if he likes Durmstrang so much. We’d be happy if he transferred!” Hermione returned to her seat and slammed the book on the table, looking furious. It was unclear whether she was also venting her anger on the book.
Although Harry was reluctant to step in when Hermione was angry, he couldn’t help but look at Ivan and Ron after a moment and ask,
“What is Durmstrang? Is it another Magic school? Why does Malfoy want to go there?”
“Hmm, I think I’ve heard of it somewhere,” Ron mumbled.
Ivan then explained to Harry, “Durmstrang is one of the three major Schools of Magic in Europe, located in the Nordic region. Its exact location is very mysterious, and it’s said that only the students and staff there know it.”
"Moreover, the place is most famous for openly teaching Dark Magic!" Ivan added.
"You mean they teach Dark Magic in class?" Harry seemed quite surprised, finding it hard to imagine a place where Dark Magic could be taught openly. "Wouldn't Durmstrang become a gathering place for Dark Wizards?"
"Not necessarily. Learning Dark Magic doesn't automatically make someone a Dark Wizard... It depends on how you use it. During the Wizarding War, Aurors were allowed to use Unforgivable Curses in their battles against Death Eaters!" Ivan corrected Harry's misconception.
Powerful wizards often know some Dark Magic; it's just a matter of whether they use it or not.
Of course, Hogwarts prohibiting young wizards from learning Dark Magic makes sense. Many Dark Magic spells require the caster to focus on negative emotions, and their immense destructive power can easily lead to addiction.
To change the subject and ease the tension, Ivan talked a lot about the three major schools and casually asked Harry and the others about their encounter at the Quidditch pitch.
Harry and Ron didn't hide anything and recounted their harrowing experience after the Quidditch Cup.
Just like in the original timeline, a riot broke out in the campsite while they were sleeping in their tent that night.
A large number of wizards in black robes and black hats, their faces covered by masks, appeared out of nowhere, setting fire to the tents and using magic to torment and torture nearby Muggles.
Ivan knew the inside story; it was a plan orchestrated by Lucius Malfoy and other Death Eaters who despised Muggles.
"Sirius Black said those people were definitely Death Eaters, so he went to confront them... Ron, Hermione, and I ran all the way to the forest for safety. We even encountered a strange House-Elf..."
As Harry spoke, a hint of lingering fear was still visible on his face. The number of those thugs was significant, and they were casting spells without restraint. If they had accidentally run into them, they would have had little chance of resistance.
"You said Sirius Black went to confront them?" Ivan raised an eyebrow, something he hadn't anticipated.
"Yes!" Harry nodded, though he had stayed in the forest and didn't see the actual confrontation, only the flashes of light from the spells flying around.
Then someone uttered a strange spell, and a massive shimmering green object flew into the sky, transforming into a huge skull with a winding snake emerging from its mouth.
Recalling that terrifying scene, both Harry and Ron shuddered involuntarily. Hermione, who was usually quick to anger, was now very serious as she added:
"According to Mr. Bagman, that was the Dark Mark! During the last Wizarding War, Death Eaters would often cast this mark in the sky after causing chaos and killing wizards or Muggles..."
Listening to Hermione and the others, Ivan stroked his chin, deep in thought.
The Dark Mark was likely still cast by Barty Crouch Jr. It seemed that some events hadn't been altered by the butterfly effect of his presence!
(End of Chapter)
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