Chapter 652: Repairing the Crescent Pendant
Chapter 652: Repairing the Crescent Pendant
Hermione glared at Ivan with a mix of annoyance and curiosity, wondering what important item he had in mind.
Perhaps feeling that her gift wouldn't match Ivan's in value, Hermione hesitated for a moment before relenting, though she still emphasized, "Alright, I'll take it out, but you're not allowed to use Legilimency!"
"Relax, I definitely won't!" Ivan reassured her, patting his chest. He wasn't lying; surprises were meant to be kept secret until the moment of revelation.
Hermione drew her wand from the black silk belt at her waist and waved it in the air. Points of Lumos light streamed from the tip of her wand, gradually forming a long, slender object that became more solid under her guidance.
Not a bad magic trick, Ivan thought to himself. He could tell it was an illusion spell; Hermione had likely used a Reducing Charm to hide the item and then used Lumos to draw his attention and enlarge it.
However, recognizing the trick didn't mean he had to spoil it. Ivan maintained an interested expression as Hermione conjured a brown scarf out of thin air.
"Is this for me?" Ivan asked, noticing that the scarf seemed different from those sold in stores. It wasn't as smooth, and the edges were a bit rough. He looked at Hermione, guessing, "Did you make it yourself?"
Hermione blushed and nodded, speaking softly. "Mrs. Weasley taught me this summer. I saw that you didn't have a scarf, so..."
Hermione didn't continue, her eyes filled with both anticipation and nervousness as she looked at Ivan.
She had agonized over her Christmas gift choice for a long time. Initially, she wanted to give him a book as usual, but she felt it wouldn't be very helpful for Ivan. She wanted her gift to be more meaningful, so she decided to knit a scarf.
"This is the best Christmas gift I've ever received. Could you put it on for me?" Ivan smiled warmly at her.
Hermione nodded, took a deep breath, and stepped forward, her cheeks flushed as she carefully wrapped the scarf around his neck.
They stood very close, close enough to hear each other's breathing.
Whether it was her first time tying a scarf or because she was too nervous, Hermione took a long time to get it right.
Ivan wasn't in a hurry at all. He gazed intently at the young witch's delicate face, admiring her focused expression as she adjusted the scarf.
After a while, Hermione finally finished and stepped back to her original position, standing there with her hands behind her back, looking at him expectantly.
Ivan understood that she was waiting for his gift, so he didn't keep her in suspense any longer. He reached into the pocket of his wizard robes and pulled out a pendant to show the young witch.
The pendant was quite unique, shaped like a crescent moon and suspended on a long silver chain. It shimmered brightly under the moonlight.
"Wow, it's beautiful!" Hermione murmured, entranced by it.
However, she soon noticed the numerous fine cracks on the surface of the Crescent Pendant, indicating severe damage. She looked at Ivan with a puzzled expression.
"This was a Christmas gift from my mother, Asia, during my first year. It's a very intricate Magic Item that can protect the wearer from a fatal injury..." Ivan explained, his expression tinged with nostalgia.
Hermione was both surprised and a bit frightened. She understood what the damage to the Crescent Pendant meant—that Ivan had almost died at some point.
"Was it when you were protecting the Philosopher's Stone?" Hermione immediately thought of this and asked anxiously.
Although she hadn't seen the actual battle, it was clear that the fight had been extremely brutal.
When she and Dumbledore arrived, the place was in ruins, and Ivan had been unconscious for two whole days before he regained consciousness.
Ivan nodded, still feeling the lingering fear, but before he could say anything, Hermione had already rushed over and hugged him tightly.
Her sobs soon reached his ears, and the robe over his chest felt damp as if it had been soaked in water.
"That was a long time ago, and it's all over now, isn't it?" Ivan hadn't expected such a strong reaction from the young witch and awkwardly tried to comfort her, regretting that he had told her about it in the first place.
Hermione didn't respond, just clinging to Ivan as she released her fear. She wanted to scold him for taking such a risk, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.
Because they had gone on that adventure together, and Ivan hadn't done anything wrong. If they hadn't stopped Quirrell, the Dark Lord would have used the Philosopher's Stone to resurrect and wreak havoc in the Wizarding World, causing countless deaths.
What truly pained Hermione was her own helplessness, always feeling useless when it mattered most.
Ivan softly comforted her, and it took a while to calm her down. Then, he personally put the Crescent Pendant around her neck and gently wiped away the tears from her eyes.
"It suits you perfectly, and you look beautiful!" Ivan said, admiring the young girl before him.
The first part was about the pendant, while the second described Hermione wearing it.
Despite her tears, her eyes were still red, but this only added to her charm, softening her usual strong demeanor and highlighting her delicate beauty.
Hermione gently touched the Crescent Pendant hanging from her neck, and the anxiety and fear in her heart gradually gave way to happiness. She didn't mind that it was a damaged magical item; understanding its history, she knew how precious and unique this gift was.
Thinking of this, Hermione was about to thank Ivan, but he interrupted her.
"Wait... it's not over yet!"
Hermione looked at Ivan with confusion, unsure what he meant.
"I think it's time to fix it!" Ivan said with a smile, reaching out to hold the Crescent Pendant and slowly clasping it in his palm.
Then, Ivan closed his eyes and focused on using Professor Nicolas Flamel's Channeling Magic, pouring his intense emotions into the pendant.
Hermione was so tense that she didn't dare move or speak, afraid of distracting Ivan while he was casting.
Gradually, a brilliant golden light began to shine through the gaps in Ivan's fingers, radiating warmth. Hermione, standing close by, could clearly feel the strong emotions contained within that power.
This continued for about half a minute. Ivan opened his eyes again, looking a bit tired. He opened his hand, and the Crescent Pendant in the center of his palm was now flawless, with all the fine cracks completely gone. Occasionally, a golden Lumos could be seen flowing over its surface.
(End of Chapter)
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