https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-774-So-Called-Responsive-to-All-Requests/13454633/
Chapter 773: Handsome Boys Are All Master Deceivers
Chapter 773: Handsome Boys Are All Master Deceivers
"Who did this?! Show yourself!" Umbridge, with a bruised nose and swollen face, climbed to her feet from the ground, wand in hand, and let out an angry hiss. Her eyes darted around the classroom, searching for the culprit who had played this prank on her.
However, she did not suspect Ivan. After all, Ivan sat at the very back, and it seemed unlikely that he could have cast a spell from there.
The students most likely to have tampered with the chair were those sitting in the front row.
Umbridge's disheveled appearance made the young wizards, who had been holding back their laughter, burst out into fits of giggles.
For a moment, the classroom was filled with a lively atmosphere.
"No laughing... None of you are allowed to laugh!" Umbridge shouted in a loud voice.
But no one listened to her. The laughter only grew louder, and for once, the young wizards from both houses seemed to be enjoying a rare moment of camaraderie.
Umbridge's face twisted in a frightening manner, and in a fit of anger, she ordered everyone to copy the school rules fifty times. Then, amid even louder laughter, she left the classroom in a huff, heading to the Hospital Wing to tend to her injuries.
The Defense Against the Dark Arts class ended early that afternoon.
The classroom was abuzz with noise as the young wizards discussed Umbridge's embarrassing performance. Many of them hailed Ivan, Hermione, and Harry as heroes for standing up to her.
Ron, feeling a sense of pride by association, loudly proclaimed that he had also wanted to stand up to Umbridge, but had just not figured out what to say ...
Using Seventh-Year Transfiguration to prank Umbridge left Ivan feeling quite pleased. As he packed his books, his mind wandered to the plan for the evening.
Hermione, however, was very curious about how Umbridge's chair had suddenly broken and how she had ended up tripping over the chair leg, resulting in her bruised and swollen face. This was more than just a coincidence ...
In the young witches' minds, only Ivan could have pulled off such a feat without anyone noticing.
Faced with Hermione's questioning, Ivan glanced at Harry and Ron beside him, then shook his head decisively and blurted out a lie.
"Maybe it's just that Professor Umbridge's luck isn't very good? Don't forget, every Defense Against the Dark Arts professor has been quite unlucky. None of them have managed to stay for a full year yet ..."
Hermione was half-convinced but did not press the matter further.
Harry and Ron did not care whether it was a coincidence. They were simply delighted to see Umbridge suffer.
...
Late at night, an owl flapped its wings as it flew toward Ravenclaw Tower.
"Thank goodness, my luck is holding up!" After wandering around for a bit, Ivan quickly found an open window and slipped inside, then transformed back into his human form.
The tower was quiet and serene at night. The elegant arched windows were draped in blue and bronze silk, which fluttered gently in the breeze.
Across from the door, a niche held a white marble bust of Rowena Ravenclaw. To Ivan's delight, his target, Helena, was standing there, gazing at the ornate statue in deep thought.
"Hello, Lady Grey..." Ivan stepped forward a few paces, greeting her.
"Who?" A voice suddenly rang out from the Tower, startling the hovering Helena. She quickly turned around and fixed Ivan with a scrutinizing gaze as he emerged from the darkness. After a long moment, she questioned him.
"You're not a Ravenclaw student, are you? What are you doing sneaking into the Tower this late?"
"Apologies for the intrusion. I came specifically to seek you out", Ivan said, his face showing a hint of regret as he bowed slightly.
"Seek me?" Helena seemed surprised, but there was a touch of sarcasm in her voice.
"Yes, Lady Grey." Ivan nodded and continued, "I have a deep interest in this ancient castle and its history. During my explorations, I stumbled upon some clues left by the founders, but there are still many things I don't understand. I have some questions I would like to ask you."
Worried that Helena might suspect his true intentions, Ivan didn't immediately mention the Magic Power Storage Room. He planned to gradually build a rapport and then try to extract the information he needed.
However, Ivan soon realized his miscalculation. Helena seemed uninterested in the topic of the founders. She floated to one side, somewhat impatiently.
"I'm just a ghost, and I can't help you. You should ask someone else..."
"Please, don't say that, Lady Helena. If even the daughter of Ravenclaw knows little about this castle, I can't think of anyone else to ask..." Ivan quickly revealed his first trump card, exposing Helena's identity.
"You know who I am? Who told you?" Helena's expression finally changed, her eyes narrowing as she asked.
"I figured it out on my own", Ivan smiled. "After all, the timeline just doesn't match up..."
"Timeline?" Helena asked, confused.
Ivan's lips curled into a slight smile, knowing he had piqued Helena's interest. He cleared his throat and continued.
"Although I don't know why you're pretending to be someone else, the Muggles' historical records mention Jane Lady Grey, the First Deposed Queen of England, who was born in the 16th century. But you were already wandering this castle long before that, weren't you?"
"Furthermore, I've spoken to the other ghosts in the school and learned some things about you..." Ivan deliberately kept his words vague to avoid giving himself away.
Helena was silent for a long time before finally sighing and saying, "Clever boy! What do you want to know?"
"I'm very interested in the founding history of Hogwarts. I once accidentally found some information about Slytherin..." Ivan began, but Helena cut him off before he could finish.
"Another one..."
Helena's tone became sharper.
"Another one?" Ivan was taken aback.
"Don't try to fool me..." Helena floated closer to Ivan, her body nearly touching his, and stared at him with a weary expression. "You came here specifically to see me, and I doubt it's just to hear some boring history."
Ivan was puzzled about how he had been caught and why Helena was so certain. But now wasn't the time to dwell on it.
Ivan racked his brain, trying to figure out how to turn the situation around. Helena looked at him and sighed.
"Indeed, handsome boys are all master deceivers..."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
