area51novel Chapter 187, Section 186: Merlin's Medal! Harry's Behavior!
Chapter 187, Section 186: Merlin's Medal! Harry's Behavior!
Chapter 187, Section 186: Merlin's Medal! Harry's Behavior!
A vibrant and lively atmosphere filled Hogwarts.
The morning light pierced through the illusory light displayed on the dome of the auditorium, shattering into shimmering spots on the silver-plated plates on the long table. Ian absentmindedly poked at the fried eggs on his plate with the tip of his fork.
Previously.
The milky white crystal ball, which Malfoy had "acted out" and dropped, shimmered like ripples on water in the palm of his other hand, reflecting a faint spiderweb pattern onto the tablecloth like a small light bulb.
"Have you ever seen this type of crystal ball before?" Ian asked his two roommates with some doubt, shaking the crystal ball in his hand.
He might be several levels above his two roommates in terms of ability, but there's always a limit to what he can learn in a year. There are some things that the two roommates, who come from wizarding families, might know better than he does.
William, in particular.
This guy's family has a very rich history.
"My mom might know, but I can only be sure it's not a natural crystal meant to be hoarded." Michael, unusually, didn't fight over the food. He leaned closer to examine it for a long time before giving a confident response.
"It's probably not worth much."
He also gave a final evaluation.
"You can tell whether it's valuable or not?"
Ian raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.
"You have to believe in the talents of us Black people." Michael chuckled, making a joke about his own race, and continued in a reasonable tone.
"Moreover, if you look at historical statistics, you will find that the probability of prophets emerging from among black people is higher than that from among white people. It can be said that we are naturally close to this course of mysticism."
It's clear that Xiao Hei doesn't have much affection for Zhanxia School either. He got the worst grades in this course since the end of last semester, and like Ian, he's one of those who lacks talent.
of course.
Ian managed to get a perfect score by using cheat sheets, but the honest little black guy was completely different; he didn't get straight A's because of it, which is indeed unacceptable for a Ravenclaw student. Even the easygoing Michael cared about this, so it's understandable that he had a bias against things related to cheating.
"You're right, Michael, Oz is all about pretending to be a shaman." Ian agreed with the black guy's point of view, but he didn't comment on the probability problem the black guy mentioned.
This guy is a big fan of American blockbusters. Heaven knows if the data he's spouting has been tainted by Hollywood; in recent years, the scenes involving certain characters there have started to be politically correct.
"I think this looks like a memory sphere, but it's not quite the same," William said, his voice tinged with uncertainty and confusion after examining it closely for a long time.
"Um, I think I still know what a memory ball is, this is completely different." The crystal ball in Ian's hand continued to emit a faint glow amidst the aroma of frying bacon.
He rarely encountered difficulties in alchemy.
"Where did you get this? Knockturn Alley?" William guessed, his curiosity stemming from the story Ian had told them about Knockturn Alley the night before.
"Actually, it's a gift from Mr. Malfoy." Ian looked up at the long table in the direction of Slytherin; that platinum-blonde-haired man was not present at breakfast today.
I wonder if they're hiding from the little wizard.
Even Mr. Savior wasn't there. Aurora probably thought Ian was looking at her, so she raised her hand to greet him, and Ian returned a faint smile.
"what?"
Upon hearing Ian's words, Michael dropped his fork onto the porcelain plate with a clatter.
"The only son of the Malfoy family?"
He glanced in the direction of the Slytherin table before lowering his voice and speaking to Ian.
This guy's ancestors were never any good people.
"His parents were both Death Eaters, truly wicked to the core." As he spoke, Michael's tone was filled with resentment and gritted teeth.
"Malfoy definitely didn't have good intentions when he sent you this gift!"
He made his judgment with absolute certainty.
William immediately chimed in, "I also think Malfoy definitely wants to challenge you. This could be a bomb, or it could be some kind of evil dark magic item that slowly drains your magic power."
In the Green-haired Boy's tutoring, Voldemort is a terrorist, so he naturally thinks that following a group of terrorists are also mentally unstable and evil people.
"I don't think he has the guts." Ian chuckled softly, recalling Malfoy's timid expression. If it were a challenge or a sneak attack, he might find it more interesting.
"The Malfoys are all bad, but they've never had an idiot in their family." Ian put the cold fried egg into his mouth with a fork, and the egg cracked instantly after he took a bite.
A burst of bitter and spicy chili sauce emerged from the cracked outer skin.
"Cough cough~"
The unsuspecting little wizard was choked and coughed violently several times before he could catch his breath. He spat the fried egg, which was mixed with chili oil, into his plate.
"What kind of weird combination is this?!"
Having been engrossed in studying the crystal ball, Michael glanced around at his equally perplexing classmates and seemed to finally understand why he had suddenly become so refined while eating.
Look at that.
Several lobster-shaped dumplings waving their pincers.
One of the young wizards who enrolled this year kept shouting.
And not far away, in a frost-filled glass goblet, there was a girl's scalp frozen solid with blueberry jam. Even a lion would probably lose a few teeth from the cold.
The smoked salmon slices closest to this glass dish were so frozen they seemed to be waltzing.
"The house-elves have clearly come up with some new ideas." Ian seemed rather guilty about the scene, as he was the one who often encouraged the house-elves to be more innovative.
Last night's dinner was quite proper, but today these house-elves let loose. I wonder if they wanted the little wizard to see what they'd accomplished over the holiday.
The clever William had already put down his cutlery.
"Perhaps I can write a letter to ask my family for you." He took out a magic camera that Ian had given him and took several pictures of Ian's crystal ball.
Ian did not stop it.
However, he didn't think it was a good idea.
"It seems I'll have to wait until lunch break to ask Professor Nicolas Flamel." Ian tried to infuse some magic into the crystal ball.
However, this only made the crystal ball shine a little brighter.
Just as he stopped trying.
"Plop plop~"
The auditorium was suddenly filled with the sound of flapping wings.
Hundreds of owls swooped down through the rain curtain of the magic dome.
"Oh no!"
Michael had finally managed to pick out the only decent-tasting red date bread, only to have it shoved into a dusty, grayish package, and he let out a scream that could only be described as despair.
William quickly protected his oatmeal porridge.
but.
This is clearly unnecessary.
He did not receive any package.
Ian, who thought he probably wouldn't receive any packages, noticed a snow raven hovering above the Ravenclaw table.
The gilded envelope it held in its beak was dripping red wax.
The letter was thrown down.
Ian, quick as a flash, caught it, preventing the letter from falling onto the plate and getting contaminated with chili oil—the family elves had definitely overcooked the chili oil.
"This envelope is actually gold-plated."
Ian turned the letter in his hand over with great interest.
beside him.
William's eyes widened immediately.
"Oh my God! It's a letter from the Knights of Merlin!" His voice was so loud that it drowned out the surrounding noise, and many people heard his exclamation. In an instant, the entire hall fell silent.
All eyes turned to Ian. A chorus of gasps followed.
"Merlin's beard! That's a letter from the Knights of Merlin!" A young wizard's eyes widened, and the fork in his hand involuntarily fell onto his plate with a crisp sound.
"What did he do to get the attention of the Knights of Merlin?" Another young wizard asked with envy, his words filled with curiosity and admiration for Ian.
"Didn't you keep up with the news during your holiday?"
An older student began to tell the story of the young wizard; he was clearly a big fan of Ian.
In their conversations, they used a variety of compliments with almost no repetition.
This is absolutely hellish in English grammar.
"Oh my God! He didn't brag! He was actually being modest!" Hermione, sitting at the Gryffindor table, gaped in disbelief after hearing the vivid story told to her.
The sheer shock and disbelief were almost palpable.
"Forehead-"
to be frank.
Even with Ian's thick skin, he felt a little itchy under the gaze of a group of people. Although he wasn't embarrassed yet, he still felt a tiny bit uncomfortable.
[Dear Mr. Ian Prince:]
As the morning light brushes across the surface of the Black Lake for the third time, we are honored to inform you that the Special Review Committee of the Order of Merlin has unanimously decided to award you the Order of Merlin, First Class.
In the early spring of 1991, with extraordinary wisdom and fearless courage, you confronted the evil dark wizard. In that thrilling battle, you successfully defeated the dark wizard with your exceptional magical skills and unwavering faith.
This not only saved the school from huge losses, but also prevented potential casualties.
According to the Merlin Code's awarding provisions, this prestigious honor is a high recognition of your extraordinary courage and outstanding magical talent, as well as an encouragement and support for your heroic deeds.
This nomination was made by Sir Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts.
Meanwhile, during the deliberation process, a person of considerable importance within our Noble Council also paid special attention to and affirmed your achievements. Although we cannot yet disclose the specific identity of this authoritative figure, it can be said that his support has added significant weight to your nomination.
The Order of Merlin is not only a personal honor, but also a testament to your contributions to the wizarding world. We hope you will continue to uphold the spirit of justice and courage, and contribute even more to the peace and prosperity of the wizarding world in the future. We will send someone to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to present you with the medal in seven days.
Grand Master of the Order of Merlin: Richard Goshak (Grand Master of the Order of Merlin, Vice President of the International Magic Federation, recipient of the Order of Merlin, First Class)
Sincerely! 】
The letter was not short.
Furthermore, the review process was deliberately described.
This is slightly different from the normal procedure.
It's as if someone forced Richard Goshak to write it this way.
The feeling was quite strange.
Ian's gaze jumped directly to the last paragraph, where a serpentine watermark appeared on the edge of the letter. As his fingertips traced it, the watermark suddenly twisted to form the runic words "Accept with caution."
Before he could figure out what was going on,
"Oh! By Merlin! It's a First Class Medal!"
Michael, who had come closer, also let out an extremely excited exclamation.
"The Daily Prophet says that only the Auror's Chief of Staff has received such an honor in the last decade!" Michael's neck veins were practically bulging.
His voice was filled with excitement.
"You will be remembered in history, Ian! You're not just the youngest recipient of the Order of Merlin, you've earned it as a First Class! You're on par with Headmaster Dumbledore!"
William grabbed Ian's arm, his voice trembling with excitement.
It was clear that Ian's two roommates were genuinely happy for him. And it wasn't just them; the cheers and jubilation erupting from the Ravenclaw table echoed throughout the entire enclosed room.
Even at the Gryffindor long table, for some reason a few people jumped onto the table to liven things up. Fortunately, Professor McGonagall, who had been supervising everyone's breakfast, finally intervened.
"I know this is something to be happy about, but please observe the most basic dining etiquette!" She raised her hand and used magic to blast the person who jumped onto the table down.
"Congratulations, Mr. Prince. Your roommate is right. You have achieved something amazing." Professor McGonagall then turned to Ian and exclaimed in amazement.
"The Order of Merlin, First Class, that's truly—"
She didn't finish her sentence.
Her slightly confused expression clearly indicated some questions she couldn't express in public. To be honest, Ian was equally surprised; he'd only defeated a dark wizard and received a first-class medal?
Even if that dark wizard was Voldemort, this was still far too unusual. Perhaps Dumbledore was indeed very powerful, but the young wizard thought it probably had a lot to do with the "obscure person" mentioned in the letter.
"Am I quite likeable?" The young wizard scratched his head, trying to recall, but after thinking for a long time, he couldn't come up with any connections within the Order of Merlin.
at this time.
The outgoing Ririm also joined in.
"Congratulations! You'll have to treat us." He seemed to be holding up a cup of coffee that he had brought into the hall himself.
He approached Ian with a smile and spoke in a cheerful tone.
"Accept it! This is fantastic news! You'd regret it if you missed it!"
As if afraid Ian would refuse, he ate his pork floss bread while trying to persuade him—this guy had brought his own food for the entire breakfast.
It's like knowing all along that breakfast wouldn't be good.
Why do you act like you're afraid I'll refuse?
Ian gave Ririm, who had squeezed next to him, a strange look.
"hey-hey."
Ririm grinned broadly.
His face was very close to Ian's.
Just as Ian was considering whether or not to slap him.
"Ian—can I speak with you alone?" Harry Potter, the savior, suddenly walked in from outside the Great Hall. He approached Ian with a somewhat anxious expression and lowered his voice.
"Okay, no problem."
Ian got up and followed Harry Potter outside.
Behind them, little wizards were chattering away.
However, Harry Potter had no interest in listening to their discussions.
His mind was filled with the secrets he had discovered.
"I was in the dorm bathroom just now—I'm a little constipated because of the new environment—and then I overheard my roommate Draco Malfoy—"
Harry Potter and Ian walked down an empty corridor and said something no one would want to hear at breakfast.
He was about to get to the point when his voice suddenly stopped.
There is no other reason.
Ian felt his robe pockets burning hot.
After he took out the contents,
The crystal ball that Malfoy "dropped" earlier has changed; the originally gentle white light has now turned into an incredibly intense red.
It was a blood-red glow.
"Hiss~ Is it really going to explode?"
Ian felt his palms burning hot as he held the crystal ball.
He brought the crystal ball closer to the bewildered Harry Potter. The red glow of the crystal ball deepened, and the bright red color seemed to be dripping out.
Harry's iconic lightning bolt-shaped scar on his face stood out starkly and conspicuously under the red light.
The lightning-like scars seemed to come alive.
It is also faintly showing the same color.