The Witch in the Castle, A Welcome Gift

Ian Prince.

This was Ian's name in this life.

Actually.

He did not even know how long he had been transmigrated.

Unlike many who closed their eyes and opened them in another world, he did not reincarnate immediately after dying in an accident as a college student in his previous life.

His consciousness had drifted through a period of hazy, fragmented years that he could barely piece together; he felt as if he had been flying, passing through many places and witnessing countless things he could no longer recall.

Looking back now.

Ian did not know why he had such an experience. It did not feel like he was searching for a lost sheep, but rather like a purposeless, restless wandering of a soul without a home.

Until a light appeared.

He flew toward the light.

Only then did he open his eyes again to see a world that was both familiar and strange.

As a transmigrator, Ian possessed the "golden finger" expected of one. Beyond his attribute panel, the ability to cross the boundary between life and death seemed to have become his unique talent.

Every week, while in his dreams, Ian would arrive at this peculiar place—a place the simple-minded little girl before him called Limbo.

Yes, Limbo, the realm of the dead in the Harry Potter world. Some said it was a transit station to the underworld, others said it was the path to the afterlife... Based on Ian's knowledge of Harry Potter from his past life, he only knew that after Dumbledore died, he appeared at a train station in Limbo.

He guessed that the reason he could come here was likely because he had been resurrected, possessing the wisdom of two lifetimes, and had somehow triggered a bug in this world.

Forgive him for only watching a few movies and fan-fiction; he hadn't gone out of his way to cram more related knowledge. If he had known he would transmigrate, he certainly would have become a "Potterologist" in his previous life.

Of course.

Perhaps a Potterologist.

Would not have known much more about this place either, otherwise, Limbo would not have remained the most mysterious map area in the original work.

"You look a bit shaken?"

The girl before him was an old ghost who didn't even know how long she had been dead. However, despite this, Ariana still retained the innocence and slight childishness she had before she died.

She was also one of the few friends Ian had in this place.

Regarding Limbo.

Ian had always felt it was a treasure trove. A young wizard's magic awakening usually only resulted in Level 1 Magic Control; the reason he possessed Level 4 Magic Control was because he had studied here.

Of course.

It wasn't with the girl before him, because Ariana was just an ordinary person who didn't understand magic. Ian had learned magic control through another friend.

Only.

That person always refused to teach him real magic, always emphasizing that he wasn't old enough or something similar.

"A creepy old man! It was because of a creepy old man!"

Ian's tone carried a sense of emphasis.

"Why do you say he's a creepy old man? Does he look scary?"

Ariana was a bit curious.

Ian and Ariana began to stroll, and he shook his head to explain.

"No, he doesn't look scary. On the contrary, he's quite a refined old man. It's just that this old man is a peeping tom—well, at least that's what I've heard."

"Aren't you curious why he came to find me, Ariana?"

The two walked to the side of a river. Several colorful butterflies chased each other around them, dancing gracefully, while a small rabbit poked its head out from under a tree, watching their retreating figures.

The sunlight spilled down, and the scenery was gentle.

"Why did he come to find you? Did he want to peep at you while you were bathing?"

The girl's words left Ian speechless for a moment.

"He came to let me go to Hogwarts to attend school, Ariana. I really am a wizard with a registered identity!" Ian looked at the flowing river, his tone filled with smug pride.

He hadn't been very old in his previous life, and although he had drifted for a long time, he had been in a daze... In short, he was just an old ghost slightly better off than Ariana.

Otherwise, how could the two of them have become friends?

There had to be some similarities, didn't there?

"Hogwarts? I know, I still remember Hogwarts. It's the best wizarding school in the whole world! And also the safest place in the world!"

Ariana looked at Ian with pleasant surprise.

"Ian, if you run into trouble at Hogwarts, you can go find my two brothers for help. They are students at Hogwarts, and they are very kind-hearted people."

It was clear she was very earnest.

However.

"We are definitely going to run into trouble."

Ian stretched his legs into the river and lay back against the grass, speaking slowly with a hint of helplessness. "Your brother is just a student; how powerful could he possibly be? This year or next, I suspect our school is going to be refreshed with a noseless freak, and that thing isn't something an average person can handle."

Regarding Voldemort.

Ian felt a measure of concern.

He could certainly avoid crossing paths with the Savior, but who knew if he might end up as collateral damage while studying at school? Only a ghost would believe that Hogwarts was truly the safest place on earth.

"A noseless freak?"

Ariana tilted her head in confusion.

"Yeah, just a major villain who's about to be resurrected."

Perhaps because this place was severed from reality, or because the person before him was a lifelong friend, Ian did not hide the fact that he "knew the future."

He had revealed plenty of information similar to prophecies in the past.

Yet, Ariana had never once been curious.

"Is the noseless freak very powerful? Ian, both of my brothers are very powerful."

Ariana was quite earnest.

Ian sat up, asking with curiosity, "Are your two brothers twins?"

When twins were mentioned, Ian immediately thought of the Weasley family, but Ariana's hair color didn't match, and he had never heard of the Weasleys having a sister who had passed away.

Was it another magical family?

One of the Sacred Twenty-Eight?

He couldn't figure it out. Ian scratched his head and asked once more, "Do you really not remember your surname?"

Ariana shook her head, her expression turning somewhat dejected.

Ian blinked. "Then how am I supposed to find your brothers to ask for help?"

"My brothers..."

Ariana fell into a contemplative look, yet she couldn't recall any information about them. She only remembered that she had two brothers who loved her very much, and she was simply waiting here for them.

"It seems I am about to completely forget my obsession and my past."

Ariana's eyes grew sorrowful as she rested her chin in her hands, watching the flowing river.

Ian hurriedly tried to comfort her, feeling somewhat at a loss. "In Limbo, souls linger because of their obsessions. When your obsession fades, or when you forget everything, that is the moment you pass on to the afterlife."

"That isn't necessarily a bad thing."

Ian looked at Ariana with clear eyes, only to see her eyes suddenly turn red.

"But, my brothers..."

Ariana choked back a sob.

This...

Ian didn't know how to comfort her, so he could only pull out a piece of chocolate he had prepared in advance. "You're lucky; I was originally saving this for myself."

He had bought the chocolate ahead of time and hidden it in his pocket; he certainly hadn't forgotten to bring it.

"Chocolate! Ian, you're so kind!"

Seeing the chocolate, Ariana was indeed less sad. She broke into a tearful smile, took a bite, and couldn't help but add, "Actually, I really want to see my brothers one more time."

Ian scratched his head, looking at the girl's profile, and said:

"Then I'll go back and ask around for you—see whose sister died. Maybe when I tell you, you'll remember, and you'll be able to stay here for a few more years."

"Everyone dies eventually. Just hang in there, outlive them, and once they pass away, you'll be able to see them here," Ian said to Ariana earnestly.

Ariana was pleasantly surprised and said gratefully, "Thank you for the comfort, Ian. But you mustn't go and kill them just so I can be reunited with my brothers, okay?"

Good grief!

Are you providing me with new ideas?

Ian: "..."

He truly didn't know how to roll his eyes hard enough at that.

"What do you take me for, some kind of evil villain?"

Ian looked innocent.

"The witch who lives in the castle said you had those qualities."

Seeing Ian's speechlessness, Ariana couldn't help but laugh.

The witch in the castle?

Ian felt a sense of foreboding as he looked behind him toward the castle hidden in the forest. He had heard a few things about it.

However, Limbo was vast, and with his current abilities, he couldn't explore much of the area.

Just then, a cold sensation touched his palm.

Ian turned his head, only to see Ariana take his hand, a smile on her face as she said, "Ian, thank you for your kindness. This is also a congratulatory gift for your enrollment."

"I want to give you a present."

As she spoke, Ian quickly felt a surge of warmth flowing from her hand into his. He looked down and saw a streak of vivid red pouring from Ariana's hand into his own.

A delicate pattern appeared on the back of his hand, but it vanished just as quickly.

"What is this?"

No sooner had the words left Ian's lips than his surroundings began to turn surreal, and the person before him started to blur.

He knew.

It was time to leave, so he made no move to resist.

"See you next week."

Ian waved goodbye with a smile.

Ariana waved back, smiling as well.

"See you next week."