Throughout the entire school year, Hermione Granger scored nearly perfect marks in every subject and was deeply favored by the professors—
Except Snape.
Yet no matter how hard she worked, there was always someone who remained above her—Susan Bones.
The two of them were often assigned to the same group in class. Whenever a professor asked a question, they would almost always raise their hands at the same time.
But the difference was that Hermione excelled at citing the textbook, while Susan's answers were often more profound.
Hermione's answers were flawless, but Susan could always provide examples, analyze the principles, and derive conclusions. Naturally, the professors appreciated the latter more.
There was even a rumor that Snape had once praised Susan in Potions class—a feat that made her the only non-Slytherin student he had ever complimented.
At first, Hermione thought it was merely a rumor, but gradually, she began to wonder: Had Susan received professional training long ago?
Especially after she noticed that Susan could often expand beyond the knowledge in the textbook when answering questions, and even put forward her own insights.
She must have known about the Magic Core for a long time, Hermione thought. Maybe... she can control her magic at will.
At that moment, her competitive spirit was completely ignited.
--
After class that day, Hermione worked up the courage to ask Ian, "Professor, can I access my Magic Core on my own?"
Ian set down his pen and smiled. "Of course you can, as long as you're willing to practice."
"Practice?" Hermione's eyes lit up.
"That's right." Ian's tone was steady. "Before going to sleep each night, repeatedly cast simple spells, such as Lumos.
"Before your magic is exhausted, try to sense its flow within your body. Once your magic runs out, let it recover naturally.
"Repeat this cycle. Not only will it train you to sense your core, it will also make your magic more flexible and help it grow faster."
"Professor, do you mean magic can be increased through deliberate expenditure? It doesn't require age or talent?"
"Exactly." Ian nodded.
As his words fell, the entire room fell silent.
Even Hagrid widened his eyes. In all his years, he had never heard of anything like this.
Hermione's entire worldview was overturned.
She asked in shock, "Then... shouldn't this be a secret? If other people found out, wouldn't it cause chaos?"
Ian smiled faintly. "The fact that you thought of that means you truly understand the value of knowledge."
After a brief pause, he continued:
"But I don't think knowledge should be hidden. The advancement of magic comes from sharing and inheritance.
"As long as it remains locked away in the hands of a few, it will stagnate. Only through circulation can magic evolve."
Hermione wanted to ask more, but then she saw him gently raise his wand.
A silver-white thread of light, fine as a strand of hair, shot out and silently sank into the centers of their brows.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Hagrid all froze for a moment. Then they felt a gentle yet sturdy lock form within their minds.
"I've added a layer of protection to your memories." Ian's voice was low and steady.
"You won't forget what happened today, but if you try to mention it to anyone else, this memory will be temporarily sealed.
"It will automatically recover after several hours. No one can read this part of your memory through Legilimency."
Hermione froze for a moment before reacting. "Is this... a variant of the Fidelius Charm?"
Ian smiled. "You could say that. The original was based on the Fidelius Charm, but I improved it.
"It no longer relies on a Secret-Keeper. Instead, it directly locks the structure of the thoughts and incorporates the triggering mechanism of Obliviate."
This was originally an experimental spell Ian had developed for Information Security Art.
As long as the conditions were set, he could even make anyone who broke the agreement "disappear" the moment they leaked the secret.
But for now, he had used only the gentlest version.
The others nodded, but none of them realized how difficult the magic was.
They could not possibly imagine that what Ian had done just now was equivalent to reconstructing parts of four souls within a matter of seconds.
--
"Then," Ian raised his eyes and smiled faintly, "what was the original reason you wanted to see me?"
Only then did everyone return to their senses. They had initially contacted the professor because of Norberta.
Hagrid carefully explained what had happened, mentioning that Malfoy had also learned of the dragon's existence.
Ian fell silent for a moment after hearing him out.
By rights, he should have made them handle the matter according to the "original story"—have the dragon sent away and let fate proceed as it was meant to.
But then he suddenly stopped that train of thought.
Why should I continue acting according to "predetermined fate"? he asked himself.
At first, he had thought it was because he wanted to use the plot and seize the initiative over the future.
But after thinking more deeply, he realized that the real reason was—fear.
He feared the unknown.
He feared that the future he "already knew" would be rewritten.
That sense of security from "controlling everything" actually stemmed from a wound deep within his heart—
Ever since his parents' deaths, he had firmly believed that no matter how hard he tried, fate would never change in the end.
But things were different now.
He was no longer the person he had been back then.
He possessed enough power to change the world.
He could even redefine the meaning of "fate."
If that was the case, then why should he remain bound by fate?
Ian closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The shadow that had weighed on his heart for so many years seemed to finally disperse.
"Professor?" Hermione called softly.
Ian opened his eyes, his expression calm. "It's nothing."
He looked at Hagrid. "I'll make you a magical suitcase similar to Newt's for raising Norberta.
"As for the breeding permit, I'll obtain it from the Ministry of Magic for you."
"Really... really?" Hagrid's eyes widened, and his voice caught in his throat.
Ian smiled and nodded.
Hagrid excitedly started to open his arms for a bear hug, but when he saw Ian's slightly raised eyebrow, he remembered the warning he had received last time and forcibly stopped himself. He scratched his head awkwardly and smiled.
"Th-thank you, Professor! I'll definitely take good care of Norberta!"
"I believe you," Ian replied calmly.
Before you continue