The Old Ones of Hogwarts

Chapter 544-553: The Prelude to Destruction 9

About this content.

Ian had some ideas of his own.

Of course, much of it was knowledge from the Hogwarts textbooks. Since those were later versions, he wasn't worried about Dumbledore discovering it now.

"So-called prophecy is not about 'seeing' a fixed future. Rather, it is more like... certain individuals with particularly keen senses, or whose soul frequencies resonate with certain deep 'vibrations' of this 'web of fate,' capture the strong connections between certain 'nodes' in this network, the general trend of certain 'flows,' or certain 'potential focal points' that will become exceptionally 'bright' due to the convergence of strong 'cause and effect' or 'energy.'"

He paused, as if searching for a more suitable word.

"The information captured is often fragmented, symbolic, and full of personal interpretations, because the 'web of fate' itself is not written in language."

"Prophets use their limited understanding and symbolic system to 'translate' those vague intuitions. Therefore, prophecies are often ambiguous, possibly pointing to multiple outcomes, or the original probability distribution may be altered by the very act of observation itself." "This is what is called 'self-fulfilling prophecy' or 'self-avoidance.'" Ian put down his fries, his gaze returning to Grindelwald, his eyes still calm.

"Therefore, whether a prophecy is 'true' depends on a variety of factors: the prophet's own talent and state of mind, how he interprets information, the complexity of the factors involved in the prophesied event, and... the choices and interventions made by the relevant parties after the prophecy is known. It is more like a high-level probabilistic warning and causal indication than a fatalistic judgment."

This is the content of the divination course materials.

The theory has not yet emerged.

Ian, of course, didn't mind being a plagiarist. His argument was clear, calm, and logically rigorous, far exceeding the depth of understanding of prophecy that an ordinary young wizard would have.

It not only points out the ambiguity and manipulability of prophecy, but also implies a relatively objective, even slightly detached, perspective on "fate" itself. "Truly worthy of a raven!"

Dumbledore was deeply shocked. He had never heard anyone deconstruct prophetic phenomena so systematically and "scientifically." This further convinced him that the young man before him possessed a knowledge background and level of thinking that were far beyond the ordinary.

The classic scene of plagiarism and pretense is playing out at this moment.

but.

However, there are still some uncertainties.

Grindelwald listened quietly, his heterochromatic eyes gleaming with surprise, admiration, a deeper inquiry, and a hint of… indescribable confirmation, as if he had witnessed some precious quality. He didn't immediately comment on Ian's argument. Instead, he leaned forward slightly, his smile becoming somewhat peculiar—a mixture of approval, mischief, and a touch of old-fashioned mentorly teasing.

"Well done, Mr. Ian." Grindelwald's tone was almost benevolently teasing. "Clear and logical, insightful, even touching on the observer effect and probabilistic interpretation... It seems you're well-prepared for your 'final exam,' which is fast approaching." He clapped his hands lightly, his voice particularly clear in the quiet corner.

"Final exams?"

The word, coming from Grindelwald's mouth, seemed incredibly abrupt and strange in this context.

Ian, who had maintained a calm and composed demeanor, showed a distinct, almost frozen, stunned expression for the first time upon hearing those four words.

In those deep, pool-like eyes, something seemed to be gently stirred, flashing a mixture of astonishment, realization, and an almost imperceptible... embarrassment?

"No way! What's wrong with Grindelwald?!"

The noisy background sounds of the night market seemed to be amplified infinitely at this moment.

Dumbledore astutely noticed Ian's fleeting, unusual reaction. His doubts deepened: What did Grindelwald mean by that seemingly random "final exam"? Why would it elicit such a...human, stunned look from this unfathomable young man?

Grindelwald, meanwhile, leaned back leisurely on the plastic stool, his heterochromatic eyes filled with a playful smile, as if he had just made a harmless little joke.

They waited quietly for Ian's reaction. The atmosphere around the simple plastic table instantly became somewhat subtle and indescribable because of the abrupt mention of "final exams."

"You..." Ian Prince, the "Raven" who had just been calmly and detachedly expounding profound insights about fate and prophecy.

At this moment, a clear crack appeared on the timeless calm on his face.

He opened his mouth slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but it got stuck in his throat. His deep, pool-like eyes stared straight at Grindelwald, who was smiling playfully across from him.

"Final exams..."

Ian repeated the word in a low voice, his tone carrying a strange, almost absurd quality. His fingers, resting on the table, unconsciously twitched slightly before quickly relaxing, attempting to regain his composed, all-encompassing calm. But this subtle movement and brief moment of distraction were precisely caught by Dumbledore and Grindelwald.

Dumbledore's astonishment and doubt spread like ripples on a lake after a pebble was thrown in. Grindelwald's words were no exaggeration! "Final exams"—that's clearly school terminology!

Combining Ian's youthful appearance with the knowledge and strength he had previously displayed that far exceeded his age, an even more bizarre yet inexplicably fitting guess flashed through Dumbledore's mind like lightning.

His expression was one of surprise and uncertainty. Grindelwald, observing Ian's reaction, deepened his mischievous smile, but he didn't delve further into the topic, as if it had truly been a casual remark. He subtly shifted the subject, returning to the initial question, but with a different tone. "As for that man in black..."

Grindelwald's voice returned to its previous calm, a deep glint flashing in his heterochromatic eyes. "I don't know his exact identity. But to be able to cast such exquisite, long-lasting, and highly targeted soul suggestions, and to have such a clear 'prediction' and 'intervention' regarding the trajectory of Jorkins' fate... such an existence is extremely rare in this era."

"Moreover, the place he chose to lead Jorkins to happened to be the place where you appeared and intervened... This is hard to explain as a mere coincidence."

He paused, his gaze sharpening as if trying to see through Ian's calm surface: "This makes me wonder if the black-robed man's 'prophecy' or 'scheme' wasn't just about Jorkins, but also... about you, Mr. Ian. Do you feel that your presence there, saving Jorkins, was also like being drawn to that specific time and place by some invisible thread?" This question went straight to the heart of the matter, connecting the black-robed man's motives, Jorkins's experience, and Ian's appearance into a potentially larger "game."

Dumbledore held his breath slightly, waiting for Ian's answer.

however.

Ian, however, did not seem to care that much.

"You just used your prophetic abilities?" Ian's eyes were filled with obvious astonishment, and even a hint of... being caught off guard by having some kind of disguise exposed?

"Yes."

Grindelwald readily admitted it.

"You cheated!"

Ian was starting to lose his composure.

However, just as he finished speaking...

A sudden change has occurred!

It did not come from a conversation between the three of them, nor from nearby.

Rather, it was a sudden change in atmosphere.

The lively sounds of the night market in the distance, which were originally noisy but full of life, seemed to freeze for a moment at the same time, as if they had been suddenly grabbed by an invisible hand!

Immediately following were several short, terrified screams, and the chaotic sounds of people pushing and shoving, objects colliding and collapsing! But the chaos did not continue to spread; instead, it seemed to be forcibly suppressed and confined to a certain area, quickly becoming low and indistinct, as if covered by a huge soundproof dome.

At the same time, a cold, sinister, malicious, and chaotic magical fluctuation, like ink dripping into clear water, quietly seeped in and spread from multiple directions around the night market!

Although the magical fluctuations were deliberately suppressed and dispersed, they were as clear and glaring as beacon fires in the night for beings like Dumbledore, Grindelwald, and Ian!

"What's going on?!"

Dumbledore and Grindelwald's expressions changed almost simultaneously, and they abruptly stood up from their plastic stools! Dumbledore's Elder Wand instantly slid into his palm, and his azure eyes flashed with a sharp, hawk-like alertness as he quickly scanned his surroundings. Grindelwald, though not drawing his wand—perhaps he didn't have one at the moment—had his heterochromatic pupils suddenly contract, and he exuded a cold, dangerous aura of seasoned experience. Death Eaters! And a large number of Death Eaters!

They're silently surrounding the night market from all sides! How dare they so openly gather and approach in a densely populated Muggle area?! "They're actually retaliating." Ian slowly stood up. His movements weren't hurried, but there was a hint of coldness in his composure.

He tilted his head slightly, as if listening to and sensing something, his deep, pool-like eyes gazing towards the entrance of the night market, where the lights and noise were once bright and bustling.

It was now being swallowed up by a rapidly spreading, unnatural silence and darkness.

"It seems," Ian said calmly, his voice revealing little surprise, only a knowing "I knew it" in his tone, "that our conversation will have to be temporarily interrupted."

His gaze swept over Dumbledore and Grindelwald.

Finally, the scene fell upon the distant night market area, which was being eroded by darkness and silence.

"Moreover, it seems... there are 'guests' who have arrived uninvited, and they've brought... quite a few 'gifts'." It was obvious who Ian was referring to.

"I never expected him to have such audacity."

Dumbledore gripped his wand tightly, his face extremely grave. He hadn't expected Voldemort to act so swiftly and boldly! To mobilize a large number of Death Eaters to surround the Muggle territory? This completely exceeded the Dark Lord's previously relatively "cautious" style! Could it be that Grindelwald's appearance had provoked Tom?

Or perhaps the threat of this "raven" made him decide to kill all three of them at any cost?

But why should Voldemort have that right?!

"It's Tom," Dumbledore said in a deep voice, his tone filled with chilling anger and deep worry. "He's gone mad! He's actually making a move here!" Dumbledore was still pondering Voldemort's trump card.

Grindelwald sneered, a dangerous glint in his heterochromatic eyes: "It seems your 'new rival' has not only grown bolder, but also more ambitious."

"Trying to swallow all three of us whole? Aren't you afraid of choking?" Even without his wand, Grindelwald still exuded a powerful aura.

Just then, the cold, chaotic magical energy surged suddenly! And a far greater, more obscure aura, brimming with the oppressive power and chaotic qualities of a newly ascended legend, like an ancient beast awakening, swept out from the street directly in front of the night market, relentlessly and overwhelmingly! "What's going on?!"

"Is this the end of the world?! Oh my god! What are those things?!"

"No! I don't want to die!"

Where darkness passed, the air seemed to freeze, the light distorted, and even the distant sound of the Thames seemed far away and unreal. The few Muggles remaining in the night market, either not driven away or unconscious, collapsed to the ground as if all their strength had been drained away the moment this aura swept over them, sinking into the deepest fear and paralysis.

"Da da da~"

Footsteps approached.

Then.

A tall, thin figure, dressed in a black robe, with a pale, snake-like face and narrow, scarlet eyes, slowly stepped out from the end of the street shrouded in darkness and silence.

He toyed with his yew wand, his steps unhurried, as if he were not heading towards a potentially earth-shattering battle, but rather surveying his own territory.

Voldemort!

He came in person!

Moreover, it was in a way that was even more dangerous and bizarre, one that Dumbledore found unfamiliar!

"Something's not right with this guy!"

Dumbledore immediately sensed Voldemort's extraordinary nature.

"Hehehe".

Voldemort could hear it.

His gaze.

Like two cold searchlights, they pierced through the thinning smoke and dim lights of the night market, precisely locking onto the three figures who had stood up in front of the food stall.

Then, the current Dark Lord's lips curled into a ferocious yet gleeful smile.

"Good evening, my dear... Professor."

Voldemort's hoarse yet gentle voice clearly echoed throughout the "battlefield" forcibly isolated by magic: "And... two unexpected 'distinguished guests'."

"What a...wonderful party!"

As he spoke.

Darkness had already enveloped them.

War is imminent.

Beside the simple plastic table, Ian calmly met Voldemort's gaze, and for the first time, a clear hint of...cold disgust surfaced in his deep, abyss-like eyes.

It was a kind of annoyance, like looking at trouble.

"Tsk." Ian put down his chopsticks, smacked his lips almost inaudibly, and said, "Sure enough, I hate being disturbed while eating. At this moment."

Ian had already recognized Voldemort's situation and, before Dumbledore and Grindelwald, knew why Voldemort dared to ambush all three of them at the same time.

The opponent has reached the legendary rank!

Although I don't know why such a major change occurred in history.

But it is quite obvious.

That's Voldemort's confidence!