Hogwarts: The Bloodline Wizard

Chapter 2: The Legend of the House

October 31, 2020

Before Ivan could ask any more questions, the sound of cheerful applause erupted from below. Suppressing his many doubts, Ivan placed the Sorting Hat back on the four-legged table and made his way down the steps.

As he approached the Gryffindor table, a few older students shifted to make room for him. A pair of identical twins with fiery red hair, exuding an air of familiarity, pulled Ivan into the empty seat between them. One of them spoke in an exaggerated tone:

"Wow, I bet you're the first one to ever make Professor McGonagall wait during the Sorting Ceremony. That's really…"

"Really what?" Ivan asked, confused.

"Really brave!" the other twin chimed in.

"You're destined to become a legend in the house!" the two said in unison, exchanging a glance.

Ivan nearly choked on his breath. The twins' thought process was so bizarre that he couldn't quite follow it.

"Well, thanks…" Ivan politely thanked the twins for their "blessing" and then asked, "I'm Ivan Hales. And you are?"

"I'm George Weasley, and that's Fred," one of the twins said, winking at Ivan. "You'd better remember that. Fred hates it when people mix us up."

"Got it, George. I don't think I'll get it wrong," Ivan replied, fully aware of the twins' identity-swapping antics. He turned to the other twin and added, "Right, Fred?"

Fred, who had been planning to join his brother in teasing the new kid, was left speechless. George, who had initially spoken to Ivan, was also stunned for a moment before asking, "Wait, how did you know I'm George?"

"Isn't it obvious? Everyone knows the Weasley twins love pulling pranks," Ivan said, making up an excuse on the spot. He couldn't very well admit he'd read about them in a book.

"Wow, we're that famous now? Even the first-years know about us?" George and Fred exclaimed in delight, marveling at how their years of battling Hogwarts' rules had finally paid off.

"Pfft—" Ron, who had been busy stuffing his face with food, nearly spat it out. Since when were his brothers so famous among the first-years? He had no idea.

George and Fred, meanwhile, were curious about the whispered conversation Ivan had had with the Sorting Hat. It was the first time they'd seen someone chat with the hat for so long.

Ivan half-truthfully brushed off their questions. After all, knowing Dark Magic wasn't exactly something to boast about in Gryffindor.

He deftly steered the conversation toward George and Fred's adventures at Hogwarts, casually probing for information about the castle's secret passages.

Having read the original story, Ivan knew that the twins possessed a magical map that revealed most of Hogwarts' hidden passages and could even track the movements of people inside the castle. With it, one could navigate the castle freely without fear of being caught by professors or the caretaker.

Although Ivan remembered many of Hogwarts' secrets from his past life, he wasn't blessed with a perfect memory. The map would still be incredibly useful.

The Weasley twins, flattered by Ivan's apparent admiration, happily shared a wealth of information, even trying to recruit him into their prankster endeavors. However, they didn't mention the magical map at all.

Ivan wasn't surprised. After all, it was their first meeting, and no matter how well they got along, they weren't about to reveal such an important secret. Ivan was simply laying the groundwork for future opportunities.

Just then, a strange voice echoed in Ivan's mind.

[Ding! Host has obtained hidden information. Task generating…

Task Objective: Explore Hogwarts

Current Progress: 2/100

Task Description: Curiosity is a trait every young wizard should possess. The ancient castle holds countless secrets. Explore and uncover them. Rewards will be granted based on progress and performance.]

Caught off guard by the sudden message, Ivan paused mid-conversation with the twins.

A golden finger (cheat ability)?

Ivan quickly realized what was happening and was overcome with joy.

When he had first inexplicably found himself in Hogwarts, Ivan had been both thrilled and relieved at the chance to live a second life. However, the unease of being thrust into an unfamiliar environment had lingered beneath the surface, suppressed only by the need to maintain his facade.

Now, he felt much more at ease.

Ivan casually dismissed the twins, who were eager to continue regaling him with their adventures, and focused on exploring this newfound ability. After trying various methods to summon the system, a series of information finally appeared before his eyes.

[Ivan Hales

Occupation: Wizard

Magic Skills: Fear Charm – Level 1 (3/200)

Theoretical Knowledge: Magical Item Crafting – Level 0 (435/500)

Magical Items:

Wand (Yew wood, unicorn hair, 11¾ inches)

Magical Power: Medium

Compatibility: 72.5%

Academic Points: None]

The information panel was more or less what Ivan had expected, but some of the details caught him off guard.

"Fear Charm? Magical Item Crafting?" Ivan muttered to himself. As someone who had just arrived in this world and was still trying to make sense of everything, these abilities certainly weren't something he had brought with him.

Recalling the fragmented memories that had surfaced during the Sorting Ceremony, Ivan realized these must have been skills the original Ivan Hales had learned before coming to Hogwarts.

This wasn't uncommon among young wizards. Even Hermione Granger, who came from a Muggle family, had managed to learn some basic spells before starting school. For those born into wizarding families, it was even more typical.

However, Ivan couldn't recall the Fear Charm being mentioned in the original story. He wasn't too surprised, though. After all, Harry Potter was just a book, and it only showcased a fraction of the magical world. It was impossible for it to cover every spell, and the number of Dark Magic spells mentioned in the books was particularly limited. Real dark wizards couldn't possibly know only a handful of curses.

The Restricted Section of the Hogwarts library alone likely contained countless books on Dark Magic.

What worried Ivan more was the background of the original Ivan Hales. A family that taught their child Dark Magic before Hogwarts was clearly not to be trifled with.

Ivan was deeply concerned about his safety. If anyone discovered that the original Ivan Hales had been replaced by a soul from another world, who knew what kind of Dark Magic might be waiting for him?

End of Chapter