Dylan gently held Ravenclaw's slightly cool hand, bowing with a gentlemanly grace before lightly lifting her palm.
"The real world… the real me…"
Ravenclaw glanced around, feeling the tangible reality of her own body, a flicker of astonishment in her heart.
She knew, after all, that she was supposed to be just a portrait.
Though she couldn't recall what had happened before she became a portrait, her memories still lingered from when she was Ravenclaw.
Yet, her sense of self was crystal clear.
But now, it seemed she had truly stepped out of the portrait.
Not only could she exist beyond its confines, but the world that now held her wasn't quite real—yet somehow, it was real!
The wind whistled past her ears.
Ravenclaw steadied herself with magic, her form unwavering.
The two stood high above the sky.
Below them, a vast world unfurled in stunning symmetry.
To the left stretched an immense forest, its canopy layered and bathed in moonlight, fireflies dancing within.
To the right lay an endless ocean, waves crashing and colliding, their rhythmic roar rising up.
With every surge of the sea, Ravenclaw felt more deeply that this was, indeed, a real, living world.
"What a miraculous place," she said. "I can sense an incredibly strong pulse of life here. This world… it must be teeming with creatures, right?"
Dylan nodded. "I must say, your perception is remarkably sharp."
Ravenclaw closed her eyes briefly, a faint aura of magic radiating from her.
"I've sensed something even more surprising," she said.
"What's that?" Dylan asked.
Ravenclaw paused, then looked at him. "Would it be possible… to borrow your wand for a moment?"
Dylan blinked. "Of course—not."
He glanced at Ravenclaw's head. When she had left the portrait, the diadem that once adorned her had vanished.
After a moment's thought, Dylan flipped his hand, and a diadem appeared in his palm.
"My diadem?" Ravenclaw's eyes narrowed.
"Yes, your diadem," Dylan confirmed with a nod.
Ravenclaw studied the eagle-shaped diadem, her brow furrowing slightly.
"It carries a dark aura. Why has my diadem become like this? It still holds the power to inspire wisdom, but… there seems to be another soul within it."
"Voldemort," Dylan explained. "A dark wizard who nearly ruled the entire wizarding world. He infused a piece of his soul into the diadem, seeking eternal life."
"Voldemort?" Ravenclaw's frown deepened. "That's not a pleasant name."
Dylan: /--マ
Why was this Headmistress focusing on such an odd detail?
"But he's been dealt with," Dylan continued. "Though recently, he's been trying to make a comeback, stirring up quite a mess at Hogwarts."
Ravenclaw looked at Dylan. "With you here, could this Voldemort possibly succeed? You may be young, but I can sense an incredibly potent magical aura around you. And…"
She glanced around.
"You possess an entire, real world—a feat even I couldn't accomplish. I imagine, even in your time, you must be an exceptionally powerful wizard, no?"
Ravenclaw didn't underestimate Dylan because of his youth; instead, she regarded him with high praise.
Dylan's lips curved into a slight smile. "If we're talking raw magical power or mastery of spells, I'd say I'm a strong wizard. But there's still so much knowledge in this world to learn."
Ravenclaw gave him an approving look.
"Indeed, knowledge is boundless. I've only glimpsed a fraction of it myself."
She paused, then looked at Dylan with a hint of curiosity. "Though we've only just met, I've felt no hostility toward you from the start. In fact, there's a strange sense of familiarity. And now, hearing your views on learning, I'm puzzled—why didn't you become a Ravenclaw, one of my students?"
Dylan's eyelashes fluttered. "Well, maybe the Sorting Hat thought I had a bit more courage?"
"The Sorting Hat?" Ravenclaw's face took on a wistful expression. "Is it still working after all these years?"
Dylan looked at her, puzzled. "It is. And it's even taken up some side gigs. That hat's pulling double duty."
"Side gigs?" Ravenclaw raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah," Dylan nodded. "It even swallowed a giant sword."
Ravenclaw blinked. "You mean… the Sorting Hat swallowed the sword Gryffindor forged?"
"Technically, it's just holding onto Gryffindor's sword for now."
"I see," Ravenclaw said, a smile playing on her lips. "That hat must be feeling pretty stuffed after all these years. It's a sentient hat, not easily swayed by anyone. I bet Gryffindor had to threaten it—otherwise, it would never agree to have a foreign object in its belly."
Dylan and Ravenclaw stood on steps formed from flowing water.
Now it was Dylan's turn to ask a question. "Headmistress, I noticed you could still use magic earlier. How strong are you now?"
After all, he had pulled Ravenclaw out of a portrait.
At her core, she was an artificial being, yet in his world, she seemed to exist as a soul, almost like a ghost.
But that wasn't quite right either—she seemed to believe she had a real, physical body.
How could someone with a body be a ghost?
Dylan was deeply curious about Ravenclaw's current state.
If he could figure this out, he had a hunch it could lead to a major breakthrough in his understanding of space, souls, flesh, and life magic.
Maybe even time itself.
The thought alone thrilled him.
"I'm not entirely sure," Ravenclaw replied. "I still remember many spells and pieces of knowledge. As for my strength… I'd say I've retained about eighty percent of it."
Eighty percent?
Dylan grinned.
Even if she only had half her original power, that would still be absurdly strong!
"Headmistress, I may not be a Ravenclaw student, but since you're here in my world—and likely staying for a while—can I come to you with questions?"
Dylan's eyes sparkled.
Ravenclaw gave a faint smile. "Of course. You're the one who brought me here. And—don't call me Headmistress. Just call me Rowena."
Dylan hesitated. "Is that… appropriate?"
"Why not?" Rowena said, her smile serene, exuding an air of timeless beauty. "This is your world. Perhaps I was even created by that secret of yours."
Dylan narrowed his eyes, rubbing his chin.
Though Rowena couldn't directly sense his system, she clearly had her suspicions about the situation.
Wait a second!
Now that Rowena had left the portrait, could she return to it? Or even leave his world?
Dylan fell into thought.
Even if she could leave, he wasn't planning to let her out just yet.
If the portrait wasn't the one in the Headmaster's office, that meant there was still another Ravenclaw portrait there.
If the two portraits came face-to-face…
Dylan couldn't even imagine what might happen.
Keeping her in his world, which he fully controlled, was the safest option.
Plus, having someone as powerful, knowledgeable, and—let's be honest—stunningly beautiful as Rowena around? That was both practical and pleasing to the eye.
"In that case," Dylan said, "Rowena, would I have the honor of inviting you to be the caretaker of this world?"
Rowena's eyes twinkled with amusement. "You're asking me to be your housekeeper?"
Dylan bowed slightly. "Exactly. But this 'house' is an entire world—one that will only grow larger. I believe, one day, this world could become as real as any other."
Rowena considered for a moment before nodding. "I accept. Hmm, I'm curious—have you found the legendary World Tree?"
Dylan just smiled, sidestepping the question.
Let her wonder.
For all he knew, Rowena might have been created by the system—or maybe it had plucked her from somewhere else.
Either way, her portrait was a product of the system.
And the system's products? Always top-notch. Always reliable.
As Rowena had said, from the moment they met, despite her initial air of authority, she'd shown no hostility toward him.
Perhaps the system was keeping her in check, or maybe there was another reason.
Either way, she wasn't going to turn on him. If she had, they might've been dueling the moment they met.
Making her the caretaker of his world? It was the perfect decision.
"Later on, if I get the chance to bring the other three founders here, maybe you could all turn this world into a school."
Rowena's eyes flickered. "With Salazar involved? If you let him treat your world like a school, it might veer off in unpredictable directions."
Dylan shrugged, unfazed.
The founders were powerful, sure.
But as portraits in his world, brought to life by him?
They'd have to play by his rules.
Out of respect for Hogwarts' founders, Dylan was happy to show them some courtesy.
But if Salazar got out of line?
He could go sulk in a cabin with Tom Riddle.
No need to manage the world—just be a test subject for Dylan's experiments.
"You seem pretty confident," Rowena said, reading his expression. "I won't say more, then."
She glanced down. "How about giving me a tour?"
"Of course," Dylan said with a grin. "It's a bit chilly up here, anyway."
He didn't bother checking on Rowena—she was already using magic to keep herself afloat.
The two descended slowly toward the ground.
Rowena took in her surroundings, her understanding of the world deepening with every moment.
"Not only is this a real world, but despite its sparse ecosystem, I can feel a balance in its life."
Her voice was light. "This world is like a finely tuned magical clock, every gear perfectly in place, sustaining its own ecology."
She turned to the ocean.
The whirlpools in its depths seemed to carry the force of cyclic tides.
Though there was no true moon in the sky, moonlight glowed brightly.
Rowena didn't know where it came from.
But the presence of tidal forces suggested this world might even follow celestial patterns.
"Truly remarkable," she said, as sea breezes lifted her hair. The diadem in her hand gleamed, but it paled compared to the spark in her eyes.
"I once created a small ecological garden to study a perfect magical ecosystem," she said. "It took immense effort, and the results were still lacking. But here, I can clearly sense a true dynamic balance—a flawless harmony of life and nature."
The more she thought, the more her face lit up with an irrepressible smile—the ecstatic joy of a scholar glimpsing an unimaginable truth.
"If you truly created this world on your own and understand its magical principles, Dylan, you could rewrite the history of magic. Everyone would flock to you."
"Then, someone like me, a mere Hogwarts founder, would seem utterly insignificant."
"Don't say that, Rowena," Dylan replied. "Whether we call you Headmistress or founder, your wisdom is still something wizards chase after even today."
"You're quite the charmer," Rowena said, laughing happily.
"So, as your housekeeper, I think I should start by exploring this world properly. May I?"
Her tone carried a faint, almost imperceptible excitement.
A world apart from the world.
If it was truly created…
That wasn't just magic—it was divine.
In other words, the one who created it… could they become a god?