The clouds rolled across the sky, constantly changing in shape. As they obscured the moonlight, they also seemed to shroud a secretive gaze, as if it were the doing of a Goddess walking among the human world.
"So, you are the Goddess who represents the moon?" Ian stood in the dark back garden of the Divine Hall, looking up at the sky where not a single star could be seen.
No arcs of lightning, no rain, only the heavy clouds, like a curtain, covered the entire sky. If not for the light sources on the ground, visibility would indeed be zero.
"As the daughter of the Sun God, I have the right to decide when the sky should shine and when it should not." The "Priestess," having exercised some kind of power, responded with a light laugh.
Hearing this, Ian nodded.
This was not far from his inference; if the Illusion Realm of the Mysterious Tower he saw before was accurate, then the black-robed skeleton he found was indeed the fallen sun at that time, who stood before him as the Goddess now.
"Shall we proceed?"
Ian glanced at the time on his wrist. Facing a Legendary Wizard soon made him anxious too, but wanting to return to the correct future, he had to confront it.
Luckily, they had a Goddess in the team now; otherwise, relying on himself alone, he would definitely not be a match for the Legendary Wizard. What? Riddle? Speaking of strength, he was indeed the weakest among all the remnants of Voldemort.
Moreover.
Only a fool would trust Voldemort to be a competent ally. Riddle not betraying him would already be a blessing; if he weren't afraid of Riddle playing tricks, he wouldn't have brought him along.
In fact, Riddle himself didn't want to go either.
"Can't you just lock me in the dungeon? Or how about sending me back to Hogwarts?" He repeatedly muttered about the school he once scorned.
Perhaps now he realized how wonderful Hogwarts was.
"I can't just return at will; only when Professor Nicolas Flamel realizes I am in this era can he guide me back to Hogwarts."
Ian wanted to deal with Riddle's issue first too, but he couldn't open a time-space channel himself; after all, this era didn't have a Big Ben inlaid with an Ancient Time Converter.
"That's the most terrifying thing I've heard today. Did you not consider you might not return before chasing me here? The error across more than two thousand years could mean half your life." Riddle criticized sharply, "Honestly, I think you should be in Gryffindor."
Who knows if he was insulting or genuinely thought Ian was reckless.
"I trust my Professor of Alchemy, and..." Ian felt infuriated over this matter as soon as it was brought up, handing his magic wand to Riddle's nose.
"You said it was returning to Wu Orphanage! Back to your youth! Is this your youth? You weren't even a fertilized egg at that time!"
Ian's magic wand almost poked into Riddle's nose.
"What I meant was... starting over from the beginning..." Riddle quickly retreated, threatened by the wand poking at his nose, his hands securely tied behind his back, and Ian's custom collar around his neck. Not to mention using magic, even mobilizing his internal magic power could blow his head off.
Who knows how a second-year student got hold of Dragon Blood Explosive.
Really explosive magic potion.
"Both of you outsiders, can you stop arguing? I'm the real victim who should be sleeping peacefully in the bedchamber, yet I'm conscripted to tackle a filthy wizard." Estimated to be munching fruit again, the "Priestess" swapped into a dashing suit of armor, not holding a scepter but wielding a one-handed Giant Sword from who knows where.
The kind of Giant Sword broader than her own body.
"I only want to remove the Curse placed on me; I didn't intend to fight a Legend..." Riddle's voice diminished significantly, acting quite subdued in front of the "Priestess" after being disciplined.
"Once Helbo is taken down, the curse will naturally dispel. This is unlike ordinary Dark Arts; it's an 'Assimilation' tactic built upon the power acquired by Helbo himself." The "Priestess" swung the Giant Sword in her hand, not seeming as unwilling as she claimed, rather exhibiting anticipation.
"Is that so..."
Riddle's pupils flickered slightly.
Who knows what he was thinking.
"I bet he's up to some trick or scheme again." Seeing Riddle's reaction, Ian couldn't help but feel alarmed, recognizing that thoughtful expression too well.
"Don't think everyone is as bad as you." Riddle rolled his eyes at the little wizard, vigorously shaking his hands tied behind his back.
"I don't even have a magic wand to hold, and this bomb you put around my neck, what are you still worried about? By the way, the wand you broke belonged to your classmate, not to me." Riddle had no awareness of his prisoner status, gleefully teasing.
"I think Mr. Lucius Malfoy wouldn't care about a wand's loss; otherwise, he might have to have another son." Ian didn't care whose wand he broke. Whether he could bring Malfoy back or not was another question; perhaps Malfoy had already become one of those ghastly mummies.