Ivan was about to ask another question when a roar of cheerful applause erupted from the long tables. With no choice but to suppress his lingering doubts, he placed the Sorting Hat back on the four-cornered stool and walked down the steps toward the sea of scarlet and gold.
As he approached, several senior students at the Gryffindor table shuffled aside to make room for him. A pair of identical, red-haired twins familiarly sandwiched Ivan into an empty middle seat. One of them leaned in, speaking in a mock-hushed, exaggerated tone.
"My God, I bet you're the first person to ever dare show Professor McGonagall such blatant disrespect during the Sorting Ceremony. This is truly..."
"Really what?" Ivan asked, puzzled.
"So brave!" the other twin chimed in.
"You are destined to become a legend of this academy!" They looked at each other and declared in perfect unison.
Ivan nearly choked. Their thought process was utterly bizarre; where he saw a panicked lapse in concentration, they saw a revolutionary act of rebellion.
"Okay... thank you," Ivan managed, offering a polite nod for their "blessing." "My name is Ivan Hales. And you are...?"
"I'm George Weasley, and that's Fred over there," the first twin said, winking. "Better remember it, too. Don't go mistaking him for me next time; Fred absolutely hates being called the wrong name..."
"I think I'll be fine, George," Ivan replied smoothly. He was well aware of their favorite trick of switching identities and had no intention of falling for it. He turned to the other twin and added, "Aren't you right, Fred?"
Fred, who had been bracing himself for the usual confusion, was stunned. George's mischievous grin faltered for a moment.
"Wait," George asked, leaning back. "How did you know I'm George?"
"That's easy to guess, isn't it? Every freshman knows the Weasley brothers love a good prank." Ivan couldn't exactly admit he'd read about them in another life, so he offered a plausible excuse.
"My goodness! Are we that famous already? Even the ickle firsties know us?" Fred and George exchanged looks of pure delight, clearly feeling that their years of dedicated rule-breaking had finally paid off.
Pfft—!
A few seats down, Ron—who was currently buried in a plate of food—nearly spat out a mouthful of chicken. When had his brothers become legends among the newcomers?
The twins, however, were more interested in Ivan's prolonged "conversation" with the hat. It was the first time they had ever seen a student keep the Sorting Hat occupied for that long. Ivan brushed it off with a half-joke; he knew that admitting to an aptitude for Dark Arts wouldn't exactly be a "Gryffindor" conversation starter.
Instead, he skillfully steered the talk toward the twins' adventurous lives at Hogwarts, making casual inquiries about the castle's layout and secret passages.
Having read the books, Ivan knew they possessed the Marauder's Map—a magical parchment that could track every soul in the castle. It was the ultimate tool for moving undetected, and Ivan knew it would be invaluable for his own survival.
The Weasley brothers, completely unguarded in the face of Ivan's "adoring" curiosity, happily shared stories and even tried to recruit him for future pranks.
However, they didn't breathe a word about the map itself. Ivan wasn't surprised; they'd only just met, and even the twins wouldn't hand over their greatest treasure to a stranger on night one. He was just happy to be laying the groundwork.
Suddenly, a strange, mechanical chime rang inside Ivan's mind.
[Ding! Host has acquired confidential information. Task in progress...]
> Mission Objective: Explore Hogwarts
> Current Progress: 2/100
> Introduction: A thirst for discovery is essential for every young wizard. The ancient castle holds countless secrets; uncover them to earn rewards based on your progress.
Ivan froze. His conversation with the twins trailed off as a wave of ecstasy hit him.
A Golden Finger?
Ever since he'd woken up in this unfamiliar body, a cold knot of unease had lived in his chest. He was playing a part, pretending to be a boy he didn't know in a world that was only "fictional" until an hour ago. But now? Now he had an edge.
He casually dismissed the twins, who were still mid-boast about a secret tunnel behind a mirror, and focused his mind on the flickering interface. After a few mental attempts to "summon" the menu, a character panel materialized before his eyes:
Character Profile: Ivan Hales
* Occupation: Wizard
* Magic Spell: Fear Charm – Level 1 (3/200)
* Knowledge Theory: Magic Item Crafting – Level 0 (435/500)
* Magical Items: * Wand: Yew wood and unicorn hair, 11 ¾ inches.
* Magic Power: Medium
* Compatibility: 72.5%
* GPA: None
"Fear spell? Item crafting?" Ivan muttered under his breath.
As a transmigrator who hadn't yet attended a single class, he clearly hadn't learned these himself. These were the leftovers of the "original" Ivan Hales. It wasn't unheard of—even Muggle-borns like Hermione practiced before school—but these skills were... different.
He searched his mind for the "Fear Charm," but nothing came up from the original Harry Potter series. He wasn't entirely surprised; the books only showed a fraction of the magical world. A true society of wizards would have thousands of spells the books never mentioned, especially within the darker branches of magic.
Yet, a new worry began to gnaw at him. What kind of family teaches a child a "Fear Charm" before they even turn eleven?
Ivan shivered. If he came from a family of Dark Wizards, his biggest threat wasn't the professors—it was the people waiting for him to come home for the holidays. If they realized their son had been replaced by a soul from another world, what kind of dark magic would they use to get him back?
He would have to learn fast. He didn't just need to be a student; he needed to be a master of the system.
To Be Continue....
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