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"Dark magic is said to corrupt the heart because it draws power from negative emotions. The stronger the hatred, the fear, the greed—the more potent the magic becomes."
"That's why wizards who chase after that power often lose control. They convince themselves they can wield it without consequence, but in reality, it's the magic wielding them."
"It's like a thief. The more successfully they steal, the greater their ambitions grow. Before long, they're not just stealing— they're consumed by it. That's how dark wizards fall into ruin."
"White magic, on the other hand, is fueled by positive emotions. It is no weaker than dark magic—quite the opposite. When wielded with conviction, white magic can overcome even the foulest curses."
...
Of course, Ian's lesson contained his own interpretations. No professor or scholar could entirely separate personal beliefs from teaching. Everyone, in the end, added their own perspective to their understanding of magic.
As he guided the class through these concepts, Ian was preparing to move on to practical spellwork when a student raised their hand.
"Professor Ian, do you know dark magic?" The question came from the Chocolate Frog enthusiast, his wide-eyed curiosity immediately spreading to the other students, who all turned to Ian expectantly.
"..."
Ian had half a mind to tell them that such knowledge came at a separate cost, but even he knew that openly running a dark magic seminar for Galleons would be a terrible idea.
So, instead, he chose a more strategic response.
"Dumbledore once said I have one-twentieth of his talent. Tell me, do you think the greatest white wizard in the world knows dark magic?" Ian's measured words had the desired effect. The students' eager expressions dimmed slightly in disappointment.
After all, the unknown was endlessly fascinating to young minds.
"But your uncle is Snape, right?" Another student whispered, clearly hesitant. "I heard he knows loads of dark magic…"
Ian barely managed to keep his expression in check. He took a deep breath, then responded with a question of his own. "Whose family doesn't have a few… eccentric relatives? At least my uncle changed his ways, didn't he? He might know dark magic, but that doesn't mean I do."
This was a carefully chosen statement.
None of them caught the subtlety of Ian's wording. Instead, the young wizards— many of whom had siblings— immediately found his reasoning relatable.
"Yeah, my older brother is the worst. He always hides my spellbooks!"
"To be fair, my uncle was a Death Eater. He got himself killed in the battle between You-Know-Who and Dumbledore. Our family said it was a relief."
"My little brother's a menace, too. He's stolen three pairs of my socks to trade for chocolate."
...
Finally, the topic had shifted.
Ian waited as the young witches and wizards chattered about whose relatives were the most unbearable. Once the debate had run its course, he signaled for quiet and prepared to teach them a charm he had only recently mastered.
"Impedimenta!"
With a deliberate flick of his wand, Ian demonstrated the jinx, allowing the dozen or so young wizards to experience the sensation of being halted mid-step, as though an invisible barrier had blocked their way.
This spell could briefly prevent an opponent from advancing in a duel or restrict their movements for a short time— an exceptionally practical bit of magic when under attack.
Of course, since wizards dominated the magical world in modern times, traditional dueling techniques had waned in importance. The Impediment Jinx, once an essential tool in magical combat, no longer had quite the same prominence it did centuries ago.
"This is impossible to learn!"
"Why is this spell so tricky?"
"Merlin's beard! If this is beginner-level magic, I'd rather take my chances with a rogue Bludger!"
…
Once practice began, even the Ravenclaws found the Impediment Jinx far more challenging than expected. It was undoubtedly more difficult than simpler charms like Lumos or Wingardium Leviosa.
Many students attempted the incantation repeatedly, received countless corrections, and yet still struggled to perform the full enchantment properly. Ian had never encountered such difficulty in his small group lessons before.
Normally, once he broke down the spell and explained its nuances, his classmates would grasp it fairly quickly.
But today, the magic they were attempting was unfamiliar to all of them. They had barely set foot into the realm of advanced jinxes, so Ian had no clear way to guide them through the fundamentals.
"You need to move your wand in rhythm with your magic, let the energy flow naturally, and keep your focus on the target."
Ian demonstrated again, step by step, but the Impediment Jinx remained elusive. The young witches and wizards simply couldn't grasp its core principle.
A creeping sense of frustration settled over Ian.
"Can't you feel the magic's pulse at all? It's... it's right there! You see—no, that's wrong! That's completely wrong!"
He caught sight of a student making yet another mistake, but when he looked at their utterly bewildered expression, he could only sigh, rubbing his forehead in exasperation.
"Not even the slightest hint of it? Just a flicker of the rhythm?"
But Ian wasn't ready to give up.
"What rhythm?"
Most of the students exchanged confused glances.
"My ears are moving— look!" one young wizard quipped, waggling their ears for dramatic effect. A few others gasped in admiration at the unexpected talent.
"…"
Ian merely sighed.
Clearly, they didn't understand what he was trying to convey. Even Penelope, who had wandered over to observe, furrowed her brow as she watched Ian pacing near the fire.
"Are you talking about spectral sight?" Penelope asked, leaning over the back of the Ravenclaw common room's couch.
"What's that?"
Now it was Ian's turn to be perplexed.
"You've never heard of it? It's mentioned in the old Merlin legends. Supposedly, he possessed a rare gift allowing him to perceive the boundary between life and death, as well as sense the flow of magic more keenly than any ordinary wizard." She gestured toward the common room's bookshelf, her gaze filled with meaning.
"Ian, you can't expect everyone to learn magic the same way you do. The rest of us are stumbling through trial and error, while you can see the path clearly."
Penelope felt as if she had just unearthed a secret about Ian, a mystery she hadn't even known she was trying to solve. He had been asking questions about a long-passed figure, seemingly unaware that he was treading upon one of Hogwarts' deepest riddles— the fate of Dumbledore's younger sister, a mystery that had haunted her thoughts for some time now.
Lately, Penelope had been dreaming of becoming an Auror.
And now, at last, she felt she was closing in on the truth.
What could explain such an anomaly? Until now, nothing had quite made sense.
Hearing Ian's words as he instructed the younger students, a realization struck her. The coincidences, the strange abilities… it all fit together. Merlin was said to have roamed Hogwarts in disguise centuries ago, slipping between houses as he pleased. If history was repeating itself, then surely Ravenclaw had been chosen this time.
The ability to glimpse the boundary between life and death.
The ability to perceive the very rhythm of magic itself.
What other explanation could there be?
No wonder some of the professors regarded this particular student with such unusual interest! Even Dumbledore had made an Unbreakable Vow with him! The pieces were falling into place, and Penelope felt as though a long-buried secret had just surfaced before her eyes—
Perhaps this student's surname should not have been Prince…
But Ian Ambrosius!
The heir of Merlin had returned!
Ian noticed Penelope staring at him, her mouth curling into a peculiar smile.
It reminded him a bit of Gilderoy Lockhart's self-satisfied smirk. Had she just read a particularly grandiose biography? How could that possibly give her such confidence?
Ian was perplexed. Of course, his immediate concern wasn't figuring out why Penelope looked so smug, but rather how to teach the younger students the Impediment Jinx without any mishaps.
(To Be Continued…)