You Can Always Bring Me Different Surprises

"Is she always like this?" Hermione asked, watching Luna walk away.

"Yeah, she's a bit weird, always has been." Ivan nodded.

Hermione pursed her lips. She was actually more interested in questioning Ivan about what had happened to him over the summer than Luna's death.

However, Hermione was also worried that asking would bring back memories of the past to Ivan.

As Hermione hesitated, Harry and Ron approached them when they did not move.

"Harry, are you all right?" Yvonne asked him.

Harry, still pale from his recent awakening, complained, "I feel terrible…"

When Professor Lupin brought him to the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey made a big deal out of it and insisted on giving him a full-body examination, as if he had contracted a serious illness just by being close to the Dementor.

"I bet there's someone on the train who's in as much trouble as I am, isn't there?" Harry said with a fake smile, then added diffidently when everyone was silent. "Not even one?"

"Come on, Harry, everyone knows you were attacked by Dementors, it's no big deal," Ron assured him, patting him on the shoulder.

But I wasn't attacked…

Harry wondered gloomily why he was the only one who had passed out.

He remembered very clearly that the Dementors did not even touch him.

Harry hated to admit it, but there seemed to be no other explanation.

Seeing what Harry was thinking, Yvonne said, "Dementors have a different effect on everyone, and the more painful the experience, the more affected they are."

"But there's a way to keep me from being affected, isn't there? I heard Ron say you cast a spell that drove out dozens of Dementors!" Harry exclaimed, finding it hard to accept that he was about to faint.

"It was a Patronus Charm, remember? We saw a glowing blue phoenix in the Great Hall in our first year, and it was Dumbledore's Patronus!" Ivan explained.

"Of course I remember, and you used that spell to defeat Chino!" Harry was quick to remember.

"Can you teach me, Ivan?" Harry asked nervously, worried that Ivan might not be able to teach him.

"I'm sorry, Harry, but I don't think I have much time right now," Ivan said after a moment's thought. He felt that he would not be able to spare the time to teach Harry, as he would have to take more than ten courses at once to accumulate GPA and improve his potions as quickly as possible.

Harry was disappointed, but Ivan soon told him that he could learn from Lupin.

Though a high-level charm, Call of God was not a very difficult spell to learn, and could be mastered in time.

They chatted all the way into the Great Hall, and Ivan found that they were a little late. The long tables of the four houses were full, and the Sorting Hat had just stopped its new ballad. Professor McGonagall was standing on the stage with the Sorting Hat.

They did not dare to be negligent and quickly sat down before Professor McGonagall noticed them.

"Ivan, you were amazing today!" George exclaimed as soon as Ivan was seated.

Fred echoed the sentiment.

"Yeah, well, we all saw you chase off those nasty Dementors on the train, and I bet a lot of grown wizards couldn't have done it. By the way, what's your Patronus? A white horse? That's beautiful. Too bad none of us got a good look."

"Well… sort of," Ivan said vaguely. He didn't want anyone to know about his Patronus if he could help it.

In addition to George and Fred, the other young lions at the Gryffindor table also turned to look at Ivan. Ivan's popularity, coupled with his recent popularity, caused many to gossip about the incident on the train.

Their voices grew louder and louder until Professor McGonagall, who was in the middle of the Sorting, turned to stare at them.

The Sorting ceremony ended quickly.

As the last of the new students descended the steps, the Great Hall erupted in applause, and the students could not wait to enjoy their dinner.

At this point, however, Dumbledore rose to his feet and made his welcome speech, looking around at every student in the Great Hall.

Before the young wizards could complain, Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued.

"I have something very important to remind you of before you eat too much and get confused."

"Our school is currently receiving Dementors from Azkaban, who have been sent by the Ministry of Magic on official business, as I'm sure you're aware, as they searched the Hogwarts Express…"

Dumbledore turned his attention to Ivan, who had heard about what had happened on the train.

As he had suspected, Ivan always gave him a different kind of surprise… or trouble?

Ivan is also watching Dumbledore, remembering Sirius telling him that his father was once a member of the Order of the Phoenix, and Sirius's acquiescence in his questioning suggests that his father's death may have something to do with the old professor.

Ivan felt himself in a fog,

What role does Dumbledore play in this? Why does Alicia hate Dumbledore so much?

If she hated his guts, why did she send him to Hogwarts?

Numerous questions clouded Ivan's mind,

Their eyes met, and when Dumbledore gave a curt nod, Ivan immediately activated Occlumency and looked away.

Even if Ivan didn't sense any brain intrusion, he was used to it.

Dumbledore's eyes did not stay on Ivan for long, and he quickly looked away. His expression became serious, and his tone was remembered by anyone who heard him.

"These Dementors will be at every entrance to the school, and I must warn you that no one is to leave the school without permission while they are there. No trick, trick, or disguise will fool the Dementors—not even the Cloak of Invisibility!"

"Be especially careful not to get into any sort of conflict with the Dementors! They are extremely dangerous, and there are many of them that a young wizard who has mastered the art of calling on his guards will not be able to deal with!"

Dumbledore looked around the room and nodded in satisfaction when he saw them sitting upright, taking his words to heart.

He deliberately did not mention Ivan's feat on the train, nor did he give Ivan credit for "bravely saving lives" by attacking the Dementors.

Whatever Ivan did in the past was dangerous, but it was an exception, and the young wizards could not imitate him.

This time it was different. There were really a lot of Dementors at school…