HR Chapter 126 The Knight's Protection Charm! Part 5

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Ian had just begun voicing his thoughts when, suddenly—

"It's Father Christmas!"

Ariana's delighted exclamation cut through the moment. A soft jingling, like the chime of enchanted bells, echoed through the sky.

The sound grew nearer.

Ian followed her gaze upward and spotted a sleigh soaring through the air, pulled by two flying reindeer. They had no wings, yet they glided effortlessly, their antlers shimmering gold in the fading sunlight. The entire scene was like something out of a dream.

"You see him every year, yet he never leaves us gifts," Ian remarked, unimpressed. He had witnessed this same spectacle every Christmas upon entering the Twilight Zone.

The figure driving the sleigh was barely taller than a goblin, his thick, ankle-length beard swaying as he rode. Every year, without fail, he would pass over the entire Twilight Zone.

"I keep telling you, he's just some old wizard who's gone completely barmy," Pandero scoffed. "His mind's so far gone, even his soul's probably forgotten he's supposed to be handing out presents."

Without hesitation, Pandero snatched up a stone from the ground and hurled it skyward. "If we want gifts from Father Christmas, we'll have to help ourselves!"

His aim was flawless. The stone struck the sleigh with pinpoint accuracy, knocking loose a brightly wrapped present that tumbled to the ground. The precision of the throw was almost unnerving— like something out of a well-practiced dueling spell.

Ariana let out a gasp of surprise.

"You must have been an absolute menace as a child," Ian muttered, already dashing forward to snatch up the fallen present. Above, the old man in the sleigh seemed utterly oblivious, continuing his journey as though nothing had happened.

"Oi! That was mine!" Pandero protested, storming over a second too late. Frustrated, he gave a nearby tree a hard kick but made no move to demand the gift back.

There was an unspoken rule among boys, after all.

"It won't open!" Ian scowled, tugging at the tightly bound ribbon. Try as he might, the present refused to yield.

Pandero, who had been fuming just moments before, now grinned with newfound amusement.

"Ha! Beg me! Go on, beg, and I might tell you how to open it!"

His triumph was short-lived. Without a word, Ian stuffed the present into his enchanted money pouch, deciding he'd rather take it home and study it properly than give in to Pandero's smugness.

"This is your Christmas present," Ian added, pulling out a set of armor he had crafted himself— a patchwork of various designs, inspired by different magical traditions. Aside from its self-fastening enchantment, it didn't have any real abilities.

But that didn't mean it wasn't a fine gift.

However, its eye-catching appearance immediately drew Pandero's attention. His flamboyant nature shone through as he grinned broadly.

"Will I be getting a Christmas gift too?"

Ariana stepped forward, eyes bright with expectation.

"Of course!" Ian said, producing a neatly wrapped parcel.

"Why is hers wrapped?" Pandero grumbled, still fiddling with the armor Ian had given him.

"Do you have any idea how expensive boxes are these days? If I tried to fit your armor into one, I'd be bankrupt!" Ian wasn't even exaggerating.

Just like how apples on Christmas Eve were absurdly overpriced, the shopkeepers in Hogsmeade never missed a chance to capitalize on the season.

"I could always trade you this present instead," He added with a teasing grin.

Ariana eagerly unwrapped her gift.

Inside was a small enchanted train— one of Ian's latest alchemical creations. He called it the Story Train, a device that spun original tales based on a few chosen words, ensuring that no two stories were ever the same. Even better, it allowed the listener to save their favorites for future retellings.

"This is brilliant!"

Ariana wasted no time in figuring out how it worked, delight evident on her face.

Seeing her so pleased, Ian pulled out the Patronus Ring and stepped closer. "Want to take a peek at the real world? I found a rather unique method..."

But Ariana merely gave him a puzzled look.

"Oh, right— while I was buried in my research, you lot were off wrestling dragons," Ian muttered, launching into an explanation about the Resurrection Stone and the discoveries he had made.

Of course, he didn't leave out Lady Ravenclaw's contributions. Ariana listened intently, while Pandero, stunned, could only gape.

"Merlin's beard! You actually got your hands on the Resurrection Stone?"

His eyes went impossibly wide.

"..."

Ian promptly shoved him aside and turned back to Ariana.

"So, you want me to be... a Christmas present for your elder brothers?"

Having grown up with Ian, Ariana was naturally quick to catch onto things, even the ones Ian himself sometimes missed.

"???????"

Something about her phrasing felt off, but Ian couldn't quite put his finger on it. Before he could dwell on it, Ariana raised her hand, prompting him to slip the ring onto her finger.

"Does this really work?"

Ariana's cheeks flushed slightly.

"Only one way to find out!"

Ian retrieved the wand that Morgan had transformed— still not reverted to its original form— and immediately cast Expecto Patronum.

Silvery threads spilled from the ring, weaving themselves around Ariana.

At the same time, his wand flared with an intense silver glow. The two magical forces intertwined, wrapping Ariana in shimmering light. She gasped as the enchantment took hold.

"This is... remarkable."

She still stood in the Twilight Zone, yet, above Ian's wand, her head appeared— her entire form glimmering like a Patronus, her expression filled with awe.

Moments later, her "Patronus Self" took full shape, creating an extraordinary sight— two versions of Ariana standing on the grass.

One was her solid, physical body. The other was a luminous spirit-like form, shimmering faintly.

Ariana noticed something peculiar: in this new state, a sword hung at her waist.

She didn't unsheathe it, merely reaching out to touch the nearby trees, testing the limits of this strange new existence.

"This magic of yours is going to make you legendary," Pandero declared. For once, there was no exaggerated dramatics in his voice— just quiet conviction.

"I'm aiming for much more than this..." Ian admitted, his gaze sharpening.

He was genuinely curious about Pandero's secrets. Somewhere inside his friend's chaotic mind, he was certain there was knowledge to be extracted— perhaps even the natural magic script of the dragon.

The path to legend, who could refuse?

"Oi, what's with that look?!" Pandero shivered, sensing something ominous. "Whatever you're plotting, stop it! Now!"

He lunged forward, grabbing Ian's head and shaking it furiously, as if trying to rattle any sinister ideas right out of his skull.

"Alright, alright— I'll shelve it for now. Anyway, I think it's about time to head back," Ian remarked, realizing that using magic in the Twilight Zone always seemed to hasten his return to the waking world.

As he spoke, his form began to flicker.

Once again, he was crossing the threshold between life and death.

The moment his eyes snapped open, Ian shot upright, eager to share his discoveries with Dumbledore, only to realize he wasn't in the dormitory.

"The Room of Requirement?"

For a moment, he was disoriented.

Pushing open the door, he stepped out into the corridor.

Silence.

The seventh-floor hallway was eerily empty in the dead of night.

"Oi, kid, did you scrub the toilets? Snape was joking, but if you didn't do what he asked, he's bound to come up with something even worse," The Fat Lady's voice rang out from her portrait.

Her tone carried a hint of concern, as if she were genuinely looking out for him.

"What are you talking about? Why would I need to clean a toilet?"

Ian frowned.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten? It's the punishment Snape gave you," The Fat Lady replied, peering at him with suspicion. "Surely you remember, it was only just assigned."

Ian's stomach twisted.

"That was days ago," He said slowly.

The Fat Lady gave him a look that suggested he might've been hit over the head by a troll.

But when Ian turned his gaze to the corridor's clock—

His breath caught.

A cold dread curled around his spine.

Instinctively, he raised his hand.

The Ouroboros mark on his skin was glowing softly.

(End of Chapter)