"Professor, look, my magic was successful, but I couldn't summon a corporeal Patronus. An elder told me I'm missing a soulmate."
Ian thought that brainstorming might be the only way to find the answer to the problem.
"Due to the limits of my knowledge, I can't evaluate your elder's theory. However, from what I see, your Patronus Charm does seem to lack some crucial element."
"Your casting wasn't wrong, it was actually quite dazzling. You just didn't achieve the intended magical effect... I sensed some anomalous nodes in your magic."
Professor Flitwick stared in astonishment at the scene unfolding before him, his expression and tone becoming more gentle and kind despite his shock and awe.
His heart trembled with excitement.
My heavens.
Such tremendous magic power!
Is Ravenclaw College going to produce another Dumbledore!
"Anomalous nodes?"
Just as Ian was about to stop performing the Patronus Charm, Professor Flitwick raised a hand to stop him. After reinforcing and sealing the entire classroom with his wand, he finally responded.
"The corporeal Patronus you speak of is related to this part. Every node of magical operation should link to a corresponding mystery. This is why even a single syllable error can lead magic to tilt toward an unknown direction... Your casting wasn't wrong, but something went awry when your magic responded to you."
"People with peculiar bloodlines or inherent defects often encounter similar issues when casting magic. Any of their spells might only result in the same effect."
"Explosions, freezing, all sorts of bizarre outcomes. To this day, we wizards haven't found out why such situations occur." Professor Flitwick looked up at the increasingly dense silver mist, both curious and baffled. "Of course, the anomaly in your Patronus Charm is one of the most marvelous I've ever seen."
"Within the erroneous response of your magic, I perceived node information that only Summoning Spells should have, yet it definitely doesn't belong to any known Patronus Charm or Summoning Spell."
"Can you still hold on, child?" Professor Flitwick observed the surrounding changes closely, monitoring Ian's expression as this little wizard's magic rapidly filled the entire classroom.
The silver sheen couldn't disperse outside.
Instead, it thickened, permeating the classroom in a warm and gentle manner until it was impossible to see one's hand in front of one's face. Professor Flitwick had already moved right beside Ian.
"What formidable magic power."
Looking at the still rosy-cheeked little wizard, he couldn't help but express his genuine admiration again. "If we could discern what this mysterious node information represents, perhaps you could pioneer a brand new spell, one that others might or might not be able to perform, but that only you may cast."
The short-statured Professor Flitwick's voice was full of excitement.
"I really just want my Patronus." Ian was not critically exhausted from magic power, merely feeling quite helpless. His wand, continuously spewing silver light, was trembling slightly now. It seemed that having reached its output limit, the magic began to transform, countless silver threads interweaving themselves.
Completely beyond Ian's control or involvement. The fine threads began to intertwine and weave together in an incredible manner, like the most meticulous Weaver Girl crafting the universe's dream.
Gradually.
A scene that made Ian widen his eyes slowly took shape in their crossing—a view of an ancient forest. Towering trees stretched skyward, sunlight dappled through the leaves, a gentle stream burbled, and floral scents were abundant.
Everything was suffused in the special silver hue of the Patronus Charm, yet the details were vivid as if it existed somewhere in an unknown place.
"Just projecting a forest? It shouldn't be like this..."
Professor Flitwick observed the changes in the silver light, furrowing his brows and tugging hard at his beard. The expression on his face, where hair outnumbered skin, was full of confusion.
"You—"
Professor Flitwick was about to turn his head to inquire.
However.
He noticed Ian standing beside him, looking somewhat pale.
"Can't hold on anymore? Then stop immediately!"
Professor Flitwick swiftly interrupted Ian's casting, aligning with Ian's intentions as the silver threads that created the vivid scene began to unravel and disappear.
The silver shimmer receded.
Leaving only warmth lingering in the air.
"It shouldn't be like this. You should summon something, not just project an image..." Professor Flitwick, at that moment, appeared to have reached a knowledge blind spot like Grindelwald.
"How could this be!"
With a face full of uncertainty, Ian sprawled on the ground, gasping for breath—as the scene was nearing completion, his magical burden had abruptly surged to its peak.
In the scene woven by silver threads, each detail was perfectly depicted, from the gently swaying leaves to the light spots dancing on the stream's surface. All were things Ian was very familiar with, especially by the lake, where he could faintly see a boy teaching a girl sword practice.
This scene belonged solely to the area Ian would visit periodically—the Misty Illusion Realm. Of course, its appearance wasn't the reason Ian's magical burden suddenly maxed out.
"Summoning Spell... Summoning Spell..." Ian lay on the ground, beads of sweat dripping from his forehead, not only due to magical exhaustion, but also because he knew Professor Flitwick was right.
"Are you okay?"
Seeing Ian hadn't recovered for a long time, Professor Flitwick quickly moved forward to check on Ian's condition. "It's all my fault for wanting to satisfy my curiosity too much!"
He hammered his head in slight annoyance and guilt.
"The result was something I wanted to try myself, not your fault..." Ian, supported to his feet, drank two mouthfuls of the magic potion Professor Flitwick handed over, gradually recovering a good deal of strength. The tiredness from the magic would still persist for a while, during which releasing magic would easily get out of control.
"I will help you solve this problem, don't worry, it just needs some time." Professor Flitwick thought he should offer some proper compensation to this excellent student. Just as he took a handmade wand holster from his waist, Ian shook his head and refused to accept it.
"Professor, I might be one of those cases you mentioned, with a bloodline defect!" Ian suddenly sighed, his attitude now completely opposite to when he had been eager to learn the Patronus Charm.
"Ah?"
Professor Flitwick was dumbfounded.
"Sorry for disturbing your rest time."
Ian bowed deeply.
He truly didn't want Professor Flitwick to delve any deeper.
After all, as the caster, he was very much aware that what pushed his magical burden to the limit during the mystical scenario was not the projection of the Misty Illusion Realm.
But rather the feeling that the environment around the classroom was about to be... replaced by that scene.