The lifelike raven emblem made Ian unable to resist reaching out to touch it.
"Is it because of this emblem that you believe the transfer student from over a hundred years ago is connected to the founder of our house?" Ian turned to look at Professor Flitwick, who was shorter than himself.
Professor Flitwick didn't respond directly, but produced the crest of Ravenclaw College and placed it next to the lifelike raven drawn on the parchment.
The two were almost identical in every detail.
"I believe that's the case. Our house crest probably didn't appear out of thin air, but has its origins and sources—though I have yet to find real evidence to support this idea."
Professor Flitwick sighed heavily, a sense of regret in his voice. It seemed curiosity had driven him to search for the truth over many years.
"If we follow your train of thought, then the other houses' emblems… they must have stories and origins as well?" Ian suddenly felt a flicker of curiosity.
At these words, Professor Flitwick shrugged.
"Who knows? I'm not very interested in the history of the other houses anyway—after all, I don't teach Magic History." Professor Flitwick's answer was blunt.
"Headmaster Dumbledore must have met that transfer student." Ian's gaze returned to the text of the memoir; the emotions in his eyes were hard to describe.
"Maybe Albus simply wanted to avoid any kind of panic. After all, if there really was a transfer student in the past, Merlin knows what kind of commotion and questioning it would provoke in the Wizarding World toward our school." Professor Flitwick, despite years of curiosity, clearly didn't blame Albus Dumbledore for his knowing silence.
"Yeah, I'm feeling pretty anxious already…" Ian's eyes continued to linger on the words of the memoir, or to be precise, on certain specific phrases.
"Don't worry, Hogwarts is perfectly safe these days." Professor Flitwick had clearly misunderstood the little wizard's meaning; he tried to pat the boy's shoulder, but even on tiptoe, he couldn't reach.
"You've gotten so much taller?"
The Head of Ravenclaw House's tone carried a hint of surprise. He seemed to recall Ian's stature when he first enrolled, and in his voice there was also an almost imperceptible trace of envy—after all, who wouldn't wish for a tall build? It would save using so many stools and ladders.
Professor Flitwick had once fancied a girl himself, years ago.
His height had spoiled those chances.
At least, Professor Flitwick himself believed so.
"Hogwarts really is safer than it's ever been." Ian fully agreed with Professor Flitwick, for only Merlin knew how many Albus Dumbledores might be at the school nowadays.
Honestly speaking—
These past few days, Ian had been constantly suspicious, always thinking there might be an Albus Dumbledore standing in some corner. Even when using the loo, he found himself wanting to check every stall.
Not knowing much about the study of time, Ian had no idea what Dumbledore meant by pushing the limits—the notion of how many versions of oneself, from different times, could exist within one space.
Perhaps even Albus Dumbledore didn't know himself. After all, it was like how Flash would never know how many versions of himself from different timelines were in the room when his mother died.
For things not yet done, no one could be sure; one could only say that the Time Converter really is mysterious… the secrets of time still triggered unease in Ian whenever he thought of them.
There was so much right before his eyes.
He couldn't help but worry over it all.
"Professor, I'd also like to learn more about the transfer student—or rather, about the bird on our house crest." Ian looked down at Professor Flitwick sitting next to him.
He had heard about ravens from more than one person, but compared to those earlier rumors, what concerned him most now was the one encountered by the fifth-year transfer student a hundred years before.
It was honestly pretty frightening to think too deeply about it!
"I actually know very, very little. After all, so many years have passed; how could we possibly expect to capture with clarity a figure that might have appeared merely for a fleeting moment in history?"
"The late Lady Ravenclaw may very well be the only one who knows anything about the raven on our crest."
Professor Flitwick trotted over to the bookshelves, climbed a tall shelf using a ladder, and drew out an ancient and rather shabby-looking book.
"But we can't exactly ask Lady Ravenclaw, who's been dead for so many years, now can we?" Professor Flitwick sighed with a lingering sense of melancholy as he climbed down the ladder.
"Yes, that's true."
Ian's expression was slightly unnatural.
After all—
What's impossible for others isn't always so for him. It's just… he wasn't sure if he could meet Lady Ravenclaw again. The Misty Illusion Realm was just too vast, and there were so many things he hadn't figured out. He couldn't even be sure if he could find the volcano crater again, or Lady Ravenclaw's lonely island.
"For those of us who come after, the only thing we can do is catch glimpses of the past through ancient books." Professor Flitwick returned to Ian's side with the old tome and placed it on the table.
This ancient, battered magic book seemed as if it had been slowly dredged up from the depths of time.