Hogwarts Raven

Chapter 409-408: The God of Dreams

The magical world in Africa looks just that wild.

Go with the flow.

Ian adapted immediately.

"Ok."

Ian thanked him and walked along the vine bridge.

The hut doesn't look big from the outside, but the inside is truly a hidden gem.

The interior of the hut was much more spacious and comfortable than it appeared from the outside, clearly having been enchanted with a smothering spell. The furnishings were simple yet complete—there was a wooden bed covered with clean linen sheets, a desk, a chair, and a small stone cubicle in the corner for washing.

It was old, but surprisingly clean.

The animal skin blanket on the bed was thin, but free of fleas. A few sprigs of insect-repelling herbs were stuck in an earthenware pot on the corner of the table, and a faint scent of lemongrass filled the air.

In the corner, a short candle burned quietly in an oil lamp jar, casting a soft light.

"not bad."

Ian was quite satisfied with his accommodations. He locked the door and cast a few simple warning and soundproofing spells; one should always be extra careful when traveling.

Having taken precautions, Ian looked around again.

This isn't exactly a luxurious setup, but that's to be expected. Just like the Leaky Cauldron that Ian is familiar with, most wizarding inns have been passed down for many years.

Old, worn, and very simple, typical of this type of hotel. Most wizards don't have the same love for luxury hotels as Muggles.

"At least it's not like the living conditions of Indians. Simple doesn't mean dirty." Ian also reads magic newspapers, so he knows that the living conditions of Indian wizards and Muggles are similar.

Rats roam the area, scorpions lurk under the beds, and the air is always filled with the smell of rotten water. Both Muggles and wizards are used to it, making it arguably the most unique and bizarre place in the world.

In comparison, this place can be described as "comfortable".

"I'll stay for a few days. I don't know when I'll be able to return to my time."

Ian sighed, feeling that while he had gained a lot, he also missed Hogwarts.

He walked to the window.

Outside the window stretched an endless rainforest, moonlight filtering through the canopy and casting dappled shadows. In the distance came the low growl of a leopard and the croaking of frogs. There was no roar of cars, no light pollution from Muggle cities, only pure, primitive silence, which was somewhat soothing and improved Ian's mood once again.

“Clearly, there are traces of spatial magic here.” Ian remembered that he was staying in an inn in the market, so there shouldn’t be such a scene outside.

but.

For wizards, anything is possible. He carefully studied the magic contained within the inn and quickly confirmed his guess.

It was indeed linked to a beautiful forest using spatial magic, but it was only presented in a way similar to a clear version of a mirage.

It wasn't a real forest outside, but Ian could still feel the presence of a forest and breathe its air. That's how magical the world of magic is.

of course.

Because the innkeeper's magical abilities are limited, climbing out of the window won't get you to the forest; you'll probably just end up in the inn's courtyard.

Ian didn't verify this, since the inn's builder had taken this into account and had enchanted the windows so that residents couldn't climb over them.

Although such restrictions were easily circumvented by Ian, he was, after all, just a guest at the hotel and not someone who would cause trouble, so he wouldn't do anything to provoke trouble.

Perhaps Gryffindor students will be curious enough to try it.

However, Ian was not a true Gryffindor student.

"Start studying! Ravenclaw students must focus on studying no matter where they are!" Ian took a few breaths of fresh air and then sat cross-legged on the bed.

He took out the manual given to him by Caleb and gently stroked the rough animal hide cover. The hide was warm to the touch, as if it still retained the warmth and wisdom of its past owners.

Today's gains far exceeded expectations.

He not only obtained the key materials to repair the time machine, but also glimpsed a direction for the development of human alchemy—Master Caleb's inherited craft was a possibility of deeply embedding power into flesh and blood.

"This is yet another testament to the saying, 'Among three people walking together, there must be one who can teach me.' Our ancestors were right." Ian took a deep breath and sighed.

With a foreign face, which is considered foreign to people from the place where this quote originated, he turned the pages of the book with an almost pilgrimage-like feeling.

The pages were not ordinary paper, but a kind of unknown animal hide, as thin as a cicada's wing yet extremely tough, covered with densely packed ancient characters and extremely complex patterns written in some kind of special magical ink. He didn't fully understand these characters, but miraculously, when he concentrated and stared at them, the characters and patterns seemed to come alive, naturally conveying their meaning to the depths of his consciousness, transcending the barrier of language.

"An application of 'knowing' runes?" Ian quickly became engrossed in the book, like a parched desert traveler finding a spring of sweet water, greedily absorbing the vast and unique knowledge within.

[Analysis of the basic energy circuit construction principle of 'Finger Bone Key Engraving', Alchemy Experience Points +25!]

[Understanding the symbiotic and harmonious theory of 'the origin of life' and 'external enchantments' greatly enhances our understanding of human alchemy!]

Master the seven basic 'bone script' variants and their combined effects, and your Magic Literature proficiency will increase by 18!

[Deducing an ancient variant of the 'Flesh Separation Healing Spell' and mastering magical micro-management techniques, Healing Magic/Precision Control Experience +15!]

……

Ian's eyes gleamed with excitement. The knowledge system recorded in the book was both vastly different from and strangely similar to the European alchemy and magical literature he had studied, constantly sparking new ideas. Many problems he had encountered in his past alchemical experiments found completely different solutions here.

Many conjectures about the interaction between the human body and magical energy were systematically verified and expanded here. Indeed, although it sounds somewhat unethical, that's the truth. In fact, in places where morality is less important, knowledge related to the human body can be summarized and updated more quickly.

Medical progress stems from human experimentation, and the progress of human alchemy is similar to that of medicine. Therefore, whether in Africa, India, or other chaotic places, this kind of discipline will progress faster than in places with higher levels of civilization. After all, the disappearance of many people is not a big deal in Africa.

This kind of place is a breeding ground for dark wizards.

of course.

Magic itself is neither good nor evil.

Ian still felt it depended on the person using the magic.

He was particularly struck by the idea of ​​inscribing magic directly into the very essence of life.

"Fortunately, I am resolute and have no urge to join the ranks of dark wizards."

Hogwarts' library is a treasure of the magical world, and its potions and transfiguration are top-notch. However, in the specific and dangerous field of "human alchemy," especially in this gentle path aimed at strengthening rather than modifying, Africa has clearly forged its own unique and profound path.

“Each region truly has its own focus and its most secret techniques,” Ian murmured to himself, a deeper sense of awe for the diversity and breadth of the magical world growing within him. He had previously thought that as a legendary mage, he had already reached the pinnacle of knowledge.

In retrospect, it was merely a glimpse into the whole picture.

"Study! Study hard!"

Time flew by as he focused on his studies. The magical orb outside the window gradually dimmed, simulating the arrival of night. When Ian felt his eyes getting sore and finally looked up from his books, he realized it was already late at night.

He reluctantly closed the book and carefully put it away. Although it was only a preliminary reading, the gains were enough to rival his years of independent exploration. He felt that he had opened a completely new door in alchemy, especially in the area of ​​the combination of the human body and magic.

The system panel, which hadn't appeared for a long time, made a brief appearance today. After a simple magical cleansing, Ian lay down on the bed. Although his body was exhausted, his brain was unusually active due to absorbing so much new knowledge. He closed his eyes, tried to calm his thoughts, and gradually drifted off to sleep.

The dream arrived as expected.

Of course, it's not a dreamlike state.

It was just a very ordinary dream.

"How strange, this time it's a lucid dream." Ian found himself flying over the vast African savanna. The night sky was clear, and the Milky Way hung low, seemingly within reach.

Below lies a vast and mysterious land. The night wind blows across the grassland, which is taller than a person, making a rustling sound, like the deep breath of the earth.

The dream was unbelievably real. He could feel the coolness of the night breeze, smell the earth, grass, and distant acacia trees, and hear the various sounds of nocturnal animals—the distant howls of hyenas, the deep purrs of lion prides, and the chorus of countless insects.

Flying through the air, Ian took in everything. He saw herds of impalas moving cautiously in the moonlight, and a lone elephant pacing slowly, its enormous ears flapping like fans. Of course, he also saw many magical creatures, such as a beautiful purple venomous horned beast nibbling on a glowing mushroom.

Several ball-escape birds suddenly sprang out of the grass and disappeared in an instant; even on the distant hills, there seemed to be the silhouettes of very rare and invisible creatures slowly moving.

This is a truly rare species.

As documented in "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," the Invisible Beast is an extremely rare and mysterious magical creature, rated as XXXX in rarity.

The stealth beast is born with perfect invisibility. Its fur can change color with the environment and eventually become completely transparent, making it almost impossible to be detected by the naked eye in its natural habitat.

Only experienced wizards can find and safely approach them. They are gentle in nature, but become extremely defensive when threatened.

of course.

These are not the reasons why stealth beasts have become rare.

The most valuable part of the stealth beasts is their fur.

This hair is one of the top materials for making invisibility cloaks. Cloaks made from this hair are extremely effective and durable, far surpassing the invisibility effect of ordinary magical weaving.

As the saying goes, "Possessing a treasure is a crime."

Due to their perfect invisibility, gentle yet unapproachable nature, and extremely high magical value, the Invisible Beasts were already considered endangered in Ian's time.

To put it simply, this is equivalent to people hearing that a certain creature can enhance male virility, and that some people have actually tried it and found it to be effective. Such a creature will almost certainly become an endangered species very soon.

The invisibility beast is in a similar situation. Of course, this is Voldemort's era, and Ian's era is still decades away.

Therefore, the invisible beasts are not as endangered as some might think. After all, alchemical devices for detecting invisible beasts have not yet been invented, and most wizards are actually unable to detect their presence.

Just as they couldn't detect someone wearing an invisibility cloak. Not everyone is like Ian, possessing a raven form that allows them to see invisible beasts using the raven's true vision.

"It was only in the dream that I watched silently. In reality, I would definitely catch a few to breed and make them have endless offspring."

Ian's thinking was not because he was kind-hearted, but because he had been dedicated to cultivating potions and alchemical materials to achieve the great goal of self-sufficiency.

The proverb "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; raise a fish yourself and you feed him for a lifetime" applies here. While praising his own wisdom, Ian also enjoyed the feeling of flying freely in his dream.

He temporarily put aside many things in reality.

Of course, he also had a slight sense of confusion: the dream was too real, the details were too rich, and it even exceeded his own experience.

This is a gut feeling.

Wizards' intuition is always very accurate.

as predicted.

Just as he soared above a giant baobab tree, a sudden change occurred. From the shadows beneath the tree, a cheetah that had been crouching on a thick branch, perfectly blending into the night, suddenly raised its head. Its eyes, gleaming with an eerie green light in the darkness, locked onto Ian in the air.

This in itself is not surprising; animals can sometimes sense abnormalities. But what happened next froze Ian's dream consciousness.

"What the hell?"

Just as Ian was wondering...

The cheetah didn't roar threateningly or try to attack; instead... it spoke!

A deep, hoarse voice, carrying an ancient rhythm and wild power, resounded directly in his consciousness, as if it came from the depths of the earth.

“O strange star, powerful and ancient soul, why do you set foot on this land scorched by the sun? I can feel that your arrival has made our land even hotter.”

The other person's tone was questioning, but also somewhat wary.

"Ok?"

Ian abruptly stopped in mid-air, staring in shock at the cheetah below the tree.

Its mouth didn't move, but the sound was definitely made by it, or rather, it was transmitted through it!

"You...you can speak? This isn't an ordinary dream?" Ian's consciousness fluctuated with disbelief.

The cheetah let out a soft, chuckle-like growl, its deep green eyes seeming to see through everything: "A dream? Yes and no. This is the dream of the grasslands, a web connecting all spirits. And you, the traveler from afar, your light shines like a flame in the night on this web, disturbing many slumbering beings."

It rose gracefully, took a step on the branch, its movements fluid and powerful.

“We’ve noticed you. Your power system is completely different from ours, yet it contains the blessing of the sun… and… the dust of time? An interesting combination.”

"Who are you?" Ian asked warily, his consciousness in the dream slightly coalescing.

"Who I am is not important," the cheetah's voice echoed. "You can consider me a voice of this land, an observer. What matters is why you have come, star traveler? Your arrival has stirred ripples in this ancient web of spirituality. Are you a passerby, or... a messenger foreshadowing change?"

Its gaze seemed to pierce through the dream, looking directly at Ian's essence: "You carry the scent of change, and also... the aura of danger. You've touched a tributary of time you shouldn't have, and disturbed an existence you shouldn't have disturbed..."

Ian paused for a moment, realizing this was no simple dream, but some form of contact with a higher being in the area. He cautiously replied, “I mean no offense. I am just a lost traveler who has stumbled upon this place. I am looking for my way home.”

"Are you the local deities?"

Ian tentatively opened his mouth.

The other party did not deny it.

really.

This has been discovered by the gods.

The reason he was discovered by the local deities can be easily deduced from the leopard's words—his arrival was too intense, so it was the sun god's blessing that exposed him.

(End of this chapter)