From Hogwarts to Strixhaven.

Chapter 594 Another School Opening Day
Studying the divinity of Death solely based on the three Deathly Hallows is much more difficult than Ivy imagined.

After leaving the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts with disappointment, Ivy returned to Worley Manor in London and began to devoutly study the newly acquired Deathly Hallows.

Although legends about Death have long circulated in the wizarding world, and were even included in the Tales of Beedle the Bard as fairy tales, the specific image of Death is unknown to most.

The image of the Grim Reaper, clad in a black cloak and carrying a massive scythe, is circulated in both the Muggle and wizarding worlds, leaving people wondering whether the so-called Grim Reaper is actually a self-aware entity.

In the magical world, there is no such thing as faith, and the various gods of the Muggle world have no power in this world either. Only the wizards' Grim Reaper hides on the other side of the world, ruling the realm of the dead known as the Spirit World.

In another timeline, Ivy believed that the spirit world was merely a facet, a shadow, of the real world, and that no sentient entity, apart from the dead souls, made any claims to that afterlife.

Although most wizards were willing to believe in the existence of Death, this nominal king of the spirit world did not respond to Ivy's resurrection spell to rescue people from the spirit world.

But on this timeline, death seems impatient, showing no patience to wait for the deceased to complete their final journey. Instead, it directly drags the recently deceased souls into the spirit world. Not only that, it tightly closes the gates of the spirit world, preventing Ivy's resurrection spells from pulling the souls back from the realm of the dead.

The three Deathly Hallows, which should represent the divinity of Death, or at least a portion of it, did not exhibit any divine power. They weren't even ancient artifacts; Ivy's ritual of atonement had no effect on them.

Unable to find a breakthrough with the Deathly Hallows, Ivy turned her attention to the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic. As the core of the entire department, the stone archway in the Hall of the Dead must have some connection with the Spirit World.

As if anticipating Ivy's thoughts, the spirit world stone archway standing quietly in the Hall of Death looked unremarkable, and even the black curtain that moved without wind turned into two real rags.

Whether the curtains were lifted or living creatures were thrown directly into the doorway, nothing unusual happened. Ivy believed that using the [Realm Explorer's] power connecting different realms might be possible, but she couldn't be sure what Death itself would think of such actions.

If He takes this as a provocation, then Ivy should at least make some more preparations. When it comes to fighting against a God in His domain, no amount of caution is excessive.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

With the annual Hogwarts orientation day fast approaching, Ivy put aside her research and embarked on a journey back to Hogwarts with little Cassandra in tow.

In the past few days, nothing seemed to have happened in the wizarding world. The newspapers did not report on the death of Hogwarts headmaster Harry Potter, and related rumors did not circulate in the streets and alleys of the wizarding world. Even the owls flying over London continued to flap their wings leisurely.

If Ivy hadn't discovered that the Ministry of Magic was under the highest level of security when she infiltrated it, she would have thought she had killed some insignificant nobody, not Harry Potter.

Summer was drawing to a close, and the British sun seemed to have used up its last bit of energy, only offering warmth on the morning of September 1st.

The clock on the King's Cross station platform had just struck eleven when endless black clouds completely covered the London sky, as if it were the end of the world.

Then came the torrential rain, the roaring thunder, and the flashes of lightning that left trails in the dim sky.

The Hogwarts Express's whistle was drowned out by the thunder, and many students and parents didn't even realize that the train had started to accelerate.

In the last compartment of the last carriage on this special line, Ivy and Cassandra sat facing each other.

“I thought this train was only for students,” Cassandra said absently, gazing out the window at the water splitting as the train sped by. “For some reason, I’m not so excited to go to Hogwarts anymore…”

“When faced with the unknown, people’s emotions are either curiosity or fear.” Ivy turned the resurrection stone ring in his hand three times. According to the instructions in the legend, he should be able to see the soul of the dead at this time. “And they are actually not essentially different.”

Nothing happened; apart from the faint rumble of thunder, the carriage was not filled with weary-looking ghosts.

Ivy had tested the Resurrection Stone countless times, but apart from resembling a crystal-clear black gemstone, it seemed to possess none of the legendary functions.

The thought that the Deathly Hallows in his hand was a fake lingered in Ivy's mind many times until he used the Elder Wand to repair a broken wand that belonged to a dark wizard, and only then did he confirm that what he had was indeed not a fake.

If it's not a fake, then why isn't the resurrection stone working? It can't be because the gates to the spirit world are closed, and the Grim Reaper forbids the souls from leaving on their own, can it?

Putting aside whether the Resurrection Stone actually summons the soul of the deceased, if the Deathly Hallows were indeed given to the Peverell brothers by Death himself, then He should not have prevented His own artifact from taking effect. What reason would He have to deny the visitor's certificate He issued?
Furthermore, according to the Tales of Beedle the Bard, Death gave the Deathly Hallows to the Peverell brothers in order to take their lives. Whether or not they could bewitch minds, the Resurrection Stone should at least have some function, rather than being just a useless stone.

But the facts were right in front of him, and Ivy was helpless.

He put away the resurrection stone and then spread out the Grimoire of Destruction to take out the lunch he had prepared in advance.

The excellent preservation magic locked in the color, aroma, and flavor of the food, allowing the two wizards, one big and one small, to enjoy the finest cuisine even while traveling.

Ivy concealed the entrance to the compartment, so no one could spot the two at the back of the train, and naturally, they remained undisturbed.

After lunch, Cassandra seemed to be in a better mood. She stopped staring blankly at the traces of rain outside the window and took out her textbook to read carefully, occasionally asking Ivy questions.

The car finally slowed down, and the winged boar statue on the Hogwarts wall became clearer. However, the torrential rain showed no sign of abating, relentlessly soaking the robes of every young wizard.

As is customary, first-year students will travel by boat to Hogwarts to simulate the scene when the four founders first saw this high land.

However, Hagrid, who was in charge of the task, was in a terrible mood, and the weather also affected him, so Vice Principal Professor McGonagall made a change.

First-grade students also rode in horse-drawn carriages from the station to the main gate.

“This is…” Little Cassandra, who had witnessed her parents’ deaths, could certainly see the emaciated Pegasus. Her eyes widened as she tried her best to control her emotions.

“Thestrals.” Ivy reached out and scratched the chin of the Thestral in front of her. “A kind of magical, winged horse. Only those who have witnessed death can see them. It is said that they are the mounts of Death…”

At this point, Ivy thoughtfully drew out the Elder Wand, a special wand made of elderwood, which was said to have a core made from the tail feathers of a Thestral.

Since Thestrals are known as the mounts of death, they might also have some special connection to the spirit world...

Cassandra had grown accustomed to Ivy's occasional reverie, but the Thestral, still standing in the rain, was unwilling to wait any longer. Ivy's rain-proof magic hadn't covered its head again.

So, after Thestral bared its fangs and tugged at Ivy's sleeve, the two jumped into the carriage and headed towards the silhouette of the castle. The corridor in front of the Great Hall was crowded with soaking wet students. Perhaps the founders never imagined that one day the Great Hall's doors would be overwhelmed by the sheer number of people. Everyone was desperately trying to escape the rain and relax in the warm Great Hall. If there was a steaming cup of pumpkin juice, that would be even better.

Upperclassmen can quickly find seats at the long tables in their own houses, while first-year students have to wait until the sorting process is over before they can enjoy the warmth of Hogwarts.

The light filtering through the crack in the door was enough to attract these naive little ones.

The outer door of the auditorium slammed shut, startling the freshmen who were peering through the crack in the door, who trembled like quails.

Professor McGonagall held them behind her like a mother hen, watching intently as Ivy closed the outer door of the auditorium.

Before she could ask a question, Ivy stepped to the side, revealing the blonde girl behind her: "I'm here to take the kids to school."

Professor McGonagall glanced at Cassandra's dry clothes, nodded with a slight smile, and said, "Miss Cassandra Worre? Is that right? Please join the new students... As for—"

Professor McGonagall glanced discreetly at Ivy, knowing he had no intention of leaving, and shook her head without saying anything more.

The inner door of the hall opened, and the young wizards eagerly craned their necks to peek inside.

Even though the current headmaster of Hogwarts has passed away, it has not diminished the grandeur of the Great Hall.

The long table that displayed Harry Potter's body a few days ago has been replaced, and even the decorations that were damaged when Hagrid flipped the table have been meticulously repaired.

A group of upperclassmen sat around the long tables of the four houses, curiously eyeing Ivy as she entered the Great Hall with the freshmen. Everyone noticed the empty seat in the faculty section—it belonged to Hagrid, who was still drunk in his cabin.

"Hannah." Professor McGonagall, who had led the young wizards to their positions, looked toward the small door on the side of the Great Hall, where Mrs. Longbottom, holding the Sorting Hat, was standing. "Thank goodness you made it."

So the vice-principal brought over a three-legged stool and placed the Sorting Hat, which contained the ideas of the founder of Hogwarts, on it.

For some reason, the Sorting Hat didn't start singing right away, but instead let out a heavy sigh before beginning its annual routine.

The lyrics are largely the same as in previous years, except that the ending contains a very subtle expression of mourning.

The freshmen naturally couldn't understand, but the professors on the faculty seats all frowned.

McGonagall didn't let the somber atmosphere linger in the hall. She took out a long piece of parchment and began to read the names in alphabetical order by surname.

"Billy Adams..."

A little boy with brown hair stumbled out of the line and put the Sorting Hat on his head.

Then the hat shouted, "Hufflepuff!"

A round of applause and cheers immediately erupted at the Hufflepuff table.

The Sorting Ceremony continued, and the number of young wizards in the new student ranks dwindled until Professor McGonagall announced, "Ivy Warrington!"

Ivy then took a closer look. Having been a foreigner for so long, this was the first time he had ever met someone with the same name as him, let alone a rather thin, gray-haired little girl.

The little girl, who looked like a hamster, ran along, leaving only Cassandra, whose last name also belonged to the "W" family, in the entire new student group.

Ivy Warrington, wearing the Sorting Hat, was not immediately sent to her own house; it seemed the Sorting Hat was having some trouble with her.

This situation is known as the "hat dilemma" and is usually only used when the Sorting Hat is unable to make a decision.

However, just as everyone in the Great Hall was waiting for the Sorting Hat's opinion, the first person to speak was Ivy Warrington, who was sitting on a three-legged stool.

“Evie Doom!” the girl shouted in a voice far exceeding her size. “I know you, the first Dark Lord, the forbidden fifth-year student, the man who almost slaughtered an entire generation of dark wizards.”

“Voldemort.” Ivy took a firm step forward, simultaneously summoning the Grimoire of Destruction door on the wall and pushing little Cassandra inside. “I thought you would be wiser and not show yourself in front of me.”

"I told you long ago, I am the master of death, I am immortal!" Voldemort's new body may only be 1.2 meters tall, far below the average height of her peers, but the aura she exuded far surpassed that of the adult wizards on the faculty bench behind her.

"You chose a weak body to announce your return to me, to this world... Who gave you such audacity?" Ivy gripped the Silver Linden Wand tightly. Voldemort in this timeline was undoubtedly far more insane; based on Ivy's understanding of him, he shouldn't have made such a reckless public appearance.

"The Sorting Hat, a Horcrux?" Ivy kept himself at a safe distance from Voldemort on the stool, ready to launch a surprise attack at any moment and cut off the head of Voldemort's new body. "Unfortunately, no matter how many Horcruxes you make, you can never truly escape the shadow of death."

“Hahaha…” Voldemort burst into a silvery laugh, and Ivy couldn’t help but frown. “Horde weapons? I abandoned that outdated method a long time ago! You’re right, I can never reach the realm of immortality with Horcruxes alone.”

"I owe everything I am today to you, and to your ancient magic, Evie Doom." Voldemort revealed a chilling smile.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The one shooting out the green magic light was not Ivy or Voldemort, but McGonagall, who was standing at the faculty table.

Her target wasn't Voldemort's new body, but Ivy, who was standing in the middle of the Great Hall.

With a grim expression, Ivy waved her hand, deflecting the killing curse that McGonagall had shot at her. The killing curse blasted away a large number of candles in the hall, and the flickering flames landed on the students around the long tables, but it didn't elicit any screams.

Every student at every long table stood up, drew their wands, and pointed them at Ivy; without exception.

(End of this chapter)