98: Magic Transformation Plan

After setting up the barrier, Ivan began transforming the forest.

He didn't cut down the surrounding trees directly but used magic to make them move back on their own, leaving ample space in the center for building a house.

"Now, it's time to build," Ivan said.

Using the cutting charm, he trimmed an old tree, then cast a spell with a low incantation, "Weave Wood into a Door!"

A variety of tools flew out from Ivan's bag.

Saws, hammers, and nails started working as though they had lives of their own.

Like Queenie's cooking magic in Fantastic Beasts, a wave of the wand allowed the construction to take place almost automatically.

In less than five minutes, a unique wooden cottage stood completed before them.

"Wow," Hermione said admiringly, "It feels perfect."

With the right materials, this kind of life magic was incredibly convenient.

If Muggles knew wizards had this magic, it would probably drive many construction companies to despair.

"It's not finished yet," Ivan said, casting another spell, "Carved Beams and Painted Walls!"

If "Weave Wood into a Door" created the house's framework, then "Carved Beams and Painted Walls" added intricate details.

This magic could adjust the interior structure of the house to match the owner's wishes.

"Alright, let's go inside and take a look."

Ivan took Hermione's hand, and together they pushed open the door of the cabin in the woods.

The first thing they saw was a spacious hall, much larger than it appeared from the outside, clearly expanded with a Traceless Extension Charm.

The floor was smooth, without any of the roughness typical of freshly built wood.

There was no furniture yet, so the space looked empty, but Hermione didn't mind at all; instead, she felt warmth in the simplicity.

"It feels like a little two-person cabin for me and Ivan," she mused aloud.

"Ahem!"

Ivan coughed, mentally reminding himself that he was not interested in Hermione in that way. He then continued the tour, showing Hermione through the rest of the cabin.

The cabin had five floors in total—two underground and three above ground.

The first floor included the living room, kitchen, and bathroom, while the second floor had several rooms set aside for members of their group to stay.

The third floor was temporarily designated as a storage area for important items.

As for the basement levels, Ivan planned to use them as a training ground and laboratory space, and he would also install the door to this secret realm there.

In case of danger, everyone could use the door to escape quickly.

Similarly, if an outsider were to break in, the first thing they'd have to face would be the basement, protected by various spells.

The ultimate protection Ultron system is connected to the basement.

If someone with bad intentions comes in, it would be a dead end for them.

Additionally, Ivan planned to create a small ecosystem on the bottom floor for magical creatures, much like Newt's suitcase.

"Hermione, raise your wand."

After setting everything up, Ivan nodded in satisfaction.

"Like this?"

Hermione followed his instructions, raising her wand, while Ivan raised his as well.

The next moment, a golden bridge of light appeared at the tips of their wands, connecting them.

"This is..."

Hermione was about to ask, but suddenly felt a surge of understanding.

"I've connected your magic with the consciousness in the Ultimate Guardian Ultron," Ivan explained.

From now on, Hermione would share the same level of access as Ivan, except she couldn't modify the Ultimate Guardian itself.

Ivan had set the little witch as the second authority holder after himself.

This authority even superseded the barrier's own will.

If Hermione wanted, she could disable or completely close the barrier.

'I can't... Ivan trusts me so much.'

Hermione felt deeply moved, and her small hand tightened its hold on Ivan's without even realizing it.

"It's challenging to set up such a barrier at your current level."

Ivan smiled, and the mutual understanding between them didn't need many words: "But if you just focus on learning how to control it, with your talent, Hermione, I think you'll master some of its functions well before the next grade."

"Hmm!"

Hermione pouted in dissatisfaction, feeling that Ivan was underestimating her: "I'll definitely learn it sooner than that!"

"Oh, let's wait and see then."

Ivan admired Hermione's unyielding character—it would take her far.

He gently patted her head. "After all, our Miss Granger is the smartest young witch at Hogwarts."

"Hmph!"

Hermione grinned proudly, then asked curiously, "Ivan, do you think I could cast such a spell on my own someday?"

"That's almost impossible."

"Thought so…"

Having personally experienced the power in the barrier, Hermione could sense the vast gap between her own magic and Ivan's.

Completing an Ultimate Guardian on her own...

Not only for Hermione, but even if Snape and Harry reached their peak, achieving that same level would be unimaginable.

To command that kind of power, one would need to undergo a complete magical transformation.

This was also a gift Ivan had prepared for Hermione.

He intended to help the little witch complete a safe magical transformation by the time she reached her third year.

"In the future, each time we come here, we can bring more supplies. If once isn't enough, we'll make two trips. After all, we can bring in anything we think of."

Ivan had tested the boundaries of this secret world. The space here was incredibly stable, with only one entry and exit through the wardrobe.

Nothing else—neither the Floo Network, Portkeys, nor Apparition—could enter.

It was evident that the wizard who created this secret world had an exceptional understanding of space. It wasn't an exaggeration to say they had crafted a new world entirely.

"What should we do next?"

"Explore, investigate, and collect information."

Ivan said, "There are countless magical creatures and magical plants here, practically everywhere."

So, in the coming days, Ivan planned to bring Hermione along to catalog the various resources within the Thunderbird territory.

The materials needed for alchemy and potion-making primarily come from animals, plants, and minerals.

It was uncertain about mineral resources for now, but the abundance of animal and plant resources in the secret realm was beyond question.

"So, if no one else discovers it, then everything here is ours?"

Hermione wasn't particularly greedy, but the magnitude of such a fortune was tempting even for her, making the little witch's eyes light up.

"In theory, yes."

Ivan shared the same thought.

Everything in the secret space could be considered reserve resources.

The two spent a long time in the secret space.

The following day, they entered again to continue their investigation and record-keeping.

There were over 60 kinds of magical creatures within the Thunderbird territory and countless magical plants.

There were so many that they couldn't begin to count them all.

The biggest challenge was that they couldn't identify most of them.

Although Ivan had powerful magic, his interest in Herbology was minimal.

Hermione had read many books on the subject, but book knowledge and hands-on fieldwork were two very different things.

There were only a few plants they could recognize, and even though Ivan could sense that certain trees or grasses held strong magic, he had no idea what they were or what they could be used for.

"I remember Neville loves Herbology. Professor Sprout praised him several times, saying he has a real talent for it."

A compliment from a Head of House was high praise indeed.

At Hogwarts, nearly every professor—apart from those teaching a few of the more superficial subjects—was an authority in their field.

"Hmm, yeah..."

Neville's future role as Herbology professor at Hogwarts demonstrated that he had the potential to reach the top in his field. Ivan thought.

"Let's take some samples back, and I'll ask Professor Sprout."

"This will also give Neville more exposure to them."

Ivan instructed Hermione to be careful when collecting samples, and then he sorted them into different categories before placing them in his undetectable extension bag.

They continued this work until late, finishing just after dinner.

Ivan, Hermione, Neville, and Parvati gathered at the usual meeting spot.

Soon, Harry arrived with Ronald, and with them was Penelope, the Ravenclaw senior.

Everyone except Hermione was surprised to see Penelope joining them.

"I'd like to join you as well," Penelope said, brushing her hair back and smiling warmly. "Is that alright?"

Hermione and Parvati suddenly felt a sense of rivalry!

There was no denying it—Penelope was stunningly charming.

From her poised demeanor to her effortless style, she seemed capable of captivating everyone around her.

Neville, Harry, and Ronald were entirely entranced by the senior's gentle presence.

"Ahem!"

Ivan cleared his throat and led the group to the Black Lake.

The lake was peaceful and quiet at night.

The giant squid was nowhere to be seen, and only the gentle ripples across the water moved with the night breeze, adding a refreshing coolness to the air.

To ensure their privacy, Ivan set up a magical barrier to block anyone from overhearing their conversation.

"Alright, let's begin the new member entrance examination," Ivan said, guiding them to a secluded area. He glanced first at Penelope, then at Ronald.

"Who wants to go first?"

"Huh…"

Ronald, feeling tense, was already regretting his decision.

He had been the one to quit before, and now he was asking to rejoin with Harry's help.

The thought made his cheeks burn with embarrassment, and he instinctively looked down, avoiding Ivan's gaze.

Still, with Penelope watching, Ronald gathered his courage and said, "I'll go first!"

"Good, that's very brave of you."

Ivan stepped closer. "Can I ask why you want to join us, Ronald?"

"…."

Ronald had expected this question and was ready. "I want to improve my magic."

"A fair answer," Ivan replied, nodding. "But that's fine. After all, every wizard wants to master powerful magic."

"Uh…?"

Ronald was bewildered. If it wasn't important, then why ask?

But he waited patiently, not daring to interrupt Ivan.

As Ivan had considered before, he didn't have particularly high expectations for Ronald. Among the young wizards, Ronald was fairly average—perhaps even a bit below.

But Ronald was still a wizard and a fellow student, and in the magical world, connections among schoolmates were significant.

Recruiting Ronald was more reliable than bringing in random outsiders; at least they knew him well.

"Ronald, do you know the purpose of us gathering together like this?"

"…."

Ronald hesitated and looked over at Harry before answering. "Harry said it's to make the wizarding world better."

"Yes," Ivan nodded. "But what do you think?"

"Uh…what?" Ronald was taken aback, staring at Ivan, clearly confused.

"What do you think?" Ivan asked. "Apart from Neville, none of us truly know the wizarding world as you do. You grew up in it, Ronald. I want to hear your perspective."

Ivan kept his tone steady. He realized his past approach had been too focused on Ronald's abilities alone, missing the broader view.

After all, was Ronald truly without merit? Not at all.

The Weasley family was one of the sacred twenty-eight pureblood families—and uniquely, the only one close to Muggles.

The Weasleys valued innovation, embracing Muggle ideas with open curiosity.

Accepting Ronald wasn't just about one person; it could mean opening connections to an entire family.

"Don't worry," Ivan added gently. "Say whatever you believe. Right or wrong, you're in. You can relax."

"Really?!"

The news that he could join left Ronald visibly thrilled. No one understood Ivan's strength and potential better than he did as Harry's friend.

He had seen Ivan's power firsthand—defeating trolls, fending off Voldemort, earning praise from every professor, and demonstrating unmatched skill in class.

'Ivan is a natural wizard, bound to be the next Dumbledore,' George and Fred had told him once.

Even the two troublemakers knew talent when they saw it, and Ronald could tell a rising star when he met one.

His brilliance is so dazzling that it almost overshadows the brilliance of everyone in the same era.

"Huh~~"

Ronald took a deep breath and calmed down: "To be honest, I think it's stupid."

"Oh?"

Ivan smiled, this time it was not a disguise, but a real happy smile.

"This guy!"

However, unlike Ivan, Hermione was obviously unhappy with Ronald's evaluation.

Neville lowered his head, not knowing what to say or think.

Parvati thought carefully, as if thinking about how to refute Ronald's next words.

"Calm down..."

Ivan stopped Hermione and signaled her to calm down.

"Tell me more about it." Ivan encouraged: "Don't be afraid, you can say anything. The organization is still in its infancy, and we will humbly accept any good suggestions. ''

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