116: Main Task Unlocked

In the blink of an eye, winter turned to spring, and April came to an end.

As the final Quidditch match concluded, Harry caught the Golden Snitch.

After six years, Gryffindor finally claimed the Quidditch Cup.

That night, Professor McGonagall couldn't help shedding a few tears in her sleep.

The stern but passionate Transfiguration professor had always loved Quidditch, but the Gryffindor team had long been outshone by the other three houses, repeatedly falling short of the championship.

Now, with Harry demonstrating flying skills far beyond his peers—even outmatching Cedric Diggory—it seemed clear that Gryffindor's fortunes had changed.

It was foreseeable that in the coming years, Quidditch at Hogwarts might well be dominated by another Potter.

However, Harry's celebratory mood didn't last long.

As the semester drew to a close, the professors began piling on assignments at an alarming rate.

Professor McGonagall, in particular, assigned a monstrously long Transfiguration essay that nearly overwhelmed Harry, Neville, and Ron, the trio of struggling students.

"Please, Hermione!"

The three hapless boys soon appeared before Hermione, pleading for her assistance.

Why not ask Ivan for help?

The answer was simple: Ivan didn't need to deal with such things.

At the start of the year, Ivan had already aced every professor's tests, achieving Outstanding grades across the board.

Even Dumbledore had privately announced that Ivan was exempt from taking the final exams.

There was no doubt about it—Ivan had become a living legend at Hogwarts.

He attended classes as he pleased, roamed the castle at night with impunity, read from the Restricted Section without consequence, and was even excused from homework and exams.

This wasn't just a matter of privilege anymore.

It was as if Ivan treated Hogwarts as his personal domain, operating with absolute freedom and without regard for rules.

"No!"

Hermione glared at them fiercely. "I won't let you copy my homework! Don't even think about it!"

Faced with Hermione's firm refusal, the three hapless boys could only turn their hopeful gazes toward Ivan now.

They hoped that Ivan might intervene, perhaps saying a few words to soften Hermione's stance.

"Ahem," Ivan cleared his throat, clearly exasperated.

He spoke with a hint of reluctance. "Harry has been doing well with his spells lately.

Ron has shown noticeable improvement too.

And Neville…"

Ron had recently borrowed money from Harry to purchase a new wand.

Although Ron's magical aptitude was average at best, his mismatched, hand-me-down wand had been holding him back for years. With a proper wand, his performance had begun to improve.

Harry, ever the loyal friend, had been quick to offer financial help, ensuring Ron could buy a wand that truly suited him.

As for Neville…

Neville is still the same.

His thinking is too low.

Even though Neville's magical power and determination were sufficient, casting spells was still a challenge for him.

On top of that, his memory was notoriously poor.

Even with daily homework, Neville often needed Ivan's help to get it done.

Fortunately, Ivan had foreseen Neville's potential early on.

Based on what Ivan observed, it would likely take until the third year for Neville to compensate for his deficiencies in memory and begin building his magical strength.

"Alright," Hermione finally relented, pulling out her completed homework. "But don't copy it word for word—the professors will notice."

"I know, I know," Ron said quickly.

"Thanks, Hermione!"

When it came to neatness and thoroughness, Hermione's homework was unparalleled.

There wasn't a single student in their year who could produce work as meticulous and beautifully written as Hermione's.

"Tsk! These guys..."

Watching the trio dash off to the dormitory with her homework in hand, Hermione didn't know whether to laugh or sigh.

Still, she didn't voice any further complaints.

In truth, even if Ivan hadn't intervened, Hermione would have ended up lending them her homework eventually.

The reason she refused at first was simply to encourage the three of them to try harder.

But when it became clear they had no other way out, she always relented in the end.

After spending nearly a year with Ivan, Hermione had changed considerably—she was no longer as rigid or by-the-book as she had been at the start.

"Want to go out for a walk?" Ivan asked casually.

"No," Hermione replied without hesitation.

Her response surprised Ivan.

It was rare for her to turn down an invitation from him.

"I still need to review this year's material," Hermione said firmly.

Her reasoning left Ivan momentarily speechless. The young witch was deeply concerned about her first-year exam results and terrified at the prospect of earning an E.

At Hogwarts, grades were divided into several levels: Outstanding (O), Exceeds Expectations (E), Acceptable (A), Poor (P), Dreadful (D), and Troll (T).

For Hermione, even an E (Exceeds Expectations) might as well be a failure.

Yes, you heard that right.

In Hermione's eyes, there was no distinction between an E and outright failure.

She didn't want to let down her professors, nor could she bear the thought of the Slytherins sneering at her.

"Well, then, good luck," Ivan said with a small smile, patting her on the head before standing up. "I'll be heading off to assist the professors with the final inspection of the trial beneath the trapdoor."

After a meeting among the house heads and Professor Dumbledore, it had been decided that the challenges under the trapdoor would serve as this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts practical exam.

Not just first-years, but students from other years were also allowed to participate.

Of course, the number of challenges required to pass differed based on the year group.

To accommodate this, the professors made several adjustments to the trials.

For instance, the level involving the troll had been modified. Instead of a single troll, the challenge now featured a monster specifically calibrated to the student's year.

The troll itself remained a formidable test, assigned to students at a fifth-year level or higher.

Even for senior wizards, a one-on-one battle with a troll was often a losing proposition.

Only the most exceptional and talented witches and wizards—those with skills far beyond their peers—could hope to defeat a troll in direct combat.

For example, Percy and Penelope.

Penelope, in particular, who has been training with Ivan had made remarkable progress, significantly increasing her magical strength and precision.

The reason why Percy was able to pass is that the troll here is not the one Ivan encountered.

The troll Voldemort had summoned had been enhanced with a violent spell, greatly boosting its combat power and resistance to magic.

Such a creature would have been impossible for Percy—or even Mr. Weasley himself—to defeat head-on.

"All students will participate when the time comes," Ivan said, casting a meaningful glance at Hermione. "Do you need me to give you some hints?"

"I don't want any hints!" Hermione exclaimed indignantly. She detested cheating and was as strict with herself as ever, driven by her intense focus on exams.

"Alright, alright," Ivan replied, amused. "You truly live up to the title of Miss Know-It-All. I hope you achieve excellent marks."

After bidding farewell to Hermione, Ivan made his way to a quiet, secluded spot.

"System," he called out.

Just moments earlier, Ivan's system had suddenly responded.

As he opened it, a string of new notifications appeared before him.

[Main Task Unlocked: First Year Trial]

[Trial Name: Soul Coffin]

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