Just now, upon seeing the face of the woman before him, Ian already knew whose domain he had entered.
Rowena Ravenclaw.
One of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the founder of Ravenclaw College, who lived in the early Middle Ages. Her wisdom and creativity made her one of the greatest witches of her time. Ian had passed through the Ravenclaw common room more than once, and the founder's visage and bearing had long been etched into his mind.
If Ian still couldn't recognize her, perhaps it would be worth questioning if some of the school's authorities had taken kickbacks from the sculptors for the statues of the four founders.
"If you need a deed, you should seek out Salazar." As if curious about modern-day snacks, Lady Rowena Ravenclaw opened a box of Chocolate Frogs. The Chocolate Frog, enchanted with single-use magic, hadn't even jumped out before she preemptively pinched its thick neck.
The card inside the box fell to the ground.
As if by the whim of fate.
It was a card about Lady Rowena Ravenclaw herself, but the artist's skill was perhaps not very high, as the portrait paled in comparison to the real person.
"Deeds aren't important, but my uncle is the head of Slytherin, so perhaps I should pay a visit to my ancestors. Has Professor Slytherin not chosen to reside near you?" Ian was always at a loss when it came to drawing connections, curious about the current situations of the four founders in the Misty Illusion Realm.
"You are my third visitor. Godric and Helga have already ventured further, while I am still waiting... I have a late apology yet to deliver."
Lady Rowena Ravenclaw didn't directly respond. She gently petted the Chocolate Frog, which had ceased moving, causing it to start kicking its legs again.
"Perhaps I can offer assistance?" Ian curiously leaned in. He watched as Lady Rowena Ravenclaw placed the Chocolate Frog onto the gray-brown soil.
No longer just a single leap when the box was first opened; the frog, made of chocolate, seemed to be imbued with life, bringing a touch of vigor to the desolate island.
"Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit~"
The Chocolate Frog even made croaking sounds.
"Everything has a price, so what is the price for the help you offer, little one?" Lady Rowena Ravenclaw squatted down.
She turned back with a bright smile, looking at Ian, who was amazed by the little frog.
"Of course, no price is necessary. It would be my honor to offer assistance. You might not know, but the Sorting Hat almost placed me in another house, however, it eventually thought I resembled you a little more." While Ian was trying to draw a connection, he also patted the back of his robe, turning around to reveal the Eagle House emblem.
"I am not as shameless as you." Lady Rowena Ravenclaw's cheerful expression remained unchanged, clearly aware of which house Ian belonged to.
A millennia of years.
Some legacies never change.
"Are you waiting for Lady Grey? Lady Grey is a kind-hearted girl, just a bit timid." Ian praised Lady Rowena Ravenclaw's child with enthusiasm.
He realized whom this founder was waiting for.
Helena Ravenclaw.
Most of the little wizards at Hogwarts called her Lady Grey.
She was a proud, slightly timid, face-saving, but kind-hearted and well-cultured lady. Back then, due to wanting to be smarter than her mother, she stole Ravenclaw's Crown.
The ailing Rowena Ravenclaw wished to see her one last time, but due to her pride and timidity, it never came to pass. This was a regret that existed in both the hearts of the mother and daughter for many years.
"I knew she would choose to become a ghost, but I didn't expect she would still want to hide from me to this day." There was a trace of helplessness in Lady Rowena Ravenclaw's voice.
Rebellious teenagers always tend to make their parents worried yet anxious.
And in recent years, when Helena was deceived by Voldemort into betraying her feelings to steal the Crown, it actually proved how Rowena Ravenclaw's worries about her daughter were indeed warranted.
"Perhaps it's because she's afraid to face you. After all, in her heart, you've always been that authoritative mother figure, a perception that only deepens as time passes." Ian softly spoke, not comprehending the monotony of a thousand-year wait, but he understood the melodrama of the mother-daughter entanglement.
"Are you familiar with my child?" Rowena Ravenclaw neither confirmed nor denied Ian's consolation. She glanced upward at the sky, "If the functioning of Hogwarts hasn't changed, and my observation is correct, you should be a little wizard who has just started at Hogwarts, right?"
Who knew by what means it was possible to observe the present-day time from the Misty Illusion Realm; Ian looked up for a long time but saw nothing unusual in the sky.
Just a sun.
"To be honest, I really love communicating with people. Lady Grey even agreed to help me monitor Peeves' activities yesterday afternoon. I was planning to show her your Crown once I fixed it." Ian spoke honestly.
"The Crown is damaged? After you fix it, were you not thinking of returning it to her?" Rowena Ravenclaw looked at the box Ian had left on the ground — when Ian fell, the Chocolate Frog and the box containing the Crown fell to the ground.