"Sir Harls, Headmaster Dumbledore has also left you a gift." Dawlish handed the letter to Ron, then turned and retrieved an object wrapped in a long cloth from an Auror.
Yvonne reached out and took the object from him. After untying the cloth, an ornate sword was revealed.
The ruby set into the hilt of the sword shone brightly in the light of the fire, and the name Godric Gryffindor could be seen inscribed on the blade in ancient magical script.
"It's…the Sword of Gryffindor?!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Yes, Headmaster Dumbledore gave it to His Grace in his will…" Dawlish explained.
In fact, according to regulations, Dumbledore did not have the right to give Gryffindor away; after all, it was an asset of Hogwarts, not his.
However, it was Minister Pierce's special permission, so no one would be stupid enough to say that it was against the rules…
Ivan seemed calm in contrast to Hermione and the others, as he had read the will and knew that Dumbledore would keep the Sword of Gryffindor for himself.
Of course, this was the first time he had actually obtained it.
Ivan was equally curious about this prestigious sword. He took hold of the hilt and tried to brandish it. The sharp blade cut through the air with a sharp clang, easily slicing the candlestick on the table in half.
Even after more than a thousand years, the sword was still as sharp as ever, and the goblin's skill was well deserved.
Yvonne ran her fingers along the smooth blade, then opened the system column to check.
[Magical Item: Sword of Gryffindor
Magic: Extreme
Description: This is a magical sword crafted by a master goblin craftsman over a thousand years ago, capable of absorbing all beneficial elements to strengthen itself.
Note 1: Throw away your wand. This is the weapon a wizard should use in a duel!
Note 2: It can only be summoned by the real Gryffindor!"
Ivan was slightly surprised when he saw the description in his inventory. The Sword of Gryffindor was rated as a powerful magical item by the system. To date, he had only seen three items with similar ratings: the Elder Wand, the Invisibility Cloak, and the Philosopher's Stone!
However, when he thought about it, it made sense. A sword that could be infinitely strengthened could not be overestimated…
"I can't believe Professor Dumbledore gave it to you. I've heard that only the real Gryffindor is entitled to it…" Ron looked at the Sword of Gryffindor in Ivan's hand with envy.
The Headmaster had also left something for him and Hermione, but it was nothing of value, and he was afraid that the sword was the real relic.
Hermione tried to correct Ron. "Perhaps Professor Dumbledore gave Ivan the Sword because he believed him to be the real Gryffindor!"
"I didn't say it wasn't—" Ron protested.
"I've given you everything you need, so if you have no further questions, I'll be taking my leave. There are many things for the Ministry of Magic to attend to," Dawlish said politely. Before he left, he glanced at Ivan to make sure he had no special instructions before leading the Aurors out of the foyer.
"Why does that Auror seem to respect you?" Hermione asked Ivan suspiciously as she watched Dawlish leave.
"Probably because I'm famous," Ivan explained with a shrug.
Hermione was dubious, but did not pursue the matter, and instead studied the Deluminator that Dumbledore had given her, thinking that there must be more to it than meets the eye.
"Professor Dumbledore wouldn't leave us something like that for no reason. There might be a way to defeat You-Know-Who!" Hermione exclaimed.
Ron was also motivated to re-open the letter and read it word for word, as if he were trying to find a password or code hidden inside.
Ivan shook his head, thinking that Dumbledore would not place his hopes of destroying You-Know-Who on Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, as he did in the original timeline.
It is only the thought of the missing Elder Wand and the spell Dumbledore placed on the Deluminator that makes Ivan uncertain.
Ivan then turned his attention to the Sword of Gryffindor in his hand, wondering why he had been given it.
Did she expect him to be a Gryffindor with all the good qualities?
He was not going to fight Voldemort with this sword, was he?
He was a wizard, not a berserker!
The Sword of Gryffindor did not cut through the Basilisk as it did in the original dimension, so it was ineffective against Horcruxes.
Not to mention, this sword was much more convenient to use.
Various thoughts flashed through Ivan's mind, but since he couldn't figure them out, he put them aside for the moment and turned to Harry, who was still in low spirits.
"Harry, Professor Dumbledore is very concerned about you. The last time we met, he spoke to me alone about you."
"What did the professor tell you?" Harry asked quickly.
"He's teaching Occlumency to you and Snape this term…" Ivan explained.
"What… Snape?!" Harry jumped out of his seat, his eyes round with disbelief and his hope. "You've got to be kidding me, right, Ivan?"
"Of course not!" Ivan went on to explain, looking at Harry, who was visibly shocked. "Professor Snape is the finest Occlumency Master in Britain, even I am no match for him, and if you really want to get rid of Lord Voldemort, learning from him is the fastest way."
"I can learn it myself! I've read the notes you gave me last time. Otherwise, I'd be able to master the spell myself…" Harry cut Ivan off awkwardly. "And Snape wouldn't want to teach me. He hates me so much, he'd give me to Voldemort if he had the chance!"
But Snape had agreed… Ivan opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it, understanding that Harry's misunderstanding of Snape was too deep for him to dispel.
After venting his frustration, Harry could not stand the heavy atmosphere in the Great Hall any longer. He told Ivan and the others that he would go back to his room first, then left the hall without looking back…