After saying goodbye to Penelope, Ian returned to his dormitory. Ivy was the only one there at the moment—Andre had gone off to have fun again.
Seeing Ian enter, Ivy smirked self-deprecatingly.
"Ran into Penelope? You see how complicated things are for us pure-bloods. Something trivial suddenly turns political. Even Ravenclaw's powerful Headmistress is helpless once pure-bloods get involved."
"It's fine. Against absolute strength, political schemes are just games," Ian said, revealing his true thoughts.
Ivy shrugged, then raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"Oh? I always thought you were just cold and quiet. Never imagined you thought that way. But you're right—strength matters more than power. That's why dragons never concern themselves with packs of Crups."
After a short pause, Ivy continued, still joking, "So, unlike Crups, dragons prefer ravens as friends?"
"Of course," Ian nodded. "After all, they both fly in the sky."
"And what do you think the dragon would need the raven to do for it?"
Ian found it refreshing to talk with someone intelligent. Ivy's jokes weren't just for fun; they were subtle probes—an investment of sorts. Perhaps the weight of a Potions Master was heavier than Ian had imagined.
At that moment, Ian truly understood why the Ministry of Magic was controlled by pure-bloods. It wasn't about hereditary privilege or Galleons—it was education and talent.
Ravenclaw had hundreds of students, but how many like Penelope actually emerged? Even someone as gifted as her had to carefully test the waters, make cautious investments in connections, and hope they paid off in the future.
As for real pure-bloods? Whether it was Ivy, the Slytherin first-year girl who played with Carey as she pleased, or Percy, who had led Ian into Gryffindor's common room earlier—none of them were simple characters.
Even Eisen Shacklebolt, who had kicked Carey out of the dormitory, knew how to play the game. Otherwise, how would that idiot Carey's pure-blood remarks conveniently reach the class leader's ears?
And not just any class leader. The information didn't spread to fifth years, nor to seventh years—only to the sixth-year male and female prefects whose families had suffered under pure-blood politics. Even a fool could see what had happened here.
That meant that, after getting kicked out, Carey didn't dare approach other class leaders to complain. He had no choice but to spend the night alone on the common room sofa.
Back to the main point.
After thinking for a moment, Ian spoke. "Ivy, do you know how to contact a publisher in the wizarding world? I have a novel I'd like to publish and review."
Yes, even after understanding all this, Ian still chose to let Ivy handle it. The Confucian principle of balance was deeply ingrained in him. He had no desire to stand out too much.
And Ivy had never tried to manipulate him. From the beginning, their interactions had been straightforward—mild probing, but nothing underhanded. That sincerity made Ian willing to accept his roommate's goodwill.
That's how the world worked. By owing favors and repaying them, relationships were built.
"Novel? Publisher? I see," Ivy nodded. "Are you in a hurry? If not, I'll get back to you after Christmas. I can ask around during the holidays."
"No rush. Just keep an eye out. Hopefully, I'll have an answer before summer break," Ian replied casually.
After all, he still had nearly 1,000 Galleons. Even with expenses, it would last a while. No need to rush.
He even planned to capitalize on Lockhart's popularity in his novel before the school year ended. More sales, more exposure. After all, no one ever complained about having too many Galleons.
After a brief exchange, they silently agreed to drop the topic. Some things only needed to be said once—there was no point in dragging them out.
At that moment, Ivy switched to roommate mode.
"Got any funny costume ideas for Halloween? To be honest, I find these events boring. Christmas is more my style…"
Ian rolled his eyes. "Christmas, huh? Be honest, Ivy—you just like the holiday break."
"Haha, I won't deny it. But hey, holidays are part of Christmas, aren't they?" Ivy shrugged, unconcerned.
"As for my costume, I'm not changing anything. I'll just pick up a Halloween mask from Hogsmeade," Ian answered truthfully.
Though, deep down, there was something else he didn't dare say:
"Wake up, kid. Ever since the Savior set foot in this school, Halloween has been a disaster. If you're lucky enough to even eat two dishes, consider yourself an expert."
...
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