In truth, private communication between Ryze and Hermione was not particularly frequent.
After all, both of them were occupied with their studies. Their interactions in class were strictly academic, and when they occasionally crossed paths in the library, they would simply nod in greeting or, at most, exchange a few brief words about their progress.
Even when Hermione encountered difficulties in her studies, she rarely took the initiative to seek out Ryze. Unless she happened to run into him by chance, she would typically rely on books or consult a professor directly. Asking Ryze for help was never her first choice.
The same applied even more strongly to Ryze. With his Keystone Mage talent and a remarkable 53 points of Ability Haste, his academic progress was steady and efficient, almost as if everything came naturally to him. He had little need to rely on others.
Because of this mutual independence—Hermione not asking and Ryze keeping a low profile—it was only today that Ryze finally activated the passive effect of "Illuminate Them" for the first time. It was also at that moment that he realized he had never properly thanked Hermione for her earlier reminder about the Hyper-Sensation Spell.
Now, he could take this opportunity not only to express his gratitude but also to introduce the "Illuminate Them" rune, disguising it as a form of Ancient Magic.
Although Professor Bathsheda Babbling had bluntly remarked that the raven statue resembled a puzzle that Ravenclaw had custom-made specifically for someone like Ryze—and that it was unlikely another such individual would appear for another thousand years—it remained a puzzle that had gone unsolved for a millennium.
Given that, it was only reasonable that someone who had managed to unravel it might awaken new traces of Ancient Magic in the process.
However, the moment Ryze spoke those words, Hermione froze in place.
Harry and Ron, who were standing nearby, looked equally confused, unable to follow the conversation at all.
"You actually solved the secret of that raven statue?" Hermione asked quickly, her tone sharp with disbelief. "Was it really a puzzle left behind by Ravenclaw herself?"
Ryze nodded calmly. "Yes. After your reminder, I sought assistance from Professor Bathsheda Babbling. With the help of the Hyper-Sensation Spell, I was able to perform a form of divination and determine where the statue was originally placed."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"After that, I found traces of Ancient Magic left by Ravenclaw, along with several textbooks dating back to the school's founding era… Ah, we've arrived at Ravenclaw Tower. I'll head back now. I can tell you more another time."
The house-elf had already led them to the entrance of Ravenclaw Tower. Ryze gave Hermione a small wave and turned, preparing to return to the common room.
But just as he did, Hermione did something highly unusual.
She reached out and grabbed him.
Locking eyes with him, she demanded in an intense voice, "What about those textbooks? Forget the Ancient Magic for now—are you telling me you've been secretly studying textbooks personally compiled by the Four Founders all this time?"
The aura she projected in that moment was surprisingly imposing, causing Harry and Ron behind her to instinctively straighten up.
Of course, it had no effect on Ryze.
"The textbooks are currently with Professor Bathsheda Babbling," he replied evenly. "I've only skimmed through a small portion of the first section. They don't actually contain especially advanced theories. However, the attitude toward the Dark Arts was very different back then."
He spoke in a measured tone, as if explaining something obvious.
"In the Middle Ages, the distinction between Dark Arts and what we now call White Magic hadn't fully developed. As a result, much of the material isn't appropriate for young wizards to study at this stage. At the very least, it would be better to wait until after the third year."
Hearing this, Hermione slowly released her grip, though her expression remained skeptical.
"Really?"
"You can verify it with Professor Bathsheda Babbling if you like," Ryze replied without hesitation. "I'm not concerned about you surpassing me. There's no reason for me to hide something like this."
Only then did Hermione's expression soften slightly.
While she acknowledged the existence of innate talent, she had no intention of falling too far behind in areas that could be mastered through effort. That was a matter of principle for her.
After Ryze disappeared into Ravenclaw Tower, Harry and Ron immediately turned to Hermione, bombarding her with questions about the raven statue.
It seemed that Ryze had been quietly accomplishing a great deal without their knowledge.
In response, Hermione let out a faint sigh.
"I wish I knew," she admitted. "That guy has far too many secrets. Honestly, I wouldn't even be surprised if one day he suddenly turned up Ravenclaw's lost diadem from a thousand years ago."
She shook her head slightly before continuing.
"Come on, let's go. I'm heading back to the common room to read. I think I finally understand why none of Ryze's roommates bothered to look for him earlier."
"Huh?" Ron blinked, only now realizing something. "Oh, right—why didn't they? As his roommates, they should have noticed much earlier that he didn't show up in the Great Hall."
Hermione rolled her eyes at the two of them.
"Ryze has an extremely rare talent for divination," she said. "He can perceive events from a thousand years ago and trace remnants of Ancient Magic left behind by Ravenclaw. Do you really think he couldn't anticipate what was going to happen tonight?"
She didn't wait for them to respond.
"At the very least, he must have sensed that something dangerous was coming."
"When Professor Quirrell burst into the Great Hall and announced the troll invasion, I noticed something strange," she continued thoughtfully. "Anthony and the others looked especially shocked. At the time, I assumed they were just startled by the troll itself. But thinking about it now…"
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"It's far more likely that Ryze had already warned them in advance. That would explain why they reacted that way when it actually happened."
Ron immediately clapped his hands, as if everything had suddenly clicked into place.
"So you're saying Ryze knew there would be a troll attack tonight, and that's why he went to the dungeons on purpose?"
As a pure-blood wizard, Ron had grown up hearing stories about Seers, so the idea made perfect sense to him.
"Exactly!" he continued excitedly. "That explains everything! Ryze doesn't even like Snape and hardly ever goes to the dungeons outside of class. If he suddenly went there today, it must have been because he foresaw something happening and wanted to confirm it!"
"The whole Potions Tournament thing was probably just an excuse to trick Snape," Ron added confidently. "I mean, we're only in our first year. How could we possibly compete with seventh-year students in potions?"
Hearing Ron's explanation, Harry found himself nodding along. It did seem to fit.
Hermione also felt that Ron's reasoning was largely correct. However, when it came to the Potions Tournament, she wasn't convinced that Ryze had been bluffing.
Ryze had already successfully brewed a third-year shrinking potion. Given his confidence, it was highly likely that he could pass Snape's test the following day and secure eligibility to participate.
And besides—who said a third-year student couldn't compete with a seventh-year?
Originally, Hermione had intended to moderate her pace of study. But now, inspired by Ryze, her mindset had shifted. While she no longer aimed to self-study the entire curriculum by her third year, she was determined to at least reach the level of seventh-year Arithmancy.
However, as she listened to Harry and Ron grow increasingly excited about their theories regarding Ryze's supposed prophetic abilities, Hermione chose not to argue.
Instead, she simply reminded Ron to keep his voice down and not reveal Ryze's secrets once they returned to the Gryffindor common room.
Both Ron and Harry immediately agreed.
After all, by the next day, news of Ryze defeating the troll would likely spread throughout the school. There would be no shortage of topics to discuss when they got back.
And for once, perhaps, they would be talking about something other than speculation.
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