Ian stared at the young man's somewhat tousled red hair. The portraits hanging in this classroom were all of Hogwarts' outstanding graduates, nearly all masters in the fields of potions and alchemy.
"I have no descendants; descendants only influence my sword-drawing speed. Can the Weasley family boast someone as handsome as me?" The portrait of the red-haired young man immediately countered.
"Oh, you are a Gryffindor." Ian glanced at the portrait of what should have been a picnic witch, with a backdrop of mountains and flowing water, wondering where the picnic witch had been sent off to.
"Quick on the uptake, you cheeky little Ravenclaw." The portrait of the red-haired young man chuckled, not denying it, as he plucked an apple from a nearby fruit tree.
"You should address me with respect."
The Gryffindor portrait found that he couldn't bite into the apple.
"You clearly look only a few years older than me; you haven't even become a founder yet. The portrait of Gryffindor hanging by the stairs is the ancestor of the founder." Ian felt a bit indignant at being called a cheeky little brat and blinked earnestly, saying something that left the Gryffindor portrait somewhat speechless.
However.
The Gryffindor portrait did not seem angry.
"I certainly won't deny that, but I am the only portrait that embodies the essence of the original. Regardless of when the portrait that records me was created, as long as I appear, I can earn you the recognition of the young witches and wizards of Gryffindor House." The smiling red-haired young man clearly had a good grasp of Ian's personality.
"Respect to you, great ancestor of the founders." Ian, seemingly well-versed in the art of flattery, bowed humbly to the portrait above.
The spirit of craftsmanship was revived!
"What a snobbish little brat, just like Salazar. It's a pity that if you hadn't pilfered the bones of his descendants, you might have gained his recognition."
The Gryffindor's words sparked a light in Ian's mind.
"Are there portraits of Slytherin in the school? If I gather the recognition of the four founders' portraits, will I gain some benefits?" Ian's thoughts raced quickly in this direction.
"There should be a portrait of him in his Chamber; he left behind a hidden laboratory." The Gryffindor portrait hung the apple back on the fruit tree. "You might also gain some benefits from Ravenclaw's portrait; she left a secret treasure for her unfulfilled apprentice."
This statement carried a double meaning.
Ravenclaw had indeed left some things for future generations, but the other founders had not considered such matters. After hanging the apple, the Gryffindor portrait continued,
"Of course, Salazar's recognition might help you find that deed you desire... if you hadn't dug up the bones of his descendants to make those books."
He even knew that Ian was eyeing Hogwarts' deed.
"Do you often spy on the young witches and wizards?" Ian had never seen the Gryffindor portrait before, yet it seemed to have a thorough understanding of him.
"The portraits are part of Hogwarts; most things witnessed by the castle are known to the portraits." The Gryffindor portrait brushed off some leaves from his attire.
"Of course, as portraits of the founders, we are certainly more special than others. Each of us has our own secret little room within Hogwarts. Except for Helga's room, which is not specifically concealed, the other founders' secret rooms are hidden in places where others cannot find them." The Gryffindor's explanation likely clarified why Ian's Marauder's Map could only locate the Room of Requirement.
Because this room had not hidden its existence within Hogwarts' "system."
"So you also have a secret little room."
Ian felt a stir in his heart.
He knew the entrance to Slytherin's Chamber; perhaps after mastering Parseltongue, he could explore it. The secret rooms of the other two founders also piqued his curiosity.
"You can't see me in the portraits around the castle because I've been in my little room. In fact, if I hadn't discovered your actions were truly outrageous, I wouldn't have chosen to come out and communicate with you." The Gryffindor portrait raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying a hint of warning.
"Salazar is a very vengeful person; his portrait is certainly the same. If you suddenly find his Chamber, be careful; it might be his portrait that intentionally led you there."
The Gryffindor's words made Ian frown slightly.
"I will be careful."
Ian sighed helplessly. If it weren't for last night's indulgence, he would have wanted to create a talking skeleton, which might have been more respectful than turning the Gaunthouses into books.
"Have you never encountered the portrait of Slytherin's ancestor in the school?"
He had never seen a portrait in the Chamber, but it was hard to say; Hogwarts indeed had many secrets he had not learned about in the original text.
"Yes, but I suspect he must have created and left behind his own portrait." The Gryffindor portrait replied with certainty, then after a moment of contemplation, he continued, "Although we had some disagreements back in the day, this school is ultimately the fruit of our collective efforts."
"He merely left; it doesn't mean he doesn't care about this place." This viewpoint was also one Ian agreed with. The four founders undoubtedly had a special bond and affection for Hogwarts.
After nodding thoughtfully, Ian suddenly asked curiously, "Why haven't I seen Lady Helga?"
In response to this question, the Gryffindor portrait merely sighed.
"There is a portrait of her in Hufflepuff's common room, but it doesn't carry much of her essence. Perhaps this is due to her sudden passing."
The expression of the Gryffindor portrait was somewhat melancholic. Although he was merely a character in a painting, his feelings for the other founders were clearly no different from those of Gryffindor himself.
"Mm?"
Ian was somewhat familiar with the concept of a portrait's essence.
He had indeed studied the nature of portraits; a portrait with "intelligence" does not necessarily require the subject's death. The ability of these portraits to move and think does not depend on the artist. Yes, the level of intelligence in portraits is entirely determined by the "spiritual essence" left behind by the wizard.
Wizards leave their "spiritual essence" in places they frequent during their lifetime; the more powerful the wizard, the stronger their "spiritual essence." The artist's talent influences the level of utilization of this "spiritual essence." A skilled artist might even imbue some of their own characteristics into the portrait.
This sometimes results in a powerful and intelligent wizard having a more capable portrait. Of course, this situation also influences how accurately the portrait represents the original wizard. From this perspective, it wouldn't be wrong to say that this young Gryffindor portrait resembles the original more closely.
"Did the Hufflepuff founder die suddenly?"
Ian had heard this claim more than once. Dumbledore had mentioned the three founders' transactions and noted that Hufflepuff's ending was not a happy one when he spoke of the founder.
"This kind of tragedy is not something for young witches and wizards to gossip about." The Gryffindor portrait did not answer Ian's question; he merely sighed heavily, his tone filled with sadness.
"Can you tell me about the transaction witnessed by Hufflepuff?" Ian chose to take a step back, feeling that he had stumbled upon a significant secret from ancient times.
"I know that the transaction you mentioned exists, but I do not know the actual content of the item. After all, I am just a portrait, and the original Gryffindor did not impart this memory to me." The Gryffindor portrait shrugged, hesitating for a moment before adding,
"He must have valued that matter greatly, not wanting anyone to learn about it from me. Portraits find it difficult to keep secrets, but he even entrusted me with memories of who he saw bathing."
The Gryffindor portrait lowered his voice, speaking with a hint of pride.
Ian's eyes widened.
"Alright, alright! If you don't go to Gryffindor House and announce that I am your recognized heir, I will immediately tell everyone that you spied on Ravenclaw bathing!"
He felt he had caught the Gryffindor portrait off guard.
"??????"
The young Gryffindor portrait looked bewildered. "Who told you I would spy on Ravenclaw bathing? She is a married woman! And that was something I did when I was very young."
The young Gryffindor in the portrait clearly had no idea how mischievous little wizards could be.
(To Be Continued…)
You can read ahead up to 110 chapters on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395