Chapter 59: Cursed Vault of Ice part 2

As the door fired a Freezing charm, he stepped to the side dodging it just in time. Neal sighed in relief, "thank goodness. If it wasn't for my reflexes which were improved a lot through the Quidditch, I would have been frozen by now".

He stepped a bit back and found the entrance isn't attacking him. Then he thought, "I guess it will attack anyone who went near to it". He pointed his basilisk wand at it, "Expulso", A burst of blue light flashed from the tip of his wand and hit the entrance door intending to blast it apart.

*Thud* a loud sound occurred and a huge force repelled back to him. As he was hit with the repulsive force, he was blasted back and just when he was about to crash on to the wall, he controlled the Flying shoes to land on the floor safely.

He walked towards it again while thinking, "I guess using force can't get it open. Merlin said there were sort of no spells to open it. So, I have to think of a way on my own. Hmm, since it's ice, then how about using fire?".

Neal then once again pointed his wand at the entrance, "Incendio". As he conjured a huge amount of flames, Neal sent it towards the entrance of the door which fired a freezing charm at it in defense but wasn't able to stop it and was destroyed by the fire.

Neal smiled, "well, let's go". Just then, the floor below him started to shake as a Giant Ice Knight stepped out of the destroyed entrance with a Giant Axe in his hand. After defeating him, Neal entered the frozen room and saw a similar-looking vault in the corner just like in the Vault of Fear.

As he opened the vault using his wand, a huge barricade of Ice erupted from it shocking him. Neal quickly tried to fly outside of the room but as he turned around, he saw the entrance was already closed by the Ice.

After sealing the room, as the Ice was slowly filling the room, Neal continuously fired the fire spells, Expulso curse, Deprimo Charm but they were only able to remove a chunk of ice which was again frozen by this infinite Ice.

Neal then panicked for a second, "did I just walk into a death trap? Damn that Merlin. Why didn't he warned me of this danger? No, there must be a way to escape. Should I go and hide inside the suitcase?

No, that isn't the option. If it gets frozen, then, I will be trapped there permanently. Should I ask for help? Who should I call? Isle is useless in this situation, Zora only knows to kill with eyes and Petrify those she can't kill. But it's just Ice. No use. Can Buck swallow whole Ice? I'm not sure about it.

Let's try that thing. See if it works". As Ice started to fill the entire room and reached him to freeze him, Neal concentrated on the place just outside of the entrance and tried to apparate and the next second, he disappeared from that frozen room and standing outside of the entrance.

Neal smiled with excitement, "yes. It worked. My variation of an apparition, Apeariction. Edward told me that it works as long as there's a barrier of any sort blocking me like a door, wall, etc... I can bypass it by using apeariction. Too bad that it only works from this end to that end.

But now that I know I can bypass the magic spell barricade, doesn't that mean I can't be imprisoned? Hah! I'm too genius. I'm getting afraid of my own talent these days".

As he was busy in praising himself, the ice which filled the entire room started to spread out as fill in the empty space. Neal cursed, "damn it. Seemed like it won't stop until it freezes the entire Hogwarts. I should stop it. Should I use the cursed fire? I guess there's no choice".

He waved his wand while looking at the ice which was filling the Icy Corridor and unleashed Fiendfyre curse. Around the corridor was instantly burst with flames and a large Snake formed out of the fire hissed while attacking the Ice. The Basilisk in Neal's wand is shaking as he's losing the control of the spell and the wand. He roared at it in parseltongue, "behave now. I order you to behave".

Slowly as he gained control, more and more beasts being formed from the sea of flames. They completely melted the ice and the beasts made of fire and the flames disappeared after doing their job.

Neal sighed in relief, "that was close". Just then he heard a squeak near his legs. As looked down, his eyes enlarged in surprise and a huge smile appeared on his face. He saw a baby bird with sticky liquid and a part of an eggshell attached to its head. he found that it is looking at the cursed fire curiously.

It turned towards him in sadness as the fire disappeared and squeaked once again. Neal was amazed, "it seems to be attracted to the Fiendfyre so much that it came out of the egg and escaped the suitcase just so it could see it. I guess I did a good thing placing it in muggle worthy suitcase, not in the habitat.

He lifted it with his hands with care and after cleaning it up, he smiled while petting it, "Hey buddy, I'm Neal. hmm, your name would be Blaze. As it chirps with happiness indicating he liked that name, Neal then walked forward cautiously into the frozen room and looked inside the opened vault to see if there's something.

Inside of the vault contained only an old thin book. As he opened it to see the contents which can be counted on one hand, he mumbled, "so, this book contained how to conjure variation of Ice spells. There's an Ice Knight, Ice Troll, wow, an Ice dragon too". at the end of contents, he read, "how to conjure Gubraithian Ice or Everlasting Ice".

Neal looked at the book with an astonishment, "I guess the last one was the Gubraithian Ice?".

Later, after sending baby Blaze to Glenn, the thunderbird, Neal returned to his dormitory while hiding the Vanished stars from the sight again.

As the month of March is going to end, Neal started thinking, "no, aside from depending on the wand or the suitcase, I need something powerful to have as a back up in case I will get into trouble like then. Hmm, I remember Prof. McGonagall taught us just the theory of Animagus when the term started, right?".

Later, he went to Prof. McGonagall and asked her to teach him how to become an Animagus. At first, she hesitated as he was still a 3rd year. Neal then replied, "But Professor, I want to learn from a reputed Animagus like you. I don't want to be a reckless fool later to get the process from the library and try it on my own only to face drastic consequences later".

She replied, "fine but you won't be able to play or practice Quidditch for a whole month. It would have been better if you had asked me during the Christmas holidays but...", Neal interrupter her, "no problem, Professor. Even without me, my team is good, right now".

She nodded, "ok. So, let's start on the full moon". As the full moon of the month came, Prof. McGonagall said, "ok, you know the process. For a whole month, you have to keep the Mandrake leaf in your month. No matter what, for a whole month, it shouldn't leave your mouth. It's better if you become mute for a whole month and don't talk to anyone and keep this as a secret".