章 265: 0264 End & Follow-up
They saw the black tide of Inferi, which had already covered the sky, surrounding the small island. In the next second, the heavy waves would crash down, and at that time, there would be no way out for the people on the island.
In the moment of life and death, Bryan, with his gray hair dancing in the strong wind, finally moved again.
Suddenly, his eyes widened, his gaze fierce, and he took a deep breath, then–
Roar! A thunderous roar erupted, like the roar of an angry dragon. It was the sound of Bryan's magic, unleashed with full force.
The pale gray spherical barrier suddenly expanded, facing the dark magical waves containing astonishing power.
Crack!
The two powerful forces clashed, and in the void, the black magic left by Voldemort transformed into countless dark lightning bolts, striking the barrier formed by Bryan's burst of magic.
In an instant, the world was silent, and the dazzling light enveloped the world.
This moment felt so long, as if it had lasted for eternity.
The confrontation did not determine a clear winner in the first wave of clashes.
Countless black lightning bolts continued to strike the barrier, while the lake water eroded part of the power of the barrier. At this moment, Bryan raised his wand high, and a continuous stream of hurricanes surged from in front of him, merging into the new power of the gray barrier. The barrier suddenly ignited a golden flame that spread across the sky.
This was a fierce and intense confrontation.
Neither side had an absolute advantage.
At times, Voldemort's curse compressed the flame-encased spherical barrier, and at other times, the barrier, fueled by Bryan's magic, pushed back.
The two formidable forces clashed like grinding stones, and the lake water and Inferi were quickly evaporated in the confrontation. The smell of burnt flesh and metal filled their nostrils, making them nauseous.
"The cave is about to collapse, Bryan!"
While the breathtaking battle captivated the onlookers, Remus, who was still concerned about the consequences of the mountain collapsing, noticed an unusual movement. Amidst the rumbling sound, he faintly heard the sound of rocks cracking.
The stone basin beside Bryan, where a cluster of golden fire was suppressing the curse that protected the stone basin, because most of the magic in the cave space was consumed in the confrontation, the fire had begun to ignite the potion. The potion bubbled and boiled, releasing a foul odor and a green smoke.
Whoosh! After being reminded by Remus, Bryan still raised his wand high, but he glanced at the stone basin.
The golden flame on the stone basin suddenly floated up and, in the blink of an eye, transformed into a golden dagger. It heavily struck the edge of the basin, causing it to shatter. The potion splattered, and a locket, identical to the one before, floated up and landed in Sirius's hand under Bryan's position.
"Get ready, we're leaving–"
After dropping this sentence, Bryan looked at the lightning that had a tendency to collapse, and his purple eyes suddenly brightened. He felt a surge of power, as he gathered all his remaining magic. He roared again with a thunderous force, a force that shook the earth and the sky.
Crack-- In the void, there was a crisp sound like shattering glass. The gray spherical barrier expanded uncontrollably, sweeping away everything in its path, including the lightning, the lake water, and the muddy lake bottom.
"Let's go!"
After a shout, the group left the cave one after another, leaving behind a dramatically empty spherical space on the ground.
*******************Scene-Break*******************
In the early morning, the golden sunlight strolled leisurely from the other side of the city to Grimmauld Square in the west of London, casting a warm glow on the old and elegant buildings. The wild grass on the roadside trembled as it welcomed the rising sun, releasing a fresh and earthy scent. On the electric poles, a few birds combed their feathers with their beaks while chirping melodiously, filling the air with their cheerful songs.
Residents living nearby gradually walked out of their homes, either on foot or riding bicycles, slowly making their way to the nearby subway station. They wore coats and scarves to ward off the chill of the early spring. When they met acquaintances on the way, they would exchange friendly greetings and discuss the weather and the newly renovated roads that had been repaired after a disaster that had struck the area a few months ago.
In the Black family's old Manor, Sirius, with a tired face from not sleeping all night, stumbled down to the kitchen on the ground floor. His hair was messy and his eyes were bloodshot. He felt a pang of hunger in his stomach, but also a heaviness in his heart. When he saw Remus dining alone in the small dining room, he showed a slightly surprised expression. He had expected to see Bryan there as well.
"Come over, Sirius," Remus smiled and said to Sirius on the stairs, "Come and taste today's breakfast. It's completely different from before. Honestly, I used to think that Kreacher wasn't very good at cooking, but now I realize I underestimated him. He has prepared a feast for us."
Sirius muttered something, rubbed his swollen and red eyes, and slowly walked to the dining table. He saw a variety of dishes on the table, such as bacon, eggs, toast, jam, butter, cheese, sausages, pancakes, and fruit. The aroma of the food made his mouth water, but he also felt a twinge of guilt.
"Where's Bryan?" Sirius picked up a fried egg with a silver fork and put it directly into his mouth, and said while chewing, "I thought he had already come down? He must be starving after last night."
"I think he's still in his room," Remus rubbed his forehead with his palm, his expression complicated. "I told Kreacher not to disturb him. You know, he's probably exhausted. He used up a lot of his magic and energy."
The dining room fell silent, and the two people at the table looked at each other without speaking, both guessing what the other was thinking.
"Have you ever seen someone like him, Remus?" Sirius asked after a long time, his voice was heavy. He put down his fork and looked at Remus with a serious expression.
"I'm not more knowledgeable than you, Sirius," Remus smiled bitterly and shook his head. He took a sip of his tea and sighed. "I've seen many things in my life, but nothing like him. Nothing like what he did last night."
After discussing how to arrange Regulus's body, Sirius stayed up all night, staying by his brother's side, while Remus and Bryan went back to their guest rooms to rest. Remus didn't know if Bryan was able to sleep, but he himself was exhausted, yet unable to fall asleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the scene of Bryan destroying the cave. He saw the rocks shattering, the water boiling, the fire blazing, and the dark magic dissipating. He saw Bryan's eyes glowing with a strange light, and his hands unleashing waves of power.
"Before this, I never imagined that a wizard could have such power, nor could I imagine that a wizard could cause such destruction," Remus said, his voice low. He looked at his hands, which were still trembling slightly. "It was like watching a natural disaster. A force of nature that we can't control or understand."
Remus sighed and said, "It seems that we have been fighting Voldemort for so many years, and we thought we knew how terrible he was, but the truth is, Voldemort probably never showed us his full power. Because he didn't need to. He was already powerful enough to terrorize the whole wizarding world."
"It's certain that Dumbledore knew," Sirius's voice remained heavy. "It's well known that Voldemort feared Dumbledore. During those years, Voldemort did everything he could to avoid confronting Dumbledore."
"Yes, there's no doubt about that," Remus had confidence in the old man with wisdom far beyond ordinary wizards.
The two people at the dining table continued their conversation, their expressions not particularly pleasant. They had mixed feelings about Bryan.
On one hand, although they had retrieved Regulus's body, the truth of his death still cast a shadow over them, and they were still immersed in deep sorrow.
On the other hand, the apocalyptic scene of Bryan destroying the cave last night had given them an indescribable shock and also made them feel a bit of fear.
As the magical world developed in modern times, magic became more closely integrated into the daily lives of wizards. Casting spells became simple and fast. Now, wizards could not imagine how grand and awe-inspiring battle scenes that could change the terrain were.
As they had just said, Voldemort had always avoided confronting Dumbledore head-on in those years of rampage. He had never unleashed his full fury and might.
The last time people in the wizarding world saw such a scene of magic destroying the world was half a century ago—regarded as the battle of the century between the greatest wizard of that era, Albus Dumbledore, and the first Dark Lord, Gellert Grindelwald.
The two former friends turned enemies clashed in a legendary duel that lasted for hours and spanned across several countries. The power they unleashed was so immense that it caused earthquakes, storms, and fires, and left behind scars on the land that could still be seen today. The outcome of that battle was decisive for the fate of the wizarding world, as Dumbledore emerged victorious and Grindelwald was imprisoned in his own fortress of Nurmengard.
"Have you made a decision about Regulus?" The topic circled back to Regulus, and Remus rubbed his sore eyebrows, thinking that he should go back to his room and try to sleep again later. He had barely slept a wink last night, haunted by the memories of what they had witnessed in the cave. He felt a surge of grief and guilt for the young man who had died so bravely and tragically.
"I know, Remus," Sirius became irritated at the thought of it. He clenched his fists and glared at the table. "I didn't say we should hold the funeral immediately. Of course, we have to wait until we've taken care of that despicable traitor and cleared our names. I will invite some people, but not the Black family relatives. They don't deserve it. I want those wizards from the original Order of the Phoenix who always stood on the front line against Voldemort to know that Regulus was not a Death Eater, he was a true hero. He did more than any of us to stop Voldemort."
Regulus didn't receive recognition in life, but after his death, Sirius hoped that Regulus would be acknowledged by those like-minded wizards. He hoped that they would honor his memory and his courage.
"There's one more thing," Remus didn't criticize Sirius's thoughts, but spoke with a serious tone. He looked at Sirius with a solemn expression. "Before Albus left, he told me that he was going to investigate some important matters. To prevent you from trying to harm Harry again, he gave me a way to urgently contact him. I don't want to disturb Albus's important work, but when he returns to school, including Peter and what happened last night, I must report to Albus. He has the right to know everything."
Sirius fell silent for a moment and finally nodded. He knew that Remus was right.
On the third floor of the Black Manor, in a guest room.
Contrary to Remus's expectations, Bryan was not sound asleep but had already woken up when the morning sunlight, tinged with golden dust, streamed through the carved glass windows. Dressed in a robe, Bryan sat at the desk by the window, lazily leaning back on the high-backed armchair. His left hand rested on the armrest, while his right hand dragged the real Horcrux that Kreacher had brought back more than a decade ago. Bathed in the gentle morning sunlight, he quietly observed the surface of the Locket, with its ancient and incomprehensible symbols of ancient runes hieroglyphs.
A large pile of books was spread out on the desk, including textbooks for NEWT-level courses published by the Ministry of Magic, as well as some ancient-looking magic books with faded covers and pages filled with worm-eaten marks.
In order to understand the meaning of the symbols on the locket, Bryan had taken out all these books from his bag, but even after going through all the information, he still couldn't figure it out. He had tried to decipher the symbols using different methods and techniques, but none of them worked.
"I'll ask Professor Babbling later. She's an expert in this field," Bryan sighed and temporarily put the matter aside.
Since obtaining the Locket last night, Bryan had also tried to open it. He used some less aggressive methods, such as alohomora, bombarda, and reducto, but they were all blocked by the powerful defensive dark magic of the Horcrux itself. The Locket remained intact and unscathed, as if mocking his efforts.
If he wanted to destroy the soul inside the box, he would have to destroy the Locket itself.
Similarly, Bryan was not willing to do so at the moment because he planned to use this as leverage against Dumbledore again.
"How should I set the price this time?" Bryan bit his lip, feeling conflicted. He certainly didn't want to be taken advantage of, but Dumbledore had already been emptied of his 'retirement' funds to pay for the previous commission to capture the Basilisk. So, setting the price too high didn't seem appropriate.
Bang, bang, bang!
Just as Bryan was thinking about whether to introduce Dumbledore to the concepts of "installment payments" and "loan business," the door to the guest room was suddenly knocked.
*******************************
For More Chapters; patreon.com/FicFrenzy
章 266: 0265 Clues
"Please come in–"
Bryan spoke softly as he glanced at the door and stood up, walking to the wardrobe. He felt the cold metal of the pendant in his hand and quickly slipped it into his pocket, hiding it from view.
With a sharp creaking sound from the rusty door hinge, the door opened and Sirius walked in slowly. His black hair was messy and his eyes were bloodshot. When he saw Bryan, who was already awake and dressed, his scruffy face showed a hint of surprise.
"Oh, you're already up? I thought-, I was here to call you for breakfast." He said, rubbing his eyes.
"I'm more energetic than you imagine," Bryan smiled slightly, his brown eyes sparkling.
"And crazier than I imagined." Sirius also smiled, a flash of admiration in his voice. He was referring to Bryan's actions last night when he destroyed the cave and freed the Muggle bodies that were bound by dark magic.
"I can't quite figure you out–" Sirius closed the door, turned and walked to the desk, his curious gaze wandering over the books scattered on the desk. He picked up one of them and flipped through the pages, as he casually said,
"Sometimes… well, some of the traits you have, undoubtedly belong to Slytherin, which, to be honest, isn't very likable. But sometimes…" He paused halfway through his words, tilting his head and furrowing his eyebrows, seemingly contemplating how to describe it. After a moment, he slowly said,
"How should I put it, Well, it's quite interesting. I mean, you're not like Snivellus, that snot-nosed guy."
Glancing at Bryan, who was calmly smiling, Sirius pursed his lips and casually looked at the covers of some other books, speaking in a nonchalant tone,
"Before you left, Remus talked to me about you. He said you're actually a very kind wizard, but you like to hide your kindness inside and don't like to show it. At that time, I didn't quite agree.
But last night… I have to admit, without you, it would have been impossible for me, Remus, and Kreacher to find Regulus. We would have likely died there, and you also went through so much trouble to help those Muggle souls to be freed. Anyway, I have to thank you." He said sincerely, his voice softening.
"Heh, I'm not like you guys–" Bryan chuckled and walked to the table, tidying up the books one by one. He stacked them neatly and put them into his leather bag, along with some unidentified wizard's research manuscripts.
"I'm not as pure as you."
"Remus said you're a bit like Dumbledore, having great power is just one aspect, and you always keep people guessing–"
Bryan's hand froze in mid-air for a moment, then returned to normal.
"Is that a compliment or an insult?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
The golden dust floating in the sunlight was disturbed by Sirius's hearty laughter, causing a panic. The dust settled on the furniture and the floor, adding to the layer of dust that had accumulated over the years.
Sirius explained his plan for how to arrange Regulus, his younger brother who had died trying to destroy one of the Dark Lord's Horcruxes. He invited Bryan to attend Regulus's funeral, which would be held later. After all, without him, Regulus would have remained in that dark cave for who knows how many years.
"Although you're not a member of the Order of The Phoenix, Bryan," Sirius said sincerely, "you are more qualified than anyone else to be present at Regulus's funeral."
Bryan had no reason to refuse and readily agreed.
Bryan put the magic books and some unidentified wizard's research manuscripts back into his bag, restoring the neatness of the desk. Only a non-magical picture album lay on the table. Bryan stared at the bound album, slightly silent, but in the end, he didn't pick it up. Instead, he threw it into the wastebasket next to the armchair, waiting for Kreacher to clean the room, who would naturally take care of it.
This picture album was a Muggle tourist souvenir album. During the summer vacation, he and Cliodna, that woman, had gone to the entrance of Avalon Island, located on the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. When visiting the Stonehenge site, in order to understand some of the historical background of Stonehenge, Bryan had spent seven pounds to buy it.
While searching for research materials earlier, Bryan had found this discarded album in his bag. But now, the album was useless, and Bryan didn't intend to keep it.
He picked up the album and threw it into the wastebasket next to the armchair, where it landed with a thud.
This action naturally caught Sirius's attention. He squatted down, picked up the album from the wastebasket, and looked at the pattern on the cover with a puzzled expression. It was a picture of a circle of large stones, standing in the middle of a grassy field. He opened the album and saw more pictures of the same place, taken from different angles and distances.
"Hmm, is this the style of Muggle photographs? The pattern on the album cover looks familiar?"
Bryan was stunned for a few seconds, then followed Sirius's gaze and realized what he was talking about. However, he wasn't surprised by it.
"A Famous Muggle tourist attraction, the ancient Stonehenge with a long history. Maybe you've been there before."
Bryan said, turning to the wardrobe and putting the storage bag into the hidden pocket of his robe.
"Sorry, Sirius, I'm going to change clothes. Can I trouble you… hmm?"
Bryan's explanation didn't ease Sirius's mind. He crouched down and picked up the album from the wastebasket, his puzzled gaze narrowing as he looked at the simple yet ancient-looking stone pillars on the cover. They were arranged in a circle, with some of them forming arches.
And this scene made Bryan's heart skip a beat. He suddenly remembered Cliodna's words: this Stonehenge is broken, and the missing pillars are the key to opening the ruins. After a long time, we found one pillar, but we still couldn't complete it.
'Could it be?'
Bryan walked quietly to Sirius's side, maintaining his calm and restraint.
"I've seen this pillar."
After a long wait, Sirius, who didn't look too good, finally gave his answer.
"Oh, really?"
Bryan had been puzzled and worried by the trip to Avalon Island. He had always hoped to find Cliodna to confirm some of his speculations and answer the unanswered questions. For this, he even paid a high price to commission Kakus, to find traces of Cliodna or the Druids. But so far, Kakus hadn't provided any information.
And unexpectedly, today, he received some clues from Sirius.
Bryan's eyelids twitched fiercely, and he maintained a calm expression as he asked softly,
"Where is it?"
"At Azkaban."
Sirius's tone was filled with gloom as he spoke plainly.
This answer was both surprising and seemed to make sense.
Sirius had spent twelve years in Azkaban, and before that, he couldn't have had much impression of an ordinary-looking stone pillar.
Without waiting for Bryan to ask, Sirius explained himself,
"I think you've heard of it. Azkaban is a lonely island in the sea. You won't find anywhere more desolate than that island, except for the prisoners and the Dementors guarding the prison, there is nothing alive on the island."
Sirius's tone was filled with disgust. He shuddered as he recalled the horrors of Azkaban, the place that had almost broken him.
"In the center of the island is a spiral tower that goes deep underground. The rooms in the tower are the prison cells for the prisoners. Because of those ghosts, the island has never had a sunny day. The only way we can see the outside world is through a palm-sized hole in the wall."
He gestured with his hand, showing the size of the hole.
"Most of the wizards imprisoned there have had their minds broken by Dementors. I'm one of the few who occasionally remain conscious. But you know, Bryan, there are no books, newspapers, wizard chess, or any other activities to pass the time. So, being conscious is actually a greater torment for the prisoners there."
Bryan imagined the environment there for a moment and couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for Sirius.
"Where is this pillar you're talking about?"
"It's at the edge of the island, where it meets the sea."
Sirius said gloomily.
"There used to be other buildings at the edge of the island, but they were probably washed away by the waves, leaving only a large area of ruins. That area is submerged in seawater all year round, but every once in a while, it is exposed to the air. At that time, you can see a pillar in the ruins that looks similar to the one in this album. Of course, that pillar was probably just used to support the original building, but it was fixed so securely that it wasn't washed away by the sea–"
The stone pillar and ruins. Bryan squinted his eyes, his gaze becoming deep and penetrating.
This was a truly fascinating discovery.
In the heart of Avalon Island, that Greek-style, ancient and magnificent temple, with its majestic columns and intricate carvings, stood out like a sore thumb among the natural scenery. When Bryan saw it, he quickly judged that it was not the original building on the island, but was likely moved by Merlin from somewhere else.
'But why would Merlin do such a thing?'
Bryan lowered his gaze, his focused eyes falling on the cover of the picture book. Based on the information he now had, it was highly likely related to the Twin Serpent Staff.
According to the past events depicted in nine murals inside the temple, Morgan Le Fay and the dark shadow within her had intended to throw the Twin Serpent Staff in an unknown direction when they were defeated by Merlin and King Arthur. So, that Shadow used some mysterious magic, crossing a vast distance, and causing the staff to end up on a remote island far away from the mainland. After a long and arduous search, Merlin finally found the Twin Serpent Staff hidden inside the temple.
"Why didn't Merlin take the Twin Serpent Staff and instead uprooted the whole temple?"
Grimmauld Square, located in a quiet and secluded area of London, after the morning rush hour of Muggles going to work, fell into a deserted and peaceful state again. The huge crack that Bryan had created in the center of the square with a powerful spell had been repaired by the Ministry of Magic's Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, and now it was a lush green lawn. Several sparrows fluttered their wings and landed on the lawn, aimlessly pecking at the grass roots.
"Unless–"
Bryan murmured in a voice only he could hear, as a sudden thought flashed in his mind.
"Unless Merlin also couldn't pick up the staff."
Godric Gryffindor, one of the four legendary founders of Hogwarts, couldn't pick up the Twin Serpent Staff, and Merlin, who had almost become a mythical figure in the history of magic, was the same. And yet, he could pick it up. Bryan couldn't feel any pride or joy in this matter.
He had never forgotten what happened in early November during the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.
Because of the attraction of the joyous emotions of the young wizards, the Dementors guarding the school gates lost control. They rushed into the campus, like a swarm of dark and hungry insects, intending to suck the happiness out of the young wizards. To drive them away, Bryan used the Patronus Charm for the first time against the Dementors, and what happened next, there was no need to say.
According to Dumbledore, the transformation of the Patronus Charm came from the influence of the soul. When he used the charm, something in his soul that did not belong to him resonated with the Dementors, causing those changes to occur.
*******************************
For More Chapters; patreon.com/FicFrenzy
Author's Note: I have been writing longer chapters of 2000+ words for more than a week now. I hope you are enjoying the pace and the flow of the story.
Do you feel like the chapters end abruptly or smoothly?
How do you like the transitions between the chapters?
Please share your feedback and suggestions in the comments. I appreciate your support.
週次パワーステータス
200+ 推薦
ランキング 
28 推薦
チケット 
段落コメント