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.
章 267: 0266 Azkaban
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.
Stone pillar - temple - ruins - Dementors - Twin Serpent Staff - These seemingly unrelated series of things actually had a deep connection, and the core of all the secrets was the dark shadow within Morgan Le Fay's body.
There was something that Bryan had been wondering about since he saw the nine murals in the temple.
At the end of the devastating battle that caused huge damage to the magical environment centuries ago, since Morgan Le Fay and the darkness within her had already failed, and they should have known that Merlin would not show mercy, why did they go to such great lengths to hide the staff?
'What did the Twin Serpent Staff really mean? What did it mean that he could pick it up? Why did the four Hogwarts founders get involved in this matter centuries ago, and why did they leave behind clues so deliberately?'
"Bryan?"
After a while, Sirius finally shook off the bad mood brought by the painful memories. He looked up and saw Bryan with a look of deep thought and confusion in his eyes.
"What's wrong with this stone pillar? Are you wondering why the pillar in Azkaban looks exactly like a Muggle attraction?"
"Oh–"
Bryan suddenly came back to his senses and smiled faintly at Sirius, who was looking at him with concern and curiosity, but he didn't answer his question. This also made Sirius realize that this matter was not so simple, and the broken pillar on Azkaban Island probably hid some incredible secret.
But that pillar had been there for so many years, and the Ministry of Magic, which controlled the Dementors, had surely studied it thoroughly. The final conclusion must be that the pillar was worthless, otherwise they would have pulled it out and brought it back for careful examination and preservation. It was just a piece of ancient architecture, nothing more.
Because of Bryan's attitude, Sirius looked at the cover of the picture book in his hand again, trying to find some clues. And at this moment, Bryan suddenly asked,
"The stone pillar in the ruins, um… have you carefully observed it? I mean, does it have any special features that caught your attention?"
'Any special features?'
This question stumped Sirius. During his years in Azkaban, he had been tormented with great regret and hatred, and every day was a torture for him. He had endured the worst pain imaginable, the loss of his best friends and his freedom. How could he have the mood to study what special functions an ordinary stone pillar had? And those Dementors–
'Dementors!' Sirius suddenly widened his eyes, showing a look of uncertainty, and seeing his expression, Bryan immediately knew that something was wrong.
"What's wrong? Did you remember something?"
Bryan asked in a deep voice, hoping that Sirius had some useful information.
"I'm not sure,"
Sirius hesitated, seemingly unsure of his own words,
"On the island where Azkaban is located, there are at least hundreds of Dementors. Those disgusting creatures don't stay in the prison all the time. If that were the case, there would be no living person in the tower. Most of the time, most of the Dementors stay outside, hovering over the island like a dark cloud. They only enter the prison when they feel hungry… they take turns to feed on the prisoners.
The Dementors made the island look like the end of the world. They roam around the island, in case any brave wizard dares to swim from the sea to the island. They turned the sky into a dark gray color, blocking out any sunlight or stars. But… um, I'm not sure, Bryan, but in our memories, they seemed reluctant to approach the area near the pillar and ruins when they emerged from the tide–"
Bryan nodded, then fell into silence.
He thought that this was very strange. Why would the Dementors avoid that area? Was there something there that repelled them? Or was there something there that attracted them, but they were afraid of it?
Sirius also remained quiet. He knew that Bryan might have some secrets, that was natural, as who didn't have secrets in their hearts? But what this young wizard knew was probably something extraordinary, and he also guessed what Bryan might say next.
In the face of this, Sirius struggled fiercely in his heart.
Azkaban was definitely a nightmare that no wizard in the British wizarding world wanted to face. He had spent so many years there and deeply understood the prison's reputation, which was well-deserved. It was a place of horror and despair, where no hope or happiness could survive. After many wizards who had committed crimes escaped or were released from there, they never wanted to mention a word about their life there.
Sirius was not foolish. He saw Bryan's hesitation and, after sighing softly, Sirius said in a low voice,
"Do you want to secretly sneak into Azkaban to see that pillar?"
Before Bryan could respond, he continued,
"To be honest, I don't remember the exact location there. After I escaped, I headed north towards the mainland and swam for at least twenty days before I saw land. It was a long and exhausting journey, and I barely survived. If it weren't for the belief in seeking revenge on Peter, I wouldn't have been able to hold on. But if that stone pillar is really important to you, Bryan, I can accompany you to take a look. I can roughly determine the direction based on the position of the stars."
"Just take me to the location where you landed and give me a direction–"
Since Sirius had already brought it up, Bryan no longer concealed anything,
"Azkaban is not a pleasant paradise for you, Sirius. You don't have to risk it for me."
"You helped me find Regulus, Bryan, and that's worth repaying with my life--"
Sirius smiled and said,
"And, if possible, I hope you can treat that island the same way you treated the cave last night. Trust me, there will be many wizards who would love to see Azkaban and those devils guarding it sink into the sea together!"
*Scenebreak*
Only two days remained until the start of the second half of the term at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The vast majority of the faculty had already returned to their positions, eager to resume their teaching duties and welcome back their students. Some of the young wizards who had gone home for Christmas had also sporadically returned to school, bringing back the lively atmosphere that had been absent for two weeks.
Bryan and Remus also returned to school on the morning of the second day before the start of the term.
Sirius had temporarily placed Regulus's body in the Black family's old Manor. He ordered Kreacher to take care of Regulus and then transformed into his cat form to follow Remus back to Hogwarts.
Perhaps the pleasant Christmas holiday had made the young wizards lazy, or maybe they were still enjoying the last moments of freedom before the term began. It was breakfast time, but the Great Hall was empty, without a single student in sight. Only Professor Sprout, the head of Hufflepuff and the Herbology teacher, and Madam Pomfrey, the matron of the hospital wing, were chatting casually at the staff table. They were both early risers, accustomed to waking up before dawn to tend to their plants and patients.
"This scene has been rare in recent years—" Professor Sprout remarked, as she saw Bryan and Remus enter the hall. They were walking side by side, smiling and waving from a distance to wish their colleagues a happy new year. Professor Sprout, wearing a wizard hat covered in wet mud, chuckled and said, "I mean, having both professors of Defense Against Dark Arts appear at the same time."
The position of Defense Against Dark Arts had been notoriously cursed for decades, ever since Tom Riddle, who would later become Lord Voldemort, had applied for it and been rejected by Dumbledore. Since then, no one had managed to keep the job for more than a year, and most of them had met with unfortunate accidents or worse fates.
"I'm probably not the special one, Pomona—" Remus said modestly, as he and Bryan approached the staff table. Remus, whose smile had been increasing recently, looked at Bryan and said, "Seriously, Bryan, I've been thinking lately. You must have some secret to staying in this position for a longer time. I quite like this job, so-"
"It's wise to get out early—" Bryan shrugged, smiling lightly. "If I had continued back then, I might have ended up like my predecessor."
"Your predecessor was Gilderoy Lockhart, that charlatan. He deserved to be sent to Azkaban. You wouldn't have ended up like him."
Thinking of Gilderoy Lockhart, Professor Sprout shook her head as if shooing away an annoying fly. She changed the subject and asked Bryan and Remus about their plans for the second half of the year.
After exchanging pleasantries, Bryan and Remus went straight upstairs. They had a lot of work to do, as they both needed to prepare for the teaching of the second half of the year. Remus returned to his office alone, where he had a pile of books and papers waiting for him.
Bryan, on the other hand, continued walking with Tom, his loyal cat, who was actually Sirius in disguise. After arriving at the Student Safety Office, Bryan turned Sirius back into his human form, making sure that no one was around to see them.
The morning passed in casual chatting. Bryan continued to study the stack of manuscripts related to the Blood Magic&Curse, a dark and ancient branch of magic that he had been researching for years.
Sirius, meanwhile, was telling Bryan about the various details of infiltrating Azkaban.
"At the very least, we need a boat." Sirius said, sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed. He had a serious expression on his face, as he explained the difficulties of their mission. "Since you're not willing to enter Azkaban through official channels, and I can only identify the approximate direction, it means we may have to drift on the sea for quite a long time. You need to prepare a sturdy enough boat, Bryan. For some reason, the sea around the island is always shrouded in thunderstorms and typhoons. That's a natural barrier. Without adequate preparation, don't even think about getting through."
"Then how did you come here?" Bryan asked, curious about Sirius's escape.
"I was using Animagus form at the time. Thunderstorms and typhoons didn't affect me much, and I was lucky enough to find a large piece of deck washed ashore by the waves. I guess it might have been left by a Muggle ship that accidentally deviated from its course. Tsk-Tsk, Those unlucky guys-" Sirius said, with a hint of pity in his voice.
Bryan nodded slightly. He understood the situation that Sirius had described. The prison was located on the sea far from the mainland, in a remote and desolate area. If Muggles lost their sheltering ship, they would have only one dead end. They would either drown in the water, or be consumed by the Dementors, who fed on human happiness and left their victims in a state of despair. Although wizards had more means at their disposal, such as magic and brooms, the vast majority of ordinary wizards would probably just wait to die in such harsh conditions. Only a few, like Sirius, had the courage and the skill to escape.
Bryan knew that apparating back to the mainland with Sirius was an option if they encountered extreme situations during their trip to Azkaban. However, aside from the fact that long-distance Apparition consumed high magical power, the key was that the previous long search would have been in vain.
"I'll consider it carefully." Bryan said, after giving it a little thought. He was not one to act rashly, especially when it involved such a risky and important task.
Before retracting his gaze, he casually glanced at the monitoring screen opposite, which showed the live feed of various locations in the castle. He gently furrowed his eyebrow, as he noticed something unusual.
*******************************
For More Chapters; patreon.com/FicFrenzy
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