章節 151: Chapter 150 "St. Catchpole"

The two of them spent a few enjoyable days in the village of St. Catchpole. Skyler made sure to return home each night and did not spend the night at Luna's house. During this time, Luna took Skyler to catch freshwater colorful ball fish in the creek near Valley Bridge.

Luna then showcased her culinary skills by preparing fish soup. She added airship plums, pimple vine pods, and other unique seasonings to the stew pot, creating a strange and unique flavor. Surprisingly, the taste turned out to be quite good.

"How does it taste?" Luna asked dreamily, observing Skyler savor every drop of the fish soup in the bowl with her bright eyes.

"Well, it's a very unusual combination," Skyler replied honestly. "The taste of airship plums and knotty vine pods didn't overshadow the umami flavor of the colorful ball fish. Instead, they blended together to create a taste that I can't quite describe. But the flavor is genuinely delightful... I really like it."

Luna wore a bright smile, and her eyes sparkled with a peculiar brilliance. She spoke softly, "Since my mother passed away, I've been responsible for... well, pretty much everything in the house, especially the cooking. This fish soup is my proudest creation. It took me at least 50 attempts to perfect this taste..."

She paused, then continued with a smile, "Dad loves it when I cook. He tasted the fish soup and said it had a flavor that touched the soul."

"Touching the soul with the tip of the tongue?" Why did the language of food and art blend together?

Skyler shook his head, dispelling these curious thoughts, and then spoke earnestly to Luna, "Luna, your cooking skills, much like yourself, are truly unique. Your creativity, your individuality, your unrestrained style – these are the most valuable aspects of who you are. As your friend, I want to tell you, I hope you..."

"Never lose your truest self." Skyler continued while unconsciously looking at Luna's dreamy eyes.

"Well." Luna's eyes brightened even more, and she gazed directly at Skyler, causing him to feel a bit self-conscious. "I wish the same for you as well. Never lose yourself while you are chasing your own goals, Skyler."

Hearing Luna's words somehow stirs the storm inside Skyler's heart… The one answer he needed to hear the most although he knew of it from the back of his head. He is afraid of losing himself while facing all the uncertainties rising in this world.

He quickly found an excuse to change the topic.

Skyler savored these leisurely days, holding them close as precious moments.

Luna's carefree, serene, and naturally unburdened demeanor left a profound impact on Skyler. It not only touched him deeply but also exerted a transformative influence, coaxing him to release all the guards, schemes, plans, responsibilities, and burdens harbored within.

Shedding the oppressive weight of his own and others' expectations, he experienced an uncommon spiritual liberation.

In his previous life, he had been an unruly and rebellious adventurer, leading a life of unbridled and free-spirited exploration (albeit still under the sponsorship of others, but comparatively free for a social creature).

In this life, he embraced a wholly different existence. The moment he resolved to alter his family's destiny, he unwittingly set foot on a path toward potential dominance. It's crucial to note that, during that period, his character and mindset still retained a certain degree of naivety.

While he had some mental preparation, he did not anticipate the arduous and thorny journey that awaited him on the path to dominance. Additionally, he never imagined confronting adversaries beyond Voldemort.

In the initial two years, the storyline closely followed the original narrative.

Skyler achieved substantial gains, obtaining the magic stone and basilisk materials, acquiring the loyal servant Dobby, establishing the broom company, and garnering valuable practical combat experience and a heroic reputation.

However, as the plot progressed, deviations from the original story became more pronounced. The turning point came with Meredith's abduction, altering the course of events significantly. Whether driven by his commitment to Meredith or his followers who had pledged allegiance to him on the path to dominance, there is no room for retreat.

Having already planted his flag and earned adversaries, backing down due to the fear of challenges would jeopardize not only his followers but also spell an unfavorable fate for himself.

Consequently, this life demanded a heavy burden from him, contributing significantly to his character growth.

During his free moments, Skyler invested considerable thought into optimizing the use of Ella's cabin. As of now, he commands several strongholds.

The concealed passage on the fifth floor leading to the basement of the Miraculous Alchemy Workshop in Hogsmeade Village served as Skyler's pivotal base, where all activities, magical guidance, and practical exercises for the Serpentis Vigil Club took place.

Adhering to the principle of The Cunning Rabbit Three Burrows, Skyler, despite ensuring members' loyalty through various means, opted not to control all mastered situations tightly, sharing access to secret rooms with the members.

From a strategic perspective, he categorized the Serpentis Vigil Club members into three levels.

The first level comprised those closest to him or those he trusted implicitly, such as Daphne, Murray, and House-elves—deemed "core members" whose loyalty was beyond question. Consequently, they held the authority to access the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets.

Typically, major or confidential projects unfolded within Slytherin's secret room.

While Nariel, a sixth grader, had ventured into this secret room, her access was facilitated directly by the elf. Unaware of the secret room's location or the means of entry, she remained an exception.

At present, Skyler is evaluating the trustworthiness of Cho, Susan, and Luna. Although he continues to assess their abilities and loyalty, he is contemplating the possibility of elevating them to the inner circle.

The second category comprises the younger Slytherin wizards who hold official membership. This choice is not rooted in discrimination against young wizards from other houses; rather, it is because Slytherin, the original team member, has been with him the longest and already feels a strong sense of belonging to the organization.

Moreover, considering shared interests, young wizards from mixed-race or less influential families in Slytherin are natural allies for Skyler. Barring unforeseen circumstances, the likelihood of their rebellion is extremely low.

Apart from their knowledge of the secret passage on the fifth floor, these young Slytherins can leverage connections with Daphne or Astoria to contribute to the organization, earning access to the organization's library or receiving personal guidance from Skyler.

The third category comprises recently joined Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw wizards who function as peripheral members. They are required to contribute to the organization to demonstrate their loyalty and prove their worth.

This necessitates an extensive period of investigation.

In the unfortunate event of a betrayer emerging and disclosing the organization's existence, all that Skyler would lose is the secret passage on the fifth floor. He has contingency plans in place with the suitcase space, the Slytherin Chamber, and the Ravenclaw Chamber as backups.

The true significance of Druella's Cottage for Skyler lies in providing him with a covert base for activities outside of school.

Considering the likely trajectory of the plot, Skyler may not remain at Hogwarts until he completes seventh grade. Therefore, an off-campus stronghold will prove invaluable.

The existence of Druella's Cottage is not a secret, as virtually all attendees at Druella's funeral were aware that Skyler inherited this small house.

However, transforming it into a secret stronghold requires the implementation of the Fidelius Charm.

The Fidelius Charm is an immensely complex spell involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find — unless, of course, the Secret Keeper chooses to divulge it.

First and foremost, if you intend to convert a location into a secret of unparalleled secrecy, it is a step that has extremely high requirements on the magical potency of the secret-keeper. A wizard without a formidable magical prowess would essentially be unable to meet this threshold.

Second, suppose the secret is not merely a simple place name but encompasses the essence of the location itself or its magical properties. In that case, it will have profound implications for the caster's magic.

In the original work, Bill, the eldest son of the Weasley family, successfully employed this spell to safeguard the location of his matrimonial residence, Shell Cottage, in the eyes of the world, enabling him to personally enchant individuals.

In reality, Bill's method is the most rational, efficient, and secure approach to the Fidelius Charm – with the secret-keeper concealed within the secret, creating an impeccable and impregnable defense.

However, Bill's success is attributed to his extensive experience in curse-breaking, which granted him an exceptionally nuanced understanding of magical intricacies.

In contrast, even though James Potter, a recent graduate, was quite adept at Quidditch, his magical skills were average.

Otherwise, he could have designated Pettigrew to be the secret keeper or utilized another strategic approach, potentially altering the entire course of the Harry Potter storyline.

Skyler is confident that his magical power is more than sufficient. In the rare event it falls short, he can always utilize the magic stone to amplify his magical capabilities.

Therefore, there should be no hindrance if he decides to cast the Fidelius Charm. However, to avoid replicating James' error, he recognizes the necessity of enhancing his understanding of this particular curse.

Despite the limited availability of literature on the Fidelius Charm, Skyler has accumulated a few volumes in his personal collection.

Having diligently studied each one, he has grasped the fundamental theories. Yet, in his pursuit of perfection, he has resolved to explore more advanced and profound information on protective magic.

Coincidentally, the dark magic book bequeathed by Druella's legacy contains just such a piece - "Cracking the Shadows: Secrets Within."

Penned by a seasoned tomb robber and black wizard, this book is a treasure trove of insights into how he employed black magic, soul sacrifice, and life sacrifice to dismantle shielding magic and defensive enchantments within various ancient tombs.

The book also delved into the Fidelius Charm much deeper, expressing the belief that while the spell itself is unbreakable, it is unsuitable for safeguarding secrets in places like ancient tombs.

The rationale behind this assertion is that the curse heavily depends on the secret keeper. Upon the death of the secret keeper, everyone acquainted with the secret automatically becomes the new secret keeper.

Should there be no one to inherit the secret, the magic falters, leading to automatic revelation.

However, the true worth of this book lies not in its discussion of the Fidelius Charm but in its exploration and understanding of other protective magics detailed within its pages. These insights serve as valuable references for Skyler to augment his comprehension of the Fidelius Charm.

On a related note, Skyler uncovered an array of precious magic books in Lovegood's home.

Predominantly comprising Luna's mother, Pandora's spell notes, these books contain the creations of an outstanding spell master. Pandora's spell innovations have earned acclaim, even from Miranda Goshawk, the author of "Standard Spells." Skyler found her notes on spell creation particularly inspiring.

Observing Skyler treating Pandora's notes as a treasure, Luna willingly presented the entire collection to Skyler after securing her father's approval.