章節 241: Chapter 240 "True Dragon Throne"

In the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets, Rita, having transformed back into her human form from that of a beetle, stood with her head bowed in reverence towards the seven-step high platform at the room's center. Her hands were folded before her, and her demeanor exuded respect.

Perched atop the seven-step platform was a noble-looking throne, its back adorned with a dark green gem that emitted a faint green glow. This throne served as a special seat reserved for Skyler within the chamber.

As Skyler's power expanded, subtle changes began to manifest in the throne. Originally, four silver-white serpents were intricately carved around the dark green gem, their long bodies coiling protectively around it, their fanged heads poised as if guarding their master. However, in the present moment—

The four silver serpents were nowhere to be seen.

In their place, there stood four golden, snake-like creatures. Unlike ordinary serpents, these beings sported scales that were no longer smooth and rounded but instead sharp and triangular, their surfaces slightly convex.

The surface of the snake-like creature's skin bore strange black and red lines, crisscrossing in a pattern that felt rough to the touch. Prolonged observation of these lines left one with an inexplicable sense of unease, almost as if a heavy weight pressed upon the soul.

Yet, the most striking feature of the creature's appearance lay in the two rows of spines adorning its back, reminiscent of those found on a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon.

These spines stood erect like swords, casting an intimidating aura. Moreover, the creature's head boasted two long, light brown curved horns, protruding sharply from both sides.

Skyler had invested considerable effort in crafting this throne, and the materials chosen were exceedingly intricate. The wood comprising its core hailed from the collection of his extraterrestrial ally, Princess Bathory—a treasure known as "Dracula's Coffin."

This coffin served as the resting place of the vampire king Dracula, brimming with the accumulated power he had amassed over the years.

The magical practices of the vampire royal family diverged markedly from those of wizards, centering on death and the pursuit of power bordering on the threshold of demise.

Consequently, the coffin pulsed with a potent aura of death, capable of transforming any living being into an undead creature—a grim phenomenon commonly referred to as the living dead.

Should a Muggle recline within its confines, they would swiftly metamorphose into the basest form of vampire within a single night—a creature bereft of reason, driven solely by an insatiable urge to slaughter and drink blood.

For an ordinary canine, the result would be transformation into a black, bloodthirsty entity known as the Saw-toothed Demon Dog—a dreadfully fearsome creature of darkness.

Despite its diminutive stature, this beast possesses an unmatched ferocity and harbors no fear of death; in numbers, it could even challenge a fire-breathing dragon.

However, if the occupant happens to be a wizard of sufficient prowess, the magical energies surrounding their being would partially counteract the encroachment of death's power.

Yet, Skyler was not willing to take such a risk. It went against his nature to voluntarily subject himself to discomfort merely for the sake of ostentation. Sitting upon a throne capable of potentially infiltrating one's magic and soul, with no tangible benefits beyond a show of grandeur, was simply not Skyler's modus operandi.

To counterbalance the pervasive aura of death emanating from the throne, Skyler employed four of the snake-whispering magical stone tablets bequeathed by Slytherin himself. Through the art of transfiguration, he transformed these tablets into four colossal serpents that coiled protectively around the throne.

In the realm of occultism, serpents symbolize not only greed and ambition but also consumption. Ancient lore even speaks of primordial snake monsters capable of devouring the very sun, moon, and heavens—a testament to their insatiable hunger and ability to consume all.

Carved into the stone tablet by Slytherin himself, the snake language magic imbued the tablet with the formidable power of consumption. As a legendary Grand Mage, Slytherin's might rival that of Dracula, the Ghost King, and the potency contained within the tablet was sufficient to devour the death-infused essence within the throne's wood.

Death magic, inherently, is one of the darkest forms of sorcery. Despite Slytherin's reluctance to acknowledge Parsnip magic, it undeniably falls within the realm of black magic. Thus, when conceptualizing the design of the throne, death, and serpents served as the central motifs.

Through the potent force of death, individuals were consumed by the colossal serpents, and their essence was transmuted into pure blood power, which was then absorbed by Skyler seated upon the throne.

This bloodline power was not meant for just anyone's consumption. Originating from the snake language magic left behind by Slytherin himself, the transformation process inevitably bore traces of Slytherin's own magical ideals—a belief entrenched in the notion that "Pure blood thrives forever."

As such, this bloodline power found its most suitable recipients among the offspring of pure-blooded families. The older the lineage, the more potent the bloodline. Young wizards who had awakened their bloodline talents stood as the prime candidates to inherit this power.

After undergoing three magical upheavals and participating in a blood purification ceremony, Skyler concurrently awakened the blood talents of both the Malfoy and Black families. This power seemed custom-crafted for him.

Now, Skyler's prowess had significantly advanced compared to the throne's initial construction. Following the resonance of his blood with the members of the Serpentis Vigil Club, catalyzing the third magical upheaval, an even stronger sensation surged within him—an enigmatic power beyond time, space, and describable fate.

Henceforth, seated upon the throne, Skyler no longer grappled with confusion or uncertainty. Even amidst the depths of darkness, it failed to erode him in the slightest.

The serpentine monument underwent a gradual evolution in tandem.

It was then that Skyler comprehended the true nature of the chair he had fashioned—devoid of consciousness or spirit, yet growing nonetheless.

It would metamorphose alongside its master's burgeoning might!

No longer strictly resembling a snake creature, the colossal python initially transfigured from the monument now bore semblances to a new entity—an amalgamation akin to the "King of Snakes," the Basilisk, and the Fire Dragon's subspecies, the Snake King.

Skyler grasped the unfolding phenomenon with innate understanding.

At its core, magic is wish fulfillment—a manifestation of the user's soul. For Skyler, this essence encapsulated his unwavering pursuit: power, the strength to safeguard all he held dear!

The Patronus Charm epitomized this soulful connection—a spell intricately intertwined with the caster's essence.

It explained why careerists often found serpentine patrons, while warriors and duelists favored majestic felines like ligers and tigers. And for Skyler, his Patronus took the form of a dragon!

The dragon symbolized not only danger but also unparalleled might.

Repeated usage of the throne infused it with Skyler's aura, catalyzing the transformation of the python-shaped stone tablet into a draconic entity.

The python shed its skin, emerging as a dragon—a slumbering titan soon to awaken!

Skyler christened this illustrious seat—the True Dragon Throne!

True dragons epitomized ancient divinity, hailed as progenitors and primordial beings. They were the forebears of all contemporary fire dragons and sub-dragons. In their prime, aside from the ancient giants, no creature dared challenge their supremacy!

Skyler ascended the elevated platform and eased onto the True Dragon Throne. The verdant beads adorning its back erupted with a resplendent emerald glow. A faint echo of draconic roars reverberated through the ether, ensnaring the air in a stifling stillness.

Beneath the lofty dais, Rita suddenly found herself besieged by an overwhelming force. Her equilibrium faltered, plunging her to her knees. An unseen weight bore down on her chest, suffusing her heart with a leaden burden.

Each breath became a struggle, choked by an oppressive aura that robbed her limbs of strength, rendering even the slightest movement an impossible feat.

Rita is a special correspondent for the Daily Prophet. Her notoriety preceded her, leaving a trail of ire and condemnation in her wake—save for the Daily Prophet's editor-in-chief.

For she possessed a knack for unearthing gossip and hearsay from the most clandestine of sources, weaving them into sensationalist narratives that distorted truth and besmirched reputations.

Rita served none but herself, harboring a bitter vendetta against the world at large. Her pen dripped with vitriol, casting a jaundiced eye upon every facet of the wizarding realm, her words laced with the venom of malicious conjecture.

In Rita's literary arsenal, no figure in the wizarding world is safe from her relentless scrutiny. From renowned scribe Gilderoy Lockhart to Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, even the venerable Albus Dumbledore himself—each found themselves ensnared in the web of her penmanship.

But Rita's true pièce de résistance is her clandestine weapon—a sinister, dark green shorthand quill. Possessing a mind of its own, this malevolent implement thrives on distorting language and stoking the flames of controversy.

With a mere stroke, it transmutes ordinary utterances into hyperbolic extravagance, etching them onto parchment with nefarious precision.

Most notorious for its penchant for sensationalism, the shorthand quill twists interviews and fabricates narratives, birthing tales of hype and hearsay. A simple inquiry from Rita—"Are you human?"—elicits responses twisted beyond recognition. For instance, a wizard's admission becomes grotesquely distorted: "A certain wizard proclaims himself the sole human amidst a sea of non-humans in the wizarding world!"