A Professor of Magic at Hogwarts -
Chapter 334: Delving Deeper
The fairy regarded Felix Harp with an unsettling gaze.
"Clementine spoke highly of you, Mr. Felix Harp," he inclined his head slightly. "It is an honor to collaborate with you. I am Gornuk." With that, he flicked his fingers forcefully, causing his slender nails to shimmer. Soon, the fairy's body blurred into obscurity as he turned and made his way towards the three individuals in the camp—Faisal, Rahman, and Clementine. They were inspecting their equipment, deciding what to take with them, including curse detectors, dark magic detectors, and various protective items.
"Fairy magic," Felix thought.
Hermione muttered discontentedly beside them, irritated by the fact that the fairy named Gornuk completely ignored her, despite being able to see her without even looking up.
Felix whispered, "Gringotts goblins are somewhat friendly, but if you encounter unfamiliar fairies in the wild, stay cautious. It's hard to determine if they are safe."
Hermione's mind spun as she whispered, "Fairy subversion group?" Despite the overall peace between fairies and wizards since the treaty was signed, a small faction of fairies still harbored deep hatred for wizards, attempting to overthrow their dominance.
Especially within their own territories, this attitude was overt. Many wizard jokes were concocted and spread within fairy taverns. The reverse was also true.
Clementine jogged over. "These are specially crafted dragon-hide gloves with a certain curse-resistant effect."
"Professor, can I use magic?" Hermione pondered a crucial question.
"Of course, the British Ministry of Magic doesn't have jurisdiction here," Felix said. "You can try it out now."
Hermione hesitated, then pulled out her wand and cast the Shield Charm incantation. An invisible barrier formed in front of her.
"Very good, just like that."
Subsequently, they entered the pyramid, following a winding, narrow path between stone crevices. They held their wands and kept their bodies crouched, as even a slight straightening would lead to banging their heads against the granite ceiling. They trudged forward, with amplified breaths filling their ears.
Guided by the glow from the tip of their wands, they walked for some time until the path split at a fork.
"To the right lies the Pharaoh's tomb, and to the left is the secret chamber we discovered," Clementineexplained.
They turned left, encountering two or three stone steps every dozen paces, gradually descending without noticing. Half an hour passed, and they found themselves deeper underground.
Finally, the path opened up ahead, revealing a square space that extended on both sides.
On one side lay the path they came from, and on the other—right in front of them—was a pitch-black opening. The light there was dimmer than the surroundings, as though someone had spilled jet-black ink above them, playing a malicious trick.
"That's the corridor we encountered earlier. The black substance is actually stationary black mist, but as long as you provoke it—" Clementine said, firing a golden beam of light inside.
"Oh, heavens," Hermione whispered. The massive black mist churned, teeth gnashing and claws swiping, emitting loud cracking sounds from within.
Felix took out an eagle-shaped magical lantern from his ring. The bronze-colored eagle flapped its wings gently, spewing forth a light sphere that illuminated the courtyard.
"Is this the magical lantern you mentioned?" Clementine whispered to Hermione. Hermione nodded, her gaze sweeping the surroundings. The courtyard's corners were marked by stone pillars, seamlessly integrated into the structure. The pillars lacked excessive ornamentation, and their exposed surfaces bore continuous grooves from top to bottom.
Felix Harp stood at the entrance, utterly still, completely absorbed in scrutinizing the black mist. It was as if his gaze penetrated the darkness, captivated by an intriguing TV show.
The fairy Gornuk stood beside him. He cautiously extended his nails into the black mist, withdrawing them after a few seconds. A trace of black mist clung to his fingertips. "It can confuse directions and has a slight corrosive effect. It's not an immediate concern over short periods, but prolonged exposure would make even breathing a significant issue."
"We can use the Bubble-Head Charm," Clementine suggested.
"I don't know how to use it," the fairy grumbled, taking out a silver mask and putting it on, then thrusting his head into the mist. "Ha, problem solved."
"Mr. Gornuk... did you create that silver item?"
"Of course, young lady," Gornuk said proudly. "Not just silver items—our kind possesses extraordinary talents. Identifying various materials is as simple as breathing for us."
"Even newborns instinctively recognize impure metals. We prepare a ritual for newborns, offering gold and silver of different purities for them to choose from. The most gifted fairies are nurtured from an early age."
"Talents..." Felix's eyes flickered. He snapped out of his reverie, intrigued by Gornuk's words. Wizarding children also exhibited various magical talents, like Parseltongue or Metamorphmagus abilities. But some talents weren't as obvious, and some individuals might never become aware of them.
Some people had a natural affinity for animals, easily gaining their trust. Felix believed that such individuals were well-suited to learn Vagadu's Self-Transfiguration, a different branch of human transfiguration compared to Animagus magic. It allowed wizards to transform into animals at will, extending beyond just elephants and leopards, possibly encompassing other creatures.
Felix was convinced that he would witness this magic in the upcoming Triwizard Tournament.
He also remembered that wizarding talents weren't confined to these examples. Some wizards excelled in specific types of magic. For instance, Harry had a remarkable talent for dueling magic, surpassing his peers by a considerable margin. Ancient wizards had exhibited similar traits.
In ancient times, wizards tended to choose apprentices with similar talents. Those significantly different, even if talented, wouldn't be given much attention.
Felix drew his wand, thrusting it forward. With a swish and a "whoosh," the wand cleaved the air. A series of incantations shot into the black mist, and after a while, the mist gradually dissipated.
"What did you do?" Fairy Gornuk asked in astonishment.
"Any magic leaves a trace. I merely found the key nodes that formed the mist," Felix replied curtly. As the mist cleared, the corridor became distinct. With the illumination from the courtyard's magical lanterns, they could see black stone slabs hung on both walls.
Hermione carefully approached, standing at the entrance, and stared in surprise at the nearest stone slab. The patterns on it looked hauntingly familiar. "Ancient magic? Rune sequence!"
"Yes," Felix responded in a hushed voice. "Don't go in." Suddenly, he raised his voice sharply, not addressing Hermione. Hermione turned to the side, only to see Gornuk the fairy advancing ahead.
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