20demayo Chapter 176: 3 people and 1 body in cave heaven and blessed land
Chapter 176: 3 people and 1 body in cave heaven and blessed land
Chapter 177 (5.6k long chapter) The Trinity of Blessed Lands
Meanwhile, Minister of Magic Fudge, accompanied by several officers, escorted Draco directly to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Injuries.
Draco's face was ashen, his lips bluish-purple, and white foam gushed from his mouth, like a river bursting its banks.
The physicians dared not delay and hurriedly carried him into the emergency room. One was administering the magic potion, another was casting a spell, and the scene was quite chaotic.
Fouchi paced back and forth on the veranda, like an ant on a hot pan.
Before long, the physician came to report that he was out of danger.
Upon hearing this, Fudge breathed a sigh of relief, but another worry began to surface.
Potter is incredibly famous at Hogwarts, and many wizards in the community firmly believe he is the savior.
If he were to reveal the series of unexpected events that occurred during today's visit to the Ministry of Magic, what would be the point of all the trouble I've gone through to invite them to visit the Ministry of Magic?
Thinking of this, he didn't delay any longer and hurried back to his department.
As Fang arrived at the Ministry of Magic's main hall and was about to step into the elevator, two officials suddenly rushed forward to stop him.
"I'm sorry, Minister, the elevator is out of order. You'll have to take the stairs."
Fudge was taken aback, and asked suspiciously, "I was only gone for less than half an hour, and the elevator broke down?"
"Oh, you don't know, the boy who blew up the fireplace also blew up the elevator and the door key."
Fudge felt the veins throbbing in his temples, as if ten war drums were beating in his ears.
He suppressed his anger and asked calmly, "That kid is dead—cough, I mean, that boy is still alive, right?"
"Completely intact".
Fudge cursed under his breath and had no choice but to turn around and go down the stone steps.
After walking around for thirty or fifty steps, they descended the steps to the ground floor, where Nawi had already secretly observed them.
He feared that Harry's matter was not yet settled and intended to hinder Fudge further.
He steeled his resolve, gritted his teeth, aimed at the documents he had just picked up from the table, and with a mighty push of his arms, shouted:
"Ouch! I tripped again!"
The official documents fluttered down like snowflakes, but Fudge's eyes twitched uncontrollably. He pretended not to see them, flicked his sleeves, and continued on his way.
After walking a few steps, when they arrived at the Department of Magical Creatures Control, Hermione was engaged in a verbal battle with a group of demons.
The goblins bared their teeth, the werewolves howled, the vampires screech, and a siren brandished a trident, repeatedly probing to strike Hermione in the waist.
Seeing this, Fudge's face changed color from pale to bluish-white, as if a dye shop had been opened, but he still forced himself to remain calm and continued cooking.
Only after descending to the location of the mysterious Nine-Story Underground Affairs Bureau did Fudge stand still, gather his strength, and shout:
"Umbridge!"
Normally, Umbridge would have already come over with a fawning smile and quick, hurried steps.
Unexpectedly, the sound was so loud that even the attendants beside him covered their ears, yet they did not hear the "clack-clack" of the leather boots.
Fudge realized something was wrong and quickly turned around, slamming the door of the Time Hall open with a loud bang.
The room was empty except for the shelves full of time converters, which shone brightly. There wasn't a single person in sight.
Fudge broke out in a cold sweat, his heart pounding in his throat. He rushed out of the hall, drew his wand, and tapped it against his cheek, casting a sound amplification spell.
Just as they were about to read the alarm, there was a creak, and the door to the Great Hall next to them suddenly opened, with Umbridge leading Harry and the others in.
The woman looked up and saw Fudge, and her face instantly lit up with a fawning smile, like spring thawing the ice and autumn chrysanthemums blooming in gold.
"Oh, Connelly, you're back?"
"What a coincidence, I just finished showing Gilderoy and the others around the entire floor of the Department of Mysteries."
Fudge ignored these words, and pointed at the heads of the people in front of him one by one. Only when he saw that none of them were missing did he let out a sigh of relief.
The arm that had been gripping the wand suddenly went limp and hung down, as if its tendons had been pulled out and its bones had been removed.
He turned to Umbridge, forcing a smile, and said:
"Well done, Dolores. I knew you'd be the one to handle this..."
He kept rambling on and on for quite a while. How could he possibly have any interest in continuing the tour?
Using a random excuse, he led Harry and his group back to the main hall on the ground floor.
They met up with Hermione and the others on the way. Fudge didn't care about anything else and just pushed them all to Scrimgeour, telling him to send them back to Hogwarts as soon as possible.
Immediately, he hurriedly slipped through the net and headed straight for the minister's office.
It wasn't until Umbridge served him a cup of hot cocoa that Fudge held it with both hands and slowly drank it down. The warmth went straight to his stomach, and only then did he feel the tension in his mind ease.
It's so painful!
It's so painful!!!
I must have been out of my mind to choose to let students visit the Ministry of Magic!
As he was secretly grumbling to himself, a sharp, piercing sound suddenly ripped through the air, piercing his eardrums. Startled, he jerked his wrist, spilling the entire cup of cocoa onto his brocade robe.
Before he could even wipe himself, Umbridge burst in, yelling in a panic:
"Mr. Connelly! It's a Level One alert from the Silent One of the Time Hall!"
"All the time converters have disappeared!"
Meanwhile, on the Thestrals, Lockhart, Seamus, and Neville were huddled together, while Hermione sat close to Harry in another carriage, listening to his detailed account of how the two of them traveled back a thousand years to defeat Voldemort and destroy the Horcruxes.
After Harry finished speaking, Hermione, already captivated, grabbed his wrist and said:
"Harry! You must teach me Lady Rowena's magic!"
Harry burst into laughter. "Hey! What are you saying, big sister? If I received any benefits, why would I keep them to myself?"
"Not just you, but all the sisters and brothers of the Boxers need to benefit from this!"
The three chatted and laughed for a while longer, then Hermione suddenly noticed the willow-shaped magic staff in Ron's hand, and frowned in thought:
"Speaking of which, if all those time-tamperes are inside Ron's stick, how were the empty shelves in the Time Hall disguised?"
"When Fudge discovers that all the time-twisters have disappeared, he'll definitely suspect us."
Harry clapped his hands and said, "Big sister, have you forgotten that my Animagus form is actually a primordial ferocious mirage!"
Readers have heard that in the Time Chamber, Harry secretly transformed into a mirage, exhaling a misty aura that turned the empty shelves into a time-twister.
Among them, the jewels shimmered and the dazzling array of treasures made it difficult to distinguish the real from the fake.
He then taught Lockhart and Umbridge to cast a forgetting spell, erasing the truth of her being hit by Ron's club and planting a false one instead.
With the arrangements complete, he specially led Fu Ji to the hall to see the thousands of time converters neatly arranged.
He remained completely unaware of what was happening until the carriages and horses had left the Ministry of Magic. Once they were far away, the illusion naturally dissipated, and even if the Ministry of Magic sensed something amiss, they would never suspect him.
Hermione looked on with envy after hearing this plan, saying, "I wish my Animagus and Ron's could also transform into magical creatures."
As the three chatted and laughed, the Night Steed had already soared over the Black Lake and in the blink of an eye, Hogwarts Castle stood majestically, and the carriage landed steadily in front of the school gate.
As they filed out of the carriage, they saw Dumbledore already standing on the steps, his gaze fixed intently on Harry.
"Mr. Potter, please come to my office."
Hermione heard Dumbledore's name clearly and her heart immediately tightened.
This seems to be the first time Professor Dumbledore has called Harry by his last name.
What happened at the school while we were at the Ministry of Magic?
She couldn't figure it out, and a look of unease appeared on her face.
Seeing this, Harry simply patted her on the shoulder and laughed, "Big sister, don't worry. Come back to your room with me and settle in. I have my own plans."
After saying that, he strode straight to the principal's office.
Once inside, Harry pulled up a chair and sat down with an air of authority.
Dumbledore also sat behind the desk, his fingers interlaced and pressed on the table, and said in a deep voice:
"Ten minutes ago, Connelly messaged me saying that all the time-tamperers in the Department of Mysteries have disappeared."
Harry's eyes widened upon hearing this, and he slammed his hand on the table with a loud thud. "You blind, murderous scoundrel! Are you perhaps suspicious of your grandfather?"
"How could the professor believe such slander!"
Dumbledore remained motionless. "Cornelly hopes I can help him find the missing Time-Turner."
Harry's face contorted as if by magic, and without the slightest hesitation, he burst into laughter again:
"I've long heard that the minister is discerning and incorruptible, not a corrupt official who wrongs innocent people. Such keen insight deserves him to remain in a high position!"
"If you consider yourself a law-abiding citizen, then the Death Eaters shouldn't be allowed into Azkaban."
Dumbledore sighed, rubbing his temples. "Stop playing games with me, Harry. Where did you put the Time-Turner?"
"These tiny creatures, no bigger than the palm of your hand, are extremely dangerous; they could plunge the entire magical world into chaos."
Harry waved his hand dismissively. "Professor, don't worry. I know all the risks involved. I've already found a safe and secure place for that damn Time-Turner!"
Just as Dumbledore was about to ask another question, he saw a cold glint appear in Harry's sleeve, and he tossed something to him.
He picked it up casually, and when he looked closely, his pupils suddenly shrank to the size of pinpoints.
"Slytherin's locket?"
"Where did you get it?"
Harry chuckled and, imitating Lady Chiron, shook his head vigorously like a rattle-drum.
"Not today, not tomorrow—Professor, guess where it is?"
This behavior almost perfectly mimicked Dumbledore's usual cryptic and enigmatic manner.
Dumbledore felt his sun throbbing and sighed:
"Harry, stop teasing this old man. I need your answer to decide how to respond to Cornelius's request."
Seeing his earnestness, Harry stopped his playful expression and recounted in detail his experiences of traveling back a thousand years using the time-turner.
When the last letter landed, Dumbledore froze as if he had been frozen in place, even forgetting to stroke his silver beard.
The idea of altering Fudge's mind takes me back a thousand years to the duel with Voldemort's soul... He actually did so much right under my nose?!
This is a hundred times worse than colluding with Black to capture Peter Pettigrew!
Dumbledore felt dizzy and hurriedly struggled to his feet. He opened the medicine cabinet shakily, grabbed a bottle of potion in each hand, and gulped down seven or eight mouthfuls before his face gradually regained its color.
"...No wonder Cornelius suddenly invited students and teachers to visit the Ministry of Magic..."
"I thought this was just another absurd idea he came up with to consolidate his power."
These words were openly directed at Cornell, but subtly alluded to himself. Harry, already impatient, interrupted:
"Why should the professor bother with these trivial matters! Just destroy this bird-shaped Horcrux, wouldn't that be cleaner?"
Dumbledore frowned, stroking the locket for a long time, then suddenly his expression darkened, and he said, "Do you remember Trelawney's prophecy?"
"You have unleashed a true demon."
"I think I understand what that sentence means now."
"Harry...maybe things really are turning for the worse..."
Seeing the seriousness in his voice, Harry wondered:
"What makes you say that, Professor? Voldemort merely learned some trivial tricks using the Time-Turner; does he even deserve to be called a true demon?"
"If that's the case, then if I, along with Sister Rowena, mastered all those dark magic spells, wouldn't I become the ancestor of all demons?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "Before this happened, no one knew that Voldemort had made any innovations to the Horcruxes."
"He allowed each fragment of the soul to retain its memories upon its return, which made me re-evaluate all my understanding of him."
"Perhaps his choice of those well-known relics as Horcruxes was not out of arrogance, but rather out of hope that someone would destroy the Horcruxes, allowing the fragments of the soul to return with sufficient knowledge."
"Perhaps Voldemort, who murdered your parents more than a decade ago and plunged the entire wizarding world into darkness... was just an incomplete soul."
As soon as Brido finished speaking, the room fell silent.
The portraits of past principals on the wall all stood silently, holding their breath. Fox had long since buried his crimson head deep within his wings, leaving only a few wisps of feathers trembling.
Upon seeing this, Harry's anger flared up. He slammed his fist on the table, making the porcelain and silver dishes vibrate and jingle, and roared:
"Why does the professor diminish his own prestige while boosting the enemy's? Voldemort may have a thousand tricks up his sleeve, but if he simply destroys all the Horcruxes and chops that fellow's true form into mincemeat, even a Great Immortal would be utterly annihilated!"
"Oh... Harry, you didn't understand what I meant..."
Dumbledore slowly rose, then suddenly drew an arc in the air with his wand. The surrounding scenery instantly collapsed, and he was long gone from the headmaster's office.
But what one sees is a barren land stretching for miles, with the north wind whipping up sand. Groups of ape-men, clad in animal skins and wielding stone axes, chase deer with mournful cries and shouts.
Among them was a strong and muscular man who swung a stone spear and pierced the throat of a deer, splattering hot blood all over the ground. The man immediately bowed his head and drank it down.
"Three hundred thousand years ago, Muggles lived a primitive, uncultured life."
"The only thing that makes them superior to animals is their ability to make tools—of course, wizards are the same."
The magic wand spun again, and the scene changed once more. Amidst the crisscrossing fields, farmers drove oxcarts to harvest millet and wheat, bronze plows turning over the black soil.
Three or five feet away, the canal water meandered like a silver snake, and groups of strong men shouted work songs as they built embankments from stones and wood.
"This was ten thousand years ago. Muggles entered the agricultural era, writing began to emerge, and social relations gradually became more complex."
Dumbledore flicked his wand into the air again, and dark clouds loomed over the city, thick smoke billowing in.
A deafening roar filled the air as the steam-powered vehicle lurched forward, its internal combustion engine clanging loudly. Suddenly, a light bulb burst forth, illuminating the surroundings as if it were daytime.
"More than a hundred years ago, Muggles entered the Industrial Age, and their technology advanced rapidly, even surpassing magic in some aspects."
"It's like a telephone; ten thousand owls can't compare."
Before he finished speaking, the world suddenly went dark, and not a single ray of light could be seen.
Before long, a torrential downpour began. Harry looked closely and realized that it wasn't rain, but a torrent of hundreds of shimmering numbers, densely packed like locusts passing by.
"Just a few decades ago, Muggles ushered in a whole new era, which they called the Information Age."
"Look, Harry, these are just numbers. But Muggles have turned them into something called the 'Code Matrix,' which connects all the Muggles in the world."
Having said that, the old headmaster raised his sleeve and waved it, instantly dispelling the illusion. The two men remained standing in the headmaster's office, the portraits on the walls still bearing expressions of astonishment.
Dumbledore turned around and stared directly at Harry.
"It took Muggles 300,000 years to enter the agricultural age and another 10,000 years to enter the industrial age, but they only took a little over 100 years to reach the information age."
"Harry, the magical civilization of wizards is the same. The ancient Greek dark wizard Helbo spent his whole life creating the Basilisk, but now everyone can hatch a Basilisk."
"And you should know that Voldemort had extremely high magical talent; he was a true genius."
Dumbledore had already said everything, so how could Harry not understand?
His pupils suddenly contracted, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. "Professor, could it be that you mean—"
"That's right. What if going back to the past was just an experiment? In reality, Voldemort really wanted to go to the future."
"Do you remember Trelawney's third prophecy?"
"He is everywhere."
Fox had already shrunk into the Sorting Hat, and the portraits of past headmasters on the wall had all disappeared, leaving only desolation.
Seeing Harry remain silent, Dumbledore was about to offer words of comfort when he was suddenly interrupted by Harry's words:
"No problem, I will take care of it myself."
"Let that scoundrel escape to the Qin, Han, Sui, or Tang dynasties, or even a thousand years later. Even if the Three Buddhas descend to earth, I will still split those three golden statues open and string their six ears together for all to see!"
There is evidence to prove it:
The villain roams three lifetimes, while Harry, wielding a knife, is bold and courageous.
No matter how many Horcruxes he possesses, the venom of the snakes will force him to perish.
Dumbledore was very pleased to see Harry speak so confidently.
He laughed and said, "Well, Harry, I underestimated your confidence in defeating Voldemort."
"In that case... I think I probably know how to reply to Connelly."
Harry cupped his hands in a respectful gesture. "If there's nothing else, Professor, I'll take my leave now. I have a matter of utmost importance to attend to!"
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "Not watching rats mating again, is it?"
Harry, without batting an eye, said, "As the saying goes: experts see the details, while laymen just watch the show. I've actually learned a great deal about dual cultivation from these two beasts."
Dumbledore paused for a moment, then chuckled, tossing the locket back to Harry without saying another word.
After leaving the headmaster's office, Harry hurried straight to the underground classrooms.
Finding an empty room and seeing that no one was around, they slipped inside.
After locking the door, closing the curtain, and casting a shielding spell, Harry finally retrieved the Salazar drawing paper.
The manuscript unfolded with a "whoosh," and Salazar's eyes snapped open, meeting Harry's gaze—a true clash of titans.
Salazar looked around and, seeing that he was in an underground classroom, knew that he had returned to a thousand years in the future.
Just as he was about to speak, Harry roared and interrupted him.
"That bald bastard! All he does every day is chant about the law of equilibrium. I thought it was related to the heavens, but it turns out he's such a coward, afraid of getting even the slightest bit of karma!"
Salazar frowned upon hearing this, scrutinized Harry, and a hint of disgust appeared on his lips.
"You met Rowena? Did she tell you that?"
Harry scoffed, "If my sister hadn't pointed it out, I'd still be completely in the dark!"
Salazar smirked. "Ha, naive."
"Do you know how I died? I died peacefully in my sleep, with a smile on my face, and my descendants were by my side."
"Where is Rowena? She lies sickly in bed, her daughter stole the crown she painstakingly crafted, and she can't even see Helena one last time."
"Of course, in the end, my daughter was killed by my mentally challenged apprentice."
"This is the consequence of neglecting the law of equilibrium."
Harry crossed his arms, refusing to believe it. "If you claim to be uninvolved in cause and effect, how come your mind is completely barren?"
Although Salazar noodles remained expressionless, several veins bulged on the top of his head.
"How do you think I lost my hair? It's because I didn't take the law of equilibrium seriously."
"Take out my locket."
Harry did as he was told, taking the locket and throwing it away.
Salazar closed his eyes and muttered incantations for a long time. Then, the inscriptions on the locket faded, revealing several divination symbols.
Immediately afterward, with a "click," a crack appeared in the box in the center of the pendant.
Harry saw the divination stick, his whole body trembled, his blue eyes widened, and he exclaimed, "Damn it! This thing really belongs to my brother?!"
Salazar ignored him, a smirk playing on his lips. "Surprised? Unexpected?"
"Ah, let me think... there's a spot inside the box lid..."
He cleared his throat and spoke in Middle Chinese:
"A blessed land."
(End of this chapter)