Bocca took Severus and Apparated to Saint Luke Palace.
The once-luxurious palace, once as famous as Versailles, now had only its gardens left. Years of neglect had left them looking rather desolate.
Bocca snapped its fingers at a large dry fountain. Water began pouring from the bottle in a maiden's hands, gradually forming a pool. Yet the surface reflected not the scenery of this world.
"Snape!"
Just as Severus was about to step into the pool, he heard Gong Saiyi's voice.
He stopped and took out the crystal ball used for communication.
"Where are you?" Perhaps it was Gong Saiyi's first time using such a thing; only his eyes could be seen in the crystal ball.
"Saint Luke Palace," Severus said.
"Why aren't you coming to the Tuileries Palace?"
"She isn't there. Going would be useless." Severus aimed the crystal ball at Bocca, and it shrank timidly to one side. "This House-elf can open and close the passage. Its master ordered it to take the map back."
"So we guessed right? He really is looking for Set-Maat?"
"His body can barely hold on any longer." Severus smiled mockingly. "A Muggle actually cares about the survival of wizards."
"Wait for me. I'll be right there!" Gong Saiyi said.
"No, help me find the map," Severus said. "He has already searched all the places worth searching. Now we'll look where he hasn't."
"I can help," Champollion said. "I'm the one managing the materials concerning Egypt."
"You heard that." Severus addressed the House-elf. "There's no point in you continuing to follow me. You'd best go to the Louvre Museum now."
"My master's master said that if Bocca followed a stranger, Bocca had to obey that person's orders," Bocca said timidly, its bat-like ears drooping.
"Suit yourself." Severus turned his attention back to the