"Follower VIII"

The Mediterranean coastline was full of excellent diving spots. Unlike the colorful Great Barrier Reef, overfishing had made it difficult for large fish to survive here. And since it had been a trade hub since ancient times, the seabed was littered with shipwrecks.

As a tourist attraction, it was featured in quite a few travel magazines for promotional photographs. There was a copy on the secretary-general's desk.

In the azure, chilly seawater, a silver-white "mermaid" swam freely.

It was not a real Mermaid, but a young girl in a one-piece swimsuit. The crystal-clear water offered excellent visibility, and the seabed was rich with underwater life, shipwrecks, and other sights.

"After visiting so many Catholic churches, which one did you like best, tourist?" the secretary-general asked, discreetly tucking the magazine beneath a pile of documents.

"I haven't visited many." Snape smiled. "I'm an unwelcome guest."

"How many days have you been in Italy? You haven't been to Rome?"

"I've been staying in Venice. It's an interesting city."

"I think you'd better not go to Rome for the time being," the secretary-general said.

"What do you mean?" Snape asked.

"Have you heard of Nero?"

"Of course not." Snape's reply was dripping with sarcasm. "I'm just a wizard who knows how to recite spells and curse people."

The secretary-general held himself back and forced a smile. "In 1099, when the Crusaders captured Jerusalem on July fifteenth, many people claimed that two days later, on July seventeenth, they saw towering flames enveloping all of Rome—just like the fire Nero set on July seventeenth, 64 AD, to expand his palace. Pope Urban II was critically ill at the time, just as things are now. So, to save us both some trouble, could you please stop running around?"

Snape curled his lips into a malicious smile.