Maybe.
It was already approaching early morning.
Forbidden Forest's morning always comes later than other places. The dense tree canopy blocks out all the moonlight, leaving only bottomless darkness.
This place was once the relic of a battle. The aftermath of magic once made the land black and barren, but now, those traces of destruction are being quietly covered by new vines and greenery.
Yes, those plants that were destroyed due to the previous battle have regrown under the influence of the strange realm, and the tender green vines are wrapped around the new trunks of the ancient trees as if they are fresh.
It just looks so distorted and unreal.
There was still an anxious atmosphere in the air, reminding that something unusual had happened here. Hermione seemed to be very cold in front of him, so Dumbledore took action to create a bonfire. It may be regarded as the most real thing in this place - Albus. Dumbledore, the greatest white wizard of this century, always has some magical magic.
far away.
The wind rustled the leaves.
As if whispering a secret that is about to be revealed. Bronze Gate stands in the center of the halo, with the mottled runes on its surface flickering in the twilight, like the scales of a sleeping giant.
"This is really weird."
Albus. Dumbledore's long silver hair and beard glowed faintly in the darkness. The tip of his wand pressed against a complex rune on the door as if to confirm.
The runes flickered with his touch, like a struggling star that refused to be extinguished. In this scene, both Hermione and Snape felt as if they had touched the blind spot of knowledge. Of course, compared to Hermione, Snape was slightly more knowledgeable, and he could probably guess what problems Dumbledore might have encountered.
This is indeed the case.
Only seen.
Dumbledore frowned.
He is using magic to try to find out the correct operating sequence of this bronze gate.
Nothing more.
Immediately afterwards, the tip of the old man's wand hung above the Bronze Gate rune, and the silver-white magic thread spread like a spider web, but suddenly dissipated when it touched a certain symbol.
Obviously.
This is a failure.
The level of complexity that can piece together hundreds of millions or even tens of billions of possibilities is not something that can be tried out by elimination method, not to mention that Ancient Runes of this door can actually piece together many kinds of effects.
In the opinion of Dumbledore.
This design may be some way to prevent reverse cracking.
Because of this.
A little careless.
If there are some unpredictable effects, no one knows what kind of disaster it will cause. Such a situation even makes Dumbledore a little afraid and can only conduct experiments cautiously. It is not that he has not researched anything, at least it is clearer than his previous understanding, but it is not clear enough.
"Not yet." Dumbledore's sigh frightened the night owl from the treetops. He pushed Half-moon Spectacles, and the blue eyes behind the lenses reflected the dim light of the runes that were gradually extinguished first.
"The arrangement of these alchemy arrays is older than I thought. Well, this door is also stranger and more dangerous than we imagined."
He did see something, but there was still confusion lingering in his whereabouts. There was no way, there was too much Ancient Runes on it, and he could only find sporadic information in his collection of books.
"Um..."
Hermione·Granger stood aside quietly. Since Snape's last stern warning, she no longer approached the pile of ancient books, but her eyes still glanced at Dumbledore's rickety back from time to time.
Her fingers twisted the corner of her robe uneasily. She had no choice but to force herself not to be curious about the taboo knowledge, but worry clutched her heart tightly like an invisible hand.
Ian seems to have really entered the door, without any news or signs. How can this not make the little witch worry about the lives of her classmates?
"You are unnervingly quiet, Miss Granger." Severus·Snape suddenly spoke, his voice less mean and more thoughtful than usual.
"Usually you have enough questions to give Troll a headache."
Of course.
He still has to make some mockery of the students in the academy who he hates.
"I..."
Hermione raised her head and met Snape's dark eyes. To her surprise, there was no sarcasm in them like before, but instead there was a trace of emotion that she couldn't understand.
"I was just wondering if Ian might need help."
She answered softly, her voice appearing particularly clear in the silence Forbidden Forest.
The corners of Snape's mouth twisted into an expression that resembled a smile, "Is caring about friends a virtue of Gryffindor, or is it stupidity? I can't tell the difference between the two in you."
Although his words were harsh, his tone of voice slowed down unconsciously.
And just at this time
Dumbledore sighed suddenly, and the tiredness in his voice made both of them turn to look at him at the same time. The old wizard slowly stood up, his robes were stained with mud and dead leaves, but he didn't seem to care.
"This alchemical creation took too long to make... It does not belong to any magic system that we are familiar with. Even with the knowledge I have collected over the years, it is difficult to see its true appearance."
Dumbledore slowly raised his head, a trace of helplessness flashed in his eyes. Indeed, rich knowledge does not mean omniscience and omnipotence, and although the collection of books is large, it does not cover all the knowledge from ancient to modern times.
In the face of multiple systems that were ravaged together, built like a hodgepodge, but strangely did not collapse as a result, even Albus. Dumbledore's cognition found it incredible.
"How is this possible!" Snape frowned, like a bat smelling a dangerous smell. "Even you can't figure it out, who can? Nick·Flamel?"
There was a bit of worry and uncertainty in his eyes. To be honest, the powerlessness shown by Dumbledore at the beginning made the Hogwarts Professor Potions Class feel incredible.
I thought that Albus. Dumbledore would be able to solve the puzzle after working hard. However, I never thought that even after waiting for so long, Albus. Dumbledore still could not solve the problem.
The greatest white wizard of this century seemed to be truly stumped - Snape never thought before that he would one day encounter something that Dumbledore was helpless to do.
As if in a dream.
But it is indeed true.
After all, Snape has pinched himself to verify this - of course, it does not rule out that there are real dreams in this world. After all, the magical world is full of wonders. Snape can also prepare Potions that allows people to experience real dreams. However, because of this, he knows that the current situation is definitely not like that.
There are real problems.
It made Dumbledore feel powerless.
"I guess he can't either."
Dumbledore shook his head, and the blue eyes behind Half-moon Spectacles flashed with helplessness. "Nick's attainments in Alchemy are indeed unique in the world, but..." He paused and stroked a dent on the door with his finger, "Even my old friend, I'm afraid he can't know the missing knowledge system."
"Some magic has disappeared forever with their creators in the long river of time." Obviously, the disappearing magic Dumbledore mentioned is the magic on the bronze door.
"This..."
Snape's expression changes.
A gust of wind blew through Forbidden Forest, and the leaves rustled, as if in response to the old wizard's words.
"Then what should we do?"
Hermione suddenly felt a chill crawling up his spine - if even Dumbledore and Nick·Flamel couldn't understand this door, then would Ian really be as evil as Elphias Doge?
"It's not like I didn't find anything."
Dumbledore seemed to sense the little witch's emotions and spoke to comfort her.
"What do you mean? What did the principal find out?"
"This door is not a simple space passage, Hermione. It has a screening mechanism. Only those who are truly qualified can let it play its true role."
The old principal sighed softly and took the trouble to answer Hermione's question.
"What to screen for?" Hermione asked.
"Soul." Dumbledore frowned, his eyes flashed with an elusive emotion when the word was mentioned, "Only a specific soul can make it play a real role."
"And unqualified souls are very likely to fall into it and become part of those who are abandoned." The old principal did see a lot from the scattered knowledge. As he said before, this door has a variety of ability triggering mechanisms, one of which is the ability he is talking about now.
"Like the evil Dumbledore we met before?"
Snape couldn't help but ask.
"No, that is a part of being abandoned by fate, but people who try to enter are different. People who try to enter take the initiative to move from right to wrong."
Dumbledore shook his head in response.
I don't mind Snape calling himself evil.
"Is it like Ian?" Hermione felt a sense of powerlessness. She looked at Bronze Gate again, and in her mind, she recalled the time when Bronze Gate was still operating.
As if.
Those twisted faces seemed to be screaming at her, but she couldn't hear any sounds. A terrifying imagination took shape in her mind - Ian was trapped in some dark space.
And her soul was being torn apart by invisible forces... How pitiful and terrifying. It must be said that the little witch still has enough imagination. No wonder she will become a good enough witch in the future.
For wizards.
Imagination is indeed important enough.
At least this is the theory summarized by Ian.
The air is somewhat silent.
Dumbledore also did not respond.
After his expression changed for a moment, Snape's voice broke the silence, "It's up to Ian's own life, right? I knew that kid would kill him sooner or later."
Although the tone was annoyed.
But there is more of a hidden worry and sadness.
"Ian just made his own choice, or in other words, fate made him make the choice." Dumbledore sighed, "Just like each of us is responsible for our own choices."
"Actually, right now, we can't make a conclusion as to what wrong fate Ian has fallen into." Dumbledore turned to the bronze door, and the wrinkles on his face appeared deeper under the dim light of the wand. "Although I don't fully understand its function, I don't have any clues."
He raised Elder Wand and drew a complicated trajectory in the air, "I know how to activate it. Maybe. I can try to go in and look for Ian."
"If we are lucky enough, both of us can come back." Obviously, Dumbledore still has to try to save Ian. After all, the importance of Ian to him goes without saying.
Regarding this.
Snape is a little suspicious.
He had really never seen the old principal value someone so highly.
Even Harry. Potter.
Snape all know that Dumbledore will abandon that child if necessary - but here at Ian, it seems that Dumbledore is often different from the old principal he knows.
Snape's dark eyes glanced back and forth between Dumbledore and Bronze Gate.
His brows were furrowed.
He really couldn't recognize it and thought that the rumors in the academy were not true, right? Compared to Potions Professor who thought too much, Hermione just felt his heart skip a beat.
"But what if you're not lucky enough?"
She really couldn't control herself from thinking too much.
"Not lucky enough?"
Dumbledore looked at her, blue eyes shining mysteriously behind the lenses. "Ian will come back. I believe in him, he has enough ability and courage to face everything."
Hermione was stunned by this nonsensical answer.
Hermione couldn't understand the meaning of Dumbledore's words. She frowned and wanted to ask something more, but she swallowed the words again.
In the end, she just opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say. There was something in the old principal's tone that she couldn't understand - not hope, not Prophecy, but an almost certain promise?
Regarding this.
Snape became more and more shocked and suspicious.
However, even if he thinks so in his heart, Snape still feels that Dumbledore should take the overall situation into consideration. The world still needs Dumbledore, he is like a lighthouse guiding everyone forward.
The threat of Voldemort still hangs over the wizarding world like a haze.
Hmm.
At least this is still the case in the eyes of most wizards. After all, only a few people in this world understand what Voldemort has become.
"You know, Albus, you need to live, you need to live in this world, you know..." Snape said in a deep voice, but he couldn't understand what he said because there was a little wizard beside him.
In this regard,
Dumbledore just smiled slightly and did not answer the question. He adjusted his robe and moved calmly as if he was preparing for an afternoon tea party.
"This world has never needed anyone. Everyone has their own mission and value, and I will not take risks blindly. Of course, I am not someone who seeks death. I have a certain degree of certainty, so... wish me good luck." Dumbledore interrupted him gently, but his eyes sparkled with unquestionable light.
The authority of the old principal still exists.
So.
Although there were still dissatisfaction and rebuttals in his heart, he felt that Dumbledore was too reckless, but after his expression changed, Snape still chose to shut up and remain silent.
After some mental struggle.
"Good luck to you."
Snape sighed and spoke.
Based on emotion and reason.
In fact, he also has selfish motives.
After all, Ian is his nephew.
Of course, being able to rescue Ian is something he would like to see.
Just hope.
Everything can develop in a good direction.
(End of chapter)