Meeting Allies

August 13, Paris, France, Montmartre.

On a rarely traveled staircase, a platinum-haired boy suddenly appeared. This was a magical staircase that overlapped two utterly different worlds: wizard and Muggle. Ordinarily, there was nothing remarkable about it, but when a wizard stepped onto it, the staircase sensed the fluctuations of magic within them and revealed its secret.

At the center of the staircase, a statue of the goddess Pythia sat elegantly atop its pedestal, gently stroking a stone scroll in her hands as though softly chanting some mysterious prophecy.

The instant Skylar approached the statue, Pythia slowly raised her head. A spark of life seemed to shine from her stone eyes. Then, her previously motionless legs softly parted from the base, revealing a passageway as deep and dark as obsidian. Skylar stepped inside without hesitation. Behind him, the statue immediately returned to its original position, concealing the secret entrance once more.

After passing through the brief magical passage, a warm, faintly sweet breeze rushed toward him. Skylar lightly stepped onto the cobblestone street, and before his eyes lay the busiest commercial center of the French wizarding world—Place Cachée.

Unlike the ancient, shabby feel of Diagon Alley, this place was filled with the splendor and refinement of French style. The buildings on both sides of the street stood tall and elegant, their carved windowsills and gold-inlaid signs exuding an aristocratic air beneath the dim magical lights.

The air was filled with the scent of freshly baked butter croissants from the bakeries, mingling with the spicy herbal aroma unique to Potions shops. The wizards walking the streets were impeccably dressed, conversing softly in French. From time to time, someone paused before an upscale wand shop or magical perfume store to admire the luxurious wares displayed in the windows.

Skylar strolled leisurely onward, his