Professor Babbling gave a few words of advice, then turned and went to the training ground to prepare the Thestral carriage for the trip.
Draco and Hermione were left to handle the arrangements for returning home.
The two walked quickly to the Owlery, each picked up a pen to write a letter home, informing their families that they would be staying at school for Christmas and would not be going home for the holiday.
After writing the letter, Draco had already prepared two sets of custom-made adventure suits, which the two of them changed into.
When the two arrived at the training ground again, Professor Babbling was already waiting there with her Thestral carriage.
Professor Babbling, seeing them approach in their well-fitting adventure suits, smiled and couldn't help but speak:
"You two little rascals are well-prepared, you even have special adventure suits ready."
Hermione blushed slightly upon hearing this, and subconsciously glanced at Draco beside her, explaining softly, " Draco prepared this in advance; he thought it through very well."
"When going on an adventure, you naturally need to be well-prepared. Magic-resistant and durable materials will give you peace of mind, even in the ruins of the highlands."
Professor Babbling smiled and shook her head, then reached out and opened the carriage door. "Alright, get in, we should be going."
The morning sunlight shone through the clouds, bathing Hogwarts Castle in a warm golden glow.
The three boarded the Thestral carriage one after another. Draco kindly helped Hermione, and then the carriage door slowly closed.
The Thestral galloped forward, its hooves pounding the air, carrying the carriage smoothly into the sky, the wind seeping in through the cracks in the windows.
Peeking out the window, the view from above was breathtaking, with the rolling Scottish Highlands stretching out below.
Dark green forests intertwine with withered yellow meadows, and a winding river meanders through them like a silver ribbon. In the distance, mountains are covered with a thin layer of morning snow, shimmering in the sunlight.
White clouds drifted by, and it felt as if you could reach out and touch the soft, fluffy clouds. The rising sun gradually painted the sky with a warm orange and pale purple hue.
Even the birds flying by become lively embellishments in the sky; the vastness of heaven and earth is all within sight.
As the carriage flew smoothly, the three of them naturally began to talk about their adventure.
"Professor, is there anything unusual about that Ancient Magic key in your hand, besides resembling the Gringotts vault key?"
Hermione asked curiously.
Professor Babbling took the box out of her bag, carefully opened it, revealing an ancient key inside:
"The runes on this key match the stone carvings I saw in the ruins."
"Moreover, it carries a faint Ancient Magic, making it far more than just an ordinary vault key. Perhaps that ruin is related to an ancient wizard's secret treasure from a thousand years ago."
When did you begin studying Ancient Magic?
"Draco asked, leaning back against the soft cushions of the carriage, his gaze fixed on the box."
Mentioning this, Professor Babbling's eyes lit up with nostalgia. "From the moment I Hogwarts, I was fascinated by Ancient Runes and Ancient Magic."
"Those ancient wizarding civilizations, with their obscure magical runes, hold too many unknown secrets."
"After graduation, I traveled around, exploring ancient wizarding sites. I stumbled upon this ruin in the Scottish Highlands last year, but I couldn't unlock its core secrets until I found this box."
"Could there be Ancient Magic protective spells in those ruins?" Draco asked, having already considered the potential dangers of the expedition.
"Very likely," Professor Babbling nodded. "I've explored the perimeter of the ruins; there's a faint magical barrier, probably a protective barrier set up by ancient wizards."
"However, with the help of you two little ones, and the key we have, we should be able to break the barrier smoothly."
"Moreover, Miss Granger is an expert in deciphering Ancient Runes spells."
Hearing this, Hermione felt a little guilty and quickly waved her hand, "I only know a little bit, and I still need to ask the professor for more guidance."
"By the way, Professor, do you have the exact coordinates of that ruin in the Scottish Highlands?" Draco asked.
Upon hearing this, Professor Babbling immediately recited a series of precise magical coordinates. "It's 5 degrees 32 minutes west longitude and 57 degrees 58 minutes north latitude. The ruins are hidden on the coast of a highland canyon."
Just as Draco was about to reply, his brow twitched suddenly, and a dangerous aura, carrying a metallic scent, pressed down upon him.
This caused all his muscles to tense instantly, and he instinctively pulled Hermione closer to his side.
Sudden...
The thick clouds overhead were violently torn apart by a violent force, a gale suddenly rose, and a mournful howl of the wind, along with a deafening roar of a dragon, resounded through the sky.
A colossal, jet-black dragon slowly emerged from the center of the storm, its massive body almost obscuring the entire sun.
Its jet-black scales were like iron, gleaming with a cold, sharp light. When its wings were spread, they blotted out the sky, and the veins between its membranes bulged out.
The dragon's head was sharply defined, like a demonized stone sculpture, and its eyes revealed two balls of scarlet killing intent that were sunk in endless darkness. Its gaze was fixed on the three people in the carriage.
Before anyone could react, the dragon's enormous claw slammed down with the force of tearing through the air.
With a crisp "crack," the sturdy Thestral carriage was instantly split in two!
Professor Babbling's carriage in the front half was being held tightly by the frightened Thestral, barely maintaining a flying posture.
Meanwhile, the rear carriage where Draco and Hermione were instantly lost balance and plummeted downwards.
" Draco!" Hermione cried out, her body sliding uncontrollably toward the outside of the carriage. In her panic, she reached out to grab something, but could only touch the cold wooden planks of the carriage.
Draco's eyes were extremely calm, and his reaction was astonishingly fast. He quickly raised his hand to grab Hermione's wrist, and with his other hand, he gripped the support frame at the broken part of the carriage tightly.
With a sudden burst of strength from his waist and abdomen, he pulled Hermione back into his arms, reassuring her in a deep voice, "Don't be afraid, hold on tight to me!"
On the other side, Professor Babbling's expression suddenly changed drastically, and she gripped the handrail of the carriage tightly.
His previously gentle expression was replaced by solemnity as he stared at the fallen half of the train car, his eyes filled with anxiety and worry.
She tried to help but was dragged along by the frightened Thestral, so she could only shout sharply, "Hold on tight! Don't let go!"
Before the words were even finished, the black dragon in the sky locked onto Draco and Hermione as they fell, its crimson eyes flashing with ferocity.
His chest bulged, and scorching dragon breath instantly condensed, about to be spewed towards the carriage where the two were.
Professor Babbling stared at the surging flames, her heart clenching suddenly. She screamed in an attempt to warn them, but the wind muffled her voice, and despair appeared on her face.
However, Draco had already sensed the deadly danger once again, and he knew that there was no time to fight the dragon.
Without hesitation, he picked up Hermione, looked up at Professor Babbling, and shouted with all his might, "Professor, see you on the Highlands!"