The rubble in front of them was piled up haphazardly, and the ice wall was hard and smooth, completely blocking the way to the fortress.
"Strange, the road was clear when I came last time, but it's completely blocked this time."
"It must be due to the harsh weather in the highlands recently, coupled with the unusual magical activity at the ruins, that's why it's like this."
Professor Babbling frowned at the obstacle before her, then turned to Draco and Hermione. "Come on, this is a good test for you. Try using magic to clear a path."
Hermione gripped her wand tightly, stepped forward, aimed it at the pile of rubble, and crisply uttered the spell. " Reducto!"
A pink light shot out from the tip of the wand.
The spell struck the pile of rubble precisely, instantly shattering the jumbled stones into fine grains of sand that fell to the ground, clearing away the rubble obstacles in the way.
" Reparo!" Draco chanted, waving his wand.
The thick ice wall slowly disintegrated along its texture, turning into tiny ice crystals and dissipating. The ice wall blocking the road completely disappeared, and the originally rugged path became clear again.
Professor Babbling watched their efficient movements and nodded in satisfaction. "Well done."
"As a qualified wizard, when faced with difficulties, one should immediately recall the appropriate magic to solve the problem and cast the spell precisely, rather than panicking and becoming helpless."
She looked at the two of them and commented on each of them:
" Hermione, your adaptability is excellent; you can quickly select the most suitable shredding magic to clear obstacles."
" Draco didn't just launch a direct attack; instead, he used healing magic to dissolve the ice wall, conserving mana and avoiding damage to the surrounding ruins. Your teamwork was excellent."
After traversing the rubble area, the three arrived at the edge of a steep cliff, below which the waves surged in a bottomless abyss.
The wind howled and swept past, and across the way stood the main structure of the medieval wizard's fortress.
Broken stone steps remain on both sides of the cliff, indicating that a stone bridge originally spanned the two banks.
But at this moment, the middle of the bridge has completely broken, leaving only bare, broken steps hanging in mid-air, making it impossible to pass through.
"That's strange." Professor Babbling stared at the broken stone bridge in bewilderment. "When I last came to investigate, I clearly Reparo, making it sturdy and solid."
"The pile of rubble could be explained by the weather, but the fact that the stone bridge broke again in such a short time is really illogical."
Hermionesi pondered for a moment before speaking, "Could it be that other wizards have been here and deliberately damaged the stone bridge?"
"Firstly, I didn't want Muggle to accidentally wander in, and secondly, I probably didn't want others to discover the secrets of these ruins."
"At this point, it seems to be the only explanation." Professor Babbling nodded gently.
"However, this is an abandoned ancient ruin, so it's understandable that other wizards would come here to take risks."
After saying that, she turned to Draco and Hermione, a mocking smile in her eyes, "Now that the bridge is broken, you two think of a way to get across?"
Having just experienced clearing away the rubble and ice wall, the two almost simultaneously thought of Reparo.
Hermione quickly frowned and said softly, "This stone bridge project is too massive; I'm afraid our combined magic won't be enough to fully restore it."
"What are you afraid of? Let's give it a try, we're husband and wife..."
"Shut up, Draco!" Before she could finish speaking, Hermione blushed and glared at him fiercely, then whispered a rebuke.
Professor Babbling watched the interaction between the two with a knowing smile on her lips, quietly waiting for them to cast their spell.
Draco's smile faded. He exchanged a glance with Hermione, and the two simultaneously raised their wands, aimed them at the broken stone bridge, and chanted in unison, " Reparo!"
Two beams of magical energy burst forth from the tip of the wand, intertwining and landing on the broken bridge.
The next second, a miraculous scene unfolded!
The broken stones seemed to be guided by an invisible hand, slowly rising from the bottom of the cliff and precisely piecing themselves together at the gap.
The shattered stone surface slowly mended itself, and the fine cracks were filled with flowing magical light.
The rough stones have become solid and smooth again.
In just a few seconds, the entire bluish-gray stone bridge was completely restored to its original state, firmly spanning the cliff face, with clear stone patterns, as solid as if it had never broken.
"As expected, their minds are in sync and their magic is perfectly aligned. With such cooperation, even such a large-scale restoration project can be completed with ease."
Professor Babbling chuckled and joked.
Hermione's cheeks flushed instantly, and she quickly lowered her head, explaining in a low voice, "It's mainly because Draco's magic is more powerful; I just lent a hand."
The three of them stepped onto the stone bridge one by one.
Hermione glanced down instinctively. The valley was deep and dark, the sound of the waves crashing was deafening, and the wind seemed to blow away a person, making her heart tremble.
Draco took her hand and led her step by step across the stone bridge, putting Hermione at ease.
After crossing the bridge, you will arrive at the upper platform of the fortress.
The view suddenly opened up, revealing the entire Scottish Highlands ' coastal scenery. In the distance, clouds surged, the sea and sky blended into one, and the dilapidated fortress walls looked even more weathered in the sea breeze.
The three walked along the weathered stone corridor.
The walls of the corridor are covered with ancient murals, the paint of which has faded but is still clearly visible.
It depicts an ancient wizard in a long robe wielding a magic wand, surrounded by dazzling magical patterns. In addition, a giant dragon spreads its wings and circles, standing side by side with the wizard, along with countless obscure and mysterious symbols.
"These are records left by Keepers of Ancient Magic," Professor Babbling explained to the two, pausing before the mural.
"They possessed Ancient Magic, and with this powerful force, they once resisted the forces of darkness and protected the entire wizarding world."
She suddenly turned to the two of them, smiling as she asked, "Do you know what the most commonly used and practical magic is when exploring and investigating mysteries?"
"It Specialis Revelio! It exposes hidden magical traces and mechanisms," Hermione blurted out.
"Absolutely correct." Professor Babbling nodded in affirmation, then looked at Draco.
" Draco, use your Specialis Revelio to see if there are any hidden Ancient Magic markings around here."
Draco stepped forward, raised his wand, and whispered the incantation into the empty hall, " Specialis Revelio!"
A white magical aura swept across the surroundings, but the stone walls, the ground, and the broken pillars remained unchanged.
He then turned and cast a spell on a stone statue on his left. Again, nothing unusual happened. After the magical aura dissipated, the statue remained in its ancient and dilapidated state.
"This way." Professor Babbling beckoned to the two of them and walked down the narrow corridor next to the statue.
Draco and Hermione immediately followed.
The corridor was short, ending at a stone wall shaped like an archway, its surface engraved with intricate patterns that were exactly the same shape as the Ancient Magic key.
"Try this," Professor Babbling gestured for Draco to cast a spell on the wall. Hermione, curious, also raised her wand and preemptively recited the spell to instantly reveal her Specialis Revelio.