The hall is perfectly circular with a high, lofty dome.
The most striking features are the walls and floor of the hall: four tall, pointed mirrors reflecting everything inside.
The ground beneath the platform they were standing on was also an enormous circular mirror!
Hermione's eyes were filled with shock.
"This... is all mirrors?" she whispered, her voice echoing slightly in the empty hall of mirrors.
On the left and right sides of the platform, symmetrical curved staircases meander downwards, leading to the huge circular mirrored floor at the bottom.
The two slowly descended the double helix staircases on either side, arriving at the very center of the giant round mirror beneath their feet.
Standing in the very center of the circular mirror, they gently rotated their bodies to survey their surroundings in a 360-degree view.
As they turn,
The surrounding scenery seemed to undergo a strange displacement and recombination in the mirror, with countless lights and shadows intertwining and flowing in my eyes.
"This place... is so peculiar, and rather eerie," Hermione commented, stopping her spinning. "It doesn't feel like a simple tomb or treasure trove; it's more like... a testing ground, or an observation room."
"These mirrors are definitely more than just decorations." Her academic thinking and adventurous intuition simultaneously sounded the alarm.
Draco and Hermione walked side by side to the center of the hall, gazing silently at the four towering, pointed mirrors.
Suddenly, as if in response to their arrival, the four mirrored surfaces, which had been as calm as still water, were simultaneously activated from within by a surge of Ancient Magic energy!
The blue light flowed like a boiling lake bottom, churning and converging violently deep within the mirror-like surface.
Immediately afterwards, the light on the third mirror, which was directly opposite the door they had entered through, suddenly contracted and concentrated inward.
As the light slowly spread, a weathered yet majestic figure gradually emerged from the depths of the third mirror.
He did not step out of the mirror, but stood within it, as if he had stepped into the light from a thousand years of time.
The images and memories they had seen in the Pensieve instantly overlapped, and the two recognized him: Percival Rackham, one of the legendary Keepers of Ancient Magic.
Both were startled, quickly exchanging a surprised glance. They had anticipated encountering traps, guardian beasts, or even evil spirits, but they never expected to see the "image" of a legendary wizard who had long since passed away in this way.
"Finally... after a long silence, someone has finally found our Map Chamber."
Rackham's aged voice echoed in the hall, carrying a sense of relief and satisfaction.
Hermione's eyes widened immediately, and she said with a mixture of excitement and respect, "It really is you, Mr. Rackham."
Rackham nodded, his gaze lingering on them for a moment, seemingly surprised. "I didn't expect the explorers who came here to be so... young."
His gaze lingered on Draco for a moment longer, as if he had sensed something.
"After all, geniuses are never ranked by age." Draco didn't seem flustered by this ancient sage's "evaluation," but responded with a slightly teasing tone.
Rackham in the mirror seemed to twitch the corner of his mouth slightly, as if amused by the novel and bold answer, or perhaps it was just a subtle expression inherent in his image.
Instead of directly judging Draco's words, he steered the conversation to the heart of the matter. "Since you're standing here, it must be no accident. Please place the book you're holding on the pedestal of the platform in front of you."
He raised his hand and pointed to the stone platform where the two of them had just entered.
As he spoke, a faint golden light suddenly shone from the stone base on the platform they had entered from, a previously inconspicuous stone base.
Draco said no more, took out the thick book of Ancient Magic heritage from his System Space, and lightly raised his wrist:
" Depulso!"
The ancient book flew smoothly up, cleared the railing, and landed precisely on the base that emitted a pale golden light.
The moment they made contact, the golden light on the base shone brightly!
The light was not static, but transformed into active streams of light that meandered down the stone patterns of the base, flowed over the railings connecting the platform, and spread rapidly like golden vines to the edge of the huge circular mirror beneath their feet.
The circular mirror beneath their feet was fully activated. It was no longer a still image as smooth as solidified mercury, but instantly transformed into a miniature three-dimensional world.
The rolling mountains of the Scottish Highlands, the winding river valleys, the vast Forbidden Forest, the Hogsmeade with its wisps of smoke rising from its chimneys, and the majestic Hogwarts Castle...
All the landmarks are rendered with exquisite detail on the mirror surface.
The mountains have undulating ridges, the valleys have flowing light simulating water, and the outlines of the trees in the Forbidden Forest are faintly discernible.
The towers, bridges, windows, and even the traces of cloud movement in Hogwarts Castle have been perfectly replicated.
Hermione stood there, staring blankly at the magical map slowly unfolding beneath her feet, completely stunned and speechless.
She crouched down to examine the flowing scene beneath her feet, exclaiming excitedly, " Merlin... this is incredible!"
"This is not a simple magic map... this is a 3D projection and real-time simulation of real geography using magical energy!"
"And we can even see... traces of energy flow?"
What exquisite magical craftsmanship and profound understanding of the magical pathways of this land that this requires! It's simply... a miracle of magical mapping and energy science!
As a top student, Hermione was completely captivated by this ancient creation that combined extremely high magical skills with practicality.
A thought suddenly flashed through Draco's mind. He looked up in surprise at Hermione: "Honey, do you think we're in the sky above Hogwarts?" The idea was both absurd and seemed to explain this strange perspective.
"That can't be possible!" Hermione also snapped out of her shock, but as she straightened up, she exclaimed:
"Although the scene is very similar, it's more like... an extremely sophisticated technique of spatial folding and magical projection."
"This is the power of magic." A profound smile appeared on Rackham's face.
"It can not only alter matter, but also reveal truth, connecting space and perception. What you see is a reflection of the magical nature of this land."
The two turned around and focused again on Rackham's portrait in the mirror, wanting to hear his explanation.
Rackham continued:
"This place, known as the ' Map Chamber,' was created by the four of us, the Keepers of Ancient Magic."
"We have each established a trial in different corners of the magical world, with the aim of waiting for... Ancient Magic successor who may appear in future generations and is worthy of guidance."
This map will show you the precise location of all the trials. These trials are not just tests, but will also bring you invaluable knowledge that can change your life.
"Honey, when I'm invincible, I'll protect you." Draco's words carried a touch of youthful pride.
Hermione's cheeks flushed, and she was about to gently scold him, "Don't talk nonsense," when Rackham's reflection in the mirror suddenly dimmed.