There, the light converged, forming a familiar scene: a giant Pensieve was placed there.
Behind the Pensieve, a huge stone statue still lay prostrate. This time, the statue's face was clearly recognizable as Professor Fitzgerald himself.
Draco then realized what was happening.
The statue in the second trial was probably Rookwood himself, though he didn't see it clearly at the time.
"Let's talk as we walk," Professor Fitzgerald said as she walked with Draco toward the Pensieve, revealing the true meaning of the trial.
Where there is light, there is darkness; without light, there is no darkness; conversely, without darkness, there is no light.
Therefore, simply trying to dispel darkness is not the right choice; true wisdom lies in maintaining a balance between light and darkness.
Draco listened, muttering to himself:
I understand, it's about yin and yang balance. Just like in the Wizarding World, after killing Voldemort, that extreme, the resulting imbalance between black and white led to the emergence of Ranrok and Victor Rookwood, two guys who wanted to go to the other extreme.
The world is always trying to find a way to fix things.
Upon reaching the Pensieve, Professor Fitzgerald vanished, but a single, glistening tear still slid down the corner of the statue's eye.
Draco raised his wand, gently touched it to the teardrop, and resolutely buried his face in the silvery-white liquid of memories.
After the dizziness subsided, a long-forgotten memory unfolded before my eyes—a continuation of the memories from the second trial.
Morgana firmly believed that she had mastered the magic to strip away human sorrow, naively thinking that she could use this power to transform the world, leaving everyone with only joy and no more pain. In her eyes, that would be the perfect new world.
The scene shifts, and Professor Fitzgerald's face is filled with shock. "You still haven't stopped? Morgana!"
She was horrified to discover that Morgana had actually commissioned the Goblin to create a special container for storing emotions.
"You actually told such a dangerous secret to Goblin?" Fitzgerald's voice trembled with anger.
Morgana, however, seemed unconvinced, even a little smug. "Don't worry, those Goblin are incredibly foolish; they have no idea what these containers are really for."
"You're too naive!" Fitzgerald objected vehemently. "If power falls into the hands of the greedy, the consequences will be unimaginable!"
Morgana's face flushed crimson, veins bulging on her neck, as she fiercely argued, "You don't understand! Extracting the emotions of others not only purifies the world but also greatly enhances my own power! This is an essential step in evolution!"
Upon hearing this, Fitzgerald's eyes flashed with deep fear, and the argument between the two quickly escalated...
And the last scene of memory,
It was Morgana ruthlessly took action, forcibly removing a core emotion from Professor Fitzgerald's being.
Draco looked up abruptly, his eyes turning cold.
I see.
The reason why Ranrok knows the secrets of Ancient Magic lies here: he is most likely a descendant of the Goblin who created the emotional vessel for Morgana.
He could guess the rest of the plot with his bare hands:
This ancient inheritor went to extremes and was suppressed by the four guardians. Later generations used this bloody and tearful history to warn every generation that comes into contact with Ancient Magic.
Draco neither confirmed nor denied this.
He felt that such a story was completely unnecessary.
Good people are inherently good and will not be swayed by stories; evil people will only scoff and will not be corrected by stories.
A real transformation requires an opportunity.
Rather than an empty allegory.
However, these trials vividly showcased the various directions in which Ancient Magic was developed.
Draco didn't intend to offer any further comment.
For him, these trials were more like a thrilling role-playing game; the real goal was to see the plot unfold, go through the process, and ultimately obtain the inheritance of Ancient Magic.
The next second, the blue light surged, and Draco's figure disappeared from the trial space, steadily teleporting back to the Map Chamber.
Just then, a strange ripple appeared on the fourth mirror in the center of the Chamber of Secrets, which had been still.
The mirror rippled like the surface of a lake after a pebble has been thrown in, and then a man's figure slowly emerged from it.
"It seems my appearance means that someone has already successfully passed the first three trials," the man said.
As he spoke, the man's gaze finally settled on Draco.
"Yes, Professor." Draco nodded.
"Not only that," Professor Fitzgerald's phantom added beside the man, "This young man also completed three trials in a single day."
"Within a single day? That's simply a miracle." The man exclaimed in astonishment. "In my estimation, even someone with exceptional talent would need at least several days or even weeks."
"It was just a bit of luck," Draco said without taking credit, "And we also had the help of the guidance from our seniors."
"My name is San Bakar, you can just call me Bakar," the man introduced himself with a smile.
Upon hearing the name, Draco was startled, and the image of that magnificent tower flashed through his mind.
He blurted out, "Wait... so ' San Bakar Tower,' where the first trial took place, is your former residence?"
"Is there a problem?" Bakar nodded frankly.
"No, no problem." Draco shook his head in surprise, only then realizing his preconceived notions and misjudgment.
He thought to himself: So that's how it is! I was completely misled by my preconceived notions.
I always thought that the statue after each trial corresponded to the person who named that trial. Since the second trial was Rackham's trial, the statue must be Rackham.
Therefore, since the location of the first trial is San Bakar Tower, the statue should naturally be San Bakar.
The lighting was dim, and the style of the stone carving was abstract, so I mistook the statue for someone else.
It seems that the true guardian statue behind the Pensieve is undoubtedly Professor Bakar himself.
Just as Draco was lost in thought, Bakar's voice rang out again, interrupting his thoughts:
"However, child, although you have passed the first three trials, the door to the final trial cannot be opened yet."
Draco paused, then said, " Professor Bakar, what else do I need to do? Please advise."
Bakar did not answer immediately. His gaze slowly swept over Fitzgerald and Draco, finally settling on the huge round mirror in the center of the Map Chamber.
With a wave of his wand
A ray of light flowed from the mirror, outlining three delicate picture frames in the air.
"Before you step into my final trial, you must first retrieve the ' Triptych' —three crucial memories left behind by Morgana." Bakar's voice turned serious.
"These three paintings record the truth behind the Ancient Magic going out of control, and they are your only qualification to begin the final trial."
He pointed to the air, and three pale golden dots lit up on the magic map below, revealing their specific locations in turn: