Draco didn't hesitate at all because of Hermione's complete trust. He put away his wand and knelt on one knee in front of the oncoming behemoth.
boom--
The massive body of the Graphorn suddenly stopped in front of him.
Then, the ferocious beast slowly lowered its head, its warm breath blowing on Draco's head, before gently rubbing its rough horns against his shoulder.
That was the highest level of acceptance ritual for wild beasts.
Surrender, accomplished!
Draco slowly stood up, dusted off his knees, and then turned to look outside the lair.
Hermione was clutching her chest, her face filled with immense relief.
Professor Babbling stood beside the trial barrier, having witnessed the entire scene. She remarked with a sigh:
"This is the most precious bond... entrusting each other's lives, more valuable than any Ancient Magic."
Hermione's cheeks burned even hotter at what she'd been told, and she hurriedly looked away, but couldn't help glancing towards the depths of the lair.
"I need your help for this trial!" Draco turned back to the Graphorn and said softly.
The Graphorn stared at Draco for a moment with its intelligent eyes, then slowly bent its front legs, assuming a kneeling posture, as if inviting him.
"Does this mean I can go up?" Draco asked tentatively.
The Graphorn did not respond, but simply waited quietly.
Draco understood.
He stepped forward, pressed one hand against the rough, thick skin on the side of the Graphorn's neck, pushed off with his feet, and nimbly flipped over, steadily mounting the ferocious beast-like steed.
After gripping its mane tightly, Draco turned and shouted to Hermione outside the nest:
"Did you see that, Miss Granger?"
Hermione stood in the wind, looking at the boy riding on the back of the giant beast. Her cheeks flushed slightly again, but a surge of indescribable pride and excitement welled up inside her.
He really listened to me just now... In that instant, he completely trusted my judgment.
Moreover, the way he rode on the Graphorn...
That's so cool!
She tried to suppress a smile and shouted back, "Don't get too cocky, Malfoy! Watch out or you'll fall!"
The Graphorn let out a low growl, spread its limbs, and carried Draco as it sped towards the depths of the lair.
Draco wandered through the dark, winding passages, each turn and bend feeling like he was venturing into the heart of the labyrinth.
Finally, they reached the deepest part of the cave, a vast space that clearly bore strong traces of human carving.
This should be the core of the Graphorn's lair, or rather, the final sanctuary of the ancient trials.
Huge head sculptures are carved on the rock face, with neat rows of stone pillars engraved with spiral patterns on both sides. In the center is a circular magic circle made of interwoven vine spirals and clover symbols. The Graphorn enters the magic circle.
The Graphorn beneath him suddenly raised its head, its front hooves raised high, and let out a long howl that pierced the soul.
As if in response to the long howl, the spiral patterns on the stone pillars began to glow with a pure and soft white light, starting from the inside out!
Immediately following, the head sculpture on the rock wall also suddenly emitted a blazing white light from the same source as the stone pillar!
The white light quickly spread from the eye sockets, like flowing mercury, instantly covering the entire surface of the skull statue.
After all the head sculptures were lit, the light did not stop, but instead surged forth from beneath the sculptures.
The energy converges and rotates on the rock face beneath the statue, forming a magical vortex that rotates counterclockwise!
At its brightest moment, the vortex suddenly split open, and rocks crumbled.
With a dull rumble, the rock wall shattered into a portal, through which a pale purple magical light membrane floated.
"Let's go in together." Draco patted the Graphorn's back, but the beast shook its head and growled softly, indicating that it could not step into this forbidden trial area.
Draco had no choice but to roll off and walk alone through the purple light membrane to stand before the giant portrait of San Bakar.
"Passing the test of the Graphorn is enough to once again prove your character and reverence," Bakar affirmed.
Then he reminded that,
"But I still want to remind you, never follow in Morgana's footsteps and be consumed by obsession and power."
"I will not repeat her mistakes, Professor. What I want is not to control my emotions, but to protect everything I care about," Draco replied solemnly.
"Very well, then go, to the final memory, the end of everything, and the ultimate revelation of your responsibility."
Thank you, Professor.
After speaking, Draco turned and stepped into the Pensieve Chamber of Secrets.
Stepping into the Chamber of Secrets, Draco couldn't help but feel secretly relieved:
Bakar's Trial was the easiest; I didn't have to fight those troublesome rune warriors to the death.
The thought that the ferocious Graphorn had to kneel on one knee to gain submission seemed rather abstract.
From this perspective, Bakar's trial was more of a test of character than of physical strength, compared to the previous professors' trials.
He shook his head, dismissing these pointless comparisons. "Anyway, it's the last one, let's just finish watching it quickly."
Draco approached the Pensieve, behind which stood a massive stone sculpture of Professor Bakar.
The moment he activated the Pensieve, a tear of light dripped from the statue's right eye, silently hovering above the Pensieve. Draco tapped his wand lightly and bent down to bury his face in the water.
The scenes of memory unfolded dramatically:
Bakar went alone to Morgana's house, hoping to have a proper talk with her, only to find that she was not home.
All she could see was her father's eyes were completely white, like a walking corpse, utterly reduced to an empty shell devoid of emotion.
Bakar was horrified and immediately fled, informing the other three guardians of this terrible news.
After hearing the description, Rackham's face turned ashen:
"It's not just her father... Morgana has already started targeting the students. This corruption didn't begin today; she's been secretly working on it for a long time."
The four guardians immediately rushed to the Emotion Repository. Just as they arrived at the entrance, a student walked out of it, looking bewildered.
Bakar anxiously urged him to return to the lounge immediately. Although the student looked puzzled, he still obediently left.
After confirming the students' safety, the four guardians removed the Disillusionment Charm from their bodies and cautiously infiltrated the depths of the Repository.
A giant sphere emitting a cold light floats in the center of the cave. Its surface is covered with intricate Goblin mechanical patterns, which is the core of the Repository that seals away countless emotions.
Just then, Morgana slowly emerged from behind a huge supporting stone pillar.
What's chilling is that her pupils, like her father's, have turned an eerie grayish-white.
Rackham sternly questioned her about why she had attacked innocent students, but Morgana stubbornly continued to expound on her "ideal world," firmly believing that stripping away all suffering was the only true salvation, clearly having fallen into a complete daze.
Seeing this, the four guardians drew their wands, ready to forcibly subdue this former genius student.
Battle is imminent.