Death's Guidance

A dark red star hung in the sky, completely captivating William's attention.

The thin mist, tinged with a sinister red, made the stars appear larger, like a luminous wound.

William stared blankly, somewhat lost in thought, trying to process what he was seeing...

What was he doing before?

Memories slowly take shape... just like bubbling bubbles rising to the surface from the unfathomable depths of the sea.

William remembered.

He and Hermione traveled from Florence to Venice on the Express.

Why are you here?

Is it a dream?

But... this place feels real, not like a dream!

Besides, who knows they're dreaming when they're dreaming?

The fog thickened, and a river appeared in the distance.

William was not surprised at all by the river's sudden appearance.

It seems it's always been there!

Across the river,

Suddenly, a person appeared.

Across the churning river, he stood beneath the dense Elder Wood, facing William; he remained motionless, solemn and dignified, his large hood completely obscuring his face.

William did not cross the river; he instinctively sensed the pervasive presence of death in the water.

Isn't there a bridge?

Or do we still need him... to build one?

William was about to touch his wand when the person opposite him suddenly spoke:

"Those who bear the Diadem of wisdom..."

"Follow in the footsteps of the Doge of Venice."

The man's voice was deep, and to William it sounded as if he were speaking directly into William's head.

"Who are you?" he shouted, but no sound came out.

He had lied before.

Cut off the horse's head.

Take away the bones of the blind...

The river churned and surged in response to his words.

"The flood will inundate the sky,"

The Holy Grail burned at the bottom of the tomb.

Deep within the phoenix's rebirth,

The lagoon does not reflect the stars.

The monster waits in the darkness.

Merlin's Prophecy will eventually come true.

"What do you mean?" William's jaw dropped. "Who are you?"

He tried to get closer, but the river in front of him became even more turbulent and impassable.

William looked up again at the hooded wizard.

Without warning, he vanished into thin air. The tall Elder Wood branches rustled.

The river water was boiling, like a towering wave, crashing towards William.

William suddenly opened his eyes, waking up from a drowsy dream.

After catching his breath, he realized he was lying on a huge, long, soft chair.

The train was speeding away from Florence, making soft, repetitive clicking sounds and a slight swaying motion.

Hermione had already sat up and was looking at the boy with a worried expression.

William slowly recalled that he and Hermione had been lying here, admiring the Italy scenery outside the train window.

It was probably the constant patter of the rain and the slight swaying of the train that made him fall asleep.

The girl asked softly, "William, did you have a nightmare?"

William nodded slightly, then frowned and said strangely, "It seems... yes, I'm not sure, whether that counts as a nightmare or not."

Hermione sat cross-legged, gently cradling William's head on her pale legs, and massaged his temples.

William closed his eyes, still thinking about what had just happened.

He thought for a moment, then suddenly opened his eyes and said, "Do you remember the story I told you about Nicolas?"

Hermione stroked William's brow, her fingers not pausing, as she quickly recalled:

"I remember you said he had a dream about a wizard wearing a hood."

The man told him that there was a legendary Book of Alchemy in a cave on the northwest shore of the Sea of Arabah.

Simply take that book, study it diligently, and understand it thoroughly, and you will gain extraordinary knowledge...

William looked into Hermione's eyes and said softly, "I just dreamt of a hooded wizard too."

Hermione's fingers paused for a moment, then she said thoughtfully, "That doesn't prove anything... Maybe it was just a dream..."

Okay, Nicolas was dreaming too.

But he believed it, and in just the time it takes to eat breakfast, he decided to sell all his belongings and set off immediately to search for it in a foreign land.

Without the slightest hesitation.

And... they actually found the Book of Alchemy!

So, sometimes dreams are more than just dreams; they can also be... a guide from Death!

"The wizard in your dream also pointed out the location of a Deathly Hallows?" Hermione asked, squinting.

No, he said something almost Prophecy.

William wrote the hooded wizard's words on a piece of parchment.

Hermione read it twice, but still couldn't understand it. However, the passage clearly mentioned one word:

The Holy Grail!

According to Nicolas's speculation, the Holy Grail is a Deathly Hallows.

It first appeared in the hands of Jesus, and then after Jesus died, Joseph of Arimathea buried him and brought the Holy Grail to Britain.

Galahad, one of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table, once used the Holy Grail's magical power to heal the dying deposed king.

Later, Galahad gave the Holy Grail to the wizard Merlin.

Merlin hid the Holy Grail in the memorial hall beneath Stonehenge, but it later disappeared again.

Did Death appear in William's dream to guide him to the location of the Holy Grail?

William suddenly remembered Merlin's proverb:

You don't need to look for the Holy Grail Holy Grail; it will come to you.

Now they've come to find him, haven't they? They've even given him the address, but William still doesn't understand.

After discussing it for a while, Hermione burned the parchment. Better safe than sorry; she had already memorized the contents.

"... I think we can check out ' Common Dream Interpretation,' perhaps the book will discuss the meaning of dreaming about Death."

Hermione is still trying to characterize this as a dream.

However, she wasn't certain, given Nicolas's example and the likelihood of finding the answer in a book.

William nodded without objecting. He shifted to a more comfortable position, resting his head on the cushions.

Hermione lay down as well, resting her cheek against William's chest, gazing out the car window with her bright, intelligent eyes.

The train continued its rapid journey, and neither of them spoke; they seemed to have fallen asleep again.

They have been in Italy for many days.

In fact, just a few days into the summer holidays, William and Hermione left United Kingdom for Italy.

The International Confederation of Wizards' Conference will be held on the 13th, and will last for a full ten days.

They arrived so early, not out of enthusiasm for the meeting, but to have traveled around various parts of Italy.

Anyway, the Ministry of Magic will reimburse us, so why not have some fun? We'll definitely stay in the best hotels, eat the most expensive food, and do the wildest activities along the way.

They started in Pompeii, passed through several cities, and headed north towards Rome. At this point, they were leaving Florence and heading towards Venice.

The two are currently in a premium compartment on the train. There is a double bed, two leather seats, and a folding table.

William turned his gaze to the car window, looking at the soft colors of the Italy countryside, which blended together to form a peaceful collage.

The foothills and hills of the Apennine Mountains have gradually replaced the plains, and vineyards and farms are becoming increasingly rare.

The train will soon wind its way through the mountain pass, then continue its descent eastward toward the Adriatic Sea.

The closer you get to the sea, the heavier the rain becomes. This rainstorm, which is said to be a once-in-a-century event in meteorological history, has been falling for half a month.

William suddenly remembered Death's words:

The flood will submerge the sky.

The Holy Grail burned at the bottom of the tomb.

I hope this trip to Venice goes smoothly.

He mentally clasped his hands together.

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