A City on the Brink of Destruction!

Venice is a city built on the sea, and it has hundreds of bridges.

The most famous is the Rialto Bridge.

Because Shakespeare's the Merchant of Venice is set against the backdrop of the Rialto Bridge and its surrounding area.

As dusk fell, the Rialto Bridge was almost deserted due to the heavy rain. So no one noticed that a whirlpool had suddenly appeared in the river beneath the bridge piers.

Soon, a dilapidated gondola emerged from the water.

Bang!

William kicked the door open violently. The force and the rage were as if he were kicking not a gondola, but the coffin lid of Iwasato Masao!

It's no wonder he was so angry. He thought he could use the demon submarine to escape the Auror. Who would have thought that everyone there had a Gillyweed?

Gillyweed is a magical plant that looks like a slippery gray mouse tail.

After eating it, you can grow gills and webbed feet, allowing you to move freely underwater for more than an hour.

This thing is rare and expensive in the United Kingdom, but it grows in the Mediterranean Sea, so it's not uncommon in Venice; it's almost become a standard feature of Auror.

Especially those dark wizards, after doing something bad they'd jump into the water. If they didn't take some of this stuff with them when they went out, they'd be embarrassed to call themselves Auror.

William and Hermione were newcomers and had no idea what was going on.

Therefore, neither of them expected that the Auror would all transform into Phelps, wielding wands and moving at astonishing speed.

Caught off guard, the gondola was attacked underwater.

Trene was truly like an enemy spy.

If Hermione hadn't thrown a lot of Dungbomb at a crucial moment, the three of them would probably have perished at sea.

The price was that the area became a fermentation tank, with even the surface of the water turning a lovely yellow.

In any case, almost all the Auror drank some Ganges water. It was as if they thought, "If I drink this bowl of Ganges water, I'll be reborn as India in my next life."

Tsk tsk, as expected, biological weapons are the most powerful.

William suddenly had an idea. If the Merpeople attacked him again, he would throw a ton of Dungbomb into the Black Lake.

Come on, let's hurt each other!

William peered around and, finding no Muggle or wizards, stood up first.

Hermione got up, William grabbed her, and they jumped toward the bridge.

Soon, another witch jumped off the wrecked boat, her head wrapped in green seaweed and several crabs.

"Those damned Auror! I'll learn from Arya Grindelwald and build a giant nuclear bomb to blow up St Mark's Basilica!" Trene said angrily from the bridge.

Her modified gondola was almost completely destroyed by the curse.

"All done," William reassured her. "I'm a professional. It's all settled. I'll fix it for you."

After cleaning up, the three of them walked along the Riva degli Schiavoni.

The wide stone avenue beneath your feet sits beside the water and was built in the 9th century using dredged silt.

Along the seaside promenade, there are also upscale cafes and elegant residential areas, and even the family chapel of Antonio Vivaldi.

"Is the Bathilda Bagshot you're looking for here?" Trene asked.

Hermione nodded, carefully observing the house number, and said, "It's around here."

William suddenly pointed to a house and said, "Found it."

The three walked over and found it to be a medieval-style building surrounded by a low fence.

Following the bluestone slabs inside, William knocked on the mahogany door.

A moment later, a House-elf opened the door.

She was dressed neatly, wearing a blue headscarf, and gave a slight bow, saying, "Are you Mr. Stark and Miss Granger?"

"Yes, we're looking for Mrs. Bagshot," William said.

"Come in, the lady is waiting for you." The House-elf led the three into the house.

As she passed through the living room, she bowed again and said, "Madam only sees the two of you."

"Trene, rest here for a while, we'll be there soon," William said.

Trene nodded, sat down in the chair, and asked casually, "Can I eat these snacks?"

"Of course, Miss," the House-elf bowed again.

Led by the House-elf, William and Hermione headed towards the back garden.

The garden was filled with roses, and each rose bush was covered with a magic shield to prevent it from drowning in the rain.

At the end of the cobblestone path, I saw a gaunt old man, Bagshot, sitting on a stone bench in the pavilion, covered with a blanket.

The old man, hunched over, was small in stature and had a frail appearance.

Time has almost bent her in two, and robbed her of her sight; her eyes, sunken deep in the folds of her skin, are filled with thick cataracts.

Bathilda Bagshot was a renowned History of Magic; she compiled the textbooks on the History of Magic at Hogwarts.

Bagshot is also very old, nearly 150 years old. The average lifespan of wizards is very high, but it is truly rare to live to such an old age.

William suspected that Nicolas had given her Elixir of Life made from the Philosopher's Stone.

Hearing footsteps, Bagshot turned around, his eyes, which were covered by a white film, staring blankly at William and Hermione.

When she spoke, her voice was hoarse and slow.

"I know we've never met," Bagshot said, "But I feel like I've known you both for a long time."

"Miss Granger, I read your paper from last year about the medieval burning of witches."

The perspective of focusing on Notre-Dame de Paris, in particular, is very novel.

Little Albus sent me that article, and I gave it a very high rating.

Hermione's face lit up with surprise and disbelief, and she shyly hid behind William.

"I've also read Mr. Stark's article on Animagus Transfiguration published in 'Transfiguration Today'; it's simply brilliant."

She coughed, took out a handkerchief, and gently wiped the corner of her mouth.

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, William asked:

"Madam, you must already know why we've come."

"I've heard about it," the old man said. "I've known Nicolas for many years, and I will do everything in my power to help you."

"We need to find the Goblet of Fire," Hermione said. "The guidance from Death probably indicates where it's hidden."

"Child..." Bagshot stared with strange, lifeless eyes, "My advice is, don't search for the Holy Grail, forget about it."

"Why?"

"Death always sends out the Deathly Hallows in various ways. He guides you to search for them, to discover them... Why?"

William and Hermione exchanged a glance and both shook their heads.

Yes, why would Death send out the Deathly Hallows?

After much thought, William could only conclude that he wanted the souls of those powerful wizards.

After all, in the Tale of the Three Brothers, even the clever youngest brother eventually returned to the embrace of Death.

But then another question arises: if he doesn't give away the Deathly Hallows, won't these wizards just die of old age?

"Do you still remember the Tale of the Three Brothers?" The old man's white, misty eyes stared intently at the two of them.

"I remember," William said.

He knows all three versions.

Bagshot seemed to know what he was thinking, and she chuckled softly:

"No, I dare say you haven't truly understood it... no matter which version."

"Many people overlook the most important sentence; they focus on Death, on the powerful Deathly Hallows..."

"Which sentence?" Hermione asked curiously.

"These three items, or Hallows, when combined, will make their owner the master of Death..."

"It's just a metaphor," Hermione retorted. "Having three weapons doesn't mean I can command Death."

Hermione now sensed that the old man's advanced age might mean that his former rationality had also faded.

"Child, generally speaking, people think the story of Death and the Tale of the Three Brothers is just a metaphor." The old man wrapped his robe tighter around himself.

"But do you, the owners of the Deathly Hallows, still think it's just a metaphor?"

William and Hermione were speechless.

Bagshot continued, "The Tale of the Three Brothers is a true and reliable map, the most widely circulated guide."

Even the ending of collecting Deathly Hallows has been clearly revealed. You don't understand because the secret hasn't been fully cracked yet.

Therefore, I do not recommend searching for the Holy Grail.

"But madam," Hermione said, "the Goblet of Fire is lost, and the Italy Ministry of Magic is after us."

If we find the Goblet of Fire, perhaps we can catch the wizard who stole it and clear our names. We have to give it a try.

"Child, you are right," the old man replied, his voice filled with sorrow.

"Death has guided you earlier, and you must obtain it."

"Just like my being here, I'm also a pawn."

She let out a long sigh.

"This heavy rain is like setting off a chain reaction; a series of events will unfold one after another, and there will be no turning back."

No matter how unwilling I am, you must find the Holy Grail today.

Not just because of your crimes, but also for this city that is about to be destroyed!

(Please give me your recommendation votes and monthly tickets, everyone.)

Thank you to "Muramasa Haruki" and "Jimo Piaoxue A745" for their generous donations.