The Old Ones of Hogwarts

Chapter 286, Section 285: History and the Forbidden Forest

Chapter 286, Section 285: History and the Forbidden Forest

Flames, like a vast sea, engulfed the entire sky. The heavens shattered, and lightning and fire intertwined in a symphony of destruction. The ancient Titan, along with the surrounding structures, turned to ashes in the intense heat.

Perhaps the black-robed wizards merely imprisoned the Titans without truly affecting their future, just as they claimed, they were the eternal life in this world.

All civilizations will disappear and new civilizations will emerge, but in the past, the Titans would not; the immortality they stole would guarantee their survival along with the world.

however.

Ian brought with him a power that did not belong to this world or this era, a power derived from paradoxical divine authority, even if it only temporarily severed their eternal connection with this world. Yet, in that brief moment, they not only suffered the backlash from the world but also found it difficult to withstand Ian's fiery onslaught.

The black-robed wizards were able to defeat the Titans because of magic, and when they lost their immortal bodies, the magic's special attack effect on these Titans was naturally amplified to the maximum extent.

The Titan King may have been invincible in the past, and may have had the heart of a king to make a comeback even in the face of imprisonment, but in the face of the "punishment" imposed by Ian, he could only let out a roar of resentment before his death.

What else can we do?

No matter how massive and towering the Titan's body was, it still couldn't reach Ian, who stood in the sky. Ian, transformed into a raven, watched as the god-king roared and turned to ashes. He was already struggling to save himself, so how could he possibly save his other kin? In his dying moments, all he could see was the blood and fire of his brothers and sisters.

The once glorious Titan Dynasty came to an end amidst this apocalyptic scene.

all.

Ultimately, everything must come to an end in death.

The raging fire continues to rage.

The last traces of the Titans were completely erased from this world. The dark clouds gradually dispersed, and the sunlight pierced through the clouds like a sharp sword, but it could no longer bestow a sacred glow upon this sky city.

Ian looked up.

Sunlight streamed through the broken clouds, as if offering a solace from heaven after the great battle. The air was thick with the acrid smell of burning, and the metallic wreckage wailed in the wind.

"These dark clouds couldn't have come at the right time."

Ian sensed something was amiss, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. A few pale rays of sunlight pierced through the broken clouds, unable to illuminate the ravaged ruins of the Sky City. A deafening crash echoed from the city's center as a towering white tower slowly tilted before collapsing with a sickening metallic groan.

This is the disappearance of an ancient, miraculous creation. On the distant horizon, the first rays of dawn pierce through the clouds. But in this city, there will never be another dawn. The dazzling crystal palace in this steel city that once floated among the clouds is now like glass shattered by a giant hand, countless fragments mixed with burning ashes.

It traced a dark red trail in the void.

"It's truly a heartbreaking end."

The raven-shaped black robe transformed into a stream of light and reformed into a human body. Ian remained suspended high in the sky, watching the ancient wonder crumbling—huge floating metal pieces continuously peeled off from the bottom of the city, falling towards the distant ground under the pull of gravity, leaving long trails of smoke.

It is not truly immune to magic.

Previously immune to magic.

It all came from drawing upon the eternal power of the Titans. Now, the Titans are gone, the energy source is gone, and the metal that makes up the Sky City is collapsing like dominoes as it is destroyed.

"I never imagined I'd be the one to end the Titans," Ian murmured to himself, his voice fading into the howling wind. He recalled the Titans' fate in Greek mythology, imprisoned by Zeus in Tartarus—how the gods betrayed the Titans, how Zeus sealed them away, and how they ultimately perished.

This is the mythology of gods that most people know. However, the ending of the Titans in the mythology stories in my memory is churning in my mind, and at this moment it seems to have an absurdity that transcends mythology.

after all.

Now, these legends are no longer distant stories, but real experiences that happened to him. Yet, they are different from myths. The roars of the giants who were stripped of their immortality by the power of paradox still seem to linger in his ears, making Ian, who felt a mix of emotions, smile with a hint of helplessness.

"So this is the real history? Or is it something else?" In mythology, the Titans' fate shouldn't be like this. So Ian doesn't know if this is the real history, if he has filled in the gaps in history, or if he has simply entered a special world that won't affect the normal course of history.

to be frank.

Ian also possesses considerable magical knowledge.

But what happened today was far beyond the scope of his familiar magical knowledge to explain.

"What a pity for such a city." Ian had already withdrawn his magic, and the eerie blue flames receded like a tide, revealing the devastated ruins left by the blazing fire. However, without the Titan as its power source, the city was like a giant drained of its blood, no longer able to maintain its levitation miracle.

Sky City, having lost the power of the Titans, was already on the verge of collapse.

Even if Ian were to withdraw Fiendfire, it wouldn't save them.

The entire island is tilting at a visible speed, with buildings on its edges falling one after another into the sea of ​​clouds. No matter how magnificent a creation is, without a foundation, it is nothing more than a castle in the air.

The foundation of this city is actually that group of ancient Titans.

"It's not my fault, they struck first." Ian shrugged, his gaze following the disintegrating city. The collapse of Sky City did not stop with the end of the battle.

On the contrary, it felt like it was speeding up.

Without Titan as its core power source, the ancient forces that had kept the city afloat began to fail, and the entire city, like a giant ship without a mast, slowly plummeted under the force of gravity. The buildings that had survived the Fiendfire collapsed one after another like toppled building blocks.

At first, it was only the various building components on the outer ring that detached first, spinning and falling into the sea of ​​clouds, followed by a deafening roar.

The city's main structure finally gave way. The massive floating metal foundation cracked in two, separating slowly as if in slow motion. Ian could see the magical runes embedded in the fracture surface extinguishing one by one. The entire city began to plummet, the resulting gale tearing the clouds to shreds.

"Please don't let it hit me."

Ian flew even higher.

He watched as the broken buildings gradually disappeared from his sight and fell into the dense forest below.

A deafening crash echoed through the ground, dust billowed, and the sound of trees being crushed resounded everywhere. The massive dust cloud likely caused the deaths of many creatures in this catastrophe.

"Damn it, could this be a meteorite hitting Earth?"

Ian swallowed hard.

He's become less and less willing to believe in the accuracy of historical and scientific predictions.

"Good news, there's no one left in Sky City, so I don't have to bear the consequences." Ian brushed the ashes off his shoulders and watched as the last part of the city fell to the ground.

"Bad news, I still have to dig three feet into the ground to find them." He closed his eyes, and his magic transformed into invisible threads, following the contract between himself and the Goddess of Brutality, locking onto the location of the Goddess of Brutality's infant form—that familiar yet strange fluctuation was the best guide for Ian to find his way home.

It can't be hidden.

The Brute Goddess is like those traitors who flew out and were marked by the Bee Hunters. Wherever she is, she can guide Ian to find her people.

It's not that Ian is despicable.

There was nothing he could do.

"Contract manifest!" A silver light shone from the tip of Ian's wand, forming a thread visible only to him in the air. He needed to find the baby with the pocket watch—not only to uncover the truth, but also to find his way home. The silver thread danced in the wind, suddenly pointing entirely southeast.

Ian swooped down at top speed.

Although there was nothing in front of him, Ian knew that the familiar yet strange aura of the brute goddess was hidden in some distorted spacetime rift.

"The ravens are coming at us!"

"Damn it! How did this guy know we were hiding?!"

"A bird's nose is incredibly sensitive!"

"What do we do! What do we do!"

The ancient wizards who had been hiding were thrown into chaos.

……

Ian is searching for his way home.

On the other side...

Meanwhile, deep within the Forbidden Forest of Hogwarts, damp mist clung to the ancient trees, and a somber silence enveloped the clearing outside the bronze doors.

Dumbledore stood before the bronze door, his blue eyes behind his half-moon spectacles gleaming with contemplation. He had originally intended to risk his life to enter the bronze door and find Ian.

After all, Ian held a very important place in his heart.

Far more important than one's own life.

only.

Even with the idea of ​​risking his life, Dumbledore still encountered a problem—this place was once a passage connecting to another world, but now it is blocked by an invisible force.

It was as if something that shouldn't be disturbed was hidden behind the door.

It cannot be opened at all.

It is also impossible to enter.

The latest novel is first published here!

Dumbledore didn't know if this was due to the bronze gate or a joke left behind by another, flawed version of himself. To figure out the situation, the old headmaster also began studying on the spot.

"This is not a simple problem."

Before Dumbledore lay a mountain of heavy ancient books, their pages gleaming with age. Dozens of open ancient books lay scattered around him, some with yellowed and cracked pages, others emanating an ominous black aura. His long silver beard swayed gently in the wind as he intently scanned the parchment scroll in his hands.

His brows were furrowed.

He has been studying the situation in this place for quite some time.

But they still couldn't find any clues.

In a dimly lit environment.

Only the light from the lamps illuminated the surroundings.

"What's that?" Hermione crouched not far away, her eyes fixed on an open ancient book. The black flame-like characters dancing between the pages made her breath quicken.

The inquisitive girl stood up and began to tiptoe, trying to see the contents of the book she had recently come across. However, she could only make out fragmented pieces of information.

"What are you doing?"

Severus Snape’s deep voice came from the shadows as he appeared silently behind Hermione Granger like a giant bat.

She was so frightened she almost jumped up.

"The principal didn't move an inch."

Hermione swallowed hard and quickly changed the subject, her fingers unconsciously twisting the corner of her robe.

Her gaze lingered between Dumbledore and the ancient books scattered on the floor. The heavy books lay open on a folding table covered with purple velvet, some of them appearing older than her grandfather, their parchment edges yellowed and curled, densely covered with writing she had never seen before.

"Professor," Hermione couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "what is Professor Dumbledore researching? Those books—" She pointed to one of the books with a cover that glowed with an eerie green light.

"I think I saw something about black magic."

The little witch's voice was cautious.

Snape's eyes sharpened instantly, his dark pupils shrinking to pinpoints in the dim light. "You're mistaken, Miss Granger."

"Don't be too curious." His voice was cold and carried an undeniable authority. "This knowledge is beyond the reach of a novice wizard like yourself."

Upon hearing this...

Herman felt a surge of indignation rising in her heart, and she straightened her back: "But Professor, knowledge itself is neither good nor evil; the key is how to use it."

"Didn't you always emphasize this point in Potions class?"

She tried to shut Snape up with those words.

Snape's lips twisted into an almost mocking smile: "Surprisingly, Miss Granger, you actually remember what I said in class. But allow me to correct you—"

He suddenly leaned down, his sallow face appearing particularly sinister in the magical light. "Some knowledge is like poison; merely understanding it is enough to corrupt a wizard's soul."

Hermione involuntarily took a half step back, but her thirst for knowledge quickly overcame her fear. Her gaze drifted back to the ancient books, especially the thick one with its cover shimmering with green light. On the open page, she vaguely saw a familiar symbol—very similar to the changing runes on the bronze door.

"That door," she blurted out, "is it connected to dark magic? Ian's been in there for a long time now, shouldn't we hurry up and try to warn him—"

The little witch was only halfway through her sentence.

"Quiet!" Snape suddenly interrupted her sharply, glancing quickly at Dumbledore, who was still lost in his own world. "What do you think the Headmaster is doing here? Wasting time?"

This sentence left Hermione speechless.

She still had respect for Dumbledore.

"I can actually help with the selection too. Although I don't understand this knowledge, I'm still very good at finding words in pictures." Hermione felt that she should do something.

The members of the trio always have this kind of eagerness to try.

only.

Snape gave a cold laugh.

"Do you think all dangers are cloaked in black for you to spot?" Snape said coldly. "Some are, in fact, more terrifying than dark magic."

"Because they don't even follow the rules, one look from them will leave an imprint on your mind and become an erosion of your soul." Snape wasn't exaggerating.

But such knowledge truly exists.

Many of these items are kept in Dumbledore's private collection.

"Forehead……"

Hermione opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a rebuttal.

She felt that Snape was scaring her.

And at that very moment.

Hermione.

Dumbledore finally spoke, raising his head. His voice was gentle yet carried an undeniable power: "Your professor is right. Some doors, once opened, can never be closed again."

"You come to Hogwarts to learn how to judge when you should push it away." It must be said, the old headmaster's words are still so philosophical.

"All right."

Hermione lowered her head and gave a soft reply, without offering any further courageous suggestions—after all, it wasn't Ron; if it were Ron, he would definitely still be very unwilling at this moment.

Then it will inspire others to feel resentful.

(End of this chapter)