allendalepharm Chapter 192 Mountain God
Chapter 192 Mountain God
Chapter 192 Mountain God
The time at Scamander Farm was wonderful but fleeting; it was the first time in this world that Lockhart had found someone with whom he could so readily discuss his magical journey.
Well, my favorite student Tom counts as half a person.
But even the most enjoyable times must come to an end. As September approaches, we all have to come to a close after this wonderful time together.
Newt and his wife are going to Brazil to take care of a group of some kind of endangered magical creatures that are said to be giving birth in September, while Lockhart and Scamander are also preparing teaching aids for the opening of magic school.
Scamander seems to have embarked on a different path of exploration than his father, starting to develop in the direction of aquatic animals, for which Lockhart gave him a group of colorful fish.
The Crabbe family's polka dot fish breed is famous in wizarding history, and after ceasing to supply them to outsiders for decades, it is now very difficult to find such a breed in the wizarding world.
This was clearly a great gift, and Scamander was very excited, so he decided to give some gifts in return.
In addition to the promised Madago cat, Lockhart's Winged Demon will be paired with a female Winged Demon, and he also plans to take him along to collect a unique creature that is somewhere between a magical creature and a magical beast.
"It's not actually a specific kind; it's a product of a specific ritual."
Then, Lockhart followed along with extremely mixed feelings until he arrived at a certain place in the Asian wizarding world.
Yes, the Asian wizarding world.
It was a place very different from what he remembered. It still preserved ancient sacrificial activities, shamanism, culture, and other unique and familiar things, but it was different from the hometown he knew.
he..
It turns out we've arrived in a different world.
“Middle-earth, this place is unlike any other wizarding world. You won’t even find magic schools here!” Scamander the young man led him to the immigration registration desk and explained, “Many wizards find it hard to imagine what it’s like for wizards and Muggles to coexist, but it has been like this since ancient times.”
He chuckled, somewhat proudly recounting to Lockhart his discovery of this wondrous and bountiful region, "Their rituals share similarities with the magical ceremonies of ancient wizards, yet are also vastly different."
Perhaps the most crucial point here is what you mentioned—a magical life.
Unbeknownst to Scamander, Lockhart had become silent upon arriving, observing his surroundings with a complex, cautious, somewhat fearful, yet also eager expression.
"At the height of its power, the Merlin Order intended to exert some influence here, but no one knows what happened, because in the end nothing happened. During the Wizarding Council era and the Ministry of Magic era, this place seemed to be far removed from everything, living its own life."
"I have a good friend here who asked me to take care of a mountain god who lost the competition."
Lockhart finally reacted, asking curiously, "The mountain god?"
"A magical creature that wields the power of the earth and the weather—oh, perhaps that's not the right way to describe it." Little Scamander racked his brains for words to describe this difference, "It's authority; only a mountain god can possess such authority."
It ensures favorable weather and bountiful harvests for the nearby villages, but the mountain god needs competition; each change of power is a fierce competition among the magical animals of the mountains.
"The losers will be killed. My friend felt pity and wanted to find a good home for the magical creatures that lost the competition, so he decided to entrust them to me."
After a long wait to complete the formalities, they were finally allowed to travel to the southernmost parts of Middle-earth.
Another long and tiring journey.
Then Lockhart, with a somewhat strange expression, arrived at what should have been another country in his previous life, the eastern region outside of Middle-earth.
Upon arriving at a village on a certain island, Lockhart sensed the unique magical aura of the place without even needing Scamander's introduction.
Peaceful!
Yes, it was a unique atmosphere, both strange and familiar. He strained his neck to look up at the mountains behind the village.
It was as if they could see a sika deer looking down at the two outsiders from the misty mountaintop.
"Don't show any malice!" Little Scamander warned. "The mountain gods here can sense the malice of outsiders. If it's just a Muggle thief or a robber, it might not care, but if it's a wizard or a magical creature, they will attack."
Lohat nodded without saying anything.
"Gidero, you'd never guess how different a mountain god ritual is from a magical ritual," Little Scamander said, sounding just as incredulous. "Muggles, yes, Muggles perform it. Of course, wizards are involved, but the main participants are Muggles!"
Lockhart pondered for a moment and came to his own guess, "A magical life, right? The topic we discussed before."
"Yes, that's interesting. The Ministry of Magic and other organizations have no jurisdiction here," Scamander chuckled.
They soon witnessed the wonders of the mountain god's sacrificial rituals.
An elderly man hosted them, and Scamander's friend, dressed in fine clothes and wearing a ferocious mask, led the villagers in a ceremony. They could all sense that, apart from his friend, everyone else was just an ordinary Muggle.
As the ceremony proceeded, an extremely mysterious yet harmonious magical aura swirled around them. It was a feeling that was difficult to describe in words, unlike the concrete form of ordinary spellcasting, and also unlike the "mysterious" mist in the Bloodline Hall of the Department of Mysterious Affairs, which was even more intangible.
The sacrificial ceremony was being held at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain gradually became noisy, with birds chirping, insects buzzing, and wild animals roaring.
"I heard there are three magical creatures competing: the Long Worm, the Big Worm, and the Little Worm," Little Scamander said in a low voice, watching from a distance. "My friend said he has foreseen the Big Worm's victory, that the Little Worm will go and live elsewhere, and that only the Long Worm will be killed. He said if I'm willing to take the Long Worm away from this island, the Big Worm will decide not to kill it."
I've talked about a lot of insects, but they are actually completely different animals.
The big insect is a tiger, the long insect is a snake, and the small insect is a sparrow.
Lockhart listened intently, observing the wondrous ritual with great interest.
He discovered that the ritual before him seemed to be a very unique transformation that conferred the title of magical creatures as dark magic beings!
Shedding its animalistic nature, it embeds itself into the fabric of nature, gaining certain authority over nature, and from then on, sharing weal and woe with this place.
"When we were discussing those topics at the farm, I always wanted to tell you about what was happening here, but I thought this was a good opportunity to bring you here to see it for yourself."
Little Scamander craned his neck, trying to peek at the movements on the distant mountain, but it was clear that he couldn't see anything from such a distance, which was quite disappointing.
"Muggles and wizards, humans and magical creatures, living beings and nature—it seems that everything has found its answer here."
Lockhart agreed wholeheartedly, staring intently at the scene before him.
The ceremony lasted all day, encompassing the scorching sun, the evening rest on the mountain, and the lively atmosphere below.
The chill of the night and the vibrant, ever-changing sunrise of the next morning finally brought the night to a close.
In the sunlight, people seemed to hear the cries of deer, as if it were the farewell of an aging mountain god, and they also heard the roar of a tiger in the forest, as if it were the new mountain god announcing everything.
The local shaman led the villagers up the mountain on foot, carrying offerings and grains for celebration. Around noon, a large, beige snake, over a hundred meters long, was carried down by the group and laid out on the mountain path, a truly magnificent sight.
Scamander quickly opened the suitcase he had brought and placed it on the ground in front of him, his expression serious.
"I hope you can take good care of it." The wizard here fed the large, beige snake, which was covered in wounds, some healing medicine and looked at Lockhart carefully. "Little Scamander said you are an internationally renowned magical biologist, and he hopes it can have a new life."
The giant snake was clearly dissatisfied with the wizard's arrangement. It stared coldly and angrily at the mountain, its voice full of resentment. Unfortunately, it was exhausted and could barely open its mouth.
The wizard sighed upon seeing this, "It should have been executed by the mountain god, but the mountain god took pity on it and spared its life. However, it is no longer suitable to be here. If it stays here day and night, it will eventually grow resentful and will probably turn into a ferocious beast before long."
This is not a voluntary commitment without a price. If the serpent lays some eggs, Lockhart is obligated to return some, a practice known locally as "bond-making."
Lockhart gazed intently at the massive serpent before him, as if sensing some unseen force at work. A gentle, sincere smile spread across his face. "Don't worry!" he said.
This was a short trip with a touch of melancholy.
After parting ways with Scamander the Younger, Lockhart spent his time in the lands of Middle-earth with his suitcase, wandering around and looking at things, hoping to see something familiar. He eventually returned to his hotel somewhat dejectedly.
Sensing Lockhart's complex emotions, the Fairy of the Wrongfully Killed appeared and quietly stayed by his side.
"Things are different now, little fairy. I have my own journey and my own life now, right?"
Lockhart stared blankly at the suitcase on the table in front of him.
"Mmm." The wronged fairy nodded gently, standing behind him and gently massaging his temples, hoping to soothe his sorrow.
"I'm fine." Lockhart took a deep breath and smiled brightly. "Since I've already embarked on this journey, I might as well forge ahead. As Dumbledore said, death is a great adventure. I'm luckier than him; the adventure after death is so interesting."
Having been given a second chance at life, his mindset is definitely different now, as if he's been given a second chance.
"Let's go, it's time to leave."
The suitcase given by Scamander was clearly a great gift, containing a low earthen mountain created with magic similar to the Unseen Stretch Charm. Although it was not large compared to Newt's usual suitcase, which seemed to be able to hold the world, there was actually no other magical creation like this in the wizarding world.
The long, beige snake lay coiled on the mountaintop, fast asleep. Its wounds looked rather gruesome, and it would need some time to heal.
Of course, Lockhart himself also had an equally magical creation—a fairy tale book.
He plans to have more interaction with the snake later and then move it into his home.
The next stop was France, where Scamander had seven Madagascar cats prepared for them, but it was actually the same cat.
For the next period of time, Lockhart traveled to various corners of the world, searching for animals that fit the future lives of Muggles and wizards, as well as animals that lay in the middle between magical creatures and magical beasts.
And just like that, before we knew it, summer vacation had quietly passed.
So dirty~~~
The train bound for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry departs again.