Hogwarts Raven

Chapter 273: Terrible Maze

The rotten leaves made an eerie crunching sound on the soles of Snape's boots.

It was as if he was stepping on countless tiny bones. The fluorescent light on the tip of his wand illuminated the forest in front of him, and the dense forest looked lifeless as if it was made of building blocks.

There is no sense of life at all.

If you observe carefully, you can feel more weirdness - the arrangement of the trees is too regular, the rhythm of the wind is unchanging, and even the soil under your feet lacks the expected moisture and small creatures.

This is obviously not the state a normal forbidden forest should be in.

"What do you mean it's not a real forest?" Although Hermione also noticed that something was wrong, her imagination was limited and she could not immediately understand the meaning of Snape's words.

"Fool, we are trapped in a special space. I can't even find out how we were trapped here. It seems to have affected us silently." Snape murmured in a low voice, with a rare hint of tension in his voice. "It's space magic, a power that can accommodate a large area of ​​space."

Although it was impossible to guess the power of the wizard or creature that could cast this kind of magic, Snape could still discern the general situation.

Cold sweat ran down the back of his neck into his collar.

Hermione couldn't help but gasp when she heard this.

"Is there such magic?!"

There was no mention of such magic in the books she bought.

"The wizarding world is far beyond your imagination, first-year kid." Snape gritted his teeth, but not because he was angry, but to suppress his inner uneasiness and entanglement.

"What do we do now?"

Hermione was also completely clueless about areas she didn't understand.

It’s not false that she’s the external brains of the trio.

But this external brain also has its limits. What is happening now is not only not enough for the little wizard in the first grade, but even if the big wizard in the senior grade comes, I'm afraid he will be in the same situation as her.

In school textbooks.

Not all knowledge is included.

"All we can do is leave quickly!" Snape seemed to have made a decision. He glanced at the little girl in front of him and didn't think he had the ability to deal with similar things with the little girl.

In fact.

Even without this first-year student, Snape felt that he would not be able to solve the problem. Even he felt that such magic was horrifying and did not seem like normal magic at all.

"go!"

Snape grabbed Hermione's wrist.

"What about Ian? He needs our help!" Hermione asked in doubt, looking into the depths of the Forbidden Forest with her eyes full of worry.

A complex expression flashed across Snape's eyes. "This is no longer something we can handle. If we continue to stay here, it will only mean the difference between one death and three deaths."

His voice was still cold, but Hermione was keenly aware that his fingertips were trembling slightly. Obviously, this was definitely not an emotional choice for the Potions Professor.

"I can't care about him now!"

"We need to find Dumbledore - I hope it's not too late. We can only pray that the damn kid is lucky enough to live until Dumbledore comes to deal with this trouble!"

The black fog surged up again.

Hermione felt as if her whole body was wrapped in icy magic, and her internal organs seemed to be kneaded by invisible hands. The whistling wind in her ears was mixed with a low buzzing sound, like countless bees flapping their wings collectively.

This was definitely the strangest and most uncomfortable kind of flying she had ever experienced. Even though she had just experienced it once, she still didn't feel used to it.

"But we can't just stand by and watch someone die! Can we?" Hermione struggled in the black mist, the ends of her hair being pulled painfully by the magic. Of course, it could also be that Snape was secretly pulling her hair.

Who can tell for sure?

The old bat is indeed someone who would do such a thing in order to make his students shut up.

"Not many wizards can perform space magic of this scale. Staying here will only add two more names to the death list! It won't save anyone and won't have any meaning at all!"

Snape's voice was very angry and annoyed, and it was unclear whether it was because of Hermione's anger or for some other reason. He thought more and judged the situation more clearly.

It's not just a difference in experience.

It is also related to the difference in thinking between men and women.

Girls are always more emotional, while men are more rational. This is determined by biological evolution. Emotional girls and rational boys are the biological choices in the history of human evolution.

Very simple reason.

After all, it has been a tradition for thousands of years that men work outside and women work inside. Even in the era of matriarchy, women were responsible for raising offspring while men were responsible for going out hunting to obtain food.

This is also related to the fact that men are naturally more likely to grow muscles. Because of this, when facing danger, Snape will definitely consider more things than girls.

If only Professor McGonagall were here.

She might protect Hermione.

Then I choose to save people.

But Snape was different.

He knew clearly that this was a no-win option.

The only option that can maximize Ian's hope of survival is to find someone who can truly solve the problem as soon as possible - the anxious Snape flew faster and faster.

This was why Hermione's flying experience was even worse than before. Hermione wanted to refute, but was choked by the deathly silence in the Forbidden Forest. It seemed that they had been flying for a long time but could not fly out of this dead silence.

for this.

Snape had already realized it.

The scene of the Forbidden Forest was rapidly receding in the fog, but the further he flew, the more solemn Snape's expression became. No matter which direction he went, it seemed that there was no way to escape this deadly maze.

"Damn it!"

Snape's curse was filled with shock and anger. Before Hermione realized what was happening, the black fog suddenly stopped and Snape regrouped and fell to the ground.

Hermione still staggered.

But this time he didn't fall.

She was prepared.

"Aren't we going to find Dumbledore?" Hermione looked at Snape, who was standing still, in confusion. Snape's eyes were fixed on an area in front of him.

Hermione looked in the direction and was also shocked - the charred tree trunks remained twisted, and dark red sparks flickered in the ashes. It was the open space they passed by half an hour ago. The air still had the smell of burning after the fierce fire, mixed with the smell of damp rotten leaves, which was nauseating.

They returned to the charred land!
"Professor... have we come back in time?" Hermione also noticed something was wrong. Snape had been flying for so long and at such a fast speed, he should have reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest long ago.

Why did you come to this place now?

Face the little witch's confusion.

The Potions professor no longer had the energy to answer.

"This is impossible."

Snape muttered.

His voice was so low that it was almost hoarse.

The man looked around and waved his wand. The fallen leaves on the ground were pushed away by an invisible force, revealing clear footprints - exactly what they left when they left.

Yes.

One could even see the footprints left by the two people who had stopped at this place before, which completely shattered the possibility that they had come to a similar place.

Hermione stared at the footprints, her throat tightening. "Are you lost?"

"Lost?" Snape turned around suddenly, the tip of his wand almost poking Hermione's nose. The fluorescent light made his face extremely gloomy. He rushed along the edge of the scorched earth, the sound of his boots crushing dead leaves was anxious, and every step seemed to make a hole in the ground. "Miss Granger, do you think I am one of you little trolls who can get lost even on the castle stairs?"

have to say.

Snape is still good at mocking people.

He was in a really bad mood right now. He was not a person who cared much about his image, and at this moment he certainly would not care about his image in Hermione's heart.

"Professor, what I mean is..." Hermione's words of defense were interrupted by a cold look.

"Miss Granger," Snape's voice was like a poisoned ice cone, and every word was chilling, "If your head is filled with the stupidity of Gryffindor House, please shut up."

He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. "I know exactly what's going on. You don't need to guess or tell me. We are trapped in a maze constructed by ancient magic. These paths will be constantly reorganized according to our actions. In fact, we may have been circling the same place all along."

Snape's brows furrowed.

"We're trapped."

He gritted his teeth and spoke.

“Trapped?”

Hermione's voice trembled slightly.

"Trapped by what?"

The little witch's face turned pale in an instant.

"You ask me! Who should I ask!?"

Snape raised his wand and violently released magic in one direction. Countless lifeless trees fell down, which actually released some of the negative emotions in his heart.

This scene made Hermione tremble with fear.

"Then what do we do?"

She spoke carefully.

Snape was silent for a long time.

The wand twirled unconsciously in his palm.

"I can't help it. This is beyond my ability to handle. This is not ordinary space magic, but a product of ancient magic. I haven't done much research on ancient magic."

His voice was low and hoarse, with a hint of annoyance. To be honest, what he said was not quite honest. If he didn't know much, he certainly wouldn't be able to discern the situation so clearly.

Compared to other modern wizards.

Snape certainly knew more about ancient magic.

It's not just because he has a magical notebook from an ancient legendary wizard, but also because the field of potions itself requires the investigation and understanding of some ancient magical knowledge.

Snape is an expert in finding cheap substitutes. How could he not understand the ancient magic system? And it is precisely because of this that Snape feels more and more powerless.

"Damn it!"

Snape was not one to sit still and wait for death.

Snape's wand flashed a blinding light in the darkness. Dozens of ancient trees in front of him exploded in an instant, wood chips flew everywhere, thick trunks were torn into pieces, and a charred gully was blasted out on the ground.

"What kind of magic is this!?" Hermione subconsciously covered her ears, her pupils contracted in shock - she had never seen such violent and terrifying magic.

It seemed as if even the air could be torn apart.

Snape was in no mood to reply.

He continued to cast magic.

"Boom!"

Snape tried to use magic to tear a way out.

but.

He soon found out.

The shattered remains of trees suddenly floated in mid-air, as if being pulled by invisible threads. The wood chips reassembled, the broken branches connected themselves, and the charred bark peeled off, revealing new textures. In just a few breaths, all the destroyed trees stood up again intact, with even a fallen leaf in the exact same position as before.

Weird recovery.

It stopped Snape's impotent rage.

“This…what is going on.”

Hermione's breathing almost stopped, and a chill ran up her spine.

"It's a situation where we are trapped and can't get out."

Snape's knuckles turned white from clenching his wand tightly. He swung his wand again, and dark magic spurted out like a poisonous snake, turning the area in front into a sea of ​​fire.

however.

Meaningless.

The flames were unable to completely ignite the trees.

Will we die here?" Hermione's voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible, but it was particularly clear in the silent Forbidden Forest. Her heart had now sunk to the bottom of the valley.

"do not know."

Snape's eyes flickered slightly.

"If we want to survive, we can only hope that Dumbledore will notice something is wrong here and come to rescue us." His words were filled with worry and extreme regret.

Not just worried about myself and Hermione.

I also felt that Ian might be beyond help.

"Doesn't Dumbledore usually go to bed early at night?" Hermione had observed the old headmaster's biological habits, so at this moment she felt that the chances of her and the annoying professor surviving were probably slim.

"Ah."

Snape looked at the little witch.

"The dragon roar just now must have been heard in the direction of the castle. If we are lucky, he should be on his way here. Don't underestimate our principal's sensitivity to any disturbance."

have to say.

This man still trusts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore so much.

however.

The voice just fell.

A gentle voice suddenly came from behind him.

"Severus, are you waiting for me to come to the rescue?"

It was that familiar voice, and Snape and Hermione turned around at the same time. They saw Dumbledore walking slowly out from the shadows of the trees, with a wry smile in his blue eyes behind his half-moon glasses.

I'm sorry I got stuck earlier than you did."

he said softly.

Hermione wasn't the only one stunned.

Even Snape showed an extremely incredible expression on his face.

"How can this be!?"

His voice trembled.

I just find it terrifying when I think about it.

A crisis that even Dumbledore is trapped in?
How could it exist in this world!
It's not a collapse of faith.

Instead, he felt that his good nephew - was probably dead.

"Nothing is impossible." The principal's blue eyes had a tired smile, but they were still as bright as stars: "It seems that we have to work together to find a way to solve this ancient mystery."

The words of this old man.

It doesn't sound that worrying.

(End of this chapter)