Hogwarts Raven

Chapter 319, Section 318: Ariana and Dumbledore
The sea shimmered in the morning light, as if the entire ocean was gilded with a faint golden edge. Sunlight slowly streamed down from the east, illuminating the outlines of the islands.

The enormous phoenix with a wingspan of ten feet flew back again.

The golden feathers shone like burning flames in the sunlight.

Dumbledore squinted at the spectacular sight—each flap of the phoenix's wings left behind tiny sparks in the air that did not dissipate.

Instead, it floats like fireflies, forming a dazzling band of light.

"The Phoenix Goddess has come again!" Xiaoya exclaimed, immediately pulling her younger brother down to kneel. The two children clasped their hands together, pressed their foreheads to the ground, and recited some kind of prayer in their childish voices.

This is actually a etiquette taught by the adults on the island, and the two children are now imitating it. They don't know why the Phoenix Goddess has returned.

"What are you doing?" Dumbledore asked gently.

The two children looked up at him, their faces filled with awe and reverence.

“We are worshipping the Phoenix God,” Xiaoya replied softly. “It is the messenger of the gods, and legend has it that only the greatest heroes can be taken away by it.”

"Taken away by it?" Dumbledore paused slightly, his eyes becoming deep.

“Yes,” Odin nodded. “Brother Ian was taken away by it. We all saw it that day. He was standing in the air, reaching out his hand to the Phoenix God, and then… he disappeared.”

Dumbledore was silent for a moment, then slowly raised his gaze to the distant sky.

The enormous phoenix drew closer, its wings spreading wide, blotting out the sky, each feather like a burning flame, leaving faint golden trails in the air.

"Fantastic Beasts worship, huh?"

Dumbledore noticed that their movements were very practiced.

It's obvious that they've practiced a lot.

He knew that throughout history, humans had similar veneration for magical creatures, especially those without magic, who had certainly encountered magical creatures.

After all, we all live on the same planet. The worlds of wizards and Muggles are not clearly separated, especially in ancient times. Back then, there were no laws of secrecy to prevent Muggles from accessing extraordinary things, nor were there any members of the Ministry of Magic specifically tasked with processing the memories of Muggles who had come into contact with magical time.

The earlier the stage.

The more frequently humans interact with magical creatures, the more frequent the communication becomes.

In fact.

In the world of Harry Potter, magic and mystery are always intertwined, and many ancient legends and beliefs may actually have originated from the worship of real magical creatures.

of course.

Since history has been buried under the wheels of time, wizards can only make reasonable speculations in most cases, and indeed, many similar situations can be found in history.

For example, in ancient Egyptian mythology, the Bennu bird was seen as a symbol of the sun and rebirth. It was considered a branch of the phoenix, possessing the ability to rise from the dead.

In the Hogwarts textbook "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," the phoenix is ​​described as an extremely rare and sacred creature capable of rebirth through fire, and whose tears possess healing power.

The similarities in these places lead one to wonder if the Bennu bird was a record left by the ancients after witnessing the phoenix, and whether they deified it as part of the sun god.

The feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl, worshipped by the Aztecs of the Americas, was described as a giant, feathered serpent capable of summoning wind and rain. Isn't this a kind of bird-serpent-like creature? Such magical creatures are not unintelligent, so it is indeed possible that they could communicate with humans in some way, or even form a mutually beneficial relationship with them.

These examples suggest that, within the context of the magical world, the ancient civilizations' worship of deities likely stemmed from their personal witnessing or encounter with powerful, magical creatures. These beings, due to their extraordinary abilities and mysterious characteristics, were endowed with divinity by humans and became central symbols of their culture and religion.

of course.

Myths and legends are also full of mythical creatures.

These myths are all in the past in the minds of wizards.

This also provides valid evidence for Dumbledore and Ian to consider the origins of the gods—the gods may indeed have had a period of close contact with magical creatures before they became gods.

If not.

How can the magical creatures be perfectly integrated into various mythologies?

The Naga of India and the Jormungandr of Europe can both be considered magical creatures. The Celtic of Scotland and the water horses of Ireland may also have evolved from wizards' fear of kakapo – the Greek Poseidon's chariot was pulled by sea horses, and the Department of Mysteries of the Ministry of Magic still keeps similar creatures to this day.

Mythology is also full of fantastical creatures.

Therefore.

It's normal for primitive tribes to worship gods, so there's nothing unreasonable about them worshipping these magical creatures. In any case, ancient Muggles witnessed magical creatures and then regarded them as gods, which led to a lot of worship of non-human things, and Dumbledore also held a supportive attitude towards this.

Therefore.

Seeing the two children kneeling before the mysterious giant phoenix, Dumbledore didn't find it strange at all; he simply maintained the same attitude as Ian.

Standing.

Treat each other equally.

Seeing that the two children raised their heads and stood up after bowing, showing little reverence for the "ancient gods," Dumbledore immediately asked them a question.

"Do you often worship the phoenix like this?" Dumbledore asked softly, his gaze still fixed on the approaching divine bird. He wanted to know some information about the enormous phoenix.

“We don’t know, but the Phoenix God is our guardian deity,” Odin replied, still kneeling. “The adults say that the Phoenix God protects this island from being swallowed by storms.”

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully.

In ancient Celtic legends, the phoenix was indeed regarded as the embodiment and guardian of the sun. Suddenly, the falcon on his shoulder let out a low cry, its golden-red feathers fluttering slightly.

He appeared both awe-inspiring and excited.

The enormous phoenix finally flew over the beach.

The scorching air currents generated by the wings caused the surrounding sand to melt, forming tiny glass crystals.

"Is this meant to intimidate me? Or is it a warning?" Dumbledore had to raise his arm to shield himself from the hot wind, and a thin layer of condensation fogged up his half-moon spectacles.

When the phoenix lands.

An astonishing scene unfolded—the phoenix slowly descended, its wings folded, its tail feathers swaying gently, each flap creating a breeze carrying a faint scent of incense. It showed no aggression or hostility, simply standing there quietly, like a living sculpture.

The ground beneath its feet began to change. Ordinary trees gradually turned into a pure gold color as it approached, their branches and leaves shimmering with a radiance that did not belong to this world—this was not a simple act of alchemy, but a deeper transformation, a process of sublimating matter into energy.

The bark of the surrounding tree trunks quickly turned into a dazzling gold, and the branches and leaves transformed into emerald-green gems. The entire tree shimmered with a dazzling light in the setting sun.

"Advanced Alchemy".

Dumbledore was also somewhat surprised by what he saw. He had encountered many similar creatures before, but this was the first time he had ever encountered a creature whose magic had such a strong influence on its surroundings.

Even the most powerful ancient dragons did not possess such innate magical abilities.

To know.

Even for Nico, this level of material transformation requires complex magic arrays and a long period of preparation to complete, but this phoenix accomplished it simply through contact upon landing.

That was no ordinary ability. Fawkes flew off Dumbledore's shoulder, circled once in the air, and then bowed his head to the enormous phoenix, like a subject paying homage to a king. This sight made Dumbledore's blue eyes widen slightly—in the wizarding world, phoenixes were extremely rare and proud creatures, and it was indeed rare for a phoenix to show submission.

“Perhaps I have found the origin of the phoenix.” Dumbledore realized something and muttered to himself, his fingers unconsciously rubbing his wand.

The enormous phoenix tilted its head, its amber eyes staring directly at Dumbledore. The old man attempted to build a mental bridge in his mind, using the same method he used to communicate with Fawkes.

however.

His consciousness encountered an impenetrable wall—not rejection, but a fundamental difference, like how humans cannot communicate with the stars.

Dumbledore couldn't find a way to communicate with the giant phoenix.

"Did you come here to see me?"

Dumbledore switched to some kind of magical language to ask the question, feeling that the other party was more intelligent than his own Fawkes, and perhaps spoke some more primitive magical language.

only.

Dumbledore received no response.

The enormous phoenix, whether it understood him or not, continued to gaze at him with its deep eyes, or perhaps it looked at Fox on his shoulder.

The great phoenix seemed to hold a hint of curiosity in its eyes, as if it were scrutinizing a lost child. Fox flinched and let out a slightly aggrieved cry.

The atmosphere became somewhat awkward for a moment.

"Did you come to see me?" Dumbledore asked softly, his tone both tentative and respectful.

Phoenix did not respond, but simply watched him quietly.

Countless speculations arose in Dumbledore's mind.

Is this phoenix... really just a magical creature?

Or is it a remnant of some ancient civilization? Or perhaps a guardian of a lost era?
Because of his own curiosity about the Dumbledore family's past, Dumbledore investigated and read about phoenixes in ancient texts, especially in ancient civilizations where they were often seen as embodiments of time and witnesses to destiny. Many ancient peoples had similar worship practices.

They share a core characteristic: immortality, rebirth, and transcendence. And this phoenix is ​​clearly more real, more…powerful than these legendary figures.

At this delicate stalemate, a deafening explosion suddenly rang out from the sky. Dumbledore looked up sharply and saw a gigantic figure descending from the sky at an astonishing speed.

"Bang!!!"

The beach shook violently, and silvery-white sand burst forth like a fountain. Dust flew and pebbles flew everywhere. When the dust settled, Dumbledore saw a crater nearly ten meters in diameter in the sand.

Dumbledore grabbed the wand.

Step forward.

I saw.

In the center of the pit lay a three-meter-tall silver-haired "giant," none other than Tantaly, the female Titan Ian had encountered before. Her appearance upon descending to earth was truly something that could not be recorded in history.

She changed her outfit, her long silver hair was tied into a high ponytail, and she wore some kind of battle suit that shimmered with a metallic sheen, with protective gear inlaid with runes on her wrists and ankles.

It has a kind of majesty.

However, its prestige now seems to have been completely lost.

"What a tall person!"

"Is she a magical creature too?"

The two siblings who came closer also exclaimed in surprise.

Little Sprout is still as stubborn as ever.

She threw the stone ball at Claire, attempting to determine if she was a "humanoid magical creature." The stone ball hit the female Titan's head but had no effect.

"Oh no, she's not a magical creature, she's just tall." Little Sprout was shocked and realized her rudeness, so she quickly jumped into the pit to help the three-meter-tall giant up.

only.

The otaku girl, who hadn't landed in her most perfect form, lay on the ground and didn't want to get up.

"Is she... hurt?" Odin ran over, frowning as he watched the scene. Claire didn't respond, but simply buried her face deeper into the sand.

It's as if doing this will make me disappear from this world.

Seeing that Xiaoya wanted to save her.

"Don't take off my shoes, I'm fine, I just want to lie down for a while and get some sun." The female Titan Lyle was lying disheveled in the middle of a huge pit.

The air was still thick with the embers of the dust explosion. Her long hair was disheveled and draped over her shoulders, her face covered in dirt and rubble; her once imposing presence was now completely gone.

"She is still conscious."

Dumbledore approached slowly, his eyes filled with a hint of inquiry and a gentle smile.

He stood at the edge of the pit, looking down at the "giant" who refused to raise his head, his tone gentle yet carrying an undeniable insight: "If I'm not mistaken, you are an ancient Titan."

This statement came out.

The body at the bottom of the pit trembled slightly.

"Albus Dumbledore, isn't he?" Claire's muffled voice came from the sand. She still didn't look up, and her words startled Dumbledore.

He was a wizard from later generations.

He has never revealed his name to anyone in this world.

How did the other person find out my name?

"The Prophet? Or did Ian tell you?" In an instant, Dumbledore thought of the two most likely answers, and he raised his eyebrows.

Bingbing didn't seem to have a very serious expression.

of course.

Such emotions only lasted for a few seconds. Because what Tantalus said next was earth-shattering, causing Dumbledore's pupils to dilate slightly, and he almost dropped his Elder Wand. He appeared to be experiencing a very intense emotional fluctuation.

“No, this is information Ariana told me.”

This is how she responded.

Not loud.

But it made Dumbledore's mind go blank.

(End of this chapter)