The Return to Hogwarts

Without the slightest hesitation, Jasna stepped into the light membrane, her figure disappearing from the sight of the guard wizards who vaguely sensed something was amiss.

The view suddenly went dark, and when the light returned, Jasna was already in the foyer with its high vaulted ceiling.

The air was thick with the stench of blood and dampness. The cracked cement floor was wet and waterlogged everywhere.

Da da da!

Jasna's face was frosty. Without pausing for a moment, she strode through the puddles in her black high-top leather boots toward a dark passageway at the front of the hall.

The intricate passageways were like a maze. As they went deeper, faint, mournful cries could be heard. The deeper they went, the more piercing and shrill these cries became, but Jasna remained oblivious to them.

Good evening, Ms. Vogel—

An iron gate appeared in front of Jasina. The gatekeeper, who was sitting behind the square table in front of the gate, had already been informed. He stood upright and greeted Jasina.

Is Aeschylus at the base?

"I asked coldly."

“Oh, Captain Aeschylus is getting some ‘health care’ in the lab, Ms. Vogel—”

The gatekeeper raised an eyebrow and gave Jasina a tactful smile.

"If you want to see him, I suggest you wait a while."

Chapter 796 The Judgment Moment (Part 5)

2024-03-10

Behind the iron gate was a huge room, about the size of the Great Hall of Hogwarts, but with a much higher ceiling.

Similar to the reception hall of the British Ministry of Magic, one wall of the room is lined with a row of fireplaces, most of which are dimly lit, but occasionally a flash of green light appears, and someone hurriedly emerges from one of them. On the other side of the room, several elevators are installed, leading to a dense array of doorways on the wall above, each leading to an unknown destination.

The front wall of the room is carved with a huge relief, inside which is a magnificent castle within a huge circle representing the sun.

Upon arriving here, this underground fortress, unknown to the world, finally gained some human presence.

“It’s been a long time, Ms. Vogel,”

A man who had just come out of the fireplace and boarded an elevator with Jasna before the doors closed looked slightly surprised when he saw her. "Are you also here to see Mr. Raman?"

"As far as I know, Mr. Raman is not in the 'Hive'."

Jasina did not answer the question, but simply asked,

"How's the setup of your branch going, Berkel?"

"It wasn't particularly smooth."

A middle-aged man with a high, straight nose answered.

"Those vampires live a life of debauchery in the Muggle world. They don't care about the situation of wizards at all. To be honest, I don't particularly agree with Mr. Raman's idea of ​​winning them over. These scum don't deserve to be our compatriots. I came back this time hoping to try and see if I can persuade Mr. Raman."

“You know, Berkel, Mr. Raman’s decisions are not easily shaken.”

The elevator stopped, and after saying those words, Jasina quickly stepped out of the elevator car.

It was another maze-like passageway, but this one was different. There were many wooden doors on both sides of the passageway, and most of the gaps between the doors were pitch black. Only a few doors with lights on were making strange noises.

With practiced ease, Jasna found a room with a green-painted door covered in bloody handprints. Inside, there was more than one person; several people were talking about something.

Boom, boom, boom!

After the knock on the door, hurried footsteps quickly came from behind the door. After waiting for a few seconds, a gray-haired man appeared in front of Jiasina.

"Christopher,"

He glanced up at the old wizard's face, where the dense, eerie scales covered his features and the ghastly green hue in his vertical pupils.

“Your alienation has become more severe, Christopher. In my opinion, you probably won’t live to see Easter.”

"I don't need you to remind me, you little brat, I'm conducting a great experiment!"

Before the old wizard could give permission, Jasna squeezed into the room, which angered the old wizard so much that he slammed the door shut.

This was a room the size of several classrooms. The walls were covered with mysterious runes used to isolate noise. Most of the space was occupied by a huge, complex alchemical instrument. The remaining dozen or so people stood at the instrument's ports, looking on with excited anticipation.

In the center of the alchemical apparatus was a spherical space surrounded by a dozen metal tentacles with suction cups. A Muggle girl, controlled by magic, floated in mid-air, looking at everyone in the room with a sorrowful expression and eyes filled with terror.

Floating beneath the ceiling is a black mass, sometimes gathering, sometimes spreading, like fine sand that breathes like ocean waves. From within the sand, a low, chilling roar occasionally emanates, accompanied by a rhythmic white halo like a heartbeat.

Looking at the mass of black sand, Jasina pursed her lips, forcibly suppressing her anxious emotions.

"Don't cause trouble!"

glaring resentfully at Jasna, Christopher, who was in charge of the experiment, looked up at Kurosawa, his tone filled with anticipation.

"You may begin, Aeschylus!"

Roar!

Like the roar of a wild beast hunting, the black sand mist that filled the laboratory suddenly went berserk, and the powerful magic caused the incantations on the walls to light up one after another.

The black sand mist began to spin violently, and the Muggle girl beneath it, witnessing this scene, trembled uncontrollably from her sealed body, tears welling up and trickling down her beautiful yet desperate face.

call--

At one moment, a sudden gust of wind swept through the room, and black mist that had been swirling under the ceiling swooped down, pouring into the Muggle girl's nose and ears!

As the black sand poured in, the girl let out an incomparably shrill scream. Her graceful figure swelled up at a visible speed, instantly becoming an oval 'balloon'. As her body swelled, under the endless light, the girl's skin and bones became transparent and revealed in every detail.

Click!

Under the operation of the experimenters, the alchemy equipment began to work. The suction cups surrounding the girl emitted streaks of electricity, which distorted the space and compressed the Muggle girl who was about to explode.

"We've reached our limit!"

Two minutes after the black sand was completely poured into the girl's body, a researcher responsible for monitoring the girl's life suddenly shouted. As soon as the shout landed, the black sand, which had become much lighter in color, immediately gushed out from the girl's body and, under Jasna's gaze, reverted back to Aeschylus.

boom!

Although the black sand left her body, the girl's body shape did not return to normal. Some kind of magic was still expanding her body. Moreover, fine and hideous black lines appeared on the girl's fair skin. These black lines flowed along her blood vessels and spread rapidly throughout her body. Only under the suppression of the electric light released by the suction cup tentacles did the ominous magic not go berserk.

"How do you feel, Aeschylus?"

The old wizard with scales on his face came closer and asked excitedly.

"call--"

Aeschylus, with his blond, youthful face, swung his arm and let out a relaxed exhale.

"Feels good, much more relaxed,"

Aeschylus said, turning to look at the disfigured girl in mid-air, smiling merrily, "How long can she hold on?"

“We’ve improved the method, Aeschylus. This Muggle will probably live for three months, after which the dark magic will completely corrupt her and eventually return to your body.”

The old wizard smacked his lips, and said with a hint of lingering satisfaction,

“Muggles are too weak in body and soul. If you use a wizard, I think it will make things easier for you for much longer.”

“Every wizard is a valuable asset, Christopher,”

Jasna, who had been observing coldly, looked at Christopher and said in a warning tone,

"The only wizard you can use for experiments is yourself."

"Oh, Jasna!"

Aeschylus gave a smirk, as if he had just noticed her.

"What are you doing here instead of teaching at your Muggle school? Another interesting mission?"

Jasna didn't answer immediately. She glanced at Christopher and waited until he went to check the 'balloon' lying on the lab table while cursing before walking aside with Aeschylus.

"We were exposed."

Jasna didn't beat around the bush; she said it directly.

“Amosta Blaine has found us.”

"Wow!" After a few seconds of stunned silence, Aeschylus grinned. "Where did we slip up?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but I think he might have gotten some information from the fairy."

Jasna's face was frosty, and her tone revealed frustration and incomprehension.

"He suddenly appeared at my Muggle university with Kingsley Shackle and a Muggle woman. He had a Muggle student deliver a pocket watch to me, and this pocket watch came from..."

Jasna took the gold pocket watch out of her pocket and showed it to Aeschylus, explaining its origins. But before she could finish speaking, suddenly—

Click. Bang!

In the laboratory filled with low murmurs of discussion, a sound of shattering glass suddenly rang out, followed by a sharp crack!

Amosta appeared in the laboratory, supported by Louise's arm. Under the astonished gazes of many, Amosta smiled as he scanned each face in turn, his eyes sweeping over the huge alchemical instrument. When he spotted the 'balloon' lying on the experimental table, his smile faded and his eyes became deep.

He stared intently at the Muggle girl, whose face was unrecognizable, whose skin was covered in black markings, and from whom wisps of black smoke rose, for a long time—

Finally, Amosta's gaze settled on Jasna Rozier and Angus Aeschylus, a chilling smile playing on his lips.

"You guys are really good at this."

Chapter 797 The Judgment Moment (Part Six)