Magical Studies at Hogwarts...

Chapter 250 The Reflection of Legend

They came and went in a hurry, seemingly just a chance encounter between two people who hadn't seen each other for a long time, and naturally parted ways after exchanging pleasantries.

Ike, however, knew perfectly well that every encounter with Dumbledore since he left Hogwarts had been part of the white-bearded old wizard's plan. This was true in the Hall of Prophecy of the Department of Mysteries, and it was also true in Athens this time.

In any case, Dumbledore wouldn't let things deviate from his plan, and now that Ike had shown signs of it, he needed to confirm Ike's current thoughts.

In some ways, the two greatest wizards of our time were similar in character, both possessing a strong desire for control. The difference lay in that Voldemort placed unwavering faith in the power of magic, especially the magic he wielded, while Dumbledore believed more in humanity and the human heart.

It's worth noting that back in his first year, Ike had already made an unbreakable vow with Dumbledore to never harm Hogwarts, but that didn't stop Dumbledore from testing Ike's inner thoughts in various ways.

The conversation, shrouded in mystery and seemingly both instructive and probing, ended rather uneventfully. Dumbledore quietly departed, while Ike waited until the sun had completely disappeared below the horizon before leisurely returning. After enjoying a delicious Greek meal and a comfortable night's sleep at the hotel, he checked out the next day and headed straight to the airport, boarding a plane to Baghdad.

Just as Dumbledore would probe his thoughts, Ike would judge whether what he said was true or false. Given the existence of Occlumency, the former had never succeeded, while the latter was easily accomplished.

Istanbul, or rather, the treasure of Constantinople, has indeed disappeared, so there is no need to go there anymore. He might as well head straight to Baghdad to find what may be the most important and magical treasure of this journey—the fruit of the Tree of Life. But before that, he needs to find a legendary place.

The Tower of Babel.

Legend has it that this was the most magnificent building of the Babylonian dynasty, a miracle that even God was awestruck. It soared into the clouds, visible from every corner of the world.

This is a secular legend, but according to Old Voldemort, the Tower of Babel may have been a gathering place for ancient Babylonian wizards, so it also has the nickname "Gate of God".

"You will see the marks of time and the greatness of ancient wizards, and at the very top of the tower, the garden swaying in the clouds will drive you mad..."

"If I had gotten it back then, perhaps..."

The melancholy on Old Fu's face when he said those words was something Ike had never seen before, which gave him an idea of ​​just how precious and magical the miracle here was.

The difficulty is extremely high. Very few wizards have found the Tower of Babel, and even fewer have actually obtained the fruit of the Tree of Life. The vast majority of them are unable to touch the fruit on the tree when they finally arrive at the miraculous Tree of Life.

It's like a phantom, visible but untouchable.

Ike wasn't sure if he was one of those extremely rare individuals, but he was determined to give it a try.

Baghdad's environment couldn't compare to Athens; its unique historical context and social culture limited his freedom. These factors, however, didn't deter a wizard. The real challenge lay in finding the Tower of Babel.

Old Voltaire didn't provide an answer. He said the location of the Tower of Babel wasn't fixed; it was like a ghost, wandering the lands of the ancient Babylonian kingdom. Perhaps you could see it the moment you stepped outside, or perhaps it was hidden in the endless desert.

It's a game of pure luck with no pattern.

After resting for a day in Baghdad, Ike set off on his search the next day with his suitcase.

In ancient times, this was a land of miracles. The plains formed by the Euphrates and Tigris rivers nurtured a splendid civilization. When the power of magic shone on this land, the British Isles were still a barren wasteland, inhabited by magical creatures.

No one knows exactly how many wizards once lived here, or what magic they left behind that still works today. The legends that have been passed down are enough to give us a glimpse into the situation.

One theory is that the Garden of Eden was located on this land...

Traveling along the Tigris River, Ike went unnoticed by the Muggle banishment spell. He went from north to south, crossed the riverbanks, and then back again, but to no avail. He then went to the Euphrates and repeated the same process, still without success.

After spending a week without any results, Ike was inevitably getting frustrated. There was almost no trace of magic in this land, and he hadn't even seen many wizards.

The Muggle wars still had a significant impact on wizards.

He had secretly come to believe Old Voldemort's words: finding the Tower of Babel still depended on luck. Ike, however, had no confidence in this aspect; the disastrous experience of drawing cards in the past didn't seem to have changed at all despite his new birthplace.

A week, two weeks, half a month passed, and Ike became somewhat numb. Time had changed this land; the greenery had disappeared, yellow sand covered the ground, the scorching heat baked the earth to a boiling point, and there weren't even many clouds in the sky.

Although the bad weather wouldn't affect him in any way, it inevitably made him feel worse.

In August, the temperature rose a few degrees, the air seemed distorted, and luck seemed to have changed. Upon seeing the ancient tower faintly visible in the distance, Ike didn't hesitate and sped off in that direction.

Another day passed, and when he finally stood at the foot of the Tower of Babel, he was immediately stunned by this miraculous creation from thousands of years ago.

There was no heat at all; a gentle breeze brought dampness and coolness. The stone gate, more than ten meters high, was somewhat dilapidated and half-open, allowing a glimpse of what lay inside.

Stepping inside, one is greeted by a spacious hall, as wide as a plaza. The floor is surprisingly clean. Stone stairs spiral up the wall, and looking up, the view is obscured by clouds, making it impossible to see the end.

The stone steps bear obvious signs of wind erosion; they have lost their sharp edges and are no longer smooth, with some even missing pieces, so one has to be careful when walking on them.

Ike didn't use magic to speed things up. From the moment he stepped into this place, he sensed the ancient magical restrictions. After he finally walked up the long stone stairs to the second floor of the tower, the restrictions became even more numerous, and even the flow of magic became less flexible.

Things were a bit better on the third level; the restrictions seemed to be damaged, but the situation worsened as he went higher. Fortunately, although his control over magic was less precise, it didn't prevent him from using magic to relieve his physical fatigue.

After all, climbing this towering tower on two legs is almost an impossible task.

He climbed silently, encountering a series of dilapidated scenes along the way, the higher he went, the worse they became, as if a fierce battle had taken place. But once he passed through the clouds, everything changed.

The area above the clouds seemed completely unchanged, remaining exactly as it had been thousands of years ago. There were gold-threaded curtains, a wooden table exuding a captivating fragrance, and a ceramic vase upon which sat a single, blooming white flower.

The wand quietly landed in his hand. Feeling the magic within him, thankfully, there was no resistance, which gave Ike a little more confidence.

Something was very wrong. Ike, who had used and studied time converters before, had a guess in his mind:

Time seems to have stood still here.

(End of this chapter)