I, Hogwarts Second Time Around.

Chapter 407 Beyond the Curtain

While Dumbledore was deep in thought, Harry and Owen arrived at the stone archway.

A door that separates life from death.

Doesn't that sound a bit eerie?

But Irving knew that behind this veil was not a path to death.

Or rather, not just.

He had seen too many stone archways and curtains before, and most of the time, they were related to Outer Gods.

Who could know that this place before us leads to ultimate freedom—death—rather than the words of an Outer God?

Irving carefully examined the archway.

There were no runes on the stone walls on either side; they looked like ordinary stones, and the curtains fluttered so lightly that they seemed not to be real.

Irving reached out and touched the curtain between his fingertips.

The next second looked like a camera flashing.

It flashed past him at an extremely fast speed.

He seemed to see a desolate wilderness.

The scene is only one frame long, followed by another shot of a cabin on a mountain ridge.

"This is--"

Although the image flashed by extremely quickly, Irving still recognized where the scenery in the image came from.

"Harry—come here." After thinking for a moment, Owen pulled Harry over.

Then she took his hand and let the curtain touch him.

"Did you see anything strange?" he asked urgently.

"A visual?" Harry was a bit confused. He responded blankly, "No, these curtains don't seem to be solid. My hand just passed right through them."

"No?" Irving was quite surprised, then frowned and fell into thought.

Could it be—

Once again, he took Harry's hand, but this time he first used ancient magic to sink into the veil before touching him with his hand.

This time was definitely different.

An image immediately flashed before his eyes.

It's Hogwarts!

However, Hogwarts is somewhat outdated.

Just like in Harry's dream.

"So that's how it is—" A flash of inspiration struck, and Owen instantly understood everything.

"So that's what it was?" Harry wondered, because he had also caught a glimpse of Hogwarts.

"Nothing much?" Owen suddenly chuckled at Harry. "I was just saying, we might be about to embark on a great adventure."

"What kind of adventure?" Harry asked, somewhat uneasy.

"Death." Owen's lips curled into a smile.

Then, taking a step back and raising her palm, she unleashed a torrent of ancient magic that flowed into the curtain like a rushing river.

The pure white curtains, like ripples on the water, outline the shape of the wind.

"Owen—" Dumbledore noticed Owen's movements.

He looked at the curtain with some surprise.

I've already started to think about it.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Professor," Owen smiled at Dumbledore, "if I hadn't been so confident, I wouldn't have woken up from that coma."

He was referring to the incident in February when Koyatl fell into a coma.

However, even with Owen's affirmative answer, the old headmaster was still uneasy. He came over and took Harry's other hand.

"Maybe I should go and see it too." He blinked. "At my age, who knows, one night I might fall asleep and not wake up in the morning. Death—a great adventure worth facing bravely."

"You could live another two hundred years," Owen chuckled abruptly, then shook his head. "Professor, you should worry about how to deal with Barty Krach, who's on his way."

"This is my home turf!"

Her long hair, seemingly shimmering with silver light, danced in the air.

The confident and flamboyant smiles of the young people were like the early spring wind sweeping away the prison buried deep underground.

Everyone felt that the colors in front of them seemed to have become more vibrant.

They couldn't help but turn their gaze to him.

"Ten minutes! Maybe less, but it'll be quick." Owen stared at Dumbledore, his free right hand extending a thumbs-up towards him.

"Is that so?" Dumbledore smiled slightly.

In a daze, he saw the shadow of another boy overlap with Irving's.

But—that one had a head of light golden hair.

He stiffly released his grip.

Was it reluctance to part? Or a sense of melancholy? He couldn't tell.

He felt like he had suddenly grown old, and the fledglings no longer needed him to shelter them from the wind and rain.

On the other hand, Irving was in high spirits.

He tilted his head back like a brave warrior about to challenge a dungeon.

He couldn't let Dumbledore follow, for no other reason than that entering the veil would only be spiritual; the body would remain in the mortal world.

The Ministry of Magic had long been infiltrated by Voldemort.

If the three of them were to enter together, it would appear to outsiders as if they had all died suddenly.

Who will protect their bodies?

We can't let Kingsley have it!

Does he have that ability?

So only he and Harry can go in, and only the two of them can go in; there's no better combination.

"Alright!" Irving roared in encouragement, "Press!!!"

After saying that, he gave a sudden shove.

Harry stumbled and fell right into the curtain.

And by taking his hand, they pulled Irving in as well.

next second.

Their consciousness seemed to suddenly fall into a vacuum, as if someone were shining a 1,000-watt light bulb into their heads.

Once the bright light disappeared, everything that had captivated them also vanished.

After the surroundings were restored to order.

They then realized that they were in an auditorium.

The Great Hall at Hogwarts!

Unlike the festively decorated church in the real world, this place was deserted and quiet. The tableware was neatly arranged on the long table, and everything was so clean and orderly. It was as if the little wizards who were preparing to eat dinner had all disappeared.

"Is this Hogwarts? But it's not quite what I remember." Harry looked around curiously, especially at the walls of the entrance hall, where the stone golems had turned back into the old stone golems instead of the ancient magical golems they were now.

"This feels like the old Hogwarts."

"To be precise, it was Hogwarts seventy years ago." Owen also looked around.

However—it seems that the scenery of Hogwarts has never changed in more than a thousand years.

It stands in the Scottish Highlands just as every British wizard remembers it.

It's as if it has become one with the mountains and waters here, becoming a part of nature.

Unchanged for thousands of years.

"Seventy years ago? We've gone back seventy years?" Harry felt like his brain wasn't quite working.

Where exactly is this? What did Kyrie Irving do?

"Alright—then let me explain this to you, you little idiot."

The two stepped out of the Great Hall, as if they were still in Hogwarts.

Follow the most familiar path.

As they walked, Owen explained, "This place is called the Mystic Realm."

"The Mystic Realm?" Harry rubbed his head; it was the first time he had ever heard of this name.

Moreover—the weather here seems to be in autumn.

Although he was wearing thick clothes, he didn't feel hot.

"It is a state between life and death."

It is a road leading to the end of death, and you can choose to walk it—to embark on a great adventure.

You can also choose to go back—if your body is still alive, you will wake up again; if not, you will become a ghost.

Most commonly, it appears inside a person's mind, but it could also be somewhere else.

This place is both reality and illusion.

The interior looks like whatever you see inside.

For most people, entering a hallucination involves their loved ones or deceased individuals who left a significant mark on their lives.

Irving's voice was light and melodious, like the wind blowing through the mountains and fields, a response from nature. "You might think of it as a revolving lantern of life, where you can see the people who have passed away when you are about to die."

"The deceased?" Harry murmured to himself, lost in thought.

All of this naturally fell into Owen's notice. He knew all too well what Harry most wanted to see. "You might not even see your parents."

Irving offered a reminder.

"Huh? Why?" Harry looked up and met his gaze. "Didn't you say you'd see your family?"

"Others might, but not you and me," Owen explained, patting Harry on the shoulder. "The people who love us have always been there, but they've all passed away and haven't left a lasting mark on your life."

If that idiot Ron outlives you, then you might see him. Or Sirius, or Dumbledore.

Do you understand?

The key is the people who leave a deep impression on your life.

"I understand." Harry nodded, understanding what Owen meant.

Then he suddenly smiled and said with a hint of mockery, "Then I think I might see you."

"."

"Get lost! I'm sure I'll live a long time; I can't possibly die before you!"

"Then you can see me even when you're dead," Harry said again.

"Get lost, you round thing, I'm not interested in men," Owen yelled again. "Don't you dare come looking for me, I'll definitely be in the illusion waiting for Miss Granger's reunion. If you dare to spoil the mood, I'll beat you to a pulp."

The two chatted and laughed.

Unintentionally, I gained a clearer understanding of the issue of death.

Regarding death, whether on this side of the veil or the other, there are people who love you.

Thinking about it that way...

It's as if they're not afraid of anything anymore.

The two walked around the castle.

They went to the Slytherin common room, and also to other places.

But no trace of that person was found.

However, Irving was not in a hurry.

He was confident of victory.

"Speaking of which, whoever came up with this idea is a genius." Owen kept explaining to Harry along the way, "Because everyone who enters the Illusionary Realm sees different worlds, this is also a perfect place to hide things."

"Hidden things?" Harry already knew that Voldemort's Horcruxes might be hidden here; he wasn't stupid.

He remembered that dream very clearly.

Voldemort is in this old castle.

"That's right. Only he himself can enter this illusion that belongs only to him, so this may be the safest place in the world."

"But—why? Why can we—I can come in?" Harry frowned.

How did they get in here?

"Originally, no one else could have entered this place, but—" Owen's lips curled up. Who told Voldemort to split his soul in two!

Anyone can enter as long as they possess another Horcrux, plus the key of ancient magic, and Harry, as one of Voldemort's Horcruxes, is naturally able to as well.

"I think I'll tell you the specific reasons after you've fully mastered the brain surgery in the second semester."

"Why?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"I'll tell you the specific reasons after you've fully mastered the brain surgery in the second semester," Irving repeated.

Harry's mind is now completely unguarded for Voldemort, who can freely browse Harry's memories. However, it seems that Voldemort is unaware that he can do so.

Therefore, we cannot tell Harry the truth now, because there is a possibility of leaking the secret.

Even if the possibility is extremely small.

Harry immediately became unhappy.

For half a semester, Dumbledore treated him like he was invisible. How come you're starting to hide it from him now?

Just moments ago, the two of them were chatting and laughing, discussing topics about what happens after death.

It's really hurtful when someone suddenly becomes so cold.

But before Harry could get angry, a young man suddenly appeared in front of them.

He was a very handsome man.

He had jet-black hair, dark eyes, was tall, and had a pale face.

A smug, aggressive smile played on his lips.

"Voldemort!" Harry's eyes widened.

"Wow! Tom is so handsome!" Owen said enviously.

Harry turned his head to look at Owen. At a time like this, do you still have the mind to care about appearance?

"What? He really is handsome! I can't go against my conscience." Owen said seriously, "A law-abiding, honest, friendly, and helpful little wizard like me has a sincere heart! Even when facing an enemy, I have to say again—wow! What a handsome face."

Harry rolled his eyes faster than Tom showed surprise.

Then he said something without leaving a trace.

"You're not bad either."

"Not bad my ass, is this handsome?" Owen pointed to his face and said, "This is fucking beautiful. Do you know how many people in the wizarding world think I'm a girl?"

I receive letters from all over the world every day. Apart from thank-you letters from patients' families, more than 70 percent of them are love letters. Damn it—the contents of them could make me throw up my dinner from last night.

"Then why are you still watching?" Harry said.

"How would I know it's a love letter if I didn't look at it?" Owen replied seriously.

"Why do you care if it's a love letter or a thank-you note? Just ignore them all! That's what Hermione did, and she's received thousands of letters in the past few months!"

"Tch—I'm not that heartless. These people are my—Miss Granger's—base for future elections, fans, you know? MAGA, you know?" Owen shook his head. "Forget it, you wouldn't understand if I said too much to a political idiot like you, and it would only damage your brain."

"Okay, okay, I got it." Harry was a little confused. "But before that, can you be serious? That's Voldemort!"

(End of this chapter)