The wheelchair-bound warrior is speedrunning Hogwarts.

It curled up like a hibernating beast, its heartbeat so slow it was almost imperceptible.

Are you injured?

“Sera,” Vera called out, her wand already sliding from her sleeve into her palm, “there are living things down there.”

Sera's hand was still on the purple-horned beast's forehead when she heard this, and her fingertips tightened slightly.

She raised her head and looked at the purple-horned beast in front of her: "Is this what you wanted to say? Then... lead the way."

The behemoth lowered its head, its golden horns almost touching the ground, then turned and walked deeper into the reefs.

Sera took the lead and followed behind Vera. Their shadow perception, like an invisible net, remained locked on the curled-up magic deep within the rock strata.

The reefs here are much larger than they appear. The purple-horned beast led them around one rocky ridge after another, which had been smoothed by the sea, and through a narrow crevice that could only accommodate one person at a time. The seawater rose and fell at their feet, and occasionally a wave would crash over them, wetting their boots.

Sometimes Sera would stop and look back at her.

Vera would nod affirmatively at her, indicating that nothing was amiss, and only then would Sera continue forward.

At the end of the crevice was a hidden cave, the entrance of which was mostly submerged by seawater, with only a narrow slit in the top visible.

The purple-horned beast stopped at the cave entrance, its massive body suddenly blocking their path.

It lowered its head, its murky beastly eyes staring at Sera, and a series of low gurgling sounds came from its throat.

Sera frowned slightly. She couldn't understand the language of the purple-horned beast and could only guess at its reactions.

“There should be a cub in here,” Vera stepped forward and said, her gaze passing over the massive body of the purple-horned beast and landing on the cave entrance that was half-submerged by seawater. “It may be injured, or it may be trapped inside. We need to rescue it.”

Of course, without taming the purple-horned beast, she couldn't understand its language, but through shadow perception, she could still get a general idea of ​​the situation in the cave.

Moreover, darkness and shadows are her territory, so it's most appropriate for her to go down there.

Upon hearing this, Sera saw that Vera had already begun to remove her cloak and guessed what she was going to do. She immediately reached out and pressed Vera's hand down: "The situation down below is unknown. It would be too dangerous to go down rashly."

“That’s why someone needs to go down and scout ahead.” Vera gently slapped her hand away. “I’m older than you and stronger, so naturally I’ll go down.”

"Stronger than me?" Sera raised an eyebrow, somewhat unconvinced. "I'm afraid that's not necessarily true."

Vera looked at her young yet arrogant face and fell silent for a rare moment.

Although it's hard to admit, Sera, a novice who had never been exposed to magic before, has made breakthroughs and leveled up in less than a year, making her a top genius that is rare to see in a millennium.

I've worked hard for four or five years, but I'm almost being overtaken by Serra now, which is really embarrassing.

But in any case, Vera was certain that Sera was no match for her now.

“No matter what, I’m older than you,” Vera folded her cloak and tucked it into Sera’s arms. “Wait for me here. I’ve been in the Triwizard Tournament and can stay underwater for an hour.”

She paused, turned to look into Sera's eyes, and said seriously, "Don't follow me, if you don't want to make me angry."

Sera clutched the cloak, still warm from her body, her lips moved, but she managed to squeeze out only one sentence: "If you don't come out in half an hour, I'm coming down."

Vera didn't turn around, but waved her hand behind her, cast a bubble head spell on herself, and then leaped into the narrow crevice.

The seawater was colder than she had expected, and the cave was much more spacious than the entrance. Her sense of shadow was still clear in the water, and the curled-up magic was not far ahead, as faint as a candle flickering in the wind.

She surfaced, wiped the water from her face, and by the faint light filtering through the cracks in the rocks above, she quickly saw a cub curled up on the land at the deepest part of the cave.

It was a small purple-horned beast, no bigger than a small dog, with a layer of fine downy fur covering its grayish-purple skin, and a pair of undeveloped curved horns on its head that gleamed with a dim gold in the fluorescent light.

One of its hind legs was twisted at an unnatural angle, and a dark, damp stain spread across the stone platform beneath it.

Vera climbed ashore, her boots making a dull thud on the slippery rocks. The cub's ears twitched, and it struggled to open its eyes, which were filled with terror and weakness.

It struggled to stand up on the shore, but could only kick its limbs in vain and let out a weak moan.

Vera slowed her pace and carefully crouched down to meet those terrified vertical pupils in eye.

"Don't be afraid," she said softly, her voice echoing faintly in the empty cave. "Your mother sent me."

The cub, of course, couldn't understand her words, but it seemed to sense some kind of kindness. It struggled less, but remained curled up, its body trembling slightly.

Vera didn't rush to reach out; she simply squatted there quietly, letting the cub slowly become familiar with her scent.

After a long while, she slowly reached out and placed her palm on the cub's wet forehead.

The cub's body tensed for a moment, then slowly relaxed, letting out a soft whimper.

Vera's magic flowed from her palm like a trickle, spreading along the cub's skin, like countless invisible threads probing into its body, sensing every bone and blood vessel.

The fracture in her hind leg was more severe than she had anticipated; fragments of bone had pierced the surrounding muscle tissue, some of which had already begun to become inflamed.

But this kind of injury is nothing to her. The Ukrainian Iron Belly was injured much more seriously, but she still managed to keep it healthy and lively.

She took out a small leather pouch from her bosom, poured out a few pills, crushed them, mixed them with seawater to form a paste, and gently applied it to the cub's swollen hind legs.

The cub whimpered in pain but did not struggle. It simply nuzzled its head into her palm, as if seeking comfort.

"It'll be over soon," Vera whispered, gently stroking the cub's fur with her fingers to soothe it.

The paste needed some time to take effect, and she took the opportunity to look up and survey the cave.

The mineral crystals on the cave walls shimmered with a deep blue luster in the fluorescent light, like an inverted starry sky. Seawater rushed in from the crevice she had come through, splashing out tiny waves at the edge of the cave.

The sense of shadow extends upwards along the cave walls, penetrating layers of rock and reaching the ground.

She could sense that Sera was still in the same place, that the adult purple-horned beast was pacing back and forth restlessly, and that the sea breeze was blowing through the cracks in the rocks, carrying the scent of the surface world.

Vera's thoughts were interrupted by a slight tugging sensation.

She looked down and found that the cub had rested its head on her lap at some point, looking at her with its amber vertical pupils, and was gently tugging at a corner of her robe in its mouth.

Vera couldn't help but smile and reached out to pat its head: "Alright, stop pulling, you're going to tear my robe."

The cub released its mouth, letting out a satisfied purr, and then rubbed its head against her palm.

Vera looked down and examined the medicated paste on its hind leg. The medicine had already penetrated, the swelling had subsided considerably, and the bones were slowly returning to their normal position.

She tore a strip of cloth from her robe and carefully secured the cub's legs.

"Alright." She clapped her hands and stood up. "It's time to go back. Your mother is still waiting upstairs."

The cub seemed to understand her words and struggled to stand up, but stumbled because of its fixed hind leg.

Vera quickly caught it, and after thinking for a moment, she simply bent down and picked it up.

The cub was heavier than she had imagined, soaking wet and carrying a mixed scent of seawater and young animals. It squirmed restlessly in Vera's arms, but quickly calmed down, resting its head in the crook of her shoulder as if it had found a comfortable nest.

"Don't move around, watch your legs," Vera whispered, supporting the cub's body steadily with one hand while drawing her wand with the other and casting a new Bubble Charm on herself.

Seawater seeped up from the edge of the cave, reaching her ankles and then her calves.

She took a deep breath, grabbed the cub, and jumped into the water.

The way back was darker than the way there, and the passageway was so narrow that you could almost squeeze through sideways.

The cub curled up in her arms, its body trembling slightly, but it did not struggle.

Vera held it with one hand and felt around on the rock wall with the other. Her shadow perception was still clear in the water, and she could even feel the tiny creatures swimming in the rock strata above her.

When she surfaced, the first thing she saw was Sera.

The girl stood at the edge of the cave entrance. The seawater was over her boots, and the hem of her robe was soaked. Her long hair was disheveled by the sea breeze, but her crimson eyes were fixed on the water, as if she were counting the passing seconds.

The moment Sera saw Vera emerge from the water, her eyelashes trembled violently, and her tense shoulders relaxed almost simultaneously.

She reached out and firmly grabbed Vera's arm, pulling her out of the water.

The adult purple-horned beast let out a low growl, and its massive body almost instantly moved closer, lowering its head to gently nuzzle the cub's head in Vera's arms with its nose.

The cub let out a soft whimper, poked its head out from Vera's arms, and stuck out its tongue to lick its mother's nose.

Sera stood to the side, watching the family reunion, her expression softening slightly.

But when he turned his head and saw Vera's pale face, he quickly tensed up again.

"Put this on first." Sera handed over the cloak she had been holding in her arms, which still retained the warmth of her body.

Vera took the cloak and wrapped it tightly around herself, her gaze still fixed on the cub. She earnestly instructed her, "I've treated its leg. When you get back, be careful not to let it run around. It should be fine in a few days."

"Don't speak yet," Sera said in a low voice, frowning.

Vera was slightly taken aback. Before she could speak, she felt a warm sensation wash over her.

Sera used a spell on her, instantly evaporating all the excess moisture from her body.

“It’s windy here,” Sera said, her voice tense, as she pulled a scarf out of nowhere. “Be careful not to catch a cold.”

Vera's face was suddenly half-covered by the scarf, but she didn't flinch. She just stood there quietly, letting Sera wrap the scarf around her head again and again until only a fluffy tail was left hanging down her shoulder.

"Is this okay?" she asked obediently, tilting her head slightly.

For a moment, emotions surged in those crimson eyes, as if they wanted to say something, but in the end they simply turned their faces away and gestured with their chins toward the purple-horned beast: "It's time to go."

The adult purple-horned beast let out a low growl, its massive body slowly turning around, using its body to lift the cub up, and walking outside.

Sera caught up, took two steps, then stopped and looked back at Vera, who was still standing there.

"Can't walk anymore?" Sera asked, her tone deliberately indifferent, but her gaze involuntarily drifted towards her face.

Vera looked up, a hint of a smile appearing in her eyes, which shone even brighter against the scarf: "Hmm, I can't walk anymore, will you carry me?"

Sera's ear tips turned visibly red.

Almost without hesitation, she immediately turned around and squatted down.

Vera watched her nimble movements and the two bright red ear tips hidden under her long hair, and couldn't help but smile. She then leaned down, wrapped her arms around Sera's shoulders and neck, and her breath inadvertently brushed against Sera's blushing earlobes.

The girl's body stiffened slightly, then she steadily supported the girl's knees and stood up, her movements so gentle it was as if she was afraid of swaying her.

And so, Sera carried her on his back, slowly walking across the slippery pebble beach, the seawater receding and surging back under her boots, leaving behind tiny white bubbles.

The adult purple-horned beast walked ahead, carrying the cub on its back. The cub occasionally let out a soft whimper, which was then soothed by its mother's deep purring.

The sea breeze blew in from between the cliffs, carrying a salty, damp air that made Sera's long, flowing hair flutter and brushed against Vera's cheeks, tickling her.

"Your hair smells so good." Vera buried her face in the crook of her shoulder, her voice muffled, with a slight nasal tone.

Sera's ears turned even redder, but her steps remained steady: "Don't move."

“I didn’t,” Vera said defiantly, but her arms tightened around her neck, and she pressed herself even closer.

Sera's body heat wafted through the fabric, much warmer than the seawater. The contours of her shoulder blades, pressed against hers, rose and fell gently with each step, and even the pounding of her heart felt exceptionally vivid and real.

Hmm, it's definitely better to be young; even a little teasing makes my heart race.

Vera leaned against her back, thinking happily.

Chapter Twenty: Entering the Secret Vault

On the return journey, the purple-horned beast was shrunk and placed in Sera's cloak pocket, with only the tip of its horn showing, swaying slightly in the wind.

Vera remained seated behind her, her arms wrapped around her waist, the wind whistling past their ears and tangling their long hair together.

“I haven’t told you the question you just asked.” Vera’s voice suddenly rang out in the wind, intermittent yet clearly reaching Sera’s ears.

Sera's back tensed slightly.

But then Vera's voice came as expected: "However, I can only answer you when you are a little older."

Sera paused for a moment, then slowly exhaled and spoke in a voice more certain than ever: "I will grow up, very soon."

Vera buried her face in the fabric of her back, curving her lips into a smile so that Vera wouldn't see it.

Professor Figo was already waiting there when the broom landed at the castle gate.

He saw the golden horn tip peeking out from the pocket of Sera's cloak, and a hint of relief flashed in his eyes. Then he saw Vera following behind her, and his relief turned into something more complicated.

"Go in." He stepped aside. "The guardians are waiting for you."

They soon returned to the map chamber, where the images of the four guardians stood before their respective mirrors, their gazes all fixed on Sera.

Sera took the shrunken purple horned beast out of her cloak pocket, placed it on the ground, and tapped it with her wand. The beast returned to its original size, paced a couple of steps on the empty floor of the secret chamber, and finally lay quietly at her feet.

The young guardian who made the request looked at the purple-horned beast, then at Sera: "Miss Kronos, you've passed. After reviewing my memories, you should understand the nature of the power you need to protect."

Sera listened thoughtfully, watching the Pensieve slowly rise before her, then turned to look at Vera.

“Go and see, we’ll wait for you here.” Vera was crouching beside the cub taking care of it. Noticing her gaze, she looked up and spoke softly, her profile illuminated by the fluorescent light in the secret chamber.

Sera nodded, her gaze falling on the cub that was still clinging to her, dependently snuggling against her. Her eyes darkened, and she cast a levitation spell to toss it into its mother's arms.

Vera felt a little helpless under her rather resentful gaze, and reached out to tug at Sera's sleeve: "Why are you arguing with a child?"

“You’re not its mother,” Sera replied calmly, putting her wand back into her sleeve without changing her expression.

Oh? So, did someone sneak into her bed last night because they thought she was their mother?