The black silt at the bottom of the ancient lake was extraordinarily rich in nutrients, accumulated over countless centuries from decomposed organic matter, fallen leaves, and the natural cycle of aquatic life. This fertile underwater soil allowed the nearby aquatic plants to grow with remarkable abundance, creating an underwater forest.
According to the previously established plan, so dangerous Kappa and nurous Grindylows would be released among these large, tangled masses of water plants. These creatures would serve as obstacles designed to test the champions' courage, quick thinking, and mastery of offensive magic under the extre pressure of underwater combat.
Stone dwellings were scattered throughout the area their surfaces spotted and streaked with various types of water algae. As Bryan moved forward, the stone dwellings beca nurous, with so surrounded by tended gardens.
This was indeed a vast rfolk village, an extensive underwater tropolis that contained roughly several thousand rfolk. The village stretched across multiple levels of the lake floor, with so houses built into natural rock formations and others constructed on terraced platforms that rose from the silt.
Even in the depths of night, quite a few rfolk remained vigilantly on guard duty and patrolled the village's border.
Upon seeing Bryan entering their village in his shimring air bubble, many rfolk imdiately raised their spears and beat their strong, powerful silver tails against the water and tried to swiftly approach him.
But when they clearly saw Bryan's familiar face through the distorting, rippling surface of his magical bubble. These rfolk quickly concealed their spears behind their backs in gestures of respect and nodded respectfully to him.
"I've co to inspect where the champions' treasures are being kept," Bryan said with a. "Just a quick inspection to ensure everything is prepared according to the tournant regulations."
The rfolk began whispering among themselves in their own language. After a few monts of talking, a creature with a silver tail embedded with several golden scales swam forward. Its voice, when it spoke, was respectful but hoarse. "I can take you there personally, Mr. Watson,"
"Oh, no need for such formality—" Bryan shook his head politely. "Just point in the right direction, if you would be so kind. I'm only here for a brief look to ensure everything ets the tournant standards."
Having been politely refused, the rfolk with iron-gray scales covering much of its face looked sowhat surprised, its large eyes widening slightly in an expression that was unmistakably confused.
Its dull yellow eyes flickered with what might have been curiosity or perhaps a hint of suspicion, then, as if suddenly understanding sothing about Bryan's intentions, it bared its sharp teeth in what passed for a smile among its kind and pointed with a hand in a direction.
"We all hope Hogwarts will be victorious in the coming trials, Mr. Watson,"
The rfolk said this with conviction, then retreated back among its kind.
Bryan smiled and nodded in acknowledgnt of their good wishes. He knew these rfolk probably thought he had co to interfere with the preparations in so way, perhaps to give his own school's champion an unfair advantage, but he saw no need to explain his true purpose or correct their assumptions.
In the village's central square sat many sturdy cages containing nurous Kappa and Grindylows. These water beasts, upon seeing soone passing overhead within the strange air bubble, frantically crashed against the thick iron bars imprisoning them. They bared their vicious fangs in snarls of rage and frustration, waving their claws at him in threatening gestures.
But when Bryan glanced at them with mild indifference, these fierce water beasts imdiately withdrew their hostility. They cowered motionlessly in their cages like reprimanded children.
In the center of the square, which had been paved with cobblestones, stood a crude statue carved from a single piece of giant stone. The statue depicted a large rfolk warrior.
Behind the rfolk's tail, four wooden posts had been anchored to the lake bed with heavy iron chains. These posts were ant for binding the champions' "treasures".
Bryan descended gracefully and landed in front of the wooden posts. He neatly waved his wand in a complex pattern, and the bubble surrounding him suddenly expanded, pushing the surrounding lake water away and creating a large space filled with breathable air.
Click—
Standing on the wet cobblestone lake bed, Bryan's sharp gaze surveyed the area. Perhaps out of respect for him, no rfolk were hiding behind the lake bed's reefs to spy on him.
After confirming this, Bryan's gaze fell upon the wooden posts in front of him. The posts themselves were fine; the problem lay beneath the lake bed.
According to the protocol that had been agreed upon by all participating schools and the Ministry of Magic, after selecting the champions' treasures, and with Ministry officials serving as witnesses to ensure fairness and legality, he would cast powerful protective spells on several people to ensure their safety and survival at the lake bottom.
These spells would allow them to breathe underwater and maintain their body temperature despite the frigid conditions. Then, the rfolk would carefully bring these unconscious people to this small square and bind them securely to the posts to wait for rescue by the champions.
His wand stirred through the water-free air and with a deep, rumbling sound, cracks began appearing in the lake bed. Wet mud and sand gushed out like a pressurized spring that had been suddenly released. The four wooden posts began to shake as whatever lay buried deep beneath them began to erge from its concealnt.
But the outermost post shook most violently of all, and it was soon toppled by the force of whatever was erging from the deeper lake bed.
When the mysterious object that had been buried deep in the lake bed was finally revealed, Bryan stopped his actions with a gesture, and the lake bed's violent trembling stopped.
An altar.
Bryan's gaze fixed upon the altar, though his expression remained unchanged.
This was from the Druid sect, previously placed by Cliodna in that secluded place deep within the Forbidden Forest. The ancient Druid priests had once used this very altar to divine the location of Golden Viper and his true identity.
Now it seed the altar's uses extended far beyond that original purpose.
When Cliodna had transferred her deploynt to the Forbidden Forest, she had likely used this altar as well. It was quite remarkable—neither Bryan nor Dumbledore had detected any violent spatial disturbances or magical signatures.
Looking at the fallen wooden post, Bryan pondered and roughly understood Cliodna's thods.
He stepped back several careful paces, quietly observing the altar and the area it encompassed. After few seconds of inspection, Bryan waved his wand again, burying the altar deep underground once more.
The fallen post was also re-erected, though Bryan made subtle adjustnts to the spacing between the four posts.
"That should do it—" Bryan said with a satisfied smile.
Remus and Sirius arrived at Hogwarts faster than Bryan had expected.
The next day, at dawn's first light, when the sky was just beginning to show hints of color and most of the castle was still wrapped in the peaceful silence of early morning, while Bryan was still sleeping soundly in his comfortable bed after the previous night's underwater expedition, the sound of scratching at his office door penetrated his dreams and woke him from his deep sleep.
His eyes, upon opening, instantly shed their drowsiness. Bryan nimbly threw off his warm covers and jumped from bed as he looked toward the door. After extending his magical senses and recognizing who was making the noise, the wariness and tension in his eyes, and he beca lazy once again.
Walking slowly to open the door, he found a large black dog comically making scratching gestures with its front paws. Upon seeing Bryan's mildly displeased glare, the dog imdiately lowered its paws and grinned sheepishly.
"Excellent Disillusionnt Charm, Remus—" Bryan glanced aningfully at the apparently empty corridor behind the dog and nodded with a smile.
"Thank you for the complint—" The air in the corridor twisted and blurred like heat waves rising from hot pavent, and Remus appeared in front of Bryan with a smile.
"Those goblins have a work enthusiasm that is simply frightening and utterly relentless. They particularly love holding lengthy etings after normal business hours. I could only use a Disillusionnt Charm to sneak away from them. How are things here, Bryan?"
Glancing at Sirius, who was in the process of returning to his human form, Remus took a deep and followed Bryan into the office.
"I received your letter in the middle of the night," Remus continued. "Then I imdiately went to Grimmauld Place to find Sirius. He had originally planned to co to Hogwarts after lunch today, but when he heard that you needed help with sothing important, we both agreed to leave imdiately."
Both n had once been frequent visitors to this office during their teaching years and their involvent in various magical crises. Without waiting for Bryan's invitation, which they knew would be coming anyway, Sirius and Remus found comfortable seats on the sofa.
Warmth flickered in Bryan's eyes. He walked to the fireplace and took the kettle from its place on the mantelpiece and began preparing tea for all three of them.
A drawer slid open, and a box of various treats flew out onto the coffee table. Steaming teacups also flew through the air to appear in front of the two n.
"I'm sure you didn't have ti for breakfast," Bryan said with a smile. "Have sothing to eat first, and then we can discuss why I asked you to co here so urgently."
Sirius blinked in confusion. He had thought Bryan was facing so trendously troubleso situation, which was why he hadn't dared waste even a single mont after receiving the letter.
He had imdiately used Apparition to travel to Hogwarts, prepared for anything from dark wizard attacks to political conspiracy. But seeing Bryan's leisurely, relaxed deanor as he prepared tea and offered snacks, it seed there was no urgent matter requiring imdiate action?
Sirius was about to voice his questions, but Remus simply smiled and expressed his thanks before beginning to enjoy Bryan's treasured snacks along with the brewed hot tea.
Seeing Remus's example, Sirius shrugged his shoulders in resignation and also took the opportunity to fill his empty stomach.
Bryan created no sense of urgency or pressing need for haste. He maintained his patience and smiled contentedly as he waited until both n had devoured most of the box of treats, only then turned to Remus with a more serious expression and asked in a calm tone:
"You ntioned in your letter that we've received an official response to our entry application to the Magical Congress of the United States of Arica, Remus?"
"Indeed, we have," Remus replied, clearing his throat and nodding. His expression beca more serious as he set down his teacup and leaned forward slightly. "But I'm afraid the Arican Magical Congress has imposed certain conditions on our entry, Bryan. The terms are... unusual, to say the least.
I don't know if they're acceptable, and I couldn't make such an important decision alone without consulting you first. I had to discuss it with you before making any kind of official reply that would bind us to their requirents."
"What conditions?" Bryan asked with curiosity, though there was a slight tension in his voice that showed he was prepared for almost anything. His years of experience in dealing with magical politics had taught him to expect the unexpected.
"They've approved our application in principle and agreed to our proposed entry dates, right after the Easter holidays, but—"
Remus pressed his lips together in a thin line of concern, looking at Bryan with sowhat worried eyes that showed his deep uncertainty about the situation.
"They require you to surrender your wand upon entry into Arican magical territory, and for the entire duration of your stay until your official departure, you're not allowed to possess a wand."
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