Chapter 378: Necrowalker
Chapter 378: Necrowalker
"Can you sense anything, Sherlock?" Dumbledore whispered.
After entering the water, Sherlock, who had been keeping Control Magic active, focused his attention and naturally sensed what Dumbledore was observing.
"Traces of Magic", Sherlock said, staring at the stone walls.
"Exactly. He tampered with this place a long time ago, but it remains highly effective."
Dumbledore, acting like an ordinary Muggle explorer investigating a cave, gently tapped the cold stone walls with his palm, showing no wizardly airs.
But through this unremarkable exploration, he quickly identified a specific location.
"This is just the antechamber, the entrance hall", Dumbledore said after a moment. "We need to get inside. What's blocking us now is a trap set by Voldemort, not a natural obstacle."
Sherlock also focused on the stone wall Dumbledore's hand had touched.
"Doesn't feel very advanced?"
"Don't doubt your judgment. It is indeed quite low-level, or you could call it a petty trick."
Dumbledore stepped back a couple of paces and pointed his wand at the identified spot.
In the next moment, an archway outline appeared, radiating a brilliant white light, as if strong lights were shining from behind the crack.
But this scene lasted only a moment before the light dimmed, and the cave returned to its previous state.
Sherlock stroked his chin. His Control Magic allowed him to feel the magic power fluctuation more directly than Dumbledore.
"He wants us to pay a price, to weaken us?"
While Sherlock was questioning, Dumbledore had already pulled out a silver dagger from his robe, the kind students use in Potions class to cut potion ingredients.
"That's why I said his tricks are low-level", Dumbledore said with a tone of disdain and contempt, as if disappointed by Voldemort's performance.
Sherlock, however, frowned and stopped Dumbledore from using the dagger.
"No need for that, professor. We have better methods."
"Some magic can't be avoided, Sherlock", Dumbledore replied casually, already aiming the silver dagger at his arm. "This is his supposed cleverness, but the inevitable magic he uses here only reveals his foolishness. It's just a matter of some blood."
Without waiting for Sherlock's response, Dumbledore plunged the silver dagger deep into his forearm!
In the next second, a stream of dark red blood spurted from the wound, splattering the rock surface with shiny, dark red droplets!
Sherlock looked at the resolute old man with a headache and pulled out a small bottle of white powder from his robe pocket, handing it to Dumbledore.
"Even if we need to shed blood, there's no need for you to be so hasty. I'm more suitable, aren't I?"
Dumbledore took the bottle of white powder and sprinkled some on the wound on his arm. The deep, bone-visible wound quickly healed before their eyes.
"Your blood is younger and more precious, so I'm more suitable. This white freshness powder is quite good. Where did you get it?"
"Buy? Snape did indeed want to ask me for money, but I gave him an Iou instead."
As they spoke, the shimmering light door that had appeared on the stone wall and vanished reappeared.
This time, it didn't disappear again but remained, leading them both inside.
What they saw was a bizarre scene.
Sherlock and Dumbledore stood at the edge of a vast black lake. The lake was so wide that they couldn't see the far shore.
The cave they were in was very high, and they couldn't see the ceiling even when they looked up.
In the distance, in the middle of the lake, a hazy, greenish light flickered, reflecting in the still, lifeless water. Apart from the green light and the light from the two wands in their hands, everything around them was pitch black. The darkness here seemed denser and heavier than usual, and the light from their wands barely illuminated the area around them.
They walked along the lake, but the surroundings remained unchanged. The lake's surface was as calm as a mirror, with the unsettling green light emanating from the center.
"This lake is problematic."
Sherlock stared at the dark, impenetrable lake bottom, frowning.
"There are many bodies. The lake bottom is covered with them."
Dumbledore led Sherlock, keeping as far away from the water as possible.
"Don't touch the water. Let's look around first. Where do you think Voldemort would hide his Horcrux?"
Sherlock looked toward the spot where the green light was shining.
"The answer seems too obvious."
"Yes", Dumbledore nodded, "as if it's deliberately placed there to lure anyone who enters here."
Suddenly, Dumbledore stopped and a smile appeared on his face.
"Aha! Have you noticed anything, Sherlock?"
Dumbledore was staring at the stone wall next to them, while Sherlock continued to watch the lake.
"A boat, Professor. There's a magic chain holding it underwater, and the other end is attached to this stone wall."
"Your observational skills are enviable, Sherlock. There's nothing more delightful than searching for things with you."
Dumbledore said happily. He reached out and grabbed something invisible in the air, holding it with one hand while raising his wand with the other. He tapped the wand tip against his fist.
Immediately, a thick green copper chain emerged from the depths of the lake, shooting toward Dumbledore's clenched fist.
The chain slid through his hand and coiled on the ground like a snake. Then, a small, ghostly boat suddenly surfaced without a ripple, gliding toward them.
"Why would he leave a means of transportation here?" Sherlock asked suspiciously, eyeing the boat.
"Voldemort needed a way to cross the lake safely if he ever needed to visit or retrieve his Horcrux, without angering the creatures he placed in the lake."
Dumbledore explained solemnly.
"Given the number of bodies, there can only be one creature in the Wizarding World that could do this."
He didn't say what the creature was, but Sherlock understood what lay at the bottom of the lake.
Unconscious, mindless corpses—Necrowalkers!
(End of Chapter)
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