Chapter 54: An Unexpected Discovery
Chapter 54: An Unexpected Discovery
In the following days, Liam visited many places and had to admit that the Floo Network was indeed quite convenient. It allowed him to travel to numerous locations and feast his eyes on the sights. However, the downside was that Liam often felt a bit disoriented by the Floo Network, usually tumbling out of the fireplace. But to save time, this was the only way.
Whether it was the colorful wooden houses of the local residents, which seemed even more beautiful under the perpetual sunlight of the Arctic, or the snow-covered glaciers, or even the floating icebergs in the rivers reflecting a dazzling light, all these scenes provided Liam with an excellent travel experience.
On the magical side, he visited and fed the North Sea Giant, marveling at how these behemoths might be even larger than the Giant Squid at Hogwarts. He also admired the endangered Silentbird in the protected area.
Naturally, Liam took many photos. He carefully selected a few and had them made into postcards at a photo shop, then sent them to his friends via the North Pole Owl Post on Saga Street.
The next day, he received a pile of letters from owls. Some of his roommates expressed envy, and the Weasley Twins asked Liam to purchase certain magical ingredients unique to Iceland (since Liam had read a lot of diverse books, and once, when the Weasley Twins discussed a topic Liam had read about, he casually provided an answer, gradually building a friendship).
However, in the letters from Ron and Hermione, besides thanking Liam for the postcards, they mentioned that their letters to Harry had gone unanswered, which made them feel a bit anxious.
Liam did not see any reply from Harry in this batch of letters either. He suspected that his letter, along with those from Hermione and Ron, had been intercepted by the house-elf Dobby. So Liam wrote back to Hermione and the others, telling them that Harry's safety was always under Professor Dumbledore's watch, so there shouldn't be any major issues. However, if there was still no response, they could visit Harry's house.
Time passed leisurely as Liam continued his relaxed travels, an environment that brought a sense of relaxation he had never felt elsewhere. At least, Liam felt that the fatigue his parents had accumulated from work seemed to have diminished.
One day, while wandering the streets of Reykjavik and looking around, Liam was preparing to visit a museum when he was suddenly drawn to an oil painting.
The painting belonged to an artist selling his work on the street. The painting was of average quality, but the mountain depicted in it looked almost identical to the one on the Treasure Map Liam had obtained.
He approached the artist and asked, "Sir, could you tell me where this painting is from? I've been traveling here for several days, but I've never seen this mountain."
The artist put down his brush and said, "This is a scene I saw a few years ago when I went hiking in the Askja Volcano. It was a clear day, and I was with a few companions, planning to visit Viti Lake to enjoy the hot springs. But halfway through, the weather suddenly changed."
At this point, the artist seemed to recall something terrifying and shivered before continuing, "The wind was so strong that we were worried our car might be blown away. After about half an hour, the wind stopped, and I saw a group of mountain peaks that looked like devils emerge from the barren ice cap. They appeared for less than a minute before vanishing."
"Later, I asked the locals, and they told me it was called Devil's Mountain. According to legend, it's a place where devils live. Most of the time, it remains hidden in the underworld, only appearing in the human world under very rare circumstances."
Liam listened to the artist's words with a thoughtful expression. Most of the time, it's invisible, only occasionally appearing. This did seem to fit the situation where wizards use magic to conceal certain places. If the concealment spells are not maintained, they might indeed malfunction over time.
It seemed that a thorough investigation was necessary. After bidding farewell to the painter, Liam found a secluded spot and took out the cosmetics he had bought, applying them to his face to disguise himself as a Native American (both being of East Asian descent, the transformation was passable, thanks to the items from Assassin Legacy). He then headed to Saga Street to gather information.
Liam disguised himself as a Native American Wizard visiting from the Americas, speaking English with a Caribbean Spanish accent, and began inquiring with the shopkeepers. He quickly got some useful information.
The location was a natural magic power node, which had formed a Magic Barrier to prevent others from discovering it. Wizards had only discovered this place about thirty years ago. However, when they first explored it, they found only an abandoned Altar and nothing else.
Many Wizards had visited and studied the place since then, but no significant discoveries had been made.
As a result, very few Wizards now visited the site. However, getting there wasn't difficult. One could use the Floo Network to travel to the Highland Troll Reserve near Vatnajökull Glacier, and then rent a broom to fly for about ten minutes to reach the destination.
After collecting all this information, Liam felt incredibly frustrated. He had thought he had discovered a significant treasure site, only to find out that it had already been discovered and turned into a tourist spot, albeit a neglected one due to its lack of features. This left him with a strong sense of disappointment.
However, it was important to see things through to the end. Since he had found his target, it would be a shame not to go and take a look.
The next morning, after finishing his homework (the life of a hardworking student), Liam packed his things and set off for the Devil's Mountain Altar.
After spinning for several seconds in the Floo Network fireplace, Liam appeared in a small house hidden by magic. A notice on the wall read: "If you wish to swim in Viti Lake, please change into Muggle clothing here."
Near the fireplace was a counter where a middle-aged Wizard, around fifty years old, was dozing off.
Liam approached and woke him up. "I want to visit the Devil's Mountain Altar. Do you have brooms for rent here?"
"Oh, another young fool lured by the treasure legend. Unfortunately, people like you are becoming fewer and fewer these days", the middle-aged Wizard said, rubbing his sleepy eyes. "It's twelve Sickles for a day, with a five-Galleon deposit." He then placed a broom that looked reasonably good on the counter.
Liam paid the fee and spent three additional Sickles to rent a heated cloak and a pair of goggles. Flying in the air could be very cold, and he hadn't had the time to learn the Warming Charm or other life spells while focusing on Stun Spells and combat-related incantations.
The Devil's Mountain Altar wasn't far away, and Liam could even see the strangely shaped, devil-like peaks in the distance.
Riding his broom, Liam reached the site in just over ten minutes. This was partly because the broom was old and his flying skills were a bit rusty. If Harry had been riding his Nimbus Two Thousand, it might have taken only five minutes.
Landing his broom, Liam found that the broom parking area was at the start of a small gravel path. He left his broom and followed the path, guided by the signs, toward the Altar.
(End of Chapter)
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