https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-614-Impressions-at-the-Ministry-of-Magic/13462865/
Chapter 615: Returning to Its Rightful Owner
Chapter 615: Returning to Its Rightful Owner
Before leaving, Felix briefly mentioned Percy's report.
Ms. Bones nodded, acknowledging his words. They stepped out of the small lounge, where people outside were anxiously waiting. The ownership of the Elder Wand was still a mystery, at least for now. The Stuart uncle and nephew were whispering in a corner.
"Let's go", Felix said calmly.
"Where to?" Melville Stuart asked, wide-eyed, glancing at his uncle. Blaise shook his head slightly, and Melville, along with the others, turned their gaze back to Felix.
"Wherever the Elder Wand originally was, that's where I'm going", Felix said. "As for who it belongs to, that's up to you to decide."
These words carried a certain bias, and both Uriel and Deputy Headmistress Greengrass looked pleased. Melville wanted to say something but was pulled back by his uncle, who seemed to agree with this approach.
The group left the Ministry office, and the door slammed shut behind them.
Upon leaving the Ministry of Magic, Felix could no longer use magic. Along the way, many people greeted him warmly or gave him a respectful look. As they passed through the foyer, a few sharp-eyed Squibs noticed his figure and exchanged suspicious glances, but before they could react, they had already boarded the elevator and emerged from the red phone booth.
"We'll meet at the Ilvermorny School entrance, alright? I'm not familiar with the way, so I need a guide—Uriel?"
Uriel nodded and walked beside Felix. He glanced at Deputy Headmistress Greengrass. "Mr. Greengrass, Uriel and I will go together. You—"
"You don't need to worry about me", Deputy Headmistress Greengrass said with a smile. Spurtt glared at him but said nothing, then strode off down a dark alley.
Felix and Uriel apparated, appearing several times until they reached the U.S. border. Uriel looked around, trying to orient himself, and his mouth gradually widened.
"There seems to be a—"
Black market...? He looked sheepish, wondering what Mr. Heap had been up to the first time he came here. And he suspected Mr. Heap didn't have a habit of reporting his travels abroad... at least not this time, given the circumstances.
"I used to fish around here", Felix said, eyeing the surroundings with interest. The area where they landed was desolate, with nothing but salty sea air and black, weathered rocks. But the memories added a touch of charm to this barren beach.
"From here, it's up to you to lead the way."
"Of course."
It took some time, but finally, they reached the halfway point up the mountain, where a majestic cluster of buildings loomed through the mist atop Greylock Mountain. The last part of the journey, they walked, and Felix took the opportunity to catch up on Uriel's recent activities.
"I only met Voldemort once, the day he took the Elder Wand", Uriel said softly as they navigated through the forest, recounting his experiences over the past year. "I was the only one who saw his true power, and after repeated interrogations, the American Congress of Magic became very cautious."
Felix knew the terror of Voldemort's Killing Curse, and the Elder Wand, after centuries of dormancy, had awakened to find its ideal master, naturally becoming more cooperative and enthusiastic. The unfortunate Headmaster might not have been weak, but he was certainly careless.
"After that, I joined the Auror Squad, but I didn't do much besides training. The only significant thing was leading a few raids on black markets..." At this point, Uriel gave Felix a strange look.
"Time passed, and we started hearing rumors of Voldemort's raids. I requested to lead a pursuit to at least determine his motives, but the Congress rejected it. Then, around late June or early July, we received a vague report that Voldemort had fallen."
"But the news wasn't confirmed", he said calmly. "At that point, the Auror Squad was essentially defunct, and I left, taking a few friends to Britain. We arrived just in time to help you capture the Dark Lord's remaining followers... Dumbledore called for unity among those threatened by the war, and I joined your efforts, hunting Dark Wizards for about a month."
Felix was momentarily taken aback.
Uriel's experiences were truly unique. The American Congress of Magic was clearly putting on a show, forming a 'revenge squad' to appease the angry Wizarding community, but they didn't want to make too much noise and draw Voldemort's attention—there was an interesting question here: Did the American Congress of Magic fear Voldemort?
Felix thought about it. They might not be afraid, but they were certainly extremely wary. They likely learned more from Dumbledore about Voldemort's true nature, his terrifying power, and the fact that many in Congress had experienced the pressure of another Dark Lord. They definitely didn't want the war to spread to their shores.
“... and then Ms. Bones officially declared the end of the war. A few days later, Mr. Greg approached me, hoping I could introduce him to Ms. Bones. After that, you know the rest of the story.”
Uriel finished speaking.
Felix nodded. They followed a winding stream uphill, white mist rising from the water. He asked, “Is the Stuart family well-known?”
Uriel's expression was odd.
“In some ways, yes. The history dates back to the school's founding. The two Headmasters had four children: two adopted sons and a pair of twin daughters.”
“Ah, Chadwick's Compendium,” Felix said.
“That was written by Chadwick Boot, a very capable wizard. His descendants are still quite prominent in North America... The other adopted son, Webb Boot, grew up to become a hired Auror. He met a beautiful Scottish witch on a mission and moved to Britain with her after their marriage. But that’s not really relevant to what I’m telling you.”
“The twin sisters had very different fates, perhaps because they inherited different talents from their parents,” Uriel mused. “The younger daughter, Leona, was born with magical abilities. She stayed at the school as a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and never married. Her twin sister, Martha, was a Squib. The Stuart line continues through her.”
Felix nodded, “She chose to leave the magical world?”
He understood how the girl must have felt. He could think of two similar examples: Harry’s mother and aunt, who, despite being blood sisters, only one showed magical talent, and he suspected their relationship wasn't good. Another example was Filch, whose situation was similar to Martha’s—both were Squibs living among young wizards. Filch was reclusive and prone to lashing out.
But Martha Stuart’s situation was even more awkward because her parents were the founders of Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
...
“In those days, there were no wands specifically for them,” Uriel joked, but his expression quickly turned serious. “Martha grew up and married quietly, living as a Muggle. She maintained contact with her family, but that connection ended with her death.”
“Over a century later, things changed. One of her descendants showed magical talent, and we later called him the first patriarch of the Stuart family. When the boy exhibited magical abilities, his elders told him about the family's notes and legends. From the day he entered school, he claimed to be a descendant of the founders, which was indeed true.”
“His surname was a problem,” Felix reminded Uriel.
Uriel grimaced.
“That’s not important because the boy changed his surname back to Stuart when he grew up, saying it was ‘in accordance with family tradition.’ With that bit of fame, he later married a witch from a prominent magical family and, with her family's help, rebuilt the Stuart family. After that—some speculate he may have left a will before his death, because from then on, each generation of Stuarts tried to marry into influential magical families. It’s almost an open secret and a joke—how much of Isolt Sayre’s bloodline remains in the Stuart family?”
“But thanks to this strategy, the Stuarts have successfully established kinship with many magical families, even though some despise their methods and refuse to marry them. Including the Cadwallader-Boot family. But overall, the Stuarts have been quite influential in recent years.”
“Just like this matter, Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry doesn’t want to make a big fuss and invite controversy...”
Ilvermorny Castle came into view, and Felix saw Mr. Greg and the Stuart uncle and nephew in the distance. They walked over, and Melville taunted, “You’re too slow.”
“You used a Portkey?” Felix raised an eyebrow. “That does save a lot of effort.”
Melville’s face turned red. Blaise Stuart put an arm around his nephew’s shoulder and said politely, “Mr. Heap, we’re here now. I’m curious, do you plan to return the Elder Wand to its original position? I mean, plant it back?”
He thought he was being funny, pointing to a fenced-off area with a deep, bottomless pit.
“Something like that,” Felix said cheerfully.
“I look forward to seeing it,” Blaise Stuart shrugged, squinting his eyes. He stopped talking and looked around, as if expecting someone to jump out. At that moment, the main gate of Ilvermorny Castle opened, and a dozen people walked out between two tall male and female stone statues. They wore blue and raspberry-colored robes, and Felix was familiar with the colors of Ilvermorny’s school uniform—he had seen them many times during the Triwizard Tournament. He knew these people must be the school’s professors.
"Standing at the front is the new Headmaster, Mr. Zekarias", Uriel said to Felix.
Felix curiously observed the new Headmaster of Ilvermorny. He appeared to be in his sixties or seventies, with dark skin, a broad forehead, and grayish-white hair. After the introductions, Felix took out the Elder Wand and walked to the edge of the pit. The crowd around him grew quiet, watching him intently.
Strange hissing sounds emerged from Felix’s mouth, like a snake flicking its tongue, but the pressure was far more intense. No one present feared a few snakes, but they couldn’t ignore this hoarse, sinister voice.
The surrounding light dimmed, as if being swallowed by the darkness centered around Felix.
"What dark magic is this?" Melville shouted, covering his ears and stepping back. His uncle didn’t have time to stop him, and indeed, a few professors wore looks of disdain.
"If I’m not mistaken, that’s Parseltongue", the new Headmaster, Zekarias, said with a smile. "Leona, the daughter of Isolt Sayre, inherited this rare ability. Blaise, did you call others as well?"
Several wizards suddenly appeared, only to be stunned by the bizarre scene.
"They are my friends", Blaise Stuart managed a forced smile, his eyes still fixed on Felix. He sensed that his plan had gone awry. Felix Hep could actually speak Parseltongue! What was his background? Could he be a descendant of Salazar Slytherin?
Moreover, he seemed to truly master the Elder Wand, just like that Dark Lord. A wave of excitement surged through him—perhaps Parseltongue was the key to controlling the Elder Wand? But the excitement quickly turned to a chilling cold—just as Zekarias said, no Stuart descendant after Leona had ever possessed the ability to speak Parseltongue. Had the first head of the family made a mistake in reducing the number of Squibs within the family, thereby diluting the pure bloodline?
Blaise’s smile faded, his mind in turmoil, and he barely acknowledged the allies he had summoned.
The Elder Wand floated away from Felix’s hand, hovering in midair, its surface glowing with a brilliant light. The hissing of the snake was amplified a thousandfold, the light becoming increasingly dim and unpredictable, as if the colors around them were being randomly mixed.
The wizards watching were profoundly shocked.
Finally, Felix finished his conversation with the Elder Wand, speaking in Parseltongue: "Sleep, and from your body, new life will emerge." The Elder Wand transformed into a ball of luminescence, descending directly into the pit.
From the depths of the soil, a bright, vibrant green light radiated, and the surrounding land sprang to life with tender green leaves. In the blink of an eye, the exposed pit was covered and enveloped. Then, near the center, the brown earth began to move, forming a small mound. A delicate green sapling emerged, growing rapidly, as if under the influence of an Engorgement Charm.
When the sapling reached the height of a person and the thickness of an arm, the growth of the Elder Wand slowed. Its leaves and roots occasionally flashed with luminescent patterns, each flash causing it to grow a tiny bit taller and wider.
This state might last for an hour or two, or even a week or two, but its growth was promising. It wouldn’t be long before it became lush and vibrant, just as it once was. The students of Ilvermorny could admire it, or even take shelter under its shade.
Felix looked at his work with great satisfaction.
"Only by returning it to its rightful place can the Elder Wand truly rest, and no one can awaken it. Oh, and even its functions remain unchanged—its leaves still possess excellent healing properties. Headmaster Zekarias, may I take a branch as a keepsake?"
Headmaster Zekarias was slightly taken aback, then smiled. "This is your exclusive right, Mr. Hep. All the students and staff at Ilvermorny should write you thank-you letters." "Oh, please don’t—" Felix muttered, stepping on the soft grass and breaking off a branch about a foot long.
Neither of them paid any attention to the Stuart family.
Felix carefully stored the living branch of the Elder Wand, planning to show it to Professor Sprout upon his return to see if it could be transplanted. It would be best to involve Severus as well… Dumbledore had recently expressed an interest in hiring a second Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, and he should know about this.
"Mr. Hep, the professors and I need to place protective charms on the healing Elder Wand. Why don’t you let Uriel show you around the castle?" Headmaster Zekarias said with a chuckle. "While our library may not be as ancient as Hogwarts, it is no less extensive. I’m sure you’ll find something of interest."
"That would be perfect", Felix agreed readily. "I’m very interested in the Ilvermorny School’s collection."
(End of Chapter)
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