Harry Potter: I am the Legend

A gust of wind swept through the mountainside, causing their uniforms to ripple noisily. Nobber reholstered his wand at his waist, folded his arms, and waited for Gellert's response.

Gellert narrowed his eyes. Over the years, they had gone to great lengths to infiltrate secret realms and scour the world for clues about the treasure of the fire dragons. Who would have thought that just as they neared the journey's end, someone would sniff out their trail?

He wasn't sure if this was part of his teacher's grand plan, but he wasn't about to make a rash decision. The young alchemist in front of him was no pushover either.

After a moment of thought, Gellert raised his head.

"How about this? Let me go to the summit first. If, after 500 years, I can still find a dragon egg or a fire dragon at the top, you're welcome to negotiate terms directly with Fatir."

Nobber stood motionless, suspicion in his eyes. He didn't seem convinced that Gellert would agree so readily.

Gellert smirked. "What? Not willing?"

After a moment's hesitation, Nobber grabbed Gellert's arm.

"We'll go up together."

As soon as he finished speaking, the two vanished from the spot.

At the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, the moment they materialized through Apparition, the biting cold wind slashed at their skin like blades. The suffocating lack of oxygen hit Gellert's brain instantly. At 5,000 meters above sea level, the air was dangerously thin.

The summit was blanketed in perpetual snow, deep enough to submerge their ankles. The scorching African continent stretched far below, now feeling like another world entirely.

Gellert craned his neck to take in the view. In front of him lay a massive volcanic crater—2,400 meters in diameter and 200 meters deep. Its walls were lined with glistening ice, and giant ice pillars rose from its depths. It was a natural masterpiece, untouched by human hands, both beautiful and surreal.

As Gellert surveyed the summit, the sound of another crack signaled Nobber's Apparition arrival.

Nobber Hagg frowned at the sight.

"This is it? There's supposed to be a fire dragon here...?"

"I don't know. You're the one who brought me here."

Gellert shrugged nonchalantly.

"What's with the attitude?" Nobber asked grimly.

Unfazed, Gellert leaped down onto the ice and began looking around.

Nobber cast a skeptical glance at Gellert before following him down, cautiously examining the surroundings.

The volcanic crater was eerily silent and bitterly cold. It was hard to believe they were near the equator. While Gellert seemed to be wandering idly, his peripheral vision never left Nobber. His hand rested lightly on the wand at his waist.

This was his first time here, and he didn't know the exact location of the rumored treasure. He was simply following Fatir's instructions to search for clues about the tomb. To be honest, he was surprised. This place was entirely encased in ice—could a fire dragon even survive here?

As he approached a massive blue ice formation, Gellert's heart skipped a beat. He felt something.

A faint trace of mental energy lingered in the air. It was so subtle that only someone highly attuned could detect it.

He cast a quick glance at Nobber, who remained unaware, still craning his neck and searching aimlessly.

Feeling slightly relieved, Gellert closed his eyes and focused all his senses on the environment, inching toward the edge of the ice.

At the base of a large stone, he pinpointed the source of the energy. Hidden beneath a layer of translucent ice was a stone engraved with a faint circular mark.

Inside the circle was a triangle intersected by a vertical line, crudely carved yet unmistakable.

Gellert immediately understood—he had found it.

Without revealing his discovery, he bit his finger and made a blood mark on the ice. The mark disappeared into the surface. He then casually wandered around before returning to Nobber.

Nobber turned to him, visibly irritated.

"There's nothing here—nothing but ice! Not even a feather!"

"Why don't you ask Agares Washak yourself?" Gellert shrugged regretfully. "If you ask me, this place isn't even ten square kilometers. If there were a dragon, you'd have seen it by now."

"Did you sense any traces of magic?"

"You're the wizard, and an internationally renowned alchemist at that. Shouldn't you be asking yourself that question?"

Nobber grew agitated.

"The letter clearly stated that Agareth's treasure is on the highest peak in Africa!"

"Maybe the letter you found was just a prank," Gellert said.

His mocking tone made Nobber's face darken.

Gellert glanced at him sideways and tried to de-escalate.

"Or perhaps it's on a different mountain, don't you think? There are plenty of peaks in Africa. Are you sure the highest one is this particular one?"

Nobber's scowl eased slightly.

"Really?"

"You won't know until you search elsewhere, will you?"

With that, Gellert extended his hand.

"Now give me my wand back. If we don't head down soon, those African wizards might start getting suspicious."

Nobber hesitated.

Gellert added, "Come on, you want to collaborate, right? What kind of partner confiscates their teammate's wand?"

"Fair enough."

Nobber handed back the wand.

"I'll head back and check the archives. If I find anything, I'll contact you."

In the military camp below, the midday heat was unbearable, turning the place into a sweltering oven. The African sun was merciless.

A black-haired youth, Jacob Bohm, sat on a cot, his gaze fixed on the silver-haired boy beside him.

Fatir Delacess held a small grub, teasing a peculiar baby dragon.

The black dragon, no larger than a palm, seemed like a wisp of smoke. It coiled around the shadows cast by his fingers, swirling incessantly.

"Hey, Fatir, you're not seriously trusting that guy, are you?"

Jacob suddenly asked.

On a mountainside, a fierce wind swept through, making their military uniforms flutter loudly. Norber lowered his wand, tucked it back into his belt, crossed his arms, and waited for Gellert's response.

Gellert squinted. Over the years, they had gone to great lengths to infiltrate various secret realms, traveling across the world to search for clues about the dragon treasure. He hadn't expected their plans to be detected just as they neared the journey's end.

He wasn't sure if this was part of his teacher's plan, but he didn't want to make a rash decision. The young alchemist standing before him didn't seem easy to deal with either.

After some thought, Gellert raised his head. "How about this: let me go up to the mountain peak first. If, after five hundred years, I can still find a dragon egg or a fire dragon at the summit, you and Fatiel can personally negotiate the trade."

Norber remained unmoving, suspicion evident in his gaze, as if doubting Gellert's apparent willingness to agree so easily.

Gellert smirked. "What? You're not willing?"

Norber rubbed his chin in thought before grabbing Gellert's arm. "We'll go together."

As soon as the words were spoken, the two vanished into thin air.

At the Peak of Mount Kilimanjaro

As they apparated onto the mountaintop, a cold wind, sharp as a blade, slashed against their skin. Gellert felt a suffocating sensation rush to his brain—the summit was at an altitude of 5,000 meters, where oxygen was extremely scarce. The peak was covered with snow all year round, the deep drifts reaching up to their ankles. Below them, the scorching African plains felt as distant as another world.

Scanning his surroundings, Gellert saw a volcanic crater 2,400 meters in diameter and 200 meters deep. The walls of the crater were lined with pure, crystalline ice, and massive ice columns rose from the base. Covered in snow, the scene resembled a colossal jade basin—breathtakingly beautiful, with no trace of human intervention.

Standing atop the summit, Gellert gazed into the distance. A sharp cracking sound announced another figure apparating beside him—Norber Haig.

Norber frowned, surveying the scene. "Here? You're telling me there's a fire dragon… here?"

"I don't know. You brought me here."

Gellert shrugged.

"What's with that attitude?" Norber asked darkly.

Unbothered, Gellert leapt down onto the ice and began searching the area.

Casting a skeptical glance at Gellert, Norber followed, jumping down onto the ice to begin his own search.

The crater was eerily silent, the temperature unbearably low. It was hard to believe they were near the equator. Although Gellert appeared nonchalant, his peripheral vision stayed fixed on Norber, his hand resting on the hilt of his wand at his waist.

Gellert himself had never been here before and had no idea where the rumored dragon treasure might be. He was simply following Fatiel's orders to look for clues about a possible tomb. Frankly, he found it hard to believe—could a fire dragon even survive in a place like this, surrounded by ice?

When Gellert approached a large blue ice layer, his heart skipped a beat. He sensed something unusual.

A faint trace of spiritual energy drifted through the air, so weak it could easily be overlooked without careful perception.

He glanced subtly at Norber, who was still craning his neck and scanning the surroundings without noticing anything amiss.

Feeling slightly relieved, Gellert closed his eyes and focused on the environment, moving step by step toward the edge of the ice layer.

At the edge of a massive rock, he found the source of the spiritual energy. In the corner of the ice layer, beneath a transparent surface, he spotted a stone engraved with a subtle circular emblem.

Inside the circle was a triangle and a vertical line, crudely and simply carved.

Gellert immediately realized he had found the right place.

Without showing any outward reaction, he bit his finger and left a blood mark on the ice, which disappeared into the layer. Then, as if nothing had happened, he wandered around for a bit before returning to Norber.

Norber turned to him, visibly annoyed. "There's nothing here—not even a feather!"

"Why don't you ask Agares Washak himself?" Gellert shrugged regretfully. "If you ask me, this place barely covers ten square kilometers. If there were a dragon, you'd have seen it already."

"Did you sense any traces of magic?"

"You're the wizard and a world-renowned alchemist. Shouldn't you be asking yourself that?"

Norber grew agitated. "The letter clearly said that Agares' treasure was at the highest peak in Africa!"

"Maybe the letter you found was a prank." Gellert smirked.

The sarcastic remark darkened Norber's expression.

Gellert cast him a sidelong glance and said, "Or maybe it's on another mountain. After all, Africa has plenty of peaks. Can you be certain the highest one is this one?"

Norber's expression softened slightly. "Really?"

"You won't know until you search."

Extending his hand, Gellert added, "Now, give me my wand back. If we don't leave soon, those African wizards might notice something's off."

Norber hesitated.

"Come on, you're supposed to be cooperating with me. What kind of partner keeps the other's wand?"

"Fair enough."

Norber handed the wand over. "I'll head back to check my sources. If I find anything, I'll come find you."

Back at the Military Camp

The midday heat was oppressive, the African sun blazing like a furnace.

A black-haired young man, Jacob Bohann, sat on a cot, watching the silver-haired boy beside him.

Fatiel Delacess was teasing a peculiar dragon hatchling with a small worm.

The tiny black hatchling, no larger than a palm, resembled a wisp of smoke as it coiled around the shadows cast by Fatiel's fingers, swirling endlessly.

"Hey, Fatiel," Jacob suddenly asked. "Do you really trust that guy?"

"What?" Fatiel looked up, surprised.

"I mean, you're the dragon tamer. Why do you keep bringing him along?"

"Why wouldn't I? He's my student and has been with me for over a decade."

"But he's still an outsider," Jacob said. "You're exposing the family's secrets to him. Have you considered what happens if he turns against you? I don't want the whole world learning your family's dragon-taming techniques."

"Jacob."

Fatiel's fingers twitched, retracting the black smoke.

"I trust Gellert as much as I trust myself."

"Ridiculous. Where does that trust even come from?"

Jacob scoffed. "I heard he was expelled from Durmstrang, wasn't he?"

"Who hasn't been expelled?" Fatiel replied lazily. "School's no place for brilliant minds."

"Whatever." Jacob snorted. "Fine, let's not argue. Want to hit the bar for some fun?"

"Just drinking?"

"Unless you've suddenly turned into a woman."

Fatiel sighed. "Jacob, you know I've had a crush on your sister for ages, right?"

"Sure, but I won't tell her." Jacob rolled his eyes, standing up and tossing his uniform over his shoulder. "You've changed a lot since we were kids."

"Uh-huh." Fatiel looked uninterested.

Feeling bored, Jacob stretched, stepped outside, and headed toward the nearby officer's bar.

The bar, reserved for officers, was off-limits to lower-ranked soldiers. But for a wizard, this posed no problem. A flick of his fingers transformed his private's uniform into a lieutenant's.

Ordering a beer at the bar, Jacob noticed a woman sitting alone with her drink.

She looked about twenty-five, wearing a tank top and a straw hat, her golden hair framing her striking features. She seemed like a war correspondent.

Bored, Jacob carried his drink over. "Hey."

The woman glanced at him and smiled faintly. "Hey."

"I don't think your money works here," Jacob said.

"Oh? Are you buying?"

Jacob gestured to the bartender. "Next round's on me."

The woman rolled her eyes. "Go away. I'm not interested."

"Not interested in some things, maybe." Jacob grinned, extending his hand. "Jacob."

"Daisy."

Back at camp, Gellert pushed his hat down, avoiding attention as he passed a group of soldiers. He had no intention of stirring up trouble again after a few recent disputes.

When he returned, he found his teacher, Fatiel, sitting outside the tent, smoking with an expression that was equal parts annoyance and helplessness.

"What's wrong?" Gellert asked in a low voice. "Why aren't you inside?"

Fatiel gestured toward the tent. Listening carefully, Gellert caught faint sounds from within.

Lifting the flap, he saw Jacob and the blonde reporter tangled together on the cot, clothes scattered everywhere.

With a flash of disgust in his eyes, Gellert dropped the flap and sat beside Fatiel.

"Don't mind him; he's always like this," Fatir sighed, bumping Gellert lightly on the shoulder. With a smile, he asked, "So, did you find it?"

Gellert rolled his eyes but didn't respond.

Seeing his reaction, Fatir's expression lit up, brimming with excitement. "You found a lead, didn't you?"

"Yes, you were right. That guy really is connected to the Deathly Hallows."

"That's fantastic! I'll go tell Jacob right away." Fatir was so elated that he turned to head into the tent.

But Gellert's face darkened as he grabbed Fatir's arm and pointed toward the tent. "Do you really think that guy is reliable? The one who thinks with his ass?"

Fatir froze, taken aback. "Gellert?"

"Listen, Fatir." Gellert's tone dropped to a serious whisper.

"This is the result of our hard work, just the two of us. Ours! Jacob Bohan? Please, he has no grand vision of changing the world. He's just a gambler who comes crawling back after losing all his money. He only cares about finding dragon eggs to sell for a fortune so he can keep living his playboy life."

Fatir sighed, shaking his head. "Not this again, Gellert. Have you forgotten how we got this far? We've relied on others' help to reach this point. Jacob isn't just family to me; he's my friend. I can't just abandon him."

"Our ideals go far beyond one family, one nation. You shouldn't—"

"That's enough," Fatir cut him off firmly. His voice carried an unusual gravity. "Gellert, stop. I won't do that. Try to see things from my perspective, will you?"

Gellert silently stared into the distance, watching zebras roam the African savanna, saying nothing.

Fatir leaned in closer.

"Hey, just this once, I promise. Next time, I swear I won't bring anyone else into our ventures."

Gellert held his teacher's gaze for a moment, then nodded without further argument. "Do you know Norbert Hegg?"

"I know of him, the alchemist. Why?"

Gellert frowned. "I haven't told you yet, but that guy's trouble."

"What kind of trouble?"

As they were talking, the tent flap behind them was pushed aside, and a shirtless Jacob emerged, tying his belt. Smirking, he addressed Gellert, "Did you make it to the summit?"

Following him, a woman in a shoulder-baring outfit stepped out of the tent. She kissed Jacob deeply, a gesture that made Gellert frown even harder as he turned his head away.

Noticing Gellert's displeasure, Jacob chuckled softly and gave the woman a playful pat on the rear. "See you tonight."

The woman, her eyes glimmering with affection, sauntered off with her coat in hand.

Gellert took a deep breath, his expression icy. "I did go up, but Norbert Hegg joined me."

Jacob narrowed his eyes and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I see. How much does he know?"

Gellert's voice was clipped. "Enough to want a share of the loot."

"A share of the loot?" Jacob's face darkened, his expression turning cold. He looked at Fatir. "What's your plan?"

Fatir paused for a moment of thought.

"Does he know the lead?"

"No. I covered it up. He now thinks the treasure is on another peak."

"Good."

Fatir made a decisive call. "There's a victory banquet tonight for the officers. We can't delay. We move now while Norbert's distracted. Let's get in before he catches on."

Gellert Grindelwald cast a glance at Jacob, clicked his tongue in mild irritation, but said nothing.

(End of chapter)

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