Hogwarts Raven

Facing the elegant, unfamiliar lady before him, Ian felt a flutter of nerves. Though he possessed the natural ability to enter this Twilight Zone, he had only encountered two other beings within it.

This lady was the third.

This was the world of the dead.

Who knew what kind of identity and past this lady might hold?

"Who are you?" Ian subtly shifted his stance, preparing to flee if necessary.

In response to his question, the lady raised an eyebrow slightly.

"The poor girl, with your wandering friend, went searching for that ridiculous golden apple. How could there possibly be a golden apple in this cursed place?"

Her words were laced with a distinct sarcasm.

A wandering friend?

Ian quickly realized who the mysterious lady was referring to – his other friend. This friend, like Ariana, was a wandering soul.

Pandero Natager.

A very ordinary name, belonging to a passionate young adventurer. This was likely why the mysterious lady referred to him as a "wanderer."

Even within this Twilight Zone, Pandero had tirelessly explored this world for countless years. According to him, he had long since lost track of time.

Despite likely being a soul that had lived for over a thousand years, Pandero's appearance remained that of a fifteen-year-old. Perhaps that was one of the magical aspects of this Twilight Zone. According to Ariana, when she first met Pandero in this world, he already possessed that youthful appearance.

It was unclear whether Pandero had crossed paths with this mysterious lady before.

Had they shared any connection?

If so then what kind of connection they shared?

Ian's curiosity was piqued.

He didn't know much about Pandero Natager. His impression of this friend was that he possessed the wisdom of an elder but retained the spirit of a young man. Occasionally, he could even be a little foolish.

Pandero didn't seem to be a character from the original stories, as Ian had never heard of this name in any historical accounts or literary works.

Ian wondered what kind of obsession had kept Pandero Natager bound to this Twilight Zone for so many years.

And as for the "searching for the golden apple" mission – it definitely sounded like something Pandero would embark upon. It was also typical of him to involve Ariana in such an adventure.

Ian recalled how Pandero had once excitedly dragged five-year-old Ian along, declaring that they were going to find the notorious black wizard Herpo, the most infamous dark wizard in the world.

'Me? Five years old?'

'Fight the despicable Herpo?'

Ian still found that memory absurd every time he thought about it.

"This golden apple... Is it the same kind of golden apple from the fairy tales I know?"

Looking at the elegant lady in the black dress before him, Ian tried to keep his demeanor humble, even attempting to feign innocence, using his youth to his advantage.

"Something that looks impressive but is hollow, do you truly expect a golden apple tree to blossom in this world?" The lady scoffed, her gaze making it clear that she considered him a fool.

"The last apple tree, I chopped it down long before I died. Let alone, this Twilight Zone could never sustain such a thing," She declared firmly.

"Is there a golden apple in the real world?"

Ian was somewhat stunned.

At that moment, the mysterious lady turned her head, her striking beauty suddenly drawing very close to Ian's. She even took two steps forward. A wave of rose fragrance washed over him.

Ian quickly took a step back.

The mysterious lady, with her imposing aura and ethereal presence, exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure.

"What do you think fairy tales are? Do wizards count?"

This question left Ian speechless.

Looking at Ian before her, the mysterious lady suddenly smiled.

"Although you're truly a fool, as slow-witted as Pig, who told you that you're not special?" She raised her pale finger and pointed toward the distant mountain forest, where a castle, barely visible, stood.

"If you wish to learn magic, come find me there."

Ian followed her finger's direction and saw the castle, its appearance weathered by time, giving it an ancient and eerie air. At once, an epiphany struck him.

So, this woman was the witch Ariana often mentioned, the one from the castle!

It turned out his desire to flee wasn't born of fear! It was simply a natural instinct for a wizard! Yes, that's it… this must be the innate sense of powerful wizards!

"What do I need to offer in return?" Ian asked, trying to maintain a sense of reason while remaining cautious in the face of the witch's invitation. After all, there's no such thing as a free lunch.

"Hm?"

The witch looked at Ian in surprise, even stepping around him, circling him slowly as the black robes fluttered around her, trailing through the muddy ground.

Yet, not a speck of dirt touched them.

"It seems you still don't grasp how special you are…" The witch scoffed.

Then, her expression shifted dramatically.

"Of course, for someone as young as you to understand the rules of the wizarding world shows that you're merely temporarily dull. That's not necessarily a bad thing in the real world either," She continued, pausing her steps to look directly into Ian's eyes.

"If you truly wish to adhere to the principle of equivalent exchange, then bring me my magic mirror."

After saying this, Ian noticed a hint of reminiscence in her beautiful eyes, but soon her tone turned cold again, and the nostalgic look vanished without a trace.

"Find my mirror and bring it back to me… You'll learn the most powerful magic here."

"A mirror?" Ian furrowed his brows, feeling puzzled.

The witch didn't respond, only smiling enigmatically.

"Actually, even if you don't retrieve the mirror, you can still come to me to learn," She added with a mysterious smile, making it unclear whether she was attempting to intimidate Ian.

"Who makes me enjoy playing with little boys?"

The somewhat sinister words escaped her lips.

As soon as the witch finished speaking, Ian felt that his time had come. His last glimpse was of the noble witch, silently watching him as he gradually became transparent and then disappeared.

With the silence returning after their conversation, the whole town fell back into eerie quiet.

The witch's expression gradually softened as she turned around. Her high heels clicked against the cobblestone path as she walked into the tranquil forest, returning to the front of her castle.

The castle stood in the clearing of the forest, with vines wrapping around its high stone walls. The walls bore the marks of time, and the sharp spires pierced the overcast sky.

The weather here was the complete opposite of the town.

It was eerie and heavy, but once she pushed open the thick doors and stepped inside, the grandeur of the castle revealed itself – a spacious hall with a carved marble table in the center, covered by a crimson silk tablecloth, upon which gold-trimmed dinnerware was scattered. 

The blazing fire in the fireplace cast shadows on the exquisite wall murals.

The stories of knights and princesses seemed to come alive in the glow of the flames.

With each graceful step the witch took, everything around her began to function automatically from the moment she entered the castle.

Candles lit up one by one, the tablecloth flew from the air and settled on the table, the silverware was arranged neatly, and various dishes floated from the kitchen, neatly plated, and flew onto the dining table.

Among them was a roasted piglet, golden and glistening.

The witch merely glanced at it, and in a sudden shift, she murmured softly, "I've already seen a foolish pig today; I don't want to see it again."

Upon her words, the piglet flew back to the kitchen, and shortly after, a small lamb floated onto the table in the same manner.

The witch's clothes shimmered with an invisible magical power, becoming impeccably neat and clean. She didn't eat but slowly walked to her bedroom.

"Magic Mirror, Magic Mirror, who is the most beautiful woman in the world..."

In the empty room, the witch seemed to be speaking to herself as she sat at a vanity that lacked a mirror, murmuring with a tone that held both self-mockery and complexity.

(End of Chapter)