A Professor of Magic at Hogwarts

Chapter 311: Return

Felix gazed upon a hazy emerald light. He squinted his eyes as the verdant glow emanated from a basin-like stone basin resembling a Pensieve, connected to a pedestal underneath.

Clusters of crystal-like stones lay beneath his feet, scattered across the ground, casting a faint shimmer. Felix scanned his surroundings; a dense, impenetrable darkness enveloped them, heavy with an air of desolation.

Sirius helped Clitch to his feet, raising his wand high. The light at the tip of his wand illuminated only a small area, leaving even half of his face concealed in the darkness, rendering his visage indistinct.

"We have delved deep into Voldemort's heart," Sirius said quickly, a hint of excitement and vengeful pleasure in his tone. "But the impact here is greater, magic holds less sway."

"Some magic doesn't work," Felix cocked his head, indicating Clitch beside him; the fingertip of the house-elf glowed even brighter, "This has given me some inspiration..."

Felix extinguished the light on his wand, melding into the darkness completely. Though they were mere feet apart, Sirius couldn't discern any outline of him. An eerie silence shrouded the place, a growing sense of danger closing in.

He heard Felix emit strange sounds, like a peculiar language with unique rhythms and cadences. Then, he saw light. An abundance of soft, milky radiance burst forth before him. It left a minuscule dot in his eyes, but in an instant, the light poured forth, spreading across the earth, the air, filling every inch of his field of vision.

The light wasn't blinding; Sirius could even peer past Felix and glimpse what lay behind him. His eyes widened – an endless expanse of mirror-smooth lake stretched out, something he had subconsciously overlooked earlier. The lake, concealed in darkness, was tranquil, unruffled, devoid of ripples or sound, as though it were an even plain.

But the most astonishing aspect was what rested within the lake's waters: corpses! One after another, bodies floated beneath the mirror-like surface. He surveyed his surroundings, the nearest corpse mere three or four feet away, almost within arm's reach.

Sirius could clearly discern the corpses' pallid, marble-like faces, adorned with brown tops and blue or black trousers... An icy shiver ran down Sirius's spine – Regulus might have been dragged underwater like this...

"Splash!"

The pitch-black lake waters churned, a hand emerged. "Careful! These aren't corpses, they're Voldemort's created Inferi army!" Sirius stepped back, his voice loud with warning, "And many of them were Muggles... damn it, it's that village! He destroyed an entire village to amass this force!"

Sirius had no time for cursing; he raised his wand, ready to strike back. Hindered by his own constraints, and with the added burden of avoiding harm to Regulus's remains, it wasn't an easy task.

Yet Felix said calmly, "It seems they're not intent on attacking us." Indeed, these Inferi hadn't climbed onto the isle; instead, they moved farther away. To be precise, they were retreating from the light emanating from Felix's wand.

"Averse to light, fearful of fire – these are Inferi's traits. Voldemort must have restricted these two types of magic. Also, he couldn't employ Disillusionment Charm, a masterful move..." Felix noted, "But just as he didn't consider house-elves' magic, he hasn't factored in ancient spells reliant on runes. Of course – perhaps he considered but couldn't control them."

Felix raised his hands, conjuring a round white light orb. The cave was tall, its roof obscured; thus, the light ascended to its zenith like the sun, casting a warm radiance.

Voldemort's dark trap design faltered. Light and darkness intertwined and eventually expelled the dark, the cave aglow as if it were day.

At this moment, they saw their surroundings clearly – standing on a small island in the heart of a lake. The isle was enveloped by a vast expanse of black waters, though now they were translucent and shining.

Hundreds, even thousands, of Inferi hid beneath the lake's surface, relying on instinct to shield themselves.

Felix turned to Sirius and Clitch, saying, "Now you can search for Regulus. I'd like to study this stone platform." After a few seconds, he looked at the man and the house-elf with surprise, "Do I need to cast an 'Aqua Bubble' for you?"

The Aqua Bubble Charm created a bubble-shaped pocket of air around the caster's head, allowing wizards to explore underwater or avoid unpleasant odors. As far as Felix knew, the Weasley twins were quite adept with this spell.

"You're not expecting me to join the search, right? I don't even know Regulus..." Sirius waved his hand, having exerted considerable effort to cast Aqua Bubble on himself and Clitch. He spoke in a muffled tone, "Are you sure these Inferi won't suddenly attack?"

"As long as they remain Inferi," Felix surveyed the area with black-and-white vision, "I don't see any hidden magic. You needn't worry."

Clitch immediately jumped into the lake, swimming nimbly. Sirius grumbled but followed suit, enduring the bone-chilling water. Their vision remained unaffected, and they began to locate Inferi. The task quickly became monotonous – Sirius had been submerged in the black lake for twenty minutes, his body stiff, his clothes soaked through, dragging him downward. Clitch fared no better; Sirius had to pull him out to recover.

The icy water cascaded down Sirius's robe, step by step he ascended the steps, trembling all over.

Chattering, Clitch's teeth trembled, his speech slurred, yet he insisted, "Clitch has seen 47, no, 48..."

Sirius scowled, "Are you trying to get sick so I'll have to take care of you? Come eat something!" He was amazed; scattered around the campfire lay various foods, even two bottles of butterbeer. This wasn't a camping trip! He didn't know how he managed to eat, but he replenished his energy.

"You could use a Warming Charm, it'll help." Felix suggested, his head still bowed.

...

Felix caught sight of a hazy green light. He squinted as the emerald luminescence emanated from a basin-like stone dish, nestled atop a pedestal.

The ground was scattered with crystalline-like stones, chaotically embedded into the earth, reflecting a faint glow. Felix scanned the surroundings; darkness thick as tar enveloped them, laden with an aura of death.

Sirius helped Kreach up, brandishing his wand aloft. The light at its tip illuminated only a small patch, his face half-obscured in shadow, rendering his features indistinct.

"We're delving deep into Voldemort's heart," Sirius exclaimed, his tone a mix of exhilaration and a vengeful edge, "but the effects here are more pronounced, magic doesn't work as well."

"Some magics aren't effective," Felix tilted his head, indicating Kreach by his side, the tip of the house-elf's fingers glowing brighter, "this has given me a notion..."

Felix extinguished his wand's glow, immersing himself in the shadows. A mere few feet separated them, but Sirius couldn't make out his form. The eerie silence was nerve-wracking, danger inching closer.

Felix emitted an odd sound, akin to a language with peculiar rhythm and cadence. Soon, light emerged. Copious, soft milky-white radiance bloomed before him, leaving an insignificant dot in his eyes, but swiftly, the brilliance cascaded, filling the ground, the air, every inch within his vision.

This light wasn't blinding; Sirius could even see beyond Felix, perceiving what lay behind him. His eyes widened—endless, mirror-like lake stretched before them. He had unconsciously ignored this earlier, the water concealed in darkness, tranquil without ripples or sound, like a level expanse of land.

Yet, the most astonishing sight was within the lake—corpses! One after another floated beneath the mirror-like surface. Sirius surveyed his surroundings, the nearest cadaver a mere three or four feet away, as if he could touch its feet by stretching out his hand.

He could discern the faces of the corpses, pallid as marble, dressed in brown coats, blue or black trousers... A chill coursed through Sirius; Regulus might have met the same fate...

"Splash!"

Dark waters surged, a hand emerged. "Be cautious! These aren't corpses, they're Voldemort's Inferi army!" Sirius shouted, his voice echoing in the cavern, "And many of them were Muggles... damn it, it's that village! He destroyed a village for these troops!"

Before Sirius could utter more curses, he raised his wand, ready to retaliate. Constrained himself, and mindful not to harm Regulus' body, it was no easy feat.

However, Felix calmly stated, "It seems they have no intention of attacking us." Indeed, the Inferi hadn't ascended the island in the lake's center; they instead distanced themselves from the light, or more accurately, Felix's light source.

"Fearful of light, averse to fire—traits of the Inferi, and Voldemort surely has curbed these types of magic. Add to that the inability to Apparate, and it's quite the strategic move..."

Felix continued, "But just as he didn't consider house-elf magic, Voldemort might not have accounted for ancient spells rooted in runic magic. Of course, perhaps he did consider it but couldn't restrict them."

Felix raised his hands, conjuring a round white light. The cave was high, its ceiling hidden from view; the white sphere ascended, akin to a sun, casting warm radiance around.

Voldemort's devised trap of darkness malfunctioned. Light and shadow tangled, light eventually vanquishing the dark. The cave illuminated as if it were day.

By now, they could clearly see everything—the small island they stood upon was engulfed by the dark lake's expanse. The black waters appeared transparent under the light's influence.josei

Hundreds of Inferi lurked in the lake depths, relying on instinct to conceal themselves.

Addressing Sirius and Kreach, Felix said, "You can search now. I'll examine this stone basin." After a few seconds, he looked at the man and the elf with curiosity, "Do you need me to cast the Bubble-Head Charm on you?"

The Bubble-Head Charm created a bubble-shaped air pocket around the caster's head, allowing wizards to breathe underwater or avoid foul odors. Felix knew that the Weasley twins were quite adept at this spell.

"Surely, you won't have me search as well. I don't even know Regulus..." Sirius waved dismissively, his effort evident as he cast the charm himself, resulting in a muffled voice, "Are you sure these Inferi won't suddenly attack?"

"As long as they remain Inferi," Felix surveyed with his grayscale vision, "I haven't spotted any concealed magic. Rest assured."

Kreach promptly leapt into the water, moving nimbly. Sirius mumbled, following suit.

Braving the icy water's chill, sight undisturbed, Sirius found an Inferius hiding behind a reef. He pried the corpse's hand from its face, trying to discern its appearance—until he started seeking the next target, untouched by attack.

"Bizarre magic," Sirius muttered underwater. While the Inferi feared light, common luminescence didn't possess this effect.

Subsequent events grew monotonous—Sirius spent twenty minutes in the dark lake, his body stiffening, his clothes soaked, each move dragging him down. Kreach fared no better; Sirius pulled him up to recover.

The frigid water cascaded off Sirius' robes. Trembling, he climbed the steps.

Kreach's teeth chattered, words stumbling. "Kreach has seen 47... no, 48..."

Sirius' face darkened. "Are you aiming to get sick and have me care for you? Come, eat something. He even conjured a fire—ridiculous."

A scatter of food lay around the fire. Two bottles of butterbeer stood amidst the makeshift camp. It wasn't a wilderness setting! Sirius couldn't fathom how he managed to eat, but he did refuel.

"You can use a Warming Charm; it'll make things more comfortable," Felix suggested nonchalantly.

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