Dumbledore and Amortensa reached an agreement, preparing to explore the giant hole in Slytherin's face, but there was a slight disagreement between the two regarding Harry's presence.
Dumbledore seems to believe that it would not be a simple thing for Salazar Slytherin, one of the four great founders of the wizarding world, to be guarded by a dragon creature. He may have believed that there might be unimaginable dangers within the cave, and Harry was just a young wizard who did not have the ability to cope with unknown dangers temporarily.
"Nobody is born being able to face everything calmly, Headmaster Dumbledore,"
Amortensa glanced at Harry, who seemed a bit downcast, and said with a meaningful look,
"To allow young people to grow quickly, they need more opportunities for experience --"
In the end, Headmaster Dumbledore listened to Amortensa's reasonable advice.
"You must promise me,"
Dumbledore solemnly looked at Harry and said, "If you encounter danger, will you follow our orders to run?"
"I promise, Headmaster Dumbledore!"
Although Dumbledore's words hurt Harry's pride a bit, thinking about embarking on an unknown adventure with two powerful wizards lightened his mood as if he were flying. Moreover, Harry sincerely did not believe that any danger could harm his life with Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Brean in front of him.
"Even if ten Voldemorts appeared at once, it wouldn't make a difference!"
When Dumbledore and Amortensa climbed the stairs, Harry thought to himself, even though it was definitely late at night and he had already gone through a legendary battle that night, Harry's spirits were still overwhelmingly uplifted. However, his excitement lasted only until the moment he stepped over the stairs and crossed into the entrance of the cave.
The passage at the entrance of the cave was not as winding and long as they had imagined, but the ground was covered with a much greater layer of animal bones than the stone tunnel they had come down through earlier. With each step, one could clearly hear the sounds of weathered bones cracking into dust.
As they walked deeper into the cave, the stench of blood in the air grew more intense. The same stench was coming from the piles of animal bones on the ground. Harry had seen many mouse skulls with their gray scalps still attached, as well as a mound of spider legs that looked like a small mountain.
"Sigh--"
For some reason, Dumbledore let out a heavy sigh. However, in response to Amortensa's probing gaze, he only shook his head and said nothing more.
As they turned a corner, they continued forward along the path cleared by the serpentine creature for about half a mile before the scenery inside the cave began to change.
A series of gold torches spaced every thirty feet on either side of the walls of the tunnel emitted a steady heat that dried the damp stone walls and made the ground dry.
The air became fresh, and there were no longer any bones on the ground. In fact, it was so clean that there was not even a trace of dust or cobwebs. Harry even felt that this place could rival the corridors of the castle, which were maintained by Filch.
"Grrr--"
Amortensa stood in front of a torch and gazed at the fluttering flames, exclaiming sincerely, "Goblet Incandescence... How lavish Slytherin is..."
Harry heaved a great sigh of relief as he finally escaped the sea of bones, and then he heard Professor Brian's voice, tinged with awe, as he admired. He turned his gaze to Dumbledore, hoping for an explanation.
"Goblet Incandescence is the Eternal Flame, which is incredibly precious because it never goes out..."
Dumbledore looked at the countless torches with an appreciative gaze and said mildly, "It requires a lot of magic to create this Incandescence. As far as I know, no one has been able to create such a number of eternal flames in one go."
Harry drew in a sharp breath, understanding the value of these bronze torches, but at the same time, he felt a bit displeased because he detected a hint of praise for Slytherin in the voices of Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Brean.
As the founder of the college that Harry most detests among the four, and given that the hidden chamber had caused him so much trouble this year, it was impossible for Harry to have much fondness for Salazar Slytherin.
"Maybe Gryffindor is even more powerful--" Harry muttered softly.
The light from the torches dyed Dumbledore's silver eyebrows and beard red. Hearing Harry's dissatisfied complaint, he chuckled and extinguished the luminescence from his wand. He stood in front of everyone and took the lead, moving forward.
The tunnel widened, and at the end of the tunnel, there was a stable, bright light. Amortensa's expression was solemn, and he grasped his wand tightly as he strode forward.
As they approached, the hidden secret of this deep underground chamber was finally revealed!
It was a vast cavern, approximately three or four times the size of a Quidditch pitch, with a ceiling over three hundred feet high. Among the stalactite forests that lined the ceiling, there were numerous large, rough, circular stone columns protruding out of place. The stone columns arranged in a certain order had the same color as Hogwarts castle and seemed to be the supporting columns of the entire castle!
"Too crazy..."
The air was filled with the sound of howling wind, and the mysterious voice echoed like history praising time.
Amortensa surveyed the vast cavern walls, and the ancient Goblet Incandescence torches placed at intervals whispered in awe. The torches, emitting a constant glow that illuminated the entire cavern as brightly as daylight, also radiated a powerful magic field that repelled all locating spells.
It's hard to imagine how much magic Salazar Slytherin must have possessed to be so extravagant... No wonder the serpent could survive for a thousand years; in such a rich magical environment, any creature might live an additional thirty to fifty years longer than usual...
Harry, who lacks a practical understanding of the difficulty of creating Goblet Incandescence, cannot fully appreciate Professor Brian's shock. However, the aura of desolation and grandeur permeating the cave filled with strange stone cones and stalactites, which had been infused with time, still left him speechless.
"Yes, the great Slytherin--"
Dumbledore was equally astonished by the scene before him and uttered similar sentiments.
"However, what I am more curious about is the purpose of this hidden chamber established by Salazar Slytherin."
Amortensa retracted his gaze and nodded. He turned around and looked at Harry, who was entranced by the divine craftsmanship, and gave him a warning.
"Now it seems, what's hidden within this secret chamber is something that might shock the world, Potter. Remember to stay alert."
Harry nodded awkwardly, but his curious gaze still roamed around aimlessly.
He examined the undulating ground with deep grooves, gazed at the dark stone cones, and suddenly, Harry's expression changed. He stared in a certain direction, and once he confirmed what he saw, his face turned pale white. He screamed in surprise.
"Professor Dumbledore, Professor Brean, there's someone over there!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
reading hall
