Chapter 386: Peregrine Falcon and Owl
[Where are you?]
[I... I don't know... I saw the ship pass the Outer Hebrides, then it headed west... to an island in the sea...]
[Are you safe for now? You don't need to tell me the details.]
[For now, yes, I'm safe.]
[What danger did you encounter?]
[It's... it's those people you asked me to investigate... I accidentally infiltrated their base and ended up on this island... I can't leave, someone's been hunting me...]
[Protect yourself. We'll find you.]
[You must be careful, there's something on this island... that affects...]
On the parchment, there were sections of blank space, as if the writer was in a dying state and couldn't finish important sentences.
Wade used the Duplicating Charm to preserve this conversation. Dumbledore read it for a while, then, without a word, stood up and tapped his Wand on the wall.
Several portraits hanging on the wall immediately slid to the sides. The old Headmasters in the portraits grumbled, "Dumbledore, am I in your way?"
"My apologies, Moore," Dumbledore said gently. "I need a bit more space."
The wall flowed like water, ripples spreading out, then a clear world map appeared.
Dumbledore looked at the map, pondering for a moment, then asked, "Wade, what are your thoughts?"
"I examined this replica Book of Friends and found the Spell on it a bit strange. Then I remembered, it was a plan I'd abandoned before."
Wade flattened the fake Book of Friends on the table, gently shaking his Wand as silver and gold light fell onto it.
An ordinary Wizard wouldn't understand what he was doing, but Dumbledore's eyebrows subtly twitched.
Even without special vision, he sensed a hidden difference.
"Very interesting..." the Headmaster murmured to himself. "Its associated Magic seems different from what you use."
"Yes," Wade said. "Muggle mobile communication requires base stations as communication exchange centers. I originally wanted to set up a similar base station for the Book of Friends, so it wouldn't be limited by the number of associations. As long as you entered a specific number, you could send messages to anyone."
"That sounds quite good," Dumbledore said. "Why was it abandoned later?"
"That way, messages from the Book of Friends would first be sent to the base station, and then forwarded by the base station to the recipient—meaning the base station could monitor or even modify all information to a certain extent—so we abandoned that design," Wade explained.
Marchioni was purely a businessman, not the CIA, and had no interest in monitoring all Wizards.
Of course, more importantly, this type of Magic couldn't be hidden. Any Alchemist of a certain skill level (like a graduate who could earn an Alchemy certificate in their NEWTs) or a highly skilled Wizard (like Dumbledore) could discover it.
Dumbledore said, "So you believe Ms. Skeeter's message was altered?"
Wade nodded. "I wouldn't rule out the possibility of it being an enemy's lure."
"Indeed, caution is a good thing," Dumbledore praised, then added, "But don't worry too much, Wade—I'm with you!"
Wade was speechless at first, then chuckled. "You're right."
"Then let's go. I hope we're not delaying your class," Dumbledore said lightly. "Remember to bring that brave Owl."
"Yes."
Wade returned to his dormitory and brought the cage containing the meritorious Owl. The skinny Owl, which had flown tirelessly for a long time, was sound asleep.
Just as he was about to leave, a weight settled on his shoulder.
Wade turned his head and saw his own Eva staring at him angrily, a purring sound coming from her throat, as if she was accusing him of finding another Owl, her sharp talons digging into his clothes.
"You're not delivering a letter today, good girl," Wade said, putting Eva back on her perch. "I need it to help me find someone."
Eva didn't seem to understand, but she silently turned her back to Wade, presenting her tail.
Wade smiled, pushed the door open, and met Dumbledore, who was wearing a crimson travel cloak, on the green outside the castle. The two of them headed out of the school.
Behind them, Hagrid forcefully pushed the main gate shut.
"Screeeech—"
As the hinges turned, the oak door scraped against the ground, emitting a long, drawn-out sound.
Wade turned back and saw the tall castle shrouded in mist, hazy and indistinct, appearing both far and near, like a painting.
The Owl was startled awake. It flapped its wings, looking around in a panic. Wade quickly fed it a few Owl pellets and whispered words of comfort to calm it down.
It lowered its head and gently pecked Wade's finger, its large eyes remarkably clear.
Dumbledore extended his arm and said, "All right, let's go."
Wade grabbed his arm and muttered, "I really need to learn Apparition as soon as possible."
He had intended to for a long time, but other things always distracted him.
Dumbledore casually said, "When we get back, I can teach you—if you don't mind adding another course. I know you're very busy already."
Before he finished speaking, both of them Apparated simultaneously, instantly seeming to pass through a very narrow pipe, then squeezed out with a "pop."
Wade took two quick breaths, then seized the moment to ask, "Is that true, Professor?"
Dumbledore couldn't help but smile. "Of course, whenever you have time."
"Of course I'm free! I have all day Sunday."
Wade said eagerly, his eyes urging Dumbledore to set a precise time.
"Then I'll give you your lessons next Sunday morning at nine—and remember, don't tell anyone else," Dumbledore said.
"Understood!"
Wade said happily. With that settled, he finally had a chance to look around.
They were currently on an empty, desolate island, full of strange, jagged rocks. In flatter areas, there were abandoned stone houses, covered in green moss.
On the nearby hillside, plots of cultivated land, enclosed by stone walls, were now overgrown with weeds.
Diagonally opposite them, a protruding stone cliff had a peculiar shape, like a giant lying in the sea, only its head visible, its face gazing blankly up at the sky.
"Where are we, Professor?" Wade asked.
"St Kilda in the Outer Hebrides," Dumbledore said. "When I was young, I came here once while searching for ancient wizarding ruins and exploring the Callanish Stones. At that time, the village here was still inhabited."
Wade looked at the desolate stone houses and decaying farm tools, inwardly gasping.
It looked like this place hadn't been inhabited for at least several decades.
He knew Dumbledore's age, of course, but often failed to realize that the old man was born a century before him.
To put it in perspective, when Dumbledore was born, the great Eastern nation was still ruled by the Qing government, the First Sino-Japanese War hadn't broken out, and scholars still had to take imperial examinations.
He instantly felt the vast gap in eras.
Dumbledore didn't notice Wade's distraction; he was busy checking the swaying Owl in its cage. Clearly, the first Apparition was just as unsettling for birds.
Wade opened the cage, took the Owl into his arms, and stroked it. Once it had calmed down, he said, "We need to find the person who asked you to deliver the letter for me—you know where she is, right?"
"Hoo—"
Owls are very intelligent birds, and this one was particularly perceptive. It hooted softly, and Wade actually saw fear in its round eyes.
"Don't be scared," Wade soothed. "You don't need to get close; just being able to show me the place will be enough."
"Hoo?" The Owl tilted its head, looking at him.
Wade turned to Dumbledore. "Headmaster, you know, don't you?" He paused, then added, "—I'm an Animagus."
As expected, Dumbledore showed no surprise, only praised him. "A very beautiful Peregrine Falcon—to my knowledge, very few wizards can transform into birds."
"You knew, indeed." Wade sighed, understanding this was why the Headmaster had brought him along. Then he asked curiously, "What about you? Are you one too?"
Currently, including Professor McGonagall, there were only seven registered Animagus wizards in the world. Their names had been repeatedly mentioned in Transfiguration Today, and Albus Dumbledore was not among them.
However, Dumbledore had been Hogwarts's best student, a Transfiguration professor, Minerva McGonagall's teacher, and the greatest wizard in this world. No one would believe he lacked the ability to become an Animagus.
Ordinary wizards might think Dumbledore wasn't interested in Magic that turned him into a common animal—after all, an Animagus couldn't transform into a powerful magical creature—so it was understandable if he hadn't practiced it.
But Wade believed that a wizard who pursued Magic would find it difficult not to be interested in a process that transformed everything from form to mass, from cellular structure to musculoskeletal system.
Facing his curious gaze, the Headmaster simply smiled, then took out his Quill and softly chanted, "Bossetes."
This was a Spell that turned an ordinary object into a locator. Although simple, successfully casting it was not easy.
A strange green light flashed and vanished, and the Quill returned to its ordinary appearance.
"Keep it safe," Dumbledore said, handing it to Wade. "A firm snap will activate it."
"Alright."
Wade didn't press the previous question. After putting the Quill in his pocket, in an instant, he skillfully transformed into a Peregrine Falcon and soared into the sky, circling.
"Caw?" The Owl was so startled it almost fell. It quickly flapped its wings twice to steady itself, then also flew up.
Dumbledore narrowed his eyes, looking up. He saw the two birds circling in the air a few times, seemingly having reached a preliminary understanding, then flying west, one after the other.
Free, confident, courageous.
Ancient Egyptians worshipped the Falcon as the god Horus, considering it a symbol of kingship and divine protection. The Eye of Horus would also protect the deceased on their journey to eternal life from harm.
Ancient Babylon had the image of a lion-headed eagle. The Roman Legions' emblem was a double-headed eagle. The Sasanian Empire had an eagle emblem. Russia's national emblem was also a double-headed eagle, and America's national emblem was a bald eagle.
Approximately twenty countries in the world have the image of an eagle on their national emblems or flags. People regard this celestial bird as a messenger of the gods, a symbol of power.
But real Falcons are free birds; they never flock together, nor do they care to dominate. They are brave and fearless, and fiercely loyal in marriage.
Dumbledore felt that among all the wizards he had met, none embodied the characteristics of an "eagle" more than Wade.
Even before Wade's Animagus transformation was complete, Dumbledore had secretly pondered what animal he might become.
The old Headmaster had considered sharks, sea snakes, Falcons, peacocks, wild horses, cats, and scorpions for a long time, ultimately feeling that a Falcon was the most likely.
The fact that it turned out exactly as he had guessed brought a secret joy to Dumbledore's heart.
The silhouettes of the two birds gradually grew smaller, blending into the high, distant clouds.
Dumbledore stood on the cliff edge, his deep red cloak flapping loudly in the sea breeze. Some seagulls flew nearby, emitting high-pitched, piercing cries.
…
The feeling of flying above the ocean was quite peculiar.
The field of vision seemed infinitely vast, but the sea and sky merged into one. Even with changing low-lying clouds sometimes nearby, there was still a sense of disorientation.
Wade didn't know if this was because he possessed human thoughts, or if all Peregrine Falcons were like this.
But the Owl flew steadfastly in a certain direction, as if it had a satellite map in its brain, or as if an invisible thread was pulling it along.
Wade followed closely. Over the seemingly boundless sea, this miraculous bird always found places to rest—sometimes a tiny, isolated island, sometimes a human cruise ship, and sometimes even a whale floating on the surface.
They flew intermittently like this. Wade had packed plenty of food in his pockets, and Magic could summon fresh water, so both he and the bird maintained ample energy throughout their journey.
Until a sizable island appeared on the horizon.
The Owl stopped far away, landing on a green oceanic buoy, signaling with its entire body that this was the place Wade was looking for.
But when Wade tried to approach for a closer look, it spread its wings, blocking his way, and let out loud, warning cries.
Wade speculated, "Can't get closer? Is there danger?"
The Owl hooted solemnly, and the familiar fear reappeared in its eyes.
So Wade didn't approach. He transformed back into his human form, first enlarging the buoy to the size of a small boat so they could rest on it. Then, he took out his Magical telescope and observed carefully.
From its appearance, it looked like an ordinary, developed island.
There was a clean beach, dense woods, several fishing boats docked at the pier, and a lighthouse standing on the cliff.
A road wide enough for two cars to pass side-by-side wound its way into the thick forest, its destination unclear. However, from high above, Wade had seen a patch of white-glowing buildings deep within the island.
Yet, as far as his eyes could see, he didn't spot a single person, but he did find several surveillance cameras.
Wade pulled a Quill from his pocket and broke it with force.
The next second, accompanied by a sound like firecrackers exploding, Dumbledore appeared beside him.
"Did you find it?" the Headmaster said briskly. "Quicker than I expected."
"We've arrived, it's that island ahead," Wade said. "The Owl stopped me from getting closer. Maybe they have some long-range weapons..."
"Ohm—"
Before Wade could finish speaking, a strange hum emanated from the island.
The sound waves spread out in ripples, becoming very faint by the time they reached the buoy.
But both of their expressions subtly changed at the same time.
"Do you feel it, Wade?" Dumbledore asked, his hair seeming to float slightly in the air.
"Yes."
Wade responded, looking down at his palm, curling his fingers, then stretching them out again.
He faintly felt an electric sensation—the Magical Power within him seemed like a weak current, causing slight numbness and tingling, and his muscles also contracted and trembled.
It was very subtle, so subtle that it was almost imperceptible.
So, how were the people on the island feeling at this moment?
-----------
Machine Translation by: https:// randomtranslator.com/
Read ***+ original & fanfic translations in English, Español, Português, Deutsch, Français, or Русский
Or Translate for free at : https:// randomtranslator.com/translate
Join our Discord: https:// discord.com/invite/XXUR9nkjwa
-----------