Everything was ready. Wyzett and his companions officially set out on their journey.
They traveled by Floo Network, passing through the Leaky Cauldron as their transfer point to reach London, and then—once again—took a Muggle bus to the area near Thames Port.
After several days on the road, Xenophilius had become a veritable expert at navigating Muggle public transport, flicking out the right number of coins for three fares with casual ease.
The Thames is England's "mother river." Downstream from London, its waters widen into an estuary nearly twenty-nine kilometers long, flowing out into the North Sea.
As a broad estuary, it naturally played host to a bustling port—the very place where Wyzett and his friends would begin their adventure: Thames Port.
This port ranks among the largest in the world. Ships of all shapes and sizes could be seen—some anchored, some setting off for destinations across the globe.
Silver waves shimmered on the Thames. Sunlight broke through the last wisps of mist, gilding the river in a golden glow. Silver and gold danced together across the water—a dazzling spectacle.
Even though it was still morning, Thames Port was already alive with activity, the air buzzing with the energy of travelers and traders.
Guided by Xenophilius, the trio wove through the throngs until he raised a hand and called, "We're here!" Wyzett and Luna followed his gaze.
Just like the Leaky Cauldron, the magical port was hidden in plain sight among the dock buildings—visible only to witches and wizards, marked by a sign that read: Portus Thamesis.
Beneath the sign stood a tall, ancient wooden door, its surface intricately carved and inlaid with gems set deep into the wood.
As if to catch a wizard's eye, the gems glimmered with a beautiful sea-blue light the moment Wyzett and the others looked their way.
The door handle was a silver dragon's claw, each scale and talon rendered with lifelike detail—so much so, it seemed ready to move at any moment.
The door itself stood atop a ring of ancient stone steps. Muggles instinctively avoided the steps, veering away before ever touching them.
As the three climbed the stone stairs, the dragon claw did, in fact, move—extending itself in a gesture of greeting.
Xenophilius took the claw in hand, and the wooden door swung open to reveal a broad stone walkway.
The instant Wyzett stepped onto the path, The Wizard's Practical Combat Guide flipped open on its own, revealing a new, mist-shrouded map.
He didn't waste a moment, activating his Oculus Magicae to gather the ancient magical power that lingered in the air.
"All lavender—so vibrant! Whoever tends these must really care," Luna exclaimed, bending down to admire the plants lining the path.
The lavender seemed to respond, swaying joyfully in the breeze and releasing a fragrance that cleared the mind and soothed the heart.
…
At the end of the stone path lay an open-air dock. There weren't many ships moored here, and the foot traffic was nothing compared to the bustling outer port.
A majestic dragon head statue loomed over the dock, its eyes wide and fixed on the horizon, as if standing guard over every vessel that passed.
Where the dragon's gaze fell, the water stretched wide and flat.
There was magic here too—the surface of the water was a flawless mirror, utterly still, reflecting the sky's brilliant blue like a polished sapphire.
"Mr. Lovegood! Mr. Lovegood!"
A voice called out from afar. A tall, dark-skinned wizard in a woolen cloak strode toward them.
"You must be the earliest arrivals," he said, shaking Xenophilius' hand. "I only just got here myself."
He was a staff member from Viking's Home, and would serve as their guide for this journey.
His skin was weathered and tough, his physique robust—he looked every bit the Viking warrior from an old legend.
Xenophilius shrugged. "Since we were up, we figured we might as well come early."
"Should be another half hour or so. Once everyone's here, we'll set off," the wizard said, nodding. "Feel free to look around, or have a seat in the tavern over there!"
He pointed down another dockside path. "If you forget to buy souvenirs on the way back, you can pick up some Swedish vodka there too."
At the end of the path sat a small, windowless hut, painted black and looking even shabbier than the Leaky Cauldron.
"The tavern…" Xenophilius shook his head. "No, no—I've got two children with me!"
"Suit yourselves!" The wizard grinned. "Our magical ship will appear soon—a grand, three-masted sailing vessel covered in carvings. You can't miss it."
"So we gather here once it arrives?"
"Exactly!"
…
It was Luna's first time seeing the sea, and she was positively radiant with excitement.
Wearing a wide-brimmed sun hat, she bounced along the dock, her smile never once fading.
Wyzett, now adept with the Levitation Charm, followed at a leisurely pace, floating her suitcase behind him.
Xenophilius trailed at the rear, yawning constantly and looking rather bleary-eyed—clearly, he hadn't slept much the night before.
Luna's pale gold hair fluttered in the wind, her eyes shining with a dreamy light.
She laughed as she dodged a spray of seawater. "These rolling waves must be sea monsters yawning nearby. That's why there are so many bubbles!"
Wyzett glanced over his shoulder and nodded. "The sea floor must be awfully cozy, then. With all those waves, there must have been a lot of yawning going on."
Luna's eyes sparkled as she nodded in agreement.
She spread her arms and closed her eyes, as if listening to some distant lullaby. "The little sea monsters probably can't sit still, so the big ones scoop them up and hum bedtime stories—just like this sea breeze…"
Wyzett smiled softly and walked over to the still-sleepy Xenophilius. "Mr. Lovegood, why don't you rest here for a bit? There's not much further to go."
"Mm… You two be careful, don't fall in the water… yawn…" Xenophilius let out a long, slow yawn.
"Spent a while packing last night… I'll just sit here for a bit. When the ship arrives, you can just—"
Before he could finish, he'd already slumped onto his suitcase, his breathing soft and even, a faint snore rising and falling with each breath.
Wyzett chuckled and shook his head, then strolled back toward Luna.
In his mind's eye, the mist on the map had completely cleared from this path.
He gathered the last traces of ancient magical power and channeled them into The Wizard's Practical Combat Guide.
The book's pages flipped rapidly, and a fresh chapter soon revealed itself.
Ancient Magic: Potion Equilibrium Transmutation: Master the power of Ancient Magic… Use it as a medium to transform the ratio between soul properties and potion effects…
"Transform the ratio between soul properties and potion effects?" Wyzett frowned, immediately thinking of the Soul-Soothing Potion.
If he cast this spell, did it mean that—even without the Soul Labyrinth—he could purify the Soul-Soothing Potion?
Pushing the idea further, perhaps with this magic, he could convert soul properties into potion effects—or the other way around…
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