So the two of them began to search all the display cases nearby, looking for any ancient artifacts made of oak.
To their surprise, they actually found one.
In an inconspicuous corner of the museum, in a small glass display case, an acorn-shaped wood carving was placed among many other small bronze artifacts. Victor leaned in and examined it carefully, finding that it was simply carved with images of many small animals, including Salazar Slytherin's symbol: a snake.
Perhaps because it had been buried in the ground for too long, the wood carving looked bleached, as if from water or oxidation, but its surface was still smooth, as if it had been polished by something.
"Haha, we actually found it!" Victor straightened up and said happily. He then snapped his fingers and swapped out the wood carving inside. He had to admit, having a clever little witch by his side really saved a lot of trouble. If he were alone, he might have overlooked this wood carving even if he had seen it.
As Victor thought this, another clever little witch in London, lying on her sofa, suddenly sneezed. "Achoo!!!" Hermione put down her wand and rubbed her itchy nose, a little confused. "Am I catching a cold?" She then shook her head and continued to practice her magic circles.
Back to Dublin, Ireland.
Through the information panel next to the display case, Victor and Luna learned the origin of the oak acorn wood carving in their hands.
The wood carving was actually unearthed in the Wicklow Mountains National Park near Dublin. More than a hundred years ago, a farmer from Dublin was cutting down trees and clearing land when he suddenly discovered a beautifully carved oak acorn inlaid in the hollow of a tall oak tree. He was curious at the time and took it home as an ornament. Not long after he died, his relatives donated the oak acorn wood carving to the museum.
Victor unfolded the map again and found that the Wicklow Mountains National Park was just south of Dublin. It would only take about ten minutes to get there by flying the bald eagle. However, since it was already noon, Victor decided to find a place to settle down first.
He planned to find a place to stay and eat lunch, then go to a university in Dublin to investigate the geological changes in the Wicklow Mountains National Park before finally heading to the park itself.
So, Victor took Luna directly to the most luxurious hotel in Dublin and booked a presidential suite. The entire suite was over 200 square meters, had 24-hour room service, and the food was made by some of the top chefs in the area.
Victor said that since they were on a rare trip, not eating and staying in style would be disrespectful to his bulging wallet. There was just one thing: based on his understanding of so-called high-end Western food, the dishes made by the hotel's so-called master chefs would probably look more expensive than they tasted, and it might even be a problem to feel full.
So, Victor slammed the hotel's menu shut and immediately decided to find a japanese restaurant outside instead!
Speaking of which, some might find it strange why Victor didn't stay at a wizarding inn. The answer is: let those who want to go to those old and broken places go. They hadn't even bothered to renovate for hundreds of years. Victor felt that the owner's brain had been eaten by a troll!
And some might ask why two obviously underage children were able to book a presidential suite. The answer is: if you can't figure that out, go smash your head with a piece of tofu; your brain has been eaten by a troll too!
Walking out of the hotel, Victor held Luna's hand and looked around, finally stopping at a japanese noodle restaurant.
After lunch, the two set off for Dublin University. Victor didn't foolishly go to the school library or archive to look through the materials. Instead, he made some inquiries and found a geology professor who had been deeply rooted in Dublin for many years.
By using the Imperius Curse, Victor learned from the old professor about the major geological activities in the eastern part of Ireland over the past two thousand years and the effects they caused. At the same time, he also obtained some valuable text materials and drawings. So, with the copied drawings and materials, Victor and Luna flew on the bald eagle to their next destination.
The Wicklow Mountains National Park is located about a dozen kilometers south of Dublin. It is a long, narrow mountain range, 204.8 square kilometers in area, with flat farmland at the foot of the mountains.
The bald eagle soared high in the sky. Victor held the map and kept comparing it, then looked down and scratched his head, saying, "The area is still too big. Even with the relevant information, where do we even begin to look in such a large plain?"
"Shouldn't we go to the place where the oak acorn carving was found?" Luna asked.
"There's no need for that," Victor shook his head. "The museum's information panel only said that the wood carving was found in the hollow of an oak tree, but it didn't say the specific location. It would be very difficult for us to find the exact spot in such a large area."
"Then we can go to Glendalough first. Soil and lake, that place should fit what we're looking for," Luna said, showing him a local tourist guide she had just gotten her hands on.
Victor took the guide and opened it. Glendalough, in Irish, means "The Valley of Two Lakes." As the name suggests, it is a valley with two lakes, and it has always been famous for its original and magnificent beauty, rich spiritual connotations, and precious archaeological value.
So, following Luna's suggestion, Victor immediately controlled the bald eagle to fly over Glendalough.
Below, among the mountains, mist swirled. On the deep green shores of the lake sat the ruins of an ancient monastery and a round tower. It was ancient yet serene, mysterious yet romantic, and it had the most typical Irish charm that many people imagined.
Victor looked down at the ground and began to use Eagle Eye and X-Ray Vision to search the entire Glendalough. After a while, Luna asked curiously, "Did you find anything?"
"No, maybe we're in the wrong place!" Victor retracted his magic and shook his head with some disappointment. "I didn't find anything special, neither in the valley nor at the bottom of the lake."
He had just seen that beneath Glendalough, there was nothing but rock, not even an underground cave, or the ruins of any ancient buildings. However, this was a normal occurrence. Victor had never expected to be so lucky as to find the inheritance left by Slytherin right away. Since they didn't find anything of value, the two of them immediately left Glendalough.
In the afternoon, Victor and Luna circled the entire Wicklow Mountains several times, but they still didn't find any clues about the peat bog. The time was already approaching evening, so Victor decided to stop looking. He then took Luna around the park, took a lot of pictures, and then headed back.
Back in Dublin, Victor suddenly saw a large seafood tank in the restaurant of the hotel where he was staying, so he splurged and ordered a king crab.
As night deepened, Luna looked out the window at the scenery. The streets were deserted, with only a few cars passing by, so she asked curiously, "Why don't people here like to go out at night?"
"The night here belongs to those who walk in the darkness," Victor explained vaguely, then violently tore off a leg of the king crab, and handed the food to her. "The magical world has Dark wizards, and of course, the Muggle world has their counterparts. They are all the same kind of people. They can't be exposed to the light. The city at night is their hunting ground, just like Knockturn Alley where the sunlight can't even reach."
"Then why are they unwilling to live in the sunlight?"
"There are many reasons, usually because they've committed some unforgivable crime. However, not everyone who lives in the darkness chooses to embrace it; some are forced to," Victor said.
"Then can they all see Thestrals?"
"I guess most of them can."
Hearing this, Luna shifted her gaze away from the scenery outside and turned around, then began to talk about their search for the peat bog today: "We searched all the lakes today, but we didn't find anything, so I was thinking we should try a different approach."
"Do you have any ideas?" Victor asked with his cheeks bulging, his mouth full of crab meat.
"I'm still very concerned about Slytherin's identity!" Luna picked up the oak acorn wood carving she had gotten from the National Museum of Ireland today. "Salazar Slytherin was a great wizard. If he really was a Celt, then he must have been a highly respected Druid in his tribe."
"Are you talking about oak trees?" Victor raised an eyebrow.
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