The Return to Hogwarts

“It’s me, Foley—”

Now that his identity had been exposed, Amosta no longer needed to disguise himself and spoke in his original voice.

The quick-witted Kakus immediately realized who was in front of him, and his tone instantly brightened. Noticing that Mr. Blaine had shrugged off the short wizard, Foley lowered his voice.

"It's you, Mr. Blaine. Are you here to accept the commission?" Before Amosta could respond, Kakus launched into another tirade, "The Ministry of Magic has made a mess of this place in their efforts to capture that damned Black. If it weren't for the fierce resistance they've faced, they would have even considered bringing Dementors here!"

"The wealth you've accumulated is enough to keep the Foley family living comfortably for the next century, Foley. There are countless wizards here who are far more miserable than you."

Amosta mercilessly exposed Karkus's hypocritical complaints, and was also surprised by the Ministry of Magic's bold actions. If they really dared to send Dementors into the Underworld, the magical world would probably already be in chaos.

While Amosta was pondering, Kakus had already eagerly pulled out his little notebook and was flipping through it rapidly in front of him, muttering to himself incessantly.

"Let me see, Mr. Blaine, I've reserved two valuable assignments for you, with hefty commissions. According to our previous agreement, I won't charge you any agency fees for a year. Oh, here they are."

"Don't bother, Foley."

Amosta glanced at Harry, who was examining the tower standing at the far end of the fan-shaped cavern, and said indifferently, "I didn't come to you this time to take on a commission."

"Then who are you?"

Kakus's hand froze, his usually easygoing features filled with confusion.

"I'm here to post a commission."

Amosta cracked his index finger with a sharp snap and said heavily.

Three additional chapters for the Alliance Leader who is not seen, the moonlight stains the sky.

Chapter 150 Blackrock Tower

"Issue a commission."

Kakus's eyes widened in surprise, his face filled with astonishment. However, being a smart man, he clearly knew what questions to ask and what not to ask. After a few seconds of silence, he composed himself and his eagerness returned.

"Yes, no problem at all, Mr. Blaine!"

Kakus turned to the last page of the notebook, and a brand-new quill pen floated from his pocket into his hand. After writing the words 'Golden Viper' heavily in the header, Kakus looked up and asked...

What are your needs?

"I hope someone can provide some accurate location or clues about the Druids and the sect's contemporary priests."

Amosta said calmly.

"The Druid sect?"

Kakus's dark pupils flickered, and he instinctively voiced his doubt.

"These religious people don't really associate with wizards. You... oh, those guys who were looking for you and hoping someone would help them explore magical ruins were druids?"

Amosta did not answer the question, but silence is also an answer.

"Unequal distribution of spoils?"

Kakus, relying on his existing relationship with Golden Viper, asked cautiously.

"Do I really have to ask such detailed questions, Foley?" Amosta's tone turned dangerous.

“Oh, sorry, of course not—” Kakus chuckled a few times, “Alright. Searching for the activities of the Druids and contemporary priests, hmm. So, Mr. Blaine, how long does the mission last, and how much are you prepared to pay?”

"The mission is planned for a one-year period, and will automatically expire after that. Of course, if I encounter those guys before them within a year, I will write to you to cancel the commission, as well as the payment."

Amosta hesitated. He had left most of his money when he last returned to the orphanage, and now he only had a mere two thousand Galleons left.

To be honest, this task is not as easy as it seems.

Wizards live in a relatively independent magical world, while religious forces, such as the Papacy, have a closer relationship with the Muggle world. The two do not communicate with each other, so it is indeed difficult to search for the Druid cult that may appear in various parts of the world.

"If anyone can find members of the Druid sect, I will pay a reward of five hundred gold gallons; if there is a clue to the location of the sect's priest, I will pay two thousand gold gallons."

"Two thousand Galleons? That's no small sum!" Kakus immediately perked up, grabbing his quill and scribbling furiously on the paper, meticulously noting down Amosta's demands. Then, he scratched his cheek somewhat awkwardly.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Blaine, but my rule is that when I post a mission, you must first deposit half of the reward with me as a guarantee."

Amosta's face immediately darkened, and he reluctantly pulled out a money pouch from his robe. He had always made money from Kakus Foley, and this was the first time he had ever given him any money!

"Are you curious about that?"

"Oh, you've finished your business, Professor Blaine?"

Harry was suddenly patted on the shoulder and snapped out of his reverie. He looked away from the strange, dark tower that seemed to blend into the cave, spoke instinctively, and then nodded hesitantly.

"I don't quite understand, Professor. Why would a wizard build a tower underground? What would it be used for?"

“I can show you around, Potter, it’s one of the ‘historical sites’ here!”

Amos Tower, who had suddenly become 'poor', eagerly put his arm around Harry's shoulder and said.

Located at the innermost corner of a fan-shaped cave, this spot is where two converging rock walls meet, making the space extremely narrow. Therefore, apart from some foreign wizards who have never been to the underground world and come to admire this mysterious tower, 'locals' generally do not appear here.

Accompanied by Professor Blaine, Harry arrived in front of the black tower.

The black stones on which the tower was built have a very rough surface, looking as if they have been there for a long time. The tower's shape is somewhat similar to the spire of Hogwarts Castle, but its design is much older.

"No one knows exactly when this tower was built. All people know is that it has stood here ever since people started frequenting this cave far from the ground."

Harry's hand brushed across the cool stone surface, and a mysterious feeling welled up in his heart.

“Then people know who it is,” Harry asked, then, remembering what Professor Blaine had said on the ground, he realized, “It’s Merlin?”

Harry didn't have any particular feelings about Merlin, the wizard who lived in the distant past. The only things he knew about Merlin were the 'Merlin Medal', 'Merlin's mustache', and oh, the 'Merlin Commemorative Coin' that Professor Blaine gave to Ron.

When Amosta first entered the underground world, he was just like all the other newcomers, full of curiosity about the black stone tower. Like all the wizards who had entered here over the centuries, he tried to use magic to break open the tower, but no matter how he tried, the mysterious black tower remained completely undamaged, not even a single stone fragment fell off.

"You guessed right, Potter--"

Amosta stepped back and calmly gazed at the towering spire that soared into the dome. He had initially lost interest in the tower, but his trip to Avalon Island had rekindled his curiosity.

"There has always been a rumor circulating here that this tower is Merlin's final resting place, and that Merlin left unimaginable treasures in his tomb. If you obtain these treasures, you can possess power comparable to the gods in mythology."

"Haven't the wizards here tried to unlock the power of the gods?"

Harry scoffed at the idea, turning back to look in the direction of the pet market with disdain in his eyes. He raised his voice and asked, for some reason, suddenly remembering the Chamber of Secrets in Slytherin at school.

“Look at your feet, Potter—”

Amostah smiled as he pointed to the pitted ground. "These are the marks left by those who tried to open the tower with magic. Unfortunately, no one has ever succeeded in shaking this tower."

Professor Blaine's words, "not a single person," clearly included himself. Even a wizard like him was helpless against this cold, dark tower, which piqued Harry's curiosity. Just as he was studying the long, narrow hole in the dark tower door, much larger than a normal keyhole, he heard Professor Blaine say again...

"Of all the rumors surrounding Merlin, this tower is the most likely to be true. For many years, the Department of Mysteries of the Ministry of Magic has been trying every means to bring the tower back to the department and protect it as a precious artifact. Unfortunately, despite trying all sorts of methods, they have not been able to move the Black Stone Tower even an inch, so they have had to give up the plan in the end."

Chapter 151 Oh, you want to too!

On the way back, there were noticeably more wizards coming and going in Diagon Alley than in the morning. Harry followed behind Professor Blaine, keeping his head down and looking at the cobblestones reflecting the blinding sunlight, remaining silent the whole way.

Since neither of them had had breakfast that morning, even though it wasn't lunchtime yet, they each ordered something from the bar owner, Tom, and found a spot away from the group of guys puffing on their pipes.

Both of them were preoccupied with their own thoughts, so neither of them spoke.

Amosta chewed on a slice of bread, silently recalling the enormous mural in the central temple of Avalon Island.

The last scene depicted in the mural is the aftermath of that earth-shattering duel: the legendary mage Merlin stands alone before the massive temple, gazing at the distant sky. What happens after that is not recorded.

Amosta is pondering a question: if the mysterious tower in the underworld is indeed left by Merlin as rumored, then when did he build the tower, before or after the duel?

Before the duel, frankly, Amosta wouldn't have been too interested in whether Merlin left any treasures in the tower or not. However, after the duel, Amosta narrowed his eyes, his gaze becoming deep, and he stopped chewing.

"The shadow within Morgan le Fay's body, the schemes of the four Hogwarts masters, the Twin Serpents Staff, Merlin's Blackrock Tower—connecting these elements seems to offer an answer."

Unconsciously, Amosta put down his cutlery, his fingers tapping lightly on the uneven wooden table, drawing upon his wisdom.

"The logic is sound, but there are still problems. Why can I touch the Staff of the Serpents, which even Godric Gryffindor couldn't lift? And why am I inexplicably involved in the prophecies of the previous Druid priests? Also, what kind of revelation did Vitia Cliona receive?"

“Professor,” Harry blinked, staring at the somewhat eccentric Professor Blaine, his eyes filled with worry, “I think I just heard you talking about Gryffindor?”

"what--"

Amosta, regaining her composure, pursed her lips and reassured Harry with a smile, "He was just thinking about some things, nothing to worry about."

He glanced at Harry's eyes and noticed a flicker of unease in the young wizard's eyes. After a moment's thought, he chuckled and asked...

"Are you still confused and angry about what you just saw in the underground world?"

Harry didn't speak, but lowered his head and remained silent. After a long while, he asked in a muffled voice,

"Does Professor Dumbledore know about those dark wizards who trade magical creatures as commodities in that place?"

“Existence is its own justification, Potter. You think that underground cave and the wizards inside were evil and unforgivable, but you must understand that darkness will always exist in this world. Now, there is a place that can keep that darkness together, and there is a relatively reasonable order to restrain them. Don’t you think that’s a good thing? Otherwise, those wandering dark wizards would only harm more innocent people.”

Amosta didn't answer Porter's question; instead, he started talking about something else.

However, his reasoning clearly failed to enlighten Potter. Seeing Potter's still-confused expression, Amosta tilted his head and thought for a moment before offering some words of comfort.

"Don't rush to figure all this out, Potter. Some truths can only be truly understood through the test of time and the trials of experience."

Amosta was about to say something when suddenly, a wizard who walked in through the back door, wearing patched wizard robes and carrying a similarly tattered suitcase, made Amosta's gaze freeze. The wizard, after entering the bar, quickly noticed Amosta as well. He was initially taken aback, but then his pale face showed a hint of joy. However, after noticing Harry sitting opposite Amosta, he hesitated for a moment and did not immediately approach.

"--We have no other plans for today, Potter,"