Chapter 438: The Adventure Under the Lake (One)

Chapter 438: The Adventure Under the Lake (One)

"Oh, look, the two ladies were the first to find the wand, which might be related to the uniqueness of their wands. I see the patterns. Yes, indeed. Let's hope they notice the watches on their wrists soon."

The audience murmured in astonishment. When Collins woke up, undisturbed by the Grindylows or a crab searching for food, she immediately locked onto the Cedarwood wand in front of her—her hand brushed over its surface, and sparks shot from its tip, making Collins gasp.

"Harry's progress is slower. He hasn't found the wand yet," Simon said anxiously.

"Anyone waking up to a creature that can eat them would be startled," Dean said, suddenly laughing. "Look at his face! He's found it!"

...

Harry raised his arm, staring at the watch on his wrist. He assumed the professors put it on him while he was asleep. Instead of showing the time, the dial was a dull, lifeless shade of gold.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, an unrealistic scenario flickered in his mind: Professor Snape strolling in the Black Lake, carrying a basket, casually observing. Then, he reached a clearing, picked up Harry (unconscious, head tilted), and planted him along with his wand into the soil. With a wave of the professor's hand, a protective shield appeared...

Harry shook his head, dispelling the unrealistic fantasy. Suddenly, a voice in his mind spoke, revealing various "challenges" scattered across the lake: purple stages required battle, promising survival items, while blue stages demanded thought, offering useful information.

As for the golden stage, it signified a gemstone that could break the "curse" on him, altering his current stature (Harry wondered what would happen if he collected more). Yet, only upon full restoration could he activate the watch and see his two companions.

Combining the clues from the golden egg, realization dawned on Harry. "Time is of the essence; choices are inevitable," he softly echoed. These two lines didn't pinpoint specific details but rather served as general advice, something Hermione had pondered repeatedly.

She believed they must unravel a puzzle or make choices suited to themselves. "Perhaps everyone faces different challenges," she worried. Ron speculated it might resemble the massive wizard's chess they tackled in their first year. "Maybe sacrificing a person or two will be needed..." he cryptically mentioned.

Now, Hermione's guess seemed closer to the truth, Harry thought.

With time limited, finding the golden gem seemed most valuable, determining whether he'd eventually succeed. The other two ensured survival in the dangerous lake, especially when they were vulnerable at the start.

Knowing the shield would only last an hour, Harry had to act swiftly.

He wracked his brain: wand, wand... How could he maneuver with this thing towering above him?

Blinking, Hermione watched a black salmon swim away, seemingly intrigued by the blue-shell-like house, attempting to approach but failing.

Quickly deciding, Hermione progressed along the shadow of the lake's rocks. En route, she found a broken strand of algae for cover. She closed in on her target and then

saw a black salmon charging toward her.

Barely dodging, Hermione rolled in the water. The Humanoid Ironclad Curse did its job well, but she wasn't sure if it would endure a few more hits.

With a flick of its tail, the black salmon charged again. At that moment, a faint white glow emanated from Hermione's hand, revealing cryptic runic symbols.

Wide-eyed, she watched the fish's movements, the glow on her hand intensifying. Nervously muttering, "I have an advantage over others, even if I can't use ancient magic. I still know many individual runes. It's like a series of simple spells..."

"Boom!"

The glowing fist struck the salmon's head, causing its belly to turn white. Drifting along with the lake's current—knocked out by Hermione's Bull Strength Rune.

"Brilliant," Hermione exclaimed joyfully. She thought it would take several tries to succeed.

Ignoring the flopping salmon in the water, she swiftly swam behind the blue-shell-like house, eyeing the golden gemstone. As big as her head, she gently tapped it with her hand bearing the watch. The dim golden dial lit up, and the gem on the ground melted into the watch, slightly illuminating the dim golden dial.

"Huh? Progress reminder? It's somewhat like the coin Harry used while practicing the Patronus Charm. Oh, it belongs to Valen now," Hermione thought cheerfully, turning to face the challenge within the blue house.

>

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