0384 Sirius’s Struggle

0384 Sirius’s Struggle

Bryan politely nodded, stepped over the threshold, and unsteadily climbed the steel ladder to the deck.

In the midst of the raging waves, this sizable ferry rocked like a small boat, rising and falling with the surging tides. Bryan could constantly hear the ominous groan of straining steel, as if the ferry might disintegrate in the terrifying waves at any second.

The ferry seemed to sail through the netherworld itself. The night sky was pitch black, the sea a deep inkwell shade, and some otherworldly force appeared to swallow lights emitted by the ferry.

This is the might of nature!

The thought suddenly occurred to Bryan as he gazed at a wave cresting higher than the ship's bow.

It's not that he has never been to sea before, but it had always been for missions requiring secrecy. He basically would not use the transportation methods of wizards or Muggles, but chose the more flexible flying broom instead. This was Bryan's first time using Muggle maritime travel, and from a Muggle's perspective, the power of nature was truly terrifying.

Not just Muggles—even wizards couldn't withstand the forces of nature.

The waves crashed onto the deck, sweeping away a few buckets that were not fixed.

Sirius had used a bit of magic to secure himself on the deck but hadn't cast a water-repelling charm, so his figure was submerged in inky waves.

Hum.

A hidden magical barrier clung to his body as Bryan floated over to Sirius's side.

"Looking for a thrill?"

"Just reminiscing," Sirius wiped the seawater from his face, a tinge of sorrow in his smile. "After escaping from Azkaban, I drifted alone at sea for several weeks. It seems it was around this season too. Heh, less than a year has passed, but it feels like many years ago."

Bryan pursed his lips, giving a slight smile but did not speak.

"I was so desperate back then." Sirius closed his eyes, letting the cold seawater slap his face.

"I carefully avoided sirens and merpeople. When the winds were calm, I'd find some fish from the sea to eat. Sometimes, there was no rain so I went several days without a drop of fresh water and had to make do with drinking the blood of larger fish. When strong winds picked up, I couldn't control my movements at all and was tossed dozens of feet into the air by the waves or slammed into the depths of the sea. Countless times, I thought I was doomed."

Reliving those moments made the memories more real and vivid, causing Sirius to shudder violently a few times.

Bryan knew that Sirius needed someone to talk to, so he remained silent. Fortunately, Sirius quickly regained his composure, took a deep breath, and buried his emotions.

"No one knows Azkaban's exact location. The rumor is that it's located above the North Sea, so we could only take it one step at a time."

Bryan asked curiously, "Why didn't we go straight into the North Sea from Aberdeen but went to the Shetland Islands instead?"

"Because that's where I came ashore," Sirius explained. "The currents carried me to a location not far from the mainland. By then, the waves had calmed a bit. I did fairly well in Astronomy at Hogwarts, so I used what I'd learned from Aurora about planetary orbits and trajectories to determine my position and adjust my direction. But it was still very difficult. By the time I could see the shoreline, I was completely exhausted."

A smile tugged at the corners of Sirius's mouth. "I couldn't maintain my Animagus form and transformed back into a human. Then an old fisherman named John pulled me out of the sea. He fed me and took care of me when I was exhausted. Thanks to him, I was able to quickly regain my strength and continue sneaking along as my Animagus form. I promised John I'd come back to visit him when I could."

"So where does this fisherman live?" Bryan asked gently.

At that moment, the raging winds tore through the layered storm clouds, allowing a shaft of moonlight as pure as holy light to bathe a distant island.

In the distance, a small light flickered amidst the crashing waves.

"Ah—" Sirius exclaimed in joy. "He's right there!"

...

Click!

The bullet was loaded, and Old John swiftly pulled open the iron door. Before uttering a word, he raised the rifle barrel menacingly, aiming it squarely at the knocker's head!

"You lot better—oh!"

A cry of surprise joined the ethereal cries of the seagulls soaring into the distant, blue sky.

Perhaps due to the dim lighting, the ground floor where Old John's living room was located appeared quite messy, scattered with all sorts of odds and ends. The dried fish hanging overhead also filled the room with an unpleasant fishy odor.

"This place is pretty much like Hagrid's hut—"

With no chairs in the room, Bryan lifted the edge of his coat and casually sat on the blackened stairs, looking at the surroundings with interest.

"Hagrid?"

The water on the stove had already boiled, gurgling nonstop. Old John limped over, lifted the kettle, and prepared tea for Sirius and Bryan. Hearing Bryan's comment, he gruffly asked, "Is he a lighthouse keeper too?"

"Oh, no—" Sirius smiled as he answered the question. "Something similar, though—he's the gamekeeper at Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts? It doesn't sound like a decent place!"

"Indeed—" Bryan couldn't help but laugh as he observed this rather gruff, scruffy old man, both in appearance and personality. "It's really not very decent—it's a school for Troubled Teens. Quite a few of the little rascals ended up in prison after graduating due to criminal behavior."

Sirius rolled his eyes at Bryan. All this time, Bryan's power had unconsciously caused everyone to overlook his age. Sirius had always regarded him as a peer. But in this moment, Bryan's demeanor while interacting with this kind Muggle old man made Sirius suddenly realize that he was just a young man in his early twenties.

Although quite elderly, Old John's mind remained sharp. He could tell the young man with gray hair was just joking, and he let out a few rough laughs. As he poured Sirius's tea, he squinted, studying Sirius carefully. After the cup was full, he nodded with satisfaction.

"Looks like you've found your way in life, young man—"

"Yes, though I've had some setbacks, the end result turned out alright, I suppose—" Sirius took a deep breath and said, smiling at this robust eighty-year-old man as he caressed the cup's rim. "How about you? Does your leg still give you trouble?"

"This old ailment will probably follow me to the grave!"

After pouring tea for the gray-haired young man as well, Old John tossed the kettle onto the table. Looking around and finding nowhere to sit, he plopped his backside directly onto the table's edge.

"So, what brings you back here this time, young man?"

"Just call me Sirius—I promised you, John, that I'd come back to see you if I got the chance. After all, you saved my life—"

"Still full of lies, just like before!" Old John muttered, his blunt remark causing Sirius's cheeks to redden slightly with embarrassment.

"You seem more honest, kid. You don't look like one of those slick-tongued fellows!" Old John turned his gaze toward Bryan.

Kid...it had been a long time since anyone called him that—

Bryan let out an unintentional laugh. But considering this man was a World War II veteran, being addressed that way based on age difference didn't really bother him. Bryan scratched his cheek.

"Well, you see, Mr. John, we're planning to set sail from here—"

"Set sail?" Old John interrupted, smacking his lips. His weathered, aged face furrowed deeply with concern. "This isn't a good season for sailing. Storms could arrive at any moment. Unless you're here to commit suicide, I wouldn't advise it!"

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