The time at the Scamander Farm estate was wonderful, yet fleeting. It was the first time Lockhart had found someone in this world with whom he could so joyfully discuss his magical explorations. Well, his favorite student, Tom, counted as half a person, at least.
But even the most interesting times must end. As September drew near, they had to bring their delightful conversations to a close. Newt and his wife were off to Brazil to care for an endangered species of magical creature that was expected to give birth that month. Lockhart and the younger Mr. Scamander also needed to prepare their 'teaching aids' for the start of the Hogwarts term.
The younger Mr. Scamander seemed to be embarking on his own path, distinct from his father's, focusing on aquatic animals. To that end, Lockhart gifted him a group of Colubrida fish. The Crabbe family's Colubrida breed was renowned in wizarding history, and after decades of no longer supplying them to outsiders, such a variety was now incredibly rare to find in the wizarding world.
This was clearly a grand gift, and the younger Mr. Scamander was deeply moved, resolving to offer some returns. Besides the promised Madagocats, he arranged for a female Swooping Evil to accompany Lockhart's own, and planned to take Lockhart along to collect a unique creature that also existed somewhere between a magical beast and a fantastic beast.
"It's not really a specific species; it's a product of a particular ritual."
And so, Lockhart, with a mix of complex emotions, followed him all the way to a certain part of the Asian wizarding world. Yes, the Asian wizarding world. A place very different from his memories. Here, ancient sacrificial rituals, shamans, Nuo culture, and other unique yet familiar elements still persisted, but it was unlike the homeland he knew. He… had indeed arrived in a different world.
"Middle-earth, this place is unlike any other wizarding community," the younger Mr. Scamander explained as they arrived at the immigration checkpoint for registration. "You won't even find a wizarding school here! Many wizards can hardly imagine what it's like for wizards and Muggles to coexist, but that's precisely how it's been here since ancient times."
He chuckled, proudly telling Lockhart about this wondrous and rich region he'd discovered. "Their sacrificial activities have similarities to what we call ancient wizarding rituals, but also vast differences. The key to it all, perhaps, is what you mentioned—magical living."
The younger Mr. Scamander didn't notice that Lockhart had grown silent upon arriving, observing everything around him with a complex, cautious, somewhat fearful, yet also longing expression.
"During its heyday, the Order of Merlin once intended to exert some influence here, but no one knows what happened because nothing ultimately did. Through the eras of the Wizarding Council and the Ministry of Magic, this place seems to have remained distant from everything, living its own life."
"I have a good friend here, and he asked me to look after a mountain deity who lost a competition."
Lockhart finally reacted, asking curiously, "A mountain deity?"
"A magical creature that controls the powers of the earth and weather. Oh, perhaps that's not the right way to describe it," the younger Mr. Scamander struggled to find the right words to convey the difference. "It's authority. Only a mountain deity can possess such authority. It ensures good weather and bountiful harvests for nearby villages, but mountain deities must compete, and each succession of power is a terrifying competition among the magical creatures of the mountains."
"The losers are usually killed. My friend felt pity and wanted to find a good home for a creature that lost a competition, so he decided to entrust it to me."
After a long wait for the procedures to be completed, they were finally permitted to travel further south into Middle-earth. It was another long, tiring journey. Then, Lockhart, with a peculiar expression, arrived in what, in his previous life, would have been another country, the eastern regions beyond Middle-earth.
Upon reaching a village on a certain island, Lockhart didn't even need the younger Mr. Scamander to explain; he immediately felt the unique magical aura of the place.
Peace.
Yes, it was a unique quality, so unfamiliar yet so strangely familiar. He craned his neck to look at the mountains behind the village, as if he could see a stag peering down at them, the outsiders, from the cloud-shrouded peak.
"Don't show any malice!" the younger Mr. Scamander warned. "The mountain deities here can sense malice from outsiders. If it's just Muggle thieves or bandits, they might ignore it, but if it's wizards or magical creatures with magical power, they will actively attack."
Lockhart nodded, saying nothing.
"Gilderoy, you wouldn't believe how different the mountain deity rituals are from our magical rituals," the younger Mr. Scamander said, sounding incredulous himself. "Muggles, yes, Muggles perform them. Of course, wizards participate, but the main participants are Muggles!"
Lockhart pondered this, forming his own guess. "Magical living, right? The topic we discussed before."
"Exactly! It's fascinating. Ministry organizations can't touch this place," the younger Mr. Scamander chuckled.
They soon witnessed the wondrous mountain deity ritual. An aged elder hosted them. The younger Mr. Scamander's friend, clad in elaborate robes and a fierce mask, led the villagers in the ceremony. They could all sense that, apart from his friend, everyone else was an ordinary Muggle.
As the ritual progressed, an incredibly mysterious yet profoundly harmonious magical aura enveloped the surroundings. It was a sensation difficult to describe in words, not like the concrete effects of regular spell-casting, nor like the 'mysterious' mist in the Department of Mysteries' Hall of Prophecies—it was far more intangible.
As the ceremony unfolded below, the mountain slowly grew lively with the sounds of birds, insects, and the roars of wild beasts.
"I heard three magical creatures are competing: the Long Worm, the Big Worm, and the Little Worm," the younger Mr. Scamander whispered, observing from a distance. "My friend said he's foreseen the Big Worm's victory. The Little Worm will go live elsewhere, and only the Long Worm will be killed. He said if I'm willing to take the Long Worm away from this island, the Big Worm will decide not to kill it."
He mentioned many 'worms,' but they were actually completely different animals. The Big Worm was a tiger, the Long Worm was a snake, and the Little Worm was a sparrow.
Lockhart listened intently, observing the peculiar ceremony with great interest. He realized that this ritual seemed to be a unique transformation, consecrating a magical creature into a Dark Arts beast! It involved stripping away its animalistic nature, embedding it within the脉络 (context/essence) of nature, granting it certain natural authorities, and henceforth intertwining its fate with the land.
"When we were discussing those topics back at the farm, I really wanted to tell you what was happening here, but I thought it would be a good opportunity to bring you here to see for yourself." The younger Mr. Scamander craned his neck, trying to glimpse the activity on the distant mountain, but it was too far to see anything, which was quite a shame.
"Muggles and wizards, humans and magical creatures, living beings and nature—it's as if all questions found their answers here." Lockhart strongly agreed, gazing at the scene in a daze.
The ceremony continued for an entire day, through the scorching heat of noon, the quiet of the mountain and the bustle of the village in the evening, the chill of night, and the vibrant awakening of the sun on the second morning, finally reaching its conclusion. In the sunlight, people seemed to hear the gentle call of a deer, like the farewell of the old mountain deity, and then the roar of a tiger echoing through the forest, the new mountain deity proclaiming its dominion.
The local wizard led the villagers, bearing offerings and celebratory grains, on a trek up the mountain. By noon, a massive, beige snake, easily a hundred meters long, was carried down by their collective effort, winding impressively along the mountain path.
The younger Mr. Scamander quickly opened the suitcase he had brought, placing it on the ground before him with a serious expression.
"I hope you'll take good care of it," the local wizard said to Lockhart, after feeding some healing medicine to the severely injured, beige snake. "The younger Mr. Scamander said you're a renowned international Magizoologist. I hope it can have a new life."
The large snake was clearly displeased with the wizard's arrangement, hissing angrily towards the mountain, its eyes cold and full of resentment. Unfortunately, it was exhausted and could barely open its mouth. The wizard sighed upon seeing this. "It was meant to be put down by the mountain deity, but the deity showed mercy and spared its life. However, it no longer belongs here. If it remains, facing this daily, it will eventually become embittered and likely turn into a malevolent beast."
This entrustment was not without its cost; if the large snake were to lay eggs, Lockhart would be obligated to return some, a custom known as 'forming a bond' in this region.
Lockhart looked deeply at the large snake before him, as if he could feel some subtle, flowing energy influencing it. He gave a gentle, sincere smile. "Don't worry!"
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It was a brief journey, tinged with a hint of melancholy. After parting ways with the younger Mr. Scamander, Lockhart spent time traveling through the lands of Middle-earth, wandering and observing, hoping to see something familiar. He eventually returned to his hotel, somewhat dispirited.
His Banshee sensed Lockhart's complex emotions, emerging to quietly keep him company.
"It's just not the same, little Banshee, is it? I have my own journey now, my own life, don't I?" Lockhart stared blankly at the suitcase on the table before him.
"Hmm," the Banshee nodded gently, standing behind him and lightly massaging his temples, hoping to soothe his troubled mind.
"I'm alright," Lockhart exhaled deeply, then smiled, a brilliant smile. "Since I've embarked on this journey, I'll go forward boldly, just as Dumbledore said. Death is a great adventure, and I'm luckier than him; the adventure after death is so interesting." Having lived again, his life felt like a bonus, and his mindset had indeed shifted.
"Come on, it's time to leave here."
The suitcase gifted by the younger Mr. Scamander was clearly a grand present. Inside, a low, earthy mountain had been created using magic similar to the Undetectable Extension Charm. While not as large as Newt's usual case, which seemed to hold an entire world, such a magical creation was virtually unheard of elsewhere in the wizarding world. The beige long snake coiled, drowsing atop the miniature mountain, its wounds looking rather gruesome; it would need time to recover.
Of course, Lockhart also possessed his own equally wondrous magical creation—the Fairy Tale Book. He planned to transfer the snake inside to live there after they'd had more communication.
Their next stop was France, where the younger Mr. Scamander had arranged for a full seven Madagocats to be prepared—though it was actually just the same creature.
For the next while, Lockhart traveled to various corners of the world, seeking out animals that fit the future lives of both Muggles and wizards, and also creatures that existed in the grey area between magical beasts and fantastic beasts.
And just like that, without realizing it, the summer holidays quietly slipped away.
Toot-toot-toot~~~
The Hogwarts Express was off once more.
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