Chapter 115 "The Nightmarish Future"

Skyler jolted awake, his breath catching as he emerged from the grip of a haunting nightmare.

"What was that? Is it only a dream?" Skyler asked to himself with his hand grasping his chest tightly.

His eyes opened to a dystopian landscape. What was once a serene blue sky now bore the gruesome hue of blood, marred by ominous gray clouds. The air reeked of death, and even the breeze carried a saline tinge. The ground lay barren, consumed by large black flames that devoured everything in their path.

Above, a colossal black dragon wreaked havoc, its roars echoing with malevolence as it spewed black flames into the apocalyptic sky. Before Skyler stood a formidable figure, a wizard with a coat of thick, black fur that gleamed with a metallic sheen. Towering like a half-blood giant, he bellowed commands, leading a grotesque horde of monsters.

Behind Skyler, a noseless man emitted a sinister, echoing laughter. In his wake, a legion of masked individuals, accompanied by dementors, werewolves, giants, and lifeless corpses, formed a nightmarish army.

Skyler, alone and bewildered, looked down, only to find the lifeless bodies of Daphne, Astoria, Morag, Lucius, and Narcissa sprawled at his feet. The bloodstains on their motionless forms conveyed the stark reality of their demise.

A visceral scream tore from Skyler's throat, his eyes ablaze with disbelief and despair. "No—!!!" he cried out to the heavens. "This can't be real!"

The nightmarish tableau shattered, dissolving into fragments. The black dragon, the half-giant wizard, and the noseless figure vanished. A nebulous black shadow lingered before him, its true form elusive.

Abruptly, Dumbledore materialized, his face stained with blood, a look of anguish etched across his features. "Skyler, why is it like this...what have you done...what have you changed...it shouldn't be like this..." he uttered, his words laden with pain and confusion.

Before Skyler could respond, Dumbledore's visage transformed once again, this time into Meredith's face. Two glistening trails of tears adorned her eyes. "Skyler, have you forgotten me... Have you always been lying to me..."

"No, no!" Skyler protested, but Meredith's countenance shifted once more, assuming Draco's face. Fear etched Draco's features as he implored, "Skyler, run! Run! Leave me alone! It's all my fault! I asked for everything... You don't care about me anymore. Run, run..."

"What are you talking about?" Skyler was still trying to comprehend when Draco's eyes suddenly blazed with fierceness. He shouted wildly, "Die! Astoria should have belonged to me!"

Skyler glanced down at his abdomen, where Draco had thrust the dagger. Blood oozed from the wound, causing pain, but the emotional anguish cut even deeper. Tears streamed down Skyler's face as he pleaded, "No, it's not like that. Brother, listen to me..."

A wave of weakness overcame him. Skyler, clutching his wound, sank to the ground. "You..."

"Why?!" Unwillingness and anger surged within him. He felt the magic swirling around him, urging him to unleash it all. Release everything!

Skyler gazed at his hands, witnessing them enveloped in a dark aura once again. "You forced me!"

"Avada Kedavra!" Skyler roared with all his might, pointing his wand at the shadow.

With a resounding blast, the shadow transformed into Hermione's face. Her eyes widened, brimming with bitterness and despair. "Skyler... So it's true... Can't we be friends after all?"

She collapsed into Skyler's arms, an inexplicable light in her eyes. With great effort, she raised her hand, touching Skyler's face. She spoke with anger, "Skyler, I don't blame you. I know your heart... To die by your hand, it's everything I ever wished for..." Her eyes closed, and her arm dropped weakly.

Uneasy, desperation, fear, helplessness, powerlessness, a myriad of negative emotions crushed Skyler.

A familiar voice echoed in his ears, "Tsk tsk, have you killed your beloved and gained unparalleled power? How does it taste? My child..."

Skyler abruptly looked up, attempting to discern the speaker.

Then, he woke up.

It was just a dream.

What kind of dream was that!

Skyler felt the urge to throw the pillow across the room vigorously.

Touching his sweat-drenched body, he decided to take a shower in the bathroom. Although a Cleaning spell would be faster and more convenient, a warm bath could relax him, help him clear his mind, and allow him to organize his thoughts.

Skyler hummed a tune as he lathered soap on himself, but a sense of indescribable unease lingered in his heart.

He knew it must be connected to that dream.

Can't let it go, huh? No wonder everything in the dream felt so real, and those negative emotions were akin to personal experiences.

After putting on his nightgown, he glanced at the inviting bed, hesitating for a few seconds.

Sighing, he recognized his own nature. Without unraveling the enigma of this inexplicable dream, he wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he retrieved an elixir from his suitcase space, brought it to his lips, and took a sip.

Fortunately, Skyler had the support of Sister Giuliana and the Medieval European Wizards' Association; otherwise, he wouldn't dare to squander such an expensive and rare potion. Reflecting on this, he felt grateful for accepting the invitation of the Medieval European Wizards' Association.

There wasn't much of the blessing potion left, and Skyler estimated that he would need more soon. Considering writing to Sister Giuliana again to inquire about obtaining another bottle seemed like a wise decision. Given that Professor Slughorn owed him a favor, asking him might be a good option.

As for attempting to self-refine the potion? That idea seemed absurd. The materials were hard to come by, and the refining process was excessively time-consuming.

After drinking the blessing potion, he closed his eyes, contemplating the dream. What crucial details had he missed?

Abruptly, he opened his eyes, leaped up, and rushed to his private book bag. Indeed, there was an anomaly in one of the books. It seemed to come alive, with a faint brilliance flowing on the book cover, emanating powerful magical fluctuations.

"The Secret of Cutting-Edge Black Magic."

Skyler vividly recalled that this book originated from the secret room of the Black family. It contained the secrets of Horcruxes, and Sirius' brother Regulus had used it to unveil Voldemort's greatest secrets.

Skyler had read this book a long time ago, learning the "Unforgivable Curses" from it. Could there be a detail in the book that he had missed?

Turning the first page, he encountered the preface in a wicked manner.

The entire side had a blank page, featuring a triangular fold in the lower right corner. Skyler opened the fold, revealing the author's name, Egbert, written in a fly-sized font.

A thoughtful expression crossed Skyler's face. Was this what his dream wanted to tell him all along? The revival of the old dark wizard that brought chaos into the wizarding world?

The blessing agent doesn't enhance luck; rather, it heightens sensitivity to environmental changes, making it easier to spot overlooked details. Trusting his instincts, Skyler believed the agent had purposefully guided him to this revelation.

Reflecting on his current circumstances, Skyler, like many Harry Potter enthusiasts, initially viewed Voldemort as the ultimate villain in the magical world. However, being physically present in this realm revealed the profound complexities hidden within magical society.

Entities such as the Shadow Dragon, the Ghost Society, the Knights of Walpurgis, the Nightshade Mystic Market, and even the seemingly prestigious Malfoy family all possessed remarkable legacies. Skyler recognized that his thought process had been influenced by the so-called "knowledge" from his previous life, leading him into a conceptual misunderstanding.

Who asserted that only Voldemort held the knowledge of creating Horcruxes? The method had become a lost mystery, but Voldemort's ability to study it demonstrated that others could as well. The author of the book, Egbert, was a testament to this fact.

The great evil Egbert, a wizard known for combat prowess, had not only invented the method but was still alive—an insight that Skyler needed to internalize, free from the biases of his past and present perspectives.

One of the most renowned battles in history was the decisive encounter known as the "Merek the Villain" battle. This pivotal event unfolded towards the close of the eleventh century when the leader of the three Peverell brothers had just crafted the Elder Wand.

Eager to test its might, he engaged in a duel, emerged victorious, and later revealed the wand's formidable powers in a drunken state at a bar. Tragically, that very night, he fell victim to an assassination, merely by touching a door.

In the ensuing month, the Elder Wand became the focal point of a fierce struggle, sparking a chaotic storm that eventually placed it in the hands of the infamous dark wizard of the time—Emeric the Evil.

Emeric, the villain, proved to be a formidable adversary, wielding the Elder Wand's power with the ferocity of a tiger. Several dark wizards seeking to claim the wand fell before him. Many believed that with his strength, Emeric would become the new master of the Elder Wand.

Unexpectedly, the great evil Egbert entered the scene, boldly challenging Emeric. With astonishing strength, Egbert launched a one-sided "slaughter" against Emeric. This feat garnered global acclaim and established Egbert as the first to defeat the Elder Wand's possessor through sheer prowess.

This record held for years until Dumbledore, in the aftermath of defeating Grindelwald, replicated the astounding achievement.

However, Skyler was aware of Egbert's tragic fate. Egbert's violent actions, refusing to show allegiance to either side, led him to ruthlessly eliminate anyone who opposed him.

Eventually, Gryffindor, driven by an overwhelming sense of justice, could no longer stand idly by, abandoning his duties at Hogwarts to challenge Egbert from a distance.

The two engaged in a honorable duel, resulting in Gryffindor's defeat. Yet, Gryffindor not only managed to retreat under the Elder Wand's might but also delivered a sword strike to the great evil Egbert's shoulder.

However, the tragedy for the great evil Egbert was about to unfold. On his way back, he fell prey to an ambush orchestrated by several formidable wizards. These sorcerers concealed their identities behind a cunning disguise.

Despite their attempts at secrecy, their diverse magical practices, ranging from black and white magic to elemental, transformation, and even druid magic, betrayed the fact that both dark and light wizards were involved.

Already wounded and significantly drained, Egbert valiantly persisted through his severe injuries, forging a dangerous path.

Seeking refuge, he made his way to his apprentice, Godelot, hoping to find solace and plan his revenge. Much to his dismay, his most trusted disciple turned out to be the ultimate betrayer.

Hogwarts had just been established at that time, and the master-apprentice system still prevailed in the magical world. The bond between a master and apprentice was akin to that of a parent and child. Hence, the great evil Egbert never fathomed that his beloved apprentice would betray him for the Elder Wand.

Godelot "killed" the great evil Egbert in a shocking turn of events. Not only did he seize possession of the Elder Wand, but he also shamelessly claimed the inheritance secrets as his own. Under a new guise, Godelot transformed the stolen knowledge into a work passed down under his name, known as "The Most Poisonous Magic."

Certainly, now that Skyler is aware of the author of "Cutting-edge Black Magic Revealed," he speculates further on the great evil Egbert's hidden agenda at that time. It's likely that Egbert, being the mastermind behind the creation of the Horcrux, kept at least one card up his sleeve. He deliberately withheld the knowledge of the Horcrux from his apprentice, Godelot, and maintained secrecy about his own invincibility. Despite losing his old wand, Egbert remains alive.

Notably, Godelot, although aware of the existence of Horcruxes, omitted any mention of them in "Poisonous Magic." This suggests an incomplete inheritance, as the level of black magic in "Poisonous Magic" is significantly inferior to that found in "The Secret of Cutting-edge Black Magic."

This raises a critical question: If the great evil Egbert is still alive, where might he be hiding? The possibility of dealing with not only Voldemort's seven Horcruxes but an additional one becomes a daunting prospect.

Skyler is also reminded of another intriguing aspect regarding Horcruxes. In a past interview, J.K. Rowling mentioned an ancient Greek wizard named Herpo the Foul, notorious for being the first person in history to create a Horcrux successfully.

Curiously, there's no record of the destruction of his Horcruxes. Skyler contemplates whether Herpo might still be alive and questions his whereabouts and silence with such formidable magical strength.

This uncertainty leaves Skyler somewhat irritated, sensing that these ancient wizards might resurface sooner or later. What concerns him the most is their connection to the Shadow Dragon, the Ghost Society, the Knights of Walpurgis, and the Nightshade Mystic Market. These contemplations give Skyler a headache, anticipating the potential challenges ahead.