Chapter 137 "Celebration and Presents"

The results of the competition resonated in real-time across Europe, capturing the attention of various media outlets. On an eventful day, it wasn't just the Daily Prophet that graced the occasion; The Stone Winged Devil from France, Viking Daily representing the Nordic region, the gossip-centric "Confusion," the women's magazine "Witches Weekly," the curiosity-driven "The Quibbler," and numerous other reputable media from Europe were present.

Behind this extensive media coverage lay Giuliana's strategic intent. As Skyler's spokesperson, she seized the opportunity to propel Skyler into becoming a formidable and idolized figure in the wizarding world.

Post-competition, Skyler found himself inundated with letters akin to a flurry of snowflakes. These messages arrived from nearly every European country, conveying words of praise and appreciation in a myriad of languages.

Some enthusiasts went a step further, organizing events in their respective countries to celebrate Skyler's accomplishments. Notably, a sender by the name of "Admiral Jaina" appended a reward to their letter—a Gringotts-sealed cash roll with a marked value of 115 Galleons!

In response, Skyler enlisted Daphne to gather all the members of the Serpentis Vigil Club.

Together, this dedicated group convened in the secret room behind the expansive mirror on the fifth floor. Hours ticked away as they meticulously opened, translated, and crafted responses to each letter.

As dinner approached, fellow members departed, leaving only—Skyler, Morag, Astoria, and Daphne—to persist in the thoughtful task of engaging with their admirers.

Certainly, Skyler would never subject himself and his three girlfriends to mistreatment. In his ever-diligent manner, Dobby presented a lavish dinner to commemorate Skyler's triumph in securing his inaugural project victory.

As an additional gesture, a bottle of Ogden Olde Firewhiskey was uncorked, casting a celebratory ambiance in recognition of Skyler's success.

Upon entering the Slytherin common room that night, the atmosphere was once again engulfed in cheers and jubilation. Tables and chairs bore the weight of delectable mountains of cake, accompanied by sizzling pumpkin juice and butterbeer.

Blaise Shabini orchestrated a display of meticulously crafted fireworks, transforming the air into a canvas of stars and sparks.

The lounge adorned its walls with several new banners, most depicting Skyler commanding his wand at the fire Dragon, compelling it to bow its head like an obedient puppy. However, two banners stood out, humorously portraying the fire Dragon's rear engulfed in flames.

Draco approached Skyler, delivering a hearty pat on the shoulder, and expressed his pride, "I knew you had it in you! Skyler, I've already written to inform my parents, and they're immensely proud of you!"

Skyler gazed at Draco and finally voiced the sentiment that had lingered in his heart for quite some time, "Thank you, pig shit..."

"Don't use that name!" Draco retorted, feigning annoyance. The two brothers shared a history of using this nickname during their younger years, but it had been abandoned since they turned nine.

In a moment of quiet acknowledgment, the two brothers exchanged glances and burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Draco ceased his laughter and adopted a more serious tone, "Well, you've won the first task. Let's not discuss that useless Potter. I must say those two girls are quite formidable. You might want to be 'careful' with them!"

Skyler's eyes and the corners of his mouth retained their smiles, but a subtle glint gleamed deep within his eyes. He replied emphatically, "Got it, you pig shit. No need to worry!"

"Ah!!! You're still talking!" Draco appeared on the verge of losing his composure amidst the raucous laughter of the young wizards surrounding them.

Just as Draco was about to throw a piece of cake at Skyler, Skyler uttered softly, "Thank you, brother."

Draco hesitated for a moment, snorted, and declared, "I won't cause trouble for you. Now, I'm heading back to my room for some rest!"

With that, Draco turned proudly and made his way toward the boys' dormitory corridor behind the cyan tapestry, carrying the piece of cake with him.

Without looking back, he softly added, "As you said, we are brothers."

As Draco vanished behind the tapestry, a slight upward curl graced Skyler's lips.

Draco's departure didn't dampen the festive atmosphere; instead, it fueled the younger wizards, making the scene even more exuberant.

Without even him knowing it, Skyler has diverted one of the biggest crises that he could possibly face in the future. The fallout between the relationship of the Malfoy Brothers… It will tell story for years to come if Skyler didn't pay more attention to how Draco acts.

Beer foam, food remnants, and colorful ribbons shot from vibrant cannons decorated the tables and the ground with celebratory chaos.

Pansy approached, accompanied by her three loyal followers—Audrey, Tracy, and Millicent. She greeted Skyler with a smile, saying, "Congratulations, Skyler."

"Thank you, Pansy," Skyler responded graciously.

Pansy, with a pointed expression, mentioned, "Draco organized this celebration for you. Rumor has it he spent all his pocket money this semester."

"I understand and appreciate it, Pansy," Skyler replied softly.

Suddenly, Terrence emerged, holding a sizable glass of butterbeer. He raised the glass and exclaimed, "Here's to our Slytherin Champion—Skyler!"

Simultaneously, all the young wizards raised their cups and cheered Skyler's name.

After setting down his cup, Terence remarked, "You're amazing, Skyler! Unbelievable! You've broken the iron rule that 'fire Dragons cannot be tamed'! To my knowledge, no one has achieved this feat in the past hundred years except you and Scamander, the Master of Fantastic Beasts!"

Skyler had heard a bit about Scamander's exploits during the period of Muggle's First World War (1914-1918).

Scamander participated in the Ministry of Magic's confidential plan to tame the Ukrainian Iron Belly. Ultimately, the plan was aborted, as the fire Dragons only responded to Scamander and resisted other Dragon tamers.

Concerning this peculiar occurrence, Skyler entertained a speculation. He considered that Scamander's family might possess a bloodline talent akin to an affinity for magical animals, and Scamander, due to his slightly autistic nature, was compelled to nurture this talent.

Nott approached, delivering a package to Skyler. "Dad asked me to give this to you. He said congratulating you on today's success is a gift."

Skyler and Nott exchanged a glance, nodding in tacit agreement.

The Carrow sisters delicately touched the gleaming golden egg, commenting, "Oh my God, it's quite heavy. Is this the clue to the second level?"

Others began to take notice of the golden egg at this point. Blaise inquired, "What could be inside this?"

"I don't know; I haven't studied it yet," Skyler said with a sly smile. "But feel free to open it and take a look."

Blaise handed the golden egg to the robust Goyle, who, using his strength, dug his nails into a groove and pried it open.

To their surprise, it was empty—devoid of any contents. However, the moment it was opened, an incredibly terrifying, high-pitched scream reverberated throughout the entire room.

"Close it!" Pansy shouted, covering her ears with her hands.

Goyle hastily shut the golden egg.

"What was that?" Blaise queried, staring at the golden egg. "It's like a banshee's cry... but also somewhat reminiscent of a mandrake's scream. Anyway, it's unsettling..."

"What's there to fear?" Terrence asserted, "Skyler has even tamed a fire Dragon; how could he still be afraid of these things?"

The consensus among the group was swift.

By the time Skyler returned to the dormitory, it was nearly one o'clock in the morning. Unwrapping the package bestowed upon him by Mr. Nott, he discovered a book titled "The Encyclopedia of Alchemical Locks," encompassing methods for crafting and deciphering alchemical locks throughout the ages.

Perfect, precisely what Skyler needed.

Skyler profoundly grasped the significance of consolidating power. In his previous life, many fans admired protagonists for their individual prowess.

However, he now understood that everyone possessed unique strengths and weaknesses. Regardless of one's might, even an exceptionally gifted individual like Voldemort couldn't conquer the world alone. Only by uniting the strengths of many could greater achievements be realized.

He retrieved several items from the space within his suitcase and arranged them methodically on the bed. These were gifts sent by his allies, requiring substantial effort to assemble. Skyler took this moment to study them in detail with no one around.

Miss Giuliana's gift arrived in the form of a Dragon-shaped specimen enclosed within a transparent container. According to her, the specimen was an ancient Dragon cub excavated by the organization's archaeologists from a specific ruin.

Apart from the organization's clandestine sealing technique, it also contained a trace of the ancient Dragon's magic, specifically the power inherent in the ancient Dragon's bloodline.

On the other hand, Professor Slughorn's offerings were magical potions, all of which were exceptionally rare. Alongside a vial of blessed elixir, there was a sizable container of Dragon's blood.

Extracting pure Dragon blood from adult Dragons is a costly affair, with its trade nearly monopolized by the Ministry of Magic, rendering it almost unattainable on the open market.

However, Slughorn's contribution wasn't just any adult Dragon's blood; it was a vial of activated Dragon's blood. The creation process involves intricate ritual steps, precious magical ingredients, and considerable time, spanning several months.

Dumbledore's knowledge unveiled that ordinary Dragon blood possesses twelve known uses (research published by a young Dumbledore), even though many of them are deemed somewhat impractical, such as cleaning ovens, stain removal, treating plantar warts, and so forth.

Skyler often pondered why Dragon Blood commanded such a high price in his previous life. The revelation now clarified that these commonplace applications were merely the mundane uses of regular Dragon blood, unbeknownst to ordinary wizards and common folk.

The genuine worth of Dragon blood lies in its potential to be transformed into activated Dragon blood.

Active Dragon blood possesses the unique ability to stimulate bodily functions and unlock hidden potentials, with the specific effects varying based on the Dragon species utilized.

However, the manufacturing process is exceedingly intricate, and even the most accomplished potion masters seldom encounter the opportunity to refine active Dragon blood.

This is why not manyThis people like dealing with the Dragon blood, considering how much of a delicate touch is needed to process everything from the first step if you want the result of high-quality products.

Taking the vial Skyler received as an example, it contains black Dragon blood extracted from a living Hebridean Black Dragon. Slughorn then supplemented the Dragon blood with abdominal skin and flesh from Ukrainian Iron Belly, fangs from the Peruvian Vipertooth, black ridges from Norwegian Ridgeback, the pointed tail sting of Hungarian Horntail, golden fringed spikes from Chinese Fireball Dragon (resembling a lion's sideburns), and the golden long horn of Romanian Longhorns, along with Australian Antipodean Opaleyes' eyes.

These materials are inherently expensive and rare, and the ritual itself imposes numerous prerequisites.

For instance, the horns of the horned Dragon must measure precisely three feet, the fangs of the Peruvian Vipertooth must not have emitted venom for at least three months, and the Antipodean Opaleyes' eye must be larger than a watermelon, to name a few.

Upon completion, it must be dispatched to the Star Gathering Platform, a facility controlled by the Ministry of Magic. This platform features a magical circle that harnesses the brilliance of moonlight and starlight, ensuring the Dragon's blood is exposed to the most potent celestial illumination. This, in turn, induces a mutation in the inherent power within the blood.

It comes as no surprise that Skyler received gifts from these three individuals. As his renown continues to escalate, the symbiotic relationship between him and Miss Giuliana deepens, leading her to display her favor toward Skyler generously.

Similarly, for Slughorn, renowned figures act as a magnet, attracting him with their allure as individuals he is eager to befriend.

What took Skyler aback was the fourth gift.

This particular offering hails from Alvin Carrow, the patriarch of the Carrow sisters and the current head of the Carrow family.

Alvin Carrow possesses a dignified demeanor. In comparison to other heads of pure-blood families, although not widely recognized, he proves to be a formidable individual. In the original narrative, the Carrow family ardently upholds pure-blood supremacy, yet Alvin does not follow in the footsteps of Lucius Malfoy.

Instead, he refrained from directly involving himself and dispatched his less competent siblings, Amycus and Alecto, to join the ranks of the Death Eaters.

Amycus and Alecto are evidently not formidable adversaries; even the recently matured Harry and the underage Luna can overcome them.

Yet, they have been entrusted by the Death Eaters with the task of infiltrating Hogwarts and assuming the guise of professors. The underlying reason behind this assignment likely stems, to a certain extent, from Alvin Carrow's influence.

Putting aside the nature of the gift, the act of bestowing it carries significant implications.

The Carrow family's apparent endorsement of pure-blood supremacy may well be a facade. Considering Skyler's conspicuous actions at Hogwarts, it is common knowledge that he is likely not a pure-blood.

Mr. Carrow, a purported advocate of blood purity, has two daughters attending Hogwarts, making it implausible for him to be unaware of Skyler's background.

In this light, the motive behind Alvin Carrow's gesture becomes clearer — this is a family prioritizing its own interests. Ultimately, Amycus and Alecto's alliance with the Death Eaters serves the family's benefit. However, this doesn't prevent Alvin from hedging his bets elsewhere.

If befriending Skyler and expanding the family's options can be achieved, he will not hesitate to pursue such avenues.

In essence, this is a strategic move! Just like how the ancestor of Malfoys moves, Alvin puts more than just an egg into his basket so he can plan carefully from the many choices available if the future come offering them a harsh life.

The value of the gift is weighty, bestowed by the head of the revered Sacred 28 pure-blood family. Although it appears as a simple list, the names inscribed upon it carry profound significance.

Thorfinn Rowle, Corban Yaxley, Trovan Selwyn, Archibald Avery, Antonin Dolohov, Augustus Rockwood...

The names of Mr. Nott and Alvin Carrow were also present...

Some of these individuals are acknowledged Death Eaters, while others are heads of pure-blood families who contributed financially, although none escaped personal involvement.

This list is undeniably intriguing!

Skyler's eyes gleamed with a discerning light, and the corners of his mouth curled into a sly grin. If he wasn't mistaken, this list substantiated some of his suspicions.

It appears Mr. Carrow has truly done himself a significant favor!

[ "Alchemy Lock Encyclopedia" has been obtained! ]

[ "Ancient Divine Dragon Specimen" has been obtained! ]

[The Elixir of Blessing has been obtained!]

[An Active Dragon Blood has been acquired! ]

[An intriguing list has been acquired! ]