0404 Out

In the gentle sea breeze, Bryan's calm expression made Sirius startle.

"What do you mean, Bryan?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Sirius realized he had asked Bryan this question many times tonight. But he quickly pushed that thought aside and asked solemnly, "Suddenly disappear... What exactly are you planning?"

Bryan didn't answer the question. He just smiled slightly, and his gaze was once again fixed on Azkaban.

Seeing his demeanor, Sirius knew he probably wouldn't get any answers. He stared at Bryan's profile. Though barely in his twenties, the young man's eyes carried a determination that did not match his age. The depth in his gaze was not something he could see through.

"You're incredible, Bryan—" Sirius sighed, the words escaping him in a rush of breath. He reached out, patting Bryan's shoulder. "I can't think of any wizard who could possess such powerful magic at your age, probably not even Dumbledore. But I hope you understand—this is also the insight that twelve years in Azkaban gave me—I, Remus, Dumbledore, ah, and even Snape, we're all your friends. Even against Voldemort and his Death Eaters, understand? Bryan, if you need help..."

The soft starlight bathed Bryan, softening the contours of his profile.

Bryan's voice, when he spoke, held a hint of amusement. "I don't need a lecture from you, Sirius," he said, smoothly changing the subject. Before Sirius could formulate a response, Bryan continued, "I need to go to Azkaban. That place affects you too much; you should wait here."

"You're going up there again?" Sirius frowned. "Don't tell me that memory we just experienced didn't resolve your questions. Are you planning to check out that underground ruins? But how do you intend to get in? Oh, Ravenclaw's diadem is in your possession."

Under Sirius's worried gaze, Bryan rose into the air until he disappeared from sight.

Waiting, Sirius discovered, was an exquisite form of torture.

For several hours, Sirius stood on the dilapidated deck, staring anxiously in the direction of Azkaban. But the place remained as silent as an abyss, without any sign of movement.

Sirius's mind raced with possibilities, each more terrifying than the last. He knew, rationally, that Bryan's skills were extraordinary. If it had been an exploration of any other place, Sirius wouldn't have been so worried. But after experiencing the memories of Hogwarts' two founders, Sirius realized that Azkaban was far more sinister and dangerous than anyone had ever imagined.

It wasn't until the starlight dimmed and first hints of dawn began to paint the eastern sky that Sirius's vigil was rewarded. A shadow, skimming low across the sea's surface, rapidly approached the ship. The sight allowed Sirius to finally release the breath he felt he'd been holding for hours.

"How did it go? Did you encounter any problems?" The questions tumbled from Sirius's lips the moment Bryan materialized on the deck. He rushed forward, eyes gathering over the young wizard's form, searching for any sign of injury. Only when he was satisfied that Bryan was unharmed did Sirius allow himself to relax. But as he met Bryan's gaze, he felt a jolt of surprise.

"Your eyes—" Sirius began, his words trailing off.

"They've returned to their original color, haven't they?" Bryan seemed to be in a good mood. He touched the corner of his eye, smiling as he spoke.

"Well, as long as you're alright—" Sirius let the sentence hang, unfinished. He chose not to pursue the matter of whether Bryan had truly used Ravenclaw's diadem to open the underground chamber, nor did he ask about Bryan's activities during those long hours of absence. Seeing that the young wizard was unharmed was enough for now. Sirius shrugged, pushing aside his burning curiosity.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Sirius, and his mood brightened considerably. "You've finished what you needed to do, right?" he asked, a note of excitement creeping into his voice.

"Does this mean we can go back now? Oh, Harry must be waiting for me to pick him up for the Quidditch World Cup. How about it, Bryan? Want to come along? We'll pick up Harry first. Remus is probably getting impatient waiting at the old house; he and Kreacher don't get along at all. We all agreed before the summer holiday to stay at the Weasleys for a few days, then take all these youngsters to watch the Quidditch World Cup!"

Sirius looked at Bryan eagerly, hoping he would agree. But to his disappointment, Bryan slowly shook his head.

"I don't like crowded places. For the rest of the summer holiday, if nothing unexpected happens, I'll probably stay at the Manor. I need time to ponder over the memory we experienced."

The journey that had brought them to this remote sea area had taken over twenty days, but the return wouldn't be nearly as complicated. They could use the Portkey to transfer to Old John's place, and then Bryan could Apparate with Sirius back to London.

Their current location lay within the magical protection range of Azkaban, a zone where powerful magic rendered all forms of instant transportation spells ineffective. Bryan used magic to slowly guide the completely immobile wreck of a ship to slowly float out of this sea area.

Just as Bryan had anticipated earlier, passing through the magical barrier again caused some disturbance, but it was nothing compared to the earth-shattering resistance they had encountered on their way in. This time, it felt more like a gentle breeze ruffling their hair and clothes.

As they finally escaped Azkaban's influence entirely, Sirius felt the last traces of gloom lift from his spirit. He leaned against the ship's rail, savoring the pleasant sea breeze while Bryan went to fetch the Portkey from the cabin.

The peaceful moment was shattered by the sudden appearance of a snowy owl. The bird had been circling high above, nearly invisible against the pale sky, but now it swooped earthward, leaving a sharp shadow in mid-air. By the time Sirius realized the bird might be headed for him, the owl was already pouncing in front of his face, beating its wings against his cheeks.

"Oh, don't do that—" Sirius protested, staggering back a few steps. He frowned at the clearly agitated owl, which glared at him with unmistakable hostility, as if ready to peck him fiercely at any moment. The bird looked as though it had been through quite an ordeal, its white feathers looked ruffled and disheveled. After a moment of careful examination, he suddenly exclaimed.

"Come quick, Bryan! It's Harry's owl, I think it's called Hemingway!"

"It's Hedwig—" Bryan's voice carried a hint of amusement as he emerged from the cabin, with Portkey in hand. He shook his head slightly at Sirius.

"What did I tell you!" Sirius exclaimed, looking extremely pleased with himself despite the correction. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he turned back to the owl. "Harry must be getting impatient staying with those Muggles. He can't wait for me to pick him up. Oh, speaking of which, this owl is quite something, to be able to find us here!"

For Sirius, whose world had been shattered and rebuilt around his godson, the greatest joy was feeling needed by Harry.

With gentle words and soothing gestures, Sirius managed to calm Hedwig enough to retrieve the letter she carried. His hands trembled slightly with anticipation as he unfolded the parchment in front of Bryan. He began reading eagerly, but as the somewhat childish handwriting jumped into his eyes one word after another, Sirius's joyful expression gradually faded, replaced by a hint of seriousness on his brow.

"Perhaps you should take a look at this letter, Bryan," Sirius said, his voice low and tense.

Harry's owl had delivered letters to him before. Bryan was feeding Hedwig small fish from the sea when he heard Sirius say this. He shifted his gaze over, immediately sensing that something unpleasant must have happened.

"What's wrong?" Bryan inquired while unhesitatingly taking the letter and quickly reading it at a glance.

"What do you think, Bryan?" Sirius asked softly, watching Bryan's face intently for any reaction. "Harry's scar isn't an ordinary scar, is it? Harry said the last time it hurt was when Voldemort was near him. Voldemort couldn't possibly appear near the Muggle family where Harry is staying, could he? With Dumbledore's magical protection, he simply couldn't find Harry, right?"

"Harry probably hasn't told us everything," Bryan said, narrowing his eyes slightly as he stared at the cautious words on the paper. He suddenly recalled his conversation with Dumbledore before this trip and couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration. It hadn't been long since Dumbledore had warned him, and now something unusual had happened with Harry.

Putting down the letter, Bryan met Sirius's worried gaze and said calmly.

"Harry's scar is indeed unusual. It represents a hidden connection between him and the wizard who gave him that scar. It certainly needs to be taken seriously. Alright, I'll accompany you to Privet Drive to ask Harry in person if there's anything he hasn't fully explained. Also, I suggest you write a letter to Dumbledore, telling him about this—"

Bryan's words were cut short by a sudden screech that pierced the air. Another owl, this one an ordinary grey, came swooping in from the distance. Like Hedwig, this bird's feathers were disheveled, looking as if it had been struggling in this sea area for some time.

The letter was addressed to Bryan, sent by Kakus Fawley.

Bryan's eyes sharpened as he quickly scanned the contents of the message, his expression growing more focused with each passing second.

"I'm sorry, Sirius—" Bryan said, looking up from the letter. "You'll have to inquire about Harry's situation on your own. If there's any new information, write to me anytime. There's a matter I must investigate personally—"

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