Chapter 27 "Three Treasures"

In Skyler's bedroom, he spread the three items in front of him on the bed.

First, he examined the suitcase meticulously. Skyler used his magic wand to carefully open it, only to discover that it appeared as an ordinary Muggle suitcase with no traces of enchanted magic.

After some contemplation, Skyler pointed his magic wand at the suitcase and infused a bit of magic into it.

As expected, the suitcase began to vibrate gently, revealing a brass turntable with the label "Melon Mode."

Skyler turned the turntable, and with a squeak, a small sign was inserted into it.

He opened the suitcase once more, and just as he leaned in to get a better look, a strong force of suction engulfed him, drawing him entirely into the suitcase.

Within the suitcase, a vast and boundless miniature world opened up before him. In the distance, he saw towering mountains, and a serene, clear, mirror-like light green lake lay at their feet.

Surrounding the lake was a dense, towering forest.

Skyler found himself amidst a sea of vibrant, colorful flowers, where a pedestrian path meandered through it, leading to a simple cabin at the end.

Skyler entered the cabin, which turned out to be a fully equipped laboratory.

The long desk was cluttered with various precision instruments, and scattered parchment pages provided insights into the previous owner of the suitcase.

Indeed, this was Newt Scamander's suitcase, the central character in the Fantastic Beasts movie.

As a young scholar of magical creatures, Scamander used this suitcase during his worldwide journeys, assisting and rescuing magical creatures he encountered.

The suitcase was enchanted with an unprecedented expansion spell, providing ample space to host an entire Muggle safari.

Yet, the suitcase's most extraordinary feature lay in its capability to emulate natural elements such as air, moisture, temperature, and sustain an autonomous ecological cycle.

Various areas within the suitcase were marked with distinct weather spells, simulating different creature habitats.

Every known magical creature in the wizarding world could find a suitable environment inside.

Scamander, a former student of Hogwarts, was expelled in his fourth year for aiding his secret crush, Lita Lestrange, and he took the suitcase with him as he embarked on a personal adventure.

Only in his retirement years did he resolve his ties to Hogwarts and request his son to return the suitcase to the school.

To his surprise, his son hid it within the Room of Requirement, and that's how Skyler came to possess this magical case.

Skyler saw limitless potential in the suitcase.

He could assemble and train an army of magical creatures here.

Imagining an army composed of Fire Dragons and Thunderbirds, he couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

After all, even Voldemort created a Dark creature army, incorporating creatures like Acromantulas and Dementors.

Furthermore, this space within the suitcase could serve as a hidden base for his operations.

It allowed him to conduct secretive experiments, research, and even delve into forbidden spells.

The Room of Requirement in Hogwarts? Well, let's not forget the possibility of bumping into The Order of The Phoenix in the future.

Can a place known to everyone, including the seemingly useless Professor Trelawney and House-elves, still be called a "hidden base"? Leave it to Harry and his gang.

After these considerations, Skyler returned to the room from the suitcase and turned his attention to the second magical item.

This was a sterling silver dagger with ancient, intricate runes inscribed on both sides.

These runes, along with strange patterns, formed a miniature magic array.

Skyler, adept at deciphering ancient magical texts, took a few hours to successfully decode the magic circle.

One side of the dagger bore the ancient "Unbreakable Charm," different from modern disarming spells. The Unbreakable Charm could be applied to physical objects, rendering them impervious to physical defenses.

Thus, when Skyler activated this magic array with his magical power, even the sturdiest Dragon scales and diamond armor could be effortlessly pierced.

Skyler was both surprised and delighted by this discovery.

The dagger had arrived at the perfect moment. One side would enable him to pierce the Basilisk's hide, while the other side could be used to destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes. Such remarkable luck left him speechless. Could it be that he was the son of fortune in this plane, enveloped by the protagonist's aura?

As for the third item, Ravenclaw's Diadem, which contained fragments of Voldemort's soul, Skyler believed he wasn't yet strong enough to deal with the potential dangers.

Therefore, he set it aside for later research, planning to delve into it when he became more powerful.

Scamander's Suitcase obtained!

Pure Silver Dagger obtained!

Ravenclaw's Diadem obtained!

After completing his adventure in the Room of Requirement, Skyler began contemplating his next steps.

He pondered whether he possessed the strength to venture into the Forbidden Forest, but the problem was his limited knowledge of this mysterious place, mainly derived from his reading of the original work.

To plan a successful adventure, he required more information, even a map of the Forbidden Forest.

Undoubtedly, the person who possessed the most knowledge of the Forbidden Forest was Hagrid, the groundkeeper.

Unfortunately, Skyler lacked the close friendship with Hagrid that Harry Potter enjoyed, and being a Slytherin of the Malfoy lineage, he knew it would be challenging to win Hagrid's favor or seek his assistance.

As for stealing a map from Hagrid, Skyler was rather skeptical of its feasibility.

According to the original book, Hagrid didn't seem like the kind of person who would create detailed routes and maps; he likely relied on experience and intuition to navigate the Forbidden Forest.

Given these challenges, Skyler decided to temporarily postpone his Forbidden Forest adventure plans, especially since the Christmas holiday was approaching.

This year, the family situation was tense.

Arthur Weasley had searched the Malfoy family estate twice since the start of the school year, and Skyler's parents had written to him and Draco, requesting them to spend the holiday at Hogwarts.

A few days later, a notice appeared on the student bulletin board in the common room, announcing that Hogwarts would host a Dueling Club on December 17.

This thrilling news ignited great interest among the students, who eagerly speculated about the true initiator.

Most guessed it was Professor Flitwick or Headmaster Dumbledore.

Only Skyler, who was familiar with the plot, rolled his eyes at their naivety.

These young witches and wizards would be in for a surprise because the actual initiator was the vainglorious Gilderoy Lockhart.

Although Skyler wasn't thrilled about Lockhart's involvement, he remained genuinely interested in the Dueling Club.

He intended to participate, hoping to find a practice partner with a similar skill level to sharpen his own magical abilities.

On a Wednesday evening at eight o'clock, students returned to the common room after dinner for a brief rest before hurrying back to the Great Hall.

The long dining table had disappeared, replaced by a gilded stage along one wall, bathed in the soft glow of hundreds of floating candles.

Excitement filled the air as students huddled together, wands at the ready, anticipating the arrival of Professor Dumbledore.

However, it was not Dumbledore who took the stage but Gilderoy Lockhart, dressed in a radiant fuchsia robe.

The lively atmosphere in the auditorium suddenly turned somber. Chattering ceased, replaced by collective disappointment.

Instead of the magical lessons they had expected, the Dueling Club seemed more like a comedy.

Lockhart had initially planned to demonstrate combat techniques but had gravely underestimated his opponent.

Snape was no ordinary wizard, and after Lockhart's three-count, Snape effortlessly flicked his wand, sending a dazzling red light flashing.

Lockhart was hit and sent tumbling off the stage, colliding with the wall before sliding down and curling up on the floor.

Amidst screams from the audience, Lockhart managed to pull himself up, albeit with tousled hair and a lost hat.

In a somewhat defeated tone, he explained, "I think you've seen enough. As you can tell, that was a Disarming Charm, and I lost my wand. Yes, Professor Snape, your choice was fantastic, but there's no need to boast. If I'd wanted to stop you, I could have done so without all the show. Now, for educational purposes, I think it's time for you to see..."

Interrupting Lockhart's sentence, Snape shot him a murderous look, prompting Lockhart to change his tone. "That concludes our demonstration. Now, let's divide you into two groups. Professor Snape, if you would be so kind as to..."

Together, they formed pairs among the students, with Snape curiously placing Draco and Harry together, Skyler teaming up with Ron, and Hermione being paired with Millicent Bulstrode, a sturdy Slytherin girl.

Lockhart had barely counted to three when green smoke filled the hall.

Harry and Draco were caught in the crossfire of their own spells.

Draco laughed and rolled on the floor while Harry uncontrollably danced a peculiar jig until Snape intervened to break the spell.

Neville and Justin were left panting on the floor, while Hermione and Millicent were still locked in combat, with Millicent eventually capturing Hermione.

Skyler's experience, however, was quite different.

The moment Ron raised his wand, Skyler surrendered it without even reciting a spell.

Ron stood there, perplexed and disarmed, making it an unsatisfying challenge for Skyler.

Snape observed this from a distance, his expression pensive and contemplative.