Inside the not-particularly spacious sea cave, seven tents were lined up neatly against the walls. In the middle, a bonfire crackled, providing light while also driving away the damp air.
This was their temporary camp.
Percy's tent had been placed closest to the stone wall, though it was still several meters away. At the moment, all seven students chosen by Dumbledore had gathered inside it, sitting in a circle around the table Percy had deliberately moved to the center of the tent.
"First, let's confirm something…"
Percy pointed to the books on the table.
"Advanced Ritual Theory, Magical Structure Changes in Blood Under Mental Influence, Twenty Common Dark Rituals, and Pain Psychology. Along with these two instruments. Professor Dumbledore left us the same items, correct?"
"Yeah."
Everyone nodded.
Percy then picked up the two oddly shaped instruments.
"According to Professor Dumbledore's note, this device can simulate a certain intensity of human mental energy. The other one can replicate blood—once you add a single drop, it can cultivate more blood with identical composition and magical properties."
"Considering the titles of these books, I think the professor's hint is already fairly obvious…"
"The stone wall must be opened with blood," Penelope said immediately when Percy paused.
"And it probably requires mental power as well. Judging from the titles, perhaps mental power associated with pain?"
"No, it's probably not that simple, otherwise Advanced Ritual Theory wouldn't be necessary…"
"All right, debating here won't help much. We might as well go test it directly. Professor Dumbledore said the safety measures are guaranteed—we just need to focus on breaking the magic."
No one even knew who first suggested it, but the idea immediately gained everyone's approval.
They had only gathered here to confirm whether everyone had received the same materials anyway.
Seconds later, seven faces were already gathered in front of the stone wall.
Staring.
"I'll test it first."
Percy drew his wand and lightly pricked his arm, creating a wound no bigger than a pinhole. Before it healed, he squeezed out a drop of blood and smeared it onto the stone wall.
Immediately, a faint outline of a tiny archway appeared on the rock.
It glowed with an extremely dim white light—so faint that it was barely visible, like the glow of a single firefly.
"It works!"
Several people began to exclaim in excitement.
But before they could finish, the faint light vanished.
The outline of the archway melted back into the rock as if nothing had happened.
"At least our earlier reasoning was correct."
Percy rubbed his arm thoughtfully.
"This wall really does require blood. There might be other conditions too—perhaps pain or something similar. I'll try using more blood."
"Wait."
Rolf raised a hand to stop him.
"Did you forget what Professor Dumbledore said? We must open the wall permanently without harming ourselves. What you're doing violates the rules."
"And he also said permanently…"
Another student began thinking aloud.
"Which means that opening it with blood probably only works temporarily?"
"Then I can test this blood-cultivation device."
Percy carefully dripped several drops of blood into the vessel.
"Cultivating the blood takes a few hours. Once it's ready, we can attempt our first real attempt at opening the door."
"Unfortunately, it may not be that simple."
Seeing that the discussion still hadn't reached the truth, Avada finally decided to speak.
"I've fought Voldemort twice, and I infiltrated his side for half a year. So I'm somewhat familiar with his methods."
"Based on my understanding of his style, the key to opening this wall probably isn't blood—it's self-harm."
"According to Professor Dumbledore, something extremely important to Voldemort is hidden behind this wall. But instead of sealing it completely, he deliberately left a method of entry."
"And considering how he treats his followers, forcing them to harm themselves is a very effective method. He never cared about their lives."
"And if the person trying to enter were an enemy, the requirement would force them to weaken themselves first."
"That makes sense…"
Someone hesitated before asking,
"But if that's the case, blood alone is meaningless. Why would Professor Dumbledore give us a blood-replication device?"
"Probably so we can gather data without harming ourselves."
One of the seventh-year Slytherin students had already gripped his wand.
"Actually… should we try dismantling the whole thing directly?"
"Maybe with Fiendfyre or something?"
"Fiendfyre?"
Rolf frowned.
"I suspect we'll burn ourselves to death before we burn through the wall."
"Relax. Small amounts of Fiendfyre are not that difficult to extinguish."
"And given its nature, it should at least weaken the magic a little, right?"
The Slytherin student looked toward Percy expectantly, clearly eager to try the spell—perhaps because he had rarely had a chance to use it since learning it.
"…All right. We can try it."
Percy agreed after only a moment of thought.
After all, the idea that one student could burn through a defense personally set by the Dark Lord sounded extremely unlikely.
But if it somehow produced useful data…
"Everyone, take the tents and move back."
The student spun his wand dramatically.
"And remember to watch the magic carefully. Under the force of Fiendfyre, even the strongest defenses will reveal their weaknesses!"
He closed his eyes and raised his wand high, chanting a long and complicated incantation.
The temperature in the cave immediately rose.
The others had to retreat several steps as the air grew hotter.
Before long, the student summoning the flames was drenched in sweat. The arm holding his wand trembled slightly.
Finally—
With a crackling sound that seemed to erupt from the soul itself, a twisted and sinister flame slowly appeared at the tip of his wand.
Strangely, although the flame burned brightly, it seemed to devour light rather than emit it.
And the sound it made wasn't the normal crackle of fire.
Instead, it resembled the roar of countless furious spirits, desperate to break free and devour everything in their path.
The student who had successfully summoned the Fiendfyre turned pale the moment the flame appeared.
He hurriedly swung his wand.
The tiny, destructive spark drifted slowly toward the stone wall.
Pfft.
With a dull, unimpressive sound—
The flame that was supposed to destroy everything simply… went out.
(End of Chapter)