"This forest is vast, but Lulu and I spent two years thoroughly mapping it out originally."
Deep within the Llogara National Park, beside a river that cut through the entire forest, Andrews was leading Severus toward the river fork he had mentioned.
They had Apparated to a nearby location, but since the river itself was constantly changing, their chosen spot wasn't entirely accurate.
Andrews needed to observe the current state of the river before he could give Severus precise directions.
"It's just that these past two or three years, I've barely come to this area. There's nothing left to explore here, and even the magical creatures living here are mostly XX or XXX-class."
As he said this, Andrews seemed to suddenly remember something.
"However, I once heard a local Albanian wizard adventurer tell a legend about this forest."
Severus couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"A legend?"
"You've definitely read The Tales of Beedle the Bard, right?"
"Every European wizard is familiar with the stories in it."
"Which one is your favorite?"
"The one about [Babbitty Rabbitty] is quite amusing."
"Ha, I thought you'd say [The Tale of the Three Brothers]. Most people fantasize about the Deathly Hallows." Andrews shrugged, "I like [The Warlock's Hairy Heart], but the legend related to here is [The Fountain of Fair Fortune]."
The Fountain of Fair Fortune… a very popular short story from The Tales of Beedle the Bard.
The story's general content tells of the long-standing legend of the [Fountain of Fair Fortune]. Everyone wanted to find it. Later, an unlucky knight and three witches joined forces, faced the trials before finding the fountain, and through these trials, obtained what they truly desired.
In the end, the knight, a Muggle without magic who believed himself utterly unlucky, bathed in the waters of the Fountain of Fair Fortune, fell in love with one of the three witches, and the four lived happily ever after.
With a simple recollection, Severus remembered all the details of the story.
"It's a very popular story. Albus Dumbledore once chatted with us about it during a teachers' meeting. When he was young and still the Transfiguration professor, Hogwarts' students rehearsed a mime based on this story for Christmas Celebrations, and he was responsible for the 'special effects'. "
At this, he couldn't help but shake his head.
"However, according to him, the performance was a complete failure. The four student actors ultimately couldn't, no matter what, ascend to the mountaintop where the Fountain of Fair Fortune existed, just like the protagonists in the story."
"Why was that?" Andrews was very curious, "Does the story itself have some unique magic?"
"No. The male student playing the unlucky knight was originally dating the actress playing the witch his character falls in love with at the end. But an hour before the performance started, he shifted his affections and started pursuing another actress playing one of the witches."
Andrews stared at Severus with a strange expression. Although he was a British wizard, because his grandfather was Norwegian and his magic manifested while he was in Northern Europe, he received his letter from Durmstrang Institute.
He knew little about the happenings at Hogwarts, especially such absurd stories.
"And then?" He asked.
"Then, according to Dumbledore, the two witch actresses got into a fight on stage during the Christmas Performance. They started dueling. Professor Silvanus Kettleburn, who was providing magical creature support for the mime, mistakenly used an Engorgement Charm on a Fire-Newt while trying to create the giant worm from the story, causing a massive explosion on stage."
"..." Andrews' expression grew even stranger, "Did the explosion stop the duel? Did the teachers and students organize a firefight together?"
"No. The witch actresses kept fighting. They even dragged Professor Beery into the fight. Everyone was fleeing in panic. I heard the hospital wing was packed that day."
Severus was seriously recalling the events and didn't notice the change in Andrews' expression.
"After this incident, then-Hogwarts Headmaster, Armando Dippet specifically enacted a school rule banning mime performances at Hogwarts. This ban is still in place at the school. It seems that although Dumbledore says he thinks it's an arrogant, undramatic tradition, he still can't forget what happened that day."
It was only then that Severus suddenly noticed that Andrews, who had been walking beside him, had stopped moving at some point.
He turned to look at the adventurer in confusion.
"Is there a problem?"
Andrews took a deep breath and looked seriously at Severus.
"The teachers and students at Hogwarts… they don't have mental health problems, do they?"
"Of course not!" Severus said firmly.
"If something like that happened at Durmstrang, the Headmaster would expel the two students who dared to duel on stage immediately!" Andrews stated firmly.
Severus just shrugged.
"Then perhaps your school rules are too strict. It's normal for students to cause some laughs and provide some amusement at school sometimes."
"Enough injured students to pack the hospital wing is normal?" Andrews found it hard to understand, "No wonder my cousin Angelo is usually so jittery! He was much more normal before he went to Hogwarts!"
Severus coughed dryly.
To be honest, from his perspective as transmigrator, the entire atmosphere of the British Wizarding World was very likely corrupted by Hogwarts, especially after Dumbledore took up his post there.
But as the former Head of Slytherin, he naturally had to salvage the school's reputation in public and couldn't admit to such things.
"Let's get back to the topic of the Fountain of Fair Fortune. Anyone who likes that story knows that the fountain in the tale doesn't actually possess the magic to grant good fortune. The unlucky knight who bathed in its waters only thought he had received a magical boost. In reality, the love and happiness he gained were what he and the three witches rightfully earned after overcoming the trials together."
This change of subject was remarkably effective, and Andrews replied:
"I've also been skeptical of this legend. Among that series of prophetic stories, the Fountain of Fair Fortune is the least likely to actually exist. But after my own investigation, I found that the Albanian Wizarding World genuinely has such rumors."
"Many wizards grew up knowing that somewhere in the forests of their land, a spring would randomly appear. When a lucky wizard encountered it and received its baptism, they would experience a burst of incredible luck for three years!"
Hearing this, Severus couldn't help but stroke his chin.
"That sounds somewhat like the effect of Felix Felicis, but Felix Felicis couldn't possibly last that long."
"This legend attracted many wizard adventurers from nearby countries like Italy, Montenegro, Greece, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and others to come here and explore. However, this search for the Fountain of Fair Fortune only lasted about seventy or eighty years. By 1950, because no wizard had ever made a genuine discovery, it eventually fizzled out."
At this point, Andrews paused for a moment before continuing.
"According to the rumors, when someone truly chosen by fate, someone worthy of seeing the Fountain of Fair Fortune, arrives at the right place, a golden-furred unicorn will appear to guide them to the fountain's location."
Severus thought for a moment before offering his assessment.
"This story sounds like something the Albanian Ministry of Magic might have fabricated to boost tourism revenue."
"Perhaps," Andrews said helplessly, "Anyway, many local wizards here have almost forgotten this story. Hardly anyone ventures into these forests specifically for this elusive legend anymore."
While they chatted, they unconsciously arrived at their destination.
This was the river fork. A tributary, thinner than the main stem, diverged here from its original west-to-east flow, turning northward.
"This is it."
Andrews pointed.
"Just follow this small river north. Near the edge of the Magical Creature Nature Reserve is where Lulu and I first discovered that banshee ghost. But it's been three years now, so she might not still be there."
Severus nodded.
"I understand. But having a clue is better than having none at all."
"Remember to come back for lunch after you find the place!"
After this final exchange, they parted ways. Andrews Apparated back to the valley camp, while Severus began walking north along the river.
As Severus walked alone in silence, the Ghost Snape, who had been very quiet ever since the purpose of the Hag's Teacup was determined, suddenly spoke.
[You know far too much about him!]
Severus naturally understood who the 'him' referred to by the Ghost Snape was.
"You mean Dumbledore?"
[He never told us about that Christmas mime performance of the Fountain of Fair Fortune! But Hogwarts does indeed have a ban on mime performances!]
Ghost Snape's face was gloomy. After meeting Grindelwald and Nicolas, he increasingly felt the mystery and unknown surrounding Severus.
He had previously said he knew so much because he was a natural-born Seer.
But Grindelwald, who was also a natural-born Seer, clearly stated that even Seers couldn't see such a definite future!
'So how could he know so much so clearly?'
'Was he really a Seer?'
'Or something else entirely?'
[And now! I know what you're looking for! You're looking for Vol… the Dark Lord!]
Hearing this, Severus said casually,
"Even as a ghost, you still refuse to say his name?"
[Don't use that topic-changing trick on me! You know them too well. You know everything about two wizards no one could possibly know everything about!]
[Yet they know nothing about you. They can't even imagine someone like you exists in this world!]
Ghost Snape was clearly agitated by the little Hogwarts anecdote Severus had told Andrews.
He had been trying to endure, to hold back his confusion and doubts, but hearing Severus describe Dumbledore's past experience so vividly and specifically, as if he had witnessed it himself, made it impossible for Ghost Snape to remain silent and deceive himself any longer.
Severus pondered for a moment before saying sincerely, "What if I told you I read about that mime incident in Dumbledore's annotated version of The Tales of Beedle the Bard? Would you believe me?"
[You liar! You preached to me about being sincere from the very beginning! But you've been lying to me all along! Even now!]
Ghost Snape shouted.
[Do you think I don't read? There is no Dumbledore-annotated version of The Tales of Beedle the Bard in the Wizarding World!]
Severus said patiently.
"In a few years, he will write it. And in the story of the Fountain of Fair Fortune, he will complain that Lucius and the others have been protesting, demanding Hogwarts remove all books related to this story, claiming the content encourages wizard-Muggle unions."
This time, Ghost Snape believed him.
He just stared intently at Severus.
[You even know what books he will annotate in the future and what he will write in them?]
"I never lied to you from the start. I said at the time you could think of me as a Seer-like existence, right? I never actually admitted I am a Seer."
Severus felt he was getting close to the area Andrews mentioned. He was approaching the edge of the Magical Creature Nature Reserve.
"As long as you always trust my stance, the more I know, the better it is for both of us. It means the greater the possibility we will ultimately achieve that goal."
He took out his wand and began looking around, searching.
This wasn't the first time he had used this excuse to deflect. Ghost Snape, though silent, never took his eyes off Severus's face.
Even if Severus was right, and they truly shared the same goal,
Severus's words from yesterday also reminded him: goals always have a day of completion or failure. And after that day arrives, then what?
What kind of person would this mysterious being, who had completely become his soul, Severus, turn into?
Knowing so many secrets, understanding Dumbledore and Voldemort better than they understood themselves-
After all this, after everything is settled, who would he choose to become?
Dumbledore?
Or Voldemort?