The discussion with Kabunara didn't last long.
After exchanging information, the two immediately decided to go to the fir tree first and check what was really going on with that trapdoor.
For this trip, besides Severus and Kabunara, they didn't bring many others, only two Albanian Aurors followed.
With the clear information provided by Lockhart, Severus was the first to see the animal corpses on the small hill, all dead without any visible wounds.
"Did you investigate the cause of death for these creatures?"
"After arriving here, we immediately sent the dead animal corpses from this hill back to the Ministry for testing and dissection. The final conclusion from the Ministry was that they all died from the same curse."
"A curse?"
"Yes, a very powerful curse that almost completely drained the life from these creatures. We haven't been able to identify it among any known dark magic spells."
Severus also walked up to the corpse of a Bowtruckle and examined it for a moment.
"This state of death somewhat resembles the Killing Curse."
"The appearance is indeed similar to the Killing Curse."
Kabunara also came to Severus's side. He extended his wand and gently poked the corpse.
The next moment, the seemingly intact Bowtruckle shriveled and collapsed limply… clearly, its insides had long been hollowed out.
"In reality, the curse's manifested effect is cruder than the Killing Curse. It caused fatal damage to the creature's body."
Severus looked up at the animal corpses visible all over the small hill.
Various magical creatures had seemingly gathered here, including some species like Puffskeins and Bundimuns, and even some powerful creatures threatening to wizards, like Erkling.
After observing the magical creature corpses for a while, Severus and Kabunara didn't linger. They soon found the fir tree and began searching around under it.
But following Lockhart's description, the four of them searched for over ten minutes but found nothing.
It was as if Lockhart had told another big lie, and he had never actually discovered any special trapdoor here.
After the fruitless search, Kabunara looked at Severus.
"There's truly no discovery here."
Severus pinched his chin, thinking. He recalled the description Lockhart had given him about the trapdoor.
He knew the possibility of Lockhart lying was very low.
Because this was something he had initially proposed to Andrews himself, wanting to invite him here for an adventure.
If it was just boasting, there was no need to tell a lie that could be easily verified and punctured.
'If Lockhart wasn't lying, then why couldn't we find the trapdoor now?'
Severus looked at Kabunara, then at the two Aurors with him.
Using the comparison method, the only difference between Lockhart and them was that Lockhart was a third-rate wizard.
Long neglect of spellcasting had made him unable to control his magic properly in most situations. Whereas everyone present, whether Severus or Kabunara's team, the worst among them were Aurors selected from among many wizards.
Even if their level wasn't supremely professional, they certainly surpassed ordinary wizards.
'So, was it related to magic power itself?'
Thinking this, Severus began rummaging inside his robe pocket.
Soon, he pulled out a small vial of amber-colored potion.
"I have a hypothesis. If something hidden here can't be found by ordinary wizards, it should be related to magical power itself."
Kabunara looked at the potion in his hand.
"What is this?"
"A small potion that temporarily lowers a wizard's spellcasting ability, targeting magical power." Severus opened the vial's cap, "The duration depends on the dosage. If I drink only one-fifth of a pint, the effect should last about half a minute."
After speaking, Severus drank the small vial of potion in one go.
Subsequently, his body showed no obvious changes, but in Severus's own perception, the magic within his body clearly became chaotic and difficult to control.
However, this chaos was being constantly soothed by the body's own corrective abilities.
Severus stopped paying attention to his magical state and focused all his attention on the dead grass under the fir tree.
This time, Severus quickly made a discovery.
He could clearly see a rust-covered brass handle among the dead grass.
Under the astonished gazes of Kabunara and the others, Severus reached out and grabbed hold of what seemed like empty air.
The empty air itself seemed to have significant weight. Severus appeared to use all his strength, and then a creaking sound rang in their ears.
The next moment, in front of Severus, Kabunara and the others, a dark tunnel entrance suddenly appeared.
A flight of stone steps, full of stains and clear signs of artificial carving, led downward into darkness they couldn't see.
At this point, Kabunara and the others finally saw the previously hidden trapdoor now in Severus's hand!
"So that's it," Severus said, "A special protective charm has been placed here. This door was completely hidden. Only those with low magic, or no magic at all, can see its trace. Normal wizards don't even have a chance to touch it."
Kabunara looked at the stone steps leading underground, took a deep breath, and then made arrangements.
"Berisha, go call five more people."
Soon, five Albanian Aurors were brought over. Kabunara gave orders: he left two Aurors guarding the entrance, and the rest followed him and Severus to venture underground.
All seven wizards used the Lumos Charm to illuminate the dark passage.
Kabunara took the lead, with Severus and the other five Aurors following behind him in pairs.
The passage was very long, with two sections interrupted by collapses from rocks above.
Fortunately, Kabunara had brought enough people. Working together, they quickly overcame these obstacles with spells.
After continuing downward like this for about an hour, they finally emerged from the stone steps into a vast space!
There were collapsed stone structures everywhere, and ancient runes could vaguely be seen carved on the surrounding stone walls.
"Wizards have been here before," An Auror said.
As his voice sounded, many torches on the walls ignited by themselves.
Eerie green flames illuminated the entire space, allowing them to see that the small plaza they were in wasn't the end of the passage.
Diagonally opposite the stone steps, a narrow path led further into the depths.
While the Aurors' attention was focused on the newly discovered path, Severus noticed the ceiling of this underground plaza.
It wasn't lit by the green flames, so it was dark and deep, making it impossible to see what was above.
But when Severus raised his wand, lit with the Lumos charm high, he could vaguely see what seemed to be a large hole there.
The hole didn't look man-made for climbing… it was mostly a winding line leading upward.
"Mr. Snape!"
Kabunara called out.
"Come quickly! Look at this!"
Hearing his voice, Severus didn't stay put. He put away his wand and quickly walked to Kabunara's side.
They had already entered the narrow path.
Torches also lit up here, and what lay before them was a stone statue carved into the wall.
It looked like some kind of plump bird, perhaps a fat quail or a chicken.
"Can you identify what this is?" Kabunara asked.
Severus examined the sculpted creature for a moment.
It had clearly suffered from long years of erosion, barely maintaining a bird-like form, with more detailed features no longer discernible.
"I can't identify it," Severus shook his head.
Kabunara signaled an Auror carrying a camera to come forward and photograph the statue. Then, they continued onward.
This time, they didn't walk for long… After about twenty minutes, they emerged from the narrow path.
What appeared before them was a huge mural!
The mural bore many marks of time, with numerous areas damaged to varying degrees.
Because it was large enough, Severus and the others could look up and see the mural's full panorama!
It depicted a man dressed in knight's armor and three witches of different appearances cheering and celebrating around a spring.
Upon seeing this mural, the Albanian Aurors were utterly shocked.
As local wizards, they certainly knew the legends spread in this forest.
The Fountain of Fair Fortune!
The legendary tale that had attracted wizards from multiple countries near Albania to search for it constantly, yet never found, was now displayed on the ancient stone wall before them.
By now, Severus had walked up close to the stone wall. He reached out and touched the cold stone.
"Does anyone know when the story of the Fountain of Fair Fortune began circulating among wizards?"
"The fourteenth century!"
An Albanian Auror murmured.
"At that time, Beedle had just finished The Tales of the Three Brothers, and soon after, he published The Fountain of Fair Fortune! But before that, many legends about springs bringing good fortune were already circulating throughout Europe!"
Severus pinched a small bit of old mural pigment mixed with lime from the wall, rubbing it between his fingers.
"This mural is much older than the fourteenth century. It's likely from between the fourth and sixth centuries."
Kabunara stared at the huge mural and guessed loudly:
"Did Beedle see stories about the Fountain of Fair Fortune elsewhere and then compile them into his story collection? But why is this mural here? Was such a complex underground chamber built just to protect a mural?"
Severus's attention also refocused on the painting.
Only now did he notice that besides the knight and three witches around the spring, the obstacles the knight and witches encountered in the original Fountain of Fair Fortune story could vaguely be seen around the edges of the mural.
A giant, pure white, blind worm.
A steep, daunting cliff.
A winding stream encircling half the mural.
Located at the mural's edges, they weren't as prominent as the central figures and were easily overlooked.
But Severus's attention keenly focused on the white worm.
The worm had its maw open, full of fangs, but no other facial features above its mouth. Yet Severus inexplicably felt that the area where the worm's eyes should be seemed to be quivering slightly.
He frowned, raised his wand lit with Lumos, and moved closer to the worm.
Under the white light, he confirmed he wasn't seeing things.
The worm, which was originally just part of the mural, seemed to be coming to life, as if about to open its eyes! The skin above its mouth was moving!
Instantly, Severus recalled the large hole he saw in the ceiling of the underground plaza outside, the strangely plump bird carved on the stone wall of the narrow path, and moreover, the animals on the hill above that died mysteriously without any external wounds.
The next second, he abruptly extinguished his Lumos charm, turned around closing his eyes, and shouted.
"Don't look! Don't look at the mural! Everyone close your eyes! Close your eyes!!"
Just as Severus's shout reached its midpoint, the white worm in the mural suddenly opened a pair of eyes it shouldn't have possessed!
Including Kabunara, three Aurors reacted to Severus's warning, either turning away or closing their eyes.
But three other Aurors didn't react in time, and they stared directly into those huge, opened eyes.
The three men's breathing, heartbeat, and thoughts stopped instantly!
Just by meeting the gaze of those eyes, the three Aurors died silently, their lives extinguished in this underground chamber.
The mural trembled.
A giant creature was bursting out from the stone wall.
It was a snake!
A Snake King beyond human imagination!