Sterling knocked three times on the heavy stone door, waved to Ariel watching anxiously from outside the tower, then disappeared into the deep darkness beyond.
Even in pitch-black darkness, Sterling could clearly see everything around him with perfect clarity.
He ducked smoothly to avoid an anglerfish head sculpture jutting aggressively from the wall. Where Ursula had obtained such a hideous thing remained a mystery—Avalon's fish weren't this grotesque. Even in the true deep seas, Avalonian creatures didn't grow so monstrously.
"Mmm... who is it? The next collaboration meeting hasn't arrived yet, has it?"
A lazy, drowsy voice sounded from somewhere in the darkness's depths. A sticky glowing object bounced from a nearby storage room, landing with a wet "splat" and breaking into a luminescent puddle that briefly illuminated the dim interior.
That single instant sufficed for Ursula, sprawled across an elaborate lounge chair, to identify her visitor.
"Oh, you've come, Avalon's most beautiful child."
The moment Sterling heard this particular title, his entire face betrayed profound unwillingness.
If anyone else called him this, he'd humbly accept the compliment while secretly preening. But when Ursula said it... perhaps most telling—her favourite pet was a blobfish she pitifully called "the cutest creature in this entire ocean," insisting "Ariel isn't worth one of its scales."
Blobfish don't actually have scales, incidentally.
The creature looked like a wriggling pink meat lump with perpetually sad eyes. Avalon naturally possessed no such unsettling creatures. How Ursula had acquired it remained anyone's guess.
Deducing Ursula's aesthetic preferences from this evidence... anyway, Sterling absolutely rejected her "most beautiful" evaluation with every fibre of his being.
He was definitely not this ugly!
"Want to pet Lilith? She's missed you terribly these long months."
Though knowing Ursula couldn't see him in the darkness, Sterling still shook his head faster than a hummingbird's wings—such vigorous denial even produced audible sound, making Ursula genuinely worry about his mental state.
She casually tossed Lilith from her lap to the icy floor. Soft rotting flesh hitting stone produced nauseating "squelch squelch" sounds that made even Sterling's stomach turn.
Yes, Lilith was that blobfish.
Ursula somehow produced a glowing jellyfish from thin air, which floated as comfortably as if swimming through water rather than darkness.
By this ethereal light source, Ursula glided to Sterling's side and took his hand with cool fingers.
"Still no calluses." She ran her thumb across his palm thoughtfully. "Sterling, without dedicating effort to physical training, even you will see your potential diminish over time."
"But Grandma Ursula, I'm just a wizard. What possible need is there for physical training?"
Sterling retorted with barely concealed exasperation. Ursula had previously suggested rigorous physical conditioning—but unlike Neville's sword-suited constitution, Sterling more clearly felt his genuine talent lay entirely in magic.
If he occupied precious time meant for magical study to train his already healthy, unlikely-to-have-problems body... anyway, Sterling felt it profoundly unworthy.
Besides, his body was already quite exceptional by any reasonable measure.
Sterling maintained some awareness of his extraordinary strength—Terry emphasised it daily with increasing concern.
"Mmm, true that magicians rarely train physically, but great wizards like Siegfried also exist, no?"
"But Hero Magic doesn't require enhanced physique either."
Seeing Sterling remained utterly unmoved by Siegfried's legendary name, Ursula felt bored and pursed her lips in mild disappointment.
"Alright, alright, you're still so stubbornly firm in your convictions. However, I believe you'll definitely pursue such training eventually. Though I'm not the master of Prophet Magic, I can still confirm this much with reasonable certainty."
"Sea Beast Magic includes prophetic abilities?"
"Not the magic's inherent effect—intuition, pure intuition."
Ursula clapped her hands sharply. The tower's oppressive darkness began flowing like liquid ink, responding to her command. Pale light seeped through the flowing darkness's shifting gaps, creating strange, hypnotic beauty.
Looking more carefully, all the darkness connected directly behind Ursula's back like living shadow.
She ruffled her messy white hair from where it draped across her shoulders, then settled back freely into her chair. From the dark depths immediately rose an arched octopus tentacle, thick and glistening, which curved to support her weight firmly.
"So, Sterling Page, what brings you seeking this old woman's assistance?"
Sterling looked at her face—absolutely gorgeous by any normal human aesthetic standards—completely unable to understand how she could so naturally refer to herself as an "old woman" without irony.
For Maleficent and Vivian, such phrasing would be an absolutely untouchable minefield.
"Um, I have a friend who's gotten himself into trouble—"
Sterling, while preserving the core details, briefly explained Harry Potter's peculiar situation to Ursula, carefully emphasising that Harry was currently being held by the "Queen" of the Black Mirror Country.
After all, the Queen had been personally certified as formidably powerful by Maleficent herself—even the conceptual framework of the Thirteen Magics had been promoted to widespread knowledge only after her official certification. Of course, she'd merely certified the magic's theoretical capabilities, not possessed sufficient magical accomplishment to actually create the Thirteen Magics system herself.
If she truly commanded such power, Sterling could only gently convince Professor Dumbledore and the others to hold a proper, respectful funeral for Harry's preserved body.
Unexpectedly, Ursula completely disregarded the Queen's reputation with casual dismissiveness. Since Sterling had begun his explanation, she'd scooped the blobfish back into her lap, listening while absently stroking Lilith's gelatinous form.
"How wonderful—Sterling's made friends at school too."
She felt genuinely happy for him, this emotion containing not a single false component or hidden agenda.
The Atlantis collaboration had concluded before Sterling received his Hogwarts acceptance letter, and recently he'd had no free time to wander Avalon leisurely, so this marked Ursula's first opportunity to learn about Sterling's school experiences.
Sterling blushed slightly at her warm approval, but quickly refocused, realising that securing Ursula's help remained far more immediately important.
He reiterated his current problem with greater emphasis, but unexpectedly, Ursula directly pulled a strange glowing fruit from the surrounding darkness, gently plugging his mouth with it.
"Alright, alright, just some trouble with the Queen, correct? No need to repeat yourself so many anxious times—with all this repeated time, you might as well tell me what your school friends are actually like as people."
"But isn't the Queen the acknowledged master of the dream world within Avalon?"
"Only temporarily, and that's being generous." Ursula waved dismissively, as if swatting away an annoying insect. "Would she dare venture into the ocean and clash directly with me or Triton?"
Sterling didn't think her confidence represented arrogant boasting or delusion.
Whether "Sea Beast Magic's" fearsome Ursula or "Mermaid Magic's" regal Triton, their dominance within oceanic domains remained absolutely unmatched by any rival.
They were respectively the ocean's undisputed master and mistress.
"But right now we need to travel to the Queen's territory to retrieve my friend's trapped spirit—not in the ocean at all..."
"No problem whatsoever—that example just demonstrated the Queen is merely that level of threat. Even on dry land away from my element, I don't particularly fear her abilities."
After casually dismissing Sterling's concern, Ursula stamped her foot decisively. An obsidian table erupted from the darkness below with a grinding sound.
She lifted her flowing wizard robe, revealing a slender but powerfully corded arm.
"You know the rules. If you want my help, you must claim it yourself through proper challenge."
Ursula placed her elbow firmly on the table, hand loosely gripped, prominent veins and blood vessels on her suddenly strengthened arm particularly eye-catching in the dim light.
Sterling swallowed hard, ultimately showing an expression of someone bravely accepting their doom. He approached the table and gripped Ursula's hand in identical arm-wrestling posture.
"Three..."
—
"Hey, Ariel, why did Sterling stretch so thoroughly before entering? What did he say he was preparing for?"
"Stretching exercises before strenuous physical activity help prevent painful cramps, supposedly."
Hermione curiously examined the ornate shell Ariel had just gifted her. This enchanted shell could sing countless melodies. She was currently attempting to teach it a lullaby from her childhood.
"Rock-a-bye baby, on the treetop—"
"BANG!"
A tremendous explosive sound scared the shell, which had just opened to harmonize with Hermione, into clamping shut with audible force. But Hermione had no attention to spare for it. She and Ron stared in shocked alarm at the obsidian tower.
That devastating sound... like something violently smashing solid stone apart from the inside...
"No need to worry too much—very typical for Grandma Ursula's meetings—"
Ariel pretentiously puffed her chest out, trying desperately hard to imitate Ursula's commanding presence by sweeping hair behind her shoulders—though since her flowing hair constantly floated weightlessly in water, she couldn't manage the gesture despite multiple attempts.
She gave up with visible frustration, instead mimicking Ursula's somewhat rough, magnetic voice in a hoarse approximation.
"Life's inherent beauty! If you desire my assistance, demonstrate your worthiness without reservation!"
As she spoke, she even made fierce expressions, waving her small fist with theatrical aggression.
This performance left Hermione and Ron exchanging deeply concerned glances.
Life's... beauty?
Hermione worried intensely about Sterling's wellbeing. Padma had shown her many sensationalist tabloids recently. From one particularly lurid report, she'd read that Minister Fudge was allegedly involved in "power-for-favours transactions", "generously providing a certain pink-clad administrator selfless assistance"...
Sterling wouldn't be—Hermione's expression grew increasingly horrified by the second. They were still children! This Grandma Ursula character should be arrested by proper authorities for thorough questioning!
"It's a strength competition—arm wrestling, boxing, wrestling, martial contests, things like that."
Seeing their expressions turning increasingly disturbing and inscrutable, Ariel quickly explained with frantic hand gestures.
"Grandma Ursula believes physical bodies represent life's most beautiful manifestation—later if Grandma Ursula emerges from inside, you absolutely mustn't say foolish things like life's best aspects are spirit or soul, okay? Grandma Ursula will furiously force-feed you correction potions."
"Then to best demonstrate physical condition and worthiness, she requires strength contests, so Grandma Ursula's actual meaning is: 'Demonstrate full strength without reservation in direct power competition with her.'"
"Then Sterling's definitely won easily."
Ron, having personally received Sterling's casual elbow strikes and witnessed his casual cauldron-spinning demonstrations, concluded this with absolute certainty. But he saw Ariel disapprovingly shaking her head with a knowing smile.
"Winning against Grandma would be far stranger than losing."
Before Ron could vocally question this counterintuitive statement, the tower's heavy door forcefully burst open. Sterling emerged wearing a distinctly sour expression, followed by a floating, seemingly lazy, ink-coloured small octopus drifting through the water.
Yes, unmistakably lazy. Somehow Ron clearly perceived profound laziness emanating from this small octopus—he even got the distinct impression it was actually a lazy woman wearing purple eyeshadow and an attitude.
"Oh, Sterling! You convinced Grandma Ursula to help! Will you stay in Atlantis for a proper visit next?"
"Must wait for next time, Ariel. What we need to accomplish is somewhat urgently time-pressed."
Though his right hand still ached with faint, persistent pain, Sterling still answered Ariel's eager question politely.
Ariel said nothing more, understanding perfectly. Do what's appropriate when—Ariel would never throw childish princess tantrums during genuinely important business.
"Then shall I escort you to the surface shore?"
"Actually, I think having Grandma Ursula handle transportation might prove considerably faster."
Ariel nodded understanding, looking with Sterling at the small drifting octopus.
Ron remained utterly clueless about the situation. Hermione had discovered through context that "Grandma Ursula" and the small octopus clearly indicated the same entity, so she mouthed silently to Sterling across the water—
"Animagus transformation?"
Um, doesn't it technically count as that?
Sterling nodded in vague confirmation.
Of course, this ability actually represented one of "Sea Beast Magic's" fundamental effects, not particularly related to traditional Transfiguration principles. But by present-world magical classification systems, only Animagus seemed remotely appropriate for comparison.
The small octopus's round little head bobbed once in acknowledgement.
Sterling immediately had Hermione and Ron move closer together. Three people clasped hands tightly, standing together in a protective circle.
"What's this for exactly, Sterling?"
Ron didn't understand the arrangement, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. Sterling gripped his hand with crushing force, as if terrified he'd suddenly let go and drift away.
"Ready whenever you are, Grandma Ursula! We definitely won't fall off partway through!"
"Partway?" "Fall off?"
Hermione and Ron sang out in bewildered unison but soon lost all capacity for coherent speech—overwhelming darkness descended with crushing weight.
A massive black-purple beast suddenly materialised above them, so impossibly vast that even Atlantis's entire royal city lay covered beneath its spreading shadow. Countless thick tentacles bent or straightened with fluid grace, swaying hypnotically through the seawater like a forest of living pillars.
"Wh-wh-what IS that thing?!" Ron's voice broke completely as he stuttered. He drew his wand with violently trembling hands, the wood shaking so badly it nearly slipped from his grip, though he caught it desperately at the last instant.
Hermione also quickly drew her wand with fumbling fingers, but magic only rolled uselessly at the tip, refusing to coalesce. Paralysing fear prevented her from releasing even the simplest Stunning Spell she'd practised hundreds of times.
Ron did manage to cast a spell, though it required more rationality and presence of mind than he currently possessed—he frantically cast Incendio while completely underwater. A surge of superheated water nearly scalded him badly, steam bubbles erupting everywhere.
"This is Ursula's true form—her, um, genuine Animagus manifestation?"
Sterling calmly reassured them both with steady confidence. Then a massive tentacle, thick as an ancient tree trunk, extended deliberately before them, rotating to show its sucker-covered underside facing upward like a living platform.
"We need to... get on that?"
"Can't we please choose riding that nice dolphin-pulled shell from before instead—"
Not granting them any choice in the matter, Ursula, tired of waiting for their decision, directly coiled all three of them up gently but firmly. Then every single one of her countless tentacles exerted tremendous force simultaneously. Her entire colossal form shot forward through the water like a released arrow.
"AHHHHHHH—"
Ron's piercing male soprano echoed dramatically across the entire seabed, carrying for impossible distances. The remaining Ariel recorded it with obvious delight using a special recording shell, her eyes bright with mischief.
"Didn't expect land boys could achieve such an impressively high vocal range! What about that brave little girl, though? So courageous, didn't scream at all—"
"Hermione? Hermione! HERMIONE?!"
Sterling was desperately trying to wake the thoroughly "fainted" Hermione amid Ron's continued noise interference, gently patting her pale cheeks while clinging to the wildly moving tentacle with his other hand.