Harry Potter: I am the Legend

The Ministry of Magic.

In the underground chamber, a warm fire crackled and burned brightly. The room, isolated by a sturdy oak door, was eerily silent. Chloe sat hugging her knees before a crystal ball, maintaining the same posture she had held most of the week, resembling a meditative witch.

Through the enchanted crystal ball on the table, she could observe the weather outside. If it snowed outside, snowflakes would appear in the ball. On sunny days, the crystal would mirror the clear skies.

This crystal ball was her only source of information about the outside world recently.

The oak door creaked open, and Nicolas Flamel entered, supporting himself with a cane in one hand and holding a steaming cup of hot cocoa in the other. He approached her, offering the cup.

"Do you like watching the snow?"

"Not really," Chloe replied gloomily, taking the cocoa. "I prefer sunny days."

"Then, after some time, how about I take you to a tropical beach?" Nicolas Flamel said, settling into a seat beside her, both hands resting on his silver cane.

"I don't understand," Chloe said bluntly.

"What don't you understand?"

"Why are we staying in the Ministry of Magic?" she asked, puzzled, cradling the warm cup. "Why won't you take me home? After all these years, don't my parents want to see me?"

Nicolas Flamel's smile faded slightly at her earnest expression. Shaking his head, he sighed softly. "You're not home yet, my dear."

"Isn't my home here, in London?"

"No. Our home is far away," the old man said.

Chloe looked at him in confusion, unable to grasp his meaning.

"Well... let's not talk about that for now," Nicolas Flamel said, waving his hand dismissively as he retrieved a wooden box from behind him. "Christmas is coming, and I have a gift for you."

He opened the box slowly, revealing a transparent crystal necklace resting inside. The hexagonal pendant was intricately engraved with delicate, mesmerizing patterns.

Chloe's eyes sparkled as she looked at the necklace. She had never seen anything so beautiful.

"Come, try it on."

With trembling hands, Nicolas Flamel took the necklace and placed it around her neck.

Chloe shivered as a cool sensation spread through her body, as though she were wearing a necklace made of ice.

"What is this?" she asked curiously.

"It's a little trinket I crafted in my free time," Nicolas Flamel said with a playful wink. He pressed her collar firmly, ensuring the necklace was hidden. "Remember, no matter what happens, never let anyone see this necklace."

His serious demeanor left Chloe more puzzled. Since her return, Nicolas Flamel had kept her confined to a secluded underground room in the Ministry, prohibiting her from going out or interacting with anyone. If she wasn't allowed to see anyone, what was the point of wearing the necklace?

Fingering the hard object at her chest, she asked hesitantly, "Do you know something you're not telling me?"

"Yes," Nicolas Flamel admitted, smiling faintly. "But I'll tell you once we're home."

Just then, a knock came from the door. Nicolas Flamel stood and opened it.

A man's raspy, weary voice asked from the doorway, "Is she ready?"

"She's always ready," Nicolas Flamel replied, before turning back to call, "Chloe, someone's here to see you."

Chloe quickly stood, her eyes falling on a young man in a black cloak standing outside the door.

At first glance, she thought he was incredibly handsome. But on closer inspection, she hesitated. This man was the complete opposite of her great-grandfather. He wore a pristine top hat, had a strikingly beautiful face, and pointed ears like an elf from a fairytale. However, his lifeless blue eyes radiated an unsettling aura, akin to a dying old man.

"This is Minister Dracès," Nicolas Flamel said, stepping aside to let him in. "Aren't you going to greet him?"

The Minister of Magic? Chloe was taken aback. She had always assumed such high-ranking officials would be middle-aged or older, not someone who looked around her age.

Chloe glanced at Nicolas Flamel. Although she sensed a strong dislike in his eyes, he maintained a polite smile.

Out of courtesy, she curtsied gracefully.

The man removed his hat and offered a shallow bow, his voice devoid of energy. "Hello."

Chloe noticed his hair was an unusual shade of pure silver.

After the brief exchange, Dracès turned to Nicolas Flamel. "Is everything arranged?"

"Everything is in order," Nicolas Flamel replied.

"Then let's proceed."

Dracès beckoned Chloe to follow him.

Chloe looked at her great-grandfather in confusion, but he merely smiled and said, "Go on. Help Minister Dracès with his task, and tomorrow, I'll take you to the beach. Remember my words—don't be afraid."

Before she could protest, Nicolas Flamel gently but firmly ushered her out of the room toward Dracès.

"Let's go," Dracès said, taking her hand and leading her forward.

As Chloe glanced back repeatedly, she thought she heard the sound of shattering glass from behind the door.

"What do you need my help with?" she asked the Minister of Magic.

"You'll find out when we get there," Dracès replied, stepping into an elevator with her.

The golden grille slid shut with a soft clang, and the elevator began to ascend with a series of mechanical clinks and dings.

The Ministry of Magic was dim and quiet on Christmas Eve. Only a cold, detached female voice announced the floors.

"Seventh floor: Department of Magical Games and Sports, including the British and Irish Quidditch League Headquarters, the Official Gobstones Club, and the Ludicrous Patents Office."

"Sixth floor: Department of Magical Transportation, including the Floo Network Authority, Broom Regulatory Control, Portkey Office, and Apparition Test Center."

"Third floor: Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, including the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad, Obliviator Headquarters, and Muggle-Worthy Excuse Committee."

"Second floor: Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters, and the Wizengamot Administration Services."

As they passed each floor, occasional flickers of light illuminated their faces, allowing Chloe to observe Dracès secretly. His silence and demeanor reminded her of Hoffa, who had also been reserved most of the time during their journey back. However, unlike Hoffa's youthful vitality, Dracès exuded only a sense of despondence and decay.

With a soft ding, the elevator stopped at the top floor.

"First floor: Minister of Magic's Office, International Affairs Conference Room."

Fatiér walked expressionlessly out of the golden iron gate and pushed open a black iron door in a dimly lit corridor.

The room was pitch dark, and the furnishings were completely unseen, which made Chloe feel uneasy. She thought of the room where Mance had drawn her blood, and in this room, there seemed to be some unseen giant creature slowly moving through the darkness.

The man pressed her into a chair, then waved his wand, lighting a single candle.

He then sat down at the table behind the candle, his fingers interlocked.

"Did Hoffatell you why he sent you back?" he asked in a detached tone.

"Huh, you know?" Chloe was surprised, a little excited. "I've always wondered; it seemed like he just wouldn't tell me the real reason."

"I see."

The man mumbled, his blue dead-fish eyes unblinking as he stared at Chloe from a distance. After a brief moment of daydreaming, he suddenly became serious and said, "I have a daughter, about your age. I had considered marrying her off to him."

"Uh, marry who?" Chloe blinked, taken aback.

"Hoffa"

"Pfft!" Chloe hadn't expected him to say that. She laughed out loud, almost choking on her own spit. She awkwardly scratched her head. "Hoffais probably about the same age as me... Isn't this a little too early to be talking about marriage?"

"Early? My secretary gave me some statistics. It turns out that half of the couples who meet at Hogwarts get married after graduation. After all, the wizarding world is a small circle."

He even seriously pulled out a stack of parchment from a drawer. "Do you want to see these statistics?"

"No, that's alright," Chloe replied, shifting uncomfortably in her chair. His tone and content were strange. "But, why did you call me here?"

"I remember that the duties of a nun involve saving and redeeming, right? You are supposed to treat everyone equally."

"Yes."

When it came to her official duties, Chloe immediately straightened her back.

"We are responsible for teaching and preaching. What you mentioned is definitely part of my work," she replied.

"Thank you, I understand," Fatiér nodded calmly. "My daughter passed away, from some unknown illness."

"Ah!?"

Chloe opened her mouth in shock, unsure of what to say. After a long pause, she stammered, "I'm sorry... But... Is this why you brought me here? You want to save your daughter?"

"That's also the reason Hoffasent you here."

The Minister of Magic, sitting before her, clasped his fingers together.

All interest in the conversation suddenly vanished. Chloe felt a sudden surge of irritation. The calmness and friendliness she had maintained felt wasted, as if she had been feeding it to a dog. She wanted to stand up and storm out, but after a moment's thought, she remained seated, asking politely, "When did your daughter pass away?"

"About a year and a half ago," Fatiér replied.

"Are you sure she's dead?"

Fatiér just looked at her, saying nothing.

"I'm a nun, a servant of God, not a wish-granter," Chloe said, suppressing her annoyance. "Fate is unchangeable. What happens, happens. Besides, I can't go back a year and a half; that's too far-fetched."

"I knew you would say that."

Fatiér responded immediately. He bent down, pulling a strange machine from under the large table. It emitted a faint green glow, and when placed before Chloe, it looked like a brass snail the size of a human head, with a round transparent glass sphere inside that flickered with dim green light.

He then pulled a bright red apple from his pocket and placed it next to the machine.

"Could I borrow a drop of your blood?" he asked gently.

His demeanor reminded Chloe of Mance. She stood up in panic, clutching her shoulder. If it weren't for knowing he was the Minister of Magic, she might have fled immediately.

She turned around, but the door she had entered through was nowhere to be seen. In the dim candlelight, she couldn't even make out the man's face, only his dull blue eyes.

A shadow flashed in the darkness, and something invisible seemed to crawl past her, sending a shiver through her. She winced at a sudden pain in her ear.

Then, she saw the man retract his hand, a drop of fresh blood on his finger. Even from two meters away, Chloe had no idea how he did it, but she could feel that there were other beings in the room with her.

Fatiér pulled his hand back. He took the red apple from the table, threw it into the glass sphere at the top of the snail-shaped machine, and then dropped the blood onto the metal structure.

In the next instant, with a flash of bright green light, Chloe was left dumbfounded as she watched the apple visibly shrink, turn green, become thin, and finally transform into petals. The petals then formed a bud before vanishing completely.

"See, this is my latest invention, a time converter. It can amplify your powers indefinitely. With it, I can easily return to a year and a half ago," Fatiér said softly.

(End of Chapter)

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