Chapter 255. Department of Mysteries. Part 1. Strange Rooms.
London. A week later.
In a spacious, circular room deep underground, where the walls, floor, and ceiling were all pitch black, numerous doors stood at equal intervals along the perimeter. In the center stood a robed figure, illuminated by the cold blue light of candles in candelabras positioned along the walls.
"So this is what it's like… the Department of Mysteries," came a calm, intrigued male voice. Severus took several steps forward and lightly touched the nearest door. A click echoed through the room, followed by the sound of breaking glass. "I can't wait to find out what the British government is hiding…"
"You still haven't explained why we're here."
"I'm looking for something. You didn't have to cling to me. I said I was only leaving for an hour."
"Lately you've been so busy, but I'm not complaining. I understand! It's just… we haven't spent time together in so long…" Nagini sighed sadly, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I won't get in your way! You know that!"
"You think too much. Have I ever minded you being here?" He smiled, stroking the top of her head. "And how could you possibly get in my way?" Touching the door with his other hand, Severus gave it a slight push, and it began to open slowly. But when he saw what lay beyond, his smile faltered.
"Brains…"
"And I thought I was strange. Apparently, I still have room to grow…"
What Severus saw behind the door was a massive aquarium filled with living brains, each about five times the size of a human brain, swimming calmly through the water. Nothing else occupied the room.
The brains, as if noticing their guest's arrival, began to stir, moving more actively through the water. Some even leaped out, spinning a few times before diving back in. It was a truly bizarre sight.
Even to Severus, who had witnessed much in his short but eventful life, this seemed, to put it mildly, unusual.
Of course, he had expected to find skeletons in the Ministry of Magic's closet, but not these. And who they had once been remained equally unclear.
"Maybe we should leave? I don't know what you're looking for, but I'm certain it isn't this," Nagini said with disgust.
"Agreed. We shouldn't disturb them. But let's wait a moment. I'm curious what they intend to do." He sensed magic accumulating within these creatures. From several brains, shining ribbons shot forth, rushing toward him, and strangely, he saw himself reflected in them. *Mind magic, and quite interesting… I've never seen anything like it…* When the attack was mere meters away, a dome materialized before him, blocking and shattering them to pieces. The creatures immediately began stirring again, preparing another assault. *But against me, it's useless.* With that thought, he turned and left the room. The door slammed shut behind him seconds later.
As Severus approached the next door, the walls began to rotate clockwise right before his eyes, accelerating with each passing second.
"I thought I destroyed this part of the protective charms… Self-restoration?" he muttered, bewildered, touching his chin as he gazed down at the marble floor. "Let's try again." He pointed his palm toward the floor, using enhanced vision charms, immediately spotting a line of runes crossing the floor, walls, and ceiling. He quickly located the section responsible for this effect and erased it. The walls froze instantly. "Hmm…" He decided to wait and observe instead. Seeing his thoughtful expression, Nagini chose not to disturb him and began examining the doors, staying within the hood of his robe where she couldn't be seen. Thanks to the charms woven into it, no one could see beneath it or hear what was said unless the wearer allowed it. This allowed Severus to converse with her freely, without fear of detection. He had already disabled the alarm charms as well.
After several seconds, he saw what he had anticipated. The rune section he had previously burned began regenerating. But this allowed him to identify the exact point glowing at that moment: the source of the self-restoration.
*Unexpected. I've never heard of or read about such rune weaves anywhere in this world… but it's no surprise they chose to hide this. It would make quite a nasty surprise for uninvited guests…* He turned and headed for the next door, erasing the runes responsible for the trap along the way and overlaying them with fire charms to burn them away every few seconds.
With another click, he opened the next door. To his mild surprise, he was greeted by a model of the solar system. The room itself could easily rival the Great Hall of Hogwarts in size, though it was slightly wider.
At the very center, just like in the actual solar system, sat a yellow sphere emanating gentle warmth to represent the sun, with the other planets arranged around it. But the gravity was the most intriguing part: it allowed him to fly within the room, which Severus promptly put to the test.
Pushing off lightly from the ground, he took flight and drifted slowly through the room, examining the model.
"Underwhelming. I expected far more from such a room: at least some books, not to mention a telescope. Though the planets themselves are rather interestingly crafted…" Approaching Jupiter, he immediately felt its powerful gravitational pull. "Not bad, but still not it."
"And what exactly are you looking for?"
"You could call it a lifeline." He descended to the floor and headed toward the exit. "No, it's… somehow quiet here…" He frowned slightly. No matter how thoroughly he scanned the area, he detected no one, not even monitoring charms. This place was simply too strange.
"A lifeline? What do you mean?"
"A Time-Turner."
His answer made Nagini pause. The name seemed vaguely familiar, yet she couldn't quite place it.
Closing the door behind him, he approached the next one.
"I'm actually curious what we'll find next…"
"Is this thing connected to time somehow?"
"Yes, it allows you to turn back time." Before meeting him, those words might have truly alarmed her, but now she was calmer, though still surprised. Then she remembered, and sadness washed over her again.
"And… again because of me…"
"I'm interested in it myself," he replied gently, patting her head as he opened the next door. "Of course, interfering with the flow of time like that isn't the best idea. But if you limit the artifact's influence to a specific area, you can minimize the harm. Even so, it shouldn't be abused."
"I only bring you trouble…"
"You've made my life brighter and more interesting. I don't know what would have become of me if I hadn't met you. So don't say such foolish things anymore, or I won't let you off with just a flick on the forehead." He gave her his sternest look, then raised his gaze to the wooden shelf before him. Its height was, to put it mildly, astonishing: at least fifteen meters. And it wasn't alone. The entire room was filled with them, endless rows stretching beyond sight.
Upon the shelves rested strange, mist-filled spheres, each bearing a plaque with a wizard's name beneath it. The wispy smoke and the magic emanating from them were unmistakable.
The smoke within the spheres was nothing other than memories, most likely belonging to the wizards whose names appeared on the plaques. Severus had heard of this place during a Death Eater meeting; one of their number worked in the Department of Mysteries.
The Hall of Prophecies… but this wasn't it, and… At that same instant, several wizards materialized before him, wearing dark robes and featureless white masks. They didn't even let him speak.
"Confundo!" Light blue magical waves surged toward him from all sides at once.
"Weak." Each spell was blocked by a barrier. When they attempted to attack again, a wand appeared in Severus's hand. With a wave, he plunged them into the ground, leaving only their heads above the surface. "Stay here for now, and..."
"Immediately!" One of them tried to stop him and signal the others, but in the next instant, a wave of his wand silenced him.
"Quiet." He pressed a finger to his lips with a playful smile. Through their masks, the wizards could see only darkness beneath the stranger's hood. How could they speak when their mouths had vanished? Apparently those two rooms weren't considered particularly secret or important; perhaps that's why they were unguarded. But why wasn't the passage to the doors protected…? He gazed down at the Unspeakables. "I hope you'll answer these questions for me." Though he couldn't see their expressions behind the masks, his well-developed Legilimency easily detected the anxiety and panic radiating from them.
"I sense several more wizards nearby," Nagini warned, flicking her tongue as if tasting the magic. "Should I deal with them?"
"No need. If that many wizards disappear at once, it would raise questions. It's simpler to wipe parts of their memories and send them back. But first, I need answers to my questions." Severus leaned toward one of them, touching the wizard's head and closing his eyes to sift through his memories faster. Nagini focused on the other wizards nearby, ready to protect Severus at any moment...
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