A massive Long-eared Owl with grey-and-white mottled feathers flapped its wings and flew into the living room, a heavy, exquisite envelope tied to its sharp talons.
The Long-eared Owl landed steadily on the table, motioning for Dumbledore to take the letter before flapping its wings and flying away.
With a solemn expression, Dumbledore broke the seal of the envelope and took out a piece of yellowed parchment—it was the Visitation Permit for Gellert Grindelwald.
He put on a pair of gold-rimmed glasses and began to read the contents of the Visitation Permit word by word, savoring every line of text and not missing a single detail until he was certain he had fully grasped all the regulations and requirements within.
Standing to the side, Adelaide could no longer contain the intense curiosity in her heart and leaned in impatiently, eager to see for herself.
However, when she saw the so-called "Portkey" placed on the table, she couldn't help but be deeply disappointed.
It was nothing more than an ordinary white quill, with nothing special about it to speak of.
Dumbledore, who had been silent, looked up with a gentle smile on his face. Seeing the disappointment in Adelaide's eyes, he spoke softly, "Don't underestimate this quill, dear Adelaide; it is the key to our arrival at Nurmengard."
Next, he explained the magical uses and method of using a Portkey to Adelaide in detail, and kindly motioned that she could reach out and feel this seemingly ordinary yet extraordinary Portkey for herself.
Having received permission, Adelaide reached out her right hand somewhat nervously and cautiously tapped her finger against the quill. An indescribable, wondrous sensation spread through her body like an electric current.
At the same time, Dumbledore's hand also touched the quill.
In that instant, Adelaide suddenly felt an indescribable sensation coming from her abdomen.
It was as if an invisible giant hand had used a cold, incredibly hard hook to pierce deep into her navel with lightning speed and latch on tight; an irresistible, massive force, like a surging torrent, suddenly swept over her, ruthlessly pulling her forward.
Before Adelaide could react to what was happening, she found that she and Dumbledore had already left the familiar Godrics Hollow.
Time seemed to blur at this moment, everything happening as fast as a lightning strike.
In the blink of an eye, as if only a second had passed, Adelaide's feet stepped onto solid ground once again.
Her body lost its balance the moment she landed, and she involuntarily pitched forward, looking as though she was about to have an "intimate" embrace with the earth.
At the critical moment, fortunately, Dumbledore was quick-witted and agile. He swiftly reached out an arm and steadily caught the wobbling Adelaide, avoiding a pathetic falling accident.
Once Adelaide finally regained her footing, she began to take in her unfamiliar surroundings.
They were currently in an open clearing within a dense forest. Adelaide turned around slowly in place, feeling somewhat lost and bewildered, her gaze met only by towering trees that pierced the clouds.
These trees were packed tightly together, forming a natural barrier that completely cut off the view from the outside. No matter how hard she tried to look, she couldn't see even a glimpse of where the legendary Nurmengard was located.
Fortunately, Dumbledore had already made thorough preparations before setting out. He calmly led the still somewhat shaken Adelaide through the intricate forest paths, twisting and turning as they carefully made their way through.
After a difficult trek, the two finally emerged from that oppressive forest.
The view suddenly opened up, and an ancient, solemn Castle, looking like a slumbering giant beast, appeared abruptly before them.
The Castle was magnificent and towering, giving off a heavy and majestic feeling—it was Nurmengard, famous yet feared by countless people.
At the entrance of the ancient fortress stood a dozen fully armed guards. Each held a wand tightly, maintaining a high state of alert with solemn expressions—clearly, they were on security duty.
The tall guard standing at the very front spotted Dumbledore and Adelaide from a distance and stepped forward with a solemn expression, wand raised as if facing a great enemy.
Upon reaching the two of them, this guard, who seemed to be the leader, stopped and looked them up and down with a sharp gaze.
Then, without a word, he turned around and led the way forward, motioning for the two to follow.
They followed the guard to an archway that appeared to be meticulously carved from a single massive block of marble. Although its exterior was slightly mottled and old, it exuded a mysterious and unfathomable aura.
Dumbledore whispered some information to Adelaide, explaining that this archway was an extremely powerful high-level magical item specifically used to detect a Wizard's true identity; any attempt to sneak through would be exposed here.
Whether it was various magical potions or complex, ever-changing Transfiguration Spells, they would all instantly lose their effect upon touching the magic emitted by the archway; even those rare Metamorphmagi with unique talents would be immediately forced back to their original forms and true appearances upon passing through.
After a period of tense waiting and inspection, once it was confirmed that there were no issues with Adelaide and Dumbledore's identities, the guards, who had been tense and ready for anything, finally relaxed slightly.
Nearly half of them slowly put away the wands they were clutching and turned to walk quickly back into the Castle; the remaining half quickly dispersed, readjusting their positions to continue guarding the entrance, vigilantly watching the surroundings.
Meanwhile, the guard responsible for leading the way did not dare to slack off in the slightest. He pulled a thick register from his robes, picked up a quill, and began to record their information in detail with full concentration.
Once all the procedures were properly handled, this dutiful guard remained expressionless, merely nodding silently before turning again to lead Adelaide and Dumbledore slowly into the Castle's interior.
They proceeded slowly along a winding, twisting passage. The light inside was exceptionally dim, with only a few faint oil lamps hanging on either side of the walls, barely illuminating the path ahead.
The ground beneath their feet was uneven and pitted, appearing as if it hadn't been repaired for a long time. The passage was covered in cobwebs and dust, and occasionally, strange sounds could be heard coming from nowhere, which was hair-raising.
Especially those sections of stairs that spiraled downwards; at a glance, they seemed to have no end, making one's heart feel a trace of fear and unease.
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