Although Lewis had spoken with great confidence in front of Hermione about hunting the Chimera, that didn't stop him from making thorough preparations before setting out. In addition to standard potions like restorative brews for healing wounds and mana potions for replenishing magic, he also secretly brought along two bottles of Elixir of Life. This potion, created using the Philosopher's Stone, could not only extend lifespan but also heal the dead and regrow flesh from bone. If anything went wrong, it would be their ultimate safeguard.
Finally, Lewis and Ciri each strapped a sword to their backs.
"Hermione."
Standing before the blazing fireplace, Lewis turned back to say goodbye.
"Be careful, both of you. Don't get hurt," Hermione said, waving with concern.
"Don't worry. I won't leave you guarding an empty house."
With that, Lewis tossed Floo Powder into the fire and stepped forward, vanishing into the flames.
Left alone in the living room, Hermione sat quietly, staring at the place where he had disappeared.
For the first time, she felt truly frustrated with her own weakness.
On Halloween, in the girls' bathroom, she could only hide and watch him fight a troll alone. In the restricted corridor, she had no choice but to retreat with Ron, leaving him to face Voldemort. And now, once again, she could only remain in the tower while he went to hunt a Chimera.
This time, however, he wasn't alone. He had someone by his side—Cirilla, that strong and battle-hardened girl.
But that person wasn't her.
Was she destined to always remain under his protection?
At that moment, Hermione made a decision.
Lewis Green had accomplished so many incredible feats in less than a year. He was destined for greatness.
And what about her?
She wanted to stand beside him—not just as a friend, but as something more.
To do that, she had to become stronger. In combat. In academics. Not just for herself, but so that when the time came, she could fight alongside him.
Lewis, of course, knew nothing of Hermione's thoughts.
After arriving in Cornwall via Floo Powder, he and Ciri mounted their brooms and flew toward Tinworth Village. Racing through the sky at top speed was exhilarating. The Nimbus 2001 was incredibly fast, and in less than two hours, they reached the coastline.
Moss-covered rocks rose from the deep green sea, while the sand turned surprisingly white. Strange serpent-like stones shimmered under the sunlight. From afar, they could see tourists scattered across the beach, enjoying the scenery.
To avoid unnecessary attention, they landed several hundred meters away, stowed their brooms, and continued on foot toward the shore.
Following a rocky path, they soon reached the hidden beach beneath the cliffs. The shoreline was littered with stones, backed by towering cliffs, and atop them stood a centuries-old church said to date back to the 14th century.
"How much farther to the cave?" Ciri asked.
"Another two or three hundred meters along the coast."
But fate had other plans.
Suddenly, the tourists ahead erupted into chaos. People screamed, threw up their hands, and ran wildly in all directions as if they had gone mad. Just moments ago, they had been calmly enjoying the sun, sand, and sea.
"What's going on?" Ciri asked, already drawing her sword.
"Let's take a look."
After confirming their gear, Lewis drew his Arcane Sword. To conceal their identities, both of them wrapped scarves over their faces and ran toward the commotion.
As they got closer, Lewis saw it clearly. Hovering above the crowd was a brightly colored pink bird, its eyes wide as it cackled loudly.
"That's a Fwooper… and Red Caps! They're behind this!"
Lewis immediately recognized the creatures and gave instructions.
"Ciri, I'll handle the crowd. You shut that bird up."
"Got it."
Fwoopers were birds native to Africa, known for their vibrant feathers—orange, pink, lime green, or yellow. They were extremely dangerous because their shrill, chattering cries could drive anyone who heard them insane.
If these Muggles weren't calmed down quickly, they might remain insane for the rest of their lives.
How to stop it fast?
Lewis already had a solution.
"Mind Blast!"
He stepped forward and unleashed a surge of psychic energy. The overwhelming force struck the crowd instantly. Every single "madman" rolled their eyes back and collapsed unconscious.
Simple. Overwhelm madness with greater force.
To ensure it held, Lewis followed up with another spell.
"Hypnotic Pattern."
A massive, intricate pattern spread across the sand, enveloping everyone present. A few unlucky Red Caps, who had just recovered from the Mind Blast, looked down—and immediately fell into a trance before collapsing once more.
As a bonus, those malicious little creatures were dealt with as well.
At that moment, Ciri returned, holding a frozen lump—the Fwooper encased in ice from a Frost Arrow.
"Here. Your bird."
Lewis took it and cast a Silencing Charm on it. Only after ensuring it couldn't make a sound did he dispel the ice.
Then he connected to its mind with his psychic power and spoke using his ability to communicate with animals.
"Where is your master?"
A Fwooper and Red Caps appearing together on a beach far from their natural habitats—it was obvious someone was behind this.
The Fwooper wasn't intelligent, but it was enough to indicate a direction.
Following its guidance, Lewis looked toward a cluster of towering reefs.
"Thanks, little guy."
He gently stroked its feathers. "If you want, stay here. Once I deal with your former master, I'll come back and take care of you."
With that, he and Ciri headed toward the reefs.
According to Lewis's psychic sensing, there was indeed someone hiding behind them.
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