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Beneath a towering tombstone, the caretaker's small cottage sat like a tiny fragment of stone at a giant's feet. The modest, two-story stone house had an air of antiquity, and a few old tools lay at the entrance—tools Harry couldn't recognize. Yet, despite their age, they appeared well-used, untouched by even a speck of dust.
Li Jiannan was familiar with this place. He followed the stone-paved path lined with green grass, pushed open the fence gate, and had barely taken another step when the wooden door ahead let out a soft creak—it had already been opened from the inside. Standing at the doorway was an elderly man, his hair and beard completely white, dressed in a worn-out robe, yet wearing a warm smile.
"You're back."
The old man addressed Li Jiannan before turning his gaze to Harry. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly as he teased, "Seems like you're doing well in Chadrow, junior."
"You… you're Senior Seti?!"
Harry took an excited step forward, bowing as he grasped the old man's hand. Although Senior Seti was only five or six years older than Dumbledore, he lacked even a trace of Dumbledore's "youthful energy."
Seti looked ancient—far beyond mere old age. He was a man on the verge of burning out, exhausted in both body and spirit. Like an oil lamp with a charred wick and nearly depleted fuel, he seemed as though the slightest breeze could snuff out his flickering flame at any moment.
Yet, he did not seem saddened by this.
The Sun Dragon Queen, Daenerys, had been right—Seti truly did not have much time left.
"You must have found the little gift I left in the castle by now," Seti said. "I hope you like it. It was something I designed when I was younger—not my most refined work—but it should still hold up even today."
The design of the Thunder Element Armor was indeed unremarkable, but its essence lay in its core material—solidified lightning. Even a century later, or another hundred years beyond that, armor forged from pure elemental energy would remain an unparalleled luxury.
"Yes, Senior! But I haven't started learning Animagus transformation yet. Mr. Nicolas Flamel is helping me craft an alchemical suit of armor, and the Thunder Element Armor will be integrated into it. Your gift has been a huge help!"
Harry spoke quickly, his excitement only growing the longer he stood before his idol.
This was a living legend of Hogwarts!
Had Seti not shunned fame, the European wizarding world's power rankings would have seen him effortlessly surpass Grindelwald and Dumbledore, claiming the top spot with ease. In just a couple of years at Hogwarts, he had wiped out more poacher wizards than the entire wizarding population of England. His ruthlessness and cunning—luring enemies into traps and slaughtering them like livestock—ensured that even long after his departure, the Forbidden Forest remained peaceful for over half a century… until Hagrid took over as Keeper of the Grounds.
Unlike Harry's small-scale exploits in Chadrow, Senior Seti's work was absolute extermination. If he had known what it meant to wipe out an entire bloodline, he might have done it without hesitation.
"All right, enough standing around at the door. Come in." Seti turned to Li Jiannan. "Ah-Nan, go call your uncles and senior brothers."
"Yes, Master."
Li Jiannan answered obediently and walked toward the other side of the caretaker's cottage, while Harry followed Seti inside, stepping into what appeared to be an ordinary stone house.
Yet, just as Harry had expected, this seemingly small two-story house—barely covering thirty square meters—hid an entire world within. It was not a mere room, but an independent pocket dimension. Even Newt Scamander's enchanted suitcase zoo paled in comparison to this vast valley landscape.
A cobblestone path meandered through patches of delicate yellow flowers and fine grass. A waterfall, over a hundred meters tall, cascaded into a deep pool whose bottom was impossible to see. The overflowing water formed a winding stream that ran through the serene valley, carrying a crisp, invigorating chill that breathed life into the surroundings.
"Sit wherever you like, Harry. We have plenty to talk about."
A small wooden cabin nestled by the stream served as Seti's residence. Around it, numerous magical creatures roamed—beings Harry couldn't name. Upon noticing a new guest, some shyly retreated into hiding, yet their curious gazes lingered, watching from the shadows.
"But…" Seti, who had been preparing tea, glanced at Harry with a knowing look. "I imagine you have quite a few questions of your own. We have a bit of time before Ah-Nan returns—ask away."
"So, Senior… did you succeed?"
Addressing a centenarian as "senior" felt a little odd, but Harry found the title rolled off his tongue naturally. Seti, for his part, seemed to enjoy it. His time at Hogwarts remained an unforgettable chapter of his life. Hufflepuff had given him countless cherished memories—after all, who could resist the warmth of a common room filled with the rich aroma of roasting meat, where friends, old and new, gathered to share sizzling, juicy bites and experiment with fresh flavor combinations?
"You mean my dream from when I was young?" Seti chuckled, his voice tinged with nostalgia. His clouded eyes gleamed with a faint remembrance. "Of course, I failed. But… I wouldn't say it was a complete failure—just not as much of a success as I had hoped."
"The Awakeners' magical script does indeed record the fundamental forces that shape the world. If anyone were truly able to master that power, then creating a world wouldn't just be a fantasy—it would be entirely possible."
"But…" Seti lifted his gaze toward the window, his eyes piercing through the serene valley sky and landing on the towering stone monument outside the cottage. "A thousand years ago, the Awakeners gathered and recorded the complete magical script that had been passed down. That era marked the peak of both their numbers and their strength. At the time, 1,972 symbols, each representing a different primordial force, were compiled by the Awakeners' wizards. However…"
His voice softened slightly.
"Even a finely crafted clock contains thousands of intricate parts, and the workings of the world are far more complex than any timepiece. These nearly two thousand magical symbols can indeed form an unimaginable number of combinations, producing an infinite array of powers. But… our knowledge remains incomplete."
"In Europe, wizards often believe the number seven holds the greatest magical significance," Seti murmured, shaking his head as he withdrew his distant gaze. "But the most powerful number should be three. The highest level of combination for the Awakeners' magical script is three. However, this is not the 'three begets all things' of legend. If I were merely creating lifeless objects—an empty, silent world devoid of life—then yes, I succeeded."
Seti gestured toward the window, where a vast expanse of lush greenery stretched beyond. "But the birth of life… that is far too complicated. Even something as small and unassuming as a single blade of grass…"
"Heh~" He exhaled with a wry chuckle. "Everything you see out there—I planted it myself. Took me fifty years. And yet, it grew just like wild vegetation, didn't it?"
The old man's smile carried a hint of mischief, and he laughed to himself, paying no mind to whatever expression Harry was making.
"I failed—but not entirely. One way or another, I fulfilled the dream of my youth. These past hundred years haven't been wasted… cough, cough…"
Perhaps he had laughed a little too heartily. Supporting himself against the table, Seti was suddenly wracked with violent coughs. His face turned pale, and for a brief moment, Harry nearly panicked. Rushing forward, he did the only thing he could—gently patting the old man's back with as much care as possible, despite having no real knowledge of first aid.
"I'm just getting old, that's all," Seti murmured, wiping away a thin trail of blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.
"I don't have much time left. So before this old senior departs, how about I give you a few final lessons, junior?"
As his words settled, soft rustling sounds came from the cobblestone path leading from the wooden house in the forest.
His senior brothers and uncles had arrived.
(End of Chapter)