Harry Potter and the Hidden Treasure (Volume 3)

Chapter 413 The City In The Dream

The sense of familiarity was evident, yet Evan couldn't recall where he knew it from.

The man's build was robust, his face full, and with his peculiar attire, Evan would never forget if he had seen him before.

Surely, it was the first time he met him, but this feeling...

Then, he realized something was amiss. The magical fluctuations in the air were undergoing subtle changes. The man was using magic to spy on him and Sirius.

This was a highly sophisticated wizardry technique. If it weren't for Flamel asking Evan over a month ago to use magic on his body while transcribing ancient magical texts, feeling the magical changes upon completing different magical texts, he wouldn't have noticed the subtle shifts.

Under the influence of this magic, as long as the distance wasn't too great, the man could pinpoint Evan and Sirius's specific location at any moment.

The purpose of using such magic at that moment was evident.

Evan whispered a few words into Sirius's ear, then swiftly drew his wand and incanted a spell. A white light passed swiftly.

He cast a counter-detection spell to dispel the opponent's magic.

Sirius also wielded his wand, aiming directly at the three individuals facing him.

In an instant, the bustle in the bar's hall came to an abrupt halt.

All eyes turned towards them, many eager to witness the "show."

Indeed, the three in front were astounded that Evan could break the spell the man had cast. They hadn't expected the teenager, who appeared to be only twelve or thirteen, to uncover the magic and respond so swiftly.

The three focused on Evan, then turned towards Sirius's steadily brightening wand.

They remained rigid and seated, unmoving.

The light at the end of Sirius's wand made it clear to them that if they dared to move, they would be struck by a powerful spell.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! IF YOU WANT TO FIGHT, GO OUTSIDE!" The waitress ran towards them, shouting at the three men in heavy cloaks, "GET OUT, GET OUT!"

Under Evan and Sirius's watchful gaze, the three quickly rose and exited the bar.

Being in close proximity, Evan could perceive a foul odor.

It was as if something had decayed and degenerated, emanating from their cloaks and handkerchiefs.

As they reached the bright candlelight in the hall, Evan noticed their cloaks were covered in black stains, clots that had congealed.

"Accursed vampires," the waitress murmured softly.

Turned out, the three were vampires. No wonder their skin looked so pale.

Perhaps, as the waitress had mentioned earlier, women and children were targets of vampire hunting. They might have seen Evan as prey, hence casting that spell.

It was a special magic vampires could use, usually tricky to be detected by wizards.

Things seemed straightforward, yet Evan still felt something was amiss.

After the man in the middle stood up, the sense of familiarity grew stronger in his mind.

Aside from the strange familiarity, this time he had an unpleasant premonition about it.

It was like being observed by a beast, causing Evan to sweat profusely and his hair to stand on end.

It kept bothering him until he lay down.

In the dim light, he felt like he recalled something, but in the blink of an eye, he drifted into a dream!

When Evan opened his eyes, he found himself in a dark stone chamber.

The surroundings were shrouded in endless darkness, even the floor and surrounding walls were black.

It took him a while to realize he was in a dream.

From any perspective, this sudden dream was too real.

Evan didn't like this feeling. The dream was not so simple.

It must involve some magic beyond his capacity. He must have been the target of something strange and powerful.

Under a soft light, he saw a man standing before him.

Tall, clad in a thick black robe and a peculiar headscarf. It was the vampire Evan had just seen downstairs in the bar.

He remained gazing at Evan, releasing a burst of chilling laughter.

Evan recalled why he had that dj vu feeling upon seeing him. This man was the one he had seen in the basin of the prophecy created by Flamel.

As before, he seemed poised to do something and unleash a dreadful black magic.

The sense of danger heightened, and the situation grew more intricate...

But soon, a thick fog started to rise around, enveloping everything.

When the mist cleared, the chamber of black stone and the man had completely vanished.

With a dreamlike transition, at that moment, Evan stood on a majestic terrace.

Clouds drifted before him, and below him sprawled a beautiful city.

Evan shook his head and took two steps forward to see more clearly.

Before him lay a city beautifully illuminated with a golden glow. The buildings resembled those he had seen before in the colony of the Centaurs but were more sophisticated.

A silver river crossed the city, dividing it into two parts.

Layers of red roofs and old pointed battlements climbed up the slope to the north, offering shelter to the grass-green cobbled alleys below.

Right beneath the terrace was a broad rectangular square.

The fountain at the base of the obsidian emitted spring water, casting a radiant glow under the sunlight. Flower beds and spectacular statues lined the square.

The ancient and mystical atmosphere enveloped the city, like a dense dark cloud looming over a pristine mountain range only existing in legends.

As before, Evan did not like the feeling.

This dead city of the Centaurs could be that of the fallen Centaurs from 800 years ago in the forest, but it definitely was not as it seemed in reality.

Judging by what surrounded him, he should now be standing in the central Temple of the city of the Centaurs.

Evan turned around and saw a magnificent statue 100 meters high. It was one of the evil gods invoked by the fallen Centaurs he had seen in the illusion before!

He let out a deep sigh. Had he been dragged into this dream by this monster?! What was the purpose of doing so?!

Evan instinctively touched the medallion on his chest. If this malevolent spirit had started to regain its strength, then it must be seeking to snatch this half of the Philosopher's Stone from him.

Indeed, the immense magic contained in the Philosopher's Stone was the indispensable energy for it to return to the real world from the void.