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Chapter 304: Deep Into Aragog’s Lair
🕑 Added 2018-11-26 02:36:07 +0000 UTC
Regardless of what it was, it had been influencing Evan through the use of Dark Magic affecting the mind.
As it had been said, this unknown creature was awakened when Evan last appeared in this slope and killed countless Acromantulas with fire.
It swallowed the souls of these dead Acromantulas, cast a black magic with just recovered power, and marked the soul of Evan. It hoped that Evan’s soul would degenerate, because only then could it engulf and dominate him.
It was also a simple way to make Evan feel scared and strike fear into him.
Only in endless fear could the mind reveal a weakness and give it a chance.
Evan recalled the dream he saw last night, those terrible illusions that had vanished and were retrieved as his will completely defeated his opponent, and the memories that had previously vanished were immediately regained.
It was under the influence of those dreams that he had always been unconsciously afraid of this cave. He was afraid to go deep into it, afraid of those cold red emotionless eyes behind the stone door.
This ancient unknown being, hidden deep in the earth, whose evil purpose had prevailed, affected Evan through fear reaching the depths of his soul.
As long as his dark magic was not conquered, it would be imperceptible all the time and manage change Evan’s character.
Just like now, Evan did not save Malfoy for fear of the Acromantulas. This seemingly beneficial and wise decision, in fact, was totally contrary to Evan’s nature and heart. As a result, his soul had become unstable.
That voice seized the opportunity and continued to lure Evan.
It hoped that the gap between his heart and soul could grow wider and wider until he would become fully open to its manipulation.
Just like Tom Riddle's diary, as long as someone communicated with it, Voldemort’s soul fragments lurking inside could affect the user through temptation and magic, and make him gradually gain trust in it until he devotes his life for him.
Although the method was different, the principles were the same. But the magic used by the voice was more subtle and bizarre, and no one could notice anything wrong besides Evan himself.
Even Dumbledore, without a thorough examination, would not be able to find out that Evan had actually fallen victim to the Dark Arts.
But all his actions were normal, and naturally there was no need for examination.
Evan’s mind recalled the descriptions he had seen in several ancient magic books, and he had some conjectures about the identity of the existence hidden in the deep underground.
However, he was not sure.
The power of a creature using such black magic was far beyond his ability. Evan didn't know how he could break the magic of his opponent. Just now, the whisper still echoed in his mind, and he was about to give up completely.
But at the last moment, after something shattered within him, the voice suddenly disappeared inexplicably, and everything returned to normal.
Evan knew that he had completely defeated his opponent. Now, he could feel the weakness of this fellow hiding deep underground, the powerful black magic had consumed the strength it had just recovered, it was nothing now.
It couldn’t even get out of this cave, let alone fight Evan.
Evan was entering with an entirely different mood. Right now, he was going to go deep into the cave to see what this being was, and save Malfoy while he was at it.
As for Aragog and the Acromantulas, they were now out of Evan’s sight.
By solving this problem, the Acromantulas that had suffered heavy losses would turn normal again, and the Forbidden Forest would be able to restore its old balance, which could meet the requirements of the Centaurs.
“Mason, let's go, it's sinister around here." Crabbe urged anxiously. "Let’s go back and tell the professors to come and save Draco."
"It's too late. You go back and tell the others that I'll go in and save Malfoy." Evan patted Buckbeak on the head and signaled him to go back to the castle ahead of him.
“What!" Goyle and Crabbe looked at Evan in surprise, their eyes wide open, their faces very strange, and there was a trace of incredulity in their sluggishness.
It was strange that Evan wanted to go deep into this cave to save Malfoy. He was just about to leave.
No matter how it looked, going deep into this cave was purely looking for death.
Whatever Goyle and Crabbe thought, Evan did not talk to the two guys anymore.
He raised his wand and walked carefully along the gentle slope in front of him.
“Lumos Maxima!" His voice echoed in the cave.
Under the light from the end of his wand, he went deep into Aragog's Lair.
The cave is not as cold as he had imagined, and gusts of warm wind blowing from deep underground dispelled the chill and made it very dry.
In the endless darkness, only Evan’s wand was shining faintly.
He moved forward cautiously down the gentle slope, which kept becoming gentler until it became flat. There was nothing around, no Acromantulas, no prey wreckage captured by them. The cave was quiet, quiet to a smothering level.
Evan looked closely around and didn't dare be even a little careless.
It seemed to be a naturally formed underground cave. Walking forward for about three minutes, and bifurcations and cracks began to appear in the surrounding walls. They were different in size.
Click, click, click…
The big clicking sounds of the Acromantulas began to ring in the darkness. They seemed to have finally discovered Evan, the intruder, and one spider began to climb out of the crack.
Without hesitation, it waved its pincers and rushed over.
Evan’s wand sparkled. He didn’t retreat to defend, but he stepped forward. He had to hurry to find Malfoy.
Fire is undoubtedly the best way to deal with a huge number of Acromantulas.
There was nothing to burn around, but Evan had his own way.
He used Transfiguration to change the boulders in the cave, and a stone man staggered to his feet. Then, with another Growth Charm, the Stone Giant quickly became bigger, and soon as high as the top of the cave, and the whole ground trembled.
Although this golem had no attack power, but because it was made out of hard rock, it had a strong defense. When it became bigger, it could block the passage and stop the Acromantulas that were constantly drilling out of the wall, keeping them from touching Evan.
The clickings were dense enough to make one’s scalp numb, and the Acromantulas desperately attacked the Stone Giant, leaving no more than scratches on it.
Evan did not care about them and continued to walk deep into the cave.
He was getting more and more certain of his 1st hunch; Malfoy should have been taken to Aragog.
Although Evan did not know exactly where Aragog was, he would not go wrong if he followed the direction from which came the warm air.
Aragog was so massive, he wasn’t going to miss it.
