[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-wizard-war-at-hogwarts":3,"chapter-wizard-war-at-hogwarts-wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-79":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Wizard War at Hogwarts",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2358052,4612,"Chapter 79: Avalon Realm","wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-79",79,"\u003Cp>The day after Christmas, Harry, Ron, and Neville decided to try exploring Avalon. Ron was full of anticipation for what might be inside the realm, while Harry felt he was mainly just tagging along to keep Ron entertained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three stood at the edge of the Black Lake, gazing at the small island that had suddenly appeared in its center. The mist had mostly cleared, leaving only a thin veil that no longer obscured their view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small boat was moored by the shore; it was said that Fred and George had tried rowing to Avalon, but they had rowed from one shore to the other without ever finding its entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s give it a try,” Ron said, holding a wooden sword. “Let’s see if our swordplay can attract Avalon’s attention.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright,” Neville said, drawing his own wooden sword, and the two began practicing their sword forms step by step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry noticed with surprise that as they moved, the mist began to churn; white specks of light began to form at the tips of their swords, slowly drifting forward. When they finished their final movements, a rune appeared before them—thirteen circles glowing with luminous white dots, but the central dot flickered dimly, as if about to go out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That must be Merlin’s role, Harry thought. He pulled out his wand and stepped forward, gently touching the center of the rune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lumos,” he murmured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the central dot was artificially lit, the floating magical array activated, spinning and gradually transforming into a glowing portal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry trusted Dumbledore would not set up a deadly trap. He stepped through the portal first—and was startled to find himself in a white, fog-filled space like the afterlife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A grim suspicion rose in Harry’s mind. He drew his wand and tried casting a spell, only to discover that magic was useless within this “Avalon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where is this, Harry?” Ron asked, already looking around in curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know,” Harry replied, unwilling to voice his own fear—was this the afterlife?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dumbledore wouldn’t likely risk students so severely. More likely, Avalon’s design drew inspiration from the afterlife; after all, as places from Celtic myth, some similarities were understandable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Neville entered, he scanned the surrounding mist and said, “This must be the outer edge of Avalon. Let’s move inward.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Neville walk forward without hesitation, Harry and Ron hurried after him. After only a few steps, they saw a distant figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The feeling was too familiar to ignore, but Harry said nothing. Since he had decided to keep Zhang Qiu’s secret about the afterlife, revealing it now would be impossible to explain—and telling Ron and Neville wouldn’t help, only ease his own unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they drew closer, the figure became clear: a beautiful woman dressed in an evening gown. Harry thought her beauty seemed unreal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Strangers, by what title do you seek entry into Avalon?” came the woman’s ethereal voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wish to enter Avalon as the heir of the Round Table Knights, seeking the guidance of my ancestors,” Ron said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then you shall play Percival.” As she spoke, a neatly stacked suit of armor and a magnificent sword appeared on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wish to play Merlin, aiding my friend in achieving his goal,” Harry added quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Agreed.” With her approval, a wizard’s hat appeared on the ground. Harry picked it up and placed it on his head. He noticed a wand beside it, which he took in hand—and instantly, a powerful force surged through his arm. He could use magic again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He examined the wand, its surface marked with numerous knots, and wondered if it might be the Elder Wand. Dumbledore likely possessed it—he was the strongest wizard alive, and only those already powerful could safely wield the Elder Wand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps it’s just a replica, he told himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t play anyone. I am myself,” Neville said challengingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then you shall play the Faded One,” the woman said calmly. Before Neville appeared a dull, gray longsword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neville picked it up without hesitation, swung it twice, and grinned. “Not bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Harry was frantically helping Ron don his armor—first the heavy chainmail as an underlayer, then the rigid plate armor. The process took considerable effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman said nothing, her gaze fixed on Ron. Only when he was fully dressed, his cloak of authority draped over his shoulders, sword and shield in hand, did she speak again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go forth and prove yourselves. Pass your ancestors’ trials, and you will receive guidance. Fail, and you will lose forever the right to enter Avalon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the woman finished speaking, the thin mist around them thickened. Harry could see nothing through the fog, only reaching blindly in the direction he remembered—but his hand grasped nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the mist thinned again, the woman was gone. Harry found himself in a new position—standing behind Ron, beside a wizard wearing a hat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t immediately question the new wizard’s identity. Instead, he looked around and asked, “Where’s Neville?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron turned his head and immediately stepped back, raising his shield before him. Through his helmet, Harry couldn’t see his expression. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, a hollow, distant voice echoed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Faded One walks his own path to kingship. Move forward. Seek an audience with King Arthur.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, okay, Ron, did you hear that?” Harry said. “A voice told us to move forward.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard it too. Let’s go,” said the wizard with the hat. Harry recognized the voice as familiar—and when he looked at the wizard’s face, he was startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He finally understood why Ron had stepped back: before him stood two Harrys, identical in appearance and movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Harry,” Ron’s voice trembled, “what was my Christmas gift to you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Quidditch Through the Ages—I love it,” the fake Harry answered immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Last year you gave me the wool sweater your mum knitted. She made another one this year,” Harry added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why—wait, you have to say something only the two of us know,” Ron said anxiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this was part of Dumbledore’s test, he might not know anything about events outside school.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your family’s car is a Ford Anglia. When you came to Tang Dun, you parked it beside a green Bentley Turbo-R.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Ford’s license plate is 7790TD. The Bentley’s is 2580MR,” the fake Harry added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron grew confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ron, I suspect this magic copied my memories,” Harry said calmly. “Let’s follow the guidance. If one of the two Harrys interferes with the task, he’s the fake. Isn’t that right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve been acting strangely since we came in. Are you hiding something from us?” the fake Harry said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I find either of you attacking the other,” Ron sheathed his sword, “I’ll know the attacker is the fake. Let’s move forward.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry stared at the man beside him who looked exactly like himself, his mind racing—could the other Neville that appeared on Halloween night also be connected to this magic of Avalon?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know if you heard this, but I thought I should tell you,” the fake Harry said. “The voice told me Neville was sent elsewhere for a separate trial—he chose a different path.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I want to know—what does ‘Faded One’ mean?” Ron asked as they walked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry heard the voice again: in ancient magical society, unwavering faith changed the color of one’s eyes. Thus, the Faded One referred to those who no longer believed in King Arthur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was about to tell Ron, but hesitated—fearing that revealing too much might cause misunderstanding, since the real Harry wouldn’t know these details.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fake Harry explained the meaning of “Faded One” in full. Ron nodded without comment, admitting he hadn’t heard the voice—perhaps only Merlin could hear it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three walked silently across the soft grass. Harry wore only his school robes and hat, but Ron was clad in full plate armor. Harry couldn’t help worrying about his stamina.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, they hadn’t gone far when they saw a river. Across the water lay a forest—they were nearing the heart of Avalon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small boat rested by the shore. The voice returned to Harry’s ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This boat can carry only two at a time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry relayed the message. Ron thought for a moment. “That means we’ll need three crossings. Someone must stay on the boat the whole time. I won’t trust either of you alone on it—I’ll ferry you back and forth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s a good idea,” the fake Harry said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron first rowed the fake Harry across. Throughout the crossing, Harry feared the imposter might harm Ron—but the fake seemed fully immersed in playing Harry, speaking only, doing nothing else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With eager eyes, Harry watched as Ron rowed back. He noticed Ron had lifted his visor—sweat glistened on his nose; he looked exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll row,” Harry said, taking the oars as he boarded. “They didn’t give you that armor for free. We might have to fight soon. You need to conserve your strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Makes sense,” Ron said, deep in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>",1491,"2026-06-21T04:54:27.874Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","83e4a0664cd3cbeb4940cae512250a7b5625386e8cdf5aa894bdd984c215bce8","wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-80","wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-78",528,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwizard-war-at-hogwarts-cover.jpg"]