Chapter 463: The Magic of Belief
A black cat opened its eyes amidst a bright, thinning mist. The fog here was
unlike any mist a wizard had ever seen—it was not a blanket of vapor obscuring
surroundings, but rather a primordial soup of steam that had yet to coalesce
into any form. The ground beneath the black cat's paws seemed white, neither hot
nor cold; it was simply a presence, a flat, empty thing.
It looked back and saw a massive, crumbling Victorian building standing alone.
Surrounding the structure, dilapidated streets gradually sprawled outward. These
streets had been short—ending just at the cat's feet—but now, they had wrapped
themselves around the architecture, complete with hazy, phantom shopfronts.
The black cat gazed at the scene with mild curiosity before looking down at its
own furry chest. There was a tuft of silver-white fur and a blurred, vague
silhouette of a rune stone. Beyond that, there was nothing.
The cat's disappointment was palpable. The Resurrection Stone hadn't been
brought in. Why? If items couldn't be transported into the Lands Between, why
was the Void Rune still there? And if the realm allowed for the transit of
items, why not the stone?
The cat was consumed by curiosity, and it knew someone might have the answers.
It set off. As it ran with graceful agility, the silver-white tuft on its chest
began to grow—not because the fur was multiplying, but because the cat itself
was growing larger.
Time in the Lands Between seemed to dilate. He saw several wooden cabins; they
were all different, but they shared one trait: each had a small door. Some bore
signs reading: [Wait for Good Luck to Knock], while others simply said:
[Reserved for the Lucky Black Cat].
The Wampus-cat head, stained with ink-like patterns, tilted in confusion. What
were these? What were these cabins? What had he done to make this place manifest
a gathering of wizards, even if these specific cabins held none? And more
strangely, what did those messages mean? The Lucky Black Cat—was it the one he
thought it was? The Wampus-cat shook its head and bypassed them, puzzled.
After another stretch of traveling, he arrived at a cottage. Smoke billowed from
the chimney, and the front yard was overflowing with flowers. The Wampus-cat
vanished, and a sleek black cat stepped naturally into the yard, passing several
curious items: a rusted sword, a collection of vibrant plants, and an exquisite
scepter.
The cat walked into the garden, passing pumpkin vines hung with copper pots.
Inside the pots dangled ferns and trailing vines; as the cat passed beneath
them, they attempted to brush the dust from its fur once more. The cat
approached the wooden door, lifted a paw, and knocked—ignoring the small door at
the bottom and the "Reserved for the Black Cat" sign. He was a wizard, not a
mere feline.
The door creaked open. Inside stood a Christmas tree draped in fairy lights, and
beneath it, a fuzzy orange rug, round stools, and a black cat plush toy.
"Green, it's truly wonderful to see you," Helena said, beaming.
The black cat leaped onto a round stool. A teapot floated over, pouring steaming
snow-pear juice into a round cup before the cat. Its whiskers were clouded by
steam, and its ears twitched. Lady Helena seemed much more vibrant than before;
she would never have spoken like this in the past.
"You've found us again. It seems we've been tethered by the threads once more."
Rowena Ravenclaw was playing a peculiar game of chess with Helena. Sean
recognized it instantly: Wizard's Chess: The Bizarre Edition. How did it get
here?
"You've lost. It seems Ravenclaw's wisdom isn't always effective," Helena
laughed triumphantly, as Rowena's knight kicked her own king, sending the piece
tumbling to the floor, headless.
"What a pathetic king, to be killed by his own knight..." Rowena sighed. "I'm
more curious, though—who manufactured this chess set? To force wizards into a
game purely of luck?"
"Who knows?" Helena shot a sidelong glance at the black cat and waved her hand,
clearing the board.
"Victory is a difficult thing, especially when luck is on your side, my dear
Helena," Rowena said, her expression softening. "Now, my student—my dear 'Lucky
Black Cat'—what question is it that even your memories cannot answer?"
The black cat jumped around the board; he was certain now. This was indeed
Wizard's Chess: The Bizarre Edition.
"You seem confused. Helena brought this game here," Rowena Ravenclaw explained.
"Professor Ravenclaw, can objects travel freely into the Lands Between?" the
black cat asked.
"They cannot," Rowena said.
"Then..." The black cat's tail stopped swaying.
"Look at your Void Rune. Is it really a Void Rune?" Rowena asked with a sly
smile.
The cat hastily inspected his soul artifact.
"Isn't it shaped like a little cat?" Rowena's smile deepened.
The cat rubbed its eyes with a paw and was stunned to see the Void Rune had
indeed changed shape.
"You trust her far too much!" Helena interrupted. As she spoke, the Void Rune
shifted back into its original slate form.
"This is not funny," the black cat grumbled, realizing something. He curled up,
staring at his rune.
"She loves to tease... isn't she annoying?" Helena sat down beside the cat.
"Green, let me tell you: if you firmly believe an object exists, it will be
brought into the Lands Between."
The cat's ears twitched.
"Therefore," Helena explained slowly, "if you waver in your belief, the Lands
Between will confiscate your magic."
"I understand, Helena." The cat's suspicions were confirmed. He couldn't help
but think of the rare description of the Lands Between in the original books:
"Harry wished he were wearing clothes. The thought had no sooner formed in his
head than a robe appeared nearby. He grabbed it and put it on: soft, clean, and
warm. How strange—it simply appeared, just as he had the thought..."
What a miraculous place. Perhaps the most magical place of all. Here, a wizard's
wisdom and emotions flowed naturally, coalescing into phantasmagorical mists.
Here, a wizard's magic was thoroughly transformed into the power of belief—when
a wizard believed in themselves and their faith was unshakeable, magic was born.
"How, then, do I learn to believe?" the black cat asked the final question.
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