The next morning at breakfast, Harry appeared somber, his mood reflected in his slow consumption of a large bowl of hot mushroom soup.
Artel observed Professor Quirrell, who seemed less animated than the previous night, the smile absent from his face.
"Quirrell must not have succeeded in acquiring the Philosopher's Stone last night, and Dumbledore likely hasn't relocated it to the Chamber of Secrets yet," Artel deduced, recalling Dumbledore's actions regarding the Mirror of Erised.
He remembered Dumbledore moving the mirror away after Harry's frequent visits, anticipating the right moment to relocate it to the secret chamber. The final confrontation between Harry and Quirrell in the depths of the chamber typically occurred after the final exams, leaving three or four months until then.
"The plot is progressing too slowly. It's delaying my narrative arc. I need to assist Quirrell somehow," Artel resolved.
Unaware of Quirrell's encounter with Harry the previous night, or his acquisition of Harry's invisibility cloak, Artel left a note in Quirrell's music box, banking on the professor's intelligence to deduce Dumbledore's hiding place for the Philosopher's Stone.
After dinner, Artel returned to the bedroom, eager to draw from the lottery system.
"Let's draw from the lottery!" Artel exclaimed, ignoring the system's updated permissions during dinner, which weren't relevant at the time.
"System, extract items from 'The Lord of the Rings'!"
"Ding! Congratulations, the item [Dúnedain Star] has been successfully extracted!"
"A star? Another gem?" Artel mused, curious about the extracted item. To his surprise, it wasn't a gem but a simple badge.
The Dúnedain Star—a silver pin worn by the northern nomads, shaped like a radiant star, symbolizing the identity of the Dúnedain in the north.
Artel delicately positioned the Dúnedain Star within the expansive reaches of the system space. Uncertain of its future utility, he deemed it prudent to safeguard it within the infinite confines of the system's storage.
"Let's continue summoning creatures," he resolved, his spirits settling. With two remarkable acquisitions in consecutive months, Artel felt little concern about this month's free summoning.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully summoning [War Mumak of Harad]."
"War Mumak of Harad? Quite an imposing title..." Artel remarked, scrutinizing the characters within the system space. However, his train of thought screeched to a halt as he sensed a colossal presence.
In the system space, a titanic creature lay in repose. The towering Ent giant oak, substantial though it was, now paled in comparison to this gargantuan behemoth.
"Is it over twenty meters in length? And standing six or seven meters tall?" Artel murmured, instantly recognizing the creature.
It was a mammoth—more precisely, a War Mumak of Harad.
With gray hide, limbs resembling ancient trees, ears as expansive as sails, and razor-sharp tusks spanning three or four meters, this creature was a fearsome war engine honed by the warriors of Harad. On the battlefield, these mammoths would thunder across the terrain, bearing towering platforms laden with hurlers and archers, capable of trampling trolls or fierce orcs into dust.
"This creature... a weapon of war. Even ordinary dragons might find it a daunting adversary," Artel observed, deliberating on where to house such a formidable entity.
Uncertain of its placement, Artel contemplated the potential havoc it could unleash. He couldn't help but envision the Ministry of Magic in London being reduced to rubble within hours if he were to release it there, much like the destruction wrought by the giant oak.
"For now, let's put that on hold... I'll figure it out later," Artel decided, lacking a concrete plan in the present. If all else failed, he mused, perhaps tossing it into the Congo Basin would do the trick. The potential impact on the locals, though, seemed like a secondary concern at the moment.
In a casual train of thought, Artel added, "Maybe the tribes over there will start worshipping the Mumak as a god or something."
Silently contemplating, Artel entertained the idea of forging a formidable orc clan from an elephant. Consulting Saruman's experimental data in his notebook, he eventually drifted into a daze and fell asleep.
....
The following day, Monday, marked the end of a delightful weekend for the Hogwarts students as they geared up for a busy week of studies and activities. Artel had a flying lesson in the morning, followed by herbology in the afternoon.
Despite the saddle-like seat on the broomstick, Artel found the flying experience uncomfortable. In contrast, Harry reveled in the flying lessons, relishing the sensation of freedom in the sky.
During herbology, Professor Sprout delved into the characteristics and weaknesses of the Devil's Snare. While Ron struggled to stay awake, influenced by Harry's disinterest, Artel absorbed the information with genuine interest.
As dinner approached, Artel sensed a sudden throb in his soul. He looked up to witness Headmaster Dumbledore entering the Great Hall, accompanied by a captivating and alluring woman.
To his surprise, it was Nagini, the servant with whom Artel had entered a soul contract! The unexpected reunion brought a twist to his evening at Hogwarts.
....
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