Evan found himself in the presence of a young Rowena Ravenclaw. He couldn't help but be struck by her intelligence, her deep blue eyes radiating an aura of keen intellect. She seemed to possess an uncanny ability to understand people's innermost thoughts, making Evan feel that hiding secrets from her would be unwise.
Rowena wore sky-blue wizard robes and appeared to be around eighteen years old. Her beauty was captivating, and her eyes held a pure, glamorous allure. Evan couldn't help but be captivated by her presence.
Above her head, he saw the royal crown of Ravenclaw. It was not the ordinary iron ring he had previously found but a luxurious, magical object shaped like a raven with wings adorned with sparkling gems and pearls. Most notably, there was a giant sapphire in the center, which Evan suspected to be the Philosopher's Stone he sought.
Before Evan could ponder further, he heard a shout from above. A young man was perched on the observation post-peak, and Evan couldn't help but worry about his precarious position. The person seemed to be Godric Gryffindor, and despite the danger, he moved with incredible agility, making it look easy.
As the ship rocked on the ocean waves, Evan couldn't help but feel a bit dizzy. He hoped that Gryffindor would be cautious and not risk falling.
"Look, Rowena, I see land!" Gryffindor called out.
Evan raised his head to see a young man standing confidently on the ship's observation post-peak. The person appeared to be Godric Gryffindor, a few years younger than Rowena. He had a rash and adventurous air about him, a stark contrast to Evan's caution.
Gryffindor had short, red hair and appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen years old. He had a charming smile, and there was no visible scar over his eye. At his waist hung a Goblin-forged sword, but Evan couldn't see his wand.
Godric's youthful appearance made him look like an energetic and fearless soldier, though not quite a wizard.
"I don't like sailing. The constant rocking is making me uncomfortable," Gryffindor complained. "Come on, Rowena, let me come ashore and catch my breath."
Rowena's voice, though not loud, reached Evan's ears through magic. "Godric, we are near Sicily. We must continue our journey to reach our destination."
"Afterward, we can rest on the island," Godric insisted, using the rope to descend to the deck.
The discussion between Rowena and Godric reminded Evan of Hermione, especially when she was feeling particularly authoritative. Based on Evan's previous experiences, he knew that Gryffindor was likely to be in for some trouble.
Indeed, as Rowena listed their troubles on their journey, Gryffindor seemed to shrink back a little with each name mentioned.
"These troubles came looking for us, not the other way around!" he protested weakly. Then, with a touch of guilt, he added, "Rowena, I came to help you this time."
Rowena's stern demeanor softened slightly. "Fine, we can rest for a while on the island. But do not provoke the giants. They are not to be underestimated, especially the Cyclops. That creature is extremely dangerous."
Gryffindor assured her, but the grin on his face indicated his true intentions. Despite Rowena's warnings, he would most likely seek out the giants, especially the dangerous Cyclops.
Evan observed the landscape of Sicily a year before his own time. The island remained untouched, maintaining its primitive beauty. Evan's attention was momentarily diverted from the impending encounter with the giants.
But then, the scene changed suddenly. Like a Pensieve memory cut, the surroundings darkened, and Evan found himself in a new memory.
Once again, he and Rowena stood on the bow of the ship. This time, the surroundings were enveloped in thick mist that had not been there before. Evan sensed that this fog was not natural; it had appeared suddenly.
The dense fog slowed the ship's progress, and Rowena's expression grew more cautious than her earlier relaxed demeanor.
Something had changed, and Evan became acutely aware of it. The fog was not a normal occurrence.
As the ship continued through the fog, a large vessel emerged, its hull illuminated by an eerie green light. The crew on this ship were unlike anything Evan had ever seen. Their skin was pale and marked with rotting, decaying spots. Seaweed clung to their bodies, and their clothing was tattered and soaked with seawater.
A sense of inexplicable fear gripped Evan's heart as he realized these were ghostly apparitions, driven by the dead, emerging from the fog. The sight was unsettling, and the crew members of the spectral ship looked like they had risen from the ocean's depths.
"Looks like we're in for a fight!" Gryffindor emerged from the cabin, his sword in hand. "I don't like these folks!"
Gryffindor seemed to be in the same condition as before, except for a scar over his eye, likely from his encounter with the Cyclops.
Evan couldn't help but wonder what scary situation lay ahead as he faced the ghostly crew on the spectral ship.
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"Be careful, Godric!" Ravenclaw warned, raising her wand. "Don't disturb the dead so easily. It's not a sensible behavior. They may be useful to us, and after some time, they will reappear."
She waved her wand, and a blue magical barrier surrounded their sailing ship. The lost souls aboard the ghostly ship seemed disoriented, unsure of what was happening. Under the influence of Ravenclaw's magic, Evan, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and the entire crew of their ship vanished from the sight of the ghostly crew. The lost souls could no longer see them.
The two ships passed each other without further incident. Evan observed the ghost ship up close, studying the eerie and tormented souls on board. They appeared to be in a state of decay, with a strange combination of speed and thought that ordinary souls shouldn't possess. They reminded him of an evolved version of the Inferius he had seen before.
After several minutes, the ghost ship gradually moved away, disappearing. The thick fog surrounding them also dissipated. The tranquil sea returned, and the ship swayed gently on the waves as if nothing had happened.
"I don't like hiding," Gryffindor said. "We should have confronted them."
"You should understand the true nature of this ship," Ravenclaw replied sternly. "Provoking these spirits is not wise. We might need them, and they will reappear eventually."
"You mean The Lost City?" Gryffindor asked. "It's a shame I didn't get a closer look. It was once a significant magical city and valuable treasures might be buried there."
Evan's interest was piqued. The Lost City they mentioned must be the sunken city in coastal waters. Could boarding that ghost ship be the key to entering it?
"Greedy but forgivable, Godric," Ravenclaw commented. "In this world, there are dangers beyond your reckoning."
"My curiosity is a suitable quality to maintain," Gryffindor replied, "Many wizards are willing to risk their lives to explore ancient ruins like me. The knowledge they discover is what fuels the continuous advancement of magic. While you're busy restoring magic from barely a millennium-old ruins, we explore the past to learn new magics."
Ravenclaw reminded Gryffindor of the dangers of tampering with forbidden magics and attracting unwanted attention from dark creatures. Gryffindor's earlier encounter with the Cyclops was a prime example.
"Your warnings were right," Gryffindor conceded. "But who would have thought that Cyclops would use magic? Wizards can't perform that kind of magic!"
"You should have done more research," Ravenclaw scolded. "Cyclopes are known for their strength and mastery of thunder and lightning magic. They were feared in ancient times, and most wise wizards avoided provoking them."
"Your fate could have been worse if you had encountered a younger Cyclops," Ravenclaw continued. "You are lucky that the one you faced was old and weakening. Otherwise, you might not have returned alive."
"Fine, I understand now," Gryffindor said. "I'll be more cautious in the future. But don't you think this scar adds character?"
In a rare moment of affection, Ravenclaw touched the scar on Gryffindor's eye. "This scar contains powerful magic, and I can't heal it. You should seek treatment from a skilled healer at the Elder Assembly. They may be able to help."
Gryffindor, however, dismissed the idea, finding value in the scar as a symbol of his bravery. He planned to share the story of his battle with the Cyclops with future generations.
Ravenclaw and Gryffindor then discussed their plans for the future. Ravenclaw mentioned her intention to establish a magic school and hinted at a peculiar connection between her and Salazar Slytherin. Gryffindor was surprised by this revelation.
"Establishing a magic school?" Gryffindor asked. "But isn't it too early to recruit students?"
Ravenclaw explained her vision, emphasizing the need for such a school in a world where talented individuals from non-pure-blood families often had limited access to magical knowledge. She also pointed out the dangers of unchecked magical power.
"But you should know that, unlike Salazar, I have more discretion," Gryffindor said, hinting at Salazar Slytherin's darker tendencies.
Ravenclaw acknowledged the difference but insisted that Gryffindor accompany her in this endeavor. She even demanded that he select students for their future school.
As the conversation continued, Evan began to piece together some of the hidden secrets of the past. He realized the true purpose behind the founding of Hogwarts. Moreover, he sensed an underlying complexity in the relationship between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. In the history of Hogwarts' founders, Gryffindor was the only one who had never married or had descendants.
Ravenclaw had a daughter named Helena, who later became the Ravenclaw house ghost. The identity of Helena's father remained a mystery and could not be deduced from recorded magical history. These peculiar circumstances raised questions about Gryffindor's history and the true nature of his relationship with Ravenclaw.
Evan felt he was on the brink of discovering something extraordinary hidden for centuries, and his mind raced with possibilities.