As the footsteps approached, Ino became increasingly alert.
After all, it was already quite eerie that a lamppost suddenly appeared in this desolate wilderness, not to mention the footsteps that sounded anything but normal.
After a moment.
Whoa... upon seeing the newcomer, Ino quickly shook his wrist, and the wand hidden in his sleeve instantly appeared in his hand.
There was no other choice; the person before him—if one could even call it a person—was quite horrifying and strange.
Standing about three feet tall, just slightly taller than Professor Flitwick, but that wasn't the main point.
The key point was that it had the head of a goat, with a pair of sharp horns glaringly exposed. Its lower body was also that of a goat, complete with hooves, and it even had a short tail.
Facing this appearance, one couldn't afford to let their guard down.
Frankly, goats, or specifically billy goats, have been seen as symbols of darkness, evil, lust, and aggression in Western history since ancient Greek times.
More importantly, Asmodeus, the demon of lust among the Seven Deadly Sins, is also depicted as a billy goat.
On the other side.
At the moment the wand appeared, the goat-man seemed startled and began to scream.
"Baa! An accomplice of the evil witch! Terrifying!"
The goat's frightened voice echoed through the silent, frozen forest.
Before Ino could explain, the goat-man vanished in a flash, scampering away on its strong hooves.
After a while.
"...I was careless."
Coming to his senses, Ino regretted his previous actions.
The few months of peace at Hogwarts had made him almost forget the traditions of the fantasy world.
In all folk tales and fables, wizards have never been positive figures, always either black or white.
In contrast, princes, knights, adventurers, and soldiers often received more goodwill.
In truth, his identity as a bard has always been more of a neutral role.
He wouldn't receive extra goodwill, but he also wouldn't scare away a goat-man with a scream.
With this realization, he put the wand back in his sleeve.
Then, he opened his suitcase, took out his accordion, fastened the strap, and slung it across his body. There was no need to change clothes, as plain robes weren't exclusive to wizards.
Having done all this, he continued walking along the previous path.
...
Walking in the dense, dark fir forest, his feet crunching on thick snow.
The sky was gray-blue, like what one would see on a clear winter morning.
The surroundings were unusually quiet, the entire forest deathly still, with not even a single robin or pine marten in sight.
Everything was eerily silent, as if that goat was the only living creature here.
This made Ino regret his recklessness once more.
"Hm... I need to buy a magic carpet, learn Animagus, and maybe steal the sword from the hat to pretend to be a knight... never mind, that's too difficult. I'll just have Malfoy buy a replica."
He muttered to himself as he walked.
After all, surrounded by endless white and the silent forest, he had to say something to keep his mind from going numb.
Otherwise, if another unexpected event occurred and he instinctively drew his wand again... this fantasy journey would be over before it began.
"Jingle bells~"
In the distance, another sound finally emerged.
"Jingle bells~"
After confirming it wasn't his imagination, Ino's spirits lifted, and a gentle smile spread across his face.
The sound grew closer and closer.
Finally, a sleigh pulled by two reindeer appeared before him.
The reindeer were about the size of Shetland ponies, but their fur was pure white, even whiter than the snow around them.
Their branched antlers seemed gilded, shining brilliantly like burning flames under the sunlight. Their harnesses were made of scarlet leather, adorned with colorful bells that jingled with every movement.
Driving the sleigh was a dwarf, about two feet tall, with a beard so thick it reached his knees.
All of this was unremarkable, fitting well within the realm of fairy tales and folklore.
However, what truly amazed Ino was the passenger in the sleigh's main seat.
A tall, regal woman, holding a light blue crystal scepter, crowned with gold, her pale skin and bright red lips composing a beautiful face.
But all this was marred by an air of aloofness and cruelty, giving her an unapproachable aura.
...
"The wolves reported that a wizard has entered this forest. Is it you, little one?"
A cold voice sounded, and countless responses flashed through Ino's mind, but he dismissed them one by one.
"Sorry, madam, there must be some misunderstanding. As you can see, I'm just a wandering bard."
Saying this, Ino patted the accordion hanging on his chest.
"A bard? Ha!" The woman sneered, glancing dismissively before raising her scepter.
With a wave, an arrow of condensed ice shot toward him.
In his more than two years of traveling, this was the first time he encountered such hostility. After all, which proper story starts with an immediate attack?
Moreover, an attack meant to kill.
Though he silently criticized, Ino's actions didn't delay.
"Expelliarmus!"
Long practice allowed him to react instantly, his spell clashing with the ice arrow mid-air, shattering it into icy fragments that embedded into the surrounding fir trees.
This sudden commotion frightened the dwarf driver, causing him to collapse in fear.
Neither of the two people present paid him any mind.
"So, a bard?"
The cold voice repeated, the tone unchanged.
"Alright, even if I am a wizard, I haven't done anything to bother you, have I?"
Faced with the truth, he decided not to pretend any longer, brandishing his wand in defiance.
"Bother me? This land is under my rule. Do you think you're not bothering me?"
Her tone slightly softened, as if his assertion confirmed her suspicions.
Given this, Ino decided not to push his luck. Although annoyed by her aggression, in the fantasy world, themes of kindness, redemption, and forgiveness were paramount.
Clinging to hatred would only harm oneself.
"Apologies, madam! I've just arrived here and don't know the local customs." Ino explained.
"Call me Your Majesty! On the frozen land of Narnia, everything belongs to me. Now I command you to get in the sleigh."
Narnia? The White Witch!
Upon hearing this name, a series of fantastical images flashed through Ino's mind—Narnia, the wardrobe, the faun, the beaver couple, Aslan the lion...
He knew this epic tale almost as well as Harry Potter. No wonder the lamppost seemed so familiar earlier.
And since the White Witch was still around and Narnia was frozen, it meant the story had not yet begun. The four children, the main characters, had not yet arrived.
...
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