Time flew by in a flash.
More than two months had passed since the engagement, and it was now the end of the year.
After the engagement, Luke and Arwen confirmed their official relationship. Although they were not yet formally married, they could now openly be together.
Though Luke had some regrets that he couldn't marry Arwen yet, he found a little solace in being able to openly hold his fiancée's hand in public and go on dates without restraint.
For a period after the engagement, Luke and Arwen were inseparable, their footprints covering every corner of Rivendell, Lothlórien, and Weathertop.
The fishermen at Amon Sul, at the foot of Weathertop, sometimes had the good fortune to see their Lord from afar on the opposite side of the lake, strolling by the water with a radiant elven maiden or teasing the white Araw Cattle.
During this time, Luke also hosted a grand birthday banquet for Bilbo at Hogwarts Castle and presented him with a bottle of Elixir of Life as a birthday gift.
Luke remained leisurely for several months until an event occurred that quickly brought him back to focus.
By the end of the year, the Felix Felicis that had been brewing was finally complete.
Luke looked at the golden liquid in the amber flask, with drops of golden beads splashing on its surface, and a smile appeared on his face.
After more than half a year, the Felix Felicis was finally a success.
Luke took out three small amber Potion bottles and decanted the Felix Felicis from the flask.
A small bottle of Felix Felicis was enough to bring twelve hours of good luck.
A small bottle contained about three or four sips, and one sip could bring three or four hours of good luck.
Although Felix Felicis was miraculous, it could not be taken in excess. Overdosing could lead to dizziness, recklessness, and excessive self-confidence, and in large doses, it was highly toxic.
Therefore, even Potion Master Slughorn only took Felix Felicis three times in his life.
Once when he was 24, once when he was 57, and the last time during the Battle of Hogwarts, where he took Felix Felicis and emerged from the war unharmed.
Luke planned to keep one of the three small bottles of Felix Felicis for himself.
The remaining two bottles, Luke divided into four bottles, each sufficient for six hours of luck.
One bottle was given to Glorfindel, to thank him for his previous gift of blood. After all, Glorfindel had given him ten drops of Elven blood, enough for him to make ten cauldrons of Felix Felicis.
One bottle Luke gave to Gandalf, to thank him for his help during this time.
The remaining two bottles were given to Arwen and his father-in-law, Elrond.
Having obtained Felix Felicis, Luke naturally couldn't wait to experience its effects.
Especially his long-cherished Phoenix Animagus, which he could now completely try.
However, to ensure maximum safety, Luke decided that the first time he took Felix Felicis, he would use it to design the Thunderbird's magic circulation system.
Coincidentally, his and Gandalf's research on the Thunderbird's magic transformation had been stagnant for a long time with no significant results, so he would try to use Felix Felicis to see if they could complete it through luck.
Since the engagement, Gandalf had remained in Rivendell.
When Luke went to find Gandalf, he also gave the four bottles of Felix Felicis to Gandalf, Glorfindel, Elrond, and Arwen.
Receiving the lucky Potion that could make people fortunate, Elrond and the others were also very curious.
But they all knew that this lucky Potion could play an unexpected role at critical moments, so they did not take it rashly but carried it with them just in case.
Gandalf and Luke returned to Weathertop, and Arwen also followed.
On the giant mao long tree platform, Luke, Gandalf, and Arwen gathered.
"Luke, what are you going to do?" Gandalf asked.
Luke took out his Felix Felicis and said with a serious expression, "This time I plan to take Felix Felicis, and with its luck, complete the Thunderbird's magic transformation. But time is limited, and we can't experiment with other test subjects, so we can only directly perform magic transformation on Sulond, striving for a one-time success."
"Of course, this means great risk. If the luck from Felix Felicis is not enough, it could lead to a serious magic transformation accident, resulting in loss of sanity at best, or direct explosion and death at worst!"
Luke turned to look at Sulond, his tone solemn, and asked again to confirm, "Sulond, are you sure you want to take this risk?"
Sulond couldn't speak, but he nodded with a very firm gaze.
Having received the answer, Luke did not try to persuade him further. Since Sulond wanted to become stronger, he would not stop him.
He just secretly prayed that Felix Felicis would truly work and ensure a smooth transformation process.
Then he opened the Felix Felicis bottle, poured out two spoonfuls, and drank it.
This dosage was enough for him to gain six hours of luck, which should be sufficient.
The moment he drank the Felix Felicis, Luke felt a warm current rush to his head, and he became incredibly confident and lucky, as if nothing could stump him.
"Luke, how do you feel?" Gandalf and Arwen looked at him curiously.
"I feel... great!" Luke's face was full of smiles, brimming with confidence.
"Alright, let's begin!"
Then he pulled out his wand, aimed it at Sulond, and began to cast the Transfiguration spell.
Sulond, with its current massive size and a wingspan of fifty meters, began to shrink under the effect of the Transfiguration spell.
Its huge wings constantly contracted, becoming only ten meters long, and it also grew a pair of secondary wings. The tail feathers behind it rapidly lengthened, growing two long Phoenix feathers.
Sulond's Giant Eagle form did not change much, but its overall appearance had transformed into that of a Thunderbird.
At this stage, it was merely an external transformation; Sulond was still essentially a Giant Eagle.
Transforming a massive Giant Eagle required a significant amount of magic.
However, for Luke, who was now an Obscurial and whose magic was growing rapidly, it was not a burden.
Moreover, with Gandalf, who possessed the Ring of Fire, by his side, he had no worries about expending magic.
After completing the superficial transformation, Luke's next step was to transform the magic within Sulond, forcibly altering and reshaping Sulond's magic circulation system.
Luke and Gandalf had previously been able to magically transform a "Thunderbird" that could release electricity, and although the electricity released was pitifully small, it was still a result.
As Luke's continuous magic flowed into Sulond's body, forcibly changing his internal magic circuits, Sulond trembled in pain but never showed any resistance, persisting throughout.
Luke gradually overlaid the previous rudimentary "Thunderbird" magic circulation system onto the original magic pathways.
Finally, after the new magic circulation system completely replaced the original Giant Eagle's magic circulation system, Sulond's feathers released faint electric sparks, giving him the ability to discharge electricity.
At this moment, Sulond had completely transformed into another creature; even a counter-Transfiguration spell could not return him to his original form.
Up to this point, it was still the result of Luke and Gandalf's previous research.
Previously, Luke and Gandalf had successfully transformed an Acromantula into a "Thunderbird" that could discharge electricity.
Perhaps because the Giant Eagle's magic was stronger than the Acromantula's, the electricity released by Sulond's transformed "Thunderbird" was several times greater than that of the Acromantula.
But even so, this "Thunderbird" was still far from a true Thunderbird.
A true Thunderbird is a powerful magical animal capable of creating storms, bringing down rain that covers New York City, and releasing lightning, naturally mastering weather magic.
Because there were no references or clues, Luke and Gandalf's previous Thunderbird transformation experiments were stuck at this step, without any progress.
But at this moment, Luke, who had taken Felix Felicis, felt as if he had divine assistance.
In his eyes, many parts of Sulond's internal magic circulation system looked awkward, and he felt that changing the route would be much better.
Guided by this inexplicable feeling, Luke once again tried to improve and perfect these magic circuits.
He slightly adjusted and changed some magic circuits, and the electric light on Sulond instantly became much brighter.
Seeing that it worked, Luke's eyes lit up, and he immediately continued to modify other parts of the magic circuits.
The magic circulation system within a magical creature is like an extremely complex meridian map. Under Luke's changes and adjustments, it became increasingly complete and smooth.
While adjusting the magic circuits, Luke sometimes even improved them by a fluke.
However, Luke's improvements were not always smooth. When he encountered the core position of the magic circuits, Luke slightly changed a magic pathway, which immediately triggered overall magic chaos and conflict.
Frightened, Luke frantically suppressed the rioting magic and then desperately adjusted everything.
Just when Luke himself thought he was going to fail, he accidentally stumbled upon an even more perfect magic pathway.
As time passed, Sulond's internal magic circulation system became more and more perfect.
However, the magic circulation system was too complex after all, and even if Luke was exceptionally smooth, he could not improve all the magic circuits in a short time.
Seeing that the effects of Felix Felicis were running out, Luke was about to take Felix Felicis again.
However, Gandalf was one step ahead of him, taking out the Felix Felicis Luke had given him, drinking half of it, and gaining three hours of luck.
"This Felix Felicis is truly amazing! I feel favored by luck now, as if I can succeed in anything I do!" Gandalf exclaimed.
Then he began to help Luke perfect Sulond's internal magic circulation system.
Gandalf truly lived up to his reputation as a wise man; under the influence of Felix Felicis, his abilities were countless times stronger than Luke's.
He could always quickly grasp a flash of inspiration, instantly spot problems in the magic pathways, find the best routes, and guide Luke to rapidly improve and adjust the magic circuits.
Even after Luke's Felix Felicis wore off, under Gandalf's continuous guidance, Sulond's internal magic circulation system became increasingly perfect.
Gandalf even had a flash of inspiration, integrating his own lightning-summoning magic into the magic operation, giving it stronger abilities.
Finally, the magic circulation system was perfected beyond further modification, becoming incredibly flawless, as if naturally formed.
A perfect Thunderbird was born!
Sulond's appearance had changed dramatically; his entire body was covered in feathers shimmering with golden and white light, adorned with cloud-like patterns.
His massive body had shrunk several times, but his aura had become even more powerful. The Giant Eagle's head now bore two horns, which crackled with electricity, as if containing terrifying power.
He had two pairs of wings: one main pair and one secondary pair, plus tail feathers that resembled wings, making it look as if he had three pairs of wings.
The feathers on these wings shimmered with a metallic luster, constantly changing in color under the sunlight, transitioning from gold to blue, gray, silver, white, and even deep blue.
Sulond let out a clear eagle cry towards the sky, and a powerful magic erupted from his entire body, soaring straight into the clouds.
The next second, the clear blue sky quickly became overcast with dark clouds, and a fierce wind began to blow.
Sulond spread his wings, and the feathers on his body, under the creeping tendrils of electricity, seemed to shed their dullness, displaying a rainbow-like effect and radiating a halo.
He flapped his two pairs of wings, gradually leaving the nest, then soared straight into the sky, trailing two long tail feathers, carrying the storm, and plunging into the clouds.
The next second, dazzling lightning was released within the clouds, illuminating the dark clouds.
Instantly, a heavy downpour began, and Hogwarts Castle welcomed the rain.
Sulond's figure flickered in and out of sight within the clouds, bathed in electric light, emitting joyful calls.
Luke, Gandalf, and Arwen looked up at the sky, an invisible umbrella shielding them, keeping the rain away.
"We succeeded!" Luke's face was beaming with a brilliant smile.
"Congratulations, Luke, you have created a new species!" Gandalf congratulated him with a chuckle.
"No," Luke shook his head, correcting him, "This is the result of our combined efforts, Gandalf."
"Alright, we created it together." Gandalf did not refuse. He looked at the Thunderbird in the sky with admiration and praise, "What a beautiful creature! I think the title of 'King of the Skies' will change hands from now on!"
"But Sulond was originally a Giant Eagle, and now that he has become a Thunderbird, it doesn't count as stealing the Giant Eagle's title."
Arwen also looked at the Thunderbird Sulond in the sky, feeling happy for both Luke and Sulond.
When Sulond was still weak, she was the one who took care of him, even specially making elven food to feed him, which allowed him to quickly grow strong.
Now that Sulond had successfully transformed into a Thunderbird, Arwen could hear the joy and confidence in Sulond's calls from the sky.
Meanwhile, down in Hogsmeade.
The residents also noticed the commotion on Weathertop, watching the dark clouds cover Hogwarts Castle, the flashing lightning, and a giant bird soaring through the thunderclouds, trailing streaks of electricity. Everyone's eyes widened.
All the heavy rain, centered on Weathertop, rapidly spread towards them.
Many people, too stunned to react, quickly gathered their clothes to avoid getting soaked by the downpour.
The heavy rain crossed the Black Lake and fell upon Hogsmeade, causing everyone on the streets to quickly rush for shelter.
People took refuge in taverns, watching the heavy rain outside, and excitedly discussed the situation on Weathertop, as well as the giant bird suspected of causing the downpour.
The heavy rain did not last long before it stopped. The entire town was cleansed, and the air felt much cleaner.
A rainbow appeared above the Black Lake, connecting Hogsmeade and Weathertop.
On Weathertop, the golden mao long tree, after being washed by the heavy rain, became even brighter. Raindrops continuously fell from the golden leaves, sparkling like diamonds.
After his excitement subsided, Sulond descended from the sky, flapping his two pairs of wings, slowly landing in front of Luke and the other two.
He affectionately rubbed his head against Luke, making cooing sounds.
Luke reached out and stroked Sulond's smooth feathers. A current of electricity spread up his arm, bringing a tingling sensation.
"Congratulations, Sulond, you are no longer the Sulond, but the brand new, unique Thunderbird Sulond! Aren't you happy?"
Sulond let out happy cooing sounds, like a child who had received a big red flower, constantly showing off to his parents.
Luke listened to his thoughts and couldn't help but laugh.
He patted his head with a smile: "I know, you're very powerful now! That's great!"
Gandalf and Arwen, with smiles in their eyes, watched the man and bird communicate without hindrance, not disturbing them.
As Sulond transformed into a Thunderbird, his entire body was charged with electricity. He could easily ignite wood if he wasn't careful, so his original wooden nest was no longer suitable.
So Luke simply gathered a large pile of iron ore, melted it in a furnace, drew it into thin iron wires, and then used magic to automatically weave it into a giant nest.
Luke secured it to the mao long tree, then used the Philosopher's Stone to transmute it into a golden nest.
Sulond was very satisfied with this nest and happily moved in.
The currents of electricity that occasionally leaked from his body also made the golden nest appear newer and newer.
——————
The success of the Thunderbird transformation gave Luke more confidence in transforming into a Phoenix Animagus.
After a few days of rest, he was fully energized, and his magic had returned to its peak.
Under the watchful eyes of Gandalf and Arwen, Luke prepared a balrog heart and half a bottle of Felix Felicis.
He then drank the Felix Felicis in one gulp, ensuring that everything would go smoothly for the next six hours.
Then he used the spear aeglos to forcefully stab into the balrog heart.
Cracks appeared in the balrog heart, growing larger and larger, until it finally shattered into countless pieces.
This exposed the most core part, a golden flame.
This was the Balrog's life-bound flame, which, after being purified by Galadriel, had returned to its origin, transforming back into a sacred and pure Maia flame.
Luke cast Animagus, turning into an owl.
Then he swallowed the flame in one gulp.
The moment he swallowed the flame, Luke felt a pain infinitely worse than swallowing hot coals. His throat and esophagus felt as if they were scorched.
Once the flame entered his stomach, it immediately went wild, releasing intense heat, threatening to burn Luke alive!
Luke's entire body was scalding hot, and he writhed in agony on the ground.
"Luke!" Arwen's face showed worry, and she instinctively wanted to approach, but reason held her firmly in place.
Gandalf made a decisive move, activating the Ring of Fire in his hand, pouring its immense power into Luke's body, and shouting, "Luke, hold on, quickly reconstruct your magic circuit!"
The power of the Ring of Fire continuously poured into his body, suppressing the power of the Balrog Flame, allowing Luke to recover slightly.
He heard Gandalf's words, endured the pain, concentrated all his mental energy, and dedicated himself to constructing a new magic circuit.
The Phoenix's magic circulation system had already been designed by Luke and Gandalf.
Luke only needed to adjust the magic pathways bit by bit according to the designed magic circuit.
But this process was not easy. It was like someone with disrupted meridians in wuxia novels reconstructing their meridians; one wrong move could turn them into a cripple.
And reconstructing a magic circuit was even more dangerous. A slight mistake could lead to uncontrolled magic within the body, which could result in becoming a Squib at best, or at worst, being torn apart by chaotic magic, leaving no trace of a body!
Fortunately, Luke had taken Felix Felicis. While reconstructing the magic circuit, he was always able to smoothly avoid danger and prevent magic from going out of control.
He was like disassembling building blocks, replacing one node while ensuring the overall structure didn't collapse.
As time passed, Luke finally constructed a complete Phoenix magic circulation system.
His original owl form rapidly transformed, growing golden-red feathers, and his entire body radiated intense heat.
But at this moment, Luke looked at the originally designed magic circuit and felt it wasn't perfect.
However, most of the time had already passed, and the effects of Felix Felicis were about to wear off. If he were to refine it again, there might not be enough time, let alone the issue of returning to human form afterward.
Just as Luke was hesitating, Arwen seemed to know his thoughts. She quickly pulled out the Felix Felicis Luke had given her, opened it, and brought it to his mouth.
Arwen saw his hesitation and said gently, "Drink it quickly. Your condition is the most important right now, and you can give me another one next time you make Felix Felicis."
Luke's heart warmed. He gave her a deep look, then tilted his head back and drank the Felix Felicis from the bottle.
This granted him another six hours of luck, which was completely sufficient.
He gathered all his focus. With the blessing of Felix Felicis, as if divinely aided, he continuously adjusted and modified the awkward-looking magic pathways.
He even accidentally triggered a localized magic outburst during one adjustment of the magic circuit.
However, it turned out to be a false alarm, and unexpectedly, he reconstructed a perfect magic circuit.
At the same time, Luke gradually absorbed the power of the Balrog Flame, continuously integrating it into his magic, making it a part of himself.
Although the Balrog Flame had been purified by Galadriel, it was no longer violent and chaotic, and had regained its purity, but it was still essentially a powerful, undying flame with a scorching attribute.
If not for Gandalf's Ring of Fire protecting him, Luke would have been burned to ashes, let alone absorbed it.
Luke continuously absorbed the power of the Balrog Flame. This power, combined with the power of the Ring of Fire, re-condensed into a wisp of flame at the core of Luke's magic.
This flame was the Phoenix's Nirvana Flame, the source that guaranteed Luke's immortality.
When the Balrog Flame was completely absorbed by Luke, his magic circuit was also perfected.
The new magic circulation system was more flawless and natural than the one they had designed before.
Under the effect of the new magic circuit, Luke's Animagus completely transformed, becoming a large golden-red bird.
The bird's body was similar in size to a swan, with golden and red feathers, a golden beak and claws, black eyes, and a long, flowing, golden-glowing tail like a peacock's.
The red feathers emitted a faint red glow in the dark, while the golden parts were scalding hot like flames. When excited, golden flames would burn on his feathers, exuding a sacred and noble aura.
Luke looked at his new Animagus form and was immediately very satisfied.
It was very similar to the Phoenix in his memory, and even more perfect.
Having successfully transformed into a Phoenix, Luke couldn't wait to experience its abilities.
He gently flapped his wings, effortlessly soaring into the air without feeling any weight. He even felt capable of easily lifting hundreds or even thousands of pounds while flying.
Immediately, the feathers all over his body stood erect, glowing golden and radiating intense heat. His wings ignited with blazing golden flames.
With a shake of his wings, the golden flames fiercely swept towards the ground.
The flames looked incredibly beautiful, but their temperature was scorching hot, easily capable of melting steel.
More importantly, the flames were full of light and sacred energy, like the fire of the sun itself. They suppressed dark creatures and their light could threaten light-fearing Orcs and Trolls.
As his red feathers glowed, golden-red flames enveloped Luke's body. Wrapped in fire, he instantly vanished into thin air, only to reappear a second later, accompanied by a flash of light, in another part of the room.
This was the Phoenix's teleportation ability, combining the advantages of Apparition and Portkey. It not only ignored Anti-Apparition wards but also disregarded distance, allowing him to go anywhere he wished.
After experiencing the Phoenix's abilities, Luke was about to revert to human form when he noticed the remaining balrog heart fragments on the ground. He instinctively felt a sense of hunger and a desire to devour them.
Perhaps it was due to his brain shrinking after transforming into a Phoenix, but he didn't hesitate. He swooped down and began pecking at the balrog heart fragments.
After eating these balrog heart fragments, Luke felt a warmth spread through his body, and the Phoenix Fire within him gradually intensified.
But the next second, a sudden change occurred.
Flames inexplicably erupted around his body, becoming uncontrollable and beginning to burn.
Luke was startled and tried to control these flames, but they continuously surged from within him, growing stronger and stronger.
He was like a mobile source of fire, ready to erupt at any moment and consume everything around him.
In a panic, Luke immediately attempted to Apparate outside the Castle, but at the moment of Apparition, affected by the wildly erupting flames within him, something went wrong, and he Apparated directly into the Mithril Furnace.
The Mithril Furnace contained balrog heart crystals, and the temperature inside was extremely high, like a small volcano, enough to melt even Mithril.
Now that Luke appeared inside the Mithril Furnace, it was like an oil barrel colliding with a raging fire. He could no longer suppress it, and with a bang, he burst into flames.
Luke felt an intense heat erupt from within him, and his body spontaneously combusted from the inside out.
The pain of this burning made him let out a mournful cry.
"Luke!" Arwen exclaimed in shock, her face instantly turning pale. She was about to rush towards the furnace to rescue Luke.
However, Gandalf stopped her in time and calmly said, "Arwen, don't panic yet! Luke's Felix Felicis hasn't worn off, so he'll definitely be fine!"
"And I have a feeling that this accident will be good for him. We just need to quietly wait for the outcome."
Hearing Gandalf's words, Arwen reluctantly calmed down, her face filled with worry as she gazed at the furnace.
Inside the furnace, Luke was like a vortex of flames. The energy from the surrounding balrog heart crystals was continuously absorbed into his body, accelerating his burning speed.
The balrog heart crystals were pure fire elemental crystals, like kindling oil, making Luke burn brighter and brighter.
Luke endured the pain of burning, but he couldn't stop it.
Finally, his consciousness became increasingly blurry, eventually plunging into complete darkness.
Outside, Gandalf and Arwen, waiting, felt the movements inside the furnace grow weaker and weaker, until finally, there was no sound at all.
Arwen, who had been worried for a long time, rushed to the side of the furnace. Disregarding the high temperature inside that might burn her, she directly opened the furnace lid.
But once the lid was opened, the sight inside made her pause in surprise.
Gandalf, who had followed, also showed a look of astonishment.
It turned out that inside the furnace, the balrog heart crystals had already been drained of their flame energy, turning into powder with no temperature whatsoever.
The entire furnace was no longer scorching hot; there wasn't a trace of flame, and it had become empty.
Only a small pile of ashes remained at the bottom of the furnace.
Gandalf and Arwen's eyes were fixed on that pile of ashes. They sensed the presence of a life force within it, which was rapidly recovering and growing stronger.
Finally, as they eagerly watched, a small bird's head emerged from the ashes.
It let out a tender, melodious chirp, its eyes darting around. When it saw the large faces of Gandalf and Arwen above, it displayed a human-like expression of shock.
It was a chick, about the size of a newly hatched chicken, with sparse golden-red feathers.
"Luke?" Arwen looked at the chick with some surprise, asking hesitantly.
The chick nodded, responding with a tender chirp.
Seeing this, Gandalf smiled and speculated, "I think Luke just underwent a Phoenix Rebirth. Now he has truly completed his metamorphosis and reached his most perfect state."
Arwen reached her hand into the furnace and took out the chick.
She looked at the adorably ugly Phoenix chick in her palm and asked with concern, "Luke, can you turn back into human form now?"
Luke nodded somewhat uncertainly, then gestured for Arwen to place him on the ground.
As soon as he landed on the ground, Luke recalled the magic circuits of his human form in his mind.
The magic circuits within his body rapidly changed, restructuring themselves.
At the same time, Luke's body also rapidly transformed, beginning to swell and grow larger.
In the blink of an eye, Luke successfully reverted to human form.
However, before he could celebrate, Luke was shocked to find that he had turned into a two or three-year-old child!
When Arwen saw Luke in this state, she was first astonished, then couldn't help but curve her lips into a smile, revealing an amused expression, her eyes even holding a glint of eagerness.
Gandalf, on the other hand, was heartily amused, looking like he was enjoying the show.
"Ha, I didn't expect you, Luke, to be quite cute when you were little. But now that you're so small, can you still attend the wedding next year? Or should I discuss it with Lord Elrond and postpone your and Arwen's wedding until you've grown up?"
Luke, currently naked, blushed deeply under Arwen and Gandalf's gazes. He covered his private parts with one hand and quickly used wandless magic with the other to summon his wand, immediately conjuring a fitted children's outfit for himself.
Then he gave Gandalf an annoyed glare, "No need, thank you! If worst comes to worst, I can always make an Ageing Potion to grow up. Besides, Phoenixes grow very quickly; a year will be enough for me to grow up, and my body will be back to adult size by then."
Luke spoke with full force, but unfortunately, he was currently just a delicate, pink-skinned child, and his voice was very tender, making him look like a child pretending to be an adult.
This made Arwen's eyes light up, and she felt an urge to hold him close and dote on him.
Luke looked at Arwen warily, feeling as if Arwen had suddenly awakened some strange attribute.
"That's a real shame. I actually think you look quite cute right now," Gandalf teased with a chuckle.
"Thanks a lot!" Luke retorted to Gandalf, the old prankster, in an annoyed tone.
He then climbed back onto the furnace, waved his wand to retrieve the ashes inside, and put them into a bottle.
These were the ashes of a Phoenix after its Rebirth, an extremely rare and powerful healing resource in the magic world. They were not only a key ingredient for making resurrection potions but also possessed powerful restorative properties, capable of repairing severely damaged precious magic items.
After doing all this, Luke looked at the empty furnace and couldn't help but feel a little regretful.
Those balrog heart crystals were all extremely rare materials, and now they had all been absorbed and consumed by him during his Rebirth. It wouldn't be as easy to use the furnace to smelt Mithril and other metals in the future.
However, it was also thanks to these balrog heart crystals that Luke was able to successfully complete his Rebirth and truly acquire a Phoenix Animagus without any hidden dangers.
So, overall, it was still very worthwhile.
After acquiring the Phoenix Animagus, Luke's life-saving skills underwent a drastic change.
Even without the Philosopher's Stone and the Elixir of Life, he could achieve a certain degree of immortality by virtue of his Phoenix Animagus.
He could undergo Phoenix Rebirth. When old, he could choose to spontaneously combust into a ball of flames, then be reborn as a chick from the ashes, starting a new cycle.
The only drawback was the need to constantly cycle through the process from infancy to old age, and the Rebirth process itself was incredibly painful, far more agonizing than being burned alive countless times over.
Ordinary people burned to death quickly and no longer felt pain.
But during Rebirth, one would very clearly feel the flames incinerating flesh and bone until the entire body was reduced to ashes, only then would the pain cease.
So each Rebirth was nothing short of a torturous ordeal.
And this was the price of the Phoenix's immortality.
But the benefits were also obvious: in addition to being able to undergo Rebirth when old, in times of severe or even fatal injury, one could choose Rebirth to heal wounds and become lively again.
Even when struck by the fatal Killing Curse, a Phoenix could survive, making it almost impossible to kill.
Therefore, in the future, even if Luke suffered a fatal injury, he wouldn't have to worry about death; he could simply choose Rebirth.
The only side effect was having to experience a period as a child.
Of course, Luke wouldn't become reckless just because he possessed the Phoenix's immortality skill.
Although a Phoenix could undergo Rebirth, each Rebirth required a long time to recover.
If a Phoenix were repeatedly subjected to Killing Curse attacks in a short period, even with the Rebirth skill, it simply couldn't withstand such abuse.
The Phoenix's regenerative power came from the Phoenix Fire within its body. After one Rebirth, the Phoenix Fire would become weak and need to be slowly nurtured to return to its peak before the next Rebirth.
But if forced to undergo continuous Rebirth in a short period, the Phoenix Fire would become increasingly weak.
When the Phoenix Fire was completely exhausted and extinguished, that would be the time of the Phoenix's true death.
Luke, who had transformed back into a child, inevitably encountered some difficulties.
With his tiny body, even climbing steps was a struggle, and he couldn't even hold his magic wand, let alone a staff.
Butler Edward and the servants in the Castle initially thought the rosy-cheeked, innocent-looking Luke was the Lord's illegitimate son.
It wasn't until they confirmed that this was their Lord that they, shocked and as if in a dream, accepted the fact that their Lord had become a child.
Besides facing the astonished gazes of others, Luke also had to contend with Arwen's sudden burst of maternal affection.
Arwen constantly tried to hold him, subtly pinch his cheeks, personally made him food that Elven children ate, and even made him children's clothes… Luke was frightened by Arwen's enthusiasm.
He was afraid that if she continued to care for him, Arwen would only have "motherly love" for him.
He would cry himself to death then!
So Luke, having learned from his pain, resolutely rejected Arwen with a determined look on his small face, and immediately began preparing to make the Ageing Potion.
The ingredients for the Ageing Potion were not complex or hard to find; Luke simply had Butler Edward collect them, and within two days, all the necessary materials were gathered.
Then Luke waved his magic wand and set up a cauldron that was almost as tall as him.
He poured in 2 pints of red wine and 0.5 pints of plum juice, and simmered it over medium heat.
At the same time, Luke stood on a small stool, holding the stirring rod with both hands, huffing and puffing as he continuously stirred counter-clockwise until the liquid turned deep purple and began to bubble on the surface.
When the liquid began to boil, Luke ground the collected 2 ounces of Fringecup into a smooth, lump-free paste, then evenly sprinkled it into the cauldron.
Then he continued to huff and puff, stirring clockwise with the stirring rod for ten minutes.
After ten minutes of stirring, Luke felt his arms ache.
As his age decreased, his physical fitness also weakened, which made Luke very dissatisfied; he only wanted to regain his original strength as soon as possible.
As he stirred, the color of the liquid gradually lightened, turning pale purple.
Immediately, he picked up 2 ounces of turtle shell, which had already been ground into powder, and while continuing to stir, he added the turtle shell powder to the cauldron, keeping the flame on low heat to simmer.
Eight more minutes passed, and when the mixture in the cauldron turned a creamy color, Luke waved his magic wand to remove the cauldron from the fire and let it cool.
After it cooled, he filtered out the turtle shell powder from the liquid with a fine gauze, then put the cauldron back on the fire.
Next, he sliced 5 caterpillars into even thin pieces, added half of them to the cauldron, and at the same time added half of the dried and granulated bat tongues.
During this time, he continuously stirred clockwise.
After eight minutes passed, he added the remaining caterpillars and bat tongues, stirred counter-clockwise twice, and then extinguished the fire.
Even after extinguishing the fire, Luke's movements did not stop; he continued to stir with the stirring rod to cool the Potion.
After stirring for fifteen minutes, Luke stopped, wiped the cold sweat from his face with his small hand, and let out a long sigh.
But looking at the milky white liquid in the pot, a satisfied expression appeared on his small face, reddened by the steam.
He decanted the Potion from the cauldron into Potion bottles, then picked up one bottle of Ageing Potion and gulped it down.
The duration and effect of the Ageing Potion depended on the quality and concentration of its preparation.
An average Ageing Potion, one drop, had the effect of increasing age by one month and lasting for one day.
However, Luke had the guidance of Professor Snape, a Potion Master, through his notes, so the Ageing Potion he made was of the best quality.
One drop of the Potion could increase age by one year and last for one month.
So Luke, calculating the age he needed to add, directly drank 20 drops of Ageing Potion at once.
As he took the Potion, he grew rapidly, as if time had accelerated.
In the blink of an eye, he grew from a two or three-year-old child into a young man in his early twenties.
He conjured a mirror to look at his current appearance, and Luke nodded in satisfaction.
Although he was a bit younger than before, he had finally regained his handsome appearance.
And when Luke walked out of the Potion room again and saw Arwen, he noticed a hint of regret flash across her face, and he immediately felt a pang in his heart.
What was she regretting? Rejecting her handsome fiancé in front of her for a little brat?
If she liked children so much, then they would have more children in the future, Luke silently plotted… Eastern Mordor, Barad-dûr.
Inside an iron cage, a twisted, emaciated figure cowered, its large, pale eyes filled with terror as it gazed at the dark, shadowy figure outside, trembling uncontrollably.
The one in the cage was Gollum, the previous owner of the one ring.
After the one ring was picked up by Bilbo at the bottom of Goblin Town, Gollum had been trying to reclaim it.
So he left the Misty Mountains and searched everywhere for Bilbo, tracking him all the way to Dale, where he learned that Bilbo had already left for the Shire, so he returned the way he came.
But upon entering Mirkwood, because the forest had been reclaimed by the Woodland Realm, Gollum was discovered by patrolling Elves.
Chased by the Elves, Gollum could only flee south, eventually arriving at Dol Guldur.
There, he unexpectedly heard news of Luke from a wandering Orc.
Gollum remembered Luke; back at the bottom of Goblin Town, when he tried to track Bilbo Baggins and reclaim the Ring from him, it was this Wizard who discovered him and almost took his life.
Gollum knew that Bilbo Baggins, who stole his precious, was close to this Black Wizard, and upon hearing that the Black Wizard lived in Isengard, he traveled south, hoping to secretly inquire about the thief Bilbo Baggins.
However, when he reached the outskirts of Isengard, he was blocked by the Wild Men guarding the perimeter and dared not approach.
So he found another way, intending to cross the mountains from Fangorn Forest, east of Isengard, and secretly infiltrate Isengard.
But he was ambushed by the Ents and Huorns in Fangorn Forest and almost died there.
Still terrified, Gollum reluctantly lingered around the outskirts of Isengard, trying to find an opportunity to enter.
Heaven helps those who help themselves, and finally, he got his chance.
Gollum watched as the Wild Men guarding the outskirts of Isengard left to aid Rohan in the East.
Gollum danced with joy, thinking he had finally found an opportunity to infiltrate Isengard.
But he didn't expect that before he could even enter Isengard, a massive Gram, leading many Dragons, attacked Isengard.
Watching the fierce battle erupt in Isengard, with ice and fire constantly intertwined and explosions echoing endlessly, fear rose in Gollum's heart; he dared not approach even half a step, only cowering and hiding in the distance, his face filled with terror.
Especially when he saw the Gram drop an iceberg from the sky, threatening to raze Isengard to the ground.
Gollum's fear completely overwhelmed his desire for the one ring, and he frantically fled for his life, daring not to linger.
He ran eastward, and the residual dark power from the Ring's long-term erosion within him made him feel the call of Mordor in the East, instinctively running in that direction.
But before he could reach Mordor, he was caught in the tornado created by Saruman, who was fleeing to Mordor, and was carried all the way to Mordor.
Gollum had carried the one ring for hundreds of years, and his body had been corrupted and twisted by the Ring's power, leaving him deeply branded by the one ring.
So as soon as he landed in Mordor, he was immediately discovered by Sauron.
Gollum was then taken to Barad-dûr, falling into Sauron's hands, where he was tortured and interrogated about the whereabouts of the Ring.
"Gollum, tell me, where is the one ring?" Sauron's voice was filled with darkness and seductive power.
Gollum tried to say something, but he opened his mouth and nothing came out.
Seeing this, Sauron, thinking Gollum was trying to conceal something, angrily unleashed a powerful aura, and dark power, like tentacles, wrapped around Gollum, tormenting him relentlessly.
Gollum wailed in agony, like a candle flame in a strong wind, threatening to extinguish at any moment.
But Sauron's desire for the one ring surpassed everything, even making him forget the Philosopher's Stone that could reshape his body; he only wanted to retrieve his precious.
Therefore, he could not kill Gollum before obtaining news of the one ring.
After tormenting Gollum to the brink of death, Sauron stopped and continued to interrogate: "Speak! Where exactly is the one ring? Otherwise, I will turn you into a wraith and roast you with dark fire forever!"
Gollum was tear-streaked, his eyes filled with immense fear, too weak to move.
Under severe threat to his life, his dual personality switched in his mind, becoming Smeagol, who had more humanity.
The Smeagol personality had a stronger will to survive than the Gollum personality, and he finally managed to form words. He fearfully clutched his own throat, weakly explaining: "I… I want to speak… but, but I can't! There… there's something stopping me from speaking! Don't… don't kill me!"
Hearing Gollum's explanation, Sauron narrowed his eyes, and the iron cage holding him instantly melted and dissipated, dark tentacles bringing the weak Gollum closer.
Sauron approached Gollum, his dark eyes seemingly able to see through him, constantly scrutinizing Gollum's body.
"Try again to speak the whereabouts of the one ring," Sauron commanded.
Gollum opened his mouth, trying to say Bilbo, but his mouth just opened and closed, unable to make any sound, or even any hint.
And at that moment, Sauron instantly captured a faint, ethereal power.
"This is the power of an oath? It's not directly targeting him, but preventing everyone who knows about the one ring from speaking?" Sauron discerned the truth, his entire being surging with dark energy, "Someone is trying to hide my one ring! Who is it?"
The next second, the giant flaming Eye on Barad-dûr directly locked onto the West.
"Someone capable of Oath magic… Dragon Smaug… Black Wizard Luke, is it you?"
Sauron suspected that Luke had hidden the one ring.
Coupled with the fact that Luke already possessed the Philosopher's Stone, which Sauron coveted, it suddenly became a matter of utmost importance to him.
Meanwhile, Saruman, upon hearing the news of the one ring, a glint of greed flashed in his eyes.
However, mindful of Sauron's presence, he concealed the expression in his eyes and lowered his gaze, falling into thought.
Sauron, however, looked at Gollum before him, and with a shift in his intention, the surrounding dark energy surged into Gollum's body.
Gollum's body rapidly healed, and his strength was restored.
But at the same time, the dark power further corroded his body.
Recovering, Gollum saw his body improve, and his pale, large eyes were filled with disbelief, then he quickly prostrated himself, frantically bowing in gratitude to Sauron.
"I can spare your life, even let you go..." Sauron said, "But you need to help me find the one ring. Can you do it?"
Gollum's eyes widened at this, then he brightened and nodded frantically.
"Gollum can do it! Gollum will definitely help you find the precious!"
Sauron waved his hand, and two dark guards appeared, taking Gollum away.
Saruman, witnessing this, couldn't help but frown, looking disdainfully at the departing Gollum, and asked, "Is it not unwise to spare this nobody and send him to search for the one ring?"
Sauron, however, was confident and said, "This Gollum wore the one ring for hundreds of years and has long since established a connection with it. He will be drawn to the one ring and eventually find it, then bring it back to me."
As he spoke, his gaze turned westward, and his voice grew cold.
"The previous failure at Isengard cost us a Gram and dozens of magic dragons. This time, there can be no accidents!
Let this little creature scout ahead for us. Once the location of the one ring is confirmed, we will strike with thunderous force, reclaiming the one ring at all costs!"
"But even if this nobody finds the one ring, will he willingly hand it over?" Saruman was full of doubt. "I saw pure greed and possessiveness in his eyes. I fear that as soon as he gets the one ring, he will flee into the mountains and hide it."
Sauron did not answer Saruman's words. He waved his hand, summoning the Ringwraiths, and commanded, "Follow him secretly, staying hidden in the Netherworld. Do not alert him."
The Ringwraiths bowed in assent, then their spiritual forms faded as they entered the Netherworld, following and monitoring Gollum...
Gollum, discarded like trash outside the Black Gate of Mordor, watched the Mordor soldiers turn and leave without a backward glance, as if in a dream, unable to believe it was real.
"Gollum is out? Gollum is free!" Gollum excitedly suppressed his voice, muttering to himself, "Smeagol, we are free!"
But his joy was short-lived. Hearing the roars from within the Black Gate, he was startled again, instantly recalling the memories of torture.
He immediately became like a startled bird, fleeing westward without stopping. He even caught a lone wild horse, clinging tightly to its neck, and rode the frightened horse at a gallop.
After the wild horse galloped for several days and nights, becoming too exhausted to run, Gollum bared his fangs, biting frantically at the horse's neck.
The wild horse struggled desperately but eventually collapsed to the ground, its breath completely gone.
After Gollum had his fill of raw meat and blood, his two personalities fell into an argument.
Smeagol, who retained part of his human personality, was timid and cowardly. Terrified by Sauron, he wanted to flee back to the Misty Mountains and hide.
The evil personality, Gollum, however, chastised Smeagol for being cowardly, vowing to reclaim the precious one ring, then hide with the ring, never giving anyone another chance to steal it.
From beginning to end, Gollum never considered giving the one ring to Sauron.
Moreover, Gollum had learned from Mordor that Luke's main camp was at Weathertop, and that the Shire was west of Weathertop.
He still remembered that Bilbo Baggins had once said he was from the Shire.
So Gollum's goal this time was very clear: to go to Weathertop and secretly see if the one ring was in the Black Wizard's hands.
After all, he had heard Sauron say that the power that prevented him from speaking of the one ring was likely from that Black Wizard.
Since the Black Wizard could use magic to hide the one ring, it was highly probable that he had seen the one ring, or even that the one ring was in his hands.
As the holder of the one ring for hundreds of years, Gollum deeply understood its power. He believed that once one saw the one ring, no one could resist its magic.
Therefore, he suspected that the one ring might have already been stolen by the Black Wizard.
When he and his companion found the one ring, he killed his companion directly to possess it alone.
By projecting his own experience, Gollum regarded Luke as the primary suspect for possessing the one ring.
And even if the one ring wasn't in Luke's hands, he could still inquire about the exact whereabouts of Bilbo Baggins...
Time flew by.
Several months had passed since the Phoenix's Nirvana.
Luke's Phoenix Animagus had shed its youthful appearance, its feathers fully grown, and it had transformed back into a magnificent Phoenix the size of a swan.
His human form's age had also increased by about ten years. Without an aging potion, he appeared as a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy.
By now, he no longer frequently took aging potions, only doing so when dating Arwen; he usually presented himself as a young boy.
The servants in the Castle, as well as the two Mayors who regularly reported on work, all went from shock to reverence at Luke's transformation, simply marveling at the Lord's extraordinary nature.
Recently, Luke had once again brewed Felix Felicis.
Besides needing some Felix Felicis for himself, it was also to compensate Arwen and Gandalf for the Felix Felicis they had used.
The powerful effects of Felix Felicis allowed Sulond to successfully transform into a Thunderbird and Luke to transform into a Phoenix.
Such miraculous luck-granting ability was truly a divine medicine for avoiding disaster and achieving goals.
The only regrettable thing was that Felix Felicis could not be consumed excessively. Mildly, it could lead to dizziness, recklessness, and arrogance, resulting in dangerous behavior. Severely, it could lead to addiction or even death.
Moreover, Felix Felicis also had strong drug resistance; if consumed too many times, the effects of the potion would significantly diminish until they disappeared entirely.
Professor Slughorn had only drunk Felix Felicis three times in his life.
Luke had now drunk it twice, and if he didn't want to become arrogant, he could only drink it two or three more times at most.
This was also due to his stronger physical constitution.
The brewing time for Felix Felicis was long. By the time Luke successfully brewed it, half of the year 2948 had already passed.
Only three months remained until his wedding with Arwen.
For the new batch of Felix Felicis, Luke directly gave Arwen a dose sufficient to maintain twelve hours of luck.
He also gave Gandalf a six-hour dose.
However, Gandalf was not at Weathertop at the moment, so Luke simply mailed the Felix Felicis via owl.
Just as Luke was preparing for the upcoming wedding.
Down the mountain at night,
A slender figure quietly arrived at the Black Lake under the cover of darkness.
Gollum, using the moonlight, stared intently at the Castle on the mountain across the lake, his large eyes filled with longing.
He looked at the only bridge leading to the Castle, but the entrance to the bridge was guarded by many militiamen, blocking any possibility of crossing the bridge to the Castle.
Gollum had been lurking here for several days, hiding in nearby caves during the day and secretly coming out at night to listen to the residents' conversations and try to find an opportunity to infiltrate the Castle.
Finally, he discovered that there were still fishermen fishing on the Black Lake, so he quietly came to the pier where the fishing boats were docked, under the cover of night when the surrounding residents were fast asleep.
Gollum took advantage of the moon being obscured by a dark cloud, quickly made his way to the pier, and found a small boat.
He looked left and right, untied the boat rope, then used his hands to paddle the water, sitting in the small boat and quietly approaching the opposite side of the lake.
Mist rose from the lake, obscuring the surroundings. Gollum was extremely cautious, fearing to disturb anything.
Everything went smoothly at first, but after paddling halfway across the lake, Gollum keenly sensed that something seemed to be hidden beneath the surface. He instantly froze, staring at the lake in terror.
But after a long wait, seeing no movement, Gollum bravely paddled again, allowing the boat to continue slowly forward.
As he drew closer and closer to the opposite shore, Gollum's face showed hope.
But the next second, the boat slowly began to move backward, drifting further and further from the opposite shore.
Gollum noticed the anomaly, and his large eyes showed a terrified expression. His body cowered inside the boat, trembling.
At the same time, at the bottom of the boat, a giant tentacle was attached to the hull, treating it like a toy and accelerating its movement across the water.
When it had played enough, several giant tentacles emerged from the lake, wrapped around the small boat, and lifted it up.
Simultaneously, the enormous body of the giant Kraken also emerged from the lake, its eyes playfully staring at the boat.
Gollum looked at the giant octopus before him, his face filled with fear.
The next second, the octopus tentacles wrapped around the small boat began to tighten. The boat let out a creaking sound under the strain, then disintegrated into a pile of wooden planks.
Gollum was wrapped and squeezed by a tentacle, his large eyes seemingly about to pop out, his face contorted in pain.
Just as the giant octopus opened its massive mouth to devour this little creature as a snack.
The giant octopus's body stiffened, instantly letting out a painful shriek, throwing Gollum away. At the same time, deep blue blood flowed from its underwater body, staining the lake blue.
Gollum didn't know what had happened. When he was thrown into the water, he used his skilled swimming abilities to frantically swim back, escaping that terrifying giant octopus.
In the Castle, Luke, who was sleeping, was instantly awakened by the Kraken's wail from down the mountain.
He quickly Apparated to the lakeside.
Seeing the Kraken struggling in the lake, surrounded by a pool of blue blood and clearly injured, his expression immediately became solemn.
"Finite Incantatem!"
Luke waved his magic wand, and the lake water was parted by an invisible force, revealing the Kraken's full body.
Luke went to the Kraken's side and saw a gash on its abdomen, continuously bleeding blue blood, appearing to have been sliced open by a sharp blade.
What made Luke frown and his expression grave was that the wound carried a powerful curse and dark aura.
While continuously eroding the Kraken's body, it was also preventing the wound from healing.
Luke was very familiar with this dark power; it was clearly a wound left by a morgul blade.
He was extremely surprised, but seeing the Kraken bleeding profusely and in immense pain, he decided to use magic to heal it first.
He waved his wand and used a healing spell to mend the wound, but it was clearly ineffective, not even the magic created by Professor Snape to heal the Dark Arts spell Sectumsempra worked.
Seeing this, Luke took out the golden cup, scooped up some lake water, swirled it three times, and then poured it directly onto the wound.
The wound began to heal at a visible rate, and the bleeding stopped.
But Luke still didn't relax; the most dangerous aspect of a morgul blade is that it leaves fragments in the wound upon impact. These fragments continuously burrow deeper into the flesh, flowing through the blood vessels until they pierce the heart, transforming the victim into a Netherworld puppet creature.
Luke simply transformed into his Phoenix form and squeezed a few drops of tears onto the wound.
The tears fell on the wound, immediately reacting with a sizzling sound, rapidly purifying the dark power on the wound, which dispersed as wisps of black smoke.
At the same time, the morgul blade fragments that had been burrowing into the flesh were melted and expelled as if they had met their nemesis.
The Kraken finally recovered and let out a grateful shriek towards Luke.
"Alright, explain clearly, how did you get injured?"
The Kraken immediately let out a series of excited shrieks towards Luke, and Luke, listening to its thoughts, grew increasingly surprised.
The Kraken hadn't seen who attacked it. According to its account, it was about to eat someone who was trying to sneak across when something suddenly appeared at the bottom of the lake, attacked it directly with a weapon, and then vanished into thin air.
Listening to the Kraken's description of the stowaway, Luke had a guess.
He waved his wand and conjured Gollum's figure: "Was it this person?"
The Kraken nodded.
Luke's expression grew serious. He hadn't expected Gollum to suddenly appear here, and the one who ambushed the Kraken was very likely a Ringwraith.
The Ringwraith attacking the Kraken was clearly to prevent the Kraken from eating Gollum.
With these things appearing in his territory, Luke immediately guessed their purpose.
After all, with these fellows appearing here, they could only be after the one ring.
So Gollum was captured by Mordor? And Sauron also knows about the one ring?
Luke felt a little uneasy thinking about this.
However, remembering that the one ring was kept secret by the Fidelius Charm and was still in Tom Bombadil's hands, he relaxed.
Gollum and the Ringwraiths appearing here now probably know that the Ring's whereabouts are related to them, but they are not certain of the Ring's exact location.
Luke thought that Gollum shouldn't have run far. He waved his wand, "Guide me!"
The wand shot out a beam of light, which pointed across the lake towards Hogsmeade.
Luke Apparated to the other side of the lake, but just as he was about to track, he found the light here became chaotic, pointing erratically.
Was some power shielding his magic tracking?
Luke's expression was solemn.
He used the Hominum Revelio spell to reveal Gollum's possible hidden location nearby, but still found nothing.
He quickly returned to Hogwarts Castle, took out the palantír, and tried to track Gollum.
But just as he looked into the palantír, a fiery Eye of Sauron appeared within the crystal.
"Sauron!" Luke gritted his teeth.
Without hesitation, he took out the Light of Eärendil beside him and shone it directly on the crystal, which made the Eye retreat.
Seeing Sauron watching him, Luke quickly put away the palantír and sealed it with the Light of Eärendil in a Mithril box.
Sauron held the master palantír, allowing him to freely spy on everything here through the crystal, even using Luke's crystal as a remote monitor.
With the palantír useless, Luke considered taking Felix Felicis to find Gollum.
But after some thought, he decided it wasn't worth wasting it on this matter.
Gollum himself wasn't important; what was important was Sauron's attempt to find information about the one ring.
Although he couldn't find Gollum with the palantír, Luke didn't intend to give up.
He transformed into a Phoenix, circling in the sky, radiating light that illuminated the earth, and emitting a melodious song that echoed all around.
The Phoenix's light was full of brightness and holiness, enough to make darkness unable to hide.
The Phoenix's song also carried magic, combining the powers of the Ring of Fire and the horn of victory. It could not only dispel fear and calm emotions, but for dark creatures and those with dark hearts, it was like a thunderous sound, having a restraining and deterrent effect.
The sleeping residents of Amon Sul, hearing the Phoenix's song, smiled and sank deeper into their sweet dreams.
Sulond also flew out of his nest, circling above Weathertop and the surrounding area, enveloped in storms and lightning, like a god of thunder descending, overlooking the surrounding regions, his sharp gaze monitoring the movements on the ground.
An entire night passed until dawn, but Gollum was not found, nor were there any traces of the Ringwraiths.
Luke could only sigh that Gollum was quite good at hiding.
As for the Ringwraiths, because they could enter the Netherworld, even Luke couldn't do anything to them without ample preparation.
Unable to find them, Luke had no choice but to give up, but to be safe, he still set up magic in the surroundings so that he would discover Gollum or the Ringwraiths the moment they reappeared.
As days passed, Luke's wedding day drew nearer.
But suddenly one day, the Castle's fireplace burned with green flames.
Bilbo emerged from the fireplace, looking disheveled, and cried out in panic: "Luke! Gollum has come to the Shire!"
"What?" Luke was a little surprised, but he first carefully examined Bilbo, "Are you alright?"
Bilbo shook his head. Besides a few scratches on his body, he had a clear bite mark on his hand.
"I'm fine, thanks to the Floo Network, I was able to get here from Bag End, but Gollum is still in Bag End!"
Luke raised his wand and cast a spell to heal Bilbo's wounds first.
"Let's go to Bag End." Luke transformed into a Phoenix, grabbed Bilbo, and vanished in a flash of flames.
When they reappeared, they were already inside Bag End.
Luke transformed into human form, frowning as he looked at the messy surroundings.
There were signs of everything being ransacked, as if someone was searching for something.
But Gollum was no longer here.
Clearly, Gollum was searching for the one ring.
"Revelio!" He waved his wand, and golden mist spread around, then condensed to show the scenes that had occurred earlier.
Bilbo was quietly sitting in his study, compiling his travelogue, when Gollum stealthily snuck into Bag End. Before Bilbo could discover him, Gollum knocked Bilbo unconscious with a wooden stick.
Then he tied Bilbo up with ropes, first searching Bilbo's person, and after finding nothing, he began frantically rummaging through Bag End.
After searching every corner of Bag End, the desperate and frustrated Gollum angrily demanded to know the whereabouts of the Ring from Bilbo.
He even held a cleaver to Bilbo's neck, threatening him to reveal where the Ring was hidden.
This scene made Luke worry for Bilbo.
But Bilbo, having gone through the Lonely Mountain expedition and subsequent events, was no longer the original hobbit. Even in a dangerous situation, he remained calm.
Instead, he cleverly used words to stall Gollum, tricking him into believing he had hidden the Ring in a place no one knew about, and promised to return the Ring to him.
He successfully tricked Gollum into untying his feet, and Bilbo seized the opportunity to kick Gollum over, then quickly ran to the fireplace, grabbed a handful of Floo powder, threw it into the fireplace, and vanished into the fireplace before Gollum could catch him.
The dazzling green fire scared Gollum into retreating in panic, only able to watch Bilbo escape.
At this point, Luke originally thought Gollum would choose to leave Bag End.
However, to his surprise, Gollum's gaze fell on the remaining Floo powder. He copied Bilbo, grabbed a handful of Floo powder, and threw it into the fireplace.
Gollum tentatively put his hand into the flames, and after not feeling any burning sensation, he immediately showed a look of surprise.
Then he walked directly into the green fire, his mouth moving slightly, and then quickly disappeared into the fireplace.
Although he couldn't hear what Gollum was saying, Luke could still discern from the movement of his mouth that he had said "Hogwarts Castle."
So, they had just missed Gollum?
Seeing this scene, Bilbo immediately looked ashamed and nervous: "I'm sorry, Luke, I think I've caused you trouble!"
Luke shook his head and comforted him: "No need to apologize, he's just walked into a trap, and it saved me the trouble of finding him."
He then waved his wand, restoring everything in Bag End to its original state.
After temporarily sealing off the Floo Network in Bag End's fireplace, Luke took Bilbo back to Weathertop.
As soon as they returned to Weathertop, it was already very lively here.
Sulond, the Thunderbird, let out a warning cry, and the sky above the entire Castle was covered in dark clouds, with lightning and thunder.
The portraits on the walls were eagerly discussing the uninvited guest who had appeared in the Castle.
"Where is he?" Luke asked his own portrait.
"A portrait on the seventh floor just saw Gollum. He should be hiding somewhere nearby now."
Luke nodded and immediately Apparated to the seventh floor.
"Hominum Revelio!"
Luke cast the spell around him.
A magical light wave rapidly spread outwards, exposing anyone hidden nearby.
"Found you!" Luke sneered, instantly spotting Gollum hiding in the fireplace chimney.
Seeing that he had been discovered, Gollum's face showed terror. He immediately pulled out a handful of Floo powder, threw it into the fireplace below, and shouted: "Bag End!"
Green flames ignited, but they didn't transport Gollum away.
Gollum didn't give up, again pulling out a large handful of Floo powder and throwing it down, continuously shouting various place names.
But he remained in place, instead getting choked by the soot until tears and snot streamed down his face.
Luke's face showed mockery. He had already shut down the Castle's Floo Network fireplaces, so no amount of shouting would work.
With a wave of his hand, the fireplace bricks automatically separated, revealing the terrified and trembling Gollum inside.
"Petrificus Totalus." A single spell froze Gollum in place.