Every mighty river is born from countless tributaries merging as one. The Ganges was no different, and the stream before Tom and his companions was one of those feeder veins. It wasn't particularly wide, perhaps only a few dozen meters across, but its depth remained a mystery. Being so far upstream, the water was relatively clear—at least clear enough to see something beneath the surface.
"Tom, there's something down there," Nagini hissed, sensing a faint magical pulse emanating from beneath the riverbed.
"Should we investigate?" Cassandra asked Tom, her curiosity piqued. Was this the kind of magic that could truly "suppress" other magic? The riverbank was littered with the usual debris and animal carcasses, hardly pristine. Still, with a well-placed Water-Repelling Spell, cleanliness wouldn't be an issue.
"Scarface, you go down and take a look," Malfoy said, shoving Harry roughly. He was loath to consume anything from this region after his near-miss with the river witch, subsisting solely on provisions brought from Hogwarts. Miraculously preserved by magic, his food remained as fresh as the moment it was prepared. He finally understood Tom's insistence on packing supplies. Long live the Master!
"That won't be necessary," Tom stated, stepping towards the riverbank. As his foot touched the water, the river parted, revealing the exposed bed.
"..." Harry couldn't suppress a sigh. Am I just utterly lacking in imagination? Or is the Master simply too extraordinary? The others mirrored his sentiment, though with less outward display.
Ashok, however, was genuinely astonished, his mouth agape.
...
They descended to the riverbed. Tom extended his hand, and the silt scattered, revealing fragments of an ancient totem buried within. The pieces were enormous, some spanning several meters indicating impressive original scale.
Tom surveyed the wreckage. "Yes, undoubtedly traces of ancient magic."
"..." The others, anticipating this development, showed little surprise. Such a venerable land was bound to conceal ancient secrets.
"However…" Tom pointed toward the debris aloft, a faint golden aura emanating from it. "This requires a specific catalyst to unlock its power. It feels like the legacy of an ancient wizard—something Salazar Slytherin might have left for his descendants."
A complex emotion flickered in Ashok's eyes. He remained silent, knowing Tom possessed insight. He was waiting for Ashok to speak.
Tom obliged. "I seem to recall Anand Singh mentioning that over thirty years ago, a teenager miraculously survived the village tragedy by sheer luck."
"…" A ripple of surprise passed through the group. Severus Snape cast a sidelong glance at Ashok, who stood with averted gaze, lost in contemplation.
"Ashok, you seem particularly invested in this incident, enough to seek my aid," Tom said, turning towards him. "Surely there's more to it than a favor for a former colleague."
"…" Cassandra and the others exchanged widened glances, realization dawning upon them.
"I suspect those hundred-odd villagers weren't merely victims of Kavi Sharma's accidental magical outburst," Severus Snape drawled. "They were intentionally sacrificed, were they not?"
Nagini hissed softly, "The villagers… were descendants of that wizard."
"So he used them to activate the ancient magic?" Cassandra asked, bewildered. "But Minister Anand Singh said it was a Muggle village."
Nearby, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy wisely refrained from engaging their minds, content in their role as mere henchmen.
Nagini shook her head. "Perhaps it was an unforeseen consequence. After so long, accidents are inevitable."
"But…" Cassandra persisted. "Ashok Petil is a wizard. According to Minister Anand Singh, the survivor would have been over eleven years old. How could he survive without magical training, unless he was..."
"I only developed magic after Kavi Sharma broke the seal," Ashok Petil interrupted, meeting Tom's gaze. "This totem seals not only the ancient magic but also the wizarding bloodline. Our survival depended on feigning Muggle status."
"Perhaps something happened to him back then?" Ashok Petil's face twisted in bitterness. "The only way for his descendants to survive was to pretend to be Muggles."
"Yet, breaking the seal would restore our magic and grant access to the ancient power he left behind." Ashok Petil forced a smile. "By the time we discovered this, it was too late. I was the last of my village, and the ancient magic was in Kavi Sharma's hands."
Ashok Petil looked pointedly at Tom. "Professor, I must admit, you possess a remarkable ability to unearth long-forgotten truths, an ability that clearly surpasses that of the Ministry."
"..." Severus Snape spared Tom another expressionless glance….Guessed? He simply reads aloud the answers!
"I apologize for withholding this information," Ashok Petil said quickly, desperate to avoid inciting Tom's wrath. "It was not my intention to cause offense…I will make amends."
"What amends can you offer?" Tom questioned.
"I can offer…"
"Money? Magic? Power? You possess nothing that I desire."
"..."
"Heh, I have no interest in punishing you further," Tom said with a cold chuckle. "Besides, I am far from displeased. This venture has proven most rewarding."
Seizing the opportunity, Ashok Petil offered, "If the professor desires it, I will gladly assist him with taking the ancient magic from Kavi Sharma!"
"However…" Ashok Petil hesitated, recalling the villagers, "Kavi Sharma's memories will be formidable to access."
"Such measures are unnecessary."
"..." Is your method of extracting memories so remarkable? Ashok Petil's face grew more thoughtful.
"Accessing ancient magic requires witnessing its traces. This ancestor didn't leave behind mere knowledge; instead, he provided insight for his descendants who may have been unable to see them."
The ruins before Tom spontaneously reconstructed, morphing into a circular totem statue several meters in diameter, etched with strange runes and radiating a faint light from its very core. "He left behind an Ancient Magic Rune."
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