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  Chapter 117-A Meeting Beneath The Streets.

  I didn't stick around in Italy waiting to be found and murdered by the vampires after me, which I am sure they are, more than ever considering what I just did the Lucian D'Arcana. First of all, he reacted like he was having an allergic reaction when he licked a bit of my blood, something about dragon's blood? And then I burnt him, and then I hit him with the full force of the sun, well, the full force of what I could bring forth to be more accurate, before running away. So yeah, needless to say, I couldn't comfortably stay within the bounds of Italy and just wait for death, which is why I temporarily left the country.

  This isn't me running away; this is me doing a strategic retreat to regroup, heal, assess and then strike back. Of course, I was not going to take any official methods out of the country as they might be watching those avenues, so I took myself over the border myself. I lost all of my things in the monastery, I didn't have time to collect it all, and with it burning down around me and the big vampire trying to murder me, I skedaddled quickly. Thankfully, I always kept a shrunken broom on a chain I kept around my neck. Enlarging that, I was able to rise high above the clouds, safely leave Italy and head into the bordering country France.

  It was hard to do it with just one hand, given one of my wrists was snapped, but I managed to do it. I didn't try anything to heal my wrist or make it better, as I could do it wrong, and then my arm would be stuck with that unless I broke it even worse just so a skilled professional could put it back together. No, it was better to leave it be and get a professional to look at it, which was what I was in France for. I had managed to get my hands on an owl before leaving Italy, and I managed to send out a few letters. I am hopeful that they are responded to and the people I asked to meet me will actually meet me in France.

  I landed down in France after applying some stealth spells to myself to make people not take notice of me, and then I was off. Just because I left Italy didn't mean I was going to get reckless; I am sure my enemies are also present in this country. They probably won't be looking for me here, but that is not a reason to go and show my face everywhere without fear. Making my way through Paris, I keep an eye out for anything suspicious, but I find nothing. Remembering the content of the letter I sent out, I requested them to leave a message in a particular spot, and so I made my way there. Once I was in front of the Eifel Tower, I contemplated getting out my broom and flying to the top, but I thought there would be too much risk to do that, and so I just went the normal way.

  Sneaking onto the elevator, I made my way up as high as I could go, and once I was on the top floor, I looked around for the message. I said to leave it here, but there is nothing that jumps out at first glance. However, I realise what was left for me after a moment of further observation as I find a book resting on top of a nearby table, which everyone else seems to ignore. Walking over to it, I see it is one of my books. Looking at the title, I couldn't help but snort in amusement. Voyages With Vampires. In it, I make it so a vampire can't eat anything but lettuce. If it isn't clear, the vampire in the book is so far down on the vampire totem pole he would be the equivalent of a vampire janitor. At the end of the day, the original Gilderoy stole that story from another person, and now I am in the middle of a real adventure with a vampire.

  I didn't inform anyone I contacted of what happened to me or about the vampire problem I had; I merely requested to meet up without much more information. It's quite ironic that they would leave this book here to contact me; it seems like fate. Or maybe it is just the world making fun of me. Either way, I quickly shirk it off and pick up the book, rifling through the pages until a note drops out of it. Picking up the note, I read the information on it, which made me raise an eyebrow, but I pocketed it anyway, along with the book, before leaving the tower.

  Following the information given to me, I made my way to Avenue du Colonel Henri Roi-Tanguy, which took me a while as I had no clue how to speak French and I couldn't read it anyway, so I had to spend a lot of energy communicating with people. Thankfully, Paris is a tourist destination, and so is the place I am headed. Once I made it to the street, I quickly made my way to the entrance of the place I had been told to go to, and I journeyed down into the depths. Les Catacombes de Paris. The catacombs of Paris. It is not the nicest place to have a meeting, but it is definitely secluded and secretive, and according to the note, there is a magical hidden area down here, which is where I am headed.

  I have to say this is the creepiest fucking place I have ever been, and I have been inside the Chamber of Secrets. The walls are mainly made up of bones and skulls with each of them being so aged and old that they are basically yellow. Thankfully, the place is well lit up as it is a good spot for tourists to go through. There are actually quite a lot of people exploring these underground tunnels right now, and that makes the place seem a lot safer and less creepy. Of course, then I finally got to the wall described in the note.

  I followed the instructions to the letter, taking the first left, second right and then the next right before heading over to the brick wall, which was next to a deformed human skull. It said the secret area would be through here. So I put a hand against it, and when it slips through, I follow on with the rest of my body and walk in. I would like to retract my previous statement, as this place is now the creepiest place I have ever been. Since I am now in a magical area, it is no longer well-lit up. Now, there are torches on the wall every few meters, the fire burning orange and making the skulls surrounding me have a haunted glow.

  This is where the information from the note ended, merely stating the meeting would be here, so I move forward with trepidation, my wand in my hand, ready to be used. Walking forward, I am confused when I am faced with multiple new pathways, and with no clue where to go, I stick to the tried and true method of gaming when it comes to mazes, which is to stick to the left wall, and you will eventually get where you need to go. So that is what I do, but I grow more and more worried as I continue to walk. By the time I have travelled down ten different pathways, I know that I may have messed up irreversibly. I am unirevocably lost.

  I lose count of how long I have been down here, constantly walking around corners and down different passages to the point that It all begins to look the same, and I begin to wonder if I have turned insane. The skulls look like they are beginning to move, whispering secrets to you, but you can never quite hear what they are saying, and when you focus on them, they are not moving, but you can see movement in the corner of your eye. Yeah, I am definitely going insane. I am getting closer and closer to the edge of reason, and I am very close to just saying fuck it and blasting down walls to get where I need to go. And then I turn a corner, and- "Ah!" I scream, pointing my wand forward.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Thankfully, I stopped myself from firing off a spell when I noticed it was a person in front of me and not a Necromatic Lich. A very beautiful person, a person I would not mind taking to dinner and more after. However, I am still on edge, so I snap at her. "I've been down here for ages. The place is a bloody maze." I say, lowering my wand and releasing a silent sigh of relief that I would no longer have to wander around here without knowing where I am heading or what's around the corner.

  "You entered five minutes ago. Grow some balls." The blonde-haired Balkan witch before me states, her lips flat and her face serious and looking like a stone-cold bitch. "My, Ivana, such a cold reception. One would think you were not happy to see me." I remark, closing the distance between us with a flirty smile. She was not receptive, so I was on the money as she held her wand up at me.

  "I have no time for your foolishness, Lockhart. Now follow and keep up, or I'll leave you down here forever." She turns around and begins to stalk off, and I quickly follow her, making sure to keep some distance as this is a dangerous woman. Ivana Dragovitch is a Balkan dark creature hunter and magical bounty enforcer who specialises in lycanthrope containment and rogue duelling. She's gruff, no-nonsense and very literal. One thing that worries me about her is that she despises liars. Which this body formerly was before I took it over, and I've heard stories of what she's done to people that have lied to her, and I do not want to be discovered.

  Thankfully, she doesn't have any suspicions of me. Oh, she is definitely impatient with me, given my behaviour and attitude, but she's willing to put up with it since she thinks I pull my weight. However, she will absolutely snap if she catches me underperforming or thinks I am a fraud, which, thankfully, I am not anymore. She does, however, not think I am as impressive as people think I am. That, fortunately, is very much not true anymore.

  I quickly bring my gaze up to her head when she glances back, and I hope she didn't catch me staring at her ass because it's liable to get my balls cut off. But she just snorts and looks away, muttering about me being a fool. So yeah, she caught me looking, but knowing she isn't going to do anything about it, I go back to looking at her ass again; it keeps my mind off the pain my wrist is in. Soon, we come upon a door that is made of something other than bones for once, wood, and we enter it. Inside is a round table, and people are sitting there, and they look up at my arrival.

  "Ah, Gilderoy, my friend. Good to see you, though I suspect you did not call us merely to hang out." Jo?o Coelho said, looking happy to see me. Probably the only person who sat at the table who was genuinely happy to see, but I can not say as much for the others. Jo?o Coelho is a Brazilian field operative and Magizoologist from Castelobruxo who is famous for taming aggressive magical beasts and navigating wild terrains. He's a down-to-earth, bold, and good-humoured guy. I'm sure he would have been a Gryffindor if he had gone to Hogwarts. Unlike the others here, he actually treats me like a comrade. Takes my stories at face value, but I know he thinks it's more bark than bite, but he never says it. He is a cool dude.

  "I took time out of my busy schedule to be here, so this better be important, Lockhart." Veruca Buckthorn-Snyde all but snarls at me, tapping her finger on the table. She is from England like me, but I haven't interacted with her much. All I know is that she is a rich, pure-blood supremacist with Ministry ties. She strikes me as bitter and elitist, but she is undeniably intelligent and resourceful, which is why she is here. She is cold, cunning, and ambitious, but she is useful. I know she is impressed by my fame, though she doesn't try to show it and makes it known she thinks I'm vulgar and common and thinks my fame has gone to my head.

  "I believe the situation must be very dire if Mr Lockhart has contacted us. He has never done such a thing before." Tariq El-Gamal responds calmly, sipping on a cup of tea. An Egyptian scholar of necromancy and ancient magical hieroglyphs. He is deeply respected in academic circles but usually remains quiet. When he does talk, he is wise, disciplined, and soft-spoken. He also often manages to always somehow speak about his deep spiritual beliefs. He treats me with respect, but he stays distant. I know he thinks I am shallow and vain, and he's not wrong, but other than that, he doesn't have any problems with me.

  "Obviously, something is wrong; look at his wrist. Come here so I can heal it." Rika Kawatani gestures for me to come towards her. A Japanese healer and warding expert from Mahoutokoro. She is dressed like a Shinto maid or priestess, a Miko, I think it is called. I won't deny that she's doing something to me, but though she's a healer, she isn't very approachable. She is meticulous, stoic, and highly logical. Actually, it reminds me a bit of Andromeda. I know she doesn't like my flair for dramatics, and she doesn't like people who talk too much, which I do, as well. She hasn't interacted with me much in the past.

  "Ah, poor baby~! Would you like me to kiss it better?" Cassandra Voleur coos at me, to which I wave her off with a flirty smile as I sit down next to Rika and extend my arm for her to inspect. Cassandra is a French magical antiquities specialist who studied at Beauxbatons. Known for recovering cursed artefacts and surviving shady deals. She is kind of like Lara Croft, but a lot more shady and French, so very flirty as well. I don't take her seriously as I know it's a game she plays to get the advantage; she is actually quite elegant, aloof, and always scheming. Through past memories, I know she finds me amusing and charming, but she likes to play with me. Needless to say, that won't be happening anymore; she just led me on and left me hanging.

  "We do not have time for games; something is clearly wrong." Sigrid Foss rebukes Cassandra. He is a Norwegian runemaster, folklorist, researcher and spell-forger. He is the basic forgetful researcher who often forgets everything when something interests him; he is thoughtful, private, and analytical. He cares more about his work than people and remains courteous but is still reserved. He doesn't care about fame or power, but though he is invested in stories, he believes actions speak louder than words. He hasn't seen any action from me thus far that makes me seem worth his time.

  "Please, he probably just hurt it in some stupid accident. Probably hurt himself, messing with things he doesn't understand." Violet Selwyn says derisively, glaring at me. A distant relative of the Selwyn Death Eater line, much more serving of the title of a noble than he cousins, but not by much. She is trying to restore honour to her family name, whatever that means. She is an expert in magical diplomacy and history, the textbook intelligent woman who is graceful, strategic, and proud; she always keeps her emotions in check, except when it comes to me. On the surface, she is cordial and respectful, treating me as if I were a fellow public figure. However, she does not like me very much. If anything, I would say she's slightly jealous of my reputation.

  "I have told you all, we must be here. The fates predict bad times if we do not." Arun Jha speaks in a cryptic way, being true to his profession as a dreamwalker and illusionist. An Indian Trained at Uagadou that specialises in espionage and magical manipulation of perception with his illusion magic, but he seems to be in illusion most of the time. He is mysterious and calm and often acts ethereal by speaking of fate and destiny. I sometimes find him staring at me, fascinated, as if he is reading between the lines of my identity and me. I don't like being around him, as he often seems like he is trying to understand me.

  "I trust Arun and his intuition; it has never led us wrong in the past. Let us hear out Gilderoy and why he has called us here." Madam Patricia Rakepick, a former Gryffindor. She is also a former Gringotts Curse-Breaker as well as being a former Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. If I remember correctly, she ended up leaving Hogwarts after she... murdered a student.

  "What the hell is she doing here!? She is a wanted criminal!" I shout, surprised how the other members of the Dark Force Defence League are okay with her being here.

  The Dark Force Defence League makes its appearance, with some members showing up at Gilderoy's request. And also a child murderer? Let's see what happens.

  So, what does everyone think now that I’m back? Any suggestions or ideas to help me out?

  Upcoming Chapters:

  Hero: Chapter 118- Regroup.

  Super: Chapter 120- To Italy Once More.

  Legendary: Chapter 122- Allergic To Blood?

  Galactic: Chapter 126- Betrayal on The Bed.

  Mythic: Chapter 129- Back to England.

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  That is all for now. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I will see you in the next one!

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