The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 38 Daily Life with the White Witch

Reindeer pull sleds, speeding across the boundless ice field.

Sitting next to the Queen, Ino noticed something slightly amiss upon close contact.

The other person's skin was so fair that it was almost glowing white, whether it was their face, neck, or even their palms, like smooth and delicate porcelain.

The scene before him made him sigh inwardly, no wonder the good natives of Narnia jokingly called her the evil White Witch.

If they had a different skin color... who knows what kind of bizarre nicknames they'd get.

……

Just as Ino was about to continue observing, the cold voice rang out again.

"What are you looking at?"

"I'm watching to see how much longer it will take to reach the station, after all, we've been on the sleds for quite a while now."

Even if he was caught peeping, he would make up an excuse without batting an eye.

"Call me Your Majesty!"

"Very well! Your Majesty, I was just checking the route."

Ino readily changed the way she was addressed, since she hadn't lost anything anyway. Upon closer examination, the witch in front of her was indeed a genuine queen.

"Hmm~" The witch let out a barely audible sound from her nostrils.

However, unbeknownst to anyone, the two silver fir wood pry bars of the sled were now emitting a faint blue light.

Wherever it passed, it instantly turned the soft snow into a smooth ice surface.

It's fortunate that there are few landmarks in the wilderness and ice fields, otherwise you would definitely find that the speed of the sled has increased by more than one level.

……

They sped along at breakneck speed.

Finally, after crossing a frozen river, the sled arrived at a relatively flat area.

The White Witch's palace and castle stood majestically on the icy plains.

Compared to the solemnity of Hogwarts, this frozen castle exudes a sharp and edgy atmosphere.

Because apart from the main building, the rest of it consists of towering towers, each slender tower resembling a row of spears, firmly guarding the surrounding area.

The sled came to a steady stop outside the castle gate.

"Simon, park it properly! Then tell them to prepare dinner."

The White Witch stepped off the carriage first and then gave instructions to the dwarf in front of her.

Ino followed behind the witch, adhering strictly to standard court etiquette, always maintaining a distance of one body length from her.

The two walked one after the other through a narrow corridor and arrived at the entrance to the castle hall.

Along the way, he also discovered something strange.

It was so quiet here that you couldn't see a single living creature in the vast castle.

The corridors, side halls, suspension bridges, gardens... everything was covered in ice and snow, making it a veritable forbidden zone for life.

The only sound was the noise made by his heavy boots as he trudged through the snow.

As for the White Witch, even though she wears 12-centimeter crystal high heels, she doesn't make a sound when she steps on the ice and snow.

……

"Boom!"

The heavy stone doors of the auditorium opened automatically.

The hall was filled with countless fantastical creatures, their figures flickering.

Huge centaur warriors, giants over twenty feet tall, dwarves wielding bows and arrows, minotaurs, goat-men, and even various ferocious beasts.

But without exception, all these figures maintained the same posture, remaining completely still.

Just as Ino was about to take a closer look, she heard the White Witch's impatient voice.

"Never mind them, they're just some former rebels, but now they've become decorations in my castle."

……

Time passed slowly.

At the time of the banquet, the White Witch's castle finally regained some of its vitality.

A dozen or so dwarves dressed in uniform appeared in the hall and then busily set up the tables, lit candlesticks, passed dishes, and set out tableware. After they finished doing all this, they left quietly.

At the dining table, Ino and the White Witch sat facing each other.

"Tell me! Why did you come to Narnia? If it weren't for the fact that we're both wizards, you'd be a decorative statue by now."

The White Witch asked directly.

"Your Majesty, I have come without any purpose." Ino raised his head and looked intently at the other party.

"I am really just a wandering bard. I learned a few spells, mostly to have the ability to fight off bandits on my journey."

Upon hearing this explanation, the White Witch did not respond immediately.

She stared into Ino's eyes for a long time, then raised her head slightly to look at the empty hall around her.

The atmosphere gradually became tense, until...

"Alright, I'll believe you for now," the White Witch said softly.

Phew~ Ino breathed a sigh of relief; it was just too oppressive.

As the de facto ruler of Narnia and a powerful wizard, the combination of these two qualities creates an aura that is simply unbearable for ordinary people.

Even Professor McGonagall, another powerful witch, pales in comparison in terms of presence. Perhaps only Dumbledore could truly rival her.

"Thank you for your trust." Ino stepped forward and bowed slightly.

When you're under someone's roof, sometimes you really have to bow your head.

He ate this dinner with great awkwardness, mainly because the White Witch's every word and action was too in accordance with court dining etiquette.

Their focused demeanor showed no sign of relaxation despite the fact that there were only two people in the auditorium.

On the other hand, although he had learned some court etiquette from his teacher Hans, compared to the White Witch, he seemed to be merely imitating her.

There's no way around it; one is natural after getting used to it, and the other is clumsy imitation. The difference between them is really quite significant.

However, this awkwardness did not last long. As the White Witch put down her cutlery, the dinner party came to an end.

The dwarves reappeared, and after another flurry of activity, the hall returned to peace.

"Since you call yourself a bard, then tell me a story," the White Witch instructed.

He had no objection to such a reasonable request. Although he had been coerced into coming, he had at least eaten a meal and was entitled to a story as payment, which was not unreasonable at all.

……

In the spacious auditorium hall.

Ino's choice to tell the White Witch the story of the Little Match Girl was not only to fulfill his promise to Old John, but also to incorporate his own experiences, making the storyline more complete.

A dozen minutes later, the accordion suddenly began to play a mournful tune.

"...When the little girl was found the next day, she was already dead, frozen to death on a cold Christmas."

"A happy smile graced her lips as her small body leaned against the corner of the wall, as if she were asleep and having a sweet dream."

"Boom!"

Just as Ino was preparing to give her thanks, a violent hurricane suddenly swept through the auditorium, causing the surrounding furniture to be blown about.

Faced with this sudden turn of events, he seized the opportunity, grabbed the accordion, and scrambled to hide behind the giant statue, thus avoiding the danger of being blown over by the hurricane.

"Frozen to death? So you blame the cold winter? If it weren't for her irresponsible father and that scoundrel of an uncle, would she have died?"

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(End of this chapter)