"Bilbo, are you sure you want to do this?"
"The dragon is awake, and it might be lying in wait for us to walk into its trap. It will be extremely dangerous if you go. You might even die."
Facing Gandalf and Sylas's worried and disapproving expressions, Bilbo responded with a bright smile.
"After all, isn't this what I came here to do?"
"My luck has always been good. Maybe I'll find the Arkenstone the moment I step inside, and I won't even run into the dragon."
Bilbo's words seemed to reassure them, but also himself. Gandalf remained visibly worried, even regretting that he had ever dragged this innocent Hobbit into such dangerous affairs.
Sylas, however, quietly observed Bilbo's hand slipping into his pocket, a thoughtful look on his face.
Though Bilbo spoke with lighthearted optimism, wasn't this actually a sign of confidence, not in luck, but in the One Ring hidden in his pocket?
Since the one taking the risk had already made his choice, neither Sylas nor Gandalf had any real reason to object.
Before Durin's Day arrived, however, a full moon night came first.
That night, Sylas retrieved a mandrake leaf that he had kept tucked under his tongue for an entire month. He placed it into a small crystal vial filled with his own saliva. Then he added a strand of his hair and a silver teaspoon of moonlit dew.
He had collected that dew while passing through Mirkwood. To qualify, it had to be taken from a location untouched by sunlight or human contact for seven full days, something Mirkwood had in abundance.
Finally, he added a Death's-head Hawkmoth.
With the mixture complete, it needed to be sealed away in a quiet, undisturbed dark place. Once the next thunderstorm came, Sylas would retrieve the vial, drink it all at once, and complete the final step of the Animagus transformation.
But a thunderstorm could not be predicted. Waiting could take weeks, months, even years. This was part of what made becoming an Animagus so difficult. The final stage depended entirely on nature's timing, and one's luck.
That wasn't a problem for Sylas.
If the storm wouldn't come to him, he would go to the storm.
There were regions in Middle-earth where thunderstorms were common. He would bury the vial there and wait on his own terms.
And Sylas happened to know such a place.
So that night, he temporarily bade farewell to the others. Using a Reparo Charm, he restored a fireplace in Dale and connected it to Rivendell through the Floo Network. After tossing in a handful of Floo Powder, he stepped into the flames and vanished.
Upon arrival at Rivendell, he found that Elrond had not yet returned. He exchanged a few words with Elrohir and Elladan, the twin sons of Elrond.
Then, without wasting another moment, Sylas mounted his broomstick and soared into the night sky, flying toward the thunder-scarred peaks of the Misty Mountains.
Sylas was also very curious about what animal his Animagus would be.
Although the form of an Animagus is generally the same as one's Patronus, this wasn't an absolute rule. In rare cases, a person's Patronus could change with deep emotional shifts, like how Snape's Patronus became a doe after Lily Evans's death.
So while a Patronus could provide a clue, it wasn't guaranteed to match.
If his Animagus turned out to be an owl, that would actually be quite useful. He could fly, see in the dark, and it would be perfect for concealment and reconnaissance.
The only regret was that Animagus transformations were almost always limited to non-magical creatures. Transforming into a magical beast could result in severe, unpredictable consequences. Otherwise, the idea of turning into something like a phoenix, dragon, or thunderbird would be incredibly tempting, it would push the concept of Animagus to its absolute limits.
Thinking of that, Sylas couldn't help but recall Beorn, the skin-changer who could become a giant bear.
Beorn's giant bear form was no ordinary bear; it was immense, immensely powerful, and possessed such incredible defense.
According to Gandalf, Beorn's skin-changer race were originally just ordinary humans living in the Misty Mountains. It was only after they received blessings from nature spirits that they gained the power to transform into giant bears.
Sylas found this fascinating. If given the chance, he intended to study the secrets behind it. Perhaps it could even be applied to Animagus transformations.
If his own Animagus form could evolve into a magical creature, the benefits would be immeasurable.
However, that was something for the future. He hadn't even completed his standard Animagus transformation yet. For now, he tucked the idea away.
As Durin's Day approached, the group set out once more.
This time, Sylas took on the role of driver, leading everyone to the rear side of the Lonely Mountain.
But unlike Gandalf, Sylas didn't have the patience to ferry them one at a time.
Instead, he used a Levitation Charm on everyone, then tied them together with a long rope. The other end of the rope was secured to his broomstick.
Thus, amid a chorus of frantic screams and protests, Sylas flew toward the Lonely Mountain, dragging a string of floating passengers behind him like a row of unsteady kites.
Gandalf, riding at the back of the broom, watched the chaotic scene and couldn't help laughing. He even regretted not thinking of this method himself.
At the rear of the Lonely Mountain, a zigzagging carved stone staircase stretched from the base to the mountainside.
Sylas flew straight to the topmost point, where the staircase ended at a flat stone platform, beyond which there was no further path.