Sylas did not linger long in Bywater. After a single night's rest at the Floating Log Inn, he set off again.
The next morning, he boarded a small ferry at the riverside dock and crossed the Brandywine River to reach the Buckland region on the eastern bank.
Naturally, he didn't leave behind his pony or his little carriage, both were carefully ferried across with him.
Buckland lay nestled between the river and the edge of the Old Forest, forming the easternmost boundary of the Shire. It was a peculiar place, distinct in many ways from the rest of Hobbit society.
The Hobbits of Buckland were predominantly of the Brandybuck family. Sturdier and hardier than their kin across the river, they carried themselves with a certain vigilance and quiet strength. Perhaps it was due to their proximity to the shadowed woods, or the fact that they had more frequent dealings with the outside world, particularly with the nearby human settlement of Bree.
Unlike most Hobbits who delighted in barefoot comfort, Bucklanders often wore shoes, a practical choice in lands where brambles and dangers weren't so easily ignored. Their homes bore a touch of Mannish design, their clothing stitched with foreign threads, marking them as open-minded, or at least practical, folk.
Sylas remembered something Bilbo had once told him: long ago, the Brandybucks had crossed the Brandywine from the Eastfarthing and settled atop a hill now known as Brandy Hall. Over the generations, their numbers grew, and so too did their settlement. What began as one large dwelling blossomed into an entire region.
Though Buckland was technically part of the Shire, it operated with a high degree of independence. Ruled by the Brandybuck family, it was more like a small, self-governed realm, with its own rules and customs, only loosely tied to the central authority of Michel Delving.
After disembarking, Sylas climbed into his carriage once more and made his way toward Buckleberry, the heart and capital of Buckland.
As the road curved alongside a ridge, a curious sight appeared to the east: a tall hedge, stretching far into the distance, separating Buckland from the Old Forest. The barrier was thick and wild, almost like a living wall.
That hedge had its own tale, a story older than many Hobbits remembered.
When the Brandybucks first settled in Buckland, they cleared land to build homes, cutting into the forest's edge. To protect themselves from whatever lay within, they planted a massive hedge to divide their lands from the woods.
But they underestimated the Old Forest.
For the trees there were not like ordinary trees. They moved. They watched. Some even whispered in the wind.
The forest did not take kindly to the settlers. In time, the trees grew restless and vengeful, slowly creeping toward the hedge, pressing against it, trying to reclaim what had been taken.
When the trees began encroaching too far, the Hobbits fought back.
They chopped down groves, cleared away brush, and even set fire to part of the forest, creating a wide, scorched buffer zone between Buckland and the tree line.
This only deepened the forest's hatred.
The trees of the Old Forest became hostile, lashing out at anyone who strayed too close. Travelers who wandered in were often led astray, confused, or never seen again.
The Bucklanders, in turn, grew wary. No Hobbit, not even the boldest, dared cross the hedge or step foot beneath the forest's eaves.
Sylas was deeply intrigued by the mysterious trees of the Old Forest.
Though he still had no clear path to crafting a wand, he understood that wand-making involved two key components: the wood and the magical core. Cores were typically derived from powerful magical creatures, phoenix feathers, dragon heartstrings, unicorn hair. But the wand body, just as vital, came from trees imbued with magic.
In the wizarding world, wandmakers usually selected trees that harbored Bowtruckles, tiny, stick-like magical guardians, as these trees were known to yield powerful wand wood. But in Middle-earth, no such creatures existed.
So if Sylas ever hoped to craft his own wand, he would first need to find suitable wood. And the trees of the Old Forest, ancient and alive with thought and will, seemed like promising candidates.
They could move, they could feel, and they most certainly were magical.
Sylas believed in preparation. He was certain that if he continued signing in at key locations, the Hogwarts System would eventually grant him the knowledge or tools to craft a wand. But when that time came, he needed to be ready.
Collecting potential materials in advance was only prudent.
The carriage rolled along the riverbank, following the winding course of the Brandywine. Several Hobbit villages passed by in a blur of pipe smoke and garden hedges, until finally the road bent east and brought him to Bucklebury, the heart of the Brandybuck lands.
Sylas stepped down and looked up at the town before him, surprised by the sight.
Built into the slope of Buck Hill, Bucklebury was ringed by a massive hedge wall on its eastern side, a living fortress meant to guard against the Old Forest's creeping roots. Most of the homes were constructed of sturdy wood, but at the very center of the town stood a majestic structure carved directly into the hill.
Brandy Hall.
A sprawling, tunnel-ridden mansion, it served as the ancestral home of the Brandybuck family and was the defining landmark of the region.
Instead of heading for an inn, Sylas reached into his pocket and unfolded a creased parchment.
"Let's see… 35 Ferry Road…"
He mumbled to himself as he walked forward, eyes flicking between the note and the numbered doors carved into the hill.
Eventually, his pony-drawn carriage came to a stop in front of a traditional Smial.
"35 Ferry Road, this is the place!"
Sylas stepped down from his carriage, opened the garden gate, and made his way to the familiar round, green door at the front of the Smial. Raising his hand, he knocked politely.
"Coming!" called a voice from inside.
Moments later, the door creaked open, revealing a young Hobbit with a mop of curly brown hair and a puzzled expression.
"Who are you?"
Bending slightly to meet the Hobbit's gaze, Sylas smiled warmly.
"Good day! You must be Mr. Drogo Baggins? I'm Sylas, a traveling wizard. Forgive the intrusion, I bring greetings from Bilbo Baggins."
At the mention of Bilbo's name, Drogo's face lit up with recognition.
"Ah, of course! Bilbo wrote to me not long ago. He mentioned you might be visiting Bucklebury. Please, come in, come in!"
He stepped aside, waving Sylas into the cozy Smial.
The home was quaint and warmly decorated, not unlike Bag End itself. Sylas ducked under the low wooden beams and ornate chandeliers, mindful not to knock anything loose as he entered.
As soon as they were settled, Drogo served him a plate of biscuits and honey cakes, still warm from the oven.
While they sipped tea, Drogo eagerly asked about Bilbo, how he'd been, whether he was still hosting lavish dinner parties, and if he still insisted on talking to Elves.
Though they lived far apart, Drogo and Bilbo were cousins and had remained close over the years, writing letters now and then. Their bond was strong.
What made this meeting even more meaningful to Sylas was knowing Drogo's future.
Though not yet married, Drogo would one day be the father of Frodo Baggins, the very Hobbit destined to carry the One Ring.
For now, however, there was no sign of Frodo, only a kind-hearted Hobbit with a hunger for stories.
When Drogo learned that Sylas had journeyed through Great Hole, Tuckborough, Longbottom, and Bywater, his eyes sparkled with fascination. Hobbits seldom traveled beyond their own villages, and hearing of such adventures felt like peering into another world.
So, naturally, he insisted Sylas stay a few more days.
Over the next several evenings, Sylas enjoyed the hospitality of Bucklebury. Through Drogo's introductions, he was even invited to Brandy Hall, the ancestral home of the Brandybuck family and the heart of the Eastfarthing.
When he arrived, the system greeted him once more.
[Hogwarts Sign-in System: Location, Shire, Bucklebury, Brandy Hall. Would you like to sign in?]
"Sign in."
[Sign-in successful. Congratulations! You have obtained the first-year Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook: Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection.]
Sylas flipped through the thick book with a grin spreading across his face.
The contents were just what he needed.
The book offered more than mere knowledge about magical creatures like Red Caps and Werewolves, it also included a series of highly practical defensive spells: the Repelling Charm, Petrificus Totalus, Expelliarmus, the Obstacle-Repelling Charm, Finite Incantatem, and the iconic Protego Shield Charm.
A real wizard's arsenal.
Sylas closed the book with satisfaction. If he could master these defensive techniques, it would greatly enhance his survivability.