Serket sighed. She had cracked into these books several times over, and while she was getting a clearer picture of the distinction between the four different cults that liked to house themselves here, she had barely even scraped the surface on what each one actually wanted to accomplish. Coupled with the fact that the Wall Crocs didn’t seem to really be in allegiance to any of them and were instead just a symptom of the work being done here, and it just added frustration to humiliation.
Some of them thought the mountain could lead them to the center of the earth to access some sort of hive.
Some of them thought the chill at the peak was the perfect condition to reach some being of utter emptiness in the cosmos, beyond even the void.
Some felt that the mountain was connected so some sort of quantum force that could alter the earth on its very axis, allowing for something to be hatched elsewhere in the world.
And, even then, some just thought there was a treasure buried here connected to some greater deity.
All such grand lofty goals for this place and they hardly connected or intermingled at all!
“Raaaaaaaagh!” Serket yelled as she tossed some papers aside, flinging them from her desk. She was so close to figuring things out. Sitting through all of the excess information that wasn’t relevant to her research. Getting to the heart of the matter. But nothing was making itself clear!
With another cry Serket flung some books against the door, only for them to keep flying with an accompanying clatter.
Harry had ducked under the flying literature with impressive swiftness.
“Uh, knock knock?” He said, bemused as he lifted a tray of teacups. “You looked like you were in it for the long haul today. Figured I would step into the kitchen for once. Don’t know if this is drinkable but…”
Serket blinked a few times, then winced.
“Ah, Harry yes hello!” She responded pleasantly, tenting her fingers together. She looked at the tea, tilting her head for a moment, before realizing that he wouldn’t really know any better. “Tea would be. Lovely, yes.”
With a nod and a slightly exaggerated bow, the man dressed from head to toe in snow gear stomped his way through the study, only bending down briefly to pick up another book that had been flung to the ground. He turned it around in his one hand a bit, then gave it a bit of a wave as he set the tea tray down.
“Still at it?” He asked, tossing the book back down onto the desk.
Serket blinked at the book hesitantly, then nodded. The book he had picked was one she hadn’t touched since receiving it. Fairly recently.
Harry nodded, waving his hands in mock surrender.
“Say no more, I know not to come skipping into a war zone.” He gave a small puff of a laugh, before slowly beginning to retreat from the study.
Serket looked at the book he had thrown in front of her, then, looked up.
“Harry, you were a scientist once, yes?”
Harry froze, back turned to Serket.
“Once upon a time,” he said, tone level but bordering on grim.
Serket paused, knowing this was a bit of a sore spot.
Serket paused, watching the steam wisp away from the teacup in front of her. She bit her lip, before looking up at him, determined.
“How do you go a8out trying to push through a dead end in your research? Or rather, what do you do when you’ve turned everything over and have yet to find what you need?”
Harry looked over his shoulder, smiling as his steely blue eyes twinkled ever so slightly.
“I find it very rare that one has ever looked at everything.” He patted the doorframe before nodding at her and making his way out of the room.