In LOTR with Harry Potter Sign-In System!

Surrounded by the Great Snowy Owls, the Great Eagle landed on the castle's large lawn.

Kael jumped down from the eagle's back, looking at Arwen, who had been waiting there, showing a brilliant, tender smile.

"I'm back!"

Arwen's eyes curved gently at the corners, filled with starlight, and her lips turned up in a bright smile.

"Welcome back!"

Neither said much more, but they understood each other perfectly, quietly gazing at one another, using their eyes to trace each other's features.

Finally they smiled at each other and walked hand in hand toward the castle.

At the dining table, Kael enjoyed the delicious food Arwen had prepared while enthusiastically recounting his travels.

Arwen sat gently beside him, listening to his words.

"By the way, Arwen, I learned painting from a Sindar painter this time. How about I paint your portrait later?"

Kael asked excitedly, eager to show off his new skill.

Arwen smiled very gently and nodded in agreement. "That sounds lovely."

So after dinner, Kael eagerly pulled Arwen to the garden, having her sit on a vine chair surrounded by flowers, with the White Tree and Mallorn Tree behind her.

Arwen gently allowed Kael to arrange various angles for her, her eyes full of amusement.

Then Kael took out prepared painting supplies from his space bag.

Setting up the easel and canvas, he focused intently on Arwen's features before beginning to paint on the canvas.

In the garden, the atmosphere was peaceful and warm.

The tall White Tree and Mallorn Tree rustled their leaves as golden and silver leaves drifted down in the wind, carpeting the grass in gold and silver.

Arwen sat half-reclined on the naturally formed vine chair, purple flower clusters hanging above it, white King's Foil blooms at her feet, with never-fading Alfirin and Elanor growing clustered on either side.

Countless colorful Ent-wives' flowers and other varieties surrounded her.

She sat among the flowers, her gentle eyes smiling as she quietly watched the man concentrating on painting her, like a flower goddess gazing at her beloved.

As time passed, Arwen sat quietly there, graceful in posture, showing no trace of fatigue or impatience, her smile unchanged, as if she could sit there until the end of time.

"Finished!"

Finally, Kael set down his brush.

"May I move now?" Arwen asked.

"Yes, Arwen, come see if you're satisfied," Kael beckoned.

Arwen rose and walked over curiously.

On the canvas, Arwen's portrait was lifelike, even capturing the gentle smile in her eyes.

Behind the portrait figure, a corner of the garden, including the Mallorn and White Trees, was all painted.

Looking at her portrait, Arwen was slightly surprised. Though the technique was obviously still novice and clumsy, the painted figure had some spirit, with tenderness and love almost leaping from her eyes.

Was this how she looked in Kael's eyes? Arwen felt infinite sweetness in her heart.

"How is it? Are you satisfied?" Kael asked expectantly. "If not, I can paint several more. I've memorized your appearance, so you wouldn't need to sit still for so long again."

Arwen smiled sweetly, saying softly. "This is already wonderful! No need to paint more, but I really like this painting. Could you give it to me?"

Kael shook his head with a mysterious smile. "Not yet. This painting isn't truly finished. It needs one more step."

Arwen became puzzled.

Kael didn't explain but brought her and the painting back to the castle.

Then in the potions room, he set up a silver cauldron and took out prepared ingredients to begin brewing.

Arwen didn't disturb him, sitting quietly nearby watching Kael's fluid movements with appreciation.

When the potion in the cauldron turned pale purple, Kael suddenly looked up.

"Arwen, could you give me a strand of your hair?"

Arwen was puzzled but still cut off a strand, asking. "Is one enough? I can get more if needed."

Kael quickly stopped her. "That's enough! One is perfect."

While Arwen was willing, he couldn't bear to take more.

He then dropped Arwen's hair into the cauldron potion.

The potion's color instantly changed to pale blue with a fresh, rain-washed scent.

He extinguished the fire and let the potion cool completely.

Then, under Arwen's surprised gaze, Kael used a dropper to apply the potion to the portrait. The painting miraculously absorbed it.

The previously static portrait gradually became lively, the flowers and trees seeming to come alive, swaying constantly as if in a gentle breeze.

The painted Arwen also gained life, her hair moving slightly like a living person.

The only flaw was that the painted Arwen's eyes were empty and blank, as if soulless, showing no response.

Arwen was amazed seeing this scene.

"Kael, what's happening?"

Kael smiled and explained. "This is a magical portrait. Unlike static paintings, it can move and speak."

"Then why does my portrait seem unresponsive?"

"Because she hasn't been given memories yet, so she's like a newborn baby, with a completely blank consciousness," Kael answered.

He then taught Arwen the memory extraction spell.

Following Kael's instructions, Arwen pressed her wand to her temple, extracted memories, and infused them into her portrait.

As the portrait absorbed the memories, the painted Arwen's empty eyes gradually became alert, and then, as if infused with soul, her gentle, spirited gaze looked through the canvas at Kael and Arwen.

"Hello there, Kael, and the other me."

Kael looked at the painted Arwen, asking curiously. "Arwen, what's it like inside the painting? Can you tell us?"

The painted Arwen looked at Kael with gentle eyes, glanced around, then answered.

"It's no different from the real world here. I'm currently in the garden, can smell the flowers' fragrance, feel the wind blowing, and can see the Black Lake and Hogsmeade below, and places even farther away. The only difference is that I'm alone here. No you, no Thorondor, no Smaug, no Hogsmeade residents below."

Hearing the painted Arwen's response, Kael was very surprised.

He'd expected the painted world to be black or blank areas except for what he'd painted, not knowing it would be a complete world identical to reality.

If Arwen left Weathertop, she might even reach Rivendell, Lothlórien, even Sauron-controlled Mordor, or western Valinor.

This wasn't just a magical portrait. It was practically a "metaverse"!

When Arwen heard her painted self say she was alone, as if feeling empathy, her eyes flashed with sympathy.

She turned to Kael. "Kael, could you also paint yourself into the picture? Otherwise she'll be very lonely!"

Kael patted her hand reassuringly, smiling and nodding. "Of course that's no problem. Not just me, but also Thorondor, Smaug, Kraken, and the Hogsmeade residents. I'll paint them all in. The painted world won't lack anything compared to outside!"

"But for my portrait, I think it's best if you paint me. What do you think?"

Arwen smiled brightly, nodding in agreement. "Don't worry, I'll paint you very handsome!"

So the next day, Kael and Arwen returned to the garden.

This time Arwen held the brush while Kael sat in her former position.

Arwen didn't make Kael sit long. With her excellent memory, she memorized his image and didn't require him to maintain the pose.

Kael curiously moved closer to see how Arwen had painted him.

Upon seeing it, he was immediately amazed.

Under Arwen's brush, he appeared tall and upright, his stern face showing gentle eyes that met his gaze through the canvas, seemingly surrounded by a halo, perfectly inhuman in beauty.

Was this how he looked in Arwen's eyes? Kael felt sweet and couldn't help being delighted.

Kael hadn't expected Arwen's painting skills to be so extraordinary. Not only was his painted figure lifelike, but every blade of grass and tree was realistic and spirited, even depicting the entire castle scene.

Compared to this, Kael felt his portrait of Arwen was like the difference between elementary school and master level.

Fortunately Arwen didn't mind and planned to treasure it like a gem.

After Arwen finished painting, Kael looked at the painted version of himself, smiling and teasing. "Arwen, you painted me too perfectly. I almost don't dare admit that's me!"

He then took out the prepared potion and poured it on the painting, letting it fully absorb.

Everything in the painting came alive, very realistic, looking like a mirror reflection but even three parts more beautiful than reality, like a fairyland.

The painting of him had empty eyes, but every hair was distinct, with skin showing healthy color, no different from a real person.

Kael pressed his wand to his temple, slowly extracting memories, then touched the painted figure to infuse them.

The painted Kael's empty eyes became clear, then his lips curved up as he looked directly at Kael.

"Hey there, original me!"

After greeting, he curiously looked around the painting, exclaiming. "It really is like Arwen said. If I didn't know this was in a painting, I'd think this was really Middle-earth!"

"Hey, original, remember to paint me a flying broomstick next time, and don't forget Smaug and Thorondor. When I have time, I want to visit other places and see if this painted world truly has no boundaries."

Then his gaze shifted to Arwen beside Kael, grinning and waving with mock regret. "Hello Arwen! What a pity it's not me standing beside you now. Though we're the same person, I'm still very jealous of my other self!"

"Of course I'm not doing badly. There's an Arwen here keeping me company too."

He suddenly turned his head as if seeing something, his eyes brightening as he waved. "Ah, I see Arwen! I need to find her. Goodbye, you two!"

Without waiting for their response, he quickly left the painting's frame and disappeared.

Looking at the now-empty painted scene, Arwen couldn't help but giggle, looking amusedly at Kael. "I didn't know you had such a personality, Kael!"

Kael couldn't help covering his head, finding it hard to express his feelings.

The painted version was currently just a personality formed from one memory segment.

To make the personality fuller required continuously infusing memories, gradually making the character's personality and thinking approach the original person.

This process needed to continue until the original person died.

By then, the portrait would replace the deceased and continue existing in the world, completely possessing all the deceased's emotions and memories, practically the original person.

Of course, Kael certainly wouldn't wait for that day.

But if he didn't want his painted self to appear so foolish, he'd need to train him for a while to avoid embarrassment.