Seeing the words on the note, Lys finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Lys, I knew you'd come find me. I planned to hide in the greenhouse where there were fewer people, but I didn't expect so many spiders. I'm on the second floor, above the Great Hall."
The handwriting on the transfigured note was somewhat blurry, but it quickly soothed Lys's heart.
She tried to pass through the Forbidden Forest to return to the other side of the castle, which would avoid many unnecessary conflicts, but there were too many obstacles along the way. Worst of all were the centaurs—their magical arrows, completely different from wizarding magic systems, could strike silently.
While Lys wasn't paying attention, an arrow sliced through the clasp of her left arm bracer in the darkness.
Because she had entered their territory at such a sensitive time, they needed to know if Lys posed any danger.
The bracer loosened, revealing her arm. The grayish-blue, rough skin with pink scars and the black Dark Mark was completely exposed.
When Lys covered her arm and turned around, she saw the lead centaur drop his arm. "Shoot!"
In an instant, the protective alchemical gear on Lys's body flashed repeatedly, blocking nearly half the attacks.
Lys gave the lead centaur a long look, suppressed her killing instinct, and used a Summoning Charm to call broken tree trunks to block attacks from behind and above as she quickly left.
Some centaurs tried to pursue, but the leader stopped them. "We only block Death Eaters and wizards from approaching the forest. We guard only our own territory and don't participate in wizards' wars! Don't pursue!"
Lys tried to put her bracer back on, but because she'd modified it too much with alchemy, a simple Reparo couldn't fix it. Lys could only tuck her willow wand into her belt and throw the bracer into her bag.
She used Transfiguration and Binding charms to tightly secure her shirt sleeve around her left arm, then climbed through a castle window.
Then climbed back out. She thought carefully about the castle's general layout, reluctantly picked up a stone to give to Cerebold for delivery to Fred, cast a tracking charm on the stupid bird, then quickly followed.
This time Lys didn't lose track. When she reached the area near the Great Hall, Death Eaters had already broken in. Most wore hoods, indiscriminately attacking anyone who didn't look like their allies.
Cerebold had been caught by someone's deflected curse—all the feathers on one wing were completely singed. If Lys hadn't been watching it constantly, it would now be a roasted bird.
Furious, Lys sent two curses that knocked the hooded wizard to the ground and buried him under rubble, continuing forward while also saving two little kids.
If this wasn't someone controlled by the Imperius Curse, Lys's wand would be firing Avada Kedavra instead of simple curses.
Lys assessed her position, held down the stupid bird still trying to flutter up, cast a Stunning Spell on it, then ran forward along the wall while casting healing charms on the bird.
Though the flesh was no longer charred and damaged, the feathers still hadn't grown back. Lys thought for a moment, then tucked it inside her collar like Gabon used to be, placing it between her stomach and shirt.
She didn't have hands to constantly hold an unconscious bird, but this was their family's bird...
When she rushed up the stairs, Fred was swinging his wand with another Gryffindor girl to knock out a hooded figure.
"I have to say, well done! But Fred, we need to leave. And you! Child, come here, war isn't your business... Oh!"
The girl's head looked dented to Lys. She had to use simple Transfiguration to support her skull, but knew this child couldn't be jostled.
"I'll take her to find a professor to entrust her to, then we'd better leave quickly. Fred, the Dark Lord is determined to capture Harry Potter today."
Lys choked up slightly. "If the Dark Lord wins, Fred, are you afraid?"
But unexpectedly, Fred asked back, "Lys, are you afraid?"
Then he supported the unconscious Gryffindor beside him. "Lys, stop being afraid. I don't mind. If you really want to try pointing your wand at him, the more chaotic the scene, the better the opportunity, isn't it?"
Lys spun around to stare at Fred behind her. She experienced what Noah must have felt—a child who hadn't been out of sight for long saying such shocking things.
"That's also why I didn't leave, Lys. This is a chance to choose. I saw many outside wizards come in. Even if we fail, there are other wizard identities to take our place."
Fred transfigured a nearby picture frame into a simple stretcher and placed the student on it. "But if we really want to leave, I know a secret passage. Even if the school is surrounded, we can still escape. Think about it again."
Seeing Fred extend his hand toward her, Lys pulled out the wand he'd previously commissioned from her bag and placed it in his palm.
"Not that, Lys. Give me Cerebold—my bag can fit it."
Fred tucked the second wand into his belt like Lys did, frowning as he watched his sister pull her shirt hem from her belt and fish out the injured owl from inside.
What made him frown more was Cerebold extending a claw to place a pebble in his palm, making him look questioningly at Lys.
But Lys was still absorbed in Fred's shocking words.
"I'll get you out first, Fred. With you here, I..." Lys's words were cut off as the floor beside them collapsed along with part of the wall. In the tremendous roar, Fred and the child on the stretcher nearly fell through. Two black-robed wizards attacked Lys and Fred before the dust had settled.
Fred raised his wand, not yet having a chance to prove his ability to protect himself, when those two were petrified by Lys and thrown back through the gap.
Lys ducked her head to avoid a stray curse.
"Fred, I'll get you out first. I really, really will seriously consider what you said. I don't want you to become like Draco and Lucius either, but with you here I'm afraid... Enough!" Lys backhanded another hooded figure away.
Lys had wanted to take both children and jump out the window directly to the Great Hall, but Fred said Professor Flitwick had just charmed the Great Hall's windows.
Lys pursed her lips and simply smashed through the collapsed floor to jump down, frightening the child on the stretcher who'd been awakened by the explosion into soft, broken sobs. "I want to go home."
Looking at the castle with its smashed, crumbling walls, Lys said nothing, but Fred comforted her. "You'll definitely go home in the end, because no matter what, you're a pureblood. You'll ultimately be fine."
Lys couldn't help glancing at Fred again.
So realistic?
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