AN: Time sure flies fast.... We are now at the last update for the week.
In the previous chapters, we saw how the alliance worked together to keep the world together, but in this chapter, we will see how the other side made their move.
Hope you all will like this chapter!
Enjoy reading!
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Non-Administrated World #97, Star Rail Universe…
Deep within magical Britain's Ministry of Magic, while the world was under attack by Dormammu and the Quantum Shadows, a flawless and silent coup had just occurred.
Seated on the largest chair at the center of the Wizengamot chamber was Voldemort. A cold, indifferent smile rested on his face as bodies lay scattered across the floor. Some twitched in pain. Others no longer moved at all. The rest of the people in the room remained silent, their heads bowed in fear, too terrified to speak in case they became like the people beneath their feet.
"My Lord," one Death Eater said, kneeling with his head bowed low. "The Atrium is secured. The Floo Network is under our control, and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement has surrendered."
Another Death Eater stepped forward. "However, the Unspeakables have sealed themselves inside the Department of Mysteries. We await your command."
"Let them hide." Voldemort's smile did not change. "Let the cowards tremble behind those closed doors."
Several Death Eaters laughed.
Taking advantage of the chaos spreading across the world, while the alliance focused all of its strength on defending against Dormammu and the invading Quantum Shadows, Voldemort had led his Death Eaters into the Ministry and seized it from within.
With his unparalleled confidence, he had simply stepped inside the Ministry of Magic as if it were nothing more than a casual visit. Some officials ran the moment they saw him and his followers. Others tried to fight.
They died just as quickly.
The Killing Curse had painted the halls in silence.
After that, Voldemort strolled toward the Wizengamot chamber, where a session was still being held. The chamber had been half full at the time. Most of the attendees were lords who had not chosen a side, silent supporters of his cause, and Ministry officials who still believed their titles meant something. Even Minister Eugenia Jenkins had been there, surrounded by people doing what they always did best.
Talking.
Yes, talking.
After the attacks began around the world, the Ministry had detected several small tears in London and managed to deal with them. Yet instead of organizing a proper defense afterward, they called an emergency session to discuss who caused it, who should be blamed, and which "fools" had broken the Statute of Secrecy.
And since the Potters, Greengrasses, and the families who had chosen to side with them were not present, they naturally became the culprits.
So the discussion quickly turned from defense to punishment.
Confiscating family artifacts.
Sentencing them to Azkaban.
Seizing their vaults.
And finally, stripping them of their seats.
All of them spoke with such confidence, as if the world outside was not being invaded by dimensional entities. Not once did anyone seriously discuss how to stop the dimensional tears, how to protect the civilians, or even consider that the families they were condemning were the same families currently fighting on the front lines.
So when Voldemort entered the Ministry, he did not need to break a fortress.
He simply walked into a place full of people who had already made themselves useful.
"This event makes me wonder…" Voldemort leaned back in his seat, resting his chin on his fist as a humorless smile crossed his face. "Just how did the wizarding world survive the past hundreds of years with people like you sitting at the top?"
Minister Jenkins, near the lower benches, flinched at his tone. She lowered her head further, desperately trying not to be noticed. Around her, other Ministry officials did the same. Wizengamot members who, only minutes earlier, had been calling for the arrest of the Potters and Greengrasses now kept their eyes on the floor.
No one among them dared to talk back.
No one dared to defend themselves.
They all remembered the people he had made examples of only a few minutes ago.
The department head who had tried to call for Aurors now lay lifeless near the lower benches, his wand snapped in half beside his hand.
A lord who had tried to invoke family privilege still twitched in pain after Voldemort taught him that blood meant nothing when he found it inconvenient.
A senior official had tried to bargain, but Voldemort had listened only long enough to let him believe mercy was possible before firing a torture curse at him.
As for the others who tried to run, fight back, or appeal to him, Voldemort had dealt with them according to his mood.
Some were tortured.
Some were killed.
And some were simply broken.
"However," Voldemort murmured. "I must say, your incompetence and misplaced pride can be useful at times."
He looked at them with open contempt.
"Thanks to all of you, I was able to seize the Ministry with ease. The centre and heart of magical Britain fell without much effort," he said with a cold smirk. "Something even the rumored Lord Peverell has not been able to do."
The victorious smirk on his face was proud and condescending. He and his followers believed they had finally surpassed the Peverell Alliance. Wizarding Britain was now theirs to claim and rule.
If Noah ever learned what Voldemort and his followers were thinking, he might look at them with confusion and disbelief. He might even say something like, '…You actually want this Ministry of what? Are you perhaps like Mr. Vader? After all, you took on the burden of cleaning up this rotten magical society.'
Thankfully for Voldemort and his Death Eaters, Noah was not here to shatter their fantasy of finally "winning" against him and his group. After all, to Noah, the Ministry of Magic had no value. It did not matter to him whether it existed or not.
He did not trust the rotten system, nor did he intend to preserve it. Instead, he planned to create a new governing body that would properly represent the magicals on their side.
"However, this victory is still nothing," Voldemort muttered. "I still have not seized the most important place in all of Britain."
His gaze moved toward the distance, toward the castle he truly considered his home.
"Hogwarts," he said softly, and for once, his voice carried something almost sincere. "My home. My true inheritance as the Heir of Slytherin."
For Tom Riddle, Hogwarts was the first place where he had felt he belonged. It was where the unwanted orphan discovered power, secrets, and his lineage. It was where he stopped being a forgotten child and began becoming something greater.
Then the doors of the room opened once more, and a Death Eater entered before kneeling before him.
"My Lord, the giants, vampires, werewolves, and other creatures have already taken their positions around Hogwarts," he reported. "Our army is ready to take the castle for you."
"Good." Voldemort rose from his seat, and a rare true joy appeared in his eyes. "My friends, it is time for us to move and take what is rightfully mine."
"Yes, my lord!"
At once, the Death Eaters moved.
Black robes swept across the Wizengamot chamber as masked figures turned toward the doors. Some dragged trembling Ministry officials aside to clear the path. Others raised their wands and sent the Dark Mark burning above the chamber, a silent order carried through blood, fear, and loyalty.
The officials kept their heads down.
No one dared to stop them.
No one dared to ask what would happen to the children at Hogwarts.
Voldemort walked past the bodies on the floor without sparing them another glance, his followers falling into step behind him as they moved toward their next destination.
Hogwarts.
—-------
Meanwhile, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the war had already reached the castle grounds.
The peaceful day in Hogwarts had been shattered by the invading monsters from the void.
Just above the Quidditch pitch, a black-purple hole hung in the sky. Quantum Shadows continued to flood out from it, making the night seem even darker.
The students who first saw the monsters did not know what to do. Some froze in place, unable to understand what they were seeing until the attack reached them.
Then the screams began.
A few students were killed before anyone could react. The rest hurried toward the castle's bounds, desperate to save themselves.
"Run! Get inside the wards!"
"Move! Don't look back!"
Luckily, Hogwarts answered before fear could swallow the students whole.
The castle's defensive wards activated all at once. Gold and blue light raced across the walls, towers, bridges, windows, and courtyards. Enchantments awakened across the school, spreading outward until a glowing dome formed over the castle and much of the grounds.
The first barrier held, although barely.
A wave of Ducal Shades slammed against the invisible shield, their lance-like limbs scattering sparks as they tried to pierce through the magical barrier. Void Erinyes circled above the towers, multiplying almost endlessly as they hurled themselves against the shield and searched for weaknesses. Opaque Shadows and Void Hellions plunged from the tear, only to be hurled back by defensive charms created by Hogwarts itself.
Even the nearby village of Hogsmeade was not spared. The defenseless village was immediately overrun by the sheer number of Quantum Shadows attacking it. So when the villagers saw the wards of Hogwarts activate, they did not hesitate to run toward the school.
Before long, the professors, the escaped villagers, and the older students formed a defensive line around the school, protecting not only Hogwarts, but themselves as well.
Professor Minerva McGonagall stood at the front of the courtyard, her emerald robes swaying in the wind.
Professor Filius Flitwick stood beside her, wand raised high despite his small stature.
Professor Pomona Sprout directed students and villagers near the greenhouses.
Professor Horace Slughorn remained near a supply station behind the front lines, guiding students and Hogsmeade volunteers as potions floated through the air under his wand.
The Aurors stationed at the school and in Hogsmeade reinforced the outer lines. The older students stood behind them.
And beside those students stood the people of Hogsmeade who were willing to fight.
Shopkeepers.
Workers.
Retired duelists.
Healers.
And ordinary villagers who refused to run any farther.
"Shield line!" McGonagall commanded.
Dozens of wands rose together.
"Protego Maxima!"
"Repello Inimicum!"
"Fianto Duri!"
Layers of blue-white light spread across the castle, reinforcing the damaged wards just as another wave of Quantum Shadows crashed into them. The impact shook the towers, and dust fell from centuries-old stone, but the barrier held.
Several students staggered from the strain. Hogsmeade adults immediately stepped behind them, bracing their shoulders and adding their own magic to the shield.
"Don't let your wand dip, lad!" an old wizard from Hogsmeade shouted, gripping a trembling seventh-year by the elbow. "The castle's behind you!"
"Y-yes, sir!" The boy swallowed and raised his wand higher.
Flitwick stepped forward. "Second line, fire!"
The older students answered, their voices shaking at first before determination drowned out their fear.
"Reducto!"
"Confringo!"
"Incarcerous!"
Spellfire tore across the grounds.
Blasting curses struck the Shadows that slipped through the first barrier. Magical ropes wrapped around long limbs and dragged monsters into the grass. Under McGonagall's command, stone erupted from the courtyard itself, forming walls, spikes, and barricades that forced the creatures away from the castle entrances.
Near the greenhouses, Professor Sprout fought alongside Herbology students and Hogsmeade gardeners.
"Now!"
Thick vines exploded from the soil.
The enchanted plants wrapped around a group of Void Hellions, pinning them long enough for McGonagall, Flitwick, and the other defenders to unleash a combined barrage of spells that shattered them into particles.
Near the lake, the water itself rose.
A witch from Hogsmeade stood at the shoreline, her hair whipping wildly in the storm.
"Push them back!"
The lake surged forward like a silver wall, crashing into Shadows crawling toward the boathouse. Behind her, older students froze the soaked ground beneath the creatures before concentrated spellfire destroyed them.
On the stone bridge, Hogwarts itself joined the battle.
Suits of armor marched from the corridors.
They charged with spears, halberds, and swords in hand, slamming into the Quantum Shadows attempting to cross toward the main entrance. One suit of armor lost an arm, kicked the detached limb into a monster's face, then smashed it with its shield hard enough to send the creature tumbling off the bridge.
Above them, gargoyles flew from the castle walls. The statues that had watched over Hogwarts and its students for centuries spread their wings and launched into the sky to fight the invading monsters.
A Void Taurus broke through the outer shield and crashed into the courtyard with enough force to crack the stone pathways. The animated defenders attacked it immediately, but the Taurus fought back, swinging one of its limbs and sending three suits of armor flying into a wall. Two more leapt onto its back, driving their swords into its shoulders.
"Attack it now!" shouted an Auror.
Spells erupted from every direction.
"Reducto!"
"Confringo!"
"Diffindo!"
A dozen beams struck the pinned-down Quantum Shadow in the chest. Its body flickered, then finally turned white.
Then a gargoyle dropped from above and drove its stone spear directly through the creature.
The Void Taurus shattered into black particles, and cheers erupted across the courtyard. However, the cheers did not last long. Another horde of Quantum Shadows fell near the side courtyard, close to the covered walkway leading back into the castle. Several older students rushed to intercept them before they could reach the younger students being moved through the corridors.
Lily Evans was among them. Her red hair whipped around her face as she raised her wand, eyes sharp despite the fear trying to crawl up her throat.
"Pandora, left side!"
"I see it!" Pandora answered as she pointed her wand in the direction Lily indicated and sent out an Expulso Curse. "Oh dear… this one has a very unpleasant shape."
Beside them, several of their friends formed a rough circle. Mary Macdonald sent a blasting curse into the legs of a Void Hellion, while Marlene McKinnon covered her with a shield. Alice Fortescue fired a binding charm that wrapped around the creature's neck and dragged its head to the ground.
Lily took the opening.
"Diffindo!"
The cutting charm struck the Void Hellion, turning its body white, the sign that it had entered its Collapse State.
"Now!" Lily shouted.
Together with Pandora, Mary, and Alice, they fired their spells at the same time, refusing to give the Void Hellion even a moment to repair itself before Marlene finished it with an overcharged Reducto.
The Void Hellion burst apart into quantum particles.
Seeing that, the girls instinctively relaxed.
That was when they missed the Shadow of Ruin behind them, moving without sound, its arm rising as a black-purple sphere gathered above its palm.
Lily noticed it too late. Her eyes widened as the attack came down from behind.
"Lily!"
A figure appeared in front of her with a sharp crack of Apparition. James Potter landed between her and the incoming blast, robes snapping in the wind, wand already raised.
"Protego Maxima!"
The shield materialized in front of him just as the quantum bomb struck.
The impact threw sparks across the courtyard and forced James back a step, but he held. His jaw tightened, his other hand bracing his wand arm as the shield trembled violently under the pressure.
Lily stared at his back.
"Potter?!"
"Usually, I prefer James," he said through gritted teeth. "But I'll accept Potter if you're impressed."
"This is not the time!"
"Right, right. Heroism first, flirting later."
"James!"
Before Lily could decide whether to thank him or hex him, Sirius Black appeared on James' left with a wild grin.
"Prongs, you do realize saving Evans from behind is supposed to sound less questionable, yes?"
James' ears turned red. "Padfoot!"
Remus Lupin arrived a second later, breathing hard but calm, already pointing his wand at the Shadow of Ruin.
"Focus, both of you."
Peter Pettigrew stumbled in behind them, pale-faced but gripping his wand tightly.
"T-there's more coming from the corridor!"
"And here I was hoping for a peaceful evening," Sirius said.
Cyrus appeared near Pandora, already waving his wand. The ground beneath the Shadow of Ruin rose and transformed into stone restraints, locking its legs in place.
"Then complain after we survive," Cyrus said.
James glanced at him. "Good plan."
Lily's eyes moved from James to the others. Surprise flickered across her face before she forced it down.
"Fine. If you boys are done talking, help us break the Quantum layer."
James smiled.
"Yes, Evans."
Sirius pointed his wand at the Shadow. "Everyone heard that, yes? She asked for our help. Historic moment."
"Sirius," Remus warned.
"Right, right."
They moved together.
James and Lily cast shield and binding charms in alternating rhythm, forcing the Shadow of Ruin to keep its attention on them. Sirius and Alice sent cutting curses toward its arms whenever it tried to gather another quantum bomb. Remus watched the timing, calling out openings for Marlene and Mary to take advantage of. Cyrus and Pandora worked together, their spells strange but effective, creating unstable points across the Quantum Shadow where ordinary magic could bite deeper.
"Superposed State broke!" Remus shouted.
Lily and James raised their wands at the same time.
"Reducto!"
Their spells struck together.
The Shadow of Ruin shattered, and quantum particles scattered across the courtyard like ash.
James lowered his wand and turned toward Lily, trying and failing not to look proud.
"So…"
"Thank you," Lily said before he could ruin the moment.
James looked surprised. Even Sirius and Remus weren't spared from it. Peter's jaw fell open at the unexpected words coming from Lily.
"Don't make it strange." Lily's cheeks reddened faintly.
James swallowed, then grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it."
"Oh dear," Pandora hid her amused smile behind her hand. "I think we just witnessed something precious."
"Sister…" Cyrus sighed.
As if fate had no intention of allowing the warm scene to last, a heavy thud suddenly rolled across the castle grounds.
Everyone flinched from the impact.
Another thud followed.
It sounded like something enormous was moving toward Hogwarts.
They looked at one another, and the brief relief around them vanished at once.
James turned toward the edge of the grounds, his expression tightening. Sirius' grin faded for the first time since he arrived. Remus slowly raised his wand again, his eyes moving toward the road that led past the outer fields. Peter swallowed hard and took half a step back.
"What now?" Mary whispered.
No one answered.
From the direction of the Forbidden Forest and the path to Hogsmeade, the sounds began to rise. Heavy footsteps, low growls, and the distant scrape of weapons being dragged across stone and dirt.
At first, some of the defenders thought it was another wave of Quantum Shadows breaking through near the forest line, but what they saw next crushed that hopeful thought.
The enormous figures of giants rose above the treetops, clubs and uprooted trunks resting against their shoulders. Around their feet, werewolves moved low to the ground, their eyes burning beneath the broken sky. Farther back, pale figures walked with patient smiles, vampires in cloaks that seemed to swallow the moonlight. Dark creatures crawled between them, hissing and snarling as they spread across the hills.
And behind them came rows of people in black robes.
The Death Eaters.
The fighting around Hogwarts did not stop.
It could not.
Legions of Quantum Shadows were still falling above the Quidditch pitch. Void Erinyes still circled the towers. Opaque Shadows still threw themselves against the wards. The defenders still had to fire, shield, bind, and pull wounded students back from the lines.
But every witch and wizard who saw the army approaching felt the same cold realization.
Hogwarts had been fighting the sky.
And now the ground had come for them, too.
A sickly green light flew into the sky as the Dark Mark appeared above the castle. The students saw it through the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall. The room fell silent so suddenly that even the crying seemed to stop for a heartbeat.
Outside, McGonagall's face hardened. Flitwick lowered his wand for only a fraction of a second before raising it again. Sprout looked toward the greenhouses, where injured students were being carried behind the secondary wards, and her expression became colder than anyone had ever seen it.
Slughorn, standing behind the supply line, went pale.
"Oh dear," he whispered.
Near the side courtyard, Lily felt her fingers tighten around her wand. James stepped closer without thinking.
Sirius looked toward the approaching army and let out a breath through his teeth.
"Well," he said, his voice quieter than usual, "that makes the day significantly worse."
"Death Eaters." Remus did not look away from the black robes. "They really do come at the worst possible time."
Outside, on the path leading toward the entrance of Hogwarts, the Death Eaters parted as a figure walked forward until he reached the edge of the wards.
The giants lowered their clubs as he passed. Werewolves crouched closer to the ground. Vampires bowed their heads. The Death Eaters knelt or lowered their masks, each one clearing his path without needing to be told.
Voldemort stepped forward slowly, one step at a time, his eyes fixed on the castle beyond the protective wards. The battle raging around Hogwarts seemed like nothing more than an inconvenience placed between him and something that already belonged to him.
"Hogwarts," he muttered. "I'm back."
The Battle for Hogwarts had entered its next stage.
====== Chapter 224 END ======