Chapter 196: The Ultimate Goal
Barty Crouch Jr. finally revealed his true colors. Under the influence of Professor Snape's Veritaserum, he spilled everything he knew.
"Hehehe, it's too late now. Why do you think the army of magical beasts attacked Hogwarts School for no reason?" Barty licked his lips, laughing wickedly. "It was all for this one strike of mine! It wasn't easy, you know—assassinating a demigod! Hahahaha, I actually succeeded!"
"Enough with the nonsense, Crouch. You went to such great lengths to assassinate Headmaster Dumbledore—what for?" Professor Snape appeared somewhat impatient. These Death Eaters were too insane; communicating with them, even with Veritaserum, was exhausting.
"Of course, it was for those people inside the map of mountains and seas. Hehehe, even if Dumbledore doesn't die, he'll need to be unconscious for a long time. That was my goal. Now, no one can control the map of mountains and seas!"
"Damn, their target is still Potter and Su Yu!"
Professor Snape was shocked. After handing the situation over to Professor McGonagall and the others, he turned and quickly went to find Grindelwald.
On the other side, inside the map of mountains and seas, Su Yu was leisurely fishing. He and Fleur had been waiting in the central circle for over 10 days, and they hadn't seen a single person arrive, nor had he seen the treasure Dumbledore mentioned.
"Su Yu, will you make fish hotpot tonight? I really miss that taste."
After more than ten days together, Fleur was no longer so reserved with Su Yu; she would even crack jokes sometimes.
"You'll have to ask Kurama about that. As long as she's willing to catch the fish, everything else is a small problem."
"But aren't you the one fishing?"
"Who says fishing guarantees there are fish?" Su Yu rolled his eyes at Fleur, feeling like she was mocking him for not catching anything all day!
"Hahahaha! Quick! Look at the big fish I caught!"
Just then, Kurama came rushing over excitedly, carrying a fish several times larger than herself in her mouth. "Plop," she dropped it in front of Su Yu and Fleur, proudly holding her head high and wagging her tail.
"Slap, slap." Kurama was so excited that she wasn't paying attention and got slapped twice by the big fish as it flopped around on the ground.
"Damn it, I'm eating you tonight!"
"Wow! Kurama is amazing! We can have fish tonight!"
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"Harry, why haven't we seen anyone along this way?"
Summers and Harry had been flying toward the center of the circle on their broomsticks for a few days, but the speed of the broomsticks was only so fast, and there was consumption involved, so the two could only fly and rest, unable to really increase their speed.
Harry took out the map to check the general direction. After flipping through it for a long time, he concluded, "Following this direction, we should be able to reach the center of the circle in about five days."
"But I asked why we haven't encountered anyone…" Summers complained.
"Is that so? Sorry, I might have been thinking about other things just now." Harry scratched his head. He had indeed been thinking about something else just now. Ever since he arrived at this place, the scar on his forehead had started to ache frequently. At first, he hadn't taken it seriously, but as the pain lasted longer and longer over the past few days, he couldn't help but feel worried.
"Harry, you said… Look out! An attack!"
Summers, who was speaking, suddenly yelled "An attack!" at Harry. The two barely dodged two slashes of blade energy, but due to the impact of the attack, they fell from high altitude, making a loud "boom."
"Pfft, pfft, pfft…" Protected by the Kurama Cloak, Harry and Summers, although falling in a somewhat disheveled manner, didn't suffer much damage. "Who is it? Who is attacking us?"
"Harry, are you okay?" Summers' head was still buzzing, and he clearly hadn't recovered yet, but instinct still made him concerned about Harry beside him. "Be careful, these are definitely students from other schools! Whose animal can release blade energy…"
"Hehehe, of course it's us, the legendary savior, Harry Potter! You've made us wait for many days." Tsuruta Gihei held his long sword horizontally in front of his chest, followed by five other students. The six of them slowly approached, surrounding Harry and Summers. "Do you have any last words? Gentlemen."
"Harry, I'll block them. If the situation looks bad, remember to crush the necklace on your wrist!" Summers held his wand, standing in front of Harry. This brave little Hufflepuff, even when surrounded, prioritized protecting the younger student behind him.
Watching Summers continuously cast spells, only to be easily blocked by Tsuruta Gihei with his sword, Harry knew that the two of them were no match for the six people in front of them. But what could he do? He didn't even know any offensive spells. Harry regretted being so playful and not learning some skills properly. If Hermione were here, she would surely have many counter-attack methods, right?
"Harry, don't zone out! Find a chance to escape!" Summers was still struggling to resist the six-person assault. The Kurama Cloak isolated all damage, but Summers also knew that the Kurama Cloak was not eternal; it would eventually run out of energy. Before that, they had to try their best to find a way to escape.
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On the other side, Neville didn't walk too fast. He was strolling leisurely through the forest as if sightseeing, occasionally using breadcrumbs and nuts to feed the squirrels and rabbits on the side of the road.
"Since you're here, come out. What's the point of hiding?"
Neville, who was feeding the squirrel in front of him, suddenly said this inexplicable sentence to the rear.
Naba Kulibali, leading 7 warriors from Uagadou School, slowly walked out from behind a big tree.
"Naba Kulibali? I heard you're royalty from Africa, right? A Mossi noble title, born of Wizard royalty. What, is your Uagadou School also going to be an enemy of Hogwarts School?"
Neville was not intimidated by the formation in front of him; he was no longer the timid little boy he used to be.
"Neville Longbottom, ordered by the Dark Lord to eliminate you, who was also born at the end of July. Whether you are the savior or not, today, you will die here." Naba Kulibali spoke in broken English, his dark skin glistening in the sun, which looked somewhat disgusting.
"When did I become the savior? Also, when did your Uagadou School join Lord Voldemort?"
Neville was a little surprised. He felt his brain wasn't enough; were these people joking? But this really wasn't funny…
Chapter 197: Breaking Bad (Everyone, please take a look at the ending, okay?)
"Don't forget, you aren't the only ones with a Professor who can prophesy," Naba Coulibaly said, pulling out his wand. He looked at Neville with disdain, like a baby with no ability to resist, or like a fish on a chopping block. "Our High Priest has prophesied that your destiny has been rewritten. That's why both you and Harry have the potential to become the Savior! This is the power of the Heavenly Dao; it would never put all its eggs in one basket. That's why you see us here today."
Neville spread his hands. Could this really be blamed on him? Savior or not, he just wanted to be with his girlfriend and parents, alright?
Simply put, Neville stopped pretending. He reached his fingers into his cross-body bag, a faint, indiscernible smile in his eyes.
"Do you really take me for Harry? Today, I'll let you witness what Su Yu calls a new profession! Potion Master! The future of the magical world will be rewritten by me!"
With that, Neville thrust his hand into his bag and whipped it upward. Potions from his Undetectable Extension Bag flew into the air. Neville waved his wand, using the Levitation Charm to keep them floating steadily.
"Now, it's time for my performance!"
Naba Coulibaly's pupils dilated. Neville had actually turned the Potions into needle-like syringes, like anesthetics. Dense, swarming needles floated in the air, and with the movement of Neville's arm, they flew toward the students of Uagadou School.
Su Yu believed that if a Wizard used hidden weapons, it would be extremely effective. After all, even if you were from the Tang Sect, you couldn't retrieve the hidden weapons once thrown. But Wizards were different; they were idealistic. Accio could solve any problem of things thrown out and not returning.
Neville was just like that now. He didn't care if the Potion needles hit the target; his main strategy was quantity. Even if he missed, he could just summon them back. "I can make countless mistakes, but if you make one mistake, sorry, you're in for a world of pain."
Moreover, Neville didn't just make contact-injection Potions; he also made many area-of-effect explosive Potions.
"Captain Naba! What are these things! It hurts, help me, Captain..."
The first victim hit by Neville's needles appeared. He had been hit by the Despair Emerald Potion. This Potion's effect was to continuously burn the internal organs, induce extreme pain and despair, and permanently drain magical power. The drinker would suffer from dehydration, mental collapse, and magical depletion, leading to death.
Su Yu had said at the time, "Do you really have to drink it? Wouldn't injecting it be the same? And it's more direct. Either way, it goes into the bloodstream. Injection acts faster. Kid, remember, technology changes life!"
Neville's Potions weren't limited to just that. There was the Draught of Living Death—hit and you fall into an extremely deep, death-like coma, with no antidote. An overdose stops heart, lung, and magical circulation, causing brain death in minutes. Then there was Poison Mead—hit and you suffer immediate tracheal spasms, full-body convulsions, and suffocation, leading to death in seconds. Bezoars were the only antidote, but who carries bezoars during a fight? Except for the Weasley Twins. Neville even made some Basilisk venom.
As for explosives, there was Doxycide—skin contact causes corrosion and ulceration, ingestion burns the esophagus and destroys internal organs; a medium dose is lethal. There was Explosive Liquid—splashes and burns continuously, charring magic shields and the human body. Fire Essence—liquid active fire that ignites without an open flame; it explodes upon contact with water, magical fluctuations, or sound. It has a wide blast radius and the flames have a magical-devouring effect.
Neville was like a living Yama now. Trying to block with Protego? Sorry, my Potions devour magic. Want to run? If I miss, I can just retrieve them and attack again. Neville could even turn them into traps. It was all about surprise attacks and overwhelming firepower.
In less than two minutes, Neville had resolved the battle. The mastermind, Naba Coulibaly, had over a dozen Potion needles stuck in him, like stacking buffs. All negative effects were fully applied. He lay on the ground, fainting, twitching instinctively from the pain.
"Is it over already? Su Yu's idea really is brilliant. I'm truly grateful to him. Not only did he help me save my parents, but he also helped me achieve the title of Potion Master!" Neville thought excitedly, feeling proud of his future as the number one Potion Master in the wizarding world. Little did he know, the students watching from the outside had already given him a new nickname: "Breaking Bad," known as the number one tumor of the wizarding world.
"Blaise! You guys are having a blast here, aren't you!"
After a ten-day journey, Callis and the girls finally reunited with the Malfoy group. As soon as they met, Callis looked at the stinky boys playing with water guns and felt furious.
"Hey, Callis, you haven't been having a good time?" Blaise threw the water gun in his hand to Callis. "We can just add you to the game. Who doesn't know what you're thinking? Come on, want to play?"
"Hmph, I'll forgive you this time. Since you're so sensible, come on, Pansy, let's join in!"
With that, Callis pulled Pansy and the others to join. A new round of water gun battles began. Blaise pulled out a super-sized new water gun from his storage ring and laughed, "No magic allowed! Hahaha, look at my super-sized water gun!"
"Ugh! Blaise! You're cheating, right? Tui... tui... tui! You just wait! You shot into my mouth?"
The group started messing around by the creek again. The atmosphere was completely different from the tense Harry and Neville. Only Daphne looked at the playing crowd with faint worry in her heart. Something was wrong. It was extremely wrong. Along the way, not only could they not find Su Yu, but they couldn't find students from other schools either. Where had all these people gone?
On Harry's side, Summers was already in a tough fight. Originally, Summers had the blessing of the Kurama Cloak and could deal with the six Mahoutokoro School of Magic students, if not with ease, at least not scrambling. But once they collectively activated their second forms, with six Shikigami possessing them, the situation was completely different. Harry's Expelliarmus couldn't penetrate their defenses at all, and his offensive magic wasn't strong to begin with. Now, he could only rely on the Kurama Cloak to barely resist. Looking at the dwindling Chakra in his badge, he felt nothing but despair.
(Two things. First, it should be fine to kill off unimportant supporting characters, right? Like Summers. The main cast definitely won't die, and important characters won't either. This shouldn't be a big problem, right?
Second, I've decided to start a new book. The traffic for this one has reached a point where no one can save it. I will continue writing this, but I also want to start a new book. The content is mostly prepared. The new story is also Western fantasy, a story about the protagonist and several girlfriends from his past life. The main theme is raising bosses in the past life, cultivating relationships, using love and tolerance to reform them, and then dying in front of them. Various Shuraba scenarios. No simulation. There will be Dragon Kings, Saints, Demon Lords, Elves... etc.
New book synopsis: I transmigrated. Bad news, I seem to have forgotten some things. Good news, I have three older sisters and one younger sister. Damn it, my younger sister is a "yellow-haired"! She disses me every day. But my sisters seem a bit off too, especially the way they look at me.
My eldest sister tells me she is the captain of the border legion, but why is she at home every day instead of at the army? Also, stop getting drunk and running into my bed! My second sister says she is the lord of this town. My god, I can walk sideways in the future, no one can stop me. I said it, I don't eat beef! My blind third sister says she is a nun of the Church of Light. She is so gentle, every day she wants to hold me in her arms and say she wants to absorb the power of justice. It's comfortable, but I can't breathe. And the fourth sister, wait! Your tentacles are falling out, hey! My whole family is abnormal. Fortunately, there is me, a normal person. Going to school every day, skipping classes. For an orphan from my past life, life is pretty good. Oh right, the homeroom teacher is an elf with long black-silk legs! It's just that whenever I make a mistake, she hangs me up and spanks me. I will definitely not become an M! It's just that it feels a bit good, what should I do? I think I'm becoming more and more abnormal. Are they hiding something from me?)
Chapter 198: The Strongest Duelist, Theodore
Ever since arriving in the map of mountains and seas secret realm, Theodore had not seen a single peer for nearly twenty days.
However, after sunset today, just as he was preparing to find a place to pitch his tent, he unexpectedly discovered smoke rising from a hilltop not far away.
"Great, I've finally seen someone. I don't know which school they're from, but regardless, I should go check it out."
Thinking this, Theodore flicked his wand and used Apparition to teleport not far from the smoke, but the scene before him made his heart skip a beat.
"This is..."
Not far away, a black-robed figure with an obscured face—wearing a hooded cloak that hid his features—was holding an infant and walking toward Harry. At this moment, Harry was kneeling on the ground, clutching the scar on his forehead, looking incredibly pained. His wand had even slid to the side and fallen to the ground.
Beside Harry lay a corpse. "Is that? Summers? How could he!"
Theodore was shocked, but he quickly calmed his emotions to steady himself and continued to observe.
Harry seemed unable to believe the scene before him. Enduring the splitting headache, he stared at Summers's corpse, as if his brain couldn't accept that Summers had just died like this.
However, the black-robed figure didn't give Harry time to grieve. He dragged Harry up and tied him to a nearby tree trunk. The rope was sturdy, and he wrapped it around Harry many times, as if afraid he might run away.
Harry struggled hard but was slapped across the face by the black-robed figure. Theodore noticed that the palm the figure had just exposed was missing a finger; it seemed this person was likely Wormtail.
"So it was you!" Harry seemed to have realized the identity of the person before him.
Seeing that Harry seemed to have recognized him, the black-robed figure smiled but didn't say anything. He just tightened the ropes binding Harry, stuffed a rag into Harry's mouth, and walked back to a cauldron. The cauldron was huge, seemingly filled with water, with flames burning underneath. The smoke Theodore had seen earlier was the thick smoke released by the burning cauldron.
Was Wormtail trying to stew Harry? Theodore was a bit confused. Catching someone was one thing, but eating them was a bit disgusting.
The cauldron was already boiling, bubbling and occasionally emitting sparks. Theodore vaguely felt that something bad was about to happen. He pressed the emergency help button on his Slytherin badge while staying put, waiting to see what was going on.
"Quick, carry me in!"
The infant spoke. Uh, Theodore felt that if it could even be called an infant—it looked like a xenomorph. It was completely hairless, 20 to 30 centimeters long, with a slender and sharp frame. Its body was translucent mucous membrane, with blood vessels visible under the skin, and the skin was so thin one could see the internal organs pulsating.
Most importantly, it had a flat, snake-like face with no nose.
"Can't delay any longer, it seems I need to act immediately." Theodore's eyes hardened. He felt something terrible was about to happen and instantly raised his wand. But just as he was about to cast a magic spell, he suddenly felt danger approaching from the side. He didn't have time to cast a spell and could only dodge to the side, avoiding the fatal blow.
"Whoa, such a big snake, that's rare."
Theodore looked at Nagini in front of him, marveling at how big the snake was.
"Theodore? Run! Go find Su Yu! The people from Mahoutokoro School of Magic have betrayed us! They've actually joined forces with Lord Voldemort!"
Harry was tied to the tree with a rag in his mouth, shouting forcefully.
"What are you saying? Mumbling and bumbling."
Well, Theodore didn't understand a word of Harry's shouting. Just then, six more attacks came at him simultaneously.
"It seems you all think I'm a soft persimmon?"
Theodore let out a breath, and his Kurama Cloak instantly activated. "Ancient Magic, Water Prison!"
A huge ball of water enveloped Theodore, and simultaneously engulfed the six people attacking him.
After seeing the enemies had entered the ambush, Theodore used Apparition, followed by a lightning curse. Lightning struck straight down into the water ball. In an instant, sparks flew, and the six people inside were charred to cinders.
"That's it? And you dare to ambush me?" Theodore snorted disdainfully.
"Tianhou!"
One of the charred group of six suddenly made a faint sound. The next moment, his shikigami covered him.
"Tianhou? Is that the shikigami of Abe no Seimei?"
Theodore guessed in his heart, and soon he reached a conclusion: this was indeed the shikigami of the ancient yin-yang master Abe no Seimei. Under Tianhou's healing, the other five soon stood up as well.
"Tiankong!" "Tai-chang!" "Baihu!" "Xuanwu!" "Taiyin!"
The other five also activated their respective shikigami.
This was going to be a tough fight. Theodore gripped his wand tightly. Summers must have died at their hands; otherwise, Wormtail and that python wouldn't have been able to break the Kurama Cloak.
Taiyin attacked first, casting an illusion to envelop Theodore. Tai-chang provided buffs from the side, while Tiankong and Baihu waited for an opportunity, ready to begin the hunt at any moment.
"Hmph, your petty illusions aren't even worth a finger of the Chief's, yet you dare use them on me?"
Theodore immediately activated Apparition, appearing instantly beside Taiyin, and triggered a magical disruption. Then, when Baihu and Tiankong came to rescue, he quickly teleported away. His target was never Taiyin, but the team's healer, Tianhou.
If you don't target the healer in a team fight, are you waiting to be kited to death?
Ancient Transfiguration was cast, and Tianhou was transformed into a newborn Acromantula. With a splat, Theodore crushed it to pieces.
"Tianhou!" (x5)
"Damn you, you actually killed Tianhou! I'm going to kill you!" Xuanwu knelt down and slammed his hands into the ground, causing two huge semicircular rocks to clamp toward Theodore.
"Tch, not only am I going to kill him, but I'm going to kill the five of you later too. None of you are getting away today!"
Theodore teleported out again and cast Fiendfyre. Flames formed a tornado around him, blocking the five people's vision. "Come here!"
Tiankong was directly pulled down by Ancient Magic and thrown heavily onto the ground in front of Theodore. After hitting the healer, hit the one in the sky—isn't that common sense? If Summers were still alive, he would definitely have learned his lesson, because he was worn down to death. By the time he realized it, he no longer had the strength to resist.
After being thrown back and forth by Theodore, Tiankong took an Avada Kedavra and became completely silent.
Chapter 199: All Hands on Deck
In just a few short breaths, two of the six shikigami had been lost. The remaining four were now on high alert as if facing a formidable enemy. None of them had expected that the gap between students who both came from Hogwarts School could be so vast.
"Quick, do it now, put me in!" the cold "baby" said in a raspy voice, clinging to Wormtail's neck.
Wormtail didn't dare delay. He hurried over to the cauldron and slowly lowered the "baby" inside.
"Drown him! Drown him!" Harry couldn't help but think to himself as he watched this scene, even though his mouth was gagged. "Just drown him, let him drown already." Harry's head throbbed so violently it felt like it was splitting open, and he could barely even breathe.
Meanwhile, Wormtail held his wand high, flailing about like he was performing a shamanic ritual, chanting some sort of incantation under his breath.
"Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!"
"Tom Riddle, you actually dug up your own father's grave? That's absolutely hilarious. Your mother seduced him, and when he wouldn't have her, she drugged him. Utterly shameless. And then she gave birth to a son like you. Your first act after making it big was to kill your own biological father, just so you wouldn't have to admit you're the product of a Love Potion? You even threw away your father Old Tom's surname, terrified that anyone would find out. Don't worry, though—your fanfiction comics are currently a huge hit all over the school. No need to thank us."
Theodore knew that because of the delay caused by those few shikigami, he had already missed the best opportunity to disrupt the ritual. In that case, he might as well max out his taunting. What if Voldemort actually died of anger? It wasn't entirely impossible, right?
Besides, when it came to Voldemort's family drama, the Chief talked about it as a bedtime story every day, always starting with, 'If I were Old Tom, I would have done this and that.' In the current Slytherin House, who didn't know that Voldemort was starved of motherly love?
It was said that last time, Kurama had secretly held an auction, selling the baby bottle Voldemort supposedly clung to and drank from in his moments of lonely isolation. Theodore felt it was definitely a fake, but there was no stopping the Young Master from actually believing it. He spent 100 Galleons to buy it back, only to get thrashed by Lucius and Narcissa when they found out.
On the other hand, Voldemort, who was still boiling in the cauldron, nearly exploded with rage upon hearing Theodore's words. This caused the entire cauldron to bubble and froth violently, looking as if it were about to blow up.
"Holy sh—*bubble bubble*... you moth—*bubble bubble*... I'll—*bubble bubble*..."
Wormtail stood frozen in place. He had never seen his master so furious, and for a moment, he even forgot to continue chanting the incantation.
Theodore had no time to worry about Voldemort either. The coordinated pincer attack of the White Tiger and the Black Tortoise was already upon him, and he quickly dodged to the side.
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"Cassandra, the emergency alarm is coming from Theodore's badge." Pansy had already confirmed who had triggered the alarm. Olivia was so worried she was at a complete loss.
"Alright, don't worry, Olivia. Theodore is the strongest one here besides Farley and me; he'll be fine." Cassandra stood up and patted Olivia's tense shoulder, then continued to issue orders. "Cho Chang, lock onto Theodore's location using runes. Daphne, leave a message for Farley to get there as quickly as possible. Everyone else, pack your things. Once Cho Chang confirms the location, everyone will set out immediately to support him! The Chief's counter-encirclement plan has already begun..."
All the Slytherin champions immediately sprang into action, leaving only the Weasley Twins—who were still wearing beach shorts—and Cedric standing aside with completely bewildered expressions.
Wait, what? What are you guys doing? How did things suddenly turn into this? Is this just blatant exclusion? Getting special treatment? Trying to isolate us?
"Um, everyone, is there anything we can do to help?"
Cedric was the first who couldn't help but speak up. He didn't think as much as the Weasley Twins; he just wanted to do his part. Seeing everyone else so busy while he had nothing to do made him feel like he shouldn't just stand by.
"You can just follow behind us to make up the numbers. In any case, if we can't handle it, it's not like you'd be of any help anyway."
Young Master Malfoy was as brutally honest as ever. Although his reasoning made sense, the way he said it, combined with his tone, made it hard for anyone to stomach. It made everyone want to slap him.
Cedric finally understood how Harry felt. No wonder Harry disliked him so much; his words were truly grating. If you don't know how to speak properly, you might as well donate your mouth, seriously.
"Cassandra, the location has been pinned down. Theodore is currently in the Inner World. The coordinates have been confirmed, and we can open a portal to the Inner World at any time."
Cho Chang sat cross-legged on the ground, her hands constantly drawing runes. A magic circle around her glowed with a blue light. With her eyes closed, she spoke to Cassandra.
"Then open it directly. Everyone, get into position immediately. Once Cho Chang opens it, Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabbe, you three will charge in first. The rest will follow in order."
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"Theodore is calling for help? The signal has been sent?"
Farley stood on a mountaintop, behind her lay a massive field of giant eagle carcasses that stained the earth red. She licked her lips, seemingly talking to herself. "It looks like that bad boy's plan has already begun. In that case, I need to speed things up too, don't I?"
With that, Farley began to freeze the space in front of her. Then, lifting her high heel slightly, she delivered a chic, spinning kick. The space before her shattered like glass, her robes fluttering as she stepped right through.
...
Wormtail had already reached the step of "blood of the enemy." Because he was missing an arm, his entire body was trembling with pain. He pulled out a knife and sliced open Harry's arm. Because of his trembling, he even accidentally carved a capital'S' onto Harry.
To be honest, if Su Yu were here and saw Harry like this, he definitely wouldn't be able to resist saying, 'Wormtail, you drew it wrong. Harry is definitely an M, how could he be an S?'
Enduring the pain, Wormtail pulled a glass vial from his blood-stained pocket and tremblingly collected Harry's blood.
"Yah!" Theodore suddenly let out a loud shout. Wormtail's hand slipped, and the glass vial slid right out of his grip, shattering on the ground.
At this moment, Wormtail and Harry stared blankly at each other. For a while, the air fell silent. The scene actually looked somewhat comical—Harry was up on the tree, Wormtail was on the ground, and Voldemort was in the pot.
"You useless fool! Cup your hands to catch some and bring it over quickly! What are you crawling on the ground looking for?!"
The second-generation Dark Lord had never felt so angry in his life. He suddenly felt that once he was resurrected, what did Harry even matter? Harry could wait in line. He would tear Theodore into pieces first, and then slowly torture Harry to satisfy his burning hatred.
And of course, that useless Wormtail wouldn't be getting off easy either!
Chapter 200: Reinforcements Arrive!
Wormtail, holding Harry's blood that he had scooped up from the ground with one hand, finally poured it into the cauldron containing Lord Voldemort.
This action left Lord Voldemort somewhat stunned. He suddenly regretted wanting to be resurrected, because he felt that even if he did come back to life, he would be angered to death by this bunch of stupid subordinates.
"Has Harry stopped bleeding? I meant for you to catch Harry's blood as it flowed, just cup your hands and bring it over! Not scoop it up from the ground! Do you have a personal vendetta against the ground or something?"
Wormtail trembled. He was so terrified that his brain had rusted; he didn't want it to be like this either.
"Forget it, pour it in quickly, you idiot!"
Harry's head hurt a little less now because his arm was hurting instead. Even so, he kept insisting on cursing Lord Voldemort in his heart to hurry up and drown, or get boiled to death.
Following Tianhou and Tiankong, Taichang and Taiyin also fell to the ground. The two shikigami had taken a Lightning Curse of Ancient Magic head-on. Now, their bodies were charred black, with white smoke rising from their mouths; they were clearly dead.
The remaining White Tiger and Black Tortoise, seeing their companions die one after another before their eyes, had red eyes and clenched fists. After exchanging a glance, they charged at Theodore like madmen.
"Pah!" Theodore spat. He was already fighting one against six and was severely exhausted, but seeing the last two shikigami about to rush in front of him, he gritted his teeth and continued to fight them.
Finally, the sparks on the cauldron extinguished, and a large amount of white steam emerged. Lord Voldemort's figure finally stood up from the cauldron.
"Bring me my clothes quickly!"
Lord Voldemort's cold, sinister voice rang out, making Harry's skin crawl.
Wormtail scrambled to find his master's clothes, blood flying everywhere from his severed arm, splattering all over the place.
"Idiot! You lowly thing!" Lord Voldemort could no longer stand it. He raised his foot and kicked Wormtail away, "I ask you to do one thing, and you can't even do that right? You piece of trash!"
After Lord Voldemort put on his robes, he walked out of the white smoke. Harry trembled, eyes wide, looking at the monster before him that was both familiar and strange. He had finally come out—no, he had finally returned.
It was just that this time, he was even uglier than before. No nose bridge, only two slits, a pale, bloodless face, no eyebrows, and deep eye sockets...
Lord Voldemort, officially resurrected!
However, the first thing Lord Voldemort did after resurrection was not to destroy the world as Harry had imagined, but like a pervert, he stroked his own face with one hand and touched his chest with the other. This familiar feeling, this wonderful air—he excitedly raised his hands high into the air, dancing with joy.
"Mas... Master... You promised me..." Wormtail clutched his severed arm, crawling toward Lord Voldemort, begging him bitterly.
"We'll talk about that later!"
Lord Voldemort grabbed Wormtail's intact arm, rolled up the sleeve, took out the wand from his pocket, and amidst Wormtail's wailing, cast the spell to summon the Death Eaters.
"I will wait for them right here! Wait for them to kowtow and admit their mistakes to me!"
Lord Voldemort said resentfully.
"But aren't you trying to kill me? Why haven't you made a move yet? Are you afraid I might kill you instead?"
At this moment, Theodore, dragging his weary body, held two heads in one hand and tossed them casually at Lord Voldemort's feet, startling Wormtail so much that he even forgot to continue wailing.
"Heh heh, the junior of the Nott family, you shouldn't have, you absolutely shouldn't have angered me. My people are already here!"
Lord Voldemort didn't even glance at Theodore, as if, to him, Theodore was already a dead man.
Space portals opened slowly, one after another, and Wizards kept pouring out from inside. They all wore masks, and even their movements were somewhat cautious, constantly calling out for their master.
Theodore's expression had turned cold; he saw an acquaintance.
"Old Nott, you have certainly raised a good son." Lord Voldemort's voice happened to ring out at this moment. "Go, go and eliminate this potential threat; the time has come to prove your loyalty. I know that thirteen years ago, some of you felt that I was finished, secretly joined our enemies, crying and saying they were innocent, that they were misled, and knew nothing about it."
"But have you ever thought about one question: what if one day, I returned? Do you think that by joining Dumbledore, you could rest easy?"
"Ple... please," a Death Eater prostrated on the ground, constantly kissing Lord Voldemort's robes, trembling all over, "Forgive us this once, please forgive us, okay?"
"I will not forgive you. Crucio!"
As he spoke, Lord Voldemort cast the spell. The people around all lay on the ground, wailing in pain, writhing, and some had already left a pool of yellow liquid on the ground.
"I will not forget the humiliation I have suffered over these thirteen years. So, the opportunity to prove yourselves has come. It is time for you to pay your debts, just like Wormtail. He has already paid some, but unfortunately, it is not enough. Old Nott, the moment for you to pay your debt has arrived. Let me see your loyalty, otherwise, there will be no need for you and your family to exist!"
Suddenly, the sound of space shattering rang out—tap, tap, tap—a pair of high heels appeared in the eyes of Lord Voldemort and the others.
"The air here is really dirty, don't you think?"
Farley was the first to arrive on the battlefield.
"It's you!" Lord Voldemort would never forget. When his other soul possessed that Professor Quirrell, he had already been resurrected, but was kicked back into hell by this woman with one kick. "You deserve to die!"
"Whether I deserve to die is not for you to say, you piece of trash."
Just as Farley finished speaking, another spatial fluctuation appeared beside her, and Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabbe walked out first.
"Farley? You really did arrive before us," Malfoy struck a handsome pose. There was no helping it; Farley's aura was too strong. If he didn't act cool, he would look more like a security guard.
"Lord Voldemort? How did he resurrect? Where is Theodore?"
Cassandra, who walked out next, clearly had a different train of thought from Malfoy. She spotted Lord Voldemort and his group of Death Eaters at a glance.
"Lord Voldemort? Where?" Malfoy was startled. Although he had clashed with Lord Voldemort and didn't know who would win or lose, the childhood trauma was too great. He grew up listening to ghost stories about him every day; who wouldn't be startled upon suddenly seeing the real person?
As the warriors of Slytherin House walked out one after another, the gravity in Lord Voldemort's eyes increased. He had just been resurrected and his strength had not yet recovered to its peak. He had suffered such a loss last time; even with the bonus of demonic power, he had still been defeated by them. This time, he must not make the same mistake.
Immediately, Lord Voldemort waved his hand, "Old Nott, remember your loyalty. I leave this place to you. Everyone else, follow me and relocate first! Bring Harry, Wormtail!"
Chapter 201: Old Nott
Watching Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters Apparate away one by one, Young Master Malfoy was the first to lose his patience, wanting to keep them there. After all, they still had Harry with them, and his father wasn't among them, so why should he panic?
And indeed, Lucius hadn't actually come to Lord Voldemort's gathering this time. Perhaps he had witnessed the terrifying strength of Su Yu and Young Master Malfoy, or perhaps it was because the first-generation Dark Lord was currently standing right next to Headmaster Dumbledore. He felt that continuing to fight single-handedly under a second-generation Dark Lord was simply not worth the cost. Lest anyone forget, he was once a calculating Slytherin. Furthermore, as much of a scoundrel as Lucius was, he couldn't bring himself to defect to Hell. Being a dog for the Dark Lord still kept him within the human camp, but being a dog for a Demon King of Hell? Wouldn't that make him a traitor to humanity?
So, he just sat quietly in the stands, cheering for his precious son. Lord Voldemort? Who cared, they weren't close. Not only were they not close, but when the monster army invaded earlier, he had even put in quite a bit of effort and slaughtered many monsters.
"Karkaroff, don't look at me like that. If you want to go, then go. I'm not stopping you. I only came to see my son."
Standing on the high platform of the ruined Quidditch Pitch, Lucius held his wife Narcissa's hand. Watching the live broadcast screen not far away, he spoke casually to Karkaroff, who was glaring at him from the side.
"Leave Old Nott to me," Theodore said as he struggled to stand up from the ground. Thanks to the healing from Olivia and Daphne, he had recovered quite a bit. The man before him was, after all, his father in name; it was only right for him to bring an end to this. "All of you go and pursue them. Don't delay the Chief's mission. I'll be enough here."
"Theodore, are you really alright?" Olivia looked at her lover with worry, somewhat reluctant to leave.
"Be good, listen to me," Theodore said, raising an arm to gently caress Olivia's cheek. "I'll be fine. Go on. After all, the Healing Light you awakened is needed more in the main force. Once I settle the affairs of the Nott Family, I'll catch up and regroup with you."
"Hey, Theodore, stop raising death flags. It's making me nervous just listening to you."
"Piss off, Blaise! Can't you say something nice? Am I really that pathetic?"
"What can I say? If I say a few more words like 'you must come back alive,' wouldn't that stack it to the limit for you? You ungrateful jerk. I worried about you for nothing, and you actually told me to get lost. Callis, I need some comfort..."
"Alright, cut the chatter. Everyone except Theodore, set out immediately and pursue the fleeing Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters. This time, we must wipe them all out!"
With Cassandra speaking, the matter was settled. The crowd stopped wasting words. Utilizing Apparition and flying brooms, they all took to the air and began their pursuit of the enemy.
Old Nott was about to stop them, as Lord Voldemort's order had been to delay them, but Theodore instantly appeared before his eyes. An Expelliarmus was barely blocked by Old Nott.
"You really have grown up, Theodore..." Old Nott's fingers trembled slightly, indicating that blocking Theodore's previous spell had been far from easy, and had instead brought him immense shock.
"Father, from the moment you immersed yourself in researching the Dark Arts and Alchemy, which accidentally affected Mother, I had already grown up. It's just that you never noticed." Theodore tightly clenched his fingers around his wand, showing that he was not as calm as he appeared on the surface.
"From the moment Mother died, I no longer had any attachment to this filthy family. What exactly were Mother and I to you? Just tools to continue the lineage?"
"The surname Nott is the highest honor we can achieve!" Old Nott seemed somewhat crazed. He was obsessive and sinister, yet he was also unwilling to bring up the death of his beloved wife. Having a child late in life, he had cherished his wife and child immensely. However, he had his own pride; for the sake of the Nott Family, he could give up everything—absolutely anything.
His wife had died in an accident. The dark spell he was researching exploded unexpectedly, and his wife, trying to protect their hard-won son, was caught in the blast and died on the spot despite rescue efforts. Theodore had witnessed the entire process, which left an indelible trauma on his young mind. Yet, the mission to revitalize the Nott Family remained, and he couldn't stop. He didn't have a genius talent like Lord Voldemort, nor did he have the methods of Grindelwald. Generally speaking, he was just an ordinary noble Wizard; he couldn't even compare to Lucius. But what choice did he have? He could only struggle desperately to survive for his family's sake, silently bearing the pain of losing his wife. He had no other powerful backers to rely on, so he could only cling tightly to Lord Voldemort. For the sake of the Nott Family, he was even willing to abandon his dignity to grovel before him and curry favor...
Everyone has something they protect—some protect love, some protect their family, some protect honor, and some protect their beliefs. If you ask whether they are in the wrong, it's impossible to judge. At least they didn't do it for themselves... except for Wormtail.
"Father, let it go. You are living too exhaustingly. I have already found a better way. The glory of the Nott Family will not disappear; instead, it will shine even brighter."
Theodore seemed to perceive the conflicted and painful expression on his father's face. Exhaling slowly, he spoke to persuade Old Nott.
Old Nott did not take Theodore's words to heart. Instead, he raised his wand and waved it frantically at Theodore, spells shooting continuously from the tip like a Gatling firework.
However, Theodore was not a foolish student like Harry. This was not to disparage Harry, but it was simply the reality. Harry's starting point was a hundred times better than Lord Voldemort's. Even so, Lord Voldemort had begun building his small clique in his first year, mapping out all the secret passages and areas of Hogwarts School. By his second year, he could learn many advanced spells and taught himself silent casting. In his fourth year, he could use the Killing Curse to kill his own father. By his fifth year, he could manipulate everything, framing Hagrid and creating his first Horcrux. Meanwhile, in his fourth year, Harry was still playing Quidditch matches every day, babbling along with Ron, and knew a pitifully small number of spells.
Theodore was the same; he was actually a top-tier student. In Su Yu and Malfoy's year in Slytherin, his grades were the absolute best. He usually studied extremely hard; even when spending time with Olivia, he would still be studying. He diligently practiced various spells and was the first among everyone to master wandless magic and silent casting. Except for Cassandra and Farley, who were one or two years ahead of him, he was not inferior to anyone. Of course, excluding the cheat-like Su Yu, who had never turned his hacks off.
"Father, don't blame me..." Theodore muttered in his heart. If he didn't use his full strength now, the one who died would surely be himself.
(New book, 'Thriller: My System is a Bit Awesome', a comedic horror novel, has officially signed today!
As my second book, once I update it to eighty thousand words, this Harry Potter book will resume updating twice a day. After all, I currently have to update four to five chapters a day over there... Writing over ten thousand words a day for both books combined is truly exhausting... Thank you, everyone. I hope you can understand. Thank you so much!)
Chapter 202: Paving the Way with Life (Thank you, Dian Tang, for the "Electricity Generated by Love" support!)
As Theodore waved his wand, the surrounding cold grew increasingly dense, and countless icicles slowly condensed in the air.
"Use your full strength! Don't let me look down on you! Theodore Nott..." Old Nott roared, but the moment he spoke Theodore's name, his voice seemed to be filled with gentleness once again.
Theodore's icicles had already flown out by now. By the time he heard his father call his name one last time, he realized something was wrong, but... it was already too late. "Father! You..."
Pfft... That was the sound of icicles piercing flesh. Old Nott had not cast Protego; instead, with a smile on his face, he let go of his wand and met the icicles with his own body.
"What... what on earth are you doing?!" With a flash of Apparition, Theodore caught his falling father in his arms and questioned him loudly.
"Pfft... Don't speak, Theodore. Let me finish... This is the last time I'll ever talk to you... Don't argue with me, alright?"
Old Nott gripped Theodore's hand tightly, with some effort and difficulty.
"In my life, I only made two mistakes. The first was joining Lord Voldemort and becoming a Death Eater... When Lord Voldemort fell, I regretted it. I was afraid, because I had you and your mother, and I couldn't bear to lose you. So... so I lied to the Ministry of Magic. I deceived them into believing I had been bewitched."
Blood kept spilling from the corner of Old Nott's mouth. Theodore used the few healing spells he knew to treat his father. He suddenly felt an urge to cry—an emotion that had never existed in his heart since his mother's death bubbled up once more. His nose stung, and it felt unbearable. "Father, don't talk. Let... let me heal you first, okay? Oh, right, I'll contact Olivia right now. She will heal you, she definitely will!"
Old Nott squeezed Theodore's hand tightly once more. "Listen to me... Nott, there's no need to heal me. I don't have long to live anyway. Just let me die like this, alright?"
"Father? You..."
"It's been so long since I last spoke with you, Nott..." With a trembling hand, Old Nott wiped away the tears that had just begun to fall from Theodore's eyes. "A member of the Nott Family must be strong, right? Actually, before I set out this time, I had already written your name down for the position of family patriarch. From now on, you are the head of the Nott Family. Don't be a crybaby like you were when you were little. The stain of the Nott Family joining the Dark Lord needs to be washed away with my blood. Only then can you rightfully reclaim your place as a noble of the Sacred Twenty-Eight!"
Speaking these words seemed to take too much effort, and Old Nott coughed up another mouthful of blood. He raised his hand and patted Theodore's, signaling him to listen until he finished, as he didn't have much time left.
"Actually, the day your mother passed away, my heart died with her. And the second mistake I made was for the revival of the Nott Family—I failed your mother. If not for the dark magic explosion that day, your mother... wouldn't have... cough, cough..."
"I heard you've been seeing a very beautiful girl at school? You're always so secretive, not daring to tell anyone. But I am your father; I've already sneaked a look at her. She's a very nice girl. Treat her well in the future. People always say the Nott Family is full of hopeless romantics, and I never used to believe it..."
"Once I'm gone, the Nott Family will be entirely free of stains, and you can truly be yourself. Go do what you love. You are the family head now; no one can oppose you anymore. I've also met that boy, Su Yu. Following him has indeed made your strength improve very quickly. He's different from Lord Voldemort and Grindelwald. Perhaps he is the one who will decide the future path of the wizarding world. Your judgment is excellent, far better than your father's... cough, cough..."
"The glory of the Nott Family is now in your hands. Your father didn't do a good job and made things hard for you. From now on, the Nott Family can stand in the light, no longer the shame of the Sacred Twenty-Eight that could only hide in a dark, damp gutter... Theodore... I think I see your mother coming to fetch me... Your mother also told me to tell you... you must be happy together with Olivia... You must be happy..."
——————————
"Su Yu, it's been so long. Do you think something went wrong?"
Fleur sat on the flat, blue stones of the riverbank, holding Kurama in her arms. Her skirt was gently gathered over her knees, and her two bare feet dangled into the clear, cool river water.
The current gently brushed over the tops of her feet as her calves swayed softly. Her features were relaxed and soft, carrying a hint of leisurely charm. From time to time, her toes lightly tapped the water, swinging slowly back and forth, shattering the shimmering light on the surface and sending tiny splashes of water scattering around her ankles.
"Quick! Let me play too! Hurry, Fleur..." Kurama wanted to try everything she saw. Fleur simply picked her up and let her four little paws step onto the water's surface. "Don't wag your tail so much, Kurama! It tickles so much, hahaha."
"Have you finally noticed that something's wrong? You silly girl..."
Su Yu lay beneath a large tree by the river, a blade of foxtail grass dangling from his mouth. Are they already fighting by now?
Ever since Su Yu entered this world, he had felt that something was off. His connection with all the Slytherin students had been severed. The world he had entered was definitely not a conventional Inner World or secret realm, and there was a possibility that they were being monitored the entire time. Therefore, he chose not to alert the enemy and simply went about his business with Kurama. However, what he hadn't expected was how Fleur had appeared; she had probably stumbled in by accident. But regarding this world, he already had a rough idea, and only needed a few pieces of proof.
With a thunderous boom, the sky suddenly lost its brightness. Dark clouds rolled in from the horizon, completely swallowing the sunlight. The earth trembled slightly, and a dark purple glow seeped through the rifts in the clouds. The surrounding air currents swirled and surged relentlessly, sending all the birds scattering in panic.
"Su Yu! This is—!" Fleur cried out in surprise, but before she could finish, Su Yu teleported over, scooped her up, and flew into the sky.
"It seems Farley and Cassandra have indeed started fighting on their end, and you guys couldn't hold back either, could you?"
Su Yu spat out the foxtail grass in his mouth and stood amidst the clouds. The howling wind whipped past, causing his loose robes to flutter and snap wildly in the gale, their hems billowing freely behind him.
"Stop hiding. Since you're here, why don't you all show yourselves? Let me see exactly who has plotted against me this time."
Just as Su Yu's voice fell, several sounds of space-time cracking echoed in the sky. One tall figure after another stepped through, slowly appearing above him.
"Oho, quite a crowd this time..."
Chapter 203: Fighting in a Sea of Blood
The gloomy, narrow valley was buried deep in the shadows of the mountains, seeing no sunlight all day long. The entire world was immersed in a thick, cold, ash-gray aura of death.
Cassandra brought the warriors of Hogwarts School to a halt at the entrance of the valley.
The valley floor before them was a scene of devastation, barren of all vegetation, littered everywhere with the remains of bones and corpses abandoned for a thousand years.
Dense clusters of skulls were scattered everywhere, some piled into mounds, others half-buried in the blackened, rotted soil. Their hollow, pitch-black eye sockets stared eerily into the sky, as if harboring lingering resentful spirits.
Broken human bones were jumbled and intertwined, strewn haphazardly across the valley path, piling up into mounds of deathly silence.
The weathered, blackened bone surfaces emitted a pale, eerie, matte glow. Dark, grayish-black mold congealed in the crevices, and a cold, foul, putrid stench hung heavily in the air, chilling to the bone when it touched the skin.
The rock walls on either side were mottled and dim. Thousands of withered bones slumbered here, with resentment lurking and a bone-chilling coldness. Every inch of air was filled with desolation, deathly silence, and a sinister atmosphere that sent shivers down one's spine.
"W-what kind of place is this?" Master Malfoy was notoriously afraid of ghosts, and this place looked so sinister that he instinctively pushed Goyle and Crabbe in front of him, pulling Pansy to hide behind them.
"No, Boss... We're scared too..."
"Why do you think villains always like playing with these gloomy, creepy things? Can't they do something more... normal?" Callis kicked a bone near her foot. She wasn't scared, but that didn't mean she could accept this...
It's disgusting, okay!
Suddenly, Lord Voldemort's sinister, cackling laughter echoed from not far away. "Since you've chased us all the way here, then don't bother going back!"
Suddenly, dense swarms of hell creatures appeared on the stone walls on both sides of the valley. The sheer number of Balrogs lit up the entire valley in a fiery red.
"Don't think you're the only ones with a backup plan. This is a gift prepared for you by the masters! Hehehe!"
Lord Voldemort's laughter echoed throughout the valley, as if mocking their helplessness.
"Oh no, have we walked into an ambush?" Cedric asked, turning to Cassandra, who was acting as their leader.
"You call this an ambush? No, it's us who have surrounded them! You really don't take us seriously, do you, Lord Voldemort?"
Farley stepped forward and charged straight into the army of monsters. A laugh, even more brazen than Lord Voldemort's, erupted from within the monster horde.
"What a lunatic. Malfoy, stop hiding in the back. You lot continue to rescue Harry; leave this to me and Farley! You are in charge of the team for the time being!"
Cassandra immediately opened the way with a Fiendfyre Curse. Without hesitation, she charged in to support Farley.
"Understood! Cassandra." Malfoy's personality was just like that; when someone else was shouldering the burden, he liked to hide in the back. If he didn't push himself, he wouldn't even know he could be this capable.
"Everyone, provide cover for Farley and Cassandra, then we'll circle around in the chaos!"
"Yes!" (13 voices)
The two women descended like gods of slaughter. The Kurama Cloak enveloped their bodies, providing a continuous stream of magic. Farley pulled a Tang dao from her storage ring, simultaneously activating space-time stasis to its maximum extent. All enemies within fifty meters were frozen in an instant, and by the time they regained their senses, they were already decapitated.
Compared to the violent Farley, Cassandra was much more reserved. Ice and fire magic swirled around her, and she fired off Fiendfyre Curse and freezing spells in rapid succession, cutting down the army of hell creatures like grass.
"Now is our chance! Let's go!" At Malfoy's command, the rest of the group quickly advanced into the depths of the valley. They had only one mission: rescue Harry.
With Farley and Cassandra teaming up, what did an army of a hundred thousand demons matter? Before the Kurama Cloak ran out, the two of them were invincible.
Besides, no one said you could only carry one badge, right? To protect them, Su Yu had filled the girls with items storing Kurama's power. They could just swap one out when it ran out; it wasn't like they were expensive items anyway.
Until the very last monster, which looked like a leopard, had its head crushed under Farley's foot, the entire valley became terrifyingly silent. There was no sound of wind, no chirping of insects. Occasionally, tiny bits of flesh would fall, making a faint rustling sound that echoed in the empty valley.
With a soft "snap," Farley pulled an exquisitely crafted lighter from her pocket and lit a thin cigarette, placing it between her sexy red lips. Her long black hair was completely soaked in dark red bloodstains. Streaks of blood meandered down her hair, covering her face in a dense web, soaking down to her neck, and blooming into mottled bloodstains on her collar. Her expression was indifferent and languid, her whole body radiating a fierce, murderous aura, yet she possessed a relaxed, manic energy.
"Want one? It's been a long time since I've felt this refreshed..."
"Forget it. I don't want to pick up that habit. I really don't know who else in this world, besides Su Yu, would dare to want you..."
To her left, Cassandra lowered her eyelids, chewing a wad of white bubblegum, occasionally puffing out her cheeks. Her clear eyes looked calmly to the side. Her face was also covered in winding bloodstains; despite being covered in blood, her demeanor remained composed and calm.
The fragments covering the valley floor, the bloody and disheveled appearance of the two women, and their nonchalant postures clashed, creating an aura that was both wild and cold.
"Let's go. Let's see how that group is doing. Hopefully, there haven't been any accidents."
Master Malfoy led the team deeper into the valley. Any stray monsters they encountered along the way were easily dealt with.
"Malfoy, I can sense Harry's emotions ahead. He's only two kilometers away."
Pansy's emotional perception had improved significantly after such a long time of training. Hearing Pansy's words, Malfoy slowed the entire team down. The closer they got to the target, the more cautious they had to be.
"Goyle, use Petrification Skin. You and Blaise go ahead and scout the path. Crabbe and Daphne, you two be ready to provide backup at any time. Callis and Olivia, you two provide support from the rear!"
Malfoy's brain worked at high speed as he assigned tasks to everyone present.
"What about us? What about us? We're very strong too, you know!" George was dissatisfied with Malfoy's approach. The Weasley Twins weren't weak, were they? Why couldn't they even be considered bit-part players on the Slytherin House side?
Malfoy glanced at the remaining three, thought for a moment, and decided to just pretend he hadn't heard them, turning his head back.
"No!" Just as George was about to ask if he looked down on them, Fred quickly covered his mouth. "He's the team leader now, the leader! Understand?"
Cedric clenched his hands tightly, his fingers digging in until they drew blood. His friend had sacrificed himself; Summers had died just like that. As the Prefect of Hufflepuff, he bore an inescapable responsibility, and he was still filled with regret even now.
Chapter 204: Nine Death Eaters
Malfoy glanced at Cho Chang, the only one remaining. "Cho Chang, if we encounter Lord Voldemort, we have to rely on you for now. I will be on the sidelines to cover you."
Cho Chang was not in a hurry. She simply tied her hair back into a ponytail and tucked her wand back into her robes. "Don't worry, leave Lord Voldemort to me. You all just need to go and rescue Harry."
That's right; in the current team, Cho Chang was the one making the most terrifying progress. She could even go toe-to-toe with Farley. With the ability to draw talismans in the void, bolstered by the Kurama Cloak and Ancient Magic, even Farley sometimes didn't want to fight a war of attrition against her.
"Then let's get started!" Following Malfoy's command, the group instantly entered combat mode.
The ground trembled slightly. Goyle's body suddenly surged, growing over three meters tall in the blink of an eye. His skin quickly turned a grayish-white like gray rock, his muscles hardening layer by layer. He transformed into a solid rock Giant, his edges rough and crude, with his robes enveloped into his stone-like skin.
He lowered his waist and took a step, his heavy feet crushing the gravel on the ground. Relying on his indestructible petrified body, he charged straight ahead with his head down.
The sound of the wind whistled as it struck his heavy stone body. His massive figure, carrying unstoppable brute force, crushed forward like a collapsing mountain, sending earth and stone flying everywhere along the path.
Blaise activated the Kurama Cloak, jumped up, and landed steadily on Goyle's shoulder. "Idiot, you forgot to activate the Kurama Cloak!"
"Oh..." The rumbling sound exploded in Blaise's ears, causing him to stumble. Red Chakra began to envelop Goyle's petrified body.
"Keep your voice down! I can hear you!"
Perhaps Goyle was charging too fast, or perhaps the wind was too loud; Goyle didn't hear what Blaise was shouting.
"Let's keep up!"
——————————
At this moment, Lord Voldemort had just stanched the bleeding from Wormtail's arm and attached a silver arm to him.
"Thank you, my master... Thank you so much!" Wormtail lay on the ground, kneeling and kissing Lord Voldemort's robes. "This arm is so beautiful. Master, you are truly so great, just like this dazzling radiance..."
"Then just keep proving your loyalty to me, Wormtail. Do not let me see your loyalty waver again!" Lord Voldemort shook off the robes that Wormtail was still kissing.
"I will... I will... Master... I will never betray you again!" Wormtail responded, trembling.
"Look, let us see how many people are missing!" Lord Voldemort roared angrily. "This should have been the place of the Lestrange couple! But where are they? They are still staying in Azkaban! They are the ones most loyal to me! They would rather go to Azkaban than betray me."
Lord Voldemort said this, glared at all the Death Eaters present, and continued, "I will break into Azkaban, rescue them, and then give them rewards you couldn't even dream of! By then, the Dementors will also join us; they are naturally meant to be used by me. And those banished Giants—I want to find all my servants first. With my loyal servants, plus the Demon King of Hell, I! Lord Voldemort, will be the only King of the human world!"
"There are nine Death Eaters missing here, you wretched mongrels!" Lord Voldemort looked at the empty spots, his rage no longer suppressible. "Damn it! A bunch of trash! Three have already sacrificed themselves; those three died for me. Four did not dare to return—have they lost their nerve? I will go and ask them personally. Another one, I think, has completely betrayed me; I will kill him with my own hands. The last one, he is a loyal servant. I know what he is doing, and he has done it beautifully!"
(The nine people here—in the original work, there were six. The three extra ones are the ones who didn't dare to return: Goyle's, Crabbe's, and Malfoy's fathers. Alright, let me explain the six people in the original work. Three died for Lord Voldemort:
Evan Rosier: Killed by Aurors.
Wilkes: Died in battle against the Order of the Phoenix Aurors.
Regulus Black (the second son of the Black family): Stole the locket and was drowned by Inferi; died while loyal to Lord Voldemort.
The one who lived but didn't dare to come: That Principal of the Durmstrang Institute, Karkaroff.
The one who betrayed: Professor Snape. At the time, Lord Voldemort thought he had betrayed him, after all, he was at Hogwarts and following Dumbledore. Later, Professor Snape looked at that mouth and talked his way out of it, so Lord Voldemort didn't kill him, but he never really trusted him. That eventually led to him having Nagini kill Professor Snape.)
And the last one is Barty.)
"He is currently at Hogwarts School, and it is precisely because of him that we can see Harry at my resurrection party today! Hehehehe..."
All the Death Eaters looked at Harry. "This is the Savior! The famous Savior Harry, as our'special guest'..."
Then, Lord Voldemort began to excitedly talk about that night, how he was defeated by love, and also recounted his success—his Horcrux! With the Horcrux, he was immortal. Although he was weak and helpless after being killed, he was at least still alive, wasn't he?
Subsequently, the topic shifted.
"It is you, you traitors!" Lord Voldemort waved his wand, casting the Cruciatus Curse to punish his group of slaves. "Time and again I have had expectations, only to be met with disappointment! I could only possess the body of a snake! Do you know! A snake! It only has a four-year lifespan, until I met Professor Quirrell..."
Each servant trembled in pain, twitching on the ground, until Lord Voldemort was satisfied, at which point he let go and spared their lives.
"Wormtail! Put Harry Potter down!" Lord Voldemort turned around and commanded Wormtail, who was still rolling on the ground. "Return his wand to him as well! Today I will let you see who is stronger! The Savior, or the Dark Lord!"
(Actually, I really don't understand this part in the original work. How is Lord Voldemort's brain wired? A Dark Lord bullying a 14-year-old child, insisting on comparing who is stronger... And not to mention that Harry was already injured, he even gave that fourteen-year-old child a Cruciatus Curse before the duel, and then told him, "You've learned how to duel, right? We should do blah blah blah," as if he were afraid that the kid wouldn't kill him... Seriously, if he wins, people say he's bullying a child; if he loses, it proves he's a piece of trash. Sigh, our Lord Voldemort did exactly that, and he still lost... Hahahaha.)
After Harry was let down, because his injuries were too severe, he collapsed on the ground. He had thought about running away, but Lord Voldemort's Cruciatus Curse came hurtling toward Harry.
"Hurry up, Harry Potter, get up for me! You've learned how to duel, haven't you? We must bow first, must we not? You are a good boy, right? Etiquette must not be forgotten. Dumbledore would certainly like you for that. Come on, bow to the Shinigami! Hahaha..."