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Chapter 201: A Forged History
Dumbledore and Fudge exchanged confused glances.
The two of them didn't understand what had provoked the reporters' behavior.
Darren, however, knew immediately.
The system had released a altered version of the photo ball, giving many people a partial glimpse of what had happened back then. Of course, those memories were slightly altered—fabricated—but no one could know that.
Suddenly, the public realized that Darren had been tortured so severely, and yet Fudge had treated him like a criminal during interrogation. Darren himself felt a wave of humiliation at the thought.
"Potter," one reporter began smugly, "I witnessed the memory Ball of that day. Tell me… did you deliberately allow the Death Eaters to harm your classmates? Do you feel responsible for their deaths? If you had captured them sooner, wouldn't your classmates have survived? Do their lifeless eyes haunt you every night? Don't you regret it?"
Before Darren could even react, Dumbledore's sharp voice cut through the air.
"Quiet!"
He glared at the female reporter.
"Rita Skeeter! How dare you insult a hero like this? I will report your behavior immediately!"
Mr. Weasley quickly squeezed in, covering Darren's ears so the reporter's malicious words wouldn't reach him.
Darren looked up at Rita Skeeter—a woman with jeweled glasses and a delicately coiffed mass of blonde hair.
Her teeth glimmered even more unnaturally than Lockhart's, and she smiled at him with irritating self-satisfaction.
The woman seemed like an Animagus—like a beetle, small and intrusively watchful. Her glasses, framing her sharp eyes, added to the resemblance.
Just like Harry had faced her, Darren thought, only now it's me.
[Ding: Temporary Holy Father mission activated—stand next to Rita Skeeter with a pale face, draw your wand expressionlessly, aim at yourself, and say in a pained voice: "They're all dead because of me.
You're right. I killed them. I should have died long ago." Then chant the Shatter Bones Curse. Wait for Dumbledore to stop you.]
[Ding: Mission completion will reward "Forged History." Will the host accept?]
Forged History? Darren wondered. What is that?
The system would presumably explain shortly.
He closed his eyes, and when he reopened them, they were red with intensity.
He gently refused Mr. Weasley's protective hand and faced Rita Skeeter, who was still pressing her questions with malicious glee.
Taking a deep breath, Darren slowly drew his wand.
Rita's expression shifted from surprise to curiosity.
"Are you… going to do something to me?" she asked. "Because I was just asking about your… issues."
Darren's lips twitched almost imperceptibly. Rita Skeeter was one of the most annoying characters he had ever met, and he decided to make her regret her audacity.
Softly, he said, "You're right. I caused their deaths. I failed at the time. I did nothing, and they died… I've felt that way for a long time… You're right, I shouldhave died long ago ."
His eyes were empty, lifeless.
Dumbledore's heart sank as he gripped his wand tightly.
Then, in an instant, Darren pointed his wand at his chest.
"Shatter Bones!" he whispered.
"Obstacles!"
An invisible wall sprang into existence. Darren shifted the spell slightly, and it rebounded off the barrier, striking Rita Skeeter.
[Ding: Mission complete—reward earned: Forged History.]
Forged History: The host can imagine a version of history and make it a temporary reality.
The courtroom erupted in chaos.
"Ah! Potter's killing me!"
"Potter's going to kill me!"
"Oh my God! I'm going to die!"
Rita Skeeter screamed, a deep scar now running from her face to her neck, blood spurting in all directions.
Wizards rushed forward.
"Don't move! Don't look! Let's get out of here!"
Mr. Weasley positioned himself in front of Darren, who instinctively wanted to intervene, but Dumbledore pressed his hand firmly on Darren's shoulder and pulled him forward with irresistible force.
"Arthur, I'll take Darren back to Hogwarts first. And you, get Harry from the Flyway Network—he's in your office, right?" Dumbledore said seriously. "Bring him back to Hogwarts immediately."
Then he fixed his gaze on Darren. "I'm sorry, but once we get to the school, I'll undo the spell."
"Headmaster… Dumbledore, Darren…"
"Rest assured," Dumbledore said, raising his wand.
In a blink, they returned to Hogwarts. Darren barely had time to complain about the complications of Phantom Transfiguration before being nearly pulled into the Headmaster's office.
"Sit, my boy," Dumbledore commanded, waving his wand so that Darren could finally move.
"I'm sorry, Headmaster… I worried you…" Darren murmured guiltily.
[Ding: Father +80]
Dumbledore didn't speak, but silently awarded him 80 Father points, his expression warm and patient, encouraging Darren to continue.
For a moment, Darren wondered if Dumbledore had seen through his performance and was letting him perform freely.
But he quickly dismissed the thought.
Dumbledore simply watched him pause, still sighing softly, and retrieved a Shadow Ball from his pocket.
"Good boy. I'll open this here. Don't mind, will you?"
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