"Something feels wrong," Narcissa whispered, clutching her husband's arm. "My intuition is screaming."
Lucius Malfoy kept his eyes fixed ahead, his expression unreadable. "Erwin has a plan. We must trust him. Whether he chooses to save the world or reshape it, our loyalty is his."
Narcissa nodded, though her worry lingered. "The children..."
"Look closely," Lucius murmured, a faint smile touching his lips. "The stands are emptying. Erwin has already moved them. Most of the remaining students are Gryffindors. They're... acting strangely."
"Do you think he's targeting them?"
"No," Lucius shook his head. "But perhaps they are the only ones not deemed worthy of protection. Come, we must reach the rendezvous point."
As the Malfoys slipped away, Arthur Weasley's gaze sharpened. He scanned the stands, his brow furrowing. The pure-blood families were vanishing into the crowd, and the stands felt unnaturally quiet.
"Arthur?" Molly asked, her voice tight with concern.
"They're gone," Arthur said grimly. "All of them. And look at the students—many are missing."
Molly searched the sea of faces, her heart sinking. "If anything happens, we protect the children."
"Always," Arthur agreed.
Then, a quiet voice broke their focus.
"I need to use the lavatory."
It was Ron. He stood up, his movements stiff, his usually expressive face a blank mask. He had been silent for days, withdrawn and distant.
"Go on," Molly said gently. "Don't wander off."
Ron nodded and turned away. But for a split second, as he pivoted, a flicker of unnatural darkness flashed across his eyes.
He didn't head for the toilets. Instead, he made for the perimeter of the valley, moving with a single-minded purpose that sent a chill down the spine of the observers hidden within the wards.
At the edge of the territory, a shimmering barrier blocked his path. Runes etched into the ground flared faintly, warning him back.
Ron stopped. The blackness in his eyes deepened. He turned sharply, seeking another route.
A moment later, an elderly wizard from the Kunlun sect stepped out of the shadows, watching him go. He raised a bronze two-way mirror to his lips. "He's trying to breach the perimeter."
The message reached Old Tom instantly. He relayed it to Erwin, waiting for the verdict.
Erwin's reply was swift and cold. "Let him go. He can't accomplish anything."
Tom relayed the order. The watcher stepped back, allowing Ron to slip past the wards.
Meanwhile, deep within the valley, the situation on the battlefield had shifted.
Charlotte and her team had been overwhelming the black-armored warriors. But just as victory seemed certain, the armored figures froze. They turned as one and marched toward the center of the valley, merging into a single, colossal silhouette.
Energy surged. Streams of dark magic flowed from the scattered warriors, converging into the growing giant.
Then it struck.
With a single blow, the black-armored giant sent a dozen white-armored figures flying. Their protective energies shattered, dissipating into nothingness.
Charlotte stood her ground, her wand raised high. "It's stronger than the rest combined! This is the final test!"
Penelope stared up at the towering figure. "How are we supposed to fight that? It's massive!"
Sunny Finch hefted her heavy hammer, a fierce grin splitting her face. "We fight! Intelligence doesn't matter if we can overwhelm it with brute force and strategy. Besides..." She looked at the giant with a researcher's hunger. "It's fascinating. A construct capable of aggregating every formation in the valley into one entity. I need to know how it works."
She looked toward the distant white jade dragon sculpture. The four remaining spiritual nails holding the Dragon-Locking Spirit Array were trembling violently.
Suddenly, they wrenched themselves free.
Erwin's absorption of the magic crystal halted instantly. He turned his gaze to the sculpture, eyes narrowing.
The Dragon-Locking Spirit Array wasn't trying to seal the dragon vein anymore. It was trying to kill it.
"A contingency plan," Erwin mused, his voice low. "Bowen Liu prepared for the possibility of the array being broken. He intended to force a final confrontation between the array's power and the dragon vein itself."
"Then the Dragon Vein is fully awake?" Old Tom asked, appearing at his side.
"It's about to be," Erwin replied. "And Charlotte's team is the key to unlocking its true power."
Back in the arena, the giant black-armored figure raised its massive fists. The air crackled with oppressive magical pressure.
"Protect the Dragon Vein!" Charlotte shouted, her voice ringing with authority. "Defensive formation! Now!"
As the giant descended, the white jade dragon sculpture began to glow with a blinding, golden light. The Dragon Vein was finally stirring from its slumber, ready to unleash its fury upon the world—or be claimed by the one who had awakened it.