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Harry Potter and the Silent Guardian : Ch. 277
🕑 Added 2024-11-05 18:55:05 +0000 UTCChapter 277: "Echoes of the Night"
The night air hung heavy over Hogwarts, filled with uncertainty and fear. The light from the torches in the corridors seemed to flicker uneasily, as if even they were aware of the darkness threatening from beyond the castle's walls. Harry and Fleur walked through the empty hallways, their footsteps echoing off the cold stone. The castle was quiet, far too quiet for a place that had recently been bustling with celebration and excitement. It felt as if the entire school held its breath, waiting for the next catastrophe.
Fleur kept her hand firmly in Harry's, her thumb brushing against his knuckles as they moved. She finally broke the silence, her voice soft and carrying a hint of unease. "You were there, weren't you?" she asked, her eyes searching his face. "Where Charles was taken? Did you fight You-Know-Who?"
Harry was quiet for a moment before answering. "Some things are better kept secret for now," he said carefully. "Voldemort has returned, and he's out there somewhere. The fewer people who know certain details, the safer it is for everyone."
Fleur nodded, her gaze unwavering. "I trust you, ’Arry," she said softly. "Just promise me you'll be careful, oui?"
Harry managed a small smile. "I'll try," he said, giving her hand a squeeze.
They walked in comfortable silence for a while before Fleur spoke again. "What do you think they'll do with the tournament now? After everything that 'appened?"
Harry sighed, leaning against the stone wall. "Hard to say. They might cancel it completely after all this. It wasn’t fair for Krum, and it definitely wasn't fair for you. Or maybe they'll just end it here and declare a winner based on the points from the first two tasks."
Fleur smiled faintly. "That would make you ze champion, non?" she said, nudging him gently.
Harry let out a humorless chuckle. "Seems trivial now, doesn't it? A thousand Galleons and 'eternal glory' compared to what's coming."
They paused near a window overlooking the grounds. The maze was still visible in the distance, its hedges casting long shadows in the moonlight.
"I should return to ze carriage," Fleur said finally. "Mama and Papa will be worried. I ran away when I 'eard you were back." She hesitated, then leaned in to press a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Do not do anything reckless tonight, mon coeur."
Harry smiled as she pulled away, watching her walk down the corridor until she disappeared from sight. Then, turning on his heel, he made his way towards the hospital wing to wait for Sirius and Amelia to return.
The hospital wing was much livelier than the rest of the castle. Charles was wide awake, surrounded by his friends—Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville. Lily sat nearby, her eyes fixed on her son with a mixture of worry and relief. Madam Pomfrey was bustling between Charles and another bed, where Professor Moody lay recovering from his ordeal.
"...and then I hit him with a cutting curse!" Charles was saying excitedly, his eyes bright despite the exhaustion evident on his face. "Actually made him bleed!"
"Good lad!" Moody growled approvingly from his bed, his magical eye whirling wildly. "But next time, aim better! Always go for vital areas if you can—even dark lords can bleed when they don't practice constant vigilance."
Hermione looked horrified yet fascinated, while Ron's eyes were wide with admiration. Ginny held Charles's hand tightly, as if afraid he might disappear again.
"But mate," Ron interjected, "you actually dueled You-Know-Who? And survived?"
Charles nodded, though the smile faltered slightly. "It was terrifying. For a moment, I thought I was done for. I’m only here because of that guy who saved me. Never seen anyone move so fast. He just appeared, picked me up, and threw me to the cup like a toy." He paused, his brow furrowing. "I hope he got out safely."
Moody grunted. "If he managed to pull that off—sneaking in, saving you, and appearing without Voldemort or his Death Eaters knowing—then he's good. Real good. I’d wager he managed just fine. Might've even taken some of those bastards down before leaving."
"That’d be great," Charles muttered. "I don't want to see those people ever again… especially Malfoy's dad."
Harry leaned against the wall, listening to the conversation with a small smile tugging at his lips. Moody’s expectations would be met—the Death Eaters had indeed been taken down, and Lucius Malfoy wouldn’t be around to influence Draco anymore. Maybe, just maybe, Draco might choose a different path now.
Just then, the hospital wing doors opened, and the search party returned. Sirius led the group, followed by Amelia, James, and several grim-faced Aurors. Notably absent was Dumbledore.
"Did you find him?" Harry asked, pushing away from the wall, his expression carefully composed. "Did you fight Voldemort?"
Sirius shook his head, his eyes dark. "We didn’t see anyone, Harry. No Death Eaters, no Voldemort." He glanced towards Charles. "Your portkey..."
"My portkey," Harry frowned, feigning confusion. "Did I make a mistake? Send you to the wrong place?"
"No," Amelia stepped forward. "Based on the magical signatures and ritual evidence we detected there, it was definitely the right location. But Harry..." she exchanged looks with Sirius. "The entire area was destroyed."
"Destroyed?" several voices asked at once.
"Complete devastation," James added, running a hand through his hair. "The graveyard Charles described? Nothing but scorched earth and melted stone. Whatever happened there after Charles left..." he shook his head in disbelief.
"A battle?" Moody asked sharply from his bed. "Between the Death Eaters and Charles's mysterious savior?"
"Must’ve been," Sirius agreed. "There were traces of Fiendfyre, and some kind of massive magic we couldn’t identify. Whoever fought there... they weren’t holding back."
"What about the Death Eaters?" Lily asked, her voice trembling. "The ones Charles named—are they...?"
"We’ll know soon enough," Amelia said, her voice grim. "If they’re dead, their wills will activate. If they’re alive... well, we’ll see if anyone suddenly goes missing."
Sirius sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Dumbledore's not pleased, though. He thinks whoever saved Charles should've subdued the Death Eaters and handed them over for trial."
Harry’s eyes flashed, and he crossed his arms. "Did he really say that? From what Charles said, it was him versus Voldemort and his most dangerous Death Eaters. Holding back in that situation is insane. Even I wouldn't be able to survive if I did that."
Moody grunted in agreement. "He's right. In that kind of fight, you take down as many as you can, as fast as you can. No room for second chances."
Amelia gave a firm nod. "Exactly. But Dumbledore and the Minister think differently. They're more concerned about 'high-ranking members of old families' dying." She sighed. "They're talking about finding this mysterious savior, calling him in for questioning."
Harry shook his head. "Good luck with that. If this guy took on Voldemort and lived, he's not someone I'd want to make an enemy of."
The room fell silent at Harry's words, each person lost in their own thoughts.
"What about Voldemort?" Charles asked, his voice trembling slightly. "Is he... is he dead?"
"The Dark Mark's still active," Sirius answered, shaking his head. "And darker than ever. He's alive somewhere."
Moody clenched his jaw, his magical eye spinning in its socket. "I hope those Death Eaters are dead. His inner circle they were the worst. If they're gone, it be one less problem when the fight comes."
"Alastor!" Lily admonished, glancing at the students.
"They need to know what's coming, Lily." Moody retorted. "War's coming, whether we like it or not. Best be prepared."
A heavy silence fell over the room. Finally, Madam Pomfrey broke it by clapping her hands decisively.
"That's quite enough excitement for one night," she declared. "Mr. Potter needs rest, as does Professor Moody. The rest of you can continue your discussions tomorrow."
"She's right," James agreed, placing a hand on Lily's shoulder. "We all need sleep. Tomorrow will bring its own challenges."
As the group began to disperse, Harry caught Sirius's eye. A silent understanding passed between them - there would be more to discuss, but not tonight. Not with so many ears listening.
"Goodnight, everyone," Harry said quietly, slipping out of the hospital wing. Behind him, he could hear Madam Pomfrey shooing away the last of the visitors, Charles's friends making promises to return first thing in the morning.
The castle was silent as Harry made his way back to Ravenclaw Tower. Tomorrow would indeed bring new challenges, but for now, he had accomplished what he'd set out to do. Voldemort was back, but weakened, his inner circle decimated. The game had changed, and Harry had made the opening move.
As he climbed into bed, exhaustion finally overtaking him, Harry allowed himself a small smile. The war was just beginning, but he had already dealt the enemy a devastating blow. Now, he only needed to ensure that no one discovered his part in it.
Comments
jj jj
Will the Ministry ignore Voldemort with everything that is going on?
Ryan
I'm interested in how people are going to react to this
