Chapter 285 : Revenge That Cannot Be Called Human
The attack by the fire giant forced the Death Eaters inside the castle to flee instinctively—only to run straight into Damon and his group.
War was about to erupt.
But unlike the Death Eaters, Damon and his companions showed no fear of death. They fought like madmen, trading wounds and curses with reckless abandon. They risked even enduring a Killing Curse just to cast one back and take down a Death Eater.
Everyone was fiercely active in this battle.
This was not just a fight for Lisa—it was a fight for themselves.
Today, Phineas was willing to overturn the entire British wizarding world for Lisa's sake, and tomorrow, he would do the same for them.
These wizards were either dark wizards or outcasts like werewolf wizards, cast aside with nowhere to go. It was Phineas who gave them a path to survive, so they no longer feared death—they only feared dying forgotten.
For them, Phineas's actions were more than a mission; they were an expectation, a great war.
"Damn it!"
A deep voice echoed from the castle, and a figure appeared. A bald man with no nose.
The first time Phineas had seen this man at the manor gate, he knew immediately: it was Tom Riddle—commonly known as Voldemort, He Who Must Not Be Named.
Trailing behind Voldemort was a python—the same Nagini who had once been a friend of Dumbledore.
Seeing Voldemort appear in Parkinson's manor, Phineas immediately pressed his wand to his throat.
"Sonorous" he muttered.
Thanks to a sound amplification spell, every word Voldemort spoke echoed through every corner of the manor as if broadcast from a loudspeaker, ensuring all could hear.
"That man without a nose is Voldemort! Everyone, avoid fighting him directly. First, kill all members of the Parkinson family."
Phineas released his wand from his throat and turned to Puff, who followed close behind.
"Puff, I have a dangerous task for you—one that may cost you your life. Be careful."
Puff bowed.
"It will be my pleasure!"
Phineas nodded. "I want you to find a chance to kill the snake. Use the Fiendfyre Curse."
Puff snapped her fingers and disappeared.
Phineas tightened his grip on his wand, loosened his robe, and a pendant fell from his collar. The glove on his left hand began to glow dazzlingly.
Taking a step forward, Phineas charged straight at Voldemort, weaving armor spells with his left hand.
As he neared Voldemort, he raised his wand.
"Avada Kedavra!"
"Sectmsempra !"
Two spells rang through the air simultaneously.
Phineas and Voldemort raised their wands and cast at once.
Phineas rolled to the right, narrowly avoiding the Killing Curse. At the same time, his Shadowless Sword—a white blade of light—hurtled toward Voldemort.
Voldemort dodged, but unlike the Killing Curse, the Shadowless Sword was a cutting-range spell with a lasting disabling effect.
Though Voldemort avoided the brunt of the strike, the blade left a long, bleeding cut on his left arm that would not heal.
"Severus!"
Voldemort growled and pointed his wand at Phineas again.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Phineas rolled again, his wand drawing circles in the air. No words were spoken this time, but a ball of orange-red flame surged forward, forming a giant python made of fierce fire.
This was the Fiendfyre Curse. The inextinguishable flames were unstoppable on any battlefield.
When Voldemort saw the Fiendfyre summoned by Phineas, he was momentarily taken aback. Never before had he encountered a wizard so young capable of conjuring such a dangerous and complex curse. And judging by the intricacy and control of the blazing serpent, it was clear that Phineas had mastered Fiendfyre to a degree few ever had—wielding it as though it were second nature.
Voldemort summoned a stream of water from his wand tip, creating a huge ball of water that enveloped the fire python.
This was the Water Prison Curse. Although it normally could not contain Fiendfyre, as a legendary wizard, Voldemort could force the water prison to hold back the flames.
While Voldemort controlled the water prison, Phineas flicked his wand, sending a green light flying toward Voldemort.
Voldemort saw it but had no way to avoid it.
The green light illuminated his snake-like pupils, glowing bright green.
Despite the distance, Phineas could see anger, fear, and madness swirling in those eyes.
At that moment, time seemed to slow for both of them. Everything became sluggish.
Helpless, they watched the green light strike Voldemort's body.
Nearby, a vortex opened in the air by Nagini, hidden under rubble.
Puff emerged from the whirlpool, pointing her bony finger at Nagini. An orange flame floated toward the snake.
Nagini hissed, sensing the mortal threat, but Puff disappeared via Apparition before the snake's attack could reach her. Nagini was engulfed in Fiendfyre.
The snake writhed and hissed in pain beneath the flames—a heartbreaking sound.
At the same time, Voldemort, hit by the Killing Curse, roared at Phineas.
"No!…"
Nagini's death marked the destruction of all Voldemort's Horcruxes except the one in Harry.
The Killing Curse's effect on Voldemort's body caused his soul to vanish.
As long as the soul inside Harry remained dormant, Voldemort was effectively dead.
Yet Phineas did not smile.
No revenge, no matter how complete, could bring Lisa back.
Phineas was reluctant to trade Lisa's life for this victory—but the past could not be undone.
The past was not entirely immutable.
Phineas suddenly recalled an item he had long ignored—the Time Converter.
When a young wizard takes all electives in their third year with professor approval, Hogwarts applies to the Ministry of Magic for this device.
At other times, it is kept in the Department of Mysteries.
Phineas knew the next target was not Hogwarts but the Ministry of Magic.
He sighed inwardly, fully aware that even if Voldemort's soul in Harry did not awaken now, it would eventually—a ticking time bomb he would have to face.
Though Voldemort was in Parkinson's Manor, the Death Eaters there were only a fraction of his forces.
Besides the Parkinson family, only a handful of Voldemort's trusted men remained, far outmatched in strength and number by Damon's forces under Phineas.
The war was doomed to fail.
After Phineas killed Voldemort, Damon and his team quickly ended the battle.
Damon returned with several wizards and figures—members of the Parkinson family, except Pansy, who was at Hogwarts, and those involved in the attack on Sirius and Lisa.
They were captured alive and brought before Phineas.
Phineas looked at the kneeling purebloods with a faint smile.
"You… you can't kill us!"
Hector Parkinson, patriarch of the Parkinson family, knelt before Phineas, voice trembling.
"Stop."
It was a futile attempt to intimidate Phineas.
Leaning down slightly, Phineas locked eyes with Hector and spoke deliberately:
"I'm sorry. I can."
"No! The Ministry of Magic won't allow this! The Council of Elders won't allow it! The Richie family will protect us!"
Phineas smiled wider.
"Oh? The Richie family is involved? Or are you just trying to use their power to pressure me?"
He laughed heartily.
"Hector, you are the patriarch of a pureblood family. How can you be so naive? I brought this many people to your manor. You still fear the Ministry or the Elders? If I kill you now, what good will their intervention do afterward?"
"As for the Richie family—they won't show up. We Blacks are consular families of the Council of Elders, just like them. If we fight, both sides would be wiped out. If one survived, the Council would condemn them. It's fortunate the Richie family stayed out, or else they'd fear me now."
"You devil!"
Hector, losing hope, roared angrily.
Phineas raised an eyebrow.
"You called me a devil?"
He pointed at a witch beside him.
"Is this your wife? What a coincidence—she was born in the Gower family. Very well. Damon, I leave her to you. I don't want her to die too easily."
Damon's eyes gleamed as he waved to his men. They seized Hector's wife and led her into the half-ruined castle.
"What are you doing?"
Hector seemed to understand and roared at Damon.
"You can't do this, Phineas Black! Give us a quick death! You insult me and the pureblood Parkinson family."
Phineas laughed.
"So what?"
As he finished, a woman's wails echoed from the abandoned castle.
Phineas frowned.
"Damon, Hector might want to see this himself. That will keep him excited."
Damon chuckled, cast spells to cut Hector's tendons, and dragged him into the castle.
After a while, Hector's cries of despair echoed out.
The chilling sound and Phineas's merciless actions soaked into the bones of the kneeling wizards, sapping their courage.
"You, I will give you anything you want. I'll tell you everything!"
Goyle was the first to break.
Phineas raised a finger and wagged it gently.
"It won't be that easy. Let's see some more."
He turned toward the castle with interest.
Though he couldn't see inside, the sounds coming from the castle were all too familiar to these pureblood wizards.
They were terrified and confused—wondering what Phineas waited for.
Soon, they understood.
A wizard entered carrying a fainted little witch.
It was Pansy Parkinson, Hector's daughter.
The devil!
Everyone inwardly cursed Phineas.
Phineas knew his actions were inhuman—he could rightly be called a devil.
But his rage would not abate without this.
Since Hector had planned the attack, he would bear Phineas's full wrath.
Phineas motioned for the wizard to take Pansy into the castle, then addressed the others.
"Leave a few to watch these prisoners. The rest may leave if they want. Remember, don't kill them—I want them alive."
Time passed. Eventually, the wailing in the castle ceased.
Phineas looked at the pale, kneeling wizards.
"Don't worry. Your families' turn will come."
His gentle tone sent chills through their bones.
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Author's Note: This chapter is very serious. Despite wizards' fascination with human experimentation in this world, it's unclear how many people are subjected to it.