Phineas froze, clearly not understanding what Jon meant.
"Shouldn't we get going, Hart?" Mad-Eye Moody said in his gruff, rumbling voice, sounding a little impatient. "We don't have time to waste!"
"Yes, it's time." Jon nodded, raised his wand, and lightly tapped the fireplace in the Headmaster's Office.
The blazing red flames instantly turned emerald green. At the same time, a box of strange powder flew over and landed on the mantel beside the hearth.
"Professor Moody, please go first… Harry, follow Kingsley," Jon instructed. "Then Miss Rosier and Mr. Vance."
He positioned himself at the rear on purpose.
Mad-Eye grabbed a pinch of the glittering powder, stepped up to the fireplace, and tossed it into the flames.
"Diagon Alley!" the former Auror shouted, and his body vanished into the green fire.
One wizard after another disappeared through the fireplace in the Headmaster's Office.
Until only Jon remained.
"You're actually leaving Hogwarts?" Phineas cried in alarm. "That Dark Wizard—You-Know-Who—is inside the castle right now!"
"I never said I was going to deal with him, did I?" Jon winked.
"Then you're planning to…" Phineas covered his mouth.
Jon smiled faintly. "This time, my real target is Tom's Horcrux—the last Horcrux. Hufflepuff's Cup…"
"What… you mean a Horcrux?" Phineas stared at him. "But in theory, he should be carrying it with him…"
"That's impossible." Jon shook his head without hesitation. "It's his final Horcrux. Sneaking into Hogwarts to attack Dumbledore is already extremely risky. If he carried the Horcrux with him and something went wrong here, that would mean the end of his life."
"Tom is far too afraid of death to make a choice that stupid," Jon said confidently.
"Then how do you know where the Horcrux is?" another headmaster asked curiously from the wall.
"It's basic deduction," Jon replied calmly, glancing at the Marauder's Map on the desk. "Tom would only entrust something that important to someone he absolutely trusts. And his most trusted subordinate, Mrs. Bellatrix Lestrange, isn't at Hogwarts tonight, is she? At least, she's not on the map."
"Then how are you going to find her?" Phineas pressed. "She must be hiding somewhere, right?"
Jon didn't answer. Instead, he picked up an exquisite silver statue from the desk—a mouse missing one little finger.
His voice turned solemn. "Albus Dumbledore planted his most deeply hidden card under Tom Riddle's command. I think it's time to reveal it."
With that, he stepped into the emerald flames as well.
...
His body spun violently, a deafening roar in his ears as countless swirling green flames flashed past his eyes—
When everything stilled, they had arrived via the Floo Network at their destination—
Diagon Alley.
Night had already fallen. As they climbed out of the fireplace, the once-bustling wizarding district was nearly deserted.
"What now?" Rosier asked, her hoarse voice unsettling in the quiet street.
Harry Potter studied the strange witch, then glanced at the Headmaster of Durmstrang on the other side. He couldn't help feeling confused. Weren't these two infamous dark wizards? How had Jon gotten mixed up with them? And why were they helping the Order of the Phoenix?
But this wasn't the moment to ask.
Jon Hart stood with his eyes tightly shut, clutching the small silver statue. Slowly, he squeezed it, warping its shape. It shrank bit by bit until it dissolved completely into a wisp of gray mist.
About a minute later, he opened his eyes.
"Everyone, take my hands," Jon said seriously. "I know exactly where she is."
The three members of the Order of the Phoenix grabbed Jon's left hand, while the two dark wizards held his right.
That familiar sensation struck again—as if his whole body were being forced through a thick rubber tube. He couldn't breathe; every part of him felt compressed.
Jon was Apparating them.
Just as Harry thought he was about to suffocate, he suddenly felt solid ground beneath his feet.
The Apparition ended.
Before them stood a magnificent manor.
...
"We're in Evan County," Jon said, his voice unusually calm, though a faint killing intent lurked beneath it. "This estate likely belongs to the Yaxleys… or perhaps the Traverses. But there's no doubt—right now, this is the Death Eaters' command center."
He continued in a low voice, "…Keep the noise down. Security seems light tonight. We shouldn't meet much resistance. But don't get drawn into a prolonged fight. We need to capture our target as quickly as possible—"
"This is the Death Eaters' command center?" Harry felt heat rush to his head.
"Who?" he whispered.
"You'll see soon enough. If nothing unexpected has happened, it should be Bellatrix Lestrange. Remember—she must be taken alive," Jon said.
Harry drew his holly wand and gripped it tightly, scanning the surroundings with caution. He had just started to step forward when Kingsley pulled him back.
"There are powerful protective enchantments around the manor," Rosier said, taking a careful step forward and lightly sweeping her wand through the air in front of her. "We can't just charge in. It's dangerous."
On the other side, Mad-Eye Moody made the same probing motion. He nodded, apparently reaching the same conclusion as Rosier.
"Don't worry. Just wait," Jon said calmly, glancing at his watch.
Only a few dozen seconds passed before a series of sharp squeaks—"Squeak, squeak, squeak"—came from the bushes to their left.
"Follow me!" Jon ordered.
Then he dashed toward the bushes.