Chapter 150 - Ch: 89-97

Chapter 89: PY Transaction and a Gift for Neville

After sending Harry back to bed, Karl followed Dumbledore to the Principal's office.

"I thought you'd be studying Transfiguration with Minerva until classes resumed; after all, not returning to your dormitory at night isn't a good habit."

Dumbledore motioned for Karl to sit down, then mischievously offered him a cup of black tea while he himself drank milk.

Karl: ( _ )

"Albus, did you get them mixed up?"

"No, because I'm old and don't have your boundless energy, so I need a cup of milk to help me sleep."

Dumbledore hinted that a certain kitten wasn't acting human, often ambushing him, a centenarian.

"Oh, I see. Well, here's a fun fact: milk tea is even better for sleep, so you should mix these two and drink them together."

"Is that so? Sounds good. I can try it with Minerva next time."

Karl: — .

Did Grindelwald corrupt you?

He pushed the black tea towards Dumbledore, then took out the Slytherin locket fragment from his wristband.

"Look! My spoils from last night!"

"Hmm—what is this?"

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow in surprise, adjusting his half-moon spectacles, looking somewhat incredulous.

"Slytherin's locket," Karl leaned back dramatically, "Please get me a glass of fruit juice, thank you."

"All right, I can't refuse now."

His suspicion confirmed, Dumbledore chuckled and handed Karl a glass of juice.

"Did you chat with your senior, Tom? He might not know about the miserable situation he's about to face."

Karl glared at the cunning old man, "Not this time, maybe next time. I was too busy getting revenge for Regulus."

"Regulus? The child from the House of Black? Sirius's brother—"

Dumbledore thought of something, his expression becoming complicated, "I remember he was a Slytherin, joined the Death Eaters very early, but then there was no news of him."

"Some speculated he was killed for offending Lord Voldemort, but you seem to have made a different discovery, correct?"

Karl nodded seriously, opened the fake locket, handed it to Dumbledore, and then recounted in detail what Regulus had done.

As Karl spoke, Dumbledore fell into sorrow, his blue eyes dimming.

He gently stroked the locket, carefully picking up the last letter inside.

"To the Dark Lord: I know when you read this, I will be dead, but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have taken the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as possible. I face death willingly, so that when you meet your match, you will be but a mortal man of flesh and blood—"

"Regulus, he was a true warrior, a true hero, worthy of everyone's respect and remembrance."

Karl strongly agreed with Dumbledore's sentiment, "His body was properly preserved. I told the House-elf of the House of Black that one day in the future, you would clear Regulus's name."

Dumbledore's expression was solemn, "Of course! This is something I must do! And that day won't be far off!"

Placing Regulus's last letter back into the fake locket, Dumbledore put it and the fragments of the Slytherin locket into a drawer in his office.

He composed himself, then showed a faint smile, "Karl, thank you for everything you've done."

In Dumbledore's original plan, eliminating Lord Voldemort was a long, complex, dangerous, and uncertain task.

But now, it seemed he might not even need to do anything himself; he could just sit in his office and await news of victory.

He even suspected that Lord Voldemort might be cursed, destined to stumble when dealing with young Wizards.

Although he didn't know how Karl found the Horcrux, Dumbledore didn't intend to ask, because everyone has their secrets, and as Principal and elder, he only needed to give trust.

"Albus, you're too polite!"

Karl elegantly swirled the juice in his cup, then gave Dumbledore a "you know what I mean" look.

"First, put the credit on my tab, and then, this year's House Cup, isn't it, hehe!"

Dumbledore: ( one _ one ")

It's a perfectly normal thing, but why, when this child says it, does it sound like some shady deal?

"Ahem! In principle, this sort of thing isn't allowed—"

"Okay! Then I understand!"

Karl immediately understood. In principle, not allowed means it's allowed, and in principle, allowed means it's not allowed. It seems this matter is settled.

Dumbledore: — ·

This child is born to be a Principal!

"By the way, Albus, how is senior Tom doing? This year's Defense Against the Dark Arts Class results at school definitely won't be good; he's entirely responsible."

Because of Quirinus Quirrell's garlic smell and his feigned weakness and stutter, the popularity of Defense Against the Dark Arts Class had plummeted, with Potion Class becoming the biggest winner.

The young Wizards who had previously enjoyed the finer things hoped that the current vegetable patch manager would resume his post, and Karl was no exception.

Huh? Did I just insult myself again?

Hearing Karl mention this, Dumbledore was also a bit helpless, "Hagrid's Cerberus, Fluffy, has clearly caused quite a bit of trouble for Tom and Quirrell, but that won't stump him; he should be making his move soon."

"Alright then," Karl drained his juice in one gulp, his heroic manner comparable to drinking alcohol, "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave?"

"Good night, Karl."

"Good night, Albus," Karl didn't forget to turn back and remind him before leaving, "Frugality is a beautiful virtue, so don't waste the black tea. Remember to finish it and get some rest early, alright?"

Dumbledore: ( ,

It seems I should practice running. I'll borrow a spiked club from Grindelwald another day.

Happy times are always short, and the Christmas holiday ended with the young Wizards' reluctance.

After school resumed, everyone was busy.

The nearing end of courses and the impending start of revisions already put many young Wizards under pressure.

Not to mention some still had to be busy with Quidditch training, preparing for matches, such as Cedric, Harry, and the Weasley Brothers.

However, compared to Cedric's ease, Harry and the Weasley Brothers seemed a bit stretched.

Because they fully utilized their initiative, finding other things to busy themselves with besides studying and sports.

George and Fred, who had made a good fortune selling things in Diagon Alley during the holidays, became even more obsessed with making magic items. They even stopped going out at night after school resumed, giving the marauder's map to Karl.

As for Harry, he and Ron and Hermione were still busy figuring out Nicolas Flamel's identity and what the Cerberus, Fluffy, was guarding. Snape was even bitten because of this item.

Of course, some people were also busy, busy bullying classmates for fun.

This day, as Karl and Nina walked out of the library, they saw Malfoy with his two cronies blocking Neville.

"Neville Longbottom, what is a brainless idiot like you doing in the library?"

Malfoy spoke in a strange, mocking tone, his expression absolutely ugly.

"I… I'm just here to read."

Neville cowered, a little afraid of these three ill-intentioned guys.

"Reading? That's hilarious! Can you even remember anything? You're not going to use that glass ball your grandma gave you, are you?"

Crabbe and Goyle laughed along with Malfoy, seemingly finding great amusement in it.

Neville trembled with anger, but worried about causing trouble, he didn't retort, only wanting to leave.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going, you coward? It just so happens I've been looking for someone to practice spells on.

Malfoy raised his wand and pointed it at Neville, "Locomotor Mortis! All right, Mr. Longbottom, you can walk now!"

"You!"

Neville clenched his fists and glared at Malfoy, but seeing the other party's smug look, he could only swallow his anger, lower his head, and prepare to hop away like that.

At that moment, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder, and his legs, stuck together by the spell, instantly separated.

Neville turned his head and saw a gentle smiling face.

"Hello, Mr. Neville Longbottom, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Karl—Karl O'Laughlin?"

Neville's eyes showed confusion. He naturally knew this formidable Hufflepuff, but he never expected the other party to actively greet him, and with such a friendly attitude.

"That's right, you can call me Karl, and then we'll be friends."

"Friends? Really?"

Karl patted Neville's shoulder, looking sincerely into his eyes.

"Of course, I've heard about your parents' deeds. They were both brave and excellent Wizards, and I admire them greatly."

Hearing this, Neville's nose tingled, and tears almost welled up. He choked out, "Thank you—thank you, Karl, thank you for knowing them."

"Don't cry!" With a dull whoosh, a spiked club flew into Karl's hand, "This is a belated Christmas gift,

I hope you like it."

"This is a gift?" Neville, bewildered, took the spiked club and looked at Karl questioningly.

"Yes, this thing is very useful," Karl looked at Malfoy and his two cronies with a half-smile, "Next time someone bullies you, remember to smash their teeth and break their limbs, to teach those bastards a lesson."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle looked at Karl in horror, not daring to speak.

On the night of their enrollment, the older Slytherins had sternly warned all new students not to provoke Karl O'Laughlin of Hufflepuff if they didn't want to die.

"Did you remember, Neville?"

Meeting Karl's encouraging gaze, Neville wiped away his tears, gripped the spiked club in his hand, and nodded forcefully.

"That's good!"

Karl smiled slightly and walked in front of Malfoy and his two cronies, finding that they all lowered their heads in fear.

"Look up! Answer me looking into my eyes!"

Chapter 90: How Gryffindor's Mace Saint Was Forged

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle flinched in fear, quickly straightened up, and then saw the burning phantom flames in Karl's eyes.

In a trance, they felt as if they were in a fiery hell, experiencing the pain of being burned.

"Draco Malfoy?"

"Ah! Yes, Mr. Orolin, is there something you need?"

Malfoy woke up from his fantasy, forcing an ugly smile, regretting deeply why he had come to the library.

"Can you do me a favor?"

"Of course! Please speak!"

Karl's voice was gentle, but his words made Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle tremble with fear.

"I heard that some scoundrels in the school often bully and insult their classmates. Please help me find them. I want to cut out their tongues, smash their bones, and play some fun and happy little games."

"Finally," Karl patted Malfoy's head hard, "help me deliver a message to your Dean Professor Snape, tell him I really liked his Christmas gift."

"Get out!"

The three, pale with fear and trembling, turned and ran, not daring to stop even after falling several times on the stairs.

"Hmph! Boring!"

Karl turned and walked towards Nina, bidding farewell to Neville as he passed him, "Goodbye, my friend, remember you are a Gryffindor, do not forget the courage in your heart."

Neville looked at him gratefully, "Thank you, Karl, thank you for helping me, and for the Christmas gift, I will remember it all."

"You're welcome~"

Karl waved his hand without looking back and left with Nina.

"That was pretty good, I thought you were going to teach those three rude guys a lesson."

Nina put away her magic wand, a faint smile on her beautiful face.

"No need, Neville's problems need to be solved by himself. As for Malfoy and them, a scare is enough."

Karl stretched, then casually grabbed Nina's high ponytail and wrapped it around his fingertips.

"That makes sense, but—will they change in the future?"

Nina was too lazy to bother with Karl's little gestures, as she was already used to them.

"It's best if they change, otherwise—"

Karl shrugged indifferently, "Don't blame me for being impolite."

Hogwarts Street, ask around who's the boss? As long as the cat mom doesn't make a move, I'll definitely walk sideways.

Nina nodded gently, "Indeed, after all, you are the one who bullies people the most."

"Huh? When did I ever do such a thing? Don't talk nonsense, slander is a serious matter."

"Hmph~"

At this moment, Nina's eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and she looked as if she was about to cry, appearing pitiful.

"You always bully me~"

Karl: —.

Alright, alright! So you're putting on a show for me, huh? Then don't blame me for playing along!

He only had a slight knack for being a good person, but when it came to playing a bad guy, copying formulas was too quick.

"What's wrong with bullying you? If you have the guts, resist! The more you resist, the more excited I get, hehehe—"

After saying his lines, Karl was about to reach out and pinch Nina's fair, tender cheek when he noticed the girl looking behind him in surprise.

"Oh! Professor McGonagall!"

Karl flinched in fright, immediately put on a well-behaved expression, and looked back.

Professor McGonagall: (-_one")

You—is this how you usually interact with young witches? This little kitten actually has two faces!

Karl: (A°)

Cat Mom! Listen to me, I can explain!

Professor McGonagall walked over to them, slapped away Karl's scheming hand, then took Nina's hand and walked while chatting.

"No classes this afternoon?"

"Nope, all done."

"Then come to my office, I can teach you some intermediate Transfiguration knowledge."

"Okay, Professor, I'll listen to you."

Nina secretly looked back, smiling and winking at Karl: Hehe~ I won this time, Karl: (,two)

Little girl! You just wait!

The little lions of Gryffindor noticed that Neville Longbottom, who used to be a bit timid and insecure, had suddenly changed.

He always carried a terrifying mace with him, even during classes.

Although Harry and Ron thought it was cool, Hermione was worried that Neville would lose points, especially in Potion Class.

However, to her surprise, Professor Snape, who used to always mock Neville, was strangely silent after seeing this mace and said nothing.

It wasn't until after class that he asked Neville a question, "Where did you get that thing?"

Neville bravely looked at Snape, "My friend Karl, he gave it to me as a gift."

Snape:

Although it was strange that these two vastly different people could become friends, considering their performance in Potion Class, it seemed to make some sense.

He subconsciously touched his hair, "Alright, Mr. Longbottom, I hope your Potion skills won't be affected."

After Snape left, Harry, Ron, and Hermione immediately rushed over and surrounded Neville.

"That's incredible! He actually spoke to you normally!"

Hermione's eyes widened in shock; she had thought Neville was going to be scolded by Snape again.

Ron's attention was entirely on the mace, his envy evident, his eyes filled with longing.

"When did you become friends with Karl O'Laughlin? I want a gift like that too!"

If he had Karl's mace, he definitely wouldn't be afraid of spiders anymore.

Harry adjusted his glasses, thinking about whether to tell Snape that he was also Karl's friend, perhaps then he wouldn't target him anymore.

Neville quickly hugged the mace to his chest. Other things were fine, but this one absolutely could not be shared.

After leaving the Potion Class classroom, Neville bid farewell to the trio and headed to the greenhouse behind the Castle.

Although his performance in Potions was terrible, his talent for Herbology was excellent.

Coupled with Professor Sprout being a kind and gentle Witch, Neville would go to the greenhouse to help even when he didn't have class.

For him, the happiest thing at Hogwarts was taking care of the plants.

Upon arriving at the greenhouse, Neville found that Professor Sprout had not yet finished class, so he walked to a more distant spot and idly swung the mace around.

However, not long after, he heard the question for the second time: "Where did you get that thing?"

Startled, Neville looked in the direction of the voice and saw an old Wizard sizing him up.

He recognized this person, the school's groundskeeper, Gotz Grindelwald, who was rumored to have also served as a Defense Against the Dark Arts Class Professor.

"Hello, Professor Grindelwald, this was given to me by Karl."

Neville scratched his head, feeling like he had said this many times already.

"Oh? Why did that brat give it to you?"

Grindelwald looked at Neville, who was somewhat timid under his gaze, feeling a bit annoyed.

After Neville explained the situation, Grindelwald couldn't help but sneer.

"Come with me!"

Neville, not daring to refuse, had no choice but to follow Grindelwald through the vegetable patch to the small hut by the Black Lake.

"Do you see that?"

Neville looked in the direction Grindelwald pointed, and his jaw dropped at the sight of numerous maces densely stuck into the ground.

"So—so many!"

Grindelwald gestured with his hands in front of his chest, "No one! Understands maces better than me! I made them all!"

"Do you, kid, know how to use this thing? Were you dancing there just now?

"If you lose a fight in the future, it's not just that brat Karl's face you'll lose, but mine too!"

Raising his hand to summon a mace, Grindelwald squinted at Neville.

"Now! I'll teach you how to fight!"

Neville: (:)

"Ah? Professor Grindelwald, isn't this inappropriate?"

Grindelwald laughed, "Don't worry, I've enchanted all the maces. While they hurt like hell when they hit, they won't cause serious injuries. Otherwise, would that brat let you use it to hit people?"

"Watch closely! Maces are all about brute force, heavy and powerful, overwhelming with strength. A twelve-foot Troll would be on the ground instantly after one swing!"

"Come! Do the movements with me! One-two-three-four, two-two-three-four, three-two-three-four, and again."

In the clearing by the Black Lake, the young Wizard followed the old Wizard, swinging maces.

This scene utterly stunned Karl from afar. What was happening?

He had only intended to annoy the old man, but he hadn't expected the old man to be training Neville for a new profession.

Was a perfectly good Gryffindor Sword Saint going to become a Gryffindor Mace Saint?

Is this—is this right?

Karl crossed his arms over his chest, his brows tightly furrowed.

This matter should have nothing to do with him; it was all that old man Grindelwald's fault.

However—he suddenly started looking forward to the Quidditch match a few days later.

Mace Saint's debut! A must-see!

Chapter 91: A God Descends to Fight Three, The Holy Bat is Mighty

As Karl anticipated, Saturday arrived. Today's Quidditch match was between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor.

Actually, according to the original plot, Hufflepuff should have been defeated by Gryffindor in this match, because Harry would catch the Golden Snitch and end the game in an extremely short amount of time.

However, due to Karl's encouragement and threats, Cedric and his teammates trained diligently, sweeping through the matches, making rapid progress, and once again aiming for the championship.

This led to a change in the rankings of the four house teams, so today it was Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor.

But this actually didn't have much of an impact, because Slytherin was also beaten by Hufflepuff.

So, as long as Gryffindor could win this match, their ranking would surpass Slytherin, and then they would compete with Hufflepuff for the championship.

In the House Championship, this was the first time in seven years that Gryffindor had defeated Slytherin, causing not only the young Gryffindors to be eagerly anticipating and excitedly hyped up,

but even Professor McGonagall was no exception.

During this time, whenever Karl went to Professor McGonagall, no matter what topic they discussed, it would eventually turn into a Quidditch match.

Pfft! She truly is a fanatic!

For the current Gryffindor, who wins this year's Quidditch championship is not important, but winning this match and defeating Slytherin is very important.

They were ready; if Professor Snape, who was serving as the referee, didn't play fair, then they would — boo him to death! Hmph!

Before the match even started, Cedric once again pulled Cho, Karl, and Nina to the stadium stands early.

"Ahem!"

He cleared his throat to get their attention, then spoke with a particularly serious expression: "There was a small accident last time, but this time there will definitely be no problem."

"Huh?" x 3

Cedric didn't respond to their confusion, but instead glanced at the cheat sheet in his hand, then began to recite in broken Chinese: "Sun Tzu said — uh — the art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting is the best; to subdue the enemy by fighting is the next best—"

Karl: (°°;)

Are you serious, bro?

Last time you messed up badly, but this time you're showing off?

And how did you manage to skip learning Mandarin and go straight to Classical Chinese?

Cho looked utterly resigned: Who am I? Where am I? Why am I listening to him recite this? I don't understand it at all!

"Ah~ Be gentle!"

Nina raised her hand and gave Karl a punch, quickly rescuing her ponytail from his hand.

"Sorry, sorry! It's all Cedric's fault! I was startled by this guy!"

Karl was glared at by Nina, "What's so surprising about this? If you want to listen, I can recite it too!"

"Huh? Didn't you not even know 'know yourself and your enemy, and you will never be defeated' last time?"

"That's why I went back and learned it!"

Looking at the matter-of-fact Nina, Karl was momentarily speechless.

Who gave you the courage? How dare you challenge the hellish difficulty of Chinese? That woman hasn't even released her song yet!

And Cedric is doing this to show off in front of Cho, so why are you learning this?

Is life too idle for you?

By the time the match started, Cedric had finally finished his show-off.

After a charming smile at Cho, he came and sat next to Karl, confidently asking, "How was my performance this time?"

Karl: (one_one")

"Bro, I'm just saying, is there a possibility that even though Cho is of Chinese descent, she's not an international student? She can't even remember a spring couplet, do you think she'd be interested in an ancient text?"

Cedric showed an expression of everything being under control, "I know! Precisely because of that, I need to learn more Eastern culture to gain Cho's approval and admiration!"

Karl:

You look at her utterly clear stupidity, are you really sure you want to do this?

"Just focus on your Quidditch, that's enough. Listen to me, brother, Chinese culture is vast and profound, the waters here are too deep, you can't handle it."

"No! I want to try!"

Seeing Cedric's resolute attitude to 'try', Karl was speechless.

He took the guy's cheat sheet and looked at it, immediately laughing in exasperation. No wonder he could recite Classical Chinese directly; it was a phonetic transliteration of each character? What's the difference from when I learned English back then? F***ing bro!

Just then, Nina poked Karl,

"Look over there."

She handed the binoculars to Karl while pointing to the Gryffindor stands.

Karl quickly took them and saw Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and also Ron, Neville, and Hermione in his view.

Is it starting? Neville! Don't disappoint me and the old man!

At this moment, in the Gryffindor stands, Malfoy was with his two cronies, stirring up trouble.

Perhaps the weather was clear and the rain had stopped, and he felt he was capable.

Although Malfoy was very afraid of Karl, it was hard to suppress his feelings for Harry and his jealousy of Ron.

I don't bully or insult classmates; I can always fight them, right?

Malfoy arrogantly tilted his head back, pointing his nostrils directly at Ron.

"What standards does your Gryffindor team use to select players? Do you pick whoever is more pathetic? For example, Harry Potter has no parents,

and the Weasley Brothers are as poor as vagrants."

"Oh! Sorry! I forgot they are your brothers, and you are also a Weasley, so why aren't you up there? You clearly fit the standard too, is it because you're too stupid to be chosen?"

Ron was worried about Snape targeting Harry and had no time to look back at him.

"Shut up, Malfoy! Don't make me teach you a lesson!"

"You want to teach me a lesson?"

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle all burst into laughter, "With just you? Plus this brainless Longbottom—"

His words suddenly stopped there, because he saw the bludgeon in Neville's hand.

"Ahem! Don't get arrogant just because someone's backing you up; the Professors are all here!"

Neville's face turned red, and he stood up, glaring at him, "Are you talking about yourself, Malfoy? No one is more arrogant than you! Get out of here!

You're not welcome here!"

Just then, Harry suddenly dove straight towards the ground, with Ravenclaw Seeker Roger Davies following closely behind. Their beautiful flying skills drew a burst of cheers from the crowd.

Malfoy, seeing this scene, was envious and jealous, so he laughed mockingly, "Are there Galleons on the ground? I bet you Weasleys would, just like just now—

Ron suddenly exploded without warning, rushing over and tackling him to the ground.

Seeing the two wrestling, Crabbe and Goyle immediately stepped forward to help.

"Stop! Don't even think about ganging up!"

Neville gritted his teeth and blocked them.

"Get lost! You coward!"

"Or else you too— Ah!"

Amidst screams, Crabbe was knocked to the ground by Neville with a single swing of his bludgeon, scaring the nearby young Gryffindors into gasping.

"I am not a coward!"

Neville roared loudly, raising his bludgeon again, "You three bastards! I am a brave Gryffindor!"

Under Goyle's terrified gaze, the bludgeon struck his forehead with a dull whoosh.

"Ah!"

Although the two weren't directly split open due to the protection of spells, the pain was incredibly real.

Under the bat techniques taught by Grindelwald, Crabbe and Goyle were beaten to tears.

"Well done, Neville! Beat them hard! Let them know—ouch!"

A distracted Ron was punched in the face by Malfoy and rolled aside.

"Ron!"

Hermione, who had been focused on Harry, noticed the fight breaking out and rushed over, pushing Malfoy aside.

The furious Malfoy just got up, and before he could clearly see the situation, a dark shadow in his vision grew larger and larger.

"Bang!"

With a dull thud, Neville knocked Malfoy down again with another swing of his bludgeon.

Crabbe and Goyle took the opportunity to knock Neville over, then grabbed Malfoy and ran.

"Run! This guy's crazy—Ah!"

Under the dumbfounded gaze of the young Gryffindors, amidst continuous screams, Neville wielded his bludgeon, chasing and brutally beating the three of them, just like playing whack-a-mole.

This scene was so explosive that the young Gryffindors didn't even notice Harry catching the Golden Snitch and winning the match on the field.

Not only them, but both Quidditch players from the two teams and other spectators in the stands were all staring in shock at Neville, who had transformed into a berserker.

Merlin's pants! What is going on?

"Stop!"

A sharp rebuke came, finally stopping the bloodthirsty Neville.

Snape limped onto the stands, looking at him furiously, "Longbottom! What are you doing? How dare you attack someone with a weapon in public!"

Neville clutched his bludgeon tightly, "They came looking for trouble first!"

"But I only saw you assaulting—"

Snape's words abruptly stopped, his pupils suddenly constricted, and his face turned grim.

Because not far away, Grindelwald was slowly walking towards them with his hands behind his back.

Chapter 92: I Have a Dream: To Become a Dragon Rider

For well-known reasons, Professor Snape's attitude towards previous Defense Against the Dark Arts Class Professors was never very friendly.

Originally, after Elvis Heller's incident last semester, he thought he would have the chance to temporarily take over the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class and have some fun.

Unexpectedly, Dumbledore quickly found an old Wizard to take over.

According to Professor Snape's personality, he would definitely investigate the background and abilities of this Professor Gotthard Grindelwald, and then occasionally make sarcastic remarks.

However, not this time, because Dumbledore seriously warned him not to do so, to avoid unnecessary conflicts, and because he was worried about him getting hurt.

Professor Snape understood Dumbledore's personality; for him to say such words could only mean that this Gotthard Grindelwald was indeed very dangerous.

Just like now, Professor Snape could clearly feel that faint, almost imperceptible threat.

"It seems I arrived late; the match is already over. What a pity."

Grindelwald walked to Neville's side, looking annoyed. If it weren't for Karl being so long-winded, he wouldn't have appeared here.

"You little brat, did you fight? Did you win?"

Neville, who had calmed down, was now starting to panic. What had he just done? It seemed he had caused big trouble! It was over!

"I—I guess I won."

Grindelwald couldn't suppress the corners of his mouth. "That's good—cough! I mean, that's not good. You even took my mace. That's too much."

"Come with me quickly. I'll teach you a few more tricks—no! I'll criticize you a few more times, so you don't end up like that little bastard Karl, becoming more and more unreasonable!"

Seeing Grindelwald about to take Neville away, Professor Snape's face grew even darker. "Professor Grindelwald! I haven't finished dealing with Longbottom assaulting a classmate with a weapon!"

"What's there to deal with? Isn't it normal for young Wizards to have a bit of a scuffle? I don't see any broken arms or legs; aren't they all perfectly fine?"

Hearing this, Professor Snape almost laughed in anger. Neville's stance just now clearly showed he was putting all his strength into it, how could there be no… Hmm? What's going on?

Looking at the three Malfoy, who, despite being bruised and swollen, were jumping around lively, Professor Snape was utterly stunned. He wished he could kick each of them down right then and there.

"Just deduct points; I'll educate him."

Grindelwald pulled Neville and turned to leave, continuously spewing words. "If they actively provoke, isn't getting beaten what they deserve? Three against one, and they get counter-killed, and someone still tries to play favorites? They have no shame!"

A vein throbbed on Professor Snape's forehead. "Mr. Grindelwald! You are just a garden keeper! You have no right to educate students!"

"Then go find Albus!"

Grindelwald's light remark made Professor Snape tremble with rage. If there weren't so many people present, he would have loved to directly fight this old man.

"Professor, we—"

Malfoy had just opened his mouth when Professor Snape glared at him, scaring him into quickly shutting up.

"You three! Go to the infirmary first to apply medicine! Then wait for me in my office!"

Professor Snape scanned the little Lions who were trying to hold back their laughter, feeling his teeth itch. "Gryffindor! Thirty points deducted!"

After speaking, Professor Snape limped away from the Quidditch pitch and headed straight for the Castle.

Ravenclaw lost this match, which also meant Slytherin lost to Gryffindor. He didn't want to face Professor McGonagall.

After Professor Snape left, the little Lions erupted in a huge cheer. It was just thirty points, no big deal.

Gryffindor won the Quidditch match! Neville won his fight too! What's better than a double celebration?

Gryffindor! Beat Slytherin!

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!"

Karl, who had watched the entire drama unfold, was laughing so hard his legs went numb. He slapped his thigh hard.

"Ouch!"

Nina gasped, looking at Karl in disbelief.

"Why did you slap me?"

"? Did I slap the wrong person? My apologies, haha!" Karl scratched his head in an honest, simple way. "Perhaps slapping my own leg would hurt more, so I subconsciously slapped yours."

This bizarre explanation stunned Nina. After she realized what he said, she started hitting Karl with her small fists.

"Ow! Stop hitting! Stop! I know I was wrong, how about I rub it for you?"

"What do you think? I want to hit you!"

Karl grabbed Nina's hands, preventing her from moving, and quickly changed the subject. "By the way, why was Professor Snape limping?"

"Just now, the Golden Snitch flew past Professor Snape. Because it was too fast, Harry avoided Professor Snape, but Davis didn't, and directly knocked him out of the air."

"Ah? Such an exciting story happened? That's truly regrettable! Hahahaha!"

Nina: (—_—)

Your schadenfreude laugh… Are you regretting that you didn't see it?

With her hands controlled by someone, Nina began to consider whether to bite him.

Just then, Karl's face suddenly moved closer, filling her entire field of vision.

"You—"

Nina subconsciously held her breath, then heard warm breath and soft murmurs by her ear.

"Friend, do you want a Dragon? Just say the word, and I'll send it to you."

"Huh?"

"I had a dream when I was very young: to become a Dragon Rider. Now the opportunity has come. Will you help me?"

Nina: (⊙_⊙)

That scared me to death! I thought this guy… But he just said Dragon?

"What opportunity? How do I help you?"

"We'll talk about that later in a secluded place. But why is your face so red?"

Nina blinked uncomfortably. "It's too hot, I guess."

Karl released her hands, then poked her cheek again. "Why is it white again?"

"That's because my leg hurts!"

"Hehehe~ Well then—if you get a Dragon, you can't hit me anymore, okay!"

"Don't even think about it!"

"Then shall I rub it for you?"

"No way!"

Cedric, Cho: (—_—")

We're four people sitting together, why do we feel so superfluous?

After this Quidditch match, Harry and Neville became Gryffindor's heroes.

When the little Lions encountered the little Snakes, each of them straightened their chests and smiled brightly.

Professor McGonagall, overjoyed, even reduced the amount of homework, though only by a little. But this was good; how much is a lot anyway?

What else do you want?

However, Professor Snape had a different reaction; he often caught Gryffindor students and deducted points.

But he didn't target Neville, because someone had already sought help from Dumbledore, and the old Principal's persuasion was quite effective.

Karl didn't pay attention to these things; his attention was all on Hagrid, just waiting for the Dragon to hatch.

He waited and waited until the Easter holiday had passed before finally getting news.

In the corridor outside the Great Hall, four little Lions stopped Karl and Nina, who had just finished eating.

"Neville, Harry, and these two, what can I do for you?"

Karl smiled warmly and enthusiastically, because he knew his Dragon had arrived.

Chapter 93: Fifth Match, Buddha's Fury Lotus, You Actually Want to Ride Me

"Karl! We—we—"

Neville was a bit hesitant, unsure how to begin, mainly because the situation was simply too outlandish.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had suddenly told him that Hagrid was illegally raising a Dragon, and then they'd dragged him to find Karl, intending to figure out a way to send the Dragon away.

But would Karl be troubled by this?

"We need your help, Karl."

Seeing Neville freeze up, Harry had no choice but to bite the bullet and explain, "It's Hagrid; he's raising a Dragon, and Malfoy found out, so we need to send the Dragon away quickly—Ron, hurry and get the letter out."

"Oh, oh! Alright!"

Ron, who was a bit excited after seeing Karl, quickly pulled a letter from his pocket. "Charlie told us to come find you, and I'm Ron Weasley."

"So you're Ron. I've heard Charlie, George, and Fred talk about you."

Karl smiled as he took the letter, sighing inwardly that Charlie was indeed a good brother.

While exchanging letters and learning Dragon-rearing techniques with him, Karl had hinted more than once that he also wanted to raise a Dragon.

During Christmas, he even jokingly told Charlie that he had made all the preparations and was just missing a Dragon.

Now, after receiving pleas for help from Harry and Ron, Charlie had indeed thought of him first.

"I'm Hermione Granger!"

Hermione, who had been staring at Karl and Nina since they met, quickly seized the opportunity to introduce herself, as expecting Harry and Neville to remember this was harder than them getting good grades in Potion Class.

"Mr. Orolin, I often hear people talk about you, especially burning the Acromantula. Of course, I'm more interested in the stories you write. Actually, before I even started Hogwarts, I had already read 'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.' The content is truly fascinating. I never thought I could learn magic—"

Harry and Ron, whose expressions were about to crack, simultaneously rolled their eyes and helplessly tugged at Hermione's sleeve, interrupting her endless chatter.

Karl: (O_O)

Good heavens! Was that a rapid-fire monologue? Clear articulation, fluent speech, from beginning to end, all in one breath.

Does she not need to think with such a fast speaking speed?

Nina subtly sized up Hermione. Is this a cute, talkative little squirrel?

"Listen—I mean—never mind, you read the letter."

Realizing she might have said a bit too much, Hermione's cheeks flushed, and she closed her mouth, starting to peek at Nina.

This little Witch is so pretty, and it's said her academic performance is also very good.

So, how does she maintain soft and flowing hair while having such thick long hair?

Thinking of her own bushy hair, Hermione desperately wanted the answer to this question.

"Ahem! Alright! Miss Granger!"

Karl unfolded the letter; it was Charlie's familiar handwriting, wild and unrestrained, commonly known as 'grass on the fly.'

[Dear Ron:

How is your life at school? Thank you for writing to me.

However, while I'd be happy to adopt that Norwegian Ridgeback, it's very difficult to get it here. If the Professors found out, you'd definitely receive a Howler from Mum.

So why not go find Karl Olonlin from Hufflepuff? We are super good friends, and I believe with his help, this matter won't become a problem.

(Karl, I think you'll agree, after all, you understand. If you have any questions, please feel free to write to me.)

Charlie]

After reading the letter, Karl smiled knowingly. Good brother, I'll definitely find you a wife in the future; I won't let you be single your whole life like in the original story.

Hmm… this shouldn't count as biting the hand that feeds, right?

At this moment, Nina had also gotten acquainted with the four little lions on the side; they were all waiting for Karl's reaction after he finished reading the letter.

"Charlie is right."

Karl nodded to the anxiously awaiting Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville. "Let's go to Hagrid's hut now and quickly take that Dragon hatchling away, lest delays cause trouble."

Harry looked at him puzzled. "Don't we need to make any preparations?"

"If we need to prepare—" Karl's gaze fell on Ron's bandaged hand. "Perhaps it should be treating the injured."

The simple handkerchief wrapping was stained with blood, looking very painful.

Ron immediately gritted his teeth. "It's all that damned Dragon's fault! I was feeding it, but it bit me mercilessly, and Hagrid wouldn't let me scold it!"

Nina's expression immediately turned serious when she heard the reason for his injury. "Dragon teeth are poisonous. Even if it's still a hatchling, if not treated promptly, it will definitely suffer."

"Ah?" x 4

Looking at the somewhat flustered four little ones, Karl smiled and comforted them, "Don't worry, we have a master healer."

"Let's go. We need to go back for the box anyway. We can prepare the Potion when we pick up the Dragon."

Nina pulled Karl, walking ahead, while the others followed, not understanding why.

To put a Dragon in a box?

The group first arrived at the Ravenclaw Tower, and after Nina brought the box, they quickly reached Hagrid's hut.

At this time, Hagrid was waiting for them outside the house. Because he couldn't bear to part with the Dragon hatchling, the three-and-a-half-meter tall man was crying like a wronged little brat.

Of course, there was also Fang, the hunting dog, with his tail wrapped in a bandage; it seemed he had been bitten too.

"Long time no see, Hagrid."

Karl smiled and greeted him, then saw Hagrid shiver.

Well, it seemed what happened at the Christmas feast last time left a deep impression on him.

"That's right, Ka—Karl, and Nina, thank you for your trouble this time."

Hagrid tried not to look at Karl's face, otherwise, he might easily recall Aragog and the war hammer.

"No need to be polite. The Dragon is inside, right? Then we'll go in. You just wait outside for a bit."

Listening to the sound of jumping and tearing things apart from inside the hut, one might think it was a husky if they didn't know better.

"That's right, Norbert just ate and is playing. He's just a little baby, but he's already going to be separated from his mother."

Hagrid's tears flowed uncontrollably, overcome with grief, looking like a 'male mom,' which made everyone shiver.

Although, it was really hard to hold back.

Under everyone's gaze, Karl gently opened the door, and then a ball of flame flew out of the hut.

"Watch out!"

Amidst everyone's exclamations, the scorching flame, upon landing on Karl, disappeared as if raindrops had fallen into water.

Ron's eyes widened in astonishment: "Wow! That's so cool!"

Neville puffed out his chest at the sight. "That's nothing. Karl can summon the war hammer from beside the vegetable patch in the Castle with just a wave of his hand."

Hermione immediately began to analyze, "I read in a book somewhere that what just happened was wandless and nonverbal casting, and summoning objects from a distance should be Accio."

"Flame is Karl's toy."

Hagrid recalled the overwhelming sea of fire that night and immediately felt even sadder. After sending Norbert away, he needed to go to Aragog's grave and cry.

Harry curiously leaned closer to him. "Hagrid, can you tell us about Karl burning the Acromantula?"

Hagrid: (ಥ_ಥ)

Ah! Aragog! You died so miserably!

Karl and Nina walked into the hut and immediately saw the baring-fanged Dragon hatchling.

Although it had only been born recently, it was already roughly the size of a small calf.

But it was truly ugly!

Except for its white nostrils and orange-red eyes, its entire body was pitch black.

A bony, scaled body paired with wrinkled, spiky wings, and a long, large nose.

Karl felt as if he heard the sound of his heart breaking; his dream of being a Dragon Knight was shattered.

Riding such a Dragon out, it wouldn't look majestic or imposing in any way.

[Detecting...]

[Keyword extraction...]

Hmm? This Dragon actually triggered the light screen!

Dragon? Could it be Aurelion Sol, the Star Forger?

The disappointment from moments ago instantly vanished, and Karl excitedly rubbed his hands together like a fly.

This is a Dragon King! An omniscient, omnipotent Dragon King who forges stars!

If he matched successfully, wouldn't he be directly invincible?

[Dragon hatchling, Dragon's breath, tragically stolen, human friend...]

[Matching...]

Karl: (°A°;)

Wait a minute! Is there something wrong with these keywords? Why do they sound so much like—

[Match successful!]

[Summon Hero: Smolder, the Fiery Fledgling!]

A cute fledgling, happily playing, appeared in the vortex in the middle of the light screen.

It had fiery red wings, agile limbs, fiery red scales on its back, but a soft white belly.

Hopping and flying around, even a sneeze could set an entire forest ablaze.

[Smolder: Imperial Dragons are the strongest Dragons! My mom said so!]

[Smolder, the Fiery Fledgling, hones his increasingly powerful scorching Dragon's breath, learning to understand the meaning of being an inheritor of the Camavoran Imperial Dragon bloodline.]

[Smolder, the Fiery Fledgling, and the Norwegian Ridgeback hatchling are both non-human Outliers , gaining the Imperial Dragon form.]

[Smolder follows in his mother's footsteps, and one day, when all is ready, they will return to their ancestors' homeland and usher in a new golden age for Camavor.]

Karl slapped his forehead, feeling that his heart, which had just shattered into pieces, was now mere dust.

What a Smolder! Does he still lack fire ability? He's almost like Xiao Yan!

He'll research later to see if he can fuse the Tranquil Flame, Fiendfyre, Gubraithian Fire, Dragon's breath, and ordinary flames to create a Buddha's Fury Lotus to play with.

"What's wrong with you? You weren't disgusted by its ugliness, were you? Actually, it's okay. When it grows up, it still looks, um—quite majestic, hahahaha—"

Nina looked at Karl's reaction and probably guessed the reason for his disappointment.

Although she really wanted to comfort him, the thought of Karl's dream of becoming a Dragon Knight made her unable to hold back her laughter.

Karl: (one_-)

"Do you have a heart left?"

"Yes! But it's too funny!"

"Hmph!" Karl glanced at the Dragon hatchling still roaring defiantly, then simply threw caution to the wind. "Then watch closely, I have something even funnier."

"What?"

Under Nina's bewildered gaze, Karl instantly transformed into Smolder, the Fiery Fledgling, a sight that made her eyes widen in disbelief.

"Huh? Karl?"

"That's right, it's me."

Karl stretched his body, flapped his wings, and wagged his tail, feeling quite good.

As for the Dragon hatchling, it was now cowering in fear from the Imperial Dragon's might, trembling on the ground and whimpering like a puppy.

Hmph! I still prefer how defiant you looked just now!

Karl was about to tell Nina to open the box and quickly put the Dragon hatchling inside when he felt himself being hugged.

"Oh my god! So cute! So adorable!"

Nina tightly hugged Karl's neck, continuously rubbing her cheek against him.

Karl: ...

Come on! If you have the guts, let me change back! You can hug and rub me all you want!

But before Karl could speak, Nina cupped his head, and their eyes met.

"Karl~ You have to help me~"

Her gentle tone carried a hint of coquetry, making Karl's scalp tingle, sensing something was wrong.

This girl was showing this side for the first time! Definitely something fishy!

"Help you do what?"

Nina blinked. "When I was very young, I also had a dream."

"Ah?"

"That's right! I also want to be a Dragon Knight!"

Karl: (._.)

I considered you a friend! You actually want to ride me?

Chapter 94: No Longer Human and The Show Begins

Under Karl's stern refusal, Nina had no choice but to give up on teasing him further.

Although his serious reaction was amusing, she was about to burst out laughing.

After Nina opened the case, two people and one Dragon—no! It was two Dragons and one person who entered it.

Under the suppression of the Imperial Dragon, the irritable Dragon cub was like a docile Pygmy Puff.

After arranging a small nest for it to stay obediently, Karl took the opportunity while Nina was preparing the antidote to greet her other magical animal companions one by one.

Standing by the lake, Karl examined his new form through his reflection.

He had to admit, he was quite cute, no wonder Nina couldn't resist.

But why did he feel like he was going further and further down the path of being non-human?

Jungle Cat, Ice Crystal Phoenix, Fiery Dragon, what's next? Demons and ghosts?

Moreover, if he wasn't currently in Nina's case, he really wanted to transform back into human form and pull down his pants to observe.

To see if he had been destined for fire since childhood, if he loved playing with fire at three, if he had fallen into a brazier, and if there were still marks on his buttocks.

It was simply outrageous!

"Karl, the antidote is ready, shall we go out?"

Nina stood at the entrance of the small wooden shed, waving to Karl from a distance.

As Newt's successor, preparing an antidote was no difficulty for her.

After all, in terms of wilderness first aid, healing, and detoxification, Newt was unparalleled.

There was no other way; he risked his life for it.

If others couldn't cure, the injured died; if Newt couldn't cure, he died himself.

"Coming!"

Karl flapped his wings and flew to the front of the small wooden shed, then immediately transformed back into human form.

He felt that if he was any slower, Nina would pounce on him and give him a good rub.

"Hmph~ Stingy! What's wrong with a hug?"

Hearing Nina say that, Karl directly spread his arms to her, "Come on! Don't be shy!"

"Listen—I'd rather not," Nina shook her head while backing away, "I still want to hug the cute little Dragon, not you, you bad guy."

Karl was not very satisfied with her preferential treatment, "It's clearly all me, hugging either form is the same."

"It's clearly all Dragon riders, riding any kind of Dragon is the same."

Karl: (A°)

Alright, alright! Little Nina is mimicking me, huh?

"You stand still!"

"No way!"

When the two walked out of Hagrid's hut, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville immediately cast curious glances.

Hagrid had already explained to them that Karl and Nina would use a case enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm to take the Dragon Norbert away.

So, Norbert was in this small case now? That was too amazing!

"Alright, the problem has been resolved now, there will be no more trouble."

Upon hearing Karl's words, the four little Gryffindors immediately breathed a sigh of relief; they no longer had to worry about this matter.

Nina held up the briefcase for Hagrid to see, "Don't worry, I will take good care of this little fellow."

"I know, besides Mr. Newt, no one can do it better than you."

Hagrid wiped his tears with a pink handkerchief, "Nina, may I visit Norbert in the future? I won't bother you often, it's just that Norbert is still too young, and I'm a bit reluctant to part with him."

Nina glanced at Karl; that scoundrel had successfully predicted this.

So she spoke the words someone had taught her, "Of course, no problem. If you miss Norbert, you can come and find me with Karl."

Karl gave Hagrid a gentle smile, "That's right, I'll take you there then. Nina's case has quite a large space and can accommodate many magical animals."

Like Cerberus, for instance.

"Thank you, Nina! Thank you, Karl! I am truly so grateful to you both!"

Amidst Hagrid's choked sobs, the group left his hut and returned to the Castle.

After handing the antidote to Ron, Karl and Nina bid farewell to the four youngsters.

They went to the library on the fifth floor of the Castle, wanting to consult some books and materials.

Although both knew how to raise Dragons, it was always good to be more prepared.

Then, under Nina's astonished gaze, Karl skillfully moved through thousands of bookshelves, and soon brought back a pile of books.

"How did you do that?"

Nina flipped through them and found that all these books were about Dragons, and they were very comprehensive.

Karl smiled slightly, playing the expert without speaking.

Originally, to cover up his search for the Fiendfyre Curse in the Restricted Section, he had almost flipped through every book related to Dragons in the library.

Thinking about it now, it was all tears!

"Don't mind these details, let's quickly read the books, half for each of us, how about it?"

"No problem!"

As the weather grew warmer, the final exams arrived as scheduled.

This time, Karl did not sing battle songs to the little Wizards, because he didn't have time to compose lyrics.

It wasn't that he was busy reviewing for exams and raising the Dragon, which presented no difficulty, but rather that he had more important things to do and simply no time.

Under Professor McGonagall's dedicated guidance, Karl had already submitted several papers to "Transfiguration Today" and successfully won this year's Most Promising Newcomer Award.

"So after the exams, they will come to Hogwarts to present me with the award?"

In the Gryffindor Dean's office, Karl, trying on new clothes, looked at Professor McGonagall in confusion, "Isn't that a bit too casual? There isn't even a ceremony."

Professor McGonagall tapped the cat cub's head, "This is just an academic journal award, what kind of ceremony do you want? Do you want to go to the Wizengamot? It's not a Merlin Order."

Karl mumbled, "Then why are you taking it so seriously? I thought it was a big one!"

Professor McGonagall was indeed serious, because she had also won the Most Promising Newcomer Award back then, and now seeing her cat cub just like herself,

She couldn't be happier.

"I've also submitted your Animagus registration application to the Ministry of Magic. People from there will also come then, so we can handle both matters at once, saving time, effort, and worry."

Karl looked at Professor McGonagall in surprise, "Minerva, didn't you say to wait another two years?"

"Yes, but I underestimated your talent, I didn't expect you to grow so quickly."

Originally, Professor McGonagall was worried that being labeled a genius or a monster would have a negative impact on Karl's growth.

But now it seemed completely unnecessary.

Because Animagus Transfiguration was nothing compared to Karl's talent.

That's right! My cat cub is just amazing!

Professor McGonagall: (*^▽^*)

"So register quickly, lest you accidentally get seen by others later and cause unnecessary trouble."

"Oh, oh! That makes a lot of sense!"

Just as Professor McGonagall and the cat cub were happy, a silver Phoenix suddenly flew in through the window.

"Minerva, Karl, please come to my office for a moment."

Looking at Dumbledore's Patronus, Karl's heart stirred; there was another good show to watch.

Tom, I look forward to your performance!

Chapter 95: The Actor Dumbledore and the Extra Karl

Since the Principal had summoned them, the Dean naturally wouldn't delay.

Professor McGonagall quickly led Karl to a gargoyle.

But before she could even utter the password, the gargoyle actively jumped aside, revealing the spiral staircase behind it.

Did Albus inform it in advance?

However, why did the gargoyle's movement feel so urgent? It seemed to carry a hint of disdain.

Professor McGonagall thoughtfully glanced at the well-behaved Karl.

Having developed a certain immunity to the pretentious cat cub, she instinctively felt that this had something to do with him.

The two arrived at the Principal's office, where Dumbledore was waiting for them.

The portrait paintings of previous Principals on the wall were once again relegated to the cold, covered tightly by curtains and isolated.

"Albus, what happened?"

Dumbledore handed a letter to Professor McGonagall, "A notice from the Ministry of Magic, inviting me to a meeting on the last day of the final exams."

"Is something wrong?"

Professor McGonagall took the letter and inspected it carefully, finding no issues.

Dumbledore calmly dropped a bombshell, "This is undoubtedly Lord Voldemort's trick, intending to draw me away from Hogwarts that night."

"What?!" Professor McGonagall, who had just sat down, stood up again in shock. "Lord Voldemort? He's resurrected? What does that bastard want to do to the school?"

Although on Easter night last year, she had already learned the news that Lord Voldemort had not completely died and was hiding in the shadows.

But suddenly hearing the name of this dangerous individual still made it difficult for her to remain calm.

"Don't worry, Minerva, have some water first."

Karl hurriedly pulled his cat mom to sit down and thoughtfully handed her a cup of black tea.

"He hasn't resurrected yet, but he is in the school right now, attempting to seize the Philosopher's Stone."

"In the school?!"

Dumbledore's words immediately shook Professor McGonagall, who had just calmed down, and she nearly spilled all the black tea in her hand.

Karl couldn't help but glare at Dumbledore: You old scoundrel! Can't you just say everything at once? What if you scalded my cat mom?

Dumbledore spread his hands helplessly, thinking that saying it slowly would make it easier for his cat mom to accept.

Professor McGonagall, putting down her teacup, had an unusually serious expression. "Where is Lord Voldemort now? Will the students be in danger?"

"Lord Voldemort is attached to Quirinus Quirrell in spirit form. Don't worry, Minerva, the students are safe. His target this time is the Philosopher's Stone."

"At least until he gets the Philosopher's Stone, Lord Voldemort won't cause any damage to the school."

Only after receiving Dumbledore's earnest assurance did Professor McGonagall feel somewhat relieved.

But she quickly noticed something was amiss: why wasn't the cat cub showing any surprise?

So, his cat mom immediately stared at Karl with sharp eyes, "You know too?"

"Huh?"

Karl, who was happily drinking juice, paused, then suddenly widened his eyes, "Oh my god! Lord Voldemort is actually in the school! This is too terrible!"

Professor McGonagall: (—_—) With a raised hand, she grabbed the cat cub's ear, "You little rascal! Are you taking me for a fool?"

Karl winced in pain, quickly looking at Dumbledore: Principal? Help me! Why are you just watching?

Dumbledore promptly lowered his head, as if the table in front of him was not a table, but some rare treasure, completely unable to tear his gaze away.

I didn't look!

Karl: —.

Alright, alright! You're going to let me die, huh?

I must write a book called "The Biography of Lord Dumbledore" in the future, focusing on the story between Lord Dumbledore and Lady Lianjin, as well as her Goblin husband and Troll brother-in-law.

But for now, saving my ear is the most important thing!

So Karl used his ultimate move: begging for mercy.

"Minerva~ It hurts~"

Looking at the cat cub's pitiful appearance, Professor McGonagall reluctantly let go and massaged his ear. "It's good you know it hurts! Your self-criticism and guarantee are still with me! Have you forgotten them all?"

"Such a big matter, and you two kept it from me again. It's really infuriating."

Before she finished speaking, she saw Dumbledore and Karl simultaneously point at each other, "This was Albus'/Karl's idea."

Professor McGonagall: —

"Did you two not discuss this beforehand?"

Dumbledore and Karl remained silent. They had discussed it, but couldn't agree.

They had thought of shifting the blame temporarily, but didn't expect the other party to think the same way.

This old scoundrel/little rascal is truly devious!

"Alright, what do you need me to do?"

Professor McGonagall took a deep breath and looked at Dumbledore solemnly. For Hogwarts, she was always fearless.

Dumbledore showed a relieved smile upon seeing this. "Just like Severus last year, use Polyjuice Potion to transform into my appearance and go to the Ministry of Magic."

"Then why not let Severus go?"

Professor McGonagall did not want to leave Hogwarts at this time. If someone had to stay away from danger, it should be the younger people first.

"Minerva, you know Severus's ignominious past, so I hope he can find redemption in this matter."

"What about others? Pomona, Filius, they could all do it."

Dumbledore still shook his head, "They don't have experience working at the Ministry of Magic and are not familiar with some things, making them prone to revealing flaws. You are the most suitable for this task."

In fact, in Dumbledore's mind, Grindelwald was even more suitable for this task than Professor McGonagall, because he understood him better.

But—he didn't dare to let him out!

He didn't want to hear the news that the Ministry of Magic had been completely wiped out after taking down Lord Voldemort.

"Alright, as you wish."

Professor McGonagall finally agreed, then patted Karl on the shoulder.

"You go back to my office and review the knowledge points for today. Nina should have arrived already; take her with you."

Karl: (⊙_⊙)

"Still studying even during exams?"

Professor McGonagall glared at him impatiently, "Are exams difficult for you? Go quickly!"

"Oh, then I'm leaving."

It was clear that his cat mom had something to say to Dumbledore, and Karl, having received the notification that the show was about to start, obediently withdrew.

After the cat cub left, Professor McGonagall looked at Dumbledore.

"Karl will face Lord Voldemort with you, is that right?"

"That's right, Minerva. In fact, this child has done many things, and he is better than any of us. With his ability, he is already capable of taking on future responsibilities."

Professor McGonagall didn't care about Dumbledore's praise and expectations for Karl; only one thing was crucial.

"Albus, promise me, don't let Karl get hurt, not even a tiny bit."

"Believe me, Minerva, such a thing will absolutely not happen."

When Professor McGonagall returned to her office, she was surprised to find that both Karl and Nina were gone.

Just as she was about to go look for them, her attention was suddenly drawn by two wagging tails. This was the so-called 'when children are quiet, they're definitely up to mischief.'

So Professor McGonagall tiptoed closer to the small fish tank she had bought to keep fish.

She looked down: (._.)

In the small fish tank, two cats were packed tightly, curled up in a ball.

They were snuggled up against each other, eyes half-closed in contentment, purring, with only their uncontrollable tails left outside.

You little rascal! I told you to review with Nina! What are you doing?

And is it really that comfortable in there? Maybe I should find a chance to try it too?

Professor McGonagall vigorously shook her head, quickly shaking the strange thoughts out of her mind.

In the stuffy weather, the week-long exam period quickly passed.

When the last History of Magic exam was over, all the young Wizards couldn't help but cheer.

Finally, the torment was over, and they were liberated!

Everyone ran outside the Castle to celebrate, some even jumping into the Black Lake to play with the giant squid.

However, Karl was not among them, as he was accompanying "Professor McGonagall" waiting for someone.

"Karl, is my portrayal of Minerva as flawless as Severus's last time?"

Dumbledore put on a serious expression, indeed showing no signs of anything amiss.

Karl: (—_—)

Although there's no evidence, I suspect you're just looking for an excuse to cross-dress.

"Actually, there's still a slight flaw."

"Where?"

"Because if it were the real Minerva, she would definitely give me a hundred Galleons in pocket money."

Dumbledore: —

Why don't you say a thousand Galleons? Do I look like a rich Wizard?

Fortunately, at this moment, the people they were waiting for appeared. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were rushing into the entrance hall.

"Ahem! It's our cue to go on stage!"

Dumbledore coughed and motioned for Karl to walk towards the three little ones.

"What are you doing here?"

Seeing "Professor McGonagall" and Karl, Harry and the others were visibly nervous.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore."

"Why?"

"This—this is a secret!"

"Unfortunately, Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago. He received an urgent letter from the Ministry of Magic via owl and immediately flew to London."

Upon hearing this news, Harry immediately became anxious, "Why would he leave at this time?"

"Professor Dumbledore is a very remarkable Wizard. He is busy with many things, and his time is precious. He won't always be at school; you must understand this."

Karl: —

Huh? Can he praise himself like that?

Learned it, learned it! This is truly something! I'll play like this in the future too!

When Harry mentioned the Philosopher's Stone, "Professor McGonagall" acted very surprised, dropping the books in her arms all over the floor.

Karl, while bending down to pick up the books, rolled his eyes speechlessly.

This part wasn't in the script; Albus actually forced in extra acting.

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow. You don't need to worry about the Philosopher's Stone; it is very well protected and foolproof."

"But Professor—"

"That's enough. I suggest you relax and not concern yourselves with irrelevant matters."

After speaking, Dumbledore left directly.

Karl, holding the books, nodded and smiled at Harry, Ron, and Hermione, then quickly chased after Dumbledore, having already seen Snape approaching.

All the way back to the Gryffindor Dean's office, Dumbledore stood by the window, watching the young Wizards frolicking outside the Castle, feeling very satisfied.

"Karl, now we just need to wait for the rabbit, is that what you say?"

"That's a derogatory term. You should use 'catching a turtle in a jar,' and it's quite fitting."

Dumbledore burst into laughter, then looked at the fish tank next to him.

"? Why is this empty?"

Karl: .—

"Perhaps this fish tank has a more important purpose than keeping fish!"

Like letting two cat cubs and a curious cat mom sleep inside.

Chapter 96 Dumbledore ~ Feel the torment from Karl ~

The moon was dark, the fog was heavy, and the silent night was windless.

Hogwarts Castle slept in the darkness.

In a room in the corridor on the fourth floor, Harry successfully lulled Cerberus Fluffy to sleep by playing the flute, then led Ron and Hermione through the trapdoor and jumped down.

After they used fire to drive back the Devil's Snare and entered the stone corridor below, two figures appeared out of thin air in the room.

The awakened Fluffy was about to bare his fangs and bark a threat, but he quickly stopped when he saw who it was, and began wagging his tail with his tongue out.

Karl raised his hand and patted each of the three dog heads. "This guy is too easy to deal with, isn't he?"

"Actually, it wasn't that easy. After all, Severus was bitten by Fluffy. It can only be said that Hagrid is not suited to keeping secrets, and he exposed Fluffy's weakness."

Dumbledore came to the trapdoor and motioned for Karl to stop playing with the dog and follow him.

"Albus, is there a possibility that Fluffy was killed by Quirrell and cannot be returned to Hagrid?"

Dumbledore: (—_—)

Please be a human! Hagrid is already pitiful! Can you please let him go?

Feeling a bit embarrassed by Dumbledore's reproaching gaze, Karl regretfully gave up the idea.

"Alright, let's just say I didn't say anything."

The two jumped down from the hole, using a slowing charm to float gently onto the Devil's Snare.

Since both the old and the young were masters of fire, they easily escaped this magical plant that liked to bind.

"Hermione's spell exam results were excellent, and Harry and Ron were also quite good, but before jumping down, not a single one of them remembered to use a wand lighting charm to observe the situation. It's really..."

Recalling the actions of the three little ones just now, Dumbledore felt a bit of a headache.

How could they dare to jump straight down? Thankfully, Professor Sprout placed Devil's Snare!

And what Harry said before jumping down, something like "If something goes wrong, have an owl send a letter to Dumbledore"?

What? You want me to come back and collect your corpse?

I already told you where I was going, why didn't you send the letter earlier?

"Right! I said we should put some Biting Cabbage! That way they'll be deeply impressed and will definitely remember to observe carefully next time, not daring to act rashly again."

Dumbledore: (I)

It doesn't have to be that deep!

With the teeth of the Biting Cabbage, it would surely reach the bone.

Along the stone corridor, the two came to a brightly lit room.

At this moment, Harry, riding a flying broomstick, successfully caught the key with sky-blue wings with the assistance of Ron and Hermione.

Seeing this scene, Dumbledore couldn't help but think of Harry's father; both of them had extremely outstanding flying abilities.

Perhaps this is talent, like the one beside him, who could make people die laughing when he flew.

"Karl, can you do it?"

"Of course!"

Dumbledore, who had intended to tease Karl, was stunned. "Ah? Are you sure? Could it be with Orolin's maneuver?"

"No! I don't need a key! Because I have strength and means!"

Dumbledore: (⊙_⊙)

Breaking through the door directly, huh? Then it's fine!

The next challenge was Professor McGonagall's Wizard Chess. On the giant chessboard, tall black and white pieces were ready for battle.

Looking at the three little ones trembling with nervousness, Dumbledore waved his sleeve, transfiguring a table and chairs and a manually operated Wizard Chess set.

"They'll probably take a lot of time. How about we play a game too?"

"Alright, I'm just idle anyway. Let Senior Tom wait patiently."

Karl plopped down, then winked at Dumbledore. "Albus, do you want to wear a safety helmet?"

"Why?"

"Because my chess skills come from Liu Qi, the Chess Saint of the Great Han, so I'm a little worried about you."

"Ah?"

After hearing the allusion, Dumbledore rolled his eyes helplessly, then transfigured a hat adorned with flowers and put it on.

"Alright, you go first."

"Okay!"

Karl raised his hand and picked up his Queen, placing it in front of the opponent's piece.

Then he pushed all of the opponent's pieces off the board, declaring his victory.

Dumbledore: (A)

"What are you doing?"

Karl explained as a matter of course, "This is a Wizard Queen. I just used Apparition and Fiendfyre. Is it strange to win?"

Dumbledore rubbed his forehead. "There's no Wizard Queen. Let's play normally. You still go first."

"Alright."

This time, Karl reached across the board, picked up the opponent's Queen, and then—directly eliminated the King next to it.

"Why is this again?"

Meeting Dumbledore's disbelieving gaze, Karl smirked, "Didn't expect it, did you! Your Queen is actually my undercover agent! Everything is under my control!"

Dumbledore: — —

It was just that the Wizard Chess pieces he casually transfigured had no consciousness, otherwise they would have started swearing long ago.

No Wizard Queen, so you bring an undercover Queen, right? Farting from your belly button—what were you thinking?

"Karl."

"Hmm?"

"Do you want to wear a safety helmet?"

Karl: (A°)

Looking at Dumbledore, who was about to transform into Gandalf, he felt that this chess game could no longer continue.

Albus can't handle it!

He had originally planned to show him the Hand of God! It seems he can only do it later.

Just as Karl and Dumbledore were having a friendly exchange, the three little ones who were clearing the challenge also succeeded.

Ron sacrificed himself, creating an opportunity for Harry to checkmate the King.

"That was a courageous decision!"

Dumbledore smiled with satisfaction. Such courage was Gryffindor's most precious treasure.

"Yes, although Ron has many flaws, his strengths cannot be overlooked."

After Karl sighed, he changed the subject. "Unlike me, my only flaw is having too many strengths, Albus, don't you agree?"

Dumbledore said nothing, stood up, and walked away.

"Hey? Leaving already? Say something!"

Since Quirrell's Troll was beaten to near death by himself, it didn't cause any difficulty for Harry and Hermione.

The only harm was the nauseating stench, which not only made them tear up, but also affected Karl and Dumbledore, who followed them in.

"Damn Quirrell! It's either garlic smell or Troll stench!"

Karl unhesitatingly summoned flames. Anyway, it wasn't a confined space, so there was no fear of oxygen depletion.

The raging Fiendfyre rolled freely in the room, quickly incinerating the Troll on the ground into ashes. The scorching high temperature finally made the air bearable.

"Although it's a bit hot, I agree with your method. It was truly too stinky."

Dumbledore released his hand from covering his nose and mouth, feeling like he was about to vomit the cockroach skewers. It was truly dangerous.

"How much longer do we have to wait?"

Karl extinguished the flames, condensing them into two fireballs that he held in his hands.

"Hermione is a smart child. Severus's riddle won't stump her for too long."

Dumbledore gazed in the direction of the Philosopher's Stone, his eyes filled with anticipation.

"Professor Dumbledore? Karl? How are you here?"

After drinking the potion, Hermione bid farewell to Harry and passed through the purple flames, returning to the room where the Troll was.

She was just about to leave and go to the Owlery to have Hedwig send a letter to Dumbledore for help, but unexpectedly, he appeared before her.

Oh! And Ron! He was floating behind!

"Quick, quick, quick! Professor! Harry is in danger! Snape is going to steal the Philosopher's Stone!"

Dumbledore smiled, reassuring the anxiously screaming Hermione. "Don't worry, child, Harry will be fine, because—"

"Severus Snape will protect him with his life!"

Chapter 97 Severus Snape Fights Lord Voldemort

"You think Snape wanted to steal the Philosopher's Stone? Interesting idea!"

In the room with the Mirror of Erised, Quirinus Quirrell let out a triumphant sneer, completely unlike his usual pathetic and cowardly demeanor.

He looked at Harry with cold, sharp eyes, "That's understandable. Who would think that gloomy big bat is a good person anyway?"

"But—but—"

Harry found it hard to accept the fact; he felt like he was about to suffocate.

"Snape clearly tried to kill me! During the Quidditch match!"

Quirrell's face showed an exaggerated and eerie smile, "No, it wasn't Snape. The one who wanted to make you fall to your death was actually me."

"If he hadn't kept chanting the counter-curse, if Hermione Granger hadn't accidentally bumped into me, it would have succeeded. What a pity."

At this point, Quirrell snapped his fingers, summoning several ropes to tightly bind Harry.

"But it doesn't matter. Once I find the Philosopher's Stone, I'll come and finish you off."

"No one will save you this time, Mr. Harry Potter. For the rest of your time, please say your goodbyes to this world."

While desperately struggling, Harry was also shocked by what Quirrell said.

Had he been misunderstanding Snape all this time?

But if Snape would save him, why was his attitude towards him so terrible?

Harry was sure that Snape didn't like him and was full of hatred.

At this moment, it wasn't just Harry who was confused, but also Hermione and Ron, who were with Dumbledore.

Just now, they had passed through the doorway burning with black flames and entered the room.

But neither Harry nor Quirrell had noticed this.

Hermione pointed to her mouth, and after getting Dumbledore's permission, immediately whispered, "Professor, is what Quirrell said true? Did we—we misunderstand Snape?"

Merlin's beard! She had set Snape's clothes on fire then!

Luckily, she had bumped into Quirrell then; otherwise—she, who had interrupted Snape's counter-curse, would have become an accomplice in Harry's death!

"It's true, but it's not your fault, because Severus hasn't resolved his inner conflict yet, and that's indeed very difficult."

Hearing Dumbledore's answer, Hermione and Ron exchanged disbelieving glances, feeling as if the whole world was unreal.

Not long after, Quirrell had circled the Mirror of Erised, his face showing a mixture of exasperation and deep fear within his anger.

"Damn it! Where did Dumbledore hide the Philosopher's Stone? Inside the mirror?"

After cursing, his voice suddenly became incredibly humble, "Master! Help me!"

What master? Is Lord Voldemort here too? How is that possible?

As Harry was filled with doubt and alarm, a sharp voice sounded from behind Quirrell, "Bring that little Wizard over. He knows how to get the Philosopher's Stone."

"Alright, I understand, Master."

Quirrell looked at Harry with a sinister grin, "Mr. Potter, it seems before your death, you still have the fortune to make some contributions to my Master. Come on! Come here!"

Feeling the ropes dragging him towards the Mirror of Erised, a strong sense of fear and unwillingness rose in Harry's heart.

Not just because of Lord Voldemort's appearance and his own fate, but what if Lord Voldemort obtained the Philosopher's Stone through him and successfully resurrected?

Just then, the black flames sealing the doorway suddenly churned, and a tall figure walked into the room with heavy, powerful steps.

Quirrell and Harry, as well as the unseen Hermione and Ron, quickly turned to look, only to see a wide black robe fluttering in the wind, like the huge wings of a bat.

Dumbledore smiled slightly, "Severus, you're finally here."

"Mr. Potter, it seems you haven't taken my advice to heart."

Snape's cold gaze swept over Quirrell and Harry, and when he saw the bound Harry, his pupils suddenly contracted.

"I told you, if you wander around again in the middle of the night, I will personally expel you."

He waved his sleeve at Harry, releasing the ropes binding him, "Now get back to your dormitory! Hurry!"

"But—"

"No buts! Get out!"

Just as Snape was about to walk to Harry's side, a spell struck the empty space between them.

Quirrell clapped his hands in a strange manner, "What a qualified Professor, Snape!"

"I'm very curious, you and James Potter clearly have an irreconcilable enmity, yet why do you always interfere with my actions and save this boy? Do you not wish him to die, is it to torment him?"

Snape's facial expression twisted with anger, his fierce gaze like cold, sharp arrows.

"Don't mention that disgusting name in front of me!" Amidst his roar, his body leaned forward, carrying a strong sense of oppression, "Do you want to be my enemy, Quirrell!"

"Hahaha—"

Quirrell laughed carelessly, as if venting his long-suppressed emotions,

"Your enemy? Do you think you're some important figure?"

"Severus Snape! Didn't you tell me to think carefully about who I should be loyal to? Well, now I'll tell you! Who my Master truly is!"

Before he finished speaking, Quirrell carefully untied the turban on his head, then slowly turned around.

Snape suddenly clutched his left arm, his previously angry expression changing dramatically, and his body began to tremble.

The Dark Mark burned with pain, which undoubtedly meant "Lord Voldemort! Professor! Quirrell wants to steal the Philosopher's Stone to resurrect Lord Voldemort!"

Harry took the opportunity to run on his knees to Snape's side, gripping his sleeve tightly.

"Shut up!"

Snape's veins bulged on his forehead. After scolding, his lips were tightly pressed into a line.

Because at this moment, Quirrell had turned his back to them, revealing the back of his head.

There was a hideous, terrifying face there, as pale as if smeared with chalk.

Two blood-red eyes seemed to glow, below which were two long, thin nostrils like a snake's.

On the other side, Hermione and Ron, who saw the face clearly, let out terrified screams, simultaneously grabbing Dumbledore's sleeves.

"Professor! It's—it's really—"

Ron felt like he couldn't speak, his teeth chattering uncontrollably.

"Professor! Hurry and drive him away! Harry and Snape are in danger! Please save them quickly!"

Hermione was swallowed by immense fear, her body completely unresponsive, not even knowing what she was saying.

"Don't panic, children!"

Dumbledore put his arms around their shoulders, his calm tone carrying a reassuring power.

"Severus and Harry will be fine. Karl also set up two traps for the Philosopher's Stone, and he has already passed them."

Karl?

Hermione and Ron then realized that due to their extreme fear and tension, they hadn't noticed that Karl was gone.

But—this is Lord Voldemort!

Even if Karl could burn Acromantula, could he contend with Lord Voldemort?

"Ah—how incredible."

After a grotesque twist, that face spoke in a sinister voice.

"It seems my luck is very good today. Not only can I get the Philosopher's Stone and create a new body, but I also saw two familiar people."

"Harry Potter, the so-called savior, the boy who lived, and also the culprit who made me like this."

"I still remember your parents; they cried and begged before me, but they still died by my hand."

The hoarse voice was like the words of a demon, making one feel bone-chillingly cold even on a hot summer night.

Lord Voldemort's tone carried a nearly smug delight, revealing his cruel and ruthless nature.

"You're lying! They would never beg for mercy from someone like you!"

Harry clenched his fists tightly, the pain of his fingernails digging into his palms allowing him to regain control of his body amidst his fear.

He used all his strength to retort loudly, glaring at the hideous face,

"Heh—I hope you can maintain that pathetic courage before you die."

Lord Voldemort shifted his gaze from Harry to Snape's face.

"Severus, my servant, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I really wouldn't believe it."

"When I, your Master, became a wandering spirit, where were those loyal servants?"

"Poor Bellatrix and the others are locked in Azkaban, suffering torment."

"Lucius and those fence-sitters still put on a hypocritical front, living a high and mighty life, yet never thought of finding and helping me, their Master."

"And you, Severus, you actually stayed with Dumbledore and became a Professor. I'm truly disappointed."

Lord Voldemort revealed an evil, sinister grin, "Give me a reason, Severus! A reason that won't make me laugh! And a reason for me not to kill you!"

Snape's face turned pale, his chest heaving violently.

"Master—I—" His words were cut off by Lord Voldemort's cold interruption.

"Kill him!"

"Who are you talking about?"

"The boy next to you. Kill him and prove to me you haven't betrayed me."

Snape stiffly turned to look at Harry, a complex expression on his twisted face.

His inner struggle was unknown to anyone, and endless pain and madness surged in his eyes.

Terrified, Harry released Snape's sleeve, painstakingly moving backward step by step. Just when he thought he had misunderstood Snape,

he realized he was wrong again.

"Severus! Kill him!"

Under Lord Voldemort's harsh urging, Snape tremblingly raised his wand.

"No!"

In Harry's despairing gaze, Snape suddenly turned and pointed his wand at Lord Voldemort.

The invisible Sectumsempra tore through the air, fiercely striking towards the Master he had once served.

"Crack!"

Lord Voldemort angrily controlled Quirrell's body to flash aside. The wall behind him was torn by Sectumsempra, leaving a long, deep, shocking crack.

"Severus! You dare to attack me! You dare to betray me!"

Snape let out a roar from deep in his throat, like a wounded beast gone mad.

"I can't! Lily is dead! I can't! I can't kill her child! I can't! I can't do it!"

With each roar, Snape's eyes grew brighter, and that resolute emotion shocked everyone.

"For a lowly Witch, you chose to betray your Master."

Lord Voldemort stared at Snape with cruel, tyrannical eyes, his voice full of chilling malice that made one's hair stand on end,

"What makes you think you can defy me? Dumbledore?"

Snape gritted his teeth, unleashing spell after spell at Lord Voldemort, then turned to look at the stunned Harry.

"Has your brain been eaten by a Troll? Run!"

"Get out of here! Go find Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick—no! Go find Professor Green!"

"Don't just stand there! Get out!"

Harry looked at Snape, who was roaring at him, and tears suddenly streamed down his face.

He couldn't distinguish what he felt inside, only that the heaviness made him incredibly pained.

Taking a deep look at Snape, Harry turned and ran towards the room's exit.

He had to survive and deliver the message, then he could seek revenge, for his father and mother, and also for—Snape.

"Severus, let me tell you, even if I am like this now, I am still your Master!"

Lord Voldemort suddenly waved his wand, raising a large section of stone bricks to block the incoming spells.

At the same time, he chanted an ancient and strange incantation, causing Snape to fall to the ground, twitching and groaning in pain.

"Ah!"

Snape clutched the Dark Mark on his left arm tightly, the intense pain making him unable to concentrate or control his body.

He looked back at Harry, who had stopped, and his lips trembled as he cursed him a fool.

"Since you care so much about this child, then I shall grant you the pleasure of witnessing his death!"

"Avada Kedavra!"