Theodore had a feeling that something was wrong.
Not because of the newly awakened node.
Not because of the tribulation aura spreading beneath Hogwarts.
And certainly not because of Voldemort.
The real problem was currently standing in front of him.
"...An array?"
Hermione stared at him.
"Just an array?"
Theodore nodded.
"Just an array."
Hermione's eye twitched.
Harry quietly took a step backward.
Ron took two.
Experience had taught them valuable lessons.
Whenever Hermione started looking like this, survival instincts became important.
"You disappeared for more than a week."
Hermione folded her arms.
"You locked yourself inside the Room of Requirement."
"Yes."
"You ignored meals."
"Mostly."
"You ignored sleep."
"Not entirely."
"And all you have to say is 'just an array'?"
Theodore thought for a moment.
"It was a very important array."
That somehow made things worse.
Harry immediately changed the topic.
"Professor McGonagall said the Quidditch Tournament schedule will be announced tonight."
Theodore glanced toward him.
Good save.
Hermione looked like she wanted to continue interrogating him but eventually let it go.
For now.
"Fine."
She narrowed her eyes.
"But later you're explaining everything."
Theodore smiled.
"We'll see."
Half an hour later.
In an abandoned classroom.
Quirrell sneezed.
Then sneezed again.
Then nearly fell off his chair.
His body still hadn't fully recovered from the beating he had received from Harry's willow branch.
Every movement hurt.
Every breath hurt.
Existing hurt.
The worst part was that Voldemort seemed to have completely forgotten this fact.
"Again."
Voldemort's voice echoed in his head.
Quirrell nearly cried.
"My Lord."
"Again."
"My Lord, I've already checked this location three times."
"Then check it a fourth time."
Quirrell looked at the half-completed ritual circle.
Then at his bandaged arm.
Then at his burned shoulder.
Then at the bite marks that still hadn't completely healed.
A dangerous thought appeared.
Perhaps being struck by lightning wasn't actually the worst thing that had happened to him this year.
Meeting Voldemort was beginning to compete for first place.
"My Lord."
"What?"
"Have you ever considered..."
"Considered what?"
"That Theodore might already know?"
Silence.
Then came the response.
"Nonsense."
Quirrell closed his eyes.
Of course.
Same answer.
Every time.
"My Lord, one node was discovered."
"A minor setback."
"Two ritual circles exploded."
"A temporary inconvenience."
"The castle is reacting."
"A coincidence."
"McGonagall nearly caught me yesterday."
"Poor luck."
Quirrell opened his mouth.
Then closed it again.
There was no winning.
At this point, if Theodore personally walked into the room and started dismantling the Ten Absolute Arrays in front of Voldemort, the Dark Lord would probably call it a tactical diversion.
Deep beneath Hogwarts.
The second node pulsed.
Unlike the first one, it remained hidden.
For now.
Dark energy flowed through ancient channels.
One node.
Then another.
Then another.
The network was growing more active.
Not because Voldemort was accelerating it.
Quite the opposite.
Something else was.
Something that existed behind the formation itself.
Something watching.
Waiting.
Calculating.
The Ten Absolute Arrays had begun to awaken ahead of schedule.
Theodore felt it immediately.
He was sitting beneath the great willow near the edge of the grounds.
Students passed by occasionally.
Some waved.
Some stared.
One Hufflepuff first-year nearly tripped over his own feet after realizing who he had just walked past.
Theodore ignored all of it.
His attention remained focused underground.
The second node.
The pressure was stronger this time.
Much stronger.
He could almost feel the influence spreading through the castle.
Subtle.
Nearly invisible.
But dangerous.
A staircase shifted one second earlier than normal.
A loose stone appeared where there shouldn't have been one.
A candle guttered unexpectedly.
Tiny changes.
Tiny accidents.
Individually meaningless.
Together?
Not meaningless at all.
Theodore frowned slightly.
The Array of Heaven's Extinction truly lived up to its name.
It wasn't simply trying to kill people.
It was adjusting probabilities.
Changing outcomes.
Making unfortunate events increasingly likely.
That was far more troublesome than straightforward destruction.
At that moment, Willow Immortal stirred beneath the earth.
A wave of vitality spread through the roots.
The distorted probabilities immediately weakened.
Theodore smiled.
Good.
The foundation was working.
Only the earliest version.
Only the first layer.
But it was working.
The future Wuzhuang Temple Grand Array had already begun protecting Hogwarts.
That evening.
The Great Hall was packed.
Students filled every seat.
Excitement buzzed through the room.
Even the professors looked interested.
At the staff table, Dumbledore rose.
Instant silence followed.
"My dear students."
The old wizard's voice carried effortlessly throughout the hall.
"As many of you already know, Hogwarts will soon host a special Quidditch Friendship Tournament."
Cheers erupted immediately.
Fred and George nearly stood on the table.
Professor McGonagall shot them a look.
They sat down again.
Mostly.
Dumbledore continued.
"The tournament will include visitors from outside Hogwarts."
More excitement.
"The matches will last several days."
Even more excitement.
"The winning team will receive a special prize."
Now people were practically vibrating.
Dumbledore smiled.
Then his gaze briefly passed over Theodore.
Only for a second.
Most people missed it.
Theodore didn't.
Interesting.
The old wizard knew something was coming.
Not everything.
But enough.
Dumbledore's smile remained unchanged.
Yet Theodore sensed caution behind it.
Preparation.
Watchfulness.
The feeling of a veteran general checking the horizon before a storm.
Far away.
Inside an abandoned chamber.
Voldemort laughed.
Finally.
Everything was moving.
The tournament.
The visitors.
The crowds.
The confusion.
Perfect.
Absolutely perfect.
"Theodore."
His voice dripped with confidence.
"You may have found one node."
"You may even find another."
"But none of that matters."
The ritual circle before him glowed.
Darkly.
Violently.
The hidden formation continued taking shape.
The Dark Lord's eyes shone.
"This time."
"No accidents."
"No interruptions."
"No ridiculous fire crabs."
"No murderous cabbages."
"No sword-wielding willow branches."
"This time will be different."
Behind him, Quirrell looked like a man hearing his own death sentence.
Because every time Voldemort said those exact words...
Something terrible happened.
Every.
Single.
Time.
The moment the thought crossed his mind—
A distant explosion echoed beneath Hogwarts.
BOOOOOOM.
The room shook.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Voldemort froze.
Quirrell covered his face.
Not again.
Please.
Not again.
Far beneath the castle, a third node had awakened.
And this time—
Something awakened with it.
A low sound echoed through the darkness.
Not a roar.
Not a scream.
A laugh.
Ancient.
Cold.
And very, very hungry.
The real game had finally begun.
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