Hogwarts: I am Snape

Chapter 139 Cave
Fawkes emerged from Dumbledore's pocket, spreading his golden-red wings.

With a clear, melodious cry, the phoenix soared into the air, circling above the dark cave ceiling. The sound echoed through the cold stone walls, temporarily dispelling the surrounding darkness.

“Master!” A hoarse voice suddenly broke the brief silence.

Sean Rivera stumbled out of the shadows, a look of ecstatic joy spreading across his sunken face.

"Dumbledore followed those Muggles here!" He ran towards Voldemort, his tattered robes leaving a trail of water on the ground. "I didn't say anything... I didn't tell anything—"

Voldemort's red eyes narrowed dangerously. He dropped the convulsing wizard in his hand and, without hesitation, swung his wand downwards with a fierce, sweeping motion: "Avada Kedavra!"

A flash of green light, and Sean's words came to an abrupt halt. His body stiffened for a second, and the light in his eyes suddenly went out.

He collapsed like a puppet onto the rocky ground between Dumbledore and Voldemort, the dust he kicked up settling slowly in the dim light of the lake. His empty eyes remained wide open, a final, eerie smile lingering on his lips.

“What a touching reunion, my dear teacher.” Voldemort’s pale fingers brushed across his yew wand, a cruel smile playing on his thin lips. “In the place where you are about to die.”

“For a man of sound mind, Tom, death is just another great adventure.” Dumbledore gazed at Voldemort’s face, which was now almost unrecognizable as human, and a wave of sorrow washed over him. “But I’m afraid today is not yet the beginning for me.”

Voldemort's face contorted for a moment, and his snake-like nostrils widened slightly.

“Familiar rhetoric,” he hissed. “Did you come to this beautiful place with these filthy Muggles, Dumbledore? It seems the Lestranges haven’t taken my instructions seriously enough.”

“I think so,” Dumbledore said slowly, his eyes fixed on Voldemort. “What do you need so many Inferi for? Murder is the most evil act.”

“You’re still as arrogant as ever,” Voldemort said softly. His red, vertical pupils gleamed coldly in the darkness, and his wand trembled almost imperceptibly.

Almost simultaneously, Dumbledore waved the Elder Wand, and a gray barrier of dust instantly appeared between him and Voldemort, blocking the silent Crucifixion: "I must say, your pranks are getting worse and worse, Tom."

“Disgusting?” Voldemort let out a piercing laugh, startling the infernal beneath the lake. Several pale hands rose and sank, appearing and disappearing in the waves. “You have no idea what a great undertaking I am undertaking!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Voldemort flicked his wand, and the rubble on the ground suddenly transformed into dozens of venomous snakes, flicking their tongues as they darted toward Dumbledore.

With a flick of his wrist, Dumbledore sent the stone snakes instantly transforming into ribbons that fluttered through the air before landing on the ground.

“You taught me Transfiguration, teacher,” Voldemort sneered, pointing his wand at the lake. The lake water boiled, forming dozens of water arrows that shot towards Dumbledore.

Dumbledore's robes fluttered in the air currents as he conjured a spinning shield of fire, the water arrows turning to steam the instant they made contact.

“It’s clear you’ve been paying attention, Tom,” Dumbledore commented, his voice as calm as if he were discussing the weather. “But your technique is still too obvious. Remember I told you that an elegant metamorphosis should be seamless.”

Dumbledore waved his wand lightly, and a beam of white light shot towards Voldemort. Voldemort conjured a gleaming silver shield out of thin air to block it.

It was unclear what kind of spell this was, and it didn't seem to cause any damage to the silver shield, but a low, gong-like vibrating sound emanated from within it. Voldemort quickly threw the silver shield away.

The two wands traced complex trajectories in the air, and the light of the spells intertwined and weaved in the darkness.

Amidst the swirling dust, the Muggles bound in the corner began to awaken one by one. A middle-aged woman was the first to open her eyes, letting out a terrified sob.

Voldemort's red eyes immediately turned toward the source of the sound, and a cruel smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

“Ah, our audience is awake.” He turned his wand around. “Let me give them something even more spectacular. Avada Kedavra!”

The blinding green light shot straight at a Muggle boy who had just struggled to get up.

Dumbledore immediately stepped forward, waving the Elder Wand. Instantly, a rock came to life, leaping from the ground onto the path of the Killing Curse. The green light collided with the stone shield, erupting in blinding sparks that shook the entire cavern.

Taking advantage of the brief moment, Dumbledore quickly untied the ropes binding the Muggles.

"Get behind the rocks!" he whispered to the terrified crowd, his voice carrying an undeniable authority.

The Muggles scattered in panic, some stumbling and hiding behind rocks, while others stood frozen in place, stunned by the magical duel before them.

"What noble mercy, Dumbledore!" Voldemort laughed. "Wasting your magic for these ants?" He fired several more Killing Curses, which Dumbledore skillfully dodged or parried. "Do you think you can save everyone?"

A Muggle man, unable to dodge in time, was struck by the spell and fell silently.

A flicker of pain crossed Dumbledore's eyes, but he remained focused and continued to contend with Voldemort.

“They are not ants, Tom,” he said. “Every life is worth saving, something you’ll never understand.”

"Then let's die together!" Voldemort's face contorted with rage. He wildly brandished his wand, unleashing a barrage of deadly spells upon Dumbledore.

Dumbledore dodged with astonishing agility, while simultaneously counterattacking with a variety of exquisite defensive and transfiguration spells. He transformed puddles into transparent shields, stalactites into flying swords, and even caused moss on the rock walls to grow into tenacious vines in an attempt to entangle Voldemort's feet.

Various colors of light splashed everywhere in the cave, and each collision made the rock walls tremble, causing pebbles to fall down.

In the midst of this fierce exchange, a swift Killing Curse suddenly shot from the tip of Voldemort's wand, its angle so tricky it was almost impossible to dodge. Dumbledore had just deflected another spell and was about to be struck by the green light.

In an instant, a golden-red figure swooped down.

Fox opened his mouth wide and swallowed the green light whole.

The phoenix was engulfed in dazzling flames. In the firelight, it rapidly shrank until it fell to the ground, transforming into a wrinkled, featherless fledgling that could no longer fly.

“Fox!” Dumbledore called out.

The young Fawkes chirped weakly on the ground, and Dumbledore quickly tucked it into his robe pocket in the gaps between dodging the spell.

“You’ve wasted your precious chance to save your life, Dumbledore.” Voldemort’s eyes gleamed with victory. “Now, who will save you, old man?” He pointed his wand at the black lake.

The calm lake surface began to boil, violently churning. Dozens, even hundreds, of pale, undead corpses rose from the water.

Their white heads and hands emerged from the dark, murky water, their pale, swollen hands gripping the rocks on the shore as they began to climb ashore, their empty eyes all fixed on Dumbledore. The stench of decay instantly filled the entire cave.

Dumbledore took a deep breath and drew a complex rune in the air with his wand.

Flames erupted from the darkness, rapidly expanding in the air. A bright, golden-red ring of fire encircled the lakeshore. The undead began to stagger and sway.

Then, the ring of fire transformed into a colossal beast, roaring as it pounced on the horde of Infernals, reducing them to ashes in its wake. Voldemort, his face grim, continued to summon more Infernals while simultaneously seeking an opportunity to attack Dumbledore himself.

Flames and shadows intertwined in the cave, and the heat made the air churn.

Sweat beaded on Dumbledore's forehead. He had to concentrate to control the flame while also protecting the innocent Muggles.

Suddenly, Voldemort revealed a sinister grin, as if his scheme had succeeded.

The ashes left by the burned corpses did not disappear, but turned into a thick black mist that quickly enveloped Dumbledore. Within the mist, countless agonizing faces seemed to scream, yet no sound could be uttered.

Dumbledore felt a sense of suffocation; the mist seemed to have a life of its own, swirling around him and sizzling in the light of the flames.

“Soul corruption…” He realized he had fallen into a trap. A bone-chilling cold swept over him, as if countless icy hands were tearing at his body.

"Perhaps it's time to say goodbye." Voldemort's voice came from outside the black mist, filled with the joy of victory.

Dumbledore, barely managing to control the demonic fire, directed it towards Voldemort. The golden-red flames merged with the black mist as they passed through, turning into an eerie black, but their power remained undiminished.

Voldemort was clearly caught off guard by this turn of events. He cried out in alarm and hastily dodged, barely avoiding most of the flames, though a few streaks of black fire still grazed his left arm.

He let out a scream that was not human, and his robe sleeves instantly turned to ashes, revealing his charred arms underneath.

“You…you will pay for this!” Voldemort gasped, pointing his wand at his wounded arm, his eyes bloodshot and even redder. He suddenly pointed his wand at a Muggle hiding behind a rock.

The poor man screamed as he was pulled out by an invisible force and slammed against the rock wall with a dull thud. His body pressed against the stone, blood gushing from his head, and then he was lifeless.

"No!" Dumbledore tried to stop him, but he was too slow to do so.

The Muggle's body left a long trail of blood as it slowly slid down the rock face to the ground. The blood seemed to be drawn deeper into the rock.

Upon receiving this gift of blood, the archway immediately reopened, revealing the blurry scene outside.

Voldemort struggled to crawl toward the archway, each step accompanied by painful gasps.

He braced his right hand on the rock and looked back at Dumbledore one last time before disappearing.

"We'll meet again," he said, using his last bit of strength to lunge forward.

Dumbledore wanted to give chase, but the corrosive mist and excessive depletion of his magic finally overwhelmed him. His vision began to blur, his knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the cold ground, barely managing to retract the fiery beast.

In his final moments of consciousness, he heard the muggles' hushed sobs...

After an unknown amount of time, the five surviving Muggles cautiously peeked out from their hiding place, their faces filled with fear and confusion.

They stared in horror at the scene before them: ashes everywhere, charred remains, and the corpses of their unfortunate companions.

“God, where is this place…” a middle-aged woman sobbed, hugging her arms tightly.

"We have to get out of here!" a young man with cracked glasses said, his voice trembling. "Before that...that monster comes back!"

"How do we leave? The door is already closed!" Another gray-haired man, holding his son, pointed desperately at the resealed archway.

At that moment, a red-skinned man who had been silent all along suddenly walked towards the corpse. He knelt down and, trembling, pressed his injured hand against the stone wall in front of him.

The stone glowed faintly again, and the archway appeared.

“I knew it!” he said hoarsely. “That’s what that monster did! Quick, let’s get out of here!”

The other Muggles were overjoyed and rushed toward the arch. But one of them suddenly stopped, pointed at the unconscious Dumbledore, and asked, "What about him? We can't leave him behind."

"He's a monster too!" the bespectacled young man exclaimed sharply. "Who knows if he's with that guy who left!"

“But he saved us!” The gray-haired man said hesitantly, holding the boy. “We can’t just leave him here like this…”

The other three hesitated for a moment, but fear eventually overcame their conscience, and they rushed into the archway without looking back.

The man took a deep breath, walked slowly toward Dumbledore, placed his hand on his shoulder, and struggled to help the unconscious old wizard to his feet.

However, almost instantly, heart-wrenching cries came from outside the door.

"don't want--"

The sound was so terrifying that it made the two people left in the cave tremble.

The screams quickly ceased, leaving only a chilling silence.

The man looked toward the sound in terror. The light from the archway vanished once more, and the cave returned to silence and darkness, save for his trembling breaths and the eerie green light in the center of the lake.

……

Outside the Hogwarts window, dark clouds rolled in.

Professor McGonagall stood by the window of the principal's office, her fingers tightly clutching the note left by Dumbledore.

"What exactly is Albus going to do?" she murmured to herself, her gaze sweeping over the familiar, slightly slanted handwriting on the note.

"Minerva,

Please retrieve that ship immediately, repair and prepare it, and be ready to depart at any time.

If I do not return in time, please gather all Muggle-born students, have them leave Hogwarts, and take everything they can. Severus Snape can help you…”

She looked up at the increasingly dark sky outside the window and for the first time felt that the walls of Hogwarts were no longer so impregnable.

　Thank you to Pig Can Fly, Lin Xiao 0817, o0 Heaven's Chosen One 0o, and Water Master for the monthly tickets.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)