HP: Wormwood and Lightning Wood

"Strictly speaking, he wasn't a complete 'person,'" West said. "He was just a soul, and perhaps that incompleteness gave him the possibility of freedom."

"That doesn't sound like a good thing," Harry said.

"So what do we do now?" Dumbledore asked. "We need to find out where Tom is first."

West smiled knowingly. "I had Caspard deliberately let a few of Malfoy's men go when he was hunting down the assembled Death Eaters."

"You mean Voldemort will go to Malfoy?" Snape whispered.

"We can just ask them directly." West raised his hand, rolled up his sleeve, revealing the ink snake on his wrist.

Immediately afterwards, he traced a line on the ink snake with his finger and closed his eyes.

Meanwhile, at Malfoy Manor.

Lucius and Narcissa both felt a burning sensation in their arms.

Lucius was respectfully inviting a handsome man to sit in the main seat.

After a pause, Narcissa calmly stood up and said softly, "I'll go make a pot of tea for my master."

Voldemort nodded casually, his gaze remaining fixed on Lucius. "Go on."

"Yes." Lucius lowered his eyes and silently activated the Occupy Brain technique.

After Lucius finished reporting on the events of the past few years, he knelt on one knee, head bowed, awaiting Voldemort's orders.

Voldemort tapped the armrest of his chair, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty.

He let out a cold laugh, a hiss like that of a snake: "Lucius... my 'loyal' subordinate, after I disappeared, didn't even make a move to look for me?"

Cold sweat beaded on Lucius's forehead. "Master, I've been keeping a close eye on your whereabouts. I'll come to your side immediately at the slightest signal..."

Voldemort said softly, "I'm not blaming you, Lucius, but that doesn't mean you're without fault. Now, Master Voldemort wants you to atone—I hope you've taken good care of the things I entrusted to you, haven't you?"

Lucius froze. "Master, do you mean that notebook?"

Voldemort waved his hand impatiently. "Alright, give it to me now!"

Lucius nodded immediately: "I've locked it in the basement of the manor. Please wait a moment, Master."

After a while, Lucius emerged from the basement, carrying the intact notebook West had given him. He shuddered and carefully handed it to Voldemort.

Voldemort sensed the spiritual presence within the notebook and smiled with satisfaction.

He glanced at Lucius with his reddened eyes. "I know what's on your mind, Lucius. You're wondering how I became like this, how I got back, aren't you?"

Lucius quickly bowed. "Master, of course I'm eager to know... how you accomplished this miracle..."

"It's a long story," Voldemort said, "but we have a more important task at hand now."

"Lucius, we need to figure out how to rescue the Death Eaters who were captured tonight..."

Voldemort's eyes darkened.

These past few days have been an opportune moment—the Ministry of Magic has just discovered Voldemort's body. How will they handle this situation?

Narcissa entered the kitchen, lifted her sleeve, and revealed that the Dark Mark on her arm had transformed into Somerset's Ink Serpent.

The black snake was crawling on my arm. When it saw the light, it lazily raised its body, its emerald green eyes gleaming.

Its mouth opened, and a voice echoed in Narcissa's mind, "Can you hear me, Lady Malfoy?"

Narcissa suppressed her shock, took a deep breath, and tried to respond in her mind, "I can hear you."

As expected, West responded to her directly, asking, "Is Voldemort at Malfoy Manor?"

Narcissa opened the cabinet, took out tea leaves, and replied while brewing the tea, "Yes. It's just... I don't know what happened, but he turned into his younger self."

"Alright, then you guys keep him calm for now. I'll be at Malfoy Manor at five o'clock tomorrow morning."

Narcissa's hand trembled, spilling hot water from the cup. "...Isn't this too fast, West? Perhaps we need to reconsider."

"Delay will only lead to complications; there won't be a better opportunity. Do as I say..."

And so, Dumbledore, Snape, and Harry listened to West's plan.

Dumbledore: "Does it have to be this urgent?"

Snape drew his wand, his gaze icy: "...I really want to curse you."

Harry clenched his fist: "Take me with you!"

"No way!" Harry's words were unanimously rejected by Snape and West.

"Why!" Harry and Westergan stared wide-eyed. "I can protect myself! What if you need me!"

"I suspect you're completely lost in your savior fantasy," Snape remarked sarcastically.

Harry touched his nose sheepishly. "I didn't!"

He turned to West, pleading, "Let me go! I'm worried! West! You can't leave me here waiting!"

"I still don't want you to go, Harry." West remained unmoved. "Wouldn't it be better for you to stay at Hogwarts with Draco and the others? Give me one night, and I'll take care of everything."

"I don't..." Harry uttered just two words when he suddenly felt his brain go blank and fainted on the bed the next second.

West sighed, "I should have knocked you out a long time ago."

"I'm going this time," Snape said, his cold gaze sweeping across West's face.

West said helplessly, "I know, Severus." He could cast a Stunning Charm on Harry, but how could he dare to cast it on Severus?

"Promise me you'll stay by my side forever," West instructed.

Snape nodded.

Dumbledore waved his hand, squinting his eyes, seemingly lost in thought. He asked, "Do you need me, gentlemen?"

"I think you should stay at Hogwarts, Professor, in case Voldemort has any other tricks up his sleeve," West said. "But don't worry, most of the Death Eaters have been captured, and I don't think he can cause any more trouble."

Dumbledore escorted Harry back to his Gryffindor dormitory.

Ron and Hermione were anxiously waiting in the common room. They couldn't sleep until they were sure Harry and West were safe.

They were lucky enough to have Dumbledore arrive, and Dumbledore brought West's voicemail.

"Keep an eye on Harry... don't let him leave Hogwarts before I get back..."

Ron helped Harry back to his dormitory, and Hermione solemnly said to Dumbledore, "Don't worry, Headmaster, we'll protect Harry... So, West is alright, right? And Voldemort...?"

Dumbledore smiled kindly, his gentle voice carrying a reassuring strength and unwavering conviction. He said, "It's not over yet, Miss Granger, but I assure you, that moment will come."

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, her tense nerves relaxing considerably.