Days at Hogwarts

Chapter 744 Death Eater Gathering

Hermione and Nancy, who were present, endured their discomfort and stood by to observe the living Horcrux.

The fresh scent of plants couldn't mask the pungent smell of blood. Their faces grew paler, and the acid in their stomachs churned. They had to hold their breath to suppress the urge to vomit.

Several adult wizards gathered in front of the Serpent Tree. Dumbledore withdrew his hand from Vincent Crabbe's face, and the Serpent Tree's vigorous life force immediately surged in, dispelling the Transfiguration magic left on his face. His face, which had been restored to its original form, immediately degenerated, and dense snake scales covered it again.

The body's eyes remained closed throughout, seemingly completely unconscious.

Dumbledore frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "Voldemort has completely altered this body; snake scales have entirely replaced his skin."

Fontana and Snape remained silent, continuing to observe the twisted dark magic artifact. Fontana focused on the snake tree, while Snape was more concerned with Crabbe, who carried the fragments of the soul.

Loren lowered his eyes, his strange gaze sweeping over the entire body. Crystal blue light and shadow flickered, revealing the surging magic power within that body.

Three beams of light of different colors flowed within, with the emerald green snake tree possessing the strongest magic. It continuously poured in from the flesh-and-blood umbilical cord connecting the tree core, repairing the body's injuries and maintaining the most basic physiological functions.

Secondly, there was the black magic coiled at his chest, clearly the place where Voldemort's soul resided. Like the central hub of his body, like the heart, it circulated magic throughout, returning to the center after each cycle. It absorbed the life force of the Serpent Tree to strengthen itself, while slowly reshaping his body.

The last remaining trace of magic, so faint it was almost colorless, seemed to belong to the body's original owner, Vincent Crabbe.

But now it is like a candle flame about to burn out, dim and weak, constantly being devoured by dark magic, and could be extinguished at any moment.

"..."

A glint flashed in Loren's eyes, as if he had remembered something. He reached out and tapped the pendant on his chest, taking out the strange Soul-Capturing Stone. When he looked at the body again, it was from a different perspective.

The intense blackness, devoid of any other emotional fluctuations, proves that the body's original soul has completely vanished, and the tree hollow is now merely an empty shell inhabited by fragments of Voldemort's soul.

Vincent Crabbe is gone, just like Peter Pettigrew.

Fontana's gaze swept over Crabbe and the umbilical cord, and the structure of the entire snake tree involuntarily surfaced in his mind: living creatures inside, magical wood outside. This twisted and strange structure felt strangely familiar... His expression gradually became serious.

"This is a magic wand."

Dumbledore spoke slowly, his tone complex after a long pause: "As a descendant of Slytherin, Voldemort considered himself Slytherin's heir and was always eager to find Slytherin's relics. He didn't spare the Serpent Tree either. During his time hiding in Ivermorny, he must have tried to reawaken the Serpent Wand, only to discover that the wand's core had become part of the Serpent Tree, and the original Serpent Wand could no longer be awakened."

The others stared at the strange body, and the old headmaster's steady voice rang in their ears:

"So he decided to make a new core, a special and powerful one, to match the snake tree."

……

The setting sun painted the mountain peaks red, and the brilliant sunset seemed to ignite the forest. The castle walls and tower spires were bathed in a red glow.

Loren leaned against the corridor railing, popped the last segment of orange into his mouth, leaving only a handful of orange peel in his hand. He rolled it up and then aimed it at the bushes next to him as if to throw it.

He aimed several times, but ultimately didn't make a move.

When visiting someone else's school, it's important to be mindful of etiquette and manners.

If this were in the Forbidden Forest of Hogwarts, these organic fruit peels and the like, which aren't exactly hard-to-degrade plastic waste, would be thrown under the trees to feed slugs and ants. They would decompose into plant nutrients in just a few days, making it green and environmentally friendly.

Loren took a few steps, threw the orange peel into the trash can at the corner of the corridor, and returned to his original spot. Looking to the side, he saw Hermione and Ilfamoni, the two graduates, still sitting on the steps, their oranges intact. All three of them had unfocused eyes, clearly still thinking about the snake tree.

After discovering a living Horcrux by cutting open the snake tree this morning, the professors didn't deal with it immediately. Instead, they dismissed the students, leaving three of them alone in the woods to study it. They didn't even show up for lunch, and almost a day has passed with no results.

It's not like we haven't destroyed Horcruxes before, so we have experience in dealing with them. The classic trio of sword, serpent fang, and Fiendfyre is what we used to do. Even Ron could handle it.

What's there to study about this?

Of course, the best reason was to find a way to save Vincent Crabbe and remove Voldemort's soul fragments without damaging his body. Loren couldn't think of any other reason.

He didn't really want to get involved in this kind of trouble.

It wasn't about hating Vincent Crabbe; it was simply because the soul within that body was gone, he was dead in a way. Unless Professor Snape performed a resurrection ritual, Loren couldn't think of any other way.

Looking at the gradually darkening sunset, Loren was hesitating whether to peel another orange when he heard steady footsteps beside him. Dinner time was approaching.

Hearing the sound, the four young wizards, who were deep in thought, quickly raised their heads and turned to look at the white-bearded professor walking from the side, their eyes filled with the same curiosity.

Dumbledore watched from afar, his weariness easing slightly, a smile appearing at the corners of his eyes:

"The most enviable thing about Ifamoni is that the school is located in the mountains, where the sunrise and sunset are both beautiful."

"Headmaster Dumbledore, have you come up with any ideas?" Nancy asked.

Hermione was equally curious, not out of kindness, but because she believed Vincent Crabbe should be punished, though the crimes he committed did not warrant the death penalty.

"Unfortunately, we don't have that."

"In that case..." Nancy's expression was dazed, and she didn't finish her sentence.

"Many wizards have fallen to the wands of Voldemort and the Death Eaters. We have anticipated that we will have to pay a price in order to completely destroy Voldemort and to repair the Serpent Tree." Dumbledore's tone was somewhat complicated. He paused briefly and continued, "But I ask Gilbert to wait two more days, because it is Vincent Crabbe and his family who will bear this price."

Pickley and Nancy only vaguely understood what they were hearing.

Hermione looked thoughtful, while Loren looked up at the headmaster, who nodded slightly at him.

……

Inside a detached house in Brooklyn, New York, Lucius handed a Gringotts key to Rodolphs: "This underground vault in Gringotts New York was bought from someone else. It contains several thousand Galleons and some property deeds, all of which are wizarding residences. It should be able to serve as a base for the next relocation."

Rodolphus, suspected to be the keeper of the Courageous Curse and also the current number two figure in the Death Eaters, took the key: "Very good, Lucius, the Dark Lord will remember your contribution."

Watching him turn and leave, Lucius let out a long sigh, pressed his hand to his chest and rubbed it slightly, feeling the pent-up frustration from having to spend such a large sum of money again ease a little.

In the tank next to the cabinet, goldfish floated silently, their bellies turned up and their eyes bulging. The water, which hadn't been changed for two weeks, was somewhat murky, mixed with whiskey and wine—the cause of the goldfish's deaths. The other Death Eaters could only cause destruction; they couldn't extract gallons in this foreign land to support their daily expenses.

"Hopefully, Old Gao and the others will drink less and avoid any other expenses."

Lucius sat silently on the sofa, only he knew that his murmurs were not his true thoughts.

That thought must not be spoken aloud, and no one should hear it. If something unexpected happens, he will become a goldfish floating belly-up in the tank.

As if sensing the thoughts of betrayal in his heart, a slight burning and stinging sensation appeared on the inside of his arm the instant these thoughts flashed by, where the Black Demon Mark was branded.

Lucius broke out in a cold sweat, suspecting that Voldemort's dark magic had improved again, allowing him to read his thoughts.

Rodolphus, who had just received the vault key and hadn't gone far, also felt the burning pain. He immediately turned back, pushed open the door, and saw Lucius sitting stiffly on the sofa. He couldn't help but wonder, "The Dark Lord has summoned you, why are you still sitting here?"

"It is the Dark Mark that is summoning the assembly."

Lucius immediately breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he had scared himself. He got up and walked with Rodolphus to the next room: "Summoning all Death Eaters? Has someone gathered some important intelligence?"

You'll find out soon enough.

The call of the Dark Mark was growing stronger, and Lucius and the others arrived at the meeting room before the burning, stinging sensation became unbearable.

The room was spacious, decorated in a Muggle style, with perfectly fitted tiles and exceptionally clean white walls. A long square table stood in the center of the room, flanked by neatly arranged chairs, creating a clean and simple atmosphere.

Those familiar faces were already waiting here: Lukewood, Rabastan, old Gore, old Crabbe, old Nott... All the Death Eaters took their seats in turn, silently looking down at the table.

No one looked up to examine the figure sitting in the main seat, except for Lucius, who couldn't help but glance in that direction as he entered.

He wore a loose black robe, and his pale snake-like face seemed to have some scales on it. However, they were not scales, but rather mottled marks on his skin, scars left after being burned, and new pink flesh, which made his face even more terrifying and horrifying.

"Lucius, Rodolphus, my most loyal family member, come sit beside me..."

The hoarse, mocking voice was distorted by its high-pitched tone, sounding like a python hissing as it forcefully exhales, sending chills down one's spine.

The two nodded in response and obediently sat down next to the head of the table. Lucius had many thoughts running through his mind. He skillfully lowered his head and eyes, concealing all his gaze and expression.

This used to be where Snape and Bellatrix were, but they're not here now, which makes one feel a little nostalgic.

"It's a pleasure to see us here again," Voldemort said calmly. "I know that the events of that night you experienced still hold a greater power, enough to defeat me and protect you, right in the hands of Albus Dumbledore, who protects Mudbloods and Half-Bloods."

"Those hypocritical enemies did indeed briefly hinder my progress, through intrigue, deception, and forces that did not belong to them."

"I know many of you are itching to do something, just like sixteen years ago. You think I'm finished and are trying to go back to my enemies, claiming you're innocent, forced, or under the Imperius Curse..."

"But I must remind you again that I have found a way to avoid death, and I have gone further down this path than anyone else."

The room was silent. Voldemort's gaze swept across their faces, his intensely oppressive eyes seemingly able to penetrate their minds and probe their deepest thoughts.

Some Death Eaters trembled uncontrollably, their fear almost written on their faces, and they instinctively buried their heads even lower. Others lowered their heads before they were even in sight, their facial expressions unreadable.

Voldemort looked at a Death Eater who had already lowered his head: "Lukewood, I asked you to gather intelligence. Did you get any useful information?"

Lukewood trembled slightly, his throat tightening.

As a seasoned Death Eater, he knew very well that if he couldn't produce information that satisfied Voldemort at this time, it would be used to warn other Death Eaters.

"Master, I bribed an employee of the Magic Congress, from the Department of Law Enforcement, and obtained the internal structural blueprints of Woolworth Tower."

"..."

Voldemort didn't speak, but tapped the table lightly with his long fingers. The soft sound echoed in the quiet room, as if it were knocking on his heart. Lukewood's breathing became rapid, and his voice began to tremble.

"An editor of the New York Ghost Newspaper is under my Soul-Stealing Curse, and his sources can help us."

"..."

Large beads of sweat appeared on Lukwood's forehead: "Also, next week I can meet with the staff of the Treasure and Cauldron Management Department, which is now the Finance Department. Perhaps we can interfere in the election for the next Magical Congress president, thereby gaining control of the wizarding government here and preparing for a counterattack."

"I'm glad, Lukewood, it seems you are still my loyal servant."

Voldemort rose and slowly approached, placing his hand on his shoulder: "I also have some information to share with you, some surprising news."

Lukewood breathed a sigh of relief, but his body language and expression remained composed, conveying both fear and respect.

Voldemort was very pleased with his reaction and slowly paced around the table. "I have a friend who works in the Department of Transportation at the Ministry of Magic. Just a few hours ago, she sent me a message saying that an acquaintance of ours has completed his immigration procedures and is about to depart for New York. He's an old friend of ours, and I think we should hold a welcoming ceremony for him. What do you think?"

"Who?" Rodolphs asked tentatively.

Voldemort's voice suddenly turned cold: "Harry Potter!"

(End of this chapter)