I, Hogwarts Second Time Around.

Chapter 304 That's Not My Moon

Moody knows Ludo Bagman.

Arrogant, flamboyant, a gambler, and cunning, but he wasn't a bad person. Generally speaking, his flaws were common among professional athletes. He earned unimaginable wealth through competitions in his youth, which led him to develop all sorts of bad habits, ultimately squandering his fortune.

Many people will then turn to evil and succumb to their already corrupt nature.

But Ludo Bagman was lucky because he had achievements.

The Hornets have won the league title eighteen times since their inception. Ludo Bagman, draped in the British flag, led his team to the European Championship several times. That was the youth of a generation.

His immense prestige not only allowed him to easily escape the Ministry of Magic's purge after the first fall of Voldemort, but also because he had an encounter with a Death Eater, though Ludo Bagman later claimed he did not know the other person was a Death Eater.

This prestige also earned him a position in the Department of International Sports Exchanges at the Ministry of Magic.

The various allowances from the department could barely support his haphazard lifestyle, so Ludo Bagman has not shown any dark magic tendencies so far.

Especially during last year's Ministry of Magic's massive manhunt, in order to uncover traitors within the ministry, the Aurors monitored many officials, and Ludo Bagman indeed had no further dealings with the Death Eaters.

"Ginny went missing yesterday," Harry said coldly as he stepped forward.

"Ginny? The Weasley girl?" Moody's Magic Eyes narrowed slightly as he recalled the reddish-brown-haired girl from third grade. He knew all of Mr. Arthur's children, but he remembered her well because all the other Weasley brats had blue eyes, while she inherited her mother's brown eyes.

Of course, her excellent spellcasting skills were also relevant. He didn't know if it was normal for a third-year student to be able to easily use "Bombshell" at Hogwarts now, but at his age, such spellcasting skills were enough to be called genius.

And what if such a girl suddenly disappeared?

A spark ignited in Moody's heart; he couldn't rely solely on Harry's account and needed to consider things more carefully.

Then, his body suddenly emanated a terrifying aura, the kind that only appears when interrogating prisoners, a sense of oppression that could see through people's hearts, which rushed towards Ludo Bagman.

"What's wrong, Bagman?" he said gruffly, looking as if he had been carved from a piece of rotten wood.

However, the metallic sheen faintly visible from his lower body and the prosthetic leg added a touch of science fiction to his appearance.

"How should I know!" Ludo Bagman, who was somewhat stunned by the sudden attack, finally came to his senses. The ingratiating expression on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by an unusual anger.

"I am Alastor, the Director of the Department of Physical Education at the Ministry of Magic. And you, let go of me, Black! Are you trying to make an enemy of the Ministry of Magic?"

"Ha—the Ministry of Magic?" Sirius sneered. It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned the Ministry of Magic, because the moment he did, the Dog Godfather got angry.

His wand suddenly moved closer to Ludo Bagman, the tip nudging his clothes—a deep brown overcoat with fine stitching, intricate patterns, and made of excellent, smooth, and soft fabric. "This coat must be quite valuable!"

He looked at Ludo Bagman with a mocking expression. "Those shoes were custom-made by Tovan Clothing Store, weren't they?"

"You were borrowing money from me yesterday, how come you're suddenly so generous today?"

"Me?" Ludo Bagman's face stiffened, and he stammered, unable to say anything.

However, he did not panic. There were plenty of gold of dubious origin among the officials in the Ministry of Magic, and who could explain every single one of them?

He would never reveal the origin of his Galleons, no matter what.

"It's urgent, let's go find Snape and get some Veritable Potion!" Owen whispered, having learned from his previous experience. He now finally understood why wizards would invent Veritable Potion when Legilimency already existed.

So that's what was all for!

To this day, Owen has spent the entire morning trying to figure out why Koyatl possesses ancient magic.

Strictly speaking, there can only be one heir at a time. Could it be that after so many years of development, wizards have already developed a way to strip the heir of ancient magic?

That's not right!

He became the successor in less than a year.

The previous heirs have probably long since turned to ashes, so where can we find them?

His thoughts had reached a dead end, but this incident served as a reminder to Irving that he should always keep truth serum on hand!

His mind-controlling spells may not work on some people, or even have the opposite effect. Although he has only found one so far, who knows if there are others elsewhere.

"Truth serum?" Sirius laughed mockingly. "That's a good option, but I'm not going to beg that slug for it. Never in this lifetime."

"You—" Ludo Bagman became hysterical, struggling and shouting, "How dare you abuse your power against a high-ranking official of the Ministry of Magic! Alastor—you were just standing there watching?"

"I want to get involved too." Mad-Eye Alastormodi suddenly lowered his head, his scarred face barely inches from Bagman's.

"I suddenly remembered," his voice was low and hoarse, "Last night, you said you went to Hogwarts to discuss the tournament with Dumbledore, but this morning I asked Dumbledore, and you didn't go at all. And—where's your trunk?"

"A box? What box?"

"Stop playing dumb with me." He grabbed Ludo Bagman by the collar. "No one can hide anything from this eye of mine."

"I"

box?

Not a very good term.

A sense of unease crept into Irving's heart.

Generally speaking, in the magical world, the appearance of boxes, pockets, backpacks, and similar items is associated with a spell, namely the Infinite Stretching Charm.

It is strictly controlled due to the potential for misuse. The Ministry of Magic has imposed strict regulations on the spell: the Infinite Stretching Charm cannot be used for private purposes, but only for the production of individual items approved by the relevant Ministry of Magic.

Every year, the Ministry of Magic uncovers a large number of items involved in unauthorized spellcasting in the international magical trade, so Aurors are extremely sensitive to such items.

Hogwarts also reviews students' belongings.

In other words, Dumbledore knew about Owen's pockets. That's why no one bothered with them.

But if other young wizards did this, they would at least have their parents called, and at worst they might face trial by the Ministry of Magic.

If Ludo Bagman brought a box into Hogwarts yesterday, what would be in it?

It couldn't possibly be a huge box of cockroaches used to bribe Dumbledore, could it?

Suddenly, Owen thought of an even more ominous possibility: if this bastard really was in cahoots with the goblins, then let's assume that the goblins wanted something from Hogwarts.

For the Weasleys?

No—all we need to do is lure them out of the castle. People are alive, and the little wizard won't stay in the castle forever.

It is also not a certain object.

Because these are all easy to take out of the castle.

Unless it's something like a house, which they can't take out, they can only break into the castle, just like in the previous fairy war.

and many more! ! !

Damn—it can't be.

As he spoke, Irving quickly rummaged through his clothes and, amidst the puzzled looks of the crowd, pulled a mirror out of the inside pocket of his jacket.

Holding up the mirror, he quickly called out, "Hey! Is Dobby here?"

"Sizzle—"

"Hey, hey?" Irving yelled.

But after a long while, there was still no reply.

Dobby never fails to answer his calls.

"Damn it!" Irving cursed, then, realizing everything, turned and ran back.

"What's wrong?" Harry instinctively chased after him. He didn't understand, but he trusted Owen completely.

"The kitchen!" Owen roared as he charged back into the snowstorm.

Behind him, Harry's ears were ringing, and he instantly understood what Owen meant.

Someone wants to open the secret room in the kitchen before they do!

Damn it—he had no idea what was going on, but his steps involuntarily quickened.

At this moment, even the wind and snow that he used to appreciate in the dormitory now seemed annoying. Their binding hands, like the silk of an eight-eyed spider in a forbidden forest, were slowly binding his feet.

Harry's every step, whether deep or shallow, was taken with great effort.

He was exhausted, barely able to catch his breath. His feet seemed rooted to the spot, and once he stepped in, he didn't want to pull them out.

"Whoosh—" The wind grew louder.

The boy who had just run along the ridge returned to the road.

Harry's forehead was covered in sweat after he finally stepped back onto the covered bridge connecting the cliffs of Hogwarts.

Dragging his legs, which were barely obeying his commands, he struggled into the courtyard and immediately spotted Ron.

He was sitting on the steps outside the clock tower at that moment.

He looked up, his eyes seemingly obscured by something, staring at the path leading to Hogsmeade Village.

The sound of the swirling snow, like Ginny's angry outburst, was no longer audible. The gray sky, with its weak sunlight shining on the road, made everything seem lifeless, as if sprinkled with salt.

Irving brushed past him, like two lines that never intersect.

Then many little wizards appeared before him.

They were all different, but none of them were looking at him.

The many young wizards dressed in blue and burgundy robes were glaring angrily behind them.

And what about the young wizards at Hogwarts?

The young wizards at Hogwarts generally have complex expressions on their faces.

Many witches looked at him with disdain.

"Has it already been played?" Irving looked back, but his steps did not stop.

He could understand how the red-haired boy felt at that moment.

—I knew that wasn't my moon, but for a moment, the moonlight did shine on me, and in a daze, I actually thought that the moon belonged only to me.

So, he was confused.

The young wizards watching couldn't feel that pain.

Years later, when they recall that cold morning, they may only remember that distant battle that took place in the school infirmary.

At that time, in the infirmary, under the healing power of Madam Pomfrey's potion, Koyatl had almost regained his senses.

Her head was still spinning and her limbs were a little uncoordinated, but she was already able to get out of bed.

She dragged her unwell body and forced herself out of bed. Although many young wizards from Iphamoni around her were urging her to rest a little longer, she knew in her heart that she had things to do—very important things—and could not waste time in bed.

"Stuart".

An angry roar came from the door of the medical room.

She looked up indifferently and immediately saw a red-haired boy standing in front of the medical room, staring at her with eyes that seemed to be burning with flames.

"Hey—isn't this the nice guy from Hogwarts?" Ron's appearance immediately made the surrounding Ilvermorny wizards sarcastic.

They said in a harsh tone, "What, have you come to deliver intelligence again?"

Although Ron helped Iphamoni to some extent, don't expect these boys to be all smiles.

They only felt jealousy and anger towards Ron. If your dream girl was snatched away by a kid from another school, even if it was just in name, you would still be furious.

Especially during the dance, the two even danced together, embracing each other.

This further intensified their already overflowing jealousy.

The crowd became hostile.

But when the man who spoke first turned blue, with a stone-like sheen, they instinctively took a step back.

Petrification Spell.

He stepped over the door and struck the male wizard directly.

"She's my sister."

Ron walked step by step, the flame in his heart seemingly capable of melting the marble beneath his feet.

"How dare you treat my sister like that?"

The next moment, the gray spell sped away.

The same Coratel drew his wand from beside his bed to retaliate.

The two spells collided in mid-air, creating a huge explosion.

Amidst the flickering light and shadow, Ron swung his unicorn wand once more.

Disarming spell—

Obstacle Spell —

Petrification Spell —

He seemed to have mastered Professor Flitwick's teachings, attacking with both speed and intensity.

Although far from Miss Granger's level, her rapid casting of spells from different angles still left the onlookers speechless.

"All curses have ended!"

Koyatl chanted the spell wearily, her arms weak and her mind not clear, struggling against Ron's spell with all the energy she had accumulated that morning.

At this moment, the wizard Iphamoni, who was standing nearby, realized what was happening.

Each of them brandished their wands and launched a fierce attack on Ron.

Undeniably, Ron's magical abilities have improved rapidly under Owen's tutelage over the past few years.

Or perhaps the Weasleys were inherently gifted in magic, but because Charlie and Bill were so exceptional, the later children's intelligence wasn't as pronounced.

But this talent still surpasses that of most junior wizards.

For example, right now: Ron didn't fall immediately when facing multiple opponents, even though he couldn't last more than a few seconds.

Whether near or far, the next moment, a curse that seems to fly in from nowhere could completely defeat him.

But those few seconds brought him reinforcements.

Two more people with red hair rushed in from outside the door.

It's George and Fred.

After glancing at the battle in the school infirmary, the two joined in without hesitation.

What followed was a magical battle.

The twins' spellcasting skills weren't much stronger than their brothers', but they had the advantage of perfect teamwork. Their twin wands also had a magical enhancement effect, and with the addition of a constant stream of pranks, for a time, they even seemed to be in control of the situation.

Ron broke free from the melee against the Iphamoni wizards and began to confront Koyatl directly.

Where is my sister?

Koyatl didn't say anything, probably because he was tired.

Her silver hair slid down strand by strand, scattered like a ray of moonlight.

The girl's lips curled up slightly, revealing a hint of mockery in her smile.

Seeing this, Ron felt as if something inside him had snapped.

He stared at the girl with a pained, contorted expression.

The next moment, his mind was filled with Owen's posture when he fought the dark wizard, and he thought of a spell, which was about to be uttered.

It felt as if countless voices in his head were urging him to chant the incantation.

Whispering is the devil's temptation.

Then—

"Heart-piercing, bone-scraping!"

The red curse struck Koyater.

She, however, merely frowned slightly.

The Cruciatus Curse is not a spell that ordinary people can cast; it requires an extremely high level of magical skill and energy. Furthermore, the caster must possess an intense desire to inflict pain on the target and derive pleasure from it to achieve its effect.

After Sirius Black's death, Harry, in a fit of frenzied rage, cast a spell on Bellatrix Lestrange, which only caused her to fall.

Ron was even less likely to achieve any effect.

"Click—"

A soft sound of a branch snapping could be heard.

Ron stared blankly at the wand in his hand.

Unicorn tail hair is the purest magical item; it cannot tolerate dark magic.

The Cruciatus Curse had just left a terrible scar on the wand.

"hehe--"

Koyatl, one hand on the windowsill, the other holding her wand, sweat dampening her hair, but none of this could suppress the smile on her lips.

A cold, cruel laugh.

His bright red eyes, like a blood moon, cast an uneasy, strange, and dangerous gaze upon Ron.

"It seems you've never truly experienced pain."

She said, "Yes. A little wizard like you."

"A wizard like you"

She muttered to herself, her whole being resembling an evil princess from a fairy tale.

You can see struggle, hatred, and resentment on her face.

It was as if her negative emotions had been brewed into a thick soup, and she drank it all without hesitation.

A moment later, the corners of her mouth, which she couldn't suppress, widened into an even wider grin. The girl became hysterical, but her eyes became simple—cold and fierce.

"Then why don't you give it a try?"

With that, she waved her wand, chanting a spell in a frenzied voice, "Crucible—Bone Crush!"

"Eliminate your weapon."

A red light shot out from Koyatl's wand, and at the same time, a red light also shot out from Ron's wand—the two red lights of different shades met in the air—Ron's wand suddenly vibrated as if it had been electrified, and he gripped it tightly, unable to let go even if he wanted to.

A thin beam of light connected the two wands.

Above them appeared thousands of arcs of light. The arcs of light intertwined around them, eventually forming a dome-shaped golden net, a cage made of light.

The light spots fell, sank into the floor and disappeared, just like snow.

"What happened?"

"What? What is this?"

The young wizards around them held their breath, staring in astonishment at the dazzling light screen before them.

I don't understand why Ron and Koyatl's spells are intertwined and have turned into a tug-of-war.

The magic seemed to be visualized; some kind of gas emanating from the wand transformed into a spell, which they could see clearly.

The two sides remained locked in a standoff until a commotion arose outside the gate.

"Boom—" A hurricane swept Ron away, scattering all the spells they had intertwined.

The wind pushed Ron, blowing him onto the nearest bed, where he bumped into the windowsill and bruised his ribs.

"Stop!"

His voice was as loud as a bell, instantly stunning all the young wizards present.

Everyone turned to look, and saw an elderly man with a white beard standing in front of the school clinic.

He was wearing a thick, light blue robe, and he was raising his hand, looking at them with a serious expression.

"Albus—" At that moment, another headmaster walked up behind Dumbledore, Professor Yurali of Ephemony.

With a worried look on her face, she glanced at Ron, who was clutching his stomach but seemed to be alright, and then walked towards Koyatl.

"Oh my God!"

Professor McGonagall then walked over, but upon seeing the devastation, she staggered back a step before looking at the perpetrators of all this: Ron and the twins.

"Why is it that you're always involved in every trouble we get into?" the professor asked, looking at Ron as he took a deep breath.

"I," Ron said, clutching his stomach, his face contorted in pain, "I want to know too, why is this happening?"

"Minerva," Dumbledore finally spoke again, saying calmly, "bring the Weasleys to my office. I'd like to speak with them about something."

"But Professor, my sister..." Ron bent over, a bitter feeling welling up inside him.

"I think I'm probably capable of finding your sister, Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore looked at Ron, a confident, powerful confidence emanating from behind his semi-circular spectacles.

Seeing this, Ron was finally speechless.

Dejected, head down, clutching his stomach like an elderly man with difficulty walking, he staggered out of the school clinic. In the instant before leaving the door, he looked at Koyatl one last time.

That was—a face filled with terror!

Then, after Professor McGonagall captured the twins, they left together.

Afterwards, Dumbledore checked Coyatt's injuries and then left the school infirmary.

Meanwhile, Owen was in Hogsmeade Village.

About twenty minutes after everything was over, Owen reappeared at Hogwarts.

The path at the foot of the mountain was not easy to walk. It usually takes more than ten minutes to walk from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade Village, not to mention that today the snow was falling heavily and the snow was almost up to the little wizard's thighs.

This road is even more difficult to travel.

(End of this chapter)