Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing but the original characters I make.
Chapter 103: Reinforcement
Dudleymort faced another Auror, but this time it was a different group, it was Amelia Bones and her team, which also included Nymphadora Tonks.
"Stop!" warned Amelia.
But Dudleymort had no more time to waste. One of the Aurors had already sent an emergency Patronus to Dumbledore. That meant he had maybe five minutes before the headmaster arrived at the Ministry.
Not wanting to spend more time dueling here, he quickly used Transfiguration to create a decoy, filling the room with thick mist. Then he transfigured an object in the corner to resemble his own figure.
While their vision was obstructed, Dudleymort slipped away, flying swiftly toward the Department of Mysteries.
Meanwhile, at Hogwarts, Dumbledore was eating food in the Great Hall with the other teachers and students when he was suddenly interrupted by a silvery Patronus.
"Help! Please help us, Professor Dumbledore! He has returned and now he is attacking the Ministry, the Dark Lord has returned!!"
The Patronus vanished. The entire hall fell silent before erupting into fearful cries from many students.
"Silence!" boomed Dumbledore, amplifying his voice with Sonorus. "Prefects, gather the students your houses and lead the students to your common rooms immediately."
Though shaken, the prefects obeyed, guiding their peers out of the hall.
As the students finally leaving the hall, Harry suddenly made his move. He rushed forward and attacked Professor Lucius Malfoy with precision, catching everyone off guard. His strike was flawless, sharp, quick, and manage to caught him.
From the moment he heard the Patronus message, Harry eyes had darted toward Malfoy. With the instincts of a Quidditch Seeker and the training he had received from Dudley, he had been waiting for the right moment to act. He struck only once the students were gone.
"Harry!" McGonagall gasped in shock.
"POTTER! YOU AGAIN! HOW DARE YOU ATTACK A PROFESSOR!" Snape shouted, though his anger was half real and half pretense. He knew Lucius was truly a Death Eater, but Harry's audacity also reminded him too much of James Potter, which stung his pride.
Dumbledore, however, only watched with his eyes twinkling.
"Why are you attacking Professor Malfoy?" asked Dumbledore calmly.
"He was there, Professor," Harry said firmly. "I saw him at the graveyard."
Dumbledore studied him for a moment, then gave a small nod of approval.
Turning to the other professors, he instructed, "Protect the school, and keep Lucius in custody."
Then he gestured to Snape. "Severus, come with me to my office."
After reaching his office, Dumbledore turned to Snape, his expression grave.
"Did Voldemort inform you of any attack today?" he asked
Snape flinched slightly at the name but answered nonetheless. "No… I believe Lucius, and I also know nothing about this attack."
"That means," Dumbledore mused, stroking his beard slowly, "someone may have disguised themselves, perhaps as Voldemort himself, to launch an attack on the Ministry, perhaps as a prank."
"Do I need to come as well?" Snape asked.
"No," Dumbledore said firmly. "Your position as a spy cannot be jeopardized. It is crucial that Voldemort and his followers continue to believe you are still loyal. Stay here and maintain appearances. Do not arouse Lucius suspicion. In fact, show him your anger that we have taken him into custody. Let him believe you are furious we decided to capture him."
Snape gave a curt nod. "As you wish."
Without wasting another word, Dumbledore summoned Fawkes, the majestic phoenix, who let out a soft, mournful cry. The Headmaster stepped into the fireplace, threw down Floo powder, and vanished in a swirl of emerald flames, leaving Snape alone in the office.
---Ministry---
Dudleymort finally arrived at the Hall of Prophecy.
The moment he stepped into the chamber, whispers surrounded him, faint and unsettling, like voices carried by an invisible wind. They came from every shelf, every orb, echoing the weight of secrets never meant to be spoken. Ancient magic lingered in the air, thick and suffocating. Not even Hogwarts, with all its history, could rival the density of magic gathered here.
The Time-Turners, the Prophecy Orbs, every artifact in this place was woven with ancient magic older than most civilizations. Wizards were led to believe these tools could alter fate, change the future, or rewrite the past. To Dudleymort, they were nothing but chains, illusions crafted by ancient magic to keep humanity trapped in false hope.
For example time turner, they believe they can return to the past but they can't change anything and even if they try nothing would change.
Until now, he didn't know what kind of creature can control ancient magic or did this magic is actually a being alive? He don't know.
He studied one of the glowing orbs carefully, tracing its shape with his eyes. Then, from his pocket, he withdrew an object and transfigured it into a perfect replica of the Prophecy Orb. Identical in every detail, it shimmered faintly in his palm.
Knowing the orbs were nothing more than tools of deception, Dudleymort made his choice. With a cold sweep of his wand, he unleashed destruction. Shelves toppled, orbs shattered, and fires erupted, consuming the chamber. The Time-Turners, the mysterious orbs, even the strange, preserved brain within the Department, all burned. War, he decided, required sacrifice.
Clutching the transfigured orb, Dudleymort left the ruined chamber. But he did not get far because the reinforcements from Ministry had arrived. Dumbledore, Fudge, dozens of Aurors, and even reporters.
Dumbledore face hardened at the sight of Voldemort holding what appeared to be the Prophecy Orb in his left hand.
"You are cornered, Tom," Dumbledore warned. The chamber shimmered faintly with wards, no one could Apparate in or out.
Cornelius Fudge, however, looked as though the blood had drained from his body. "Impossible…" he muttered weakly.
Dudleymort deactivated his gamer's mode and gave Dumbledore a wide, unsettling smile. "I win this time, Dumbledore."
He did not intend to risk a battle against the old wizard, not with so many others present. With a mocking wave of his hand, he waved his hand with a gesture like 'goodbye'. Then he activated the Floo Network of Hogwarts Legacy. Green light flared, engulfing him completely. In the blink of an eye, he vanished.
Gasps echoed through the hall. Voldemort had escaped despite the Ministry anti-Apparition wards. The Dark Lord had vanished under the very eyes of Dumbledore, the Aurors, and the Minister himself.
Cornelius Fudge stood frozen, his face pale as parchment. For so long, he had denied Voldemort return. Now, the truth struck him like a blow. Reality had slapped the Minister of Magic harder than any wand ever could.
Author Notes: To read advanced chapter you can go to my patreon.
Chapter 131: Visiting Orphanage
Chapter 132: Dumbledore Dilemma
Chapter 133: Vaelen
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