"All right, that's enough, Ron. It's time to go—stop touching Harry and Yang's things!"
The night grew deeper, the temperature steadily dropping. Hagrid could only urge Ron and Hermione to leave.
What he didn't know was that both of them wanted to stay.
Ron shot a panicked look at Hermione. Her eyes darted around, that mischievous spark obvious on her face.
"Hagrid, look at all this stuff. How long would it take Yang and Harry to pack it all up by themselves?"
"We should help them finish tidying up before we leave. That's basic etiquette for gentlemen and ladies."
Hermione tugged on Hagrid's coat, trying her best to persuade him.
Hagrid glanced around at the camping gear scattered across the ground.
With a sigh, he said, "All right—but we need to be quick."
Ron happily fiddled with the outdoor tent.
"Hey, they don't need that! I built a wooden cabin here myself. It's warm and safe."
Hagrid stopped Ron from unfolding the tent.
Hermione quickly pulled Ron away and shot him a fierce glare, whispering in his ear, "Can't you wait a little longer?"
Ron scratched his head and chuckled awkwardly.
Under Hermione's direction, everyone began moving things in an orderly fashion—until the ground suddenly started to tremble.
Thump… thump… thump…
Ron stared at the pebbles hopping near his feet and screamed in terror, "It's an earthquake!!!"
Hermione and Harry screamed right after him.
The three of them scattered in panic, clutching their heads.
Hagrid and Chu Yang exchanged a glance.
This wasn't an earthquake.
Something enormous was approaching…
"You three, calm down!"
Hagrid grabbed one in each hand, restraining the three panicking little squirrels.
"Look up!"
At Hagrid's reminder, Hermione raised her head first—and saw the sky completely blocked by something massive.
It was a towering giant tree, or rather, a tree-like being. Its sheer size was impossible to describe. Just standing there, its shadow swallowed the nearby lake.
It was spine-chilling.
"AAAAAH!!!"
Hermione let out an ear-splitting scream.
Harry and Ron looked up as well—and screamed right along with her.
Chu Yang's ears couldn't take it anymore, so he cast a Silencing Charm.
Their mouths snapped shut as if sewn together. The screams stopped abruptly.
"Don't panic. That's Yang's pet—you've seen it before, haven't you?" Hagrid explained.
A pet?
Hermione, Harry, and Ron stared at Chu Yang in sheer terror.
"It's the Whomping Willow from the school," Chu Yang said calmly as he lifted the spell.
"That's impossible!" Hermione shook her head immediately. "The Whomping Willow isn't that big!"
Chu Yang didn't bother explaining. He simply gave the towering tree a command.
"Find somewhere to sit. You're blocking the light."
The giant tree slowly moved, and the cabin was once again bathed in quiet moonlight.
Ron squinted upward with one eye and said with difficulty, "I'm having a hard time believing this is real."
Chu Yang smiled. "I gave it a new name—War Tree."
Under Chu Yang's command, the War Tree behaved obediently.
Hagrid calling it a pet wasn't wrong at all.
Harry cautiously studied the War Tree, swallowing hard.
Only now did he understand why Headmaster Dumbledore had insisted that Chu Yang accompany him to stay in the Forbidden Forest.
With a monster like this around, even Voldemort wouldn't stand a chance, right?
Just as the War Tree finished sitting down, the ground trembled again. Thin branches and vines extended like tentacles toward Chu Yang's feet, gently brushing against his wizard robes.
"Is it… acting spoiled toward you?" Hermione asked in amazement, watching the wriggling branches.
"Mm. Strictly speaking, it's still a child," Chu Yang joked.
Ron forced a laugh. "A child that's decades old…"
Harry adjusted his glasses and nodded. "By tree standards, twenty-something really does count as a child."
"Well said, Harry!" Hagrid gently stroked the War Tree's branches, his expression tender, as if soothing a real infant.
"So that means—with this here—the Forbidden Forest goes from the most dangerous place to the safest one?" Hermione's eyes lit up as she secretly pinched Ron.
Ron nearly yelped, but Hermione's murderous glare shut him up. He nodded obediently. "Yeah… feels very safe. Right, Hagrid?"
"Of course!" Hagrid said proudly. "You can absolutely trust this little fellow!"
Little fellow?
Chu Yang glanced at the War Tree, which was practically Ultraman-sized, and couldn't help but feel amused.
"If it's this safe, wouldn't it be better if we stayed too?" Hermione said matter-of-factly.
"Of course—wait, no!"
Hagrid's mental buffer finally kicked in. He shook his head vigorously. "Professor Dumbledore didn't say you could stay here."
"But he didn't say we couldn't stay here either," Ron countered immediately.
Hagrid fell silent. His brain started to stall.
At that moment, the ground trembled again. Everyone looked toward the War Tree.
Ron warned nervously, "Don't move around like that…"
The War Tree scratched its crown, looking utterly confused.
I didn't move…
They all exchanged looks.
From deep within the Forbidden Forest came a series of whinnies. Then, one after another, pure white figures burst out of the darkness.
"Unicorns!" Hermione exclaimed excitedly. "I saw unicorns!"
Ron gaped. "So many unicorns?! Merlin's beard!"
Countless white figures gathered under the moonlight like a roaring tide, surging forward with breathtaking force.
Harry stood frozen.
The unicorns gradually stopped. Most lowered their heads by the lake to drink, while the rest approached Chu Yang.
But because other people were nearby, they instinctively kept their distance.
Hagrid took several deep breaths to calm himself and turned to Chu Yang. "They must've sensed your presence."
Chu Yang nodded. More precisely, it was the pure life force within his body that attracted the unicorns.
"Are they… your pets too?" Hermione's face flushed with excitement. "I know it's rude to ask, but could I ride a unicorn? Just once would be enough."
"If they don't like it, that's fine too…" Hermione stood there nervously.
"They're my friends," Chu Yang said gently. "Don't worry. Unicorns like smart, kind girls like you."
Chu Yang whistled softly. The unicorns nearby immediately trotted over, gently nudging his hand with their heads.
Life force flowed like a warm spring from Chu Yang's hand into the unicorn's body.
It let out a joyful cry.
"Go on," Chu Yang said.
He cast a Levitation Charm, lifting Hermione and setting her precisely onto the unicorn's back.
Amid her delighted laughter, the unicorn carried her on a slow walk around the cabin, bathed in moonlight.
It was a beautiful sight.
"What about me? I want to ride too!" Ron said anxiously.
A mischievous glint flashed through Chu Yang's eyes. "You sure?"
Ron nodded firmly.
"All right. Your choice."
Chu Yang used Levitation to place Ron onto another unicorn's back.
The moment he got close, the unicorn tilted its head and kicked violently, sending Ron flying out of midair.
"Ow!!!"
Ron landed hard on the ground, baring his teeth in pain.
In the end, Hagrid couldn't argue past Hermione. After repeated warnings, he finally left the Forbidden Forest.
Originally, Dumbledore had planned for Hagrid to stay here as well.
But Hagrid refused. He believed that compared to Chu Yang and Harry, Dumbledore's situation was far more dangerous—he would be facing the treacherous Death Eaters directly.
Great as Dumbledore was, he was still very old.
After Hagrid left, the cabin turned into a playground. Hermione dragged Harry and Ron around, playing with the unicorns to their hearts' content.
During this time, Chu Yang quietly set up the tents and sleeping bags.
Judging by the way they were acting, none of them would choose Hagrid's carefully prepared wooden beds. So Chu Yang simply took out four sleeping bags.
About half an hour later, the three of them were completely worn out.
Rubbing their eyes, they returned to see four cute little tents set up on the empty grass in front of the cabin.
Camping lights illuminated both inside and outside the tents, bringing a touch of warmth to the cold Forbidden Forest.
The three cheered and each dove into a tent, seemingly not even bothering to wash up.
Before long, soft snoring came from within.
Seeing they were all asleep, Chu Yang grabbed a folding stool and sat beside the tents. Under the glow of the camping light, he lowered his head and began reading.
He was waiting for someone.
When he turned to the fifth page, a sudden gust swept across the grass.
A tall, agile figure appeared under the moonlight.
It was Firenze.
"I'm very glad to see you again," Firenze said with a slight bow and a smile. "When I sensed the unicorns' unusual behavior, I guessed you had arrived."
Chu Yang chuckled. "You don't need to be so polite with me. Friends shouldn't talk like that, Firenze."
"All right," Firenze nodded. He stepped lightly to Chu Yang's side and lowered his voice. "Professor Dumbledore told me in advance. During your stay in the Forbidden Forest, I will ensure your safety—though I know full well that Voldemort poses no real threat to you."
Chu Yang closed his book. "The one you need to protect isn't me."
Firenze glanced toward Harry's tent.
"Watch over them. I'm heading out for a bit."
Chu Yang stood up and drew his wand from within his loose wizard robes.
"At this hour?" Firenze asked. "Where are you going?"
Firenze looked a little worried.
"I'm going to visit an old man," Chu Yang said with a smile.
The next instant, he cast Apparition. Space twisted around him, and with a flash, Chu Yang vanished before Firenze's eyes.
By now, Firenze was long used to such scenes.
After spending so much time together, Firenze was the only one who truly understood Chu Yang's real strength.
When Chu Yang's feet touched the ground again, he had already arrived in the village known as Little Hangleton.
The Gaunt shack lay somewhere within a five-mile radius of Little Hangleton. Its exact location still had to be found by Chu Yang himself.
The final two difficulties—the Black family ancestral home and the Gaunt shack—were really just a choice between the two.
The Black family home was protected by the Fidelius Charm and required a member of the Black family to guide someone inside. Chu Yang had no connection with that family at all.
So he came here first, to try his luck.
Chu Yang put away his wand, formed hand seals, and prepared to use the Ultra-Light Boulder Technique to fly into the air.
Fortunately, it was deep night. The streets were empty, and no one saw a wizard-robed figure making strange hand gestures.
After rising to a sufficient height, Chu Yang looked down, carefully searching for an old residence hidden among the hills.
In the end, he found a dilapidated manor wedged between two steep slopes.
After circling the area once to confirm no one was nearby, Chu Yang descended in front of the Gaunt shack.
The door knocker bore a coiling snake carved into it.
Very good—very Slytherin.
Chu Yang checked the magical fluctuations on the door. Sensing nothing amiss, he pushed it open and stepped inside. As his Observation Haki spread out, faint murmurs filled his ears.
Following the sounds, Chu Yang found an old man in the corner of the Gaunt shack, dressed in an indigo wizard's robe.
Albus Dumbledore sat on the cold wooden floor. Pale moonlight filtered through the window and fell upon him. His expression alternated between anguish and distortion, as if he were trapped in a kind of cursed trance.
In front of Dumbledore lay a golden ring set with a black gemstone.
This was the Gaunt ring that carried one of Voldemort's soul fragments.
Chu Yang observed Dumbledore's condition and realized that he had not yet been struck by the curse on the ring.
Instead, he was locked in a stalemate, struggling against the curse while trying to remove it.
Dumbledore had always intended to destroy all the Horcruxes at once, leaving Voldemort no time to react.
That was why he had chosen to take the ring with him rather than destroy it on the spot.
However, the Dark Magic Voldemort used to protect his Horcruxes was extraordinarily powerful—it could not be dispelled so easily.
Dumbledore had underestimated the curse on the ring.
No one knew how long the old man had been locked in this struggle. His face was deathly pale, his strength clearly exhausted.
Chu Yang clapped his hands together. The wooden floor beneath them creaked loudly as a vivid green vine burst through the cracks, slowly winding its way toward the Gaunt ring. After wrapping around it several times, it sealed the ring completely.
Chu Yang then reinforced it with another layer of sealing techniques.
The moment he finished, Dumbledore gasped sharply and slowly opened his eyes.
"How did you get here?" Dumbledore asked in astonishment.
"Hermione and the others told me about the Horcruxes, so I thought I'd come take a look," Chu Yang said as he reached out and helped Dumbledore up.
"Thank you." Dumbledore swayed slightly as he stood, then explained, "The ring is protected not only by a curse, but also by a powerful enchantment. Anyone who attempts to remove the curse suffers a counterattack."
"He's always been meticulous. This time, I was careless."
"Oh, right," Dumbledore added. "Hermione and the others shouldn't know where the Horcruxes are."
He turned his head slowly and looked at Chu Yang. "Then how did you know there was one here?"
"Hermione told me what was in the book," Chu Yang replied. "I deduced the rest myself."
"Most of the time, I worry less about students being foolish and more about them being too clever," Dumbledore said helplessly. "Especially you."
Chu Yang asked, "And now?"
Dumbledore laughed heartily. "Now I must praise your courage and wisdom, Mr. Chu Yang."
Chu Yang laughed along with him.
After a short while, Dumbledore said, "I don't have the strength to cast spells right now. You'll have to take me away using Apparition."
Chu Yang drew his wand.
"My pleasure, Headmaster."
The surroundings twisted and blurred. In the next instant, the two of them appeared beside the small cabin in the Forbidden Forest.
"I must say, your Apparition has already reached a master's level," Dumbledore praised.
"I'm still far behind you," Chu Yang replied modestly.
He turned and fetched a folding stool, placing it beside Dumbledore.
Dumbledore did not sit immediately. Instead, he looked around, his eyes filled with shock.
Not far away, unicorns wandered leisurely through the clearing.
He knew Chu Yang was favored by unicorns—but he hadn't expected anything on this scale.
"Headmaster?" Firenze asked, staring at the suddenly appeared Dumbledore and Chu Yang in surprise.
"Good evening, Mr. Firenze," Dumbledore said.
The shock in his expression gradually eased, replaced by a faint smile.
He was now absolutely certain—Harry was completely safe here.
The outcome of this war was almost guaranteed.
That left only one remaining question.
How to deal with the soul fragment inside Harry…
Dumbledore frowned deeply.
"Headmaster, is there anything I can assist with?" Firenze asked.
"Just a small matter," Dumbledore replied, shaking his head.
"Firenze, could you patrol the surrounding area for a while?" Chu Yang suddenly said.
Firenze didn't think too much about it. He nodded, and with a few light bounds, disappeared into the depths of the forest.
Once Firenze had gone, Chu Yang turned to Dumbledore and said, "If you have any concerns, please tell me. As Hogwarts' smartest student, I'm obliged to help you share the burden."
Dumbledore pondered for a long time. He glanced at the tents behind him, then cast a spell to isolate the sound.
Slowly, he said, "To destroy Voldemort, all the Horcruxes must be destroyed. And Harry… Harry himself is one of Voldemort's Horcruxes."
Chu Yang showed an appropriate hint of shock, then fell into deliberate silence. After a long pause, he said, "I'd like to know everything. May I?"
Dumbledore explained it all in detail.
From how Tom Riddle became Voldemort.
To how Voldemort was rebounded by the blood protection and his soul fragment latched onto Harry.
"According to your account, Harry is at most a pseudo-Horcrux," Chu Yang said. "The process didn't strictly follow the Horcrux-creation ritual—it was an accident."
"I believe so as well," Dumbledore replied. "But the key issue is that even if Harry is only a pseudo-Horcrux, the Killing Curse is still required to destroy the soul fragment within him."
"We could try separating Harry's soul using the Horcrux-creation method," Chu Yang said calmly. "It would only require a slight modification to the spell."
At those words, inspiration flashed through Dumbledore's mind. He looked at Chu Yang in astonished delight.
In theory, this was entirely possible.
The soul fragment inside Harry was unstable. Separating it from Harry would be far easier than splitting a complete soul.
The difficulty of the spell would drop drastically as a result.
Moreover, the fragment was housed within Harry's body—it had not completely fused with Harry's soul.
With the proper adjustment, allowing the spell to act on the body instead of the soul, Harry himself would not be harmed.
With a clear path forward, all of Dumbledore's anxiety melted away, replaced by his usual confidence.
"You never fail to surprise me," he said softly.
Albus Dumbledore looked at Chu Yang with quiet satisfaction, a smile lingering at the corners of his eyes.
"It's just a bit of clever thinking," Chu Yang said modestly with a smile. "The truly difficult part is how to modify the spell—that's something only you can do."
Dumbledore let out a long breath. "Next, we only need to find a tool capable of destroying Horcruxes. Once we have that, Harry's problem can be resolved."
Each Horcrux was protected by powerful enchantments, making them extremely difficult to destroy through conventional means.
In the original course of events, Harry would later use the Sword of Gryffindor—after it absorbed basilisk venom—to destroy Horcruxes.
The basilisk was still hidden in the girls' bathroom at Hogwarts and hadn't come out to cause trouble yet. Killing it now would be perfect timing.
Just as Chu Yang and Dumbledore were discussing how to modify the spell, Ron's tent suddenly stirred.
Dumbledore didn't notice—but Chu Yang heard a faint sound.
"Sqee—sqee—"
The sound of a rodent.
A faint smile tugged at Chu Yang's lips. He turned and flicked his wand. Magic shot out like lightning, striking the edge of the tent.
A rat that had just darted out of Ron's tent was hit by the spell and collapsed unconscious on the ground.
"Oh!" Dumbledore exclaimed in surprise.
That rat was none other than Peter Pettigrew, who had been hiding in the Weasley household.
Years ago, it was he who betrayed his close friend James Potter, revealing the Potters' whereabouts to Voldemort—leading to the murder of Harry's parents.
Afterward, Pettigrew framed Sirius Black, faked his own death, and sent Sirius to Azkaban in his place.
The reason Chu Yang had ignored him all this time was simple: he didn't want to recklessly disrupt the flow of events and create unnecessary complications.
Besides, Pettigrew had behaved himself and hadn't done anything out of line.
But now, Chu Yang couldn't allow him to cause trouble at such a critical moment.
"If you keep playing dead," Chu Yang said coldly, "the next spell will be the Killing Curse."
The rat suddenly sprang up and bolted toward the depths of the Forbidden Forest.
In the next instant, a white figure charged out and blocked its path.
A unicorn reared up and kicked viciously, sending the rat flying.
Midair, Peter Pettigrew reverted to his human form and crashed heavily at Chu Yang's feet.
"It's you?!" Dumbledore recognized him instantly.
"G-greetings, great Headmaster Dumbledore," Pettigrew said, not daring to lift his head, trembling on the ground.
Someone who should have been dead… was alive.
That meant Sirius had never killed him.
Thoughts raced through Dumbledore's mind before one answer crystallized.
"You were the Potters' Secret-Keeper, weren't you?"
Dumbledore's fury erupted. His silver-white hair whipped wildly as he roared, "Tell me the truth, Peter!"
Pettigrew shook violently.
An enraged Dumbledore radiated a presence no weaker than Voldemort's.
Chu Yang stepped closer and said softly, "I'm very proficient in the three Unforgivable Curses. Tell me—which one do you like?"
Pettigrew's face drained of color. Overcome with terror, he spilled the entire truth of what had happened back then.
Dumbledore was furious beyond measure.
Pettigrew trembled like a leaf.
Chu Yang spoke calmly, "The most important thing right now is to go to Azkaban and bring Sirius Black back."
The anger in Dumbledore's eyes slowly faded. He nodded. "You're right. He shouldn't be punished by me. Azkaban is where Peter belongs."
Pettigrew's face turned deathly pale, his eyes filled with despair.
For a coward like him, Dementors were no less terrifying than Voldemort himself.
The next day.
Peter Pettigrew was taken away by Dumbledore and Hagrid. They planned to go to the Ministry of Magic, reveal the truth, and use Pettigrew to secure Sirius Black's release from Azkaban.
Morning came.
A new visitor appeared in the Forbidden Forest.
He was raggedly dressed, gaunt and malnourished, with hollow eyes filled with numbness. His features were sharp and menacing, his hair wild and unkempt—his entire presence radiated danger.
Harry and Hermione instinctively kept their distance. They didn't understand why Hagrid had brought a stranger here.
The two whispered to each other, speculating about the man's identity.
Hagrid leaned close and whispered something into the man's ear.
The man's dull gaze suddenly lit up as he stared intensely at Harry.
Harry was startled and bolted for the cabin without looking back.
At that moment, Chu Yang stepped out carrying breakfast.
Thump!
Harry, panicking, ran straight into him and immediately saw stars.
Chu Yang steadied the wobbling tray and looked down—Harry had already passed out on the ground.
"Young people really have it easy," Chu Yang remarked. "Out cold in seconds."
"Oh!" Hagrid exclaimed as he rushed forward to help Harry up—but the stranger was faster, dashing to Harry's side in a few quick steps.
The man gently brushed Harry's fringe aside, gazing at the scar on his forehead.
"Harry… Potter," he whispered softly.
Harry groggily opened his eyes, only to see that fierce-looking face looming over him. He let out a startled cry—and fainted again.
Hagrid sighed helplessly. "I think you should clean yourself up a bit, Black. Look at how badly you scared the boy."
Sirius stood there awkwardly, completely at a loss for words.
Chu Yang set the breakfast down on the folding table outside and turned to Sirius. "The second floor has a prepared bathroom. You can use it anytime, Mr. Black."
The Eastern-faced boy's words reminded Sirius of his conversation with Dumbledore.
Dumbledore had told him it was a student named Chu Yang who had captured Peter Pettigrew and secured his freedom.
"You're Chu Yang?" Sirius asked.
Chu Yang smiled and nodded. "Whatever you want to say can wait until breakfast. We're about to eat—I hope you can finish washing up quickly."
The boy's calm, mature manner surprised Sirius.
"Go get cleaned up," Hagrid urged. "I'll look after Harry."
His gaze drifted unconsciously toward the breakfast Chu Yang had made—the aroma made him swallow reflexively.
After handing Harry to Hagrid, Sirius headed straight for the cabin. Hermione nervously stepped aside, and Sirius politely murmured, "Thank you."
Hermione watched him go and muttered softly,"Maybe… he's not as scary as I thought."
Hermione stared at Sirius's retreating figure and muttered softly, then walked over to Chu Yang and asked in a low voice, "Who is he? Why do you call him Mr. Black?"
Chu Yang replied, "Black was a close friend of Harry's parents—and he's Harry's godfather."
Hermione's eyes widened instantly.
Hagrid helped Harry sit on a stool, then pulled out something that looked like a plant root from his pocket and held it under Harry's nose.
Harry jerked, sucked in a deep breath, and slowly opened his eyes.
Thankfully, this time the first thing he saw was Hagrid.
Harry let out a long sigh of relief.
One of the tents on the grass rustled. Ron, still in his pajamas and half-asleep, crawled out, sniffed the air, and wandered toward the table, ready to sit down.
Hermione irritably pulled the stool out from under him.
"Oof!"
Ron hit the ground hard. The shock snapped him fully awake, and only then did Hermione look satisfied.
A moment later, everyone gathered around the table, the aroma of food making their mouths water. No one could wait any longer.
Creeeak—
Sirius pushed open the cabin door and reappeared before them.
Though he was still wearing the same worn, shabby clothes, his entire demeanor had changed. He no longer looked vicious—just thin and gaunt.
Hermione said, "You actually look pretty good once you're cleaned up."
Sirius bowed slightly and smiled. "Thank you for the compliment, my lady."
Hermione's face flushed at once.
"Everyone's waiting—sit down already, Black!" Hagrid urged, practically drooling.
Already starving, Sirius abandoned all pretense of decorum. He crossed the distance in a few quick steps, dropped into the seat beside Harry, and took a deep breath of the rich aroma, looking utterly blissful.
Harry stared at him curiously.
"Since everyone's here, let's eat," Chu Yang said, signaling them to start.
Clink, clank—
The sound of cutlery striking plates rang out nonstop as everyone lowered their heads and shoveled food into their mouths.
"This vegetable stew is amazing—almost as good as my mum's!" Ron mumbled through a mouthful.
"Comparing it to your mother's cooking is very high praise. Thank you, Ron," Chu Yang said with a smile.
Hermione had just been about to compliment the food herself, but after hearing Chu Yang's words, she immediately shut her mouth and glared at Ron instead.
Feeling her murderous gaze, Ron looked completely baffled.
After finishing his bowl of stew, Hagrid speared a piece of bacon, chewed for a good while, then wiped his mouth with satisfaction.
Sirius had already finished everything on his plate. With nothing left to do, he sat there awkwardly, unsure what to say.
Chu Yang lightly kicked Hagrid's leg.
Hagrid understood at once, cleared his throat, and began introducing Sirius to everyone.
Clang!
Ron's spoon dropped to the ground. He pointed at Sirius in disbelief. "He's the one from… Azkaban…?"
Hermione immediately clapped a hand over Ron's mouth.
Sirius just smiled, clearly unconcerned.
Hagrid explained, "Black was framed. He didn't kill anyone, and he never betrayed Harry's parents."
Then Hagrid recounted the entire story. Ron and Hermione looked at Sirius with newfound sympathy.
To be imprisoned in Azkaban for over a decade on false charges—how much resentment and suffering must that have caused?
Noticing their expressions, Sirius laughed openly. "Before coming here, I was full of bitterness. But once I saw Harry, none of that mattered anymore."
He gazed gently at Harry. "You look just like your father—and your eyes are exactly like Lily's."
For some reason, the moment he heard that, Harry's eyes filled with tears. His voice caught in his throat.
Sirius stood up and gently pulled Harry into an embrace.
This was a moment Harry had longed for countless times in his dreams—a father's strong arms holding him close.
As Harry gradually accepted Sirius, he showed a kind of innocence he'd never displayed before.
He hovered around Sirius, asking childish questions. Sirius answered every one patiently. The scene was so tender it was almost unbearably sweet.
So sweet, in fact, that even Ron and Hermione couldn't take it anymore. They retreated into the cabin to help Chu Yang wash the dishes.
"Hopefully, when Harry hits puberty, they'll still get along this well," Hagrid muttered as he squeezed through the doorway.
Ron complained, "When you built this cabin, did you even consider that you might need to come inside yourself?"
Hagrid dusted himself off. "Time was short…"
Chu Yang and Hermione set the washed dishes aside to dry. Wiping his hands, Chu Yang asked, "Where's Headmaster Dumbledore?"
"He's resting," Hagrid said worriedly. "At his age, running around like this isn't good. It took me a lot of effort to convince him to go sleep for a bit."
Chu Yang nodded.
But not long after noon, Albus Dumbledore appeared at the cabin.
"Hagrid just left, and you show up right away—were you deliberately avoiding him?" Chu Yang asked.
"He keeps insisting I rest, but my mind is full of Horcruxes. I can't sleep," Dumbledore replied.
"And that means?"
"I want Black to come with me. We're going to retrieve the final Horcrux."
The last Horcrux was the locket hidden in the Black family ancestral home, which required a Black family member to enter.
Dumbledore sighed. "Besides the Horcrux, the truth about Regulus Arcturus Black must be known—especially by his brother, Sirius."
As they spoke, the cabin door opened and Sirius stepped out.
"I've taken up most of Harry's day. It's time I returned him to his friends," Sirius said, bowing slightly to Chu Yang. "I haven't had the chance to properly thank you. Without you, I might still be rotting in Azkaban."
Chu Yang waved it off. "No need for that. More importantly, Headmaster Dumbledore needs your help."
Sirius looked at Dumbledore in surprise. What could possibly require the help of someone like him?
"I need you to take me to the Black family ancestral home," Dumbledore said. "There may be a Horcrux hidden there."
Sirius instinctively shook his head. "Impossible. The Black family may have agreed with Voldemort's ideology and blood purity, but they never truly became Death Eaters—except…"
(Note: Narcissa and Bellatrix married into other families and are no longer considered members of the Black family.)
Sirius stopped, grief flashing in his eyes. "Except Regulus. But he was killed by Voldemort long ago!"
Dumbledore sighed softly. "His death was indeed connected to Voldemort—but he did not die as a Death Eater."
He then explained Regulus Black's true fate in full.
Sirius trembled from head to toe. If anyone other than Dumbledore had said this, he would have cursed them as a liar on the spot.
"Regulus…" Sirius's eyes grew wet.
"He was a hero," Dumbledore said firmly.
Sirius closed his eyes, choking back sobs, nodding again and again.
After a long moment, he exhaled deeply. "I understand. I'll take you to the Black family home and help you find Voldemort's Horcrux."
"Preferably now," Dumbledore added.
Sirius glanced back at the cabin. He wanted to spend more time with Harry.
Dumbledore misunderstood, smiled, and patted Chu Yang's shoulder. "Don't worry. He'll keep Harry safe."
Sirius looked doubtful. "He looks about the same age as Harry."
"Harry and I are in the same year," Chu Yang said with a grin.
Sirius shook his head, half amused. "Forgive me for being blunt, but you don't look capable of protecting Harry—or even yourself. As for Peter Pettigrew, beating him isn't exactly an achievement."
Dumbledore was about to explain when a figure suddenly charged toward Sirius, rearing up with both forehooves raised as if to stomp him. Sirius stumbled back in alarm and fell.
"Firenze, stop!" Chu Yang shouted.
Startled, Sirius looked up to find a striking centaur staring at him coldly, displeasure written all over his face.
"Human wizard, show proper respect to Mr. Chu Yang," Firenze said sternly.
He stepped back a few paces.
Dumbledore helped Sirius to his feet. Sirius asked in confusion, "Why are centaurs here?"
"Mr. Firenze is Yang's friend," Dumbledore explained. "He's quite friendly and not hostile toward humans."
Sirius muttered, "That didn't feel very friendly…"
Dumbledore smiled narrowly. "He told you the secret himself—respect Yang. That's all there is to it."
Sirius fell silent.
Meanwhile, Chu Yang said a few quiet words to Firenze, then turned back to Sirius. "Mr. Black, besides Firenze, I have other friends in the Forbidden Forest. If you're still worried about Harry's safety, I can introduce them to you."
Having learned his lesson, Sirius raised both hands in surrender. "All right, all right. I get it—you have a lot of friends. I don't need to meet them right now!"
Dumbledore burst into laughter.
He then took out his wand, placed a hand on Sirius's shoulder, and asked, "Ready?"
Sirius nodded.
With a sharp crack, Dumbledore Apparated away with him.
With Sirius's help, retrieving the locket would be no problem. That meant all the Horcruxes were finally accounted for.
"Now we just need a way to destroy them," Chu Yang murmured.
That night, after Harry and the others had fallen asleep, Chu Yang mounted a unicorn and returned to Hogwarts, slipping quietly into the girls' bathroom.
The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets required Parseltongue to open—but Chu Yang didn't have it. He chose a simpler method.
Forming hand seals, he used Earth Release, merged into the ground, tunneled through the pipes leading to the chamber, and descended to the depths.
After walking through the winding stone passages, he reached a massive stone door carved with Slytherin's distinctive serpents.
This was it.
Chu Yang placed one hand on the door and shoved.
The ground shook. The stone door shattered like a smashed mirror, breaking apart until it collapsed completely.
Chu Yang stepped into the Chamber of Secrets.
(End of Chapter)