Chapter 397: A Dangerous Encounter

Chapter 397: A Dangerous Encounter

Disclaimer:

Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K Rowling.

I own nothing but the original characters I make.

"Dialogue"

'Thoughts'

-Author notes-

Chapter 397: A Dangerous Encounter

Five days before the second task, Hogwarts Castle

Despite the grim news that students had been receiving over the past two months, the mood at the school was overall a cheerful one.

The missing students were hardly noticed amidst the influx of others from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. And with only a few days left until the next task, the Triwizard Tournament was all anyone could talk about.

Harry had become more reclusive recently, only venturing out to attend classes when absolutely necessary, and even then, just to maintain appearances. His focus was on ensuring everything was ready for the upcoming battle.

After completing his training routine in the Room of Requirement, Harry was strolling leisurely through the Seventh Floor corridor.

There were only a few minutes left until curfew, but if needed, he could always Apparate to safety.

As expected, the halls were completely silent at this time.

He savored these small moments of peace and quiet, so he wasn't in any rush to return to his dormitory.

Passing one of the many open windows, he glanced outside. Even from this height, much of the Dark Forest was visible under tonight's moonlight, giving it an eery aura.

"Wait...what was that?" He stopped abruptly, feeling something bizarre emanating from the distant forest.

There were no visible clues at first sight, but he sensed a peculiar magical signature deep within the woods.

However, it was fleeting, vanishing almost as quickly as it appeared.

But what caught Harry's attention the most was her umbrella. Despite the absence of rain and the lateness of the hour, she held it open above her head.

"Are you the one who killed my brethren?" the girl asked somberly, turning her gaze directly toward Harry.

She was stunningly beautiful, enough to momentarily distract even Harry.

Her features were doll-like...porcelain skin, amber eyes, and an innocent face that could make anyone lower their guard.

"You cannot hide your presence from me, Young Lord. These old eyes have seen too much for that."

Her voice was both sweet and menacing.

Harry dropped his concealment, revealing himself.

"Oh, there you are. You look a bit younger than I imagined by the feel of your magic ..." She scrutinized him with her piercing gaze, as though measuring his worth.

"You couldn't see me, yet you knew I was here," Harry observed, realizing her sensitivity to magic was far more refined than his own.

He didn't need to ask what she was. Her appearance and her mention of "brethren" confirmed it...this was a vampire. Likely related to the ones he had killed before.

But this vampire was much different from the other ones he encountered previously in this same place.

Her aura exuded a danger he had never felt before, far greater than the colossal basilisk he had once fought in his second year.

"What is an Ancient Vampire Lord doing in a place like this?" Harry asked calmly, and fairly confident in his guess about her status.

Unfazed by his accurate deduction, the girl smiled sweetly.

"I came to investigate the place where some of my brothers and sisters fell. I wasn't entirely convinced by the story I was told. And now I find a Young Lord here. So, I will ask once more..."

Her amber eyes flickered red.

"Are you the one who killed my brethren?"

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