015 Trust

015 Trust

Bryan was stunned, his expression a mix of shock and confusion as he looked at the spot where the black witch had been standing just moments ago.

"Did she Apparate or use a Portkey?" a thought crossed Bryan's mind, but he dismissed it almost immediately.

The Hogwarts grounds were protected by powerful magical defenses, rendering common teleportation methods ineffective. The ancient magic that shielded the school was on a different level altogether. Even the most formidable wizards might not be able to breach the defenses established by the founders.

Yet, the black witch, with her mysterious background, had given Bryan a venomous look before being hit by the Sectumsempra Curse and disappearing into thin air.

Bryan searched the area in astonishment, hoping to find some clues, but the black witch was truly gone, leaving no trace behind.

"How is this possible? We're still within the boundaries of Hogwarts, and they haven't breached the protective walls in the Forbidden Forest. In theory, we're still on school grounds," Bryan pondered.

Deciding not to waste time trying to suppress the unextinguished Fiendfyre, Bryan cautiously approached the spot where the black witch had vanished.

He noticed a pool of bright red blood on the ground, evidence of her presence moments ago.

Footsteps grew nearer, indicating the arrival of professors from the school. Bryan, resigned, stared at the blood that had yet to seep into the soil.

"You left an opening," he muttered to himself. Before Professors McGonagall and Snape arrived, Bryan swiftly collected the blood in a small bottle and cast a Freezing Charm on it.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com

"I will find you."

Snape and McGonagall weren't the first to reach the scene; Dumbledore arrived ahead of them.

A brilliant crimson flame suddenly flashed in the scorching air. Albus Dumbledore materialized in midair, holding his phoenix wand. He landed gracefully, displaying agility that defied his age.

Dumbledore quickly surveyed his surroundings. His piercing blue eyes locked onto Bryan standing amidst the scorched earth, his arrival catching Bryan off guard. Behind his half-moon spectacles, a simmering anger emanated from the legendary wizard.

Dumbledore's first action was to extinguish the Fiendfyre that Bryan could not fully control. With a casual wave of his wand, the pale flames and the golden fire summoned by Bryan vanished instantly.

"Hand over your wand, Mr. Watson," Dumbledore's tone remained calm yet carried an undeniable firmness.

Bryan hesitated for a moment; he didn't want to surrender his wand. He believed that everything that had unfolded tonight could be explained, but it was this brief hesitation that almost led him into trouble.

In that moment, Dumbledore was no longer the kind and friendly figure he had been to the young wizards of Hogwarts. He was the man who had directly faced and defeated the first Dark Lord, Grindelwald. He was the most powerful wizard of their time, who had kept the second Dark Lord at bay for nearly three decades. His reputation rivaled even that of the President of the International Confederation of Wizards.

For Dumbledore now, disobedience meant resistance.

Without warning, Dumbledore raised his wand and cast a disarming spell, his magic exuding unparalleled power. The air crackled and hundreds of thin tendrils of lightning surged where the spell passed. Bryan's scalp tingled, and his face turned pale.

The silver-black magic shield that had effortlessly withstood attacks from Charlie and others shattered instantly against the force of the disarming spell.

But Bryan wasn't ready to surrender; he had his resolve. In the blink of an eye, he swung his wand wildly, conjuring a golden snake engraved on its surface. From the void, a huge silver metal shield materialized, blocking the spell's path.

Boom!

The deep, resonating sound echoed through the earth, like muffled thunder on a winter night, reverberating across the land.

Bryan saw countless golden stars flash before his eyes, his legs weakening as he staggered back.

Dumbledore, surprised that Bryan had managed to halt his spell, exhibited a brief moment of astonishment. But it quickly faded.

"Stop, Headmaster Dumbledore!" Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape finally arrived, witnessing the devastation of the ForbiddenForest before them. Professor McGonagall gasped, her hand covering her mouth in disbelief.

Snape, ran hastened towards Dumbledore, boldly and roughly grabbing his hand to prevent any further action.

"Wait, Dumbledore, there must be a misunderstanding!" Snape implored.

Sweating profusely, Snape surveyed the scene. When his eyes fell upon Bill Weasley, suspended upside down in midair from a Levitation charm , he began to breathe more rapidly.

"Finite Incantatem."

He released Bill, and as Bill's head hit the ground, he flung himself comically to the side, his handsome face etched with fear.

Only then did he regain his senses and fully comprehend the situation.

"Professor McGonagall, I saw it! Someone used the Killing Curse just now, I swear I saw it clearly!" Bill's words hung in the air, chilling the atmosphere to silence.

Snape, gripping Dumbledore's arm tightly, felt the aged wrist strain against his grip, trying to break free.

"Hand over your wand, Bryan!" Snape's voice was tense as he looked at Bryan standing alone before Dumbledore. "Trust me, Bryan. We can resolve this misunderstanding, and I believe in you."

Ron suddenly sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes widening as he realized,

"It was Charlie, and everyone on the Gryffindor team at the time!"

Hermione nodded, satisfaction evident in her tone. "I'm glad you finally caught on, Ron. With Bill's help, they saved eight lives. That's worth 400 points!"

"So, Hagrid, Dumbledore confirmed that a dark wizard truly entered Hogwarts. Did he catch that person?"

Harry, more perceptive than Ron or Hermione, suddenly had a thought.

"Yeah, he confirmed it."

As he spoke, Hagrid suppressed his smile and appeared solemn,

"That night, after Bill woke up, the misunderstanding was quickly cleared. He told Dumbledore that it wasn't Bryan who cast the Killing Curse, but a lurking dark wizard. Dumbledore personally examined Bryan's wand, and every spell cast that night was confirmed ."

"Afterward, Headmaster Dumbledore meticulously examined the battleground. You know, Harry, someone like Headmaster Dumbledore can almost piece together the entire story of that battle. But unfortunately, despite his extensive search, he couldn't find that audacious dark wizard. It kept me awake for nearly two months, patrolling the Forbidden Forest every night."

Hagrid blinked and addressed the three, who now understood the gravity of the situation,

"It caused quite a stir at the time, and the Ministry of Magic even dispatched elite Aurors to search the Forbidden Forest. But they found nothing. To contain the panic, both Dumbledore and Fudge decided to keep the incident as quiet as possible. That's why you haven't heard much about it since."

A somber atmosphere settled in, and Harry and Ron exchanged glances, wondering if the dark wizard could be another one of Voldemort's minions, similar to Quirrell.

"So, as I was saying, Ron, you must have heard of him—"

Hagrid smiled,

"Professor Snape released Bryan Watson during the second-year Quidditch final. Before that, he had been in Snape's office every night and every weekend, serving detention. Charlie's Gryffindor team was quite strong, with a chance of winning consecutive championships. But when Snape let Bryan Watson onto the field, well, you can imagine what happened then. Seriously, Henry and Grace, The two of them didn't just mount their brooms and escape; they truly lived up to Gryffindor's name."

"It seems Slytherin occasionally produces remarkable individuals."

Ron mumbled quietly.

"There have been plenty of notable Slytherin wizards, Ron,"

Hagrid laughed. He glanced at the sun outside and realized it was getting late—it was time to prepare lunch.

"The story is finished, you three. Would you like to join me for lunch?"

"Oh!"

Hermione snapped out of her daze, horrified,

"Damn it, Madam Pomfrey, I completely forgot about the time!"

She put on the invisibility cloak, revealing only her head,

"Next time, Hagrid, I'll have to stay at the hospital wing!"

With that, she hurriedly rushed out. Harry and Ron were more inclined towards the food at the school, so they quickly got up to follow Hermione.

"Oh, right."

Hagrid, slightly disappointed, suddenly remembered something and called out to Harry's retreating figure,

"You haven't told me why you were asking about Watson!"

"Mr. Watson has returned to Hogwarts!"

Harry didn't turn back, just waving his hand above his head, "He's now the investigator for the Chamber of Secrets attack!"

Clang, clatter!

Startled, Hagrid stumbled against the hut's door, and the room shook violently from the impact. The melted snow on the roof cascaded down, burying him momentarily.

"The investigator from the Ministry of Magic for the Chamber of Secrets?"

Hagrid's face drained of color as he leaned against the doorframe, whispering to himself,

"That can't be. Dumbledore... oh no, I need to figure this out!"

After a while, Hagrid slammed the door shut and marched towards the castle, without a glance back, accompanied by Fang's barking.