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Chapter 1320: A Group of Harry Potters
Chapter 1320: A Group of Harry Potters
Peering through the rain, the Death Eaters on broomsticks turned to look at their leader.
"The Hogwarts train is here, it's time to act," said the lead Death Eater, his voice cold and commanding.
"Aren't we waiting for the Dementors?" asked another Death Eater, his brow furrowed in concern.
"Why wait for those creatures? I have no desire to deal with them. And do you truly believe Harry Potter would be foolish enough to await our arrival on this train?" The lead Death Eater, his face hidden in the shadows of his hood, did not bother to conceal his disdain for Corban Yaxley and his displeasure at the presence of the Dementors.
As newcomers to the ranks of the Death Eaters, they had been tasked with this dirty work to prove their worth and loyalty.
Their mission was not to capture Harry Potter, but rather to teach a stubborn individual a harsh lesson.
While capturing a few students did not require such a large group, Yaxley had brought extra hands to counter any potential attacks from the Defense Association—a group of meddlesome defenders who might attempt to interfere.
Suddenly, a piercing scream cut through the air, and someone pointed at the dark sky. "The Dementors are here!"
The group looked up, witnessing a large cluster of shadows moving towards the Hogwarts train. As the Dementors approached, the temperature dropped drastically, and a layer of frost began to form on the grass and flowers nearby.
"What rotten luck. Let's go."
With a sweep of his arm, the lead Death Eater signaled, and the group of Dark Wizards mounted their broomsticks, swiftly giving chase towards the end of the train.
Once the rest of the group had caught up, the leader, along with two of his followers, executed a Side-Along Apparition spell, appearing directly in front of the train engine. In a bold move, they attempted to physically halt the train with their outstretched arms.
Unconcerned about the potential collision, they knew that even if the driver didn't stop in time, they could easily escape the path of the train using the Side-Along Apparition spell—a tactic they had employed earlier that very day.
It was unclear what had prompted them to attempt such a risky maneuver.
However, their luck seemed to be running short. The train showed no signs of stopping, and they were forced to quickly Apparate backwards to avoid a fatal collision.
Nonetheless, their daring action had some effect. The driver applied the brakes, and the train gradually slowed to a halt.
The trailing Dementors quickly surrounded the train, and a layer of frost began to form on the windowpanes of the carriages.
The students inside soon became aware that something was amiss, especially those in the higher grades who had witnessed Sirius Black's escape a few years prior. The sight of the frost-covered windows was enough to confirm their suspicions.
"It's the Dementors," whispered Neville, his voice shaking.
"I reckon they're in for a wild goose chase," said one of the students, attempting to reassure the others.
Macy, curious and brave, opened the window to peer outside, ignoring the icy tendrils that crept into the carriage.
"Don't be daft, Macy! The Death Eaters aren't fools. They're obviously not here to capture Harry; they must have another purpose," said Ernie, his wand at the ready, its light illuminating the worried faces of his friends.
Noticing Neville's unusually pale complexion, Ernie asked with concern, "Neville, are you alright?"
"Yeah... just... the Dementors, they affect me quite a bit," Neville replied, his lips trembling as he struggled to maintain his composure.
"It's more than just a bit," muttered Simon.
"Some people are more susceptible to their influence," Luna said calmly. "But don't worry, I can help."
With a gentle flick of her wand, Luna released a silvery mist that coalesced into a physical Patronus—a rabbit—that hopped playfully above their heads.
"You can summon a corporeal Patronus!" Anthony exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise as he looked at Luna, her odd spectacles glinting in the dim light.
The Patronus Charm was one of the most challenging spells to master, and during their previous practice sessions, more than half of the students had been unable to conjure a corporeal Patronus.
"Thank you, Luna," Neville said, his voice steadier as he drew strength from the presence of Luna's Patronus.
"I'll give it a go as well!"
Whether it was to show off or to help Neville further counteract the Dementors' influence, Ernie McMillan also summoned his Patronus, a silver boar, which charged and cavorted above their heads.
The carriage was instantly filled with a warm, bright light that dispelled the cold, gloomy atmosphere.
"Looks like we should step up our game as well," Simon said, his face a mixture of envy and determination. Like many others, he had learned the Patronus Charm from Harry, but he had not yet managed to produce a corporeal Patronus.
Just then, a commotion could be heard from the corridor outside. As Ernie prepared to investigate, the carriage door was flung open, revealing a cloaked stranger. He scanned the interior, his gaze settling on the two Patronuses dancing above the students' heads.
The students were taken aback, not expecting a Death Eater to actually inspect the carriages.
Neville, undaunted, stood up and glared at the intruder. "Do you really think Harry Potter would be foolish enough to wait here for you to capture him?" he challenged, his voice laced with sarcasm.
The Death Eater, his face still hidden, merely regarded Neville with a cold stare before a cruel smile twisted his lips. With a swift motion, he pointed his wand at Neville and uttered the Cruciatus Curse.
Neville screamed in agony as the curse pierced his soul, and he crumpled back into his seat.
"This is just a warning, boy. Keeping your mouth shut will spare you a lot of pain," the Death Eater hissed, his eyes sweeping over the indignant students before turning to leave.
Clearly, they were not there to capture the trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, as he was followed by two Dark Wizards, one of whom was holding an unfamiliar young girl.
As the young girl pleaded for help from the onlooking students, no one stepped forward to aid her.
"Don't do anything rash!" Ernie said, holding back Neville. "We can't help her."
"Who is that girl, and why are the Death Eaters after her?" Simon asked, certain that the Death Eaters' search of the train had an ulterior purpose.
"Kidnapping children to force their relatives into compliance is a common Death Eater tactic, and it's proven effective," Neville replied disdainfully.
"If only we had a way to contact the Defense Association. They would know how to help that girl," Luna lamented.
"But we have no means of reaching them," Ernie said glumly. "Next time I see Cedric, I'll ask him for their contact information."
"Don't be foolish," Anthony cut in. "Even if we could get in touch, they might not be able to make it here in time, and it would be a huge risk for them." He felt that their group was being incredibly naive; what if this was a trap?
Suddenly, it dawned on him why the Defense Association hadn't left them a means of contact.
Just then, the commotion outside grew louder, and they could faintly hear someone shouting "Harry Potter."
As Ernie poked his head out to investigate, there seemed to be an explosion in the corridor, followed by a red light that filled the passageway.
Could someone be trying to rescue the girl from the Death Eaters?
Ernie was just about to step out to see who dared to be so bold when he heard someone shouting "Harry Potter" again.
Indeed, it was Harry Potter.
But what was he doing on the train?
Did he plan to attend Hogwarts after all?
As Ernie squeezed his way through the crowded aisle, he was astonished to see the three arrogant Death Eaters lying on the floor like helpless dogs.
Even more surprising was the sight of Harry Potter, wand in hand, standing in the aisle—and he wasn't alone.
There were multiple Harry Potters! The gathered students were stunned into silence, their eyes wide as they took in the three Harry Potters, each dressed slightly differently.
"I knew the Death Eaters would be foolish enough to come after us here, so I took the initiative to meet them," said the leading Harry Potter with a playful tone. "This way, we save them an unnecessary trip."
"Harry, what's going on?" someone asked, unable to contain their curiosity.
However, as Harry Potter raised his finger to his lips, the surrounding students found themselves unable to utter a sound. Even those who had been pushing and shoving in the crowded aisle were suddenly frozen in place.
"What do we do with this young lady?" asked one of the Harrys.
"Wake her up and ask her what she wants to do. If she's willing to come with us to a safe place, we'll help her. If not, we'll leave her be," replied Albert, who had no habit of forcing others to do anything against their will.
"Take care of those three," Albert continued, having confirmed that the girl did not wish to go with them. "We should go."
Fred and George, with mischievous grins, stripped the three dark wizards of their clothes, leaving them in their underwear.
Oh, how generous of them.
"We'll leave them to you," Fred said with a playful wink. "Don't mention it."
With that, the three Harry Potters disapparated, leaving behind a carriage full of stunned students and three humiliated, half-naked Death Eaters.
Someone screamed.
This seemed to be a signal for the students to rush forward and kick the helpless Death Eaters on the floor.
Many of the students had experienced similar situations before.
Back when Umbridge was at Hogwarts, they had all taken turns taking their anger out on her, ensuring that no one could tell who had done it.
So, the three Death Eaters were in for a beating.
News of what had happened spread quickly through the train, and groups of students would take turns coming to kick the helpless Death Eaters. Even Slytherin students dared not intervene to release them from their binds, fearing that they might be implicated in the assault.
Back in their carriage, Ernie excitedly recounted the events in the corridor to his friends. However, he soon noticed that they all had peculiar expressions on their faces.
"What's wrong?" Ernie asked, his smile fading.
Moss filled Ernie in on what they had witnessed through the window.
"You think it was the Defense Association?" Ernie asked.
"It has to be them," Anthony replied excitedly. "Their Patronuses are distinctive, and they drove away the Dementors surrounding the train in an instant. Then, they mounted their brooms and charged, quickly overpowering the group of dark wizards..."
Anthony's voice trailed off as they noticed an owl flying outside, a letter clasped in its claws.
"This is for you," Anthony said, handing the letter to Neville.
Inside the envelope was not a letter but a piece of enchanted writing paper.
"That's it! I saw this symbol earlier," someone exclaimed.
Their eyes fell upon the symbol on the writing paper—a shield with two crossed wands.
Soon, words appeared on the writing paper:
> I hope you receive this before you arrive at school. Do not let others know, and do not try to contact us. —DA (End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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