Chapter 264: Disintegrating Patronus
Chapter 264: Disintegrating Patronus
Ivan was worried that he might miss Aisha if he left on his own, so he patiently waited a bit longer.
However, as time passed, the crowd gradually dispersed, and Ivan's heart sank. He decided he wouldn't wait any longer.
Ivan walked out of King's Cross Station alone, the sky dark with thick, black clouds. Muggles hurried along the streets, their faces worried and rushed.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew, followed by the sound of a horn.
Ivan turned his head sharply and saw a bright purple three-story bus speeding towards him.
It moved as fast as lightning, careening through the straight lanes, completely ignoring the traffic rules set by the Muggles. It sped in the opposite direction, as if the pedestrians and vehicles around it didn't exist.
Ivan even saw the bus twist and warp in an odd way to avoid hitting a pedestrian, whose face was pressed against the window, completely unaware.
In no time, the purple bus came to a stop in front of Ivan, with "Knight Bus" written in golden letters on the windshield.
The door opened with a bang, and a ticket collector in a purple uniform leaned against the door, looking down at Ivan and said,
"Welcome to the Knight Bus—the emergency transport for Wizards in distress! Just extend your Wand, step on board, and we'll take you anywhere you want to go!"
"I'm Stan Shunpike, your ticket collector for this journey!" Stan Shunpike smiled, stepping aside and bowing slightly, extending his hand in a welcoming gesture, as if he wasn't worried about Ivan refusing.
"To the Leaky Cauldron!" Ivan got on the bus as expected, knowing it would be much faster than walking.
"That'll be nine Sickles, thank you!" Stan Shunpike reminded him. After Ivan paid, he curiously asked why Ivan was alone at King's Cross Station.
"Is it strange for a young Wizard to be heading home alone?" Ivan glanced at him.
"Kids your age are pretty rare!" Stan Shunpike said, teasingly.
"Alright, come on in. Sit down, we're about to take off!" Stan Shunpike patted the door and asked with a smile, "Would you like some coffee or chocolate? Just an extra three Sickles! We're also giving away a free newspaper or toothbrush today!"
"No, thanks!" Ivan shook his head and was about to walk into the bus.
At that moment, Stan Shunpike suddenly placed his hand on Ivan's shoulder, frowning and asking, "Wait, have we met before? You seem familiar."
"You might be mistaken", Ivan stopped, turned his head, and replied.
Ivan knew that Stan Shunpike might have seen him in the newspaper a couple of months ago, but he didn't want to cause any trouble.
Stan Shunpike let go of his hand, and Ivan continued forward.
The interior of the Knight Bus was much larger than it appeared from the outside.
There were seven brass-framed beds inside, most of which were occupied by other passengers. The nearest one was taken by an old Wizard, who was reading the Daily Prophet to pass the time.
Ivan found an empty bed by the window and sat down.
It started to rain outside, the sky turning a dreary gray.
The Knight Bus sped through the roads at an incredible pace, the beds creaking and swaying, making for a very uncomfortable ride. Ivan frowned at the poor experience.
Fortunately, the Knight Bus was incredibly fast. After about ten minutes of this unpleasant journey, the bus stopped in front of the Leaky Cauldron.
Ivan picked up his luggage and got off the vehicle. Behind him, Stan Shunpike's voice echoed.
"Good luck, Mr. Hals!"
Ivan turned around in surprise to see Stan Shunpike tipping his hat in a salute.
"I think you should wear the Order of Merlin on your chest at all times. It's a great honor!" Stan Shunpike teased.
Why would I wear that thing for nothing? Ivan shook his head helplessly. He wasn't Lockhart.
Watching the peculiar Knight Bus drive off into the distance, Ivan quickly entered the Leaky Cauldron.
He pushed open the door, and the indoor fireplace roared with flames. The pub was bustling with noise. The elderly owner, Tom, was drinking butterbeer with a few Wizards, and not far away, two goblins were playing cards.
The lively atmosphere eased Ivan's tense mood somewhat. He tiptoed and lightly tapped the sealed stone bricks on one side of the pub with his Wand three times.
The sealed wall trembled violently, and the bricks began to move irregularly. Soon, a wide archway appeared before Ivan, leading to Diagon Alley!
Ivan didn't have the heart to linger and walked through the bustling streets, turning into Knockturn Alley.
Compared to before, the place seemed even more silent.
A few shops that were clearly open had their doors and windows closed, and the black-robed Wizards who usually lurked around were nowhere to be seen.
As the sun set and the drizzle slowly stopped, the sky remained overcast and gloomy.
Ivan's sense of unease grew, and he quickened his pace.
Boom~
As Ivan passed a corner, a massive explosion sounded from ahead, and a vivid red flame was clearly visible.
Ivan ran quickly toward the source of the fire and explosion.
When he arrived, his pupils constricted. The place where the incident occurred was his own Dark Magic Shop.
The side of the two-story building had been blown out into an irregular circular hole, with some flames still visible, and debris and dust covered the ground.
Ivan cast a Shield Charm on himself as quickly as possible and rushed inside. Seven or eight black-robed bodies lay on the ground, bloodied and mangled.
It was a Blasting Curse! Ivan immediately recognized the magic that could cause such widespread damage.
Did Aisha do this? How is she?
Ivan tried to think positively, but his heart grew increasingly uneasy.
Using such a powerful explosive spell in a confined space was extremely dangerous and would only be done in dire circumstances.
Ivan ran frantically, trying to use the faster Unicorn Shadow spell to help him search. White mist began to drift from his Wand, but it never formed the shape of a Patronus.
"Expecto Patronum! Expecto Patronum!" Ivan struggled to release his bloodline magic. Finally, the white mist barely coalesced into the shape of a unicorn but disintegrated the next second, and the white mist from his Wand dissipated.
Ivan stopped in his tracks, his mind blank.
In a corner of the hall, a familiar figure lay in a pool of blood. Her eyes were closed, her delicate profile pale, and her long hair was stained with blood.
It was Aisha!
(End of Chapter)
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